So DD attends a college prospect camp, all goes well until we get to the pitching. She was throwing well then they decide to "fix" her. start by doing drill that have no relevant purpose, 5 stations of these drills. Velo drops 5-6 mph and she is extremely frustrated. Do all of these camps just have these drill just for time fillers? Not saying DD is the best of the best but she holds her own. Don't understand why they just don't say warm up and lets see what you got. Just very confused......
College camp expectatoins
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Coaches saw something that thought they could fix. Are those coaches qualified to instruct pitching? I have heard numerous stories of coaches changing successful pitchers and hitters, and just ruining them. Be prepared for the coaches to change them once they get to college!!!
If you kid wants to go to that college, are you okay with them "fixing" her? If not, take them off your list.
Something to think about. Any new drill that is introduced doesn't necessarily mean they will improve immediately. Sometimes its 1 step back, 2 steps forward. Expect to be always confused....LOL!
If you kid wants to go to that college, are you okay with them "fixing" her? If not, take them off your list.
Something to think about. Any new drill that is introduced doesn't necessarily mean they will improve immediately. Sometimes its 1 step back, 2 steps forward. Expect to be always confused....LOL!
There are camps like that. They usually call them exposure camps. Most of them have multiple coaches around who just walk by, take notes. I know it's frustrating when you go to an instructional camp and they meddle with a swing or pitching motion. I will tell you that in many cases the coaches are trying to help and also see how coachable the kid is. I know that may sound odd but they want to see how they respond to coaching.
When this occurres/occurred with my daughter, she does what's told as that's being coachable. If it doesn't make sense to her, she discards it when they get to live game play, next station, or home.
Sometimes people teach what they are taught, sometimes coaches suggestion something just to see how the kid reacts, and lastly that information can be great but with most things you might take a step or 2 back at first but once you get it down it helps the kid take 10 steps forward.
As far as warming up to see what they have depends on the school and camp. Different camps are just that different, some take measurables on every kid that walks through the door, some will do some skills things and do live game play, some only do skills as the staff follows around 1 group of kids....
Sometimes people teach what they are taught, sometimes coaches suggestion something just to see how the kid reacts, and lastly that information can be great but with most things you might take a step or 2 back at first but once you get it down it helps the kid take 10 steps forward.
As far as warming up to see what they have depends on the school and camp. Different camps are just that different, some take measurables on every kid that walks through the door, some will do some skills things and do live game play, some only do skills as the staff follows around 1 group of kids....
In general - no - not all camps will have this. Many will. Many won't.
The secret is to stop thinking like colleges, college coaches and recruiting are all the same.
There is good, bad and ugly out there - just like travel, rec, high school and instructors. I have seen the very best of instruction to the very worst from college camps. Seen right and wrong, old drills and new drills. And so on. Some camps want to see what you have, some want to do drills and skills and coaching. People like to think that somehow college coaches are somehow automatically better than what you get locally but that just isn't true - I have seen college coaches who I personally wouldn't want coaching in our rec league (and of course others who are truly actually really, really outstanding coaches).
How one camp or school does is unique to that particular camp and the people running that camp. That is the idea of these camps - to get to see if this a fit for both sides. Are they willing o leave alone what works for DD or do they insist on it being done 'their way'. And so on...
- Feb 3, 2011
- 1,880
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1) What is DD's age/grad year?
2) What's the purpose of the camp?
3) What is DD's reason for attending this specific camp?
There are some rules of thumb and then there are no rules, of thumb or otherwise. Some coaches want to see her dominate the way she knows how, while others want their "stamp" on whomever comes to their side of the fence. "Is she adaptable?" or "Is she coachable?" are very valid questions in any sports setting.
To answer your question, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to describe the various types of camps out there. A lot of them - most, probably - are cattle-call "clinics". These are pure fundraisers and they aren't presented as anything but. Yes, you're being taught by college coaches and players, but when there are 200 girls ages 7-17 at all different talent levels, we're just killing time, because it's fun and cool and you might learn a thing or 2.
Actual prospect camps tend to be smaller and more expensive. This is not a rule, just a casual observation. They're for older players - at least 12 and normally 13-and-up - and coaches are looking to see whether someone in the group can step in and be an immediate asset to their program.
2) What's the purpose of the camp?
3) What is DD's reason for attending this specific camp?
There are some rules of thumb and then there are no rules, of thumb or otherwise. Some coaches want to see her dominate the way she knows how, while others want their "stamp" on whomever comes to their side of the fence. "Is she adaptable?" or "Is she coachable?" are very valid questions in any sports setting.
To answer your question, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to describe the various types of camps out there. A lot of them - most, probably - are cattle-call "clinics". These are pure fundraisers and they aren't presented as anything but. Yes, you're being taught by college coaches and players, but when there are 200 girls ages 7-17 at all different talent levels, we're just killing time, because it's fun and cool and you might learn a thing or 2.
Actual prospect camps tend to be smaller and more expensive. This is not a rule, just a casual observation. They're for older players - at least 12 and normally 13-and-up - and coaches are looking to see whether someone in the group can step in and be an immediate asset to their program.
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