Virginia camp

How is your summer season going so far?

Coach-

You have a PM

JH, believe Midlodad has some experience with the UVA camp...
Shoot him a PM...

JH, sent you a PM.

A recruiting camp that has many of the recruiting coordinators from the differet schools around Virgina working the camp. Does Scott Gines still run this camp, anyone know?

midlo-

right back atcha

I would be interested in learning more about this camp also as my Son has recieved invites as well. I have heard generally good things about the camp but nothing specific. Does anyone have experience with this camp?

With every camp there's a question of do they like the player or are you just one of a mass mailing list.

With UVA. here's a good way to know. is your son's grades good. Above 3.0 and 1100 SAT - and a 4 year language? If so then they might like him. If not probably mailing fodder.

UVAs a tough entrance. Generally athlete's can get by with less than student body (usually) but it can't be riduculous - unless it's Rev generator..football or basketball.

mrmom- I agree with your points but I don't think they look strictly at your grades at a showcase camp. What I am trying to find out is what are the benefits of this camp and is it worth the trip to Virginia?

3.0 and 1100 seem a little low for UVA. I know people that were rejected from many other schools with those boards that don't have the prestige that UVA does, and some of them were going to pursue athletics. Currently, I have like a 3.5 or 3.6 and as a sophomore scored a 1680 on the New PSAT, so whatever that translates to I hope its good.

PS- I'm assuming you mean an 1100 on a 1600 scale

JH Baseball wise the trip to UVA would be worthwhile the coaching staff is excellent and it would give you a chance to meet them if this is a school you are interested in.

If UVA is not on your list of schools I would not attend and would target the schools baseball camps you are interested in.

As for the SAT that was without the writing grade, I don't beleive the NCAA uses it -- of course the schools do.

If the UVA coach truly wanted a 3.0 1100 I think he'd get in. if he wanted a 2.4 1000 maybe not. lots of variables.

quote:

Does Scott Gines still run this camp, anyone know?

Assistant Coach Brian Anderson runs it.

I recieved an invite to their july camp, however i couldnt attend, would it make sense for me to attend the sept. camp, would there even be a chance for a scholarship or to catch there at that point, im an '07

thanks

quote:

would there even be a chance for a scholarship or to catch there at that point, im an '07

Hard to say. UVA is one of the top programs in the country. You have to be VERY good, and VERY smart. I'm no expert, but I think by Sept. they probably have a good idea of who they are going to make offers to already. My son has been to three of their camps and loved them. I've told the story before of the fall camp we were at last year. My son was between his soph and junior year. Over three games he played 4 positions and hit over .500 (6-11) and was absolutely raking. Even his outs were crushed and this was against pitchers UVA was very interested in. After the camp those pitchers were still getting all the props and slaps on the back by the coaching staff. I know my son was young but you'd think since then he would've gotten more than camp brochures from them but no.
Is my son going again this year? Yep, Labor Day weekend. Doesn't want to let his "last chance" at UVA slide by without a fight.

ok new issue to pose to everyone:

I had a long discussion with my father about the invitation. After it was all said and done, he said I needed to make a choice. I had already signed up for the PG NE Underclass Showcase in Cape Cod in mid-August. He said I can't do both the UVA and the PG, I could only do one. (Financially, transportation and school was probably on his mind also)

I thought about it long and hard and still I don't know what I want. I know I like UVA but I just turned 16, I still haven't made that "list" yet. Still, my dad said something that I liked. PG and most showcases are very "by the numbers". It's whatever the radar gun says basically. A showcase like the UVA Camp provides much more of an in-game analysis and coaches having the ability to see what you can do in a game and how you act on the field. Still, in terms of exposure abroad, the PG might be the way to go.

Any suggestions?

You answered your own question. Your 16 and need exposure which one will get you more -- you've already said it.

Look at it like this if you're UVa quality player you won't escape their detection when it's time. But you might miss some other opportunities missing the PG.

I'll throw a wrinkle at you. If it was my son I'd skip underclass events and try to get in one of their Top prospect camps. There's one in UNC in August and probably one up in the NE as well.

