Jupiter- WWBA World Championship

Get to the games at the main complex early, parking is a nightmare.  Wear shoes you might not mind getting dirty, there is a lot of transitionally walking on grass/dirt areas. #1 - Keep your head on a swivel looking for golf carts!!!!

There isn't much to know assuming you have attended large PG events in the past.  In general there are far fewer teams than the big Atlanta events which means a higher concentration of talent.  As an example, Jupiter is the only event my son plays for a team other than his normal summer travel team.  Other than that, just take it all in.  It's a lot of fun.  Every field you walk by will have mulitple kids who are the highest tier talent.

This is a big time event. Last good event before the winter season, and arguably one of the biggest for breakout performances (guys in the All-American game are already well-known). Have fun!

Kyle Boddy,

 

My suggestion is to just enjoy it.

 

We claim this event is the Biggest scouting attraction in all of baseball.  So far no one has ever argued that.  For sure no one that has never been there would argue that.

 

I often am asked what Jupiter is all about.  Standard answer is... It is the most unusual baseball event I have ever seen.  It is like a small time carnival for baseball.  The talent is almost unbelievable for those not used to it.  And yes, many fairly unknowns have become famous in the scouting/recruiting community almost over night.

 

Our only pet peeve is a few agents/advisors tell their player not to attend.  Sometimes there is a valid reason for not attending.  Then sometimes it is simply agents that know every big time agent in baseball is there and they (the agent) knows how easy it is to change advisors.  So they give their player the wrong advice just to protect their own interest. This happens too often.  Once again I'm not talking about those that are injured, shut down, playing football, or any other valid reason.  I'm talking about kids that could really help them self by being there.  Those kids should and need to be there. We have seen some that became first round picks in Jupiter. In fact there have been some first over all picks that played in this event.  

 

If you are watching the playoffs this year, you are watching a lot of former Jupiter players.

PG, I think i know a few of those players and to boot, we don't have an advisor. Maybe that why we are going so my son can experience this phenomenon before he goes off to school next summer.

My son went last year and will be back again this year with his summer team. I can vouch for the talent level there. It is almost unbelievable. The WWBA are full of talented teams and some very average ones, but this is invitation only. Every game we played last year was ultra competitive. I never knew there could be so many 90 mph arms. I think I counted like 185 kids that hit 90+ last year. That is almost unbelievable. One word of advice, not much shade available not bleacher space. Just be prepared to stand in the middle of a VERY crowded area. From what I saw, this event is geared for players, not observers. Just crazy to see golf carts separate fields as opposed to fences. You will be blown away with the sheer numbers of scouts about!!

So, to sum up; wear combat boots and a floppy columbia bucket hat, keep my head of a swivel and listen for the EZ Go and Club Car carts and be prepared to stand most of the time. I think some folks may mistake me for "Carl the Groundskeeper" but i will go with it. It all sounds like a bargain to see some of the best talent in HS baseball. Cant wait till next week.

Grandma and Grandpa live in West Palm Beach and want to see their grandson, but given the advice in this topic, I may tell them to stay home and we'll meet them for dinner.

Joemktg, I don't want to imply that you don't want to watch.  I hope my post didn't give this implication.  I would never tell grandparents to not come watch grandson.  Just tell them to expect to get to the game a little early to make sure they get a bleacher seat or bring a chair to sit in.  It is a great experience that I think anyone who loves baseball should experience. 

Joe,

 

They need to come see Joe play.

It'd be great if I could get them a golf cart, but that presents a different set of dangers...for others!

Got that redbird. Thanks.

I can give them a ride in my cart.  

Thanks Coach, but you'd experience a whole new type of torture. TRUST ME! 

FYI,

 

Elderly folks and those with injuries or health issues can request a ride at the entrance.  Normally we have someone on duty to give rides to those in need.  If the game you want to see is in the red quad, it will be a long walk, unless we are able to use the back gate.

 

While this tournament is very unusual, don't expect anything fancy.  While the talent is outstanding, and the number of scouts/recruiters is extremely large, this is very much a "grass roots" type event.

"It is like a small time carnival for baseball."  - PGStaff

 

I attended 2 years ago.  By far the most incredible event I've ever seen. 

 

Side note:  A hurricane or tropical storm was sitting off the coast.  Lots of baseball was played during light rain.  Some games were bumped due to the rain.  But it never became an issue because 1st, the fields and grounds crew were both amazing, and 2nd, the PG guys are experts at running events.  

