Off to Stanford Camp

I would just sit there, enjoy and watch. No good reason to make yourself seen, heard or visible to anyone other than your son. 

 

Enjoy the journey from the viewing area!  

 

 

Thanks, that was kinda of what I thought.

sit there, enjoy and watch . . and do the laundry.

Yup, agree with all, If a coach wants to meet the parents he will probably ask the young man to introduce you. Otherwise just enjoy the experience.  

Might be a silly question, do we give our son a laundry bag to give to us after a day of baseball? 

The Stanford Camp is great.  And it's one of the longest camps / showcases (4 days for All Star Camp 1).

 

My wife and I are going to take a vacation out of state while 2016 is at the camp.

 

For those coming in from outside California, the Monterrey Peninsula, San Francisco,  and the Napa/Sonoma wine areas are a nice day trip.  Or you can enjoy 4 days of baseball!

We will be at the same camp, we have friends up there so we will do baseball during the day and visit with friends in the evening. We plan on going up a day early so son can experience the fine cuisine in SF. Restaurant recommendations are welcomed   

Enjoy the trip it is a great experience. In general there is limited contact between coaches and parents, (as it should be) I believe there is one meet and greet for the players and coaches, - but not sure if they still do this due to NCAA rules. If you happen to know a coach a polite "hi" or small talk is fine but in general it is a very hectic schedule for the coaches and they really have no time to be chatting with parents. 

 

Best advice is to sit back and enjoy the experience, maybe catch a nice dinner in the area. Laundry is done the same way it is in college....they figure it out on their own. LOL,..they are there for only three days so tell mom to throw in an extra pair of skivvy's

 

PS: Sometimes this is as big a test for mom and dad as it is for the players as it is the first step in letting Jr live in a dorm and letting go. Sit back and enjoy Jr will be in great hands and will have the time of his life! 

Sounds like a plan!

For anyone who has attended Session 1 in recent years, any guesstimates as to a rough percentage of campers with family attending the camp (in the stands) verses campers who are there on their own?  Just curious.

standball, some thoughts for you on SF restaurants, which vary greatly depending on your preferences...and pocketbook.

Two we like a lot are Coquetta and Cotogna.  The former is a newer Spanish type place by Michael Chiarello at Pier 5 near the Ferry Bldg. Cotogna is the second restaurant of the owners of Quince, a SF 4 star. 

Also, in the Ferry Building which is a must on a Saturday Morning when they also have the Farmers' Market are  Hog Island Oyster bar in the Ferry Bldg and Slanted Door (a contemporary Vietnamese). Both are busy, and can  be quite good-very different from each other though.  If you have a larger to very large budget, the best in SF would be Saison, near AT&T Park, (big budget) Aquerello, Gary Danko, La Folie and Truce.

A couple of more moderately priced but great Italian would be A16 in the Marina and SPQR on Divisdero.

Hope these give you a few ideas from different perspectives.

Much appreciated will check with the wife. Thanks

My 2016 is also headed to the camp. My wife and I have friends in SF, Napa, and Sonoma so we looking to be judicious on how we spend our time there.  I do want to see a bit of the camp, but not 4 days worth. 

So I see 3 other posters here that are going to the camp. It would be nice meeting other folks from the board. If interested feel free to PM me.

This is awesome!  I'm a bit of a food and my son is not going to the Stanford Camp this year but I'll definitely look up these places on my next trip to SF.

standballdad,

 

Be sure to stop into this bar in Chinatown before or after dinner.

 

http://www.lipolounge.com/index.htm

 

Drink a couple of their famous Chinese Mai-Tai's and you'll be tuned up and ready to roll 

We do plan on stopping by Chinatown, might just do that!

Mai-Tai or "Maotai" is the best Chinese liquor. There are two versions: 53% alcohol content and 35% alcohol content.  53% one is more expensive, but more strong. Beware the liquor has no color, if it's yellow, it's a fake one.