Good luck

A couple things: You will get to be seen in game situations at the PG Underclass Showcase as well, but it may only be by PG staff and evaluators, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for an '08. I don't think the Underclass events are too well-attended by recruiters and scouts. However, performing well in the Underclass greatly increases your chances of being invited to that PG Top Prospect Showcase that mrmom spoke of, or some other of their more high profile events. If given the choice I'd go with PG.

The big factor in my mind is whether YOU need to meet THEM. A showcase event gets your basic capabilities (and possibly also any shortcomings) out there with the scouts and any number of colleges. THEY learn about YOU, but not vice versa.

College may be the one time in your life where you have a big say in who you're playing for. In my mind, the college camps will do more to tell you about the schools, their facilities and their coaches than you could ever learn anywhere else.

But your dad is right about one thing, it's expensive, so it's best to narrow down your focus before you pick just a few college camps to attend.

Folks,

You are responding to two distinct and different items. Simply, the UVA fall camp(s) and the BIV (Best in Virginia Camps) are different entities.

BIV began 21 years ago under Dennis Womack and Scott Gines and is still directed by these individuals today. Both were long time NCAA I head coaches, and both are currently collegiate athletic directors. Both began this enterprise while coaching at UVA (perhaps therein lies the tie in, and some of the confusion in your postings).

BIV completed it's 21st year of operation yesterday. The BIV represents the nations only instructional showcase; only showcase owned and operated by collegiate coaches; and only showcase with heavy participation across all levels--NAIA-to-Division I. BIV continues to operate with a camper-to-coach ratio of less than 5:1. In 2006, 370 campers attended from 23 states with 91 staff members on board over 2 sessions. BIV has sold out for 15 consecutive years, and enrollment is capped. BIV is held at Hampden-Sydney College.

The UVA camp is a separate enterprise and with a different mission and format. Contact the UVA baseball staff for information on this opportunity.

You can access information on BIV at www.vabaseballcamps.com including a brief highlight video of the 2005 sessions.

I don't see any BIV comments above...? But I guess you got them a plug.

Where are Womack and Gines now? Just curious, hadn't heard.

BIV takes place in July, so the posting making references with to attending in July (UVA runs their summer camps in June) regards BIV.

Dennis Womack is an assistant athletic director at the University of Virginia. Scott Gines is the athletic director at Fairmont State University. They both continue to direct the BIV and their Father-Son Camps at Graves Mountain Lodge.

quote:

Originally posted by J H:
I am currently an '08 LHP from NY. I just received an invite to the UVA camp(s) that rn throughout September. If anyone has any info on these please let me know I am interested in signing up but want to make sure the $ and travel is well worth it. Thanks.

Doesn't say anything about July here.

Just spent the weekend in Charlottesville for one of their three "elite prospect" camps. This could've been a clinic on how to do just about everything right in running a college camp.

You can see this program continuing to rise. We have been to this camp before and seen some talent, but this time was different in that virtually everyone on the field showed college level ability. Lots of top pitchers were there. There were more standouts than any one school could accommodate.

Here are the things that made this a positive experience:

1. In contrast to other camps where the coaches are no-shows, or where assistants handle it and the head no-shows, at this camp the entire coaching staff was present and actively involved all weekend. Coach O'Connor opened the camp with a talk highlighting the program, the school and the camp. Position players then spent 1 1/2 -2 hours with the hitting coach while pitchers spent that same time in a session with the pitching coach. Then the showcase games began, and again, the entire coaching staff was present throughout.

2. The coaches were not merely watching and taking notes. There was ample one-on-one interaction with players.

3. Also in evidence were other D-I coaches (including UNCG and VMI) and also some D-III coaches (Hampden-Sydney, Bridgewater and others). Again, they stayed the entire weekend. From the talent we saw, I would say those coaches would have to be pretty happy they came.

4. From his opening talk, Coach O'Connor made it clear that academics were not an afterthought in the program. He pitched baseball as a great door-opener to getting a UVA education. Full campus -- sorry, "grounds" -- tours were provided to players. (This was in stark contrast to other schools we've visited, where course requirements were presented as if they were sort of an annoying thing you had to do to remain eligible for baseball, and tours were limited to the baseball facilities.)