 

And Joe, the grand parents will be fine.  Even at the games being scouted by 100+ guys there is always a spot down the line to watch from.  I'd suggest they bring comfy folding chairs.  Best case scenario, find out if/when you'll play in the stadium and bring them to that game.

 

Wish I were going again this year!

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

Just a heads up for any interested - Perfect Game is starting to release their pool previews for the tournament on the website.

 

 

Evoshield just released their uniforms for Jupiter.    includes bucket hats!

 

http://instagram.com/p/ufrr2YJ10t/?modal=true

 

 

The bucket hats were given to our coaches.  They are not part of our uniform.

 

 

I bet the POs would love those bucket hats   I know mine would

http://instagram.com/p/ugIaToJ1w7/?modal=true

So indeed Grandma and Grandpa came, were pointed to parking by a coach, and found the field (which was very confusing for them). Grandma saw Joe, and in front of the team, called him over and gave him a kiss...possibly one of the worst things you can do to a 16yo ballplayer in front of the team.

 

I asked Joe about it: "She f*#$^% came over and gave me a kiss!" I'm still laughing.

 too funny! good for Grandma!

Crazy time today, golf carts everywhere and guess what, i ran into an "advisor". Son is on the bump tomorrow, getting there earlier as i had to park in the parking garage by the stadium today. I'll be grabbing a spot behind home with the HD video camera set along with trackman on the IPAD air. Should be fun.

 

On a side note, we were not lost but didnt know which cages the team was at when we first got there...a scout offered to let us take his cart to get my son to cages...we didnt accept and finally figured it on our own but thought that was pretty cool.

pretty cool,  you can connect to the trackman at the stadium from your iPad?    good luck tomorrow!

Yup, it shows velo and spin rate pitch by pitch. Don't think it stores it for us to access.  Just curious about it.

Congrats to Redbird and Younggun for Canes' win today.

Thanks, RedFish, but I don't believe younggun is with us.  

 

Jerry and the PG Staff put on a wonderful event as always.  The talent was incredible.  I am very proud of our kids.  They battled against everyone's ace.

 

BTW, RedFish Jr is a frickin' stud.  He threw against our Team EvoShield and shut them down pretty well.  The hitters I work with said he was filthy!

My mistake, he's with another team.  Since I have met very few posters in person, it is hard for me to keep them straight.  I wanted to meet some of y'all there but with the amount of the scouts and coaches there, it was just overwhelming to me.

 

Thanks for the compliment....as I will continue to preach, my son and our family have been extremely blessed this summer.

Yeah, Redfish....wish i could've found you in the mix there but i guess it'll have to be in Omaha in the near future.

 

I will say that Jupiter was everything told to me it would be. Lots of carts in attendance for the few innings that my son threw vs the Canes Saturday. Would have loved to see him get a few more vs that squad, just to see how he matched up against the champ's lineup. We were told he would get 2 before and fine with it since we were a late add. Cool experience and now its weights, long toss and gearing up for a deep run in 6A ball in cobb county in the spring.

 

 

The event was more than what I expected and I was expecting a lot of golf carts...I had no idea. Baseball people everywhere. I saw Mrs PGStaff several times but never PGStaff.

 

The non-baseball highlight was watching 15-20 scouts/coaches run from a king snake at one of our Saturday games. The snake came out from a pipe right behind home plate on Stl 1 and crawled thru the chain link fence onto the roof. Scouts and coaches scattered everywhere and stayed away until a couple of the staff from PG came and caught it. I have the "catch" on a 3 1/2 minute video. It is pretty hilarious watching grown men run!!!

RedFish,

 

I was in the cart behind the Arkansas staff and was one of the runners when the snake came near my cart!  I don't do snakes.

Black cap with gold emblem? I have you at the end of my video!!!

Yep...I'm the genius that pulled my cart over him, only to make him a little upset.

That's a pretty funny story, though you can be sure I would have been running if I had been there.  What time of day was that - my son played on a Cards field Saturday, though I can't recall which one.  It must have been at a time I wasn't there because I didn't see or even hear about it.

2:40 is what is on the video but I thought it was later than that. Not sure? Definitely between 1 and 5

It was the 1240 game at Cards 1 on Sunday.  All of the Big 12 and SEC coaches SCRAMBLED outta there.