More Fee only Showcase, camps and developmental clinics?

The camp being run at the Bo Jackson/Cangelosi dome is an excellent one . The price is fair considering the wide range of schools attending. Not just D1 majors ..but some d2s , d3s and jucos as well. If you are questioning whether or not there is any value to an unsigned 2009 attending this camp , i guess that would depend on his talent level . There will be plently of D1 s who will be signing kids in or shortly after the spring . It is an incorrect misleading statement to say all of the D1 schools have no scholarship money left . Lots of things can happen to a D1 roster between now and june . Lots of value in this camp for players of all levels to be seen and work with these coaches. I can tell you of many 09s who attended this camp last year who received scholarships from schools that attended --including SEC and PAC 10 schools . There is a reason that there will be about 175 kids attending this camp ....they see a high value in it ..getting a good bang for the buck ....and REPUTATION of the organization who is hosting the camp . AS far as your statement of the best camps to attend are the free ones ...you get what you pay for .

200 may be hefty coin for your wallet, but compared to the costs of other showcases/camps, this cost is in the below average range.

hizhonor

I would not get too hung up on this "D1 thing." The topic has been discussed a lot in this forum but
there are a lot of other places where your son can go play good baseball. You sound discouraged...don't be.

As Mr. Nobody mentioned, they are not all out of money. Some of these D1 teams are going to lose kids via the draft, others will leave & switch schools for a variety of reasons, while some others will want to keep eligibility for the MLB draft and decide not to fulfill their LOI committments.

Don't believe that a D1 is the "end all" for all high school baseball players. In AZ and other Western States there is a noted lack of D1 schools with baseball programs (AZ has 7 million people and only 2 D1 baseball programs)and many of those AZ kids either stay home and play at top notch JUCOs or they must leave the State (expensive.) I am told that for many of them, playing D3 baseball is their best option.

As for camps, I agree you get what you pay for. But I will add, if your kid is a pitcher then they are still looking for him to light up the radar gun. If you don't, then all the perfect mechanics in the world are not going to impress most of them IMO. Why else do they break out the radar guns? A good PFP session probably isn't going to get you anywhere!

I attended the Cangelosi/Bo Jackson camp last year. Yes, there were many D1's there, but also, there were a lot of smaller schools there as well. After the camp I was contacted by 2 of these smaller schools and offered a scholarship at one. I was never the type of player that lit up stopwatches at schowcases, however, I did recieve attention from them as a result of this "fee style" camp. Also, I learned a few things from the college coaches during the position specific time.

I found this article had some good information on what your situation is........

http://www.prepbaseballreport.com/Blogs/tabid/443/EntryID/19/Default.aspx

A few things on this topic:

1) It definetly is possible for a DI school to sign a player this "late" in the player's timeline. I DH'ed my whole junior year in high school and did not get much hype from any big name schools. I had plenty of offers to go play football & baseball at a ton of DIII schools. When I decided that I wanted to explore the DI route I went down to U of I and did their winter camp. After I got home from the camp Coach Itch Jones called me quite a few times and wanted me to come to school there as a "preferred walk-on".

I wanted to wait and play my senior season before I made a decision either way. After a very good senior year I sent out a bunch of letters to schools and about 1/3 responded with varying degrees of interest. Ultimately I ended up at UIC and had a pretty nice scholarship for 3.5 out of the 5 years I was there.

2) Answering the question in regards free vs. fee based clinics. What keeps the lights on? Who pays for a coach from Arkansas (example) to drive up in the dead of winter to work with these kids? The baseballs that are being thrown around the gym? The website that the information is being put on? The marketing for the event? The staff? Etc.?

Owning an instructional facility is by no means a huge moneymaker, and for anyone that wants to argue this I would be more than happy to open up my books and show you the proof. When I made the decision to own and operate my own facility I was aknowledging the fact that I am willing to live a fairly modest lifestyle.

I get to go to work every day and do what I love to do, with people I like to be around, and give back to the game that gave me so much.

These camps (in most cases) must carry a fee . . . unless there is some form of sponsorship.

My biggest issue is not with the cost, but with the broken promises. I will do my best for a kid and write letters, make phone calls, and send e-mails to the schools that I see fit and we agree on. There are never any guarantees though.