Great list IFD! You listed several of our favorites as well. On the more affordable side, check out some of the street food. offthegridsf.com/ is a great resource. Also, check out AT&T park, its one of the nicest yards in the country. The new "The Yard at Mission Bay" is right across McCovey cove and a great brewery and several eateries & outdoor seating looking back at the park & bay bridge. Ferry Building farmers market is a must. Gott's at the north end has some serious burgers & seared ahi tacos. Ferry to Sausalito is great way to see city looking back from the water & a nice little town. Good to remember that this city is built on tourism & they are always trying to get in wallet. There are plenty of cheap ways to have fun and see the city. If your coming from Palo Alto take Cal Train and use Muni to get around the city, parking sucks.

Enjoy!

Well, I have work to avoid so I guess I can't help jumping in on this one.....

 

RE SF eats, got to agree with IFD and picked off -- lots of great choices there, especially for high end. If you want more, consider Coi and Benu.  For really good, uniquely SF and expensive, but not crazy expensive, I'd look at Boulevard.  Bar Tartine is another unique joint but less expensive.  But if you make the trip to the city with your boy, you'll want a few more teen-friendly choices, so I'll add Delfina in the Mission, which is not only a great Italian restaurant, but has 2 SF pizza joints called Pizzaria Delfina that are truly outstanding.  For burgers, Gott's, mentioned above, is very good, as is Super Duper Burger and Pearl's.   My kids can't get enough sushi and noodles, so we like to go to Japantown and just eat at whatever restaurant grabs our attention. There are a lot.  If you decide to  hit the museum circuit, there's good food to be had at the California Academy of Science and ok food at the nearby De Young Museum.

 

As for day trips, I second the idea of taking the ferry to Sausalito, though it's pretty touristy.  I'd go to Tiberon instead, have lunch at Sams Cafe, and take a walk around Belvedere to see how the billionaires live.  And/or you can take the same ferry to Angel Island, which is unpopulated, pick up a picnic lunch, and take a nice half-day hike that will give a great view of the city, the Golden Gate, Alcatraz etc.  Also for hiking you can't beat the Marin headlands, Baker Beach, Muir Woods (though it's crowded), or just a walk along Crissy Field, perhaps finishing with a walk through Fort Point, a Civil War fort nestled under the Golden Gate and probably the least known great tourist attraction in SF.  Napa/Sonoma are great but will make for a very long day trip from Palo Alto. Monterrey is more do-able.  Santa Cruz or Half Moon Bay are both nice and closer as well.   Berkeley, the town and the campus, would also make for a good day trip.

Looks like we scored some Giant tickets for Saturdays game, should be fun since its the first time to that park for us.   

Great place to watch a ball game.  If it's a night game, be sure to bring layers.  SF can get pretty cool in the evenings.   Don't be deceived by the Peninsula sunshine you'll be basking in while you are near Stanford.   This area has many microclimates.  The Peninsula basks in sunshine day after day after day.  The City is much, much colder.

 

Its a 1:00 game hopefully its warm?

Should be. AT&T is awesome. You'll have a blast.

ATT is a great, fun park with a great atmosphere....and I say that as a Dodger fan!!

AT&T is the best. As I suggested earlier, take Cal Train from Palo Alto. It will drop you one block from Willy Mays plaza entrance & cost $10.00. Parking A is just outside my window and cost $35.00 and getting in & out is a hassle. Enjoy!

For the 6th year, Dean has provide me an opportunity to discuss our 31 years of International events. <www.goodwillseries.org>.

This year, I will discuss "can you teach a player to read the bat"

Founder of the Area Code games

Bob

 

 

Thanks for the tip

So is anyone there?  My son is, but I'm not and of course curious to know how it is going...He is pitching today, not sadly at Sunken Diamond which is a bummer but he is a two way guy so hopefully he will play in their game there.  Each team gets one game out of three there.  There are 26 teams.  That's pretty much all I know, so would appreciate if anyone is there and can "report" in here! 

       
       


Yes it's been really nice out here , met Tres_Arboles here, great guy. This is a really well fun camp. Do you know what team your son is on?

       
       


Saw game there Saturday, what a gorgeous field.

Just back from Stanford All-Star #2:

 

Great experience in many ways.  First of all, never been anywhere in July where you need a sweatshirt in morning, tank top by 1pm, and then the sweatshirt again by 5pm.  The weather in Palo Alto/San Fran incredible.

 

Stanford campus is like none I've ever seen.  Spectacular.  Son was inspired to attend the school just by the campus alone.

