Camps that measure a kids metrics

[AnotherSoftballDad]

As my kid is moving up to 14U I'm told we need to start thinking about college.

As a part of this I've started to get sold on athletic testing camps.

We have done 3 of them. The camps basically line the girls up and time them on runs, do some skills drills, overhand throw MPH, Bat Speed... and a few other metrics.

I can now log into 3 different websites and look at my kids numbers. I find it interesting to compare and contrast my kids metrics vs the other kids, but will anyone else ever look at this?

The testing seems pretty basic. I could do it with a stopwatch some cones and a BlastMotion.

The different organizations that are running the tests and posting the data are selling their services as a way for college coaches to do a little research on a kid. Does this happen?

TLDNR - Am I wasting my money?

 

[quincy]

IDK, her numbers are apparently good.

I liked DD doing stuff like this, she forgot everything a week later but has always had a good time.

 

[AnotherSoftballDad]

IDK, her numbers are apparently good.

I liked DD doing stuff like this, she forgot everything a week later but has always had a good time.

I always enjoy a day out at the fields and I enjoy looking at the numbers. So I wouldn't say it's time\money wasted.

I'm just curious if there is any truth to the claims that college coaches use the data from this testing.

I just got an e-mail about another one since I made this original post.

All the websites seem to have the same general idea. You create a player profile, add a picture, positions played, and they couple that with your performance from the camps. Is there a gold standard for which company/site to use?

 

[Vertigo]

I only did ones that were specifically for pitchers that measured DD’s pitching velocity with different pitches (other things were measured as well). I felt these were helpful because I could send them to college coaches and they were objective, not a photo of her standing with a Pocket Radar in her hand flashing a nice number without knowing if it was a run through or a true pitch.

I‘m sure some college coaches like measurables and some probably don’t really care. Maybe your dd could ask a coach at a college camp she attends if they prefer those numbers or not.

 

[midwestdad]

I think doing 1 with a good result per year is valuable. Personally my DD has her speed and agility this off season focused on skills for On Deck ODM testing in the near future. Having an independent validation of your players skills is valuable in my opinion, but three times in one year seems excessive unless you did not do well.

 

[radness]

Like tools that show progress
and help us reach goals!
Use the results for softball recruitment.
Some colleges continue to test their athletes.

 

[BT3100]

Camps that measure metrics are good!
I can think of a few.
Pennsbury in PA is one of the best. Pitchers get speed numbers, all players get over hand velocity and running, jumping, etc measured. It's also grouped and logged on a spreadsheet and emailed out to the athletes. Its a great too to reference when DD's send emails to coaches. When DD did it last time she got some emails after the camp from some schools who there.
Also USSSA runs it's Select Elite tryouts every year. Same deal but they spend about 3 hours and measure more than just speed for pitchers and other metrics. They also add comments and select the top players to play on their regional teams for tournaments. DD tried out 3 times. She didn't make it the first 2 times, the last time she was a direct select and it was a great experience.

 

[nikkilugi]

My daughter just finished the USA Elite Select 30 Training camp in Orlando a few weeks ago. She was a direct select in 2019 so she has had some testing here and there. DD is tall and slow and can mash the ball. They did testing at the Select 30 camp and she was absolutely awful in testing (like really not impressive at all). Her numbers really weren’t good - but guess what - she made the top 30 in her age group to compete in the final game of the best of the best. She made it on her game play, period. She had the best batting average on her team and made some impressive plays in the field in her 4 games leading up to the Select 30 selection announcement. So I guess my point is - I would hope coaches and everyone else doesn’t put too much stock in those numbers. That being said we still take her to events to get her metrics because it does encourage her to work to get better.

 

[marriard]

It depends; it can certainly be a positive part of a recruiting strategy, but it is not for every player.

These are great if your kid is an athletic monster and the numbers will help her (in some cases in spite of her actual skill level).

For example, if your kid is a smaller, mid-speed control/movement pitcher it is not something that is going to benefit her. Don't put your player in a situation that is not going to show up her strengths (targeted on-campus camps focused on game/scrimmages are going to be a better strategy)

If your kid is a 6' tall, 60mph+ pitcher who can't find the strike zone with a map it may benefit her because there is always some coach who thinks they will be able to 'fix her' when she gets on campus.


Just one example - there are lots of others

 

[BT3100]

My daughter just finished the USA Elite Select 30 Training camp in Orlando a few weeks ago. She was a direct select in 2019 so she has had some testing here and there. DD is tall and slow and can mash the ball. They did testing at the Select 30 camp and she was absolutely awful in testing (like really not impressive at all). Her numbers really weren’t good - but guess what - she made the top 30 in her age group to compete in the final game of the best of the best. She made it on her game play, period. She had the best batting average on her team and made some impressive plays in the field in her 4 games leading up to the Select 30 selection announcement. So I guess my point is - I would hope coaches and everyone else doesn’t put too much stock in those numbers. That being said we still take her to events to get her metrics because it does encourage her to work to get better.

Your daughter seems like a winner and winners are highly recruit-able. My DD is 5 foot nothing, small kid who does not look like a D1 pitcher. But I won't lie, or be humble, she's a nasty competitor and a flat out winner. We would go to camps like liberty where all they cared about was speed speed speed and ignored her. Never once let her face a batter. Other schools had camps where this little thing was absolutely unhittable. Schools began to notice and she killed it in HS. September 1 of her junior year she got multiple D1 offers to pitch. College coaches can identify winners. Your DD is on a great path, don't let the numbers get you too high or too low.