We (Play Ball USA) do host FREE hitting and pitching clinics every month, but these are conducted by our own in-house staff and are basic in structure and only an hour long each.

I do agree that the cost should be held within reason, but please do not claim that ALL facilities (or "outfits") that participate in such events are money driven.

In November I was invited down to a clinic at Tiger Town (Lakeland, FL). Coaches from Miami, FSU, Tenn., Vandy, FGCU, USF, UCF, Georgia State, VCU, and a host of others were all in attendance. My expenses were taken care of and I was given a reasonable (considering I was out of work for 3 days) paycheck. The cost of the 3 day event was $700, which included room & board, and I would be willing to bet that most all in attendance felt it was worth every penny.

Sorry for rambling on, but I thought I would provide my opinion as a former player going through it and as a current coach/facility owner on the other side of it.

-Nelson

Don't overlook the link that Mack posted - great article by Sean Duncan on the mysteries of college baseball recruiting.

I can't imagine too many things being free. That would be nice, but surely not realistic.

So everyone has to answer the question, do I/can I want to pay X amount of dollars for this event? Some people don't have the money. So you don't go. Some people don't want to pay the money. So you don't go. This doesn't mean that the event is bogus and not worth the money.

PG events are, what...$549? That's a lot of money to me. And I probably have to travel to get there. However, I know my son will get in front of a lot of people and will get on the PG website. It will be well worth the money once we get around to going.

My son attended session one at the Cangelosi camp this weekend. $250. 8 hours over two dates. Unparalleled indoor facility. Had one on one interaction, instruction and also indirect observation from:

Kansas
Illinois
Auburn
South Alabama
Kentucky
Purdue
Central Michigan
SE Iowa CC
West Point
Wright State
Oakland
Valparaiso
Central Florida
Northwestern
Illinois State
St. Joseph (IN)
Northern Illinois
Eastern Illinois
Michigan
DePauw
St. Francis
Concordia
Robert Morris
Purdue

There are probably a couple I missed. You'll note, these are not all D1 schools. A nice mix of schools for a nice mix of players. Plus, Stanford, Arizona State, Boston College and others are coming next week.

Gee, to me that sounds like it's worth the money. And I don't see any "shame" on these schools for participating.

I think hizhonor (new poster) makes several unnecessary, blatant statements that seem to have an agenda.

NG brought up something that is often not discussed regarding showcases/camps, attended by in and out of state coaches. The organizers of the showcases/camps are subsidizing in whole or part, the coach's costs to WORK it.

There is nothing wrong w/ questioning costs but I might add, that when my kid's hockey friends tell me what they have to pay for "ice" time suddenly those fees/expenses don't see very high!!!!

As for the dome.....what did it cost last week to heat that place? It could not have been cheap.

The cost of anything is paramount to most of us right now. But, nonetheless, if someone writes something that this forum allows and encourages, he's accused of having an agenda and of making unnecessary statements. I don't happen to agree with Hizhonor in some of what he said, but I don't assume that he's got an agenda.

Bottom line, if players weren't coming to these showcases and paying the going rate, they wouldn't be so common. And with the successes of a few of our teams on the national scene the past couple of years, it's only natural that more coaches and recruiters will be drawn to our area. But, how and if someone chooses to spend their money is up to them. Just my opinion.

Rosy

will agree with your second paragraph

disagree with your first . How else would you comprehend hizzoners statements ? He either has some type of agenda or is totally misinformed . He is trying to make it sound like a kid has absolutely no chance to eventually get a baseball scholarship by attending this camp . I personally know of more than a few players who wound up committing to a school that was at this camp last year after initially being seen there. Its a great event to get on their radar and have them follow you thru spring , summer and fall . Hizzoner has tried to say that this event is being marketed toward the 09 class under false pretense ...not true . This camp is basically geared for the 2010 class ..but its still a good chance for an unsigned 09 to be seen up close one last time . WE all know there are no guarantees with regards to possibly getting a scholarship offer just because money was plunked own to attend this camp or any other. That being said --$250.00 is relatively inexpensive considering all of the schools from different parts of the country attending. Who else in our area puts on a camp such as this one in the off-season ? I cant think of not a one . Hefty price tag for 2 weekend sessions ? hardly .