 

Ok, baseball..............240 boys broken into 16-teams.  Son had 17 on his.  He was a PO.  I'd say 85% of boys from California, the other 15% from all other states. Top FB I saw was 85mph.  Lot of rising Seniors sitting 78-82.  Saw a good deal of quality hitters and players.  Each team played 3 games.  One at Stanford's Sunken Diamond, and other two at local HSs. 

 

Coaches:  There were about 16 coaches "working" the camp as coaches of each of the 16 teams.  Several Ivy coaches, and other high academic Eastern schools and many California schools I'd never heard of.  My son saw an Ivy coach in stands with clipboard after a game.  Coach was from an IVY not listed as "working" the camp.  Son approached and introduced himself, etc.  After very brief exchange HC from IVY said, "Sorry I can't talk with you due to NCAA rules......etc."  Son was perplexed, but having heard this before understood and the fact he is a 2018.  Son was accustomed to HEADFIRST where you can approach and talk with ANY coach you see.  So, with Stanford the list they supply of
"Coaches Working Camp" are the only ones you can accost.  BUT IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IS THERE WILL BE OTHER COACHES IN ATTENDANCE SCOUTING; like the one I just mentioned.  I will say this, I was not overly impressed with the # of coaches in stands, but know there will be other coaches in attendance watching/scouting that are not on the "Coaches Working Camp" list. 

 

As far as baseball goes?  Son loved it.  As a PO he pitched 5-innings in one game.  Position players seem to get plenty of PT throughout all three games.  Some sitting obviously.  Games went 9-10 innings with ABs beginning with 1-1 counts to speed things up.

 

Camp was well organized and well done.  And the back drop scenery of Sunken Diamond is breathtaking.  Son came home inspired and a better ball player.  Was it the best camp son has ever been to???????  No.  But son has been to many baseball camps, and it was definitely Top-5.  Having attended HEADFIRST on Long Island last year I felt the exposure piece paled in comparison to HF.  The access to coaches at HF was incredible.  Did NOT get that at Stanford.  Simply due to the cloverleaf type baseball complex HF uses in Long Island, HF allows coaches to see kids play easier, and allows kids to meet coaches easier. 

 

Would I recommend Stanford?  Yes.  I'd recommend it.  As an easterner though I'd say it's best used as a "baseball camp" and that is how they bill it.  Was a memorable and fun vacation for my wife and I, and son learned a great deal.  I think HF is better for exposure especially if you want to stay on east coast. 

 

Son's interest in West Coast schools now peaked however.....looks like we may be headed back next year!

nice report....interesting how the #s breakdown between the three camps.  All star 1 about 400, all star 2 240,  Futures 200.

 

It is a beautiful spot.  My son had the same reaction yours did.

 

Those that have gone to all star 1:  did your kid feel lost in the crowd, or were they satisfied with coach accessibility  and attention?  Was there a lot of contact if a coach seemed interested if a kid were a 2016?

So All Star 2 was less than 2/3 the size of All Star 1?   Interesting.

 

Anybody know if that's a yearly pattern, why that happens, if that translates into more reps, and if the same number of coaches attend both? 

2017 attended all star 1 this year.  There seemed to be more "official" coaches on the lists posted here at that session, but they did need 26 coaches for 26 teams don't forget. Numerous coaches also there watching as my son had a crowd at the game he pitched, at a local high school.  

 

To answer above questions, he did not seem "lost" in the crowd, though there were a LOT of boys there.  He tried his best to introduce himself to a few of the coaches from schools he is interested in, and was semi-successful but they had little time to talk as they had their own teams.  Based on advice here, he did email the schools in advance as well.  

 

By his account he played well. I've seen the video voice overs, but not the evaluation yet.

 

Since his return, he has received an increase in email invites (he is a 2017 don't forget), more than he normally gets and some from schools who clearly saw him there as they are not the regional ones who have seen him at showcases on the east coast, as well as a few high academic D3 more personalized emails.  

 

Also the timing of session 1 worked for us, but don't forget al the competing events for these schools in July as PG WWBA has been going on for 17 then 16 and now 15s...plus all the other events and showcases from other services, so that may explain the differing numbers of coaches too.

 

The most telling aspect -- he wants to go back for sure next year!  He will be going to Headfirst in August so we will be able to compare after that.