Women Commitment without Camp?

[gymbeam]

How often, if ever, do athletes get offers from schools without ever having attended their camp?

Do college coaches sometimes see enough in person just by visiting gyms?

 

[QueenBee]

Most of the gymnasts at our gym get a commitment without having attended camp. But we are in a metro location with several very good clubs in close proximity so there are many college coaches who make a tour through those clubs yearly. Summer practices usually have at least one coach per week visiting the gym and checking out recruitable gymnasts.

 

[gymbeam]

Ok, that’s good to hear. Great, actually! We’re just entering the age/stage of having to think about this and it was stressing me out thinking we had to “put all our money” on a couple of camps. We do get coaches coming in quite often so that’s awesome to hear that just that can be enough sometimes.

 

[gymmom10]

I’m sure camps can be helpful to some and certainly can’t hurt. They can also be a great way for your child to form an opinion about different colleges and teams. In our particular case though, camps had nothing to do with my daughters recruitment.

 

[Flicfliclay]

Great question.. I have heard most recently that with all the NCAA changes that camps are going to be a huge way for college coaches to get to know new athletes...

 

[bookworm]

Both my girls committed without ever attending a college camp. The college coaches came to see them at our gym.

 

[gymbeam]

Great question.. I have heard most recently that with all the NCAA changes that camps are going to be a huge way for college coaches to get to know new athletes...

That’s what I have been hearing as well but to think choosing what camp to attend is so critical was freaking me out. Especially since it’s not like you can attend more than a couple.

 

[flippin out]

in the past college camps were not necessary, as the college coaches came to the gym to watch practices of the girls that they were interested in. Now.....I think it may be more beneficial to attend a college camp. With the new rules (and btw I am all for the new restrictions on age) coaches will not be coming to watch or even be able to let you know that they are interested until after sophomore year. There will be a flurry of verbals right at that time and I'd think it'd important to have attended a camp before then.

**I am also basing this off the fact that I know that the last 3 girls that my dd's coach has verballed were all shortly after said girls attended their summer camp last year.

So.......I do put heavy weight on picking the right college camps to attend. Pick ones that you think your dd is both interested in attending, and that you believe she may have a shot at making their team in the future. If you think your dd will be highly sought after, then go for all the big name colleges. But NO matter how good the camp, If your dd doesn't have a realistic shot at making a team for say UCLA.....then don't waste your money and travel expense to attend that one. Better to put your resources to camps that will gain your dd exposure to the coaches that she has a realistic chance of impressing.

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

in the past college camps were not necessary, as the college coaches came to the gym to watch practices of the girls that they were interested in. Now.....I think it may be more beneficial to attend a college camp. With the new rules (and btw I am all for the new restrictions on age) coaches will not be coming to watch or even be able to let you know that they are interested until after sophomore year. There will be a flurry of verbals right at that time and I'd think it'd important to have attended a camp before then.

**I am also basing this off the fact that I know that the last 3 girls that my dd's coach has verballed were all shortly after said girls attended their summer camp last year.

So.......I do put heavy weight on picking the right college camps to attend. Pick ones that you think your dd is both interested in attending, and that you believe she may have a shot at making their team in the future. If you think your dd will be highly sought after, then go for all the big name colleges. But NO matter how good the camp, If your dd doesn't have a realistic shot at making a team for say UCLA.....then don't waste your money and travel expense to attend that one. Better to put your resources to camps that will gain your dd exposure to the coaches that she has a realistic chance of impressing.

They can still come watch. Weve had many coaches at our gym after the new rules went into effect.

 

[duyetanh]

They can still come watch. Weve had many coaches at our gym after the new rules went into effect.

Yes but for those who aren’t already going the elite route, they might not catch a coach’s eye at a practice....but they can make an impact at a camp. It’s actually exactly how some of my child’s older friends who are now in college got verbaled. The camps are definitely important for most girls, methinks. Because most girls aren’t elite material.