We attended this camp last year . Hands down overall the best camp we ever attended . Money well spent .


We need to hear feedback from others who attended this past weekend and after next weekend sessions . Would like to hear what they thought .

Anytime a potential recruit has a chance to get himself in front of 25 schools at one location for a relatively inexpensive price it is a good thing . Anyone who would knock this or put it down in any way obviously would appear to have some sort of an AGENDA .

If hizzoners doesnt think his unsigned 09 kid would benefit from attending this camp ....then DONT GO . DUH !!! Dont try to put out false info with a needlessly garbagelike post that had absolutely nothing to offer .

I too agree with Rosy on paragraph 2 and not paragraph 1. hizoner starts by asking a question, but then he makes many stastements about no charge for showcases. His mind was made up. He doesn't feel showcases are worth the money, or he just wanted to take a swing at the Cangelosi showcase. My son went last year, and it had the most coaches from the most places outside of maybe Stevenson. And maybe asw diversified as Stevenson. I don't count the coaches, I am just going from memeory and impressions.

I have an agenda alright, to help other parents cut threw some of the material which is constantly being thrown our way. I think parents are being brain washed into believing that they have to attend these constant showcases camps and clinics if there kid is to be considered by good schools. I just happen to believe that unless the kid is really talented like the top percent athlete his choices are really limited and the pressure for spending big bucks on these clinics is becoming a problem. You can't so much as pose a question about the camp operators without being ridiculed and scolded by people here. wonder why that is. a group of parents and so it maybe the operators of a site like this don't want this questioned because of a conflict of interest, the very orgainizations that put on these constant clinics are paying for advertising here. All I am saying is that I would like to see more free camps clinincs and developmental outings being put on. Why can't the NCAA get behind this and curtail the junkets for coaches and recruiters. doesn't seem to ethical to me thats all. so maybe garbage to you mr nobody, not garbage to others. If you want to pay big bucks for camps and travel teams go ahead, maybe it will pay off for you, maybe it wont? why discourage parents from hearing this point of view.

I agree with itrosy the only way to curtail the money grab is if parents wisenup and stop forking over the dollars. most of the guys posting here are diehard baseball guys like me that have spent countless dollars and many summers traveling around. hoping that it could help lead son to bigger and better things. I am just saying that it would be nice to see more free or less expensive showcases. and in another thread someone mentioned a quiet period for coaches, if that is so why then is there all these coaches at these clinics are they all being paid?

I have seen the fighting that goes on, pretty wild at times. You know we are all in the same boat, some of the dads here have kids off to college and not much to worry about, I have a business that is on the edge, a 201K or less, an equity position that once looked like a failsafe way to college not so sure anymore. so yes I am taking aim at outfits that have their hands out and in my view are part of the brainwashing of parents and kids. as I said NCAA needs to step in and put a charge in the coaches and schools to let them know that this isn't right. as for PG and the others they have every right to charge what they do. I just don't have the money to pay 500 bucks to go, so I guess they will never no if my kid is 10 or an 8. look at North Lawndale basketball bunch of blue collar kids from the same neighborhood going up against schools that recruit and even public magnate schools that in so many words recruit look at jordans kid. hey they get it done. I wonder how many big buck camps those kids go to. these outfits will tell you they rate kids that dont attend their camps do they? and does shelling out the bucks to these travel programs make sense? I don't think so. I will call them all out because when you look at they are all the same and it is a business to them all. look at their flashy web sites and bravado. gimme a break. I like nelson gords comments and respect what he is doiung trying to make a go of it. duncans article was also spot on. I just say to the parents open your eyes a little more and keep the bucks in your wallet.

I will say this 250 bucks times what mr nobody said 175 kids = $43,750.
That will heat these places for centuries. to Tuzi that is some hefty coin my man! I am in the wrong business.
since I have the calculator out 549 bucks times 175 kids = $96,075 that's about what I lost in equity the past 18 months.
sites like these are very important and a major reason for their success, this is their bread and butter kids and their dads like us yearning for that shot. NCAA where are you?

the class outfits and schools will be the ones that find a way to reduce the costs, that could be corporate sponsors or fundraising, just find a way to stop digging into the parents pockets.

I would like to comment if you are spending all this money out of your pocket only for baseball scholarship money, you are setting yourself up for dissapointment.

