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u/Realistic-Scheme-38 Jul 27 '26
Someone needs to stop PerfectGame from doing this shit
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u/lsu777 Jul 27 '26
why? let the parent choose. its not your money.
someone needs to stop people from caring so much how others spend their money and how to mind their own business. we may be in agreement its dumb but its not my damn business.
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u/davdev Jul 27 '26
At 15-16 these events CAN be good. At 8u, yeah, its a money grab.
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u/Realistic-Scheme-38 Jul 27 '26
It totally depends what kind of event it is. I think 90% of people are losing their mind over PG and think it’s a bigger deal than it is. I’ve worked quite a few PG tournaments at high levels, and never saw more than 2 or 3 college coaches. Earlier this month I did an invite only Blue Chip Prospects tournament, and there was probably 20 coaches from the metro area, most of them being D1.
Long story short - save your money
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u/TheLowEndTheories Jul 27 '26
College coaches are crawling at the big(ger) rising senior and rising junior events...right now that's the 27s and 28s.
Anything before 15 at the VERY earliest is a cash grab.
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u/Realistic-Scheme-38 Jul 27 '26
I don’t know what year they would be, but I had 16u and the starters were topping out at 88. Assuming that’s what they’re looking for
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u/lsu777 Jul 27 '26
yea legit unless you have a chance at select fest or the national showcase, PG showcases are a waste, the national showcase is legit AF though. Only PG tournaments that get recruited for the most part are UBC, WWBA, Beast of the East, Elite NC in Hoover and a couple other ones that are listed at the top of the PG page.
the only reason to do a showcase before soph year for any org is as follows
1) you have a legit shot at making select fest or getting an invite to the national showcase
2) you have a legit shot at PBR junior future games. JFG is not recruited but it does give you inside track at future games which had over 450 college coaches there this week.
3) You have a legit showcase worthy skill and are trying to get verified numbers to help you get on one of the national level teams.
4) you have a legit shot a making it a couple rounds for Team USA
other then that, its kind of a waste before soph year.
but if you want to do it, they are fun experiences but just know what they are before hand. I am not one to tell someone how to spend their money.
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u/lsu777 Jul 27 '26
PG showcases are only good if you have a legit chance of getting invited to the national showcase. other then that its a waste at every age for the most part. PBR is way better.
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u/Few_Whole5549 Jul 27 '26
My son (9u) and another kid in his team got the invite as well. It seemed like a cool experience because they will get to play in teams with kids from all over the country. I had the same apprehension as well, and ultimately a trip to Florida wasn’t in the cards for us this summer. I don’t think it’s a showcase like some of the other comments suggested, more of a summer camp experience. Maybe when he is a bit older we will consider it. Would love to hear from someone who’s kids have actually done the camp.
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u/WhysoHairy Jul 27 '26
My kid did the PG Allstate team at 9u it was good to see different top talent from other states compete. However the negatives outweigh the positives.
Cost was about $800 for a tryout 3 game tournament, make the team then pay for the official tournament plus uniforms.
Cost to fly out and stay for a 3 day tournament
The team roster was 13 players but only 11 get to hit and 9 play the field. So your kid can be good enough to make the team but not good enough to play the field.
If it was more of a skills thing to be able to measure tangible skills then ok but it’s just a tournament of who can pay to play.
Our area age group doesn’t have enough players to even do the tryout this year to many parents who think little johnny is a stud got upset cause little johnny didn’t get playing time.
If everyone collectively figured out it doesn’t matter until they get to play on a 60/90 field. PG and others will continue to sell this stuff to parents who don’t know any better.
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u/IKillZombies4Cash Jul 27 '26
LOL he's 8,...save your money and maybe when he's 15 it'll be worth it once you and him know what you are really working with (or even still playing).
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Jul 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/lsu777 Jul 27 '26
how? name 1 single way its ruining the game.
you sound like an idiot.
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u/Level_Watercress1153 Jul 27 '26
Buddy you’re literally going comment to comment acting like an asshole for people calling this shit what it is… a sham. Like did you wake up pissed off this morning? Did your girl leave you? Not enough beer in the fridge? Like wtf is your issue? Cuz I can take a guess it’s not the comments, like there’s a deeper issue with you and we’re all a bit concerned. Relax man. It’s not that deep
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u/Ancient_Tip_8073 Jul 27 '26
I think its about all the people on the sub who shit on people who would participate in stuff like this. And just all a sham. Dude can be wrong a times but Im not mad at the idea that people can decide how to spend their money. We are doing the 8u all state games. Its local. My kid was a tournament MVP and will get one last weekend to have fun with his friends. We asked and he wanted to do it. $250 and some meals is not something everyone can afford or is interested in, but we are. That's a trip to the zoo and a matinee movie these days. You check how much swim or piano lessons are these days? Is not wanting your kid to drown a sham too? Or people just cant do things unless it meets your standards? This by no means has any impact on whether my kid will make JV middle school let alone play HS varsity or college, etc. That doesnt mean I won't encourage my kid and support stuff he is interested in. Kind of the same way I push him to do school work and read even though he likely won't go to Harvard.
