2009 Colorado Sparkler and Fireworks

Sometimes it best just to read and not feel like you need to post. Congrats to all that invest in their girls.

 

Agree with all except Kee. She doesn't recruit the best local talent. Invited walkons for local players only. She has let tremendous talent slip on by in pursuit of Hawaii and West Coast players. Just my thoughts.

 

Winning is secondary

I'm surprised you seem to equate success Boulder with winning games. Sure, it's better if the team wins but the goal is really to be seen. It's probably better to play in tough bracket and go 2-5 than an easy one go 5-2 since, presumably, the coaches know this a better test. That said, coaches like to watch good teams. I think playing a blend of signed and unsigned players is a good strategy. The West Coast teams have been at this a lot longer than we have and that's typically their approach. They also understand that coaches who are there will also come to see their signed and/or committed players.

 

A D1 coach told me this past week in Boulder that she no longer goes to OKC because of the number of teams who bring back college players. Signed or verballed players I can understand but she brought out a valid point... if the tournament directors simply didnt allow college players to play it would take care of the need to have some success at these tournaments in order to get an invite back.

And it would also lead to more college coaches attending if this one conversation was indicative of how others felt . More college coaches is really the ultimate goal.

 

Success

No I am not but without some success you are not invited back! Also, we want NC softball to receive some respect. The bottom eight teams lose their spot! The Louisville tournaments sends their top teams to take those spots. We had five kids talking to college coaches after our last game and that is real success. However, till things change we must win which is what most on this board equate to success if you read the post.

 

More than 1 NC D1 coach told our coaches in Boulder they expect the 16u ASA "A" Championship in South Dakota to be as heavily or even more heavily recruited than Boulder. If your expecting to be seen as a 16yr old playing with the 18's isnt where its at these days as the coaches are focusing on the younger age groups. Thats not an opinion as its coming straight from major college coaches

 

16U

Yea for last four years (maybe more) colleges are wanting commitments as early as possible hence visiting the 16U Nationals and recruiting players. Now if you happen to be the team(1)that makes it from NC it is truly a great thing, if not where to you go to be seen as a 16U player? You play 18U! All of it takes money as everyone points out but we all spend money on entertainment for our kids and for our selves, so look at it as entertainment, vacation, or just quality time with DD.
Good luck to the Cardinals!