Topical Issue: Summer Camps, Clinics & Showcases… What Options Do Players & Families Have?

All over the country, softball camps, clinics and showcases are being held pretty much all year ’round these days but are especially prevalent in the Summer, which can be tricky when it comes to avoiding conflicts with club events, tourneys and championships.

In this article, Extra Inning Softball takes a look at the different formats being offered and what options players and their families have to grow in their knowledge of softball as well as to learn from their favorite college coaches.

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Available On-Site Options

First, we take a deeper look at what the differences are in the many camp format options to try and answer some of the questions we often hear about which camps are best to attend.

• ​Clinics are generally 2-3 hours and focus on specific skills. Clinics tend to have a low player-to-instructor ratio.
• Camps are led by coaches either at their campus facility or a group of coaches get together work on several different skills.
• Showcases are put together and run by an organization.  College coaches are invited to come watch and look at prospects.  Showcases are meant for players to do just that—showcase their skills and are not so much meant for learning.

However, players can learn a lot during showcases, especially how to carry themselves in higher pressure situations when someone is analyzing and/or critiquing skills but it is generally not a time to learn new skills or work on fundamentals.

One example: when we featured how the Iowa Premier Fastpitch organization ran its organizational showcase in Aurora, Colo. Click HERE to read that article from last month.

What Do You Want to Get Out of a Camp?

This is not a comprehensive list but it’s a good start for parents and players to consider when trying to lock down the ideal camp:

1. What dates are you available to attend camps?

Before you begin to look at what to attend you need to be mindful of your club tournament schedule.  Narrowing down dates will help you narrow down your search.  A player may want to attend a certain school’s camp but it may not work into her travel ball schedule.  The camps like Top Gun—where multiple schools are represented—may be a good alternative to attending a camp of one of the schools you are interested in.

2. What level of camp are you wanting? 

If you are brand new to a softball camp experience, you may want to start with a basic skills camp.  Or if you are a pitcher or catcher and want to really work on that skill set you might want to attend a camp that is specific to growing those skills. The same applies to hitting camps.

And if you are just starting out, often it’s a great idea to attend a camp to try out different skills and ensure you are practicing properly to establish and confirm good mechanics and fundamentals. And be open to try new positions because you may be good at something you never knew you could do!

3. What Can You Afford? 

This question will likely narrow things down before you finalize your choices. Camps can be costly and looking at what you can afford is always a good idea before a family gets its heart set on something that may not be affordable.

4. Who has Interest in You?

If you are an older player and into the recruiting process, you may want to narrow your camp choices down to schools you are especially looking at and if you they have indicated  that they could be interested in you.

Although September 1^st of a player’s junior year is when D1 college coaches can reach out it’s not the same for D2, D3, juco and NAIA programs so you may already know which coaches are truly interested and have expressed they want you to attend their camp.

5. Expectations of What You’ll Get From the Camp

Players and parents need to ask themselves and discuss openly what is the purpose and expectation of attending a specific camp.

For example, sometimes a player has no desire to attend a certain school but loves the softball coach or overall program. Or she knows that the school is out of their reach for their skill level but still wants to attend for the experience.  That’s great and can be a very positive experience as long as expectations are achievable.

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Here’s What College Coaches & Camp Directors Have to Say…

Kristy Bredbenner, Head Coach of Wichita State/Co-Director of Top Gun Prospects Camp

What better way to get great insights into what a college coach is looking for as well as one who runs her own camps?

Kristy wears both hats and we thought it’d be great to get her perspective from both vantage points as the Top Gun Camp is run with a multi-college coaching staff format.

Here’s what she had to say…

Extra Inning Softball: Why are these types of camps so important in the growth and development of players?
Kristy Bredbenner: We can have a greater impact on players by multiple coaches working together.  We each bring different aspects to the player camp experience and can connect with different players

EIS: What do you think college coaches enjoy most about doing these types of camps?
KB: I’d say it would be being able to impact players and make a difference in their overall softball journey.

EIS: What is the biggest difference from doing a group/combine camp versus an on-campus one with a specific school coaching staff?
KB: A player has the opportunity to get multiple looks from several coaches.  You never know what program you might be a fit, so keeping options open is always good.  For coaches, they are able to get looks on players they may not have on their radar or even know about.

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We also had a chance to catch up with Robb Behymer, the Director of the Top Gun organization.

We asked Robb what makes him excited to do these types of events and what does he think the greatest benefit is for the players.

