When to start

quote:

Originally posted by 2013Catcher:
I am a 2013 catcher and am on a team that will be going to many Perfect Game and Team one events over the summer. My question is when would it be most beneficial to start going to individual showcases to compliment the team tournaments. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

That's a personal decision and depends on how deep your parents pockets may be.

Most suggest to wait until you get to varsity, my players first was junior year, though he had been playing big tournies since he was a freshman.

Thank you TPM... I should have mentioned that I am in line to be the starting varsity catcher this season since last years starter graduated, and I started on JV last year. I would like to get the most out the showcases I do attend, since, like many people, the funds are not unlimited.

2013,
Perfect Game holds at least one showcase each year at Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ.

Also, Selectfest holds their showcase there each summer. You will need a reference to get into this one. Your travel coach can help you with that.

Both are good events with many scouts in attendance. Both are next summer so you could have a better handle on where your game is by then.

2013 catcher,

I'm going to come at this from a slightly different angle. There are roughly 301 Diviion 1, 223 Division 2, 368 Division 3 schools and many, many JUCOs. It is really tough to showcase in front of all of them in one spring/summer! You need a plan.

Showcases can be important if the schools you want to attend have coaches there. Do you know what coaches will be in attendence? Have you researched or asked them? Are those the schools you are targeting? Since funds are not unlimited, I suggest sitting down with your parents to map out your spring/summer budget with some showcases AND prospect camps for those schools you are interested in. Start with an academic and baseball goal. From that point create a list and find out who will be in attendence for the showcases and prospect camps that meet your goal. After that, show them what you got and enjoy yourself.

Best of luck!

2013's need to start showcasing this summer?

Would not a 2013 be a entering his Junior season when school begins? I would think that this would be an appropriate time to begin the process.

I would recommend the Underclass Event in Ft. Myers.

floridafan- that was my line of thinking as well.

I would like to get too at least one PG individual showcase this year and get my rating, as it will help to show my progression over time. I am a very good student with a 4.0+ GPA and would like to attend a school with great academics such as Duke, or anything in the Patriot or Ivy League.

I plan on attending one showcase this school-year/summer, and then go tomore showcases as well as college camps through the fall and winter. Is that logical?

With your profile a Headfirst camp is a must. Go next summer if you are playing at a high Varsity level or wait for early 2013 summer.

2013Catcher,

I'll second BOF's suggestion. In addition to HeadFirst there is an organization called GPA (Grades Plus Athletics) that showcases academically leaning baseball players. You can research HeadFirst and GPA on this site to get glowing recommendations from many people. HeadFirst was a fantastic experience for my son. GPA is fairly new showcasing organization.

If you took the SAT last weekend, you should have the SAT results soon. That will give you a better idea about your academic position relative to the schools you mentioned. Good luck.

Thanks for all of the replies.

I have heard of Headfirst showcases and definitly plan to attend one.I will check out GPA, sounds good. Does PG run an annual academic showcase?

They do but you are better off with GPA or Headfirst.

quote:

Originally posted by fenwaysouth:
2013Catcher,

I'll second BOF's suggestion. In addition to HeadFirst there is an organization called GPA (Grades Plus Athletics) that showcases academically leaning baseball players. You can research HeadFirst and GPA on this site to get glowing recommendations from many people. HeadFirst was a fantastic experience for my son. GPA is fairly new showcasing organization.

If you took the SAT last weekend, you should have the SAT results soon. That will give you a better idea about your academic position relative to the schools you mentioned. Good luck.

Hi 2013 Catch - I would add, be sure to line up the right SAT subject tests for yourself. You might be in a class this year (like an honors science or math) that is good preparation for the subject test, which you could take this May or June. The colleges you are talking about will want 2; nice to get one in the bag as a sophomore. Often times sophomores don't think about those things.

I'm guessing as a sophomore you didn't take an SAT yet but I recommend you think about a prep program for the SATs next year. High scores along with that impressive GPA can make a big difference as you know!

Thank you Baseballmom! I am in all honors classes as well as take an additional SAT prep course.

Can any of you help me by naming schools along the same academic wise as Lehigh, Bucknell, UPenn, etc. and are also strong in baseball?

A good start for you may be something like the UPenn pitchers and catchers camp, it only cost about 65.00? and it will give you a good idea of what goes on at a showcase plus it will put you infront of a great coach at a great school.You sound alot like what my son was looking for at your age so keep up the great work in class, that will open up alot of doors for you!
Also the only thing I regret not doing for my son was for him to attend a Headfirst showcase, with your grades I would not miss it.

Here is the link to the camp I mentioned on Jan. 29th.
http://www.eteamz.com/PennBaseballCamp/