I believe a kid plays travel ball because of competitve spirit. If you truly want to get better then travel ball offers that above playing rec-league. The term "showcase tournament" is over used to a good extent, however having frequented tournaments for years in both KY and Ohio, my opinion is that Ohio wins hands down as far as consistently presenting top-notch competition; the key word being "consistently". Just my opinion, but the Columbus area would rate first, then probably Dayton & Louisville areas, with Lexington area a little bit behind those. As for as NAIA/ D-2 athletic $ offers, you have to weigh everything and not just get caught up in the athletic portion of the package. What good does it do to go to a high priced NAIA school where the difference (after athletic/academic $) would be similar to local schools that are D-III? The D-III schools know what they're facing and they can get very creative with assorted grant/award packages. I can't remember the article but it was in the Enquirer a couple of years ago. It talked about specific NAIA schools (several mentioned in KY - Pikeville, Union, Campbellsville etc) that do nothing but load their rosters up to high 20's to to 30 or so kids and then they have a "JV team" with a hand full of games. After a year or two the kids grow disconted and quit the team, however the schools feel that they come out ahead because a lot of the kids tend to go ahead and finish school there. Unless you're going D-I or possibly D-2, the difference of absorbing the cost of campus living, and incurring more family debt or student loans isn't always the most practical. A lot depends on the coaching staff too and if the college has what you want to take. I know of several kids that were talented enough to have played at NKU, but did not want to go there and I also think NKU has couple of kids that could have played up a division over the years. There are so many individual variables to weigh...the coach, playing time, commuting or living on campus, field of study offered, reputation, debt for the parents or kids after it's all over etc etc. Anyway JMO......

I believe a kid plays travel ball because of competitve spirit. If you truly want to get better then travel ball offers that above playing rec-league. The term "showcase tournament" is over used to a good extent, however having frequented tournaments for years in both KY and Ohio, my opinion is that Ohio wins hands down as far as consistently presenting top-notch competition; the key word being "consistently". Just my opinion, but the Columbus area would rate first, then probably Dayton & Louisville areas, with Lexington area a little bit behind those. As for as NAIA/ D-2 athletic $ offers, you have to weigh everything and not just get caught up in the athletic portion of the package. What good does it do to go to a high priced NAIA school where the difference (after athletic/academic $) would be similar to local schools that are D-III? The D-III schools know what they're facing and they can get very creative with assorted grant/award packages. I can't remember the article but it was in the Enquirer a couple of years ago. It talked about specific NAIA schools (several mentioned in KY - Pikeville, Union, Campbellsville etc) that do nothing but load their rosters up to high 20's to to 30 or so kids and then they have a "JV team" with a hand full of games. After a year or two the kids grow disconted and quit the team, however the schools feel that they come out ahead because a lot of the kids tend to go ahead and finish school there. Unless you're going D-I or possibly D-2, the difference of absorbing the cost of campus living, and incurring more family debt or student loans isn't always the most practical. A lot depends on the coaching staff too and if the college has what you want to take. I know of several kids that were talented enough to have played at NKU, but did not want to go there and I also think NKU has couple of kids that could have played up a division over the years. There are so many individual variables to weigh...the coach, playing time, commuting or living on campus, field of study offered, reputation, debt for the parents or kids after it's all over etc etc. Anyway JMO......

Just curious as to where you got your cost numbers for the 3 schools you mentioned? From the extensive research I did(google) all 3 are cheaper than TMC. Shame on them too for helping kids out with the cost of their education to come "play" JV softball. You said many of those kids are going to get discouraged and quit, very few kids that head off to college to play softball make it the full four years anyway for various reasons. The creative grant/award packages you mentioned, are they for athletes only? That would seem to be the same as awarding athletic scholarships. Sorry to get off the topic, I do not want to take anything away from Mamee's accomplishments.

Congratulations to Mamee! Great athlete and person all around. Thomas More got a gem!

I agree with you completely about summer ball. But most of the summer teams now are selling "college showcase" tournaments and how many college coaches are going to be at the tournaments they play in. You want some amusement. Go around to all of the select tryouts in August and watch the same kids looking for the best offer and the coaches working their sales pitch. Pretty entertaining, actually.

 

One of the things some people miss out on with the College showcase thing is just bc you play on a team that goes to those type of tourneys doesnt mean coaches are going to watch your team. I know of a lot of these teams that go to showcases and don't get a look. There can be upwards of 60 teams at these tourney's at 5 games a piece that is 300 games and if you are lucky there may be 30 to 40 coaches there and most are only going to stay for a day or two out of the 4 day tourney.

 

I can only speak form my experience and only for what the D1 coaches I have talked to and dealt with say and this is by no means the rule but the way I have seen it. Most scholarships come with relationships between college coaches and club coaches. Take UK most their girls have come from about 4 or 5 different travel ball orgs, the Sluggers, TN furry, Southern Force, Atl Vipors and the Shamrocks out of VA. Its just easier for coaches that way they know the travel coaches know what kind of schedule they play and know what type of player you need to be to compete at that level. That doesn't mean you have to play on one of those teams to play for KY but it sure does help.

A parent needs to be smarter than what many summer teams are trying to get them to believe.

 

I agree, It is really hard for parents to know where their kid belongs. Makes no sence to play on a team that is filled with D3 type players in the summer if you are or you think you are a D1 type player most college coaches won't come and watch you play unless you are a 6'3 pitcher and throw 68 mph

Just curious as to where you got your cost numbers for the 3 schools you mentioned? From the extensive research I did(google) all 3 are cheaper than TMC. Shame on them too for helping kids out with the cost of their education to come "play" JV softball. You said many of those kids are going to get discouraged and quit, very few kids that head off to college to play softball make it the full four years anyway for various reasons. The creative grant/award packages you mentioned, are they for athletes only? That would seem to be the same as awarding athletic scholarships. Sorry to get off the topic, I do not want to take anything away from Mamee's accomplishments.

 

NKYSoftball - You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I was just trying to point out that that the bottom line cost figures aren't always as lucrative as they seem. The three schools that I mentioned were just about the "JV" circumstance in the article and I don't doubt that they're cheaper than some D-III schools like Transylvania or TMC. but if you take some NAIA schools and add the cost of living there, wouldn't you be in the upper 20's to upper 30k per year (such as Asbury, Georgetown $38k, Midway and Campbellsville $28k)? So if you stay at home, whether it's Transy or TMC or whoever and the bottom line cost is better.....that was my only point. Sorry if I hit a nerve on the topic, it's probably good discussion for a future thread.