Wednesday, July 14th, 2021

Camps/Prospect clinics: 

Camps allow players to work WITH college coaches and current players. They are a great way to begin to build a relationship, get to know coaches' personalities, and hear from a different coaching voice. If the camp is hosted by a specific school, it is a great way to see the campus as well. If you are very interested in a school, you should make a point to attend one of their on-campus camps.

Multi-coach camps (generally held in off-campus settings) are a great wait to interact with a variety of coaches. In-person interactions are very important and create opportunities for you to let yourself stand out to coaches.

Showcases:

Showcases are generally individual-registration events that can complement your team's existing schedule. They may allow you to play in front of a unique set of coaches or with a different scale of competition level. The benefits of showcases are they put you in a different setting than that of your traditional team. Showcase events are designed to showcase. The main pro is that it allows many players to shine as individuals, the con is that being outside of your comfort zone with those around you thinking of their showcase opportunities may not show a great “team" performance. Showcase teams may be coached by college coaches or there may be college coaches evaluating on the sidelines. There may also be a skill or drill-based component in addition to games.

Tournaments:

Tournaments are team-focused events. They give college coaches an opportunity to see recruits compete against each other. It also provides an insight into how a player interacts with coaches, their teammates, referees, and handles game situations in a setting where they have comfort and familiarity. Observing players in team settings and gives a glimpse into how an athlete may fit with their team. 

Combines:

Combines in general focus on specific skills and athletic performance. There is usually a conditioning or strength component, timed runs, agilities, and speed work. Combines are beneficial to get quantifiable stats on a player's athleticism but do not shine much light on Game IQ, experience, or sport-specific abilities.