There have been countless MLB players who have attended BIGTIME schools who only had 30% scholarships. Baseball money is very limited. This isn't football.

Over the years I have spend A LOT of $$$ on baseball. I would probably never recoop it in a 30%NCAA baseball scholarship. If we had to do this again, we would spend every dime of that money again because it was the life experience and time spent with my kid(s)that many, many dads never get to spend with their kid(s). I have memories with both my boys that were priceless. For the past 6 years we haven't been on a "vacation." Our vacations were in GA, FL, & AZ watching basball games.

Get over the $$$. Move to someplace warm then and play catch with your kid(s) on your own. This topic has been visited too death........

These coaches that are flying in from all parts of the country have to be paid for their services for the weekend . I dont know exactly how much they are getting paid but im guessing a large chunk of that 43 grand is getting chewed up right there . Did you think they are doing it for free ? Add in the other miscellaneous costs involved and you should be able to figure out the organizers are not making that huge of a profit .

These coaches do have some restrictions as to what kind / type / how often / etc /etc of contact they can engage in with the players during the " quiet " period . It is all legit --they are working and getting paid .

Exactly how are the parents being " brainwashed " ?
How is this organization putting " pressure " on parents to fork over money ? Please answer these questions if you happen to post again.

I would much rather my kid go to a camp like this one where there are many many schools represented in one place than go to a schools winter camp and pay around $100.00 ? just to have one set of coaches watching .JMO

Most folks out there know there are no guarantees when it comes to baseball scolarships relative to how much $$$ you have spent going to camps , showcases , travel ball , etc . If anyone thinks otherwise - they are in for a surprise . Its all about QUALITY --not quantity . You have to be smart and know how to market your player .

Hizzoner

I can only speak for myself and ive mentioned this on this site before --The reason my kid has played with a top notch high profile team like the Sparks is to play against the highest level of competition possible around the country because that is what makes him go ...not playing solely to try to get a scholarship . That would be the absolute worst reason to play at that level . These kids love the commaraderie and the competition . The whole recruiting process and scholarship business is a positive by product of that . Your comments are way off base by my standards . You dont sound like you are in tune to what is really happening out there.
Do some homework on these issues and get better informed before posting false misleading statements.


To answer your question about whether it has paid off personally for my son --he is absolutely thrilled about his college choice and scholarship offer . If he is happy ..then in my mind it has paid off .

hizoner, for the record, I never catagorized this or any showcase as a "money grab" for anyone. That is for the family who's paying the money to determine.

Personally, I'm with nc42. I've paid money for years while my son plays this game and I've got no regrets. We've got a bond that was partly formed driving to and from tournaments; to and from lessons; to and from practice, and to and from showcases. I wouldn't change a thing if given the chance.

But, to each his own.

If you lost 96k you had about 300k to start with. Most funds lost about 35% of their value. Not too shabby of a portfolio hizhonor.

There are ways to stay in the market and protect it from loss. PM me.

Meanwhile, businesses should be allowed to advertise, market, and sell their products. This board aids people in deciding which of these camps and showcases are best. There are no guarantees. I have heard for years on this board that the best way to go is pick the school you want to go to, then go to their camp. Mr. Nobody made a strong counter argument to that. Now it is up to you to decide.

I know some of the high profile outfits exagerate resumes of the principals and coaches. I checked. Baseball records are public records. My son had good experiences with PBR and Cangelosi. No offers from either. It wasn't their fault. He got seen at Stevenson and made the connection there. There are so many ways to get seen. He was invited to and went to a Central Michigan camp. A couple coaches liked him and wanted him, a couple didn't. They took a pass. The guy who invited him spent an hour on the phone explaining the decision. He didn't have to do that. They were sincere, we went and spent the time and money. It happens. My son moved on. No guarantees.

He plays on a great travel team. Great because of the coach. He teaches the game. The price is actually ridiculously low for what the program offers. They don't play in all the top tournaments like the Sparks and Top Tier, but they do compete against qualtiy teams like the Indy Bulls, Pirates, and others.

There are choices. It is the same as shopping for a TV or car. Look around, do research, make your best guess, and make the best of your choices.

Good luck hizhonor. I just don't think people are bad because they run a business. Now charging for a phony try-out.....

just kidding. those threads are locked for a reason.