“I love to help players improve and be a positive part of their softball journey.  No matter how big or small of an impact we have at these events, we want it to be positive.”

Robb said running camps can be rewarding to the event organizers as well.

“I know there are lots of good camps and good organizations out there and we are thankful to be able to be a part of the softball community and to make impact on the players’ lives… ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.”

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Colleges also offer one or two-day skill camps and often specialize in specific areas, such as the skills that players want to work (pitching, catching, hitting, defense).

One unique approach offered by a top university is the Baylor University Platinum Overnight Camp where attendees spend time on the campus staying in dorms with current Baylor players who serve as counselors/mentors for the week.

This year’s event was held June 19-23 and we asked Baylor Head Coach Glenn Moore about the benefits and challenges of running such a camp…

Extra Inning Softball: What are the challenges you face in putting on a camp that is longer?
Coach Glenn Moore: That is a long list!  Every year we face more and more hurdles.  Things like cost and players’ travel ball schedules are demanding and often don’t allow for this much time away.  Ensuring we provide adequate numbers of qualified staff in comparison to the number of campers can be difficult this time of year as well.   We try to keep the costs down, but it is expensive to run a camp like this and it takes a lot of preparation to make this camp happen.

EIS: With so many obstacles to overcome, why do you continue to offer this longer camp format?
GM: The benefits of multiple days with the girls outweighs any obstacles we have to overcome to put the camp on and be successful.

EIS: What are those benefits?
GM: Having time to get to know each player and investing in their lives beyond softball is really what the Baylor softball program is about.  We make no apologies in that we want to impact the lives of young women spiritually.

Softball skills are important and they definitely get a lot of hands-on learning how to be better ball players, but we want to help them grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The relationships we build with the girls over the time they are here is so important and that’s why every year—when we face the choice of doing the longer camp or not—we keep making the decision to put the work in to make it happen.

EIS: Have you ever considered shortening the camp to make it so more players can attend?
GM: Yes, that is something we are discussing.  We have thought about making it one day shorter to keep costs down and open it up for more players to fit into their very busy schedules over the summer.

If that does happen, we want to make sure we still have enough time to accomplish the purpose of this specific camp which is to build relationships with young ball players, help them grow in their faith and teach good softball skills while being able to observe the ball players on the field in game situations.

Coach Moore said in years past the camp has hosted up to 110 players.

Others who work with Baylor and Coach Moore and his staff say they look forward to a thorough camp such as this one.

Wayne Hill, who served 25 years with the Mesa (Ariz.) school district as a coach, educator, and counselor—including 21 as a softball coach—and as head coach at Mesa community college from 2012-2016, had the opportunity to work with former Baylor Coach Mark Lumley in the FCA softball camp in Flagstaff, Ariz.

They became instant friends and his introduction to Glenn Moore led to 17 years of friendship and working with the staff at the Baylor summer and winter camps. Coach Moore entrusted Hill to lead evening devotions shared with the Baylor softball players.

Coach Moore feels this is the most important reason for the camp as many campers who have participated in the camp say they have reconnected with God while others connected with God for the first time in their lives. Many of the Baylor softball players also found this camp to be a spiritual journey for them, bringing them closer to God.

This most recent summer camp was a different camp for everyone on staff, however, in a poignant way.

Coach Lumley passed away in 2020 and Hill felt that this year being involved with camp was a healing experience. It was a first for him to return to the campus and field without his dear friend Mark but it was a rewarding one nonetheless.

“I could feel his presence and I certainly felt the presence of God,” the longtime Arizona coach administrator recalls.

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Nathan Boyd, a long-time softball coach in Texas at programs such as the Harvest Christian Academy in Fort Worth, has been helping with Baylor softball camps for the past 17 years.

Boyd says that Baylor’s week-long camp is one he looks forward to every year.

“I feel like we can really get to know the players and not only make improvements in their softball skills but make a lasting impact in their lives.”

Coach Boyd has been around softball for more than years and has seen so many changes in the sport, good and bad, and how it has increased the importance of such on-campus events.

 “There have been many improvements in the sport and the level of competition has grown tremendously,” the Texan adds, “but the impact of social media and the recruiting process has its downsides.  This camp allows us as coaches to remember why we got into coaching and allows the players to slow it down and be reminded softball is a part of their life but not their identity.”

— Joy Roeder, correspondent to Extra Inning Softball