Stanford camp or Junior Olympics ( JO's) ?

I'd do the JO tournament with the team this year.

He could still go to the Stanford camp next year.

A kid on my son's HS team was in the same predicament. He just played his sophmore season and chose to go to Phoenix. Did yours just play his Junior season or his Sophmore season? The determining factors for the kid on our team was that he has below a 3.0 GPA and he has next year to hit the camps. The Stanford Camp just wasn't right for him. Also, don't be so sure you will get into the Stanford Camp this late.

just to clarify he is a sophomore right now with excellent GPA. He has already been accepted to Stanford camp, we just need to confirm now.

Does it make sense to split and do Half JO and then head over to Stanford? nOt so sure.
All comments are welcome.

Personally, I'd do the stanford camp. Sent my kid to the jupiter JOs last year - and while it was a good tournament, unless you think your son is a true contendor for the USA team, you won't get much exposure to colleges.

Stanford is a better long term investment.

just my two cents

Stanford Camp, by far more recruiters per player than JOs. More opportunities for your kid to get noticed.

However, I see you are from So Cal. There are just a handfull of teams I would pass up Stanford camp as a sophomore for. Has the team that invited you to the JOs ever had a kid placed on the Youth National Team? I might ask the coach that before making a decision. (Make them tell you who.)

And, it is hotter than heck in AZ in July. It would have to be a bomb team to get me to that tourn over Stanford Camp.

Hotter than heck - agreed!

I'd go to Stanford

Honesty, some of you people have zero perspective on what is important. Baseball is supposed to be a tool by how we learn and educate kids. Part of that is learning to be a great "team" player. What are you telling your teammates when you pick an INDIVIDUAL event over a TEAM event?

Listen, I have close ties to Stanford. I've sent lots of players there, the coaches are good friends, and one of their sons plays for me. Heck, that coach even helps me with my team. That said, if your son is a sophomore, he ought to be committed to his team and come back next year when it makes sense. Stanford is a slower process for recruiting anyway and they will understand commitments.

Finally, you people need to understand that sometimes you need to go to events for the sake of competition and not just exposure. It's important to learn how to compete! The exposure will take care of itself in the long run if you can play. The last part to know is that you will see more and more college coaches at the 16&U events as the recruiting time-line has advanced.

You've got a point there. But it is still hot in AZ in July!!!

We recently had to make a similar choice. My son had just just been accepted to the Stanford camp when he was invited to play on an 18U summer team. We accepted the position on the summer team and then found out that one of their bigger tournaments for the summer conflicted with the Stanford camp. We chose TEAM and cancelled our plans for the Stanford camp. I'm still disappointed that he won't be able to attend the Stanford camp, as they seem to be showing some interest in him. It's a tough decision.

sportsmom- Stanford historically has a large recruiting base and is a well oiled machine as far as recruiting letters to prospects. If they are really interested in him I would think they'll find a way to see him. I agree with NCball as far as playing experience goes. It sometimes is more valuable than a camp (even the Stanford camp).

I keep reading all of this about the Stanford camp. If Stanford is truly interested in you I think it is great. If you are a high academic kid, but not really a great player, it can be good. But look at the schools who recruit the Stanford camp other than Stanford. You will not find USC or UCLA or Arizona or Arizona State or even Vanderbilt. You will see high-end academic schools who will never compete with Stanford for the best players.

From a pure baseball standpoint (and assuming the kid is not a true possibility for Stanford itself) the JO is a better bet. For the life experience, the visit to Stanford is tough to beat.

Hey Jemaz,

Why won't the four schools you mention be at the Stanford camp?

Here is the deal on the JOs..

It is blazing hot... and I mean blazing hot at 7 am and gets downright hellish by 2 pm. Because of that you play once a day. There is so much down time. It really is not that much fun.

There are other tournaments. Go to Stanford if you are a high academic achiever. Grades will get you much farther than ball everyday.

quote:

Originally posted by J23:
Hey Jemaz,

Why won't the four schools you mention be at the Stanford camp?

Those 4 schools are rival PAC 10 schools. Why would Stanford invite their rivals to recruit from their camp? Notice how Berkeley, and the Oregon and Washington schools also aren't represented.

Although, from my recall, there are other California 4 years (non Pac 10) that work the camp. Blprk, is this the case for this summer's camp???

Some thoughts for consideration. If you are going to JOs, you are a rising Jr, right? That means you will have a second year to go to Stanford camp - so consider that. If you are on the USA team radar, by all means staying at the JOs the entire time would be your priority. If you are not, but want the experience of both, would you be able/allowed (by your JO coaches) to split time between both?

Don't know how any of these answers impact you, just throwing thoughts out for consideration.

We are doing what No11 suggested. USA 16U this year and Stanford next. I know a pitcher who is actually doing both and flying immediately from the Arizona to Stanford.

BOF, I know several people who have split their time between Stanford and JOs.

Stanford camp is tough on rising juniors, unless they have fully matured physically. It is demanding, with skills measurment activities, interspersed with "games." Because the rising juniors have not taken their SATs, the attending academically-oriented schools cannot really identify recruitable talent.
My son went to the camp as a rising junior. He was coming off a hand injury (as a catcher). He hit well, but was bothered with his receiving. He should have waited a year to go, but he felt compelled to honor the invitation.
It ends well for him though-got his BS and MS in engineering from an Ivy League school, which regularly recruits through the Camp.

Other CA schools listed as coaches at the camp:

UC Davis
UCSD
UOP
San Jose State
Ponoma-Pitzer
Azusa Pacific

plus many attend in the stands

Playfair: could not disagree more with your assessment of JO's. I love that tournament (except the weather!)

There is not a better 16u tournament in the country. The format is great, you play 7-9 games, and most of the best 16-year olds in the nation attend. Usually 10-12 schools make it down to JO's in AZ, and as ncball noted, the timeline is getting a little earlier and we may see a few more.

In my experience, JO's is a tournament where players can have a "breakout" performance. Not just for National Team consideration, but in terms of recruiting "buzz" too (if you think that matters).

Many of the influential baseball people in the west are there. The recruiting connection could end up being the coach of the team you played against! I have seen it happen. AND, you are playing to win, not some me-me-me fake-baseball showcase-ball that shows tools but doesn't always show you who the BALLPLAYERS are.

I also think it matters that you are contributing to the selection of the National Team. Even if your player is too old for Nat'l Team consideration or not good enough, you are part of a very special thing.

I will agree with you is that it is hotter than &^@# and that can at times make it less fun.

My opinion of Stanford Camp (for whatever that's worth):
Stanford Camp for a sophomore? Limited value beyond the experience.
Stanford Camp for a Junior with average grades, not much help...
Stanford Camp for a high GPA Junior is close to a "must attend" in my opinion. Great camp, great people, excellent "exposure" opportunity.

XtremeBB,

I'm curious - what do you consider "average grades"/"high GPA?" My son will be attending the Stanford camp in a few weeks. Any other advice?Thanks.

Terk:

You can figure out on your own where you think your son stands with this.

http://www.collegeconfidential.../academic_index3.htm

My nephew (an incoming Sr.) just played 5 games at the USA Baseball 16u Tournament (formerly the JOs) in Arizona and is now on his way up to the Stanford camp. It was hard for him to leave, since his team is now seeded #2, but his coach knew about the Stanford camp plans and encouraged him to do both.

This is his second time at the tournament, since his birthday is in July.