I just don't like blanket statements. Well, except for "Yankees Suck" and "The Cubs will NEVER win a World Series."

But to say that someone absolutely should or shouldn't do something is just as misleading as the alleged misrepresentation you describe.

The economy is bad. But guess what, life isn't fair. Not everyone is affected in the same way. The Yankees have the biggest payroll. That's because (gulp) they put a good product on the field that people are willing to pay for. I saw a headline today lamenting that Disney made a lot of money in 2008. Duh, they put out a great product that people want to pay for.

It was mentioned above that "parents are being brain washed into believing that they have to attend these constant showcases camps and clinics if there (sic) kid is to be considered by good schools."

Well, you gotta get in front of somebody! And, with few exceptions, they aren't coming to see you. You have to go where they are. Holiday camps could be one. But you'll only be seen by that one school. And I found several of them that charged $100-200 for a one day deal. The Cangy camp was $250 for upwards of 40 schools. Perfect Game speaks for itself. The Jupiter tournament has 1000 scouts and coaches. Expensive? I guess. Is it for everybody? Heck no.

And a good school. What's a good school? D1, Ivy League, South, West? I don't know. But the answer for my son is surely different than yours. Does that make me better? Heck no.

The organization my son plays for told us this. Have high goals. Desire to play in the Bigs. Desire to go to a D1 school. However, we are very good at evaluating and placing kids. Please trust us if we tell you to set your sights at a different level. That doesn't mean you're a bad player or are in a bad situation. It just means that you are qualified to play at a different level.

Surely there are some scams out there. But you definitely have to get out there and be seen. And it ain't free.

So instead of bashing people who do different than you, just wish them luck. And best of luck to you as you pursue free camps, free travel teams and all of those free national tournaments.

quote:

I will call them all out

hizhonor - nobody elected you to call anybody out. Please read the board manners.

Here is my tip for you, don't go to the paid showcases and save the money.

Nobody here is brainwashed or in danger of being brainwashed btw - that is why we have the hsbbweb to exchange ideas. IMHO, you do have an agenda and you have made your point loud and clear. Some of these you are taking your shots at are sponsors of the hsbbweb and they don't deserve the treatment.

last i checked there are several free showcase events out there, YEAR AFTER YEAR

Hizhonor,

You are looking to the NCAA to reign these coaches in and wanting the NCAA to be ethical? Are you kidding me? This is the same organization that refuses to crown a legitimate champion in football. They are the ones that are absolutely sticking it to players and baseball teams by not expanding scholarships to over 11.7 for each team, while the third string TE who will never see the field has everything covered. Is that the same NCAA you are pleading to? If so, save your breath.

Baseball is the ugly step-child of the NCAA. You should have taught your son how to be dead-eye-dick from behind the three point line in basketball or how to punt a football 80 yards. You would have so much more money in your pocket.

I'll let you know a little secret. My son went to a Major League Scouting Bureau tryout camp a few years ago, did outstanding and the rest took care of itself. Word travels real fast in baseball circles when your son "wows em". Guess how much that one cost? Not one thin dime. A freebie!
How bout that in this day and age? I know some of these places running camps or clinics really don't want that info out there, but all these major league teams run tryout camps in the summer. Now you won't get any kind of instruction, you might get a pointer or two, but thats it. If your son does well at these camps you will get more phone calls than you can imagine from colleges, all for $0.00.

quote:

Originally posted by ClevelandDad:

quote:

I will call them all out

hizhonor - nobody elected you to call anybody out. Please read the board manners.

Here is my tip for you, don't go to the paid showcases and save the money.

Nobody here is brainwashed or in danger of being brainwashed btw - that is why we have the hsbbweb to exchange ideas. IMHO, you do have an agenda and you have made your point loud and clear. Some of these you are taking your shots at are sponsors of the hsbbweb and they don't deserve the treatment.

I second what Cleveland Dad said! Brainwashed? You insult the intelligence of parents! Everyone knows what they are getting into. I'm much the same with my child. If I don't want to spend the $$$ I keep my kid at home. I do my best in other ways to promote her. Then, let the chips fall where they may. No one is putting a gun to any parent's back forcing them to pay.

