Best Showcases

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP

Thanks for the helpful comments.

Also, we are a team of parents and parents who understand the landscape. We understand the role of ID Camps. We are just trying to cover our basis as it relates to showcases.

Are there other showcases outside of the area that attract programs from across the nation. For example, is Disney worth the travel?

No!!

Jeff Cup is the biggest League agnostic showcase on the East Coast. And as other posters have said, with Jeff Cup type Tournaments the bracket placement is crucial.

A previous poster was a little off base in regards to coaches walking by at DA or ECNL showcase and will just stop and watch a game. This is pretty false. Coaches have a list of players who have reached out to them and they are on a schedule to fit as many of those kids in as possible. They do not have a lot of time to waste window shopping players. It is a two way street. A player also has to show interest in the school so window shopping yields little results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP

Thanks for the helpful comments.

Also, we are a team of parents and parents who understand the landscape. We understand the role of ID Camps. We are just trying to cover our basis as it relates to showcases.

Are there other showcases outside of the area that attract programs from across the nation. For example, is Disney worth the travel?

No!!

Jeff Cup is the biggest League agnostic showcase on the East Coast. And as other posters have said, with Jeff Cup type Tournaments the bracket placement is crucial.

A previous poster was a little off base in regards to coaches walking by at DA or ECNL showcase and will just stop and watch a game. This is pretty false. Coaches have a list of players who have reached out to them and they are on a schedule to fit as many of those kids in as possible. They do not have a lot of time to waste window shopping players. It is a two way street. A player also has to show interest in the school so window shopping yields little results.

It's not false. That's how my DD got recruited. It definitely happens. My DS is also in talks from some "window shoppers" he didn't contact via Sports Recruits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP

Thanks for the helpful comments.

Also, we are a team of parents and parents who understand the landscape. We understand the role of ID Camps. We are just trying to cover our basis as it relates to showcases.

Are there other showcases outside of the area that attract programs from across the nation. For example, is Disney worth the travel?

No!!

Jeff Cup is the biggest League agnostic showcase on the East Coast. And as other posters have said, with Jeff Cup type Tournaments the bracket placement is crucial.

A previous poster was a little off base in regards to coaches walking by at DA or ECNL showcase and will just stop and watch a game. This is pretty false. Coaches have a list of players who have reached out to them and they are on a schedule to fit as many of those kids in as possible. They do not have a lot of time to waste window shopping players. It is a two way street. A player also has to show interest in the school so window shopping yields little results.

It's not false. That's how my DD got recruited. It definitely happens. My DS is also in talks from some "window shoppers" he didn't contact via Sports Recruits.

That is terrific and glad that it worked out but it is still bad advice for the OP.

Window shopping still rarely happens and when it does it may be just a waste of time if the player isn't interested in the school. As flattering as it may be to be spotted kids should really be focusing on schools where they would be happy to attend if playing soccer was not in the picture. Being window shopped by some small D3 or D2 is fine if it is a school you really want to attend. And this may be a bonus for kids in DA or ECNL who have already reached out to schools they are interested so their net gets a little wider but for the OP, counting on window shopping at this stage in the game without a clear cut schedule of Showcases to attend it is pretty terrible advice.

[Anonymous]

The Penn Fusion Winter Showcase had a lot of college coaches

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Penn Fusion Winter Showcase had a lot of college coaches

Not really

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP

Thanks for the helpful comments.

Also, we are a team of parents and parents who understand the landscape. We understand the role of ID Camps. We are just trying to cover our basis as it relates to showcases.

Are there other showcases outside of the area that attract programs from across the nation. For example, is Disney worth the travel?

No!!

Jeff Cup is the biggest League agnostic showcase on the East Coast. And as other posters have said, with Jeff Cup type Tournaments the bracket placement is crucial.

A previous poster was a little off base in regards to coaches walking by at DA or ECNL showcase and will just stop and watch a game. This is pretty false. Coaches have a list of players who have reached out to them and they are on a schedule to fit as many of those kids in as possible. They do not have a lot of time to waste window shopping players. It is a two way street. A player also has to show interest in the school so window shopping yields little results.

It's not false. That's how my DD got recruited. It definitely happens. My DS is also in talks from some "window shoppers" he didn't contact via Sports Recruits.

That is terrific and glad that it worked out but it is still bad advice for the OP.

Window shopping still rarely happens and when it does it may be just a waste of time if the player isn't interested in the school. As flattering as it may be to be spotted kids should really be focusing on schools where they would be happy to attend if playing soccer was not in the picture. Being window shopped by some small D3 or D2 is fine if it is a school you really want to attend. And this may be a bonus for kids in DA or ECNL who have already reached out to schools they are interested so their net gets a little wider but for the OP, counting on window shopping at this stage in the game without a clear cut schedule of Showcases to attend it is pretty terrible advice.