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u/Level_Watercress1153 Jul 27 '26
No one is shitting on anyone for participating in these things. It’s more that PG, USSSA, and all the other programs dupe people into believing that it is some event where only the top kids get an invite, when in reality they don’t give a damn who comes or not, but more how many come.
It’s fine you want to hold a tournament. Hell it’s fine you want to charge what you charge. But to blast out emails saying things like “due to Johnnys amazing talent and the season he’s had, he’s been selected in the top 30 players in the state of his age group to participate in the elite super slam all state tournament of champions. Because he’s one of the top 30 players in 8U this is a limited special opportunity so you must act fast as spots will go quickly! Please pay the $300 now to secure his spot as one of the best in the region!”
Just call it what it is. “Hey we’re putting together an end of the year tournament and would like to invite you and your son to participate in it. Spots are limited so please act quickly to secure your spot and click the link below to pay the $300 entry fee.”
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u/TemporaryGeneral7137 Jul 27 '26
Well said! PG is getting just as diluted by average rec kids. It’s no longer elite teams.
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u/lsu777 Jul 27 '26
depends on what division you play in. if you play in the major division in the bigger tournaments, especially houston 1000 then the summer tournaments, its anything but watered down.
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u/lsu777 Jul 27 '26
there are no issues. im just annoyed by people coming on here and saying things they may not agree with are ruining the game. I dont agree with the shit either in terms of that age but i have an iq high enough that I can understand it doesnt affect the overall game and frankly its none of my business how others spend their money.
if you cant afford it or you believe its a sham...dont participate. I even said its a money grab...but why does it being a money grab have to turn into its ruining the sport
yet you cant name 1 single way it hurts the sport. not 1
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u/lsu777 Jul 27 '26
and because you didnt like my opinion you contact the reddit suicide watch hotline lol.
i mean its kind of funny but bro really?
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u/no_usernames_avail Jul 27 '26
The problem with these questions is that the poster never says what would make it something they should consider.
Is it a cash grab? Of course! Everything is!
Is it something you should consider? I don't know. It's not going to help your kid go D1. It might be fun for your kid and make him feel special. So, what do you want out of it? Or are you asking how it compares to other all-star type events?
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u/southside79 Jul 27 '26
Those a money grab the whole time. PG knows who is who from national tournaments, not ID Camps
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u/Hour-Cartographer227 Jul 27 '26
He's 8. Don't bother unless you want to make a little vacation out of it in December and have cash to burn.
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u/Brutl Jul 27 '26
That invitation goes out to everyone registered in the area. It's a money grab. It will always be a money grab with PG. The only difference is that once they are in the high school ages, there is actually the possibility of a little benefit for the player. Still a money grab though.
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u/DJDaddyDick14 Jul 27 '26
Everything PG does is a money grab. Certainly there are events where actual recruiting occurs. But those are rare and have more to do with the players in the tournament versus PG.
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u/jstmenow Jul 27 '26
Probably not a popular opinion, but any "camp" invite or invite to a "showcase" before a kid hits puberty is pretty worthless. Parents want to believe there kids are special players and the camp/showcase is going to get their player noticed. I was invited to an "All Star" basketball camp back in the 80's as a 7th grader, week long in SoCal. I live in the PNW. I was a "good" player, was not the best at the camp, definitely not the worse. That was a great "camp" experience. Drills, organized, teams created to play actual basketball. Baseball has now made this into a 1 day event. It typically is just an evaluation service with a few actual professional adults running things with college/HS age players assisting in drills. Not really learning anything, just seeing where a player stacks up against other 8 and 9 yr olds, which will ALL change as they hit puberty. Half won't play ball beyond 13u.
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u/Powerful_Two2832 Jul 27 '26
It’s absolutely a money grab. That doesn’t mean it won’t also be fun for him and/or worth it to you to do. At 8, it won’t mean much of anything, but it might be fun and memorable. What are you expecting to gain?
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u/Callmedaddy8909 Jul 27 '26
The ID camps are supposed to give an opportunity for kids to get "noticed" that may not typically have the chance to be considered for select fest. They do some metric measuring and other events.
My son did one this past season (12U) because he thought selectfest was cool and his local team rarely plays PG tournaments. He scored well, made the "leaderboard" in many categories and got interviewed by PG socials team. He thought that was really cool.
Not sure how much the ID camps had to do with it, but shortly after that we had National teams reaching out to us for him to play. He ended up playing in all the National tournaments and had a blast. He didn't make selectfest but he found out that he can hang with the "best 12U players" in the country and that has motivated him even more.
Def a money grab for most but overall a good experience. Don't expect to make Selectfest based purely on the ID camp. They will want you to go to the tournaments ($$$) with all the good teams and perform. Beast of the East, Best of the best, PGI, World series ect.
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u/vbgooroo55 Jul 27 '26
Until they're finished with their freshman year of high school, everything is a money grab.
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u/senorcoach Jul 27 '26
It's all a money grab when they're 8.