Showcase—-Number of Events

[RedeemerKing]

For a 14u Regional showcase team on the East coast. What would you expect in terms of number of events entered over a spring/summer season?

Big name franchised org.

 

[Orange Socks]

Spring. Probably zero. HS and college is in season. Summer: Every event we played college coaches showed up. Doesn't have to be called a showcase. You should be signing up for any event your 16U/18U teams are playing if possible.

 

[RedeemerKing]

One of the perks about this message board—

I knew that if I included “spring” someone would call out that high school and college are still going on. But if I only said “summer”, someone would also be quick to observe that spring doesn’t technically end until June 21 so there may be a late Spring Tournament snuck in there.

Alas, “spring/summer” was not in the clear either.

 

[pattar]

One of the perks about this message board—

I knew that if I included “spring” someone would call out that high school and college are still going on. But if I only said “summer”, someone would also be quick to observe that spring doesn’t technically end until June 21 so there may be a late Spring Tournament snuck in there.

Alas, “spring/summer” was not in the clear either.

He gave what his team did in the spring..not sure he was “calling out” anything.

To answer the question DD’s 2nd year 14u “National” team (not a fan of the monicker but I didn’t get a say..) is going to play about 10 events. The first few in March/April/early May will be warmup local type tournaments as even though OK plays school ball in the Fall the local states (in particular TX) plays HS in the Spring. Competition will then ratchet up in late May through early Aug.

 

[RedeemerKing]

He gave what his team did in the spring..not sure he was “calling out” anything.

To answer the question DD’s 2nd year 14u “National” team (not a fan of the monicker but I didn’t get a say..) is going to play about 10 events. The first few in March/April/early May will be warmup local type tournaments as even though OK plays school ball in the Fall the local states (in particular TX) plays HS in the Spring. Competition will then ratchet up in late May through early Aug.

Upon further inspection, you’re likely correct. It appears the pessimist in me may have grabbed the controls.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

We never did showcases until 16U at the regional level because not many coaches would come to see a younger team. That being said, we'd usually do 5-6 events in the summer.

Six tournaments over a seven week period was enough. We would start playing around June 15th and finish the last week of July.

 

[Gambler Bob]

At 14u I don't think you should be playing any Showcases only tournaments. Very few if any coaches are watching 14u teams that are playing in 14u Showcase tournaments.

I will add this caveat. If your daughter is playing on one of the top 10 teams in the country in the 14u division but they are playing up in the 16u division in said Showcase, you are more likely to be seen by college coaches.

For 99% of 14u teams Showcases are not the ideal format IMO.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

One reason a lot of teams play in Showcases at 14u is that that's where the other good teams are playing. If your philosophy is to play the best competition when possible then go to a Showcase at 14u.

 

[RedeemerKing]

At 14u I don't think you should be playing any Showcases only tournaments. Very few if any coaches are watching 14u teams that are playing in 14u Showcase tournaments.

I will add this caveat. If your daughter is playing on one of the top 10 teams in the country in the 14u division but they are playing up in the 16u division in said Showcase, you are more likely to be seen by college coaches.

For 99% of 14u teams Showcases are not the ideal format IMO.

Agreed—have not seen any college coaches at 14u. The org’s position is that showcases are where you need to be to play better teams. I’m not sure how accurate that is.

 

[NJZoo]

We are a 14U team in the NE and play about 10 tournaments in the Spring plus Nationals. We played a few "Showcases" in the Fall and to me it's just semantics at this point. As said above, it likely just means that you will be playing a higher caliber of teams as compared to a typical USA or USSSA tournament (which was the case for us).