 

[thefellowsmom]

I also heard that camps and clinics will play a much bigger role now especially for the kids inside the window. Our coach is still encouraging only the girls who have already competed level 10 and are in 8th or 9th grade to attend camp this summer. The older girls are only encouraged to go if they are invited.

My dd is attending a camp in a couple of weeks. One of her top choices has been sending her mail so we went with that camp. I don’t know how interested they are but it seemed like as good a way to choose as any. It is really hard to choose. There are several other schools she would like to go check out. I asked my dds coach if we should try for more especially something not quite as much of a stretch as the one she is going to but he said he thought this was good for now. This is stressful and confusing. I’m just really hoping she can stay healthy so she can show them all what she is capable of this year.

My daughter is a freshman so inside the window of silence, which I totally support. The timing was great for her, took a little pressure off and time for her to put it all together for this year since she has been injured the last two seasons.

My dds teammate is going to a camp in late July that will have multiple schools recruiting at it. That is another way to get a bit of a bigger bang for your buck I think. I also heard that there will be many more fall clinics offered this year.

 

[flippin out]

They can still come watch. Weve had many coaches at our gym after the new rules went into effect.

I’m sure that you are also at a gym with multiple girls that are over the restricted age so not a big deal if a coach comes to watch and “happens” to see the younger ones. And you’ve also made it clear that your dd is already on the radar of coaches since she is training elite.

Since MOST of the girls on here are pursuing a more traditional route of JO then college I am directing my answers to their journey. And I stand by my response....if your dad was not on the radar before the rule change then college camps are going to be an essential recruiting tool. As I mentioned above, my dds coach put a lot of stock in the camp....since his verbals last year were ALL camp attendees that he offered After they attended the camp and showed themselves to have great skill and character at the camps

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

I’m sure that you are also at a gym with multiple girls that are over the restricted age so not a big deal if a coach comes to watch and “happens” to see the younger ones. And you’ve also made it clear that your dd is already on the radar of coaches since she is training elite.

Since MOST of the girls on here are pursuing a more traditional route of JO then college I am directing my answers to their journey. And I stand by my response....if your dad was not on the radar before the rule change then college camps are going to be an essential recruiting tool. As I mentioned above, my dds coach put a lot of stock in the camp....since his verbals last year were ALL camp attendees that he offered After they attended the camp and showed themselves to have great skill and character at the camps

I wasn't arguing with you, just stating that coaches can still come watch at gyms. I 100% agree that camps and clinics are more important now than ever.

 

[Muddlethru]

If your daughter has a realistic chance of making the team and the school is in her top 3, camp is a great idea. The biggest benefit in my mind is the coach is made aware that you are serious and very interested. All my daughter’s top three realistic choices inquired if they were her first choice or among her top choices. So it matters to let the coaches know.

 

[3rd_time_around]

I also heard that camps and clinics will play a much bigger role now especially for the kids inside the window. Our coach is still encouraging only the girls who have already competed level 10 and are in 8th or 9th grade to attend camp this summer. The older girls are only encouraged to go if they are invited.

I don’t think they get invited per se. I think it’s wrong to limit the older girls, especially with the new rules. There is now more of a window of opportunity for girls who start 10 a little later. Seriously, my daughter is 9 in level 4, and if she rises a level a year and stays with it, she won’t be level 10 until 10th grade. If the gymnasts are regularly emailing coaches with video updates, going to their camp will be beneficial, even if they aren’t level 10 by 7/8 th grade.

 

[doublestrike]

I think going to camp is important for the gymnast and to catch the coaches' eyes. My dd went to a number of camps on the west coast since she was a freshman level 10 and she's narrowed her decisions down to which coaches she liked best, the facilities and weather, really the camps she liked the best. It helps to put a name to a face, mention that she attended their camps and shows her interest. She's been invited to more unofficial visits this summer. She's had two strong seasons in a row, is uncommitted going into her senior year, but is being recruited by the schools she wants, all big, major conference teams. That being said, there would probably be no interest without the results. She has many friends that've attended many camps but haven't qualified to JO's, so not getting the same interest.