In regards to your statement about those that advertise on this site and then post announcements as well as receive support from members, at least MN-Mom can be assured that you'll now send your donation in to support this site. Of course rational posters realize that without these various organizations giving their generous donations THERE WOULDN'T BE A SITE!

It's always kind of funny when someone says "all these showcases and camps should be free; shame on the organizations for charging!". Another fee-only event? Sheesh, I went to the grocery store yesterday and kept looking for the "Free" aisle of food, but all they had was "fee-only" aisles. Shame on them!

As a couple of people mentioned above, this website is one of the few "Free" things you can take advantage of in baseball, but it's not really Free. Every month, a bill comes in my name for approximately $600 to $800 (the highest monthly bill has been $888). I donate my time here as do our great moderators, but I can't donate that much money every month. Most of that money comes from sponsors/advertisers, and I try to carefully select very reputable companies for the banners and ad spots that help support this site. Two very notable website sponsors who I'm proud to be associated with are Perfect Game USA, and Cangelosi Baseball/Bo Jackson's Elite Sports. Also, Do It Right Baseball is a long-time sponsor of the Illinois forum, and I know that Justin does a great job with his events. I don't usually "promote" sponsors, and in fact sponsors respect the rules and about not advertising in forum posts also, but I did want to say - these sponsors and our volunteer moderators are the people who keep this site available and free for all of you!


I do agree with the "Buyer Beware" message. Not all showcases and camps are created equal, and there are some organizations out there that promise more than they deliver. Parents, do your homework and find out as much as you can about the event and organization before plunking down a lot of money.

Julie

.

Did you read that folks? That's why she is called Mom! Way to go Mom!

Please donate to keep this site going strong!

= = Agenda deleted by moderator. = =

.

Leapfrog!



Did you read that folks? That's why she is called Mom! Way to go Mom!

Please donate to keep this site going strong!

As a point of clarification, of the kids that are attending the Cangelosi college camps, Sparks players do not make-up the majority in attendance.

Top 96 showcases, they ****!

.


They ****?

Rock?

Also wanted to point out and remind people that the Cangelosi/Jackson event at the dome is a camp --not a showcase per se . At a camp such as this one , the various coaches have the chance to work up close with the players and maybe even have a small chat during or after words . They get the chance to possibly get a good read on a player they might be interested in down the line .

NC42dad is spot on. Parents and players have to be realistic about scholarships. There aren't that many available. Unless your kid is the best player on the field his chances at a full ride are slim. I understand that the typical scholarship award is about $2000-3000, if that.

No one in their right mind would spend the amount of money and time we do just to get a $2000/yr. reduction in tuition. We spend that much on one tournament. Rather, we invest that money and time in our kids.

What do you realistically expect from any showcase or camp? My son attended a rain-shortened Harvey Foster showcase and performed ok. He was later contacted by a number of D3 schools. We knew he wasn't going to go D1, but he hoped to play in college. He will, largely due to the limited exposure at that showcase.

Rather than focusing on the limited athletic scholarship money that most kids are chasing in vain, note that lots of schools are very generous with academic scholarships, even for relatively ordinary grades. It is not unusual for a private school to give that $2000-3000 for high C/low B GPA. Perhaps we might be better or just-as-well off skipping one tournament and paying for a few hours of tutoring or test prep.

quote:

Originally posted by mcdad2:
I understand that the typical scholarship award is about $2000-3000, if that.

mcdad2,
Although your point is excellent, that athletes need to focus on academics primarily, your scholarship amounts are misleading.

NCAA D1 has a minimum scholarship amount of 25%. This 25% is reflected as COA (Cost of Attendance). A $3,000 scholarship would be the minimum offered at a school where the COA is $12,000. If the COA is $20,000, the minimum scholarship is $5,000, etc.

This year at Illinois, the resident COA is $23,630 which translates to a $5,908 minimum scholarship. The non resident COA is $38,406 and a $9,602 minimum scholarship value.

CPLZ, you'e figures are spot on. And in this economy, more than ever, won't a state school go out of their way to limit scholarships to instate students? Why bring in an out-of-stater and have to give him a much higher dollar amount for his 'ship?

Rosy,
It's an accounting nightmare that coaches have to deal with. When a school budgets for scholarships, they assign a dollar value to them and that dictates how much money the coach has. It doesn't cost the school one red cent more to educate a non resident, yet they play these silly accounting games.

