Wog ... I don't know whether to give you a keyboard or a shovel. I agree it's not necessary to go to Jupiter or East Cobb even though my son did and enjoyed it. Its especially not necessary for D3 prospects. But there are good showcases and camps for D3. My son was discovered at other showcases. Select Fest was his best option. Had he played Legion to showcase he would be playing intramural softball in college. Like many areas of the country now, Legion is in decline. Our local Legion team is some varsity starters not interested in college ball, the varsity bench and JV players. They don't cut players. They hope enough show up to tryout. My son and his high school teammates had one last hurray playing together on the Legion team after senior year. My son said the competition was a joke. They trampled the league.
quote:Originally posted by RJM:
Wog ... I don't know whether to give you a keyboard or a shovel. I agree it's not necessary to go to Jupiter or East Cobb even though my son did and enjoyed it. Its especially not necessary for D3 prospects. My son was discovered at other showcases. Had he played Legion to showcase he would be playing intramural softball in college. Like many areas of the country now, Legion is in decline. Our local Legion team is some varsity starters not interested in college ball, the varsity bench and JV players. They don't cut players. They hope enough show up to tryout.
gee thats too bad..our legion is strong and our team would have went on to the championship game but injuries and vacations wouldnt let us field 12 kids. go with the shovel
I am reminded of a WC Fields quote "Statistics are like bikinis, they reveal what is important but they hide what is vital"
In our area what is vital, the majority of kids that play showcase teams go on to play college ball while that does not hold up for the kids that played legion.
You do have some that play Legion after their freshman yar but the most competetive ones move to showcase teams when they are 16-17.
We have one legion program that still does a good job of keeping kids in the program. However a lot of these kids also play for showcase team. The most interesting fact is this Legion team had a friend's son play on it and these guys went all the way to the national championship rounds. While he was there he said he only saw 3-5 scouts at any of their games along their two week journey. I was talking to him from a weekend tourney my son was playing in with his travel team.....and I told him just for the game alone I was attending during our phone conversation I was looking at 15 coaches standing behind the backstop with guns. Confirmed my son's decison to not play legion.
Woody sounds like your son had a good experience and a good outcome with his legion experience...congrats with that....
But PG is right looking at the whole picture....what is vital for the vast majority....are showcase teams and the exposure they can provide.
In our area what is vital, the majority of kids that play showcase teams go on to play college ball while that does not hold up for the kids that played legion.
You do have some that play Legion after their freshman yar but the most competetive ones move to showcase teams when they are 16-17.
We have one legion program that still does a good job of keeping kids in the program. However a lot of these kids also play for showcase team. The most interesting fact is this Legion team had a friend's son play on it and these guys went all the way to the national championship rounds. While he was there he said he only saw 3-5 scouts at any of their games along their two week journey. I was talking to him from a weekend tourney my son was playing in with his travel team.....and I told him just for the game alone I was attending during our phone conversation I was looking at 15 coaches standing behind the backstop with guns. Confirmed my son's decison to not play legion.
Woody sounds like your son had a good experience and a good outcome with his legion experience...congrats with that....
But PG is right looking at the whole picture....what is vital for the vast majority....are showcase teams and the exposure they can provide.
the use of the term vacation is the key difference --- kids on showcase teams do not vacation
This discussion should probably be segmented into talent levels and draft vs college. If a kid is a top 5 round prospect, he probably does not need a whole lot of showcasing... I suspect the word gets around and the scouts find and see that kid play whereever that may be. If he is a lower draft prospect, he probably needs to get out to Jupiter, East Cobb, Area Code, etc. to raise awareness and move up in the draft. That leaves the other 90-95% of the kids out there that are trying to play college baseball. If the kid not what PG would call a Top 500, he probably gets more benefit out of playing local showcases, high school, and legion than going out on a national stage and either playing on a lower level showcase team or getting limited playing time on a top team.
It's actually the early rounds, especially the first round that players are playing travel/club baseball. Nearly all those picked in the early rounds.
One thing that has contributed to the loss in appeal in this area is when Legion Ball is competing against the clubs/accedemies associated in the metro areas. Kansas City has 6-8 of these type of orgs that can field 2-4 teams per age group in addition to local suburban teams that are taking more of the talent away from Legion Teams around metro areas.
Our team looked at the local legion route and it just didn't fit b/c of the talent level and when former players and curent ones are leaving its not a good sign. Of course there are exceptions like PG as stated and it depends on where your located.
Growing up Legion was where you wanted to be and if Legion is to evolve they need to play outside their leagues and tourneys.......I hope they do.
Our team looked at the local legion route and it just didn't fit b/c of the talent level and when former players and curent ones are leaving its not a good sign. Of course there are exceptions like PG as stated and it depends on where your located.
Growing up Legion was where you wanted to be and if Legion is to evolve they need to play outside their leagues and tourneys.......I hope they do.