5. A HUGE amount of planning went into setting rosters for the showcase games. Camp slots had been allocated on the basis that if your position was filled you didn't get in. This meant that players played their preferred positions all weekend. (This again contrasted with other camps where players had to play where ever there were holes in order to make the games went forward, so that you couldn't assure that anyone ever saw you play the position where you wanted to be seen.)

6. Several current and also former players, including at least one current minor leaguer, were present for much of the camp. I got the minor leaguer to tell me a lot about his experiences at UVA under both the former and the current coaching staffs. His comments were exremely positive and his presence spoke volumes about his sincerity.

Coach O'Connor stated that 10 current players were identified through past camps. You could see that this wasn't lip service. They had a bounty of talent there and they were serious about looking at kids as prospects and not just as a source of extra income for the coaches.

We're still going to visit several other schools. It'll be interesting to see if they work as hard at making a positive impression.

how do you to about getting invited to one of their "elite prospect camps"? my son is a 2010 and not from the virginia area so he certainly would not be on there radar screen. is there a more pro-active approach that one could take?

Go to their baseball web site and look on the right hand menu for the link to camps. You can download or print the brochure. You don't have to be invited, you just have to get the brochure and pay your money.

There were a few younger players present last weekend, but as the talent level has risen you are seeing fewer and fewer of those. Bear in mind it doesn't necessarily help a kid to be seen getting overmatched, so make sure he's really ready before doing this.

There's only one fall camp left this year, and it's this coming weekend. I suspect it's already full but if you contact them ASAP I suppose there's a chance.

Midlo--would you agree or disagree that this type of "elite" camp would be a camp that would best be done by seniors?

My 2008 was "personally" invited, but we have opted to wait until next year. Mostly to see if he is still interested in UVA as a prospect, but secondarily as a cost cutting measure from the blistering pace we set this summer.

I'm sure as the popularity of the UVA program increases (by winning games) there will be more interest in it next year. This will inevitably drive up the price of addmission I'm sure....Hope not, but business is business....

This year it was subliminally set at $249 (really $250, but looks are deceiving in marketing), next year $299 (really $300)even!

Good write-up about the camp....They paying you too? juskiddin...

Our experience is that UVA sends out many invitations for their camp. As with all college prospect camps, you should consider, have they contacted you on a personal level, i.e. telephone. You certainly are fee to call the person who wrote the ltr. and ask why you were invited to help you evaluate whether you should attend.

Of course, as with every college prospect camp provides an opportunity to be seen.

Armyofone:

I realize this looks like a commercial, but it was meant to follow up a post of mine in another thread where I railed against another school (which I chose not to name) that ran an absolutely horrid camp that we attended. I don't mind patting UVA on the back, but the point of the post above is really more to drive home to any coaches who might frequent this site that we really do care whether they treat our sons honorably, or as little more than a source of extra income. And yes, I am prepared to judge and rank the coaches and their programs accordingly.

I agree with those who admonish you that all these schools buy lists and mail to the entire universe, so you should not think they're looking at your son as a special kid just because they sent him a brochure. But to answer your specific question: If you think your son is interested in a particular school, then no, I don't think you should wait until his senior year. There's no time like the present for him to start thinking of which places might fit him best, so that he can really go after his top choice(s) when the time comes.

If your son is a top prospect, then he can choose where he wants to go, instead of waiting to see who comes after him. This may be his only chance in his baseball career to choose who he plays for. He should capitalize on that opportunity.

If your son is not at the very top, but still a decent player, then the more opportunities he gives himself to get on a team's RADAR screen and to tell them point blank that he would like to come there, the better IMHO. Many players make their own opportunities by pursuing them actively over a lengthy period.

Bear in mind that while the coaches cannot call a junior, if you're standing on their field they can talk to you all they want. In many cases, they will tell you some very candid and enlightening info. And if they won't take the time to do that, well, that in itself tells you something worth knowing.