It is a hole that sports businesses try to trick you into throwing money down to feed your inflated view of your kids athletic abilities.

Showcases are what players get to do if they stick around youth soccer long enough. Before U15, clubs and tournament organizers aren't much worried about the toll taken on young bodies, playing 3-4 games in less that 48 hours. They welcome the battle of attrition and flagrant disregard for player safety. After all this the first and second team get a blue or red ribbon. Once the kids are older, they cut them a little break and have them playing three 90 minute games over three days. But in these games, nobody cares who wins and it's mostly about how the individual player performs. No ribbons are awarded, but you have the option to purchase a $50 T-shirt.

If your player is there for college exposure the website will list the college coaches attending. The player will have to hunt down emails for the coaches, and any communication should be done prior to the showcase and provide them with your film, time, and location of the games.

The advantage of the Raleigh showcase is that it's the same weekend as the NCAA Soccer finals. So the place is swarming with coaches and I believe players get tickets to some of the NCAA playoff games. Even if your player isn't a college-bound player, it's a fun showcase to be part of. Our players also took advantage of the trip to visit local college campuses as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You coming to Raleigh?

I’m not the OP or PP, but we will heading to Raleigh/Durham on 1 December.

That was my guess for the origination of this post - note that U14 and under there IS a 4th championship game for the two bracket leads.

For older kids this is all about college exposure and coaches should be more generous with game time and less focused on winning. Sometimes there are apps to help coordinate college coaches who are there so you can ping them if your child is interested in the school.

You should already be in communication with the primary college scouts/coaches you want to evaluate your child at a showcase.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You coming to Raleigh?

I’m not the OP or PP, but we will heading to Raleigh/Durham on 1 December.

That was my guess for the origination of this post - note that U14 and under there IS a 4th championship game for the two bracket leads.

For older kids this is all about college exposure and coaches should be more generous with game time and less focused on winning. Sometimes there are apps to help coordinate college coaches who are there so you can ping them if your child is interested in the school.

Anonymous wrote:You coming to Raleigh?

I’m not the OP or PP, but we will heading to Raleigh/Durham on 1 December.

You coming to Raleigh?

Anonymous wrote:When an event is described as a showcase, what does it mean?

Like what exactly does it include? Is it a training? A scrimmage?

Thanks!

the purpose of it is supposed to be that college coaches are watching your kid. Usually everyone gets more equal playing time. It's about the individual athlete not the team.

Showcases are an excuse by tournament organizers not to pay for medals/trophies but at the same time to attract more older teams because showcase infers college scouts will be attending/watching.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks!

So does that mean, if you register individually to a showcase event, you will be assigned to a team?

Or are showcase events only meant for clubs to join and if you want to participate, you have to do it through a club?

We only did showcases as a team. But they are very relaxed about guest players so we often had a team of majority guest players from other teams within our club.

My understanding is you are guaranteed x# of games (usually 3) - there are no winners. Its often used for recruiting for colleges - to get your player "seen".

OP here. Thanks!

So does that mean, if you register individually to a showcase event, you will be assigned to a team?

Or are showcase events only meant for clubs to join and if you want to participate, you have to do it through a club?

It's a tournament without advancing into a semifinal / final stage. You could think of it as a group stage of the World Cup. Typically there are four teams in a bracket and each team gets a shot at each other but there is no advancing out of the bracket. You play the three games and go home. If you care about who wins, which is not really the objective, that's based upon the typical points system of any group stage.

Points are awarded for each game played. Standings for the bracket are based on final points and there is no championship game.

When an event is described as a showcase, what does it mean?

Like what exactly does it include? Is it a training? A scrimmage?

Thanks!