The answer is yes, many schools are forced to play these accounting games and it makes residents much more attractive. On a personal note, anything that would make me more attractive is generally considered a good thing

Cangelosi College Development Camp

Day 1:

Kansas
Illinois
Auburn
South Alabama
Kentucky
Purdue
Central Michigan
SE Iowa CC
West Point
Wright State
Oakland
Valparaiso
Central Florida
Northwestern
Illinois State
St. Joseph (IN)
Northern Illinois
Eastern Illinois
Michigan
DePauw
St. Francis
Concordia
Robert Morris
Purdue

Day 2:

UIC
Iowa
Bradley
NIU
Louisville
Evansville
LSU
St. Joseph (PA)
Boston College
Mississippi State
Costal Carolina
Tennessee
Stanford
Jacksonville
Arizona State
Indiana State
Miami of Ohio
Eastern Kentucky
Univ. of Alabama Birmingham
Auburn
St. Francis
Trinity Christian

Total: $250
2 days: $125 ea
8 hours: $31.25 ea
46 schools: $5.43 ea

Total Experience: Priceless!

That's a pretty impressive list, I wish I would have been able to make it down there.

I was told by a coach who runs another camp that D1 schools were not allowed to attend camps during this time. Could someone explain how so many could attend this camp if this is a quiet period?

Wow! Cangy camp was great. We definetley got our moneys worth. College coaches threw bp, observed and commented continuously to all players. Same way during infield drills and bp. Their intensity desire and love for the game shown through to both me and my son, thats why they are the successful teachers that they are. I wound up following Coach Stotz from Stanford around from cage to cage as he offered critiques and critisism along with words of encouragement to all hitters. Coach Brownlee from Iowa was another coach who should be commended for his passion. He really got down and dirty with the infielders and what he was able to impart in a limited time was beneficial to my son if not reinforceing. Coach Stotz and Coach Thompson from MSU really got animated during bullpens and I would have loved to have to have been out there to soak up that banter. We compared notes on the way home. My son is an 2011 and did not attend under the premise that he would hopefully be leaving there with a contact from a D1 coach. Was that in the back of our minds? I am sure it might have been, but that did not come up in conversation. He just loves to play and compete with talented players and loves the oppurtunity to work and hone his game from people who really know the ins and outs of the game. He commented about the same coaches that I did along with a few others. We both marveled at the talent that was assembled, we were awed by the facility, and we both came away from the camp with the idea that his game might be able to improve ever so slightly with more hard work based on what he heard from coaches. The beauty of the advice he recieved, was that it was nothing that he has not heard before. Just holds more weight now coming from these esteemed individuals.
Were there a lot of Sparks players there as alluded to in a previous post? Yes there plenty. And they are talented. All that means is that my sons summer team will have to work/play that much harder to compete against them. He mentioned that.
Cangy did try to sell the place, as well he should,to all players and parents afterwards. It looks like a marvelous well thought out facility.

quote:

Originally posted by RRF8:
I was told by a coach who runs another camp that D1 schools were not allowed to attend camps during this time. Could someone explain how so many could attend this camp if this is a quiet period?

Coaches are not allowed to scout or off campus recruit during the quiet period. They are allowed to attend camps as paid instructors. It's a way of skirting the rules yet still staying within them.

Why have the rules if they are so easily "skirted"?

If it important to have quiet times, then make it real. I am not supporting quiet times, the hypocrisy just seems needless in this case.

Kinda like not paying FIT and then getting to run the Treasury?

CPLZ - I stand corrected. Must have had old information. That is one of the benefits of this site - education by those in the know. Thanks for the head's up.

The people that i have spoken to who attended the Sparks/Cangelosi camp had nothing but positive things to say about their experience .

Great job guys !

I also have to agree with Tuzi --about the top 96 showcases not being so great --just what ive heard .

quote:

Originally posted by bballdad1954:
Why have the rules if they are so easily "skirted"?

If it important to have quiet times, then make it real. I am not supporting quiet times, the hypocrisy just seems needless in this case.

The quiet period does work as intended. It's as much a chance for coaches to get a break and spend time with their families and keep institutional recruiting costs manageable, as it is giving the recruits a breather.

