To Showcase or Not?

[gophert]

Just finished up with recruiting for my 18U team, so I will give you what I experienced. I had girls commit DI, DII, NAIA, and JUCO. We play the highest level of Showcases/Tournaments in the southeast region without breaking the bank traveling all over the country. We didn't have any girls commit D3 but did have a lot being recruited. What we experienced, by playing the top competition and being in a decent size organization, was that the scholarship offers from schools were bigger vs players of similar skill from a lower organization. I know D3 is a little different since there's no athletic dollars, but those schools will make things happen financially for a solid player. I personally think it's best to play as high a level of competition as you can on a well known winning team. I do think however that recruiting is all about relationships. She will find a spot where she has cultivated a relationship with the school and coaches regardless of what division it is.

 

[schwabach]

A lot of colleges have club softball teams - some pretty decent, so that's a possibility as well. What does your daughter think she wants to do?

 

[mission]

This is a great question a lot of players and parents need to face. At 14U I had all the girls on the team I coach say they wanted to play in college and most thought they could play D1. The truth is now at second-year 16s maybe 1 or 2 have a shot at a scholarship and nearly all of them will not make a decision on college based on softball, even if they do want to play in college - they will play if it works out. Even those that are really good look at it only as a means to get them into a college they wouldn't otherwise.

What does your daughter want? You said she's lower DIII level, that tells me you shouldn't worry about showcases at all! Go to the smaller organization and allow her to just enjoy the game! Find teammates where she enjoys, gets playing time and they just have fun - including competing. Pitchers are always needed.

Putting a player who's own parent evaluates as lower-DIII into a spot where she has to live up to expectations of trying to impress colleges is not going to bring her more happiness.

Sounds like your daughter is not going to stand out at the showcase tournaments anyways. Her best shot is to identify colleges she is interested in FIRST - then reach out by email to those coaches the Summer before her Junior year and continue after. Attend their camps if they have them and if possible, make a profile page and upload video and re-email them everytime she does something great.