<p>Is there such a thing as doing these too early? Son is entering 10th grade high school this fall. He got on the Varsity baseball team as a 9th grader. He was asked to join a summer league (long story) but team wasn't very good and fees were too high. He has since tried out for and been accepted for a fall league (better team, lower fees). This league competes in a "perfect game/wood bat" showcase. Apparently college scouts come to this game.</p>
<p>Is it too early for him to do a showcase? Could it be bad in any way (i.e., if his skills aren't as strong as they'll be a year from now, should he wait?)</p>
<p>Appreciate any thoughts/ideas?</p>
<p>Classof2015,</p>
<p>I think it depends on your son’s goals and his talent level. Everybody has different ideas about their baseball and academic future.</p>
<p>If he is a hot stud D1 prospect that has aspirations to play in the most competitive conferences (ACC, SEC, etc) , then yes…showcasing could do him well to get this national level exposure early. I know a of two rising juniors in my area that just verbally committed to a top 5 national school (in my state). These are very, very elite baseball players, and they are the exception rather than the rule.</p>
<p>The majority (D1, D2, D3) will verbally commit after their junior year, and into their senior year. Most will showcase between their junior and senior years. I don’t see any harm in him showcasing if you can afford it. He will get the experience of what it is all about, and he’ll get to play with older kids at his playing level. I don’t think many coaches will be targeting him, because they are most interested in 2012s at this point in time. My son showcased in PG WWBA at 15U, 16U, 17U, and 18U in East Cobb. He enjoyed it alot, and it was one of my favorite tournament trips. His team actually won the 16U WWBA in 2008. Most of the college scouts are there for the 17U, but they will watch for talented 16Us. Pro scouts will be out in force for the 18U. </p>
<p>If you are unsure of your son’s talent level, I would survey some people that you know and trust such as local scouts, local baseball academys, head high school coach, travel coaches, etc…This is important information that you need to know otherwise you could be misjudging his prospects and athletic fit into some college programs. </p>
<p>As important as the actual showcasing is who he is showcasing with. I would try to get on the best team, with the best coaches possible whose goals are in line with your sons.</p>
<p>Best of luck and let me know if you have any questions.</p>
<p>Wow – exellent advice – thank you. S has a learning disability and struggles to get a B- so I’m hoping his baseball skills will open some doors for him at schools like Ithaca and Lafayette. I feel like this team/league is more in sync with his skills and goals. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t “wrong” to have him join one of these showcases at this point, so if he’s up for it and we can swing it financially, I’ll let him do it. My husband never did any sports so I am a real newbie here.</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>Classof2015,</p>
<p>My two cents and clarification…I read your first post as a “when” question. You’ve provided a little more detail in your second post and it reads as more of a “who” and “when” question now. So, I’m able to provide additional input. I hope this helps.</p>
<p>For a Lafayette (D1 Patriot League) and Ithaca (D3) it is not necessary to attend PG WWBA. I’m was somewhat familiar with Lafayette two years ago, and I know they used to recruit more regionally than nationally. I don’t know if that has changed. PG WWBA is a national event, and it may be overkill unless there are other schools that recruit nationally that your son interested in. </p>
<p>An individual (not team) showcase like Head First would be perfect for schools that recruit like Lafayette or Ithaca. I would suggest your son email the coaches to ask them what showcases they attend during the year. HeadFirst has two camps coming up in August, and both of the schools you mentioned are scheduled to be at HeadFirst in early August 2011. I would not suggest going to these camps this year as your son is a 2015, and this showcase is not inexpensive. We found this showcase to be a tremendous value (one stop shopping!), as my son received a lot of interest from many of these schools. I would wait until he is between junior and senior year to attend HeadFirst or other showcases like it. My son ended up going with one of the many schools that recruited him out of HeadFirst. [The</a> Best High School Baseball Showcases | Headfirst Honor Roll Camps](<a href=“http://www.headfirsthonorroll.com/]The”>http://www.headfirsthonorroll.com/)</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>Aahhh…terrific info – did not realize how national the wood bat showcase was. It definitely sounds like a little much for him at this stage. </p>
<p>Thanks for the link on HeadFirst – it sounds like something he might do next summer (between 10th and 11th) or the summer between 11th and 12th.</p>
<p>A boy on S’s team (with a similar academic profile) was recruited by Ithaca (but having gone through this with my D who just graduated HS in Class of 2011, I know that DIII can’t really recruit). If I had to guess (again – not a baseball expert) I think S’s skills probably mean he is a strong DIII player but not necessarily a DI player. So I think I will start researching DIII schools who also have a good LD program.</p>
<p>In Track/XC (D’s sport), it was basically DIII and DI – DII was a geographically scattered assortment of schools, big and small. Is it the same with baseball?</p>
<p>Appreciate all your help. It is so valuable.</p>
<p>Classof2015 said…“I know that DIII can’t really recruit”. </p>
<p>I think I know what you meant to say. You meant to say they (D3) do not provide athletic scholarships, which is true. D3s recruit.</p>
<p>D3’s do in fact recruit which is why they are at HeadFirst Showcase. You’ll find many, many quality D3 programs at this showcase. For some colleges, this can be the majority of their summer recruiting events plus a couple more. We had one presitgous D3 school that reached out to my son (personal letter from coach while on campus) after his sophomore year to tell him they were watching him, and they wanted him to consider XYZ when it came time to look at schools. So, yes D3s recruit but in my experience they don’t have the resources to go to as many events, and they need to recruit very wisely (not waste time on a kid that will go D1). </p>
<p>Truthfully, I’m not as familiar with D2 as I am D1, D1-Ivy and D3. I know D3 is prevalent in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Here are some links that will allow you to better search on what it is you are looking for. I’d also like to suggest collegeboard.org to look into the LD capabilites of a school. If you register on collegeboard.org, you can create a profile search engine that will allow you to narrow in the type of school your interested in.</p>
<p>D1 [NCAA</a> Sports Sponsorship](<a href=“http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship?sortOrder=0&division=1&sport=MBA]NCAA”>http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship?sortOrder=0&division=1&sport=MBA)
D2 [NCAA</a> Sports Sponsorship](<a href=“http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship?sortOrder=0&division=2&sport=MBA]NCAA”>http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship?sortOrder=0&division=2&sport=MBA)
D3 [NCAA</a> Sports Sponsorship](<a href=“http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship?sortOrder=0&division=3&sport=MBA]NCAA”>http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship?sortOrder=0&division=3&sport=MBA)</p>
<p>Go to [url=<a href=“http://www.d3baseball.com/landing/index]D3baseball.com[/url”>The home for NCAA Division III baseball coverage - D3baseball]D3baseball.com[/url</a>]. Go to –> Teams–> Select the Region you are interested in to see the member schools.</p>
<p>Glad to help, and please let us know if you have other questions.</p>
<p>PS…Best of luck to your daughter in her tranistion to college. Fun times!</p>