Coaches still wanted and should have the ability to make some ancillary income without the NCAA restricting that ability.

It's really not hypocrisy when you see the rule for its true intention rather than the most obvious meaning.

Makes sense to me. Thanks for explaning it so clearly.

Personally, I do not know how these guys do it. It is a very confusing process and the amount of time these guys put in just to follow players is very involved. My hat goes off to all of them.

Does anyone know who hizhonor (the guy who started this thread) is? For whatever reason he felt it necessary to track down my email and launch a personal attack on me claiming he is "Dale Gribbons"? Anyone know what the deal is with that? Thank you.

You're not the only one he's launched a personal attack against Nelson.

Each of the universities represented at the Cangelosi College Development camp got a letter claiming their school committed an NCAA violation by being in attendance. This couldn't be further from the truth because, as CPLZ explained, these coaches are paid instructors. They are paid to be there, their travel expenses are covered, their lodging covered, their meals covered, etc. Ergo they are instructing, not recruiting, and it is not an NCAA violation.

One of my coaching friends at one of the unversities in question forwarded me a copy of their letter their president received. The letter was signed by a lady in Oak Park, who claimed to be represented by a lawyer named Dale Gribbons. The e-mail address that the letter came from, however, was hizhonor555@yahoo.com, which, I bet if CoachB25 or MN-Mom looked, would be the same e-mail address used to register the account in question.

Sad really that one person or small group of people have an axe to grind against some of the finest members of the baseball community. In dealing with Bill Copp, Dave Payton and the folks at Cangelosi Baseball, I have found them to be some of the finest people to work with. They have provided myself and my players with some of the most unbelievable opportunities ever and it all started sight unseen. All Bill had to go on when he first called me was the recommendation of the Diamondbacks' Midwest Crosschecker, whom he met on a flight back from Jupiter. But he extended me an offer to send kids to the Cangelosi Camp last year and then worked with me to make our tournament top notch. He also provided my kids some great opportunities in the fall with the Wrigley Classic and the Illini Fall Ball Invitational.

At any rate, there are now several people trying to connect the dots, myself included. And when I do connect the dots, I plan on freelancing the story to either the Tribune or Sun-Times and exposing just how low some people will stoop.

Can't wait to hear the rest of this story!

Dale Gribbons...a quick google search turns up...

Manager - Florida Discount Vacuum & Sewing, Inc.

Ships Captain and Boat Builder Hey, we have that in common!

Dale Gribbons and is fine banjo sounds

Other than the ships captain, they all sound pretty innocuous.

Hey Ben,
Was the address of the lady from Oak Park legit?

This stuff just keeps getting more bizarre all the time......

This name does not match any licensed attorney in the State of Illinois per a search of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.

It really is too bad that this person is out to discredit all these programs. My son had a great experience at this camp. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I don't get all the infighting between these traveling teams. And why all the attacks against Cangy? My kid has worked at the dome and always gets a great workout, Billy C. is great. After a workout, you practcally have to tackle him and stuff money in his pocket. He does it for the love of the game. If this Hizhonor had such a problem he sure went about it the wrong way.

Nelson don't sweat it! the guy or guys involved in the personal attacks are probably just another traveling team taking cheap shots.
Are you still coaching with the Schaumburg Sems? How do they look this year?

Nelson might in fact know the person/persons involved in this nonsense ...whomever they might be

Mr. Nobody, could be?

Billy C. and Dave P. are above this nonsense.

Hmmmmm: New guy signs on Jan 29. Steps right in a and in more than one thread blasts the in fighting between travel teams. Then he asks Nelson if he is coaching for the Seminoles and how will they be this year.

Why ask a travel team question if you want to keep it about high school?

the jolietslammer seems to have habitated the web before under a different name. I don't know who, but he is not a new member.

bbaldad1954-

I think you are on to something.......

I agree with jolietslammer's post. Bill is very generous with his time and does a good job with Cangelosi. I'm sure it's appreciated by many.

I have no idea who it is, so I don't understand the post about me might knowing who it is.

I appreciate all of your feedback and at least I know I am not being singled out.

Nelson, its just that many of us who have been around the block have seen a certain youth coach enlist parents and assistant coaches to further his agenda. good luck to you