TravelBall / Showcase teams, but at what cost?

Good post.

Keep in mind one major factor: personal websites, pictures, promos, videos, you tube etc are all great but the college coach needs and wants to see the prospect in action and against top flight competition.

My son sent out an e-mail with his youtube to anyone and everyone who would watch it. Got a lot of interest from some big D1 schools , but without seeing him play thats were it ended. played 2 months this summer with a showcase team and signed early with a D2. Wish we could have done more but did'nt have the cash, showcase teams are were its at but without the cash I don't know what advice you can give paople.

Another suggestion, get names/contact info of reliable baseball individuals who can verify the information you are sending about your son.

I am considering renting a blimp. Will that help?

quote:

Originally posted by Coach Milburn:
Another suggestion, get names/contact info of reliable baseball individuals who can verify the information you are sending about your son.

One of the most overlooked and underestimated piece of information for a parent trying to "help" a player. Make absolutely sure you get credible references! GED10DaD

quote:

Originally posted by GunEmDown10:

quote:

Originally posted by Coach Milburn:
Another suggestion, get names/contact info of reliable baseball individuals who can verify the information you are sending about your son.

One of the most overlooked and underestimated piece of information for a parent trying to "help" a player. Make absolutely sure you get credible references! GED10DaD

Amen! I almost left that out, that's why I posted that above.

Let me say that I believe college recruiters want to see your son play in person and play good competition. Recruiters can't get a true feel for a player from a video shoot. (Too many variables)

I never went around looking for ways to spend extra money, shoot I didnt want to spend any money if I didnt need to. I knew my son was better than average, but waited for the experts to tell me differently. Thats when things changed a bit.
My son was "found" at a MLB scouting bureau tryout when he was 16. Guess what the cost of that was? FREE!!!
If you utilize these free tryout camps and you do well word will travel. AND FAST! Plenty of people in the know at those tryouts. My son was invited to play on a scout team that fall from that FREE scouting bureau tryout and went to the WWBA in Jupiter, things were never the same again.

The thing I think people should remember, there are all kinds of organizations out there that will take your money in the name of getting your son recruited. You, the parent, need to have your son go to some free events and LISTEN to the professionals. The pro scouts and college recruiters do this stuff for a living. If they arent talking to your son or you that should be telling you something.

Remember, LSU, Texas, Virginia aren't going to come to you and tell you they're not recruiting you. If there is interest, that should help guide you as to how much money you want to spend.

Just my experienced opinion.

I am a high school baseball coach, not a travel ball coach, and even I believe that my elite players NEED to play travel ball. Baseball is going the way of softball and basketball. Instead of going to colleges coaches are going to big travel ball tournaments. Will you get interest if you You Tube your kid, you could. However the bottom line is they are still going to want to see you play and the best time to see you is with your travel ball team, because high school baseball season is the same time as college baseball season. I will say you do need to be careful. Obviously in Southern California there are a billion travel ball teams. You need to do your homework and make your choice wisely because so travel ball coaches do no work in getting you kids name out and other over charge. On the flip side you got a guy like SGV Arsenal who makes no financial gain off of travel ball and nearly all of not all of his player sign every year. Is it because he has talent, yes. It is also because he works his backside off and makes sure he gets, smart, and good kids.

quote:

Originally posted by D1:
Let me say that I believe college recruiters want to see your son play in person and play good competition. Recruiters can't get a true feel for a player from a video shoot. (Too many variables)

I never went around looking for ways to spend extra money, shoot I didnt want to spend any money if I didnt need to. I knew my son was better than average, but waited for the experts to tell me differently. Thats when things changed a bit.
My son was "found" at a MLB scouting bureau tryout when he was 16. Guess what the cost of that was? FREE!!!
If you utilize these free tryout camps and you do well word will travel. AND FAST! Plenty of people in the know at those tryouts. My son was invited to play on a scout team that fall from that FREE scouting bureau tryout and went to the WWBA in Jupiter, things were never the same again.

The thing I think people should remember, there are all kinds of organizations out there that will take your money in the name of getting your son recruited. You, the parent, need to have your son go to some free events and LISTEN to the professionals. The pro scouts and college recruiters do this stuff for a living. If they arent talking to your son or you that should be telling you something.

Remember, LSU, Texas, Virginia aren't going to come to you and tell you they're not recruiting you. If there is interest, that should help guide you as to how much money you want to spend.

Just my experienced opinion.

For the record, playing baseball on any team is playing baseball. My suggestion is to assist a young man getting his name out there and then you'll have an idea of whom is interested.

College coaches should be up front and say, that we are not interested and players should do the same and so the respect and communicate to a coach, we appreicate your interest but we are not interested.

This will save the college coaches a lot of valuable time if the players are up front, just the same if the college coaches communicate the same way.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach Milburn:

For the record, playing baseball on any team is playing baseball. My suggestion is to assist a young man getting his name out there and then you'll have an idea of whom is interested.

College coaches should be up front and say, that we are not interested and players should do the same and so the respect and communicate to a coach, we appreicate your interest but we are not interested.

This will save the college coaches a lot of valuable time if the players are up front, just the same if the college coaches communicate the same way.

Where we are from our Legion programs are considered weak, so this is where I will disagree with you. When my son played for that scout team that fall he played against some of the better competition he ever played against up to that point. Jupiter was unlike anything I had ever seen, until the next year he was there. Unless you have been there you cannot even imagine the amount of college recruiters and pro scouts there and that is probably an understatement.

