Six weeks busting it at Xplosive Edge
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I am 100% mad...years ago I wanted to start one of those money grabs...but of course I was worried about the start up costs...even though I know how much money can be made. UGGGGG
Says the guy/girl who pays $10/month to post on a free board.
I wish I would have been the guy who came up with subbing the word "club" for "little league" and charging teams huge sums of money to play in my tournaments. Somebody is making a few bucks there. Heard less than 10% of club baseball players in Omaha will even make their high school team. Ridiculous.
No kidding!
And "select"...yeah my 10 year olds team is so "select" that it costs 3,000 dollars for the season and there are, somehow, 25 other "select" teams within 3 miles. Hmmmm
They Select parents with discretionary $$.
And yet you fell for it.
Club and select sports are ruining youth sports. Baseball, volleyball (crazy year round stuff), some basketball.
Making kids a lot more sport specific, injury prone, and more likely to burn out.
And clueless parents all think their kid can get a scholarship. A very small percentage will. Vast majority wont.
And you dont need to specialize and play year round to get "academic money" to go play small school college ball.
impressive gains in a very short time. It's amazing what you can do when you put the work in.
Oh no, I was just giving a fake example. I didn't fall for it, no select or club sports here...ever.
It’s a popular and amusing debate. My personal experience...my kid played for a bb club, summer before senior year the roster was 9, all 9 played multiple sports, all 9 signed to play in college, with sports specific scholarship amounts varying. No kid is paying more than $10k after athletic and academic aid.
Clubs that demand specialization (few) are pariahs, those that don’t (vast majority) work out great for kids with the talent, drive and desire to play college ball at any level.
Clubs that demand specialization (few) are pariahs, those that don’t (vast majority) work out great for kids with the talent, drive and desire to play college ball at any level.
About which part? The cost? No, I am not trolling about that. Is that what you mean?
You actually spend $3,000 for a 10 y/o on an elite team, and there are 25 other teams doing the same thing in that area? WTH
Ha...oh! Just an example...you should see it here in Omaha...OSA Gold, Silver, Elite, Vipers, Mustangs...you name it.
The real cost...the "away games" in Tulsa, KC, Iowa, Denver, Minny and so on...those trips are not covered in the "registration fee"...so every other week when you are out of town...you are paying for gas, hotels and food.
And, no, I never paid for it. My friends have kids that got suckered into it...they freaking hate it.
Holy crap. That is unbelievable. 10 y/o old. What is wrong with these people.
Not clear if you’re serious or sarcastic-
It’s pretty easy to see by age 13-14 who can benefit from club sports. Before then there is no significant difference b/w club and rec stuff except $ and maybe the parent coaches in clubs get a curriculum to follow vs a Y where the coaching ranks are litter with adults parking the tallest in the paint, only wanting their kid to dribble and plays zone all game .
Once they hit the teenage years, except for the uber elite kid, where it also begins to be obvious who they are, any club that encourages specialization is run by pariahs. But, it is also easier to see which kids want, need, and can handle more from a more competitive environment = club ball.
There are few kids that start multiple years in HS, make all-conf teams, etc. it is the few in this category that are more often than not offered to play college ball (any level). the vast majority in this group did play club and played multiple sports. They are really good athletes.
What is also not fully understood by most, almost anyone can ‘play’ NAIA or D3 ball, but only few ever ‘really play’ and are really recruited. For instance GMAC schools, or D3s as you move East into Iowa to the coast, take huge classes...it’s an admissions play. But, the dirty secret is there is something admissions and athletics call ‘Prime’ recruits and ‘special ‘ recruits. The ‘primes’ are the ones getting visits at home, calls, on campus visits just as D1 and D2 might do. ‘Special’ recruits are just bulking up freshman classes as most sports programs are plugged into admissions with quotas. There are lots of ‘special’ recruits, and few ‘prime’ recruits.
So if you hear of someone contending they could have played D3 they may have been a ‘prime’, more likely a ‘special’ or a blowhard. The small college ‘primes’ and Scholly D1-2s almost all play club later in their youth.
For the record, of my two kids, it was obvious club sports weren’t appropriate for one, and very appropriