Sacramento Head first Honor Roll Camp

My son attended the Headfirst Camp in Sacramento, and I must say it is the best investment we ever made for him. The camp was run very well, and the players and parents were given the opportunity to learn about the schools in attendance. The camp directors were very knowledgeable about the recruiting process, and were very willing to give the players tips for improving their skills. In addition to that, the coaches from the represented colleges and universities helped coach the games, and were very willing to talk with any player. The college coaches had the opportunity to watch each boy in action as they played 4 games over the course of two days. As a result, my son is now being recruited by several of the coaches.

Thank you very much. My son is a pitcher and although we loved Stanford, I found that his exposure was limited, because he only got to pitch once and the other coaches were coaching other teams. I was hoping this showcase would be different. I think we will go.

As a pitcher, your son will have the opportunity to pitch only once - as they only play four simulated games. My son also pitches, but when he was pitching, the coaches who were interested in his ability,had the opportunity to come watch him during his outing. There seemed to be a steady stream of coaches standing behind those who had the radar gun. Fortunately for my son, he also plays a couple other positions, and the total number of camp participants was limited, so he had the opportunity to play all but one inning of each of the four games. I would encourage your son to select a secondary position as well. In Sacramento, the players were split into teams. They played a game and then had about and hour and a half until their next game. We found a nearby restaurant that was cool and relaxed in between games.

My son attended the HF camp. I agree with 089 - very well run and very well worth the money. There were 25 colleges represented, all of them higher-tier academic schools.

My son is an 09, so the fruits of the showcase, if any, won't be known to us for some time. But the coaches there were very accessible, very involved, and clearly serious about identifying prospects.

Can't ask for anything more. We will definitely do the showcase next year as well.

He was on the wait list for the Stanford camp, and so we did not go to that one. Next year if he gets into Stanford, I am not sure if we will do it or the HF or both.

Highly recommend the HF showcase.

Absolutely the best bang for the buck we've experienced. Keep in mind, though, that the Sacramento camp MAY have been quite a bit smaller than their Virginia and Florida counterparts, as those events sell out quickly. This was the first year for a HF West Coast event......

Anyway, HIGHLY recommended if your son has respectable grades/scores and is willing to go out there and hustle every minute. Son went in a total unknown (hard to get anyone's attention living overseas) and left with a load of interest from coaches all over the country -- coaches that want him to come play in their program. This was a godsend for us, and I can't thank HF enough for how they structure their events. The HF staff guys are amazingly helpful and informative and approachable. GO!!

Did it differ much from Stanford format? Thanks. Glad to hear things are going well for you.

How many athletes do they usually have at these events? My son is attending the Richmond camp next week.

The differences between the two camps were as follows (and not saying one was better than the other - just different):

1) Stanford Camp had a lot of break-out skills sessions with games interspersed between. HF had one position-specific skill session the morning of the first day and after that it was all games.

2) Stanford Camp had games at a number of fields around the area. HF had two fields, side by side.

3) Stanford Camp was quite large (around 300 I believe). HF had around 85-100 guys.

4) HF seems to set themselves up based on accessibility. The coaches are right there and interaction/questions/feedback from players and parents is openly encouraged.

The question from BBM2 is harder to answer because I've never been to the HF camps in Virginia -- but I believe they are quite a bit larger. This was the first year HF did a west coast event, I believe, and so it may not have been widely known. With 85-100 kids and about 20 coaches on hand, it was a great opportunity for exposure.

thanks, you convinced us. We are off to Richmond tomorrow!

masterm, your son looked PLENTY impressive to me when we saw him at Palo Alto! When your Stanford Camp evaluation arrives, you can copy it and send it around........it carries a lot of weight among coaches.

thanks Krak, we just got it! and that's a good idea!