Coach, I think you may have mistook my staement about the colleges not telling you they are interested. If LSU, Texas and Virginia are at an event that your son is playing in and at his game they dont have to tell every parent there that they have no interest. You will know who they are there to see. The coaches will be talking to the kids and parents they are interested in. Junior also had schools that were interested at one point and then like a light switch had no interest. They never called to tell us that interest fell off. I just thought that went along with the territory, no harm no foul.

My son went to a couple of weekend college camps last fall. Had he been playing Legion ball he would have been one of sixty quality players. His Legion coach doesn't know anyone. As a travel player a phone call from a MLB scout who helps coach his travel team preceeded the visit. The coaches knew who my son was and approached him for a conversation. Part of the conversation was, "Your coach speaks highly of you."

I won't say a kid has to play travel. But being on the right travel team with contacts sure helps.

I'm not saying the local Legion program is bad, but when my son was fifteen on a 16U team full of 15yos, the Legion made every excuse possible not to play them. They would have smoked the Legion team.

As far as preteen travel, I can't see spending a lot of money. After spring rec ball my son played for a community based summer travel team sponsored by the town when he was nine and ten. I paid $100. It was the equivilant of a LL all-star team. When he was eleven and twelve his LL all-star team played into August. The run was fun!

In response to this question from an HSBBweb Old Timer poster/administrator ...

"May I ask you what your problem is with travel/showcase teams?"

I am just trying to inform the players and parents of the options out there to assist them in gaining exposure at the most affordable avenue.

How can that be viewed as having a problem with travel/showcase teams?

socalhscoach, Thank you for the compliment. All of our coaches work hard at what we do. We enjoy the whole process. My wife wishes I would make a little money. I have been paid so handsomely in so many other ways. I will share one story. I bought a home last May and was dreading the move. I asked a few of guys if they could help move some things. I was so floored when about 35 or more players and parents showed up to help. There was a huge flat bed truck, a big u-haul type truck. They moved our family in a few hours from one home to the next. My wife was nearly in tears. They parents said it was there way of saying thanks.

I am proud of how all my coaches strive to see our players succeed. Coaches have asked me how we have developed into a top program. It is quality kids who come from quality families and the player happens to be outstanding at baseball. We have kinda have an unwritten formula I listed below. Within each one there is whole lot to cover.

1. Select good student athletes and good families.
2. Develop relationships with each player.
3. Help guide them to academic and athletic success.
4. Teach them to respect all aspects of the game
5. Teach them to compete with teammates and opponents
6. Be honest to each player and family.
7. Spend money wisely.

SGV ... I'm on the other side of the continental divide but would love to have had my son play for you or socalcoach!! Thanks for doing it the right way and for making a huge difference in those ballplayers lives....

Milburn

To me the tone of your posts indicates that you have a problem with that scenario

People come to this site for advice and to get informed about recruiting
Coach Milburn is giving advice to parents that don't have 10K-12K a year
to pay for a showcase team can't see how anybody could have a problem
with that .

Prime9, thanks. I have been to Georgia and thought it was a wonderful place.

I would be real reluctant to ask parents on our program to spend 10-12k a year. I am going to have ask our parents how much they spent over the past couple years. Let me think with my senior class.

Class of 2010:

As freshman played local league, Scout day, three tournaments in the winter $350 and summer Mantle and 2 tournaments $350. total $700.

As sophomores Fall played local league, scout day, three tournaments $400.00. Summer at JO's, Mantle league and two tournaments Fee was $500. Hotel, travel and food around $1200. Total $2100.00

As Jrs. Fall played at various colleges, Az. Jr Fall Classic, Scout day, $500. Two went to Jupitor extra $200. fee and hotel, travel and food $1200. The trip was huge for one kid. Blew up there. Will be first round pick this year. Summer Connie Mack and colleges sites. $250.00 Total $750..

Senior
Fall $100 fee. Didn't see to many as the were committed. Jupitor $225 fee and about $1200 for those who went.

Summer season will Connie Mack. $250.00.

This is just with our program. I could missing a few extra costs. Players did attend some college camps, PG showcases such at Cal Underclass, Sunshine West and National showcase. Some went to the tournament of stars which is no cost. There are scouting showcases run by the scouting association here in SoCal. We would set up games with other top teams and notify colleges and scouts so they could attend which is cheaper than paying $700 for a tournament.

19 players committed with 17 of them to D1. We have 5 players uncommitted. Two will go D1(one might go for football) and three others most likely D2 or NAIA. We are working it for them.

Parents need to do their work on researching programs to see if it fits their needs. Look at everything a program offers. Ask others who have gone through programs for their opinion. You have to get it right the first time because there are no do overs. Find a program, stick to it and work hard to get better. Regardless of which program you play in your still have to be good enough to collleges and scouts to warrant attention. It was what colleges/scouts feel is good enough not what parents think is good enough.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
Milburn

To me the tone of your posts indicates that you have a problem with that scenario

Sorry that you feel that way TRhit. What device are you using to hear the tone affect of these posts?

quote:

Originally posted by DoverDAD:
People come to this site for advice and to get informed about recruiting
Coach Milburn is giving advice to parents that don't have 10K-12K a year
to pay for a showcase team can't see how anybody could have a problem
with that .

Glad that you understand DoverDAD.