Honestly, it's more common than you think. I am not suggesting that people don't have targeted schools. I always recommend that, and we do that. I generally advice 5 schools (2 stretch, 2 safe schools as part of that). BUT, I know a few other people it has happened to as well. What it means is schools will focus on the kids on their list, yes. But while they are headed to a field, waiting on a game, etc, they have eyes. If they see a great play (not just the average expectation of any DA player), they will ask about the player.

[Anonymous]

(by the way, I always talk in terms of D1 schools, because that is what people are chasing.)

[Anonymous]

Sorry but it is a fact that coaches will see a player and will; reach out to the kid directly or through the club coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but it is a fact that coaches will see a player and will; reach out to the kid directly or through the club coach.

Why wouldn't you. Whether or not true, every good coach thinks they will see talent where others do not, and will look where others may not. It may be unlikely to be recruited this way, but looking around is what you should be doing if you have already traveled all the way to a tournament. I'd be a little skeptical about coaches who did not do that. Plenty of recruiting stories involve coaches who came to see one player or team but ended up seeing the opponent or other players and teams in the tournament.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but it is a fact that coaches will see a player and will; reach out to the kid directly or through the club coach.

Why wouldn't you. Whether or not true, every good coach thinks they will see talent where others do not, and will look where others may not. It may be unlikely to be recruited this way, but looking around is what you should be doing if you have already traveled all the way to a tournament. I'd be a little skeptical about coaches who did not do that. Plenty of recruiting stories involve coaches who came to see one player or team but ended up seeing the opponent or other players and teams in the tournament.

Sure but don't count on it. Hoping to be window shopped is a bad plan. If it happens great but be realistic about your showcasing opportunities. You can't control window shopping one way or the other so it really isn't worth talking about.

[Anonymous]

Just remember....the Dortmund scout was sent to watch Haji Wright on the US youth team, but came back raving about some kid Christian Pulisic instead.

More on topic though, I'm an assistant coach at a college, and this happens all the time...we go to watch one player, and end up recruiting another.

Don't get me wrong, hoping someone sees you is not a good recruitment strategy, but it happens A LOT.

[Anonymous]

Las Vegas Players Showcase

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just remember....the Dortmund scout was sent to watch Haji Wright on the US youth team, but came back raving about some kid Christian Pulisic instead.

More on topic though, I'm an assistant coach at a college, and this happens all the time...we go to watch one player, and end up recruiting another.

Don't get me wrong, hoping someone sees you is not a good recruitment strategy, but it happens A LOT.

Can you Dispell my AMWAY analogy? I understand that the rich folks can more easily pay to be on these top teams and go to the ID Sessions. But kids whose parents don't have the $$ for these events or teams get left in the cold. Where can they go to be seen?

I still fail to see why kids need to pay to be seen to get jobs. There are more of us (I would assume?) who can't pay for such luck-fests than those who can. Seems like there are a bunch of kids you are passing on and you just need an avenue to find them. Or am I just wrong.

Given that this forum seems to be based in McLean and Arlington, I'm not sure most truly face my dilemma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just remember....the Dortmund scout was sent to watch Haji Wright on the US youth team, but came back raving about some kid Christian Pulisic instead.

More on topic though, I'm an assistant coach at a college, and this happens all the time...we go to watch one player, and end up recruiting another.

Don't get me wrong, hoping someone sees you is not a good recruitment strategy, but it happens A LOT.

Can you Dispell my AMWAY analogy? I understand that the rich folks can more easily pay to be on these top teams and go to the ID Sessions. But kids whose parents don't have the $$ for these events or teams get left in the cold. Where can they go to be seen?

I still fail to see why kids need to pay to be seen to get jobs. There are more of us (I would assume?) who can't pay for such luck-fests than those who can. Seems like there are a bunch of kids you are passing on and you just need an avenue to find them. Or am I just wrong.

Given that this forum seems to be based in McLean and Arlington, I'm not sure most truly face my dilemma.

This is OP and we are in the same boat. We are trying to find the most efficient way for our kids to play in front of the most college coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Can we please focus on showcase recommendations? We a re focused on our. Players and parents are doing ID camps on their own.

If I look at the college programs attending ECNL showcases, they are much more stronger than those attending JefCup or Bethesda.

Jefferson Cup, CASL, Disney. Bethesda traditionally has been great, but recently quality seems to have dropped; honestly the CCL showcases have a decent pull as well. The key to the aforementioned are getting into a competitive bracket.