So glad our Org decided not to go. Just looked at 16U and there are 483 teams signed up. There are teams going that have not won a game. We have done two in state WWBAs so far this summer and I think we have seen all but 2 starting pitchers throwing 85+ (one touching 92/93). At least in Texas we can see some pretty high level competition without going to Ga.
@TxballDad posted:So glad our Org decided not to go. Just looked at 16U and there are 483 teams signed up. There are teams going that have not won a game. We have done two in state WWBAs so far this summer and I think we have seen all but 2 starting pitchers throwing 85+ (one touching 92/93). At least in Texas we can see some pretty high level competition without going to Ga.
Just my opinion, but I believe that there are only two benefits from playing in the Perfect Game WWBA programs. First, it's the fact that you can get some verified stats. This is probably more important for pitchers. Like it or not, velocity numbers attract interest, and when Perfect Game is recording a pitchers velo, that gives you data to promote yourself to college coaches via email, social media etc.. Second, events such as WWBA National Championship in Marietta Georgia, WWBA World's in Jupiter etc.... do attract college coaches. They are all over the place at those events so they are opportunities to have coaches see your performance.
For us the WWBA was more than just facing good competition. As Ster mentioned, there was a recruiting aspect to it, but it was also a small vacation for us and many others. You also get to see some of the top players in the country and sometimes even face them. We've been to WWBA 3 times. Every game my son's team played was competitive. Sure, I've seen a few lopsided box scores but overall it wasn't terrible. And once you get to elimination every team is good. I've always felt Perfect Game did a good job of balancing the pools to have at least one really good team, a few solid teams, and no more than one terrible team.
The thing about the coaches is true, but since 90%+ of players end up in colleges in their home states or nearby, it's really not necessary to go to Georgia to be seen by those local colleges (which happened to our teams several times). For those with national-level recruitment, yes. And yes, the competition may be better than at home, and yes pitchers' velos get recorded.
@anotherparent posted:The thing about the coaches is true, but since 90%+ of players end up in colleges in their home states or nearby, it's really not necessary to go to Georgia to be seen by those local colleges (which happened to our teams several times). For those with national-level recruitment, yes. And yes, the competition may be better than at home, and yes pitchers' velos get recorded.
Well, what you say is true, but there are instances where players get opportunities outside of their states. My son wasn't recruited by any of the home state schools, but because he was seen pitching at some national tournaments, and was able to establish some good measurables, a school three states away recruited and offered him.
@Ster posted:Just my opinion, but I believe that there are only two benefits from playing in the Perfect Game WWBA programs. First, it's the fact that you can get some verified stats. This is probably more important for pitchers. Like it or not, velocity numbers attract interest, and when Perfect Game is recording a pitchers velo, that gives you data to promote yourself to college coaches via email, social media etc.. Second, events such as WWBA National Championship in Marietta Georgia, WWBA World's in Jupiter etc.... do attract college coaches. They are all over the place at those events so they are opportunities to have coaches see your performance.
The college coaches are there with their list of players they’ve been told to check out. Anyone who stands out among over one hundred plus teams has already been discovered. There aren’t a lot of secrets at these tournaments. What my kids got out of major tournaments is they belonged on the field with the top talent and could compete even if they weren’t top 500 players. When my son got to PG GA he had already been “discovered” by all the college programs his travel coach presold him to for more regional events.
@Ster posted:Well, what you say is true, but there are instances where players get opportunities outside of their states. My son wasn't recruited by any of the home state schools, but because he was seen pitching at some national tournaments, and was able to establish some good measurables, a school three states away recruited and offered him.
Every college my son was interested in was out of region. The nearest was 400 miles away. His travel coaches presold him. There were two significant showcases a lot closer to home the coaches saw him before GA.
@RJM posted:The college coaches are there with their list of players they’ve been told to check out. Anyone who stands out among over one hundred plus teams has already been discovered. There aren’t a lot of secrets at these tournaments. What my kids got out of major tournaments is they belonged on the field with the top talent and could compete even if they weren’t top 500 players. When my son got to PG GA he had already been “discovered” by all the college programs his travel coach presold him to for more regional events.
That's not our experience. My son was "discovered" during one of these tournaments (Jupiter). He wasn't on the list of the college coach who just happen to be watching his game (my son wasn't on the coach's list). And he was there bec it was one of the big PG national tournaments.
@atlnon posted:That's not our experience. My son was "discovered" during one of these tournaments (Jupiter). He wasn't on the list of the college coach who just happen to be watching his game (my son wasn't on the coach's list). And he was there bec it was one of the big PG national tournaments.
I’m not saying it doesn’t happen. In a major softball tournament my daughter had an outrageous weekend. She was approached by a college not on her list. She ended up there. It was one of the best schools for her major. She wasn’t planning on going to college that far from home.