Each week we take a question from a softball player, parent or coach and pass on to our long-time contributor, Cathi Aradi, one of the most knowledgeable people in softball when it comes to the recruiting process.

If you’d like to ask Cathi a question, e-mail us at brentt.eads@flosports.tv and we’ll pass it along.

Today, we learn from her about the value — versus the costs — of attending college camps…

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Recruiting Question: My daughter is looking to go to some college camps this fall and her mother and I are curious as to what you think about these camps?  We’re new to the scene and not sure if these are good for recruiting, if they’re all skill-based or if they’re a good place to be seen.  Your thoughts? — Tom, Seattle

Cathi’s Answer:  College camps are fun and educational, and they can be a great way to see a campus. They can also introduce a player to a team and allow her to work with the coaches and team members.

But it’s very important to remember that most camps start as fundraisers for the softball program and, after that, they generally fall into two categories.

1. There are camps specifically designed to help young players improve their skills (skills camps), and then, 2. there are camps (sometimes called prospect camps) that help coaches identify players they may want to watch over the next few years.

You need to be aware, however, while coaches do see players at prospect camps that they later follow and sometimes recruit, the actual number of players on any given college team recruited from a single camp tends to be very, very small.

I usually recommend parents approach camps this way: if you can send your player to a camp at a nearby college and it doesn’t really involve travel or great expense, by all means do so.  The experience can benefit her in a number of ways.

But when it comes to attending camps at colleges far way–e.g., camps that would require costly travel–think long and hard before spending the money.

Ask yourself what are the chances she’ll be one of the top 3-5 performers at that camp because when coaches wrap up a day-long or weekend camp, that’s roughly the number of prospects they’re likely to put on their short list.

There are large prospect camps where coaches from various colleges attend, and some of these can be helpful depending upon the specifics of the camp–e.g., who’s attending, are they head coaches or assistants, are the coaches from colleges your player wants to attend, etc.?

But these too can be very expensive if travel is involved, and again, there’s no guarantee that you’ll walk away with anything more than a tee shirt.

I know I repeat myself when it comes to conducting a comprehensive college search following the guidelines in my book, but to be very honest, you have a much greater probability of finding a college and a team if you do that than if you randomly hop from camp to camp hoping to be “discovered.”

In a scenario where a college coach has specifically told your athlete that she is a top prospect, but that they really need to see her at a camp because they can’t see her at a tournament, you might consider spending the money.

Otherwise, unless you’re going to be in the area already, I tend to feel that money would be better spent visiting colleges (when the time comes) that are actively recruiting your player.

— Cathi Aradi

Catharine Aradi is the author of Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level, published by the National Fastpitch Coaches Assoc. (www.nfca.org).  She has over 20 years of experience working as a recruiting consultant with athletes and colleges around the U.S and Canada.  If you would like knowledgeable, one-on-one guidance through the often bewildering labyrinth of recruiting, Ms. Aradi’s company, Collegiate Softball Connection, offers “concierge” recruiting services.  Unlike corporate websites that rely upon mass marketing of hundreds and hundreds of athletes, Ms. Aradi works with the individual player and her family to ensure a successful college search.  Detailed information is available on her website www.fastpitchrecruiting.com. Cathi can be reached by e-mail at info@fastpitchrecruiting.com or by calling 415-456-6449. Remember: if you use the code “fullcountsoftball” when signing up with CSC, you will be entitled to a $100 discount off her Fast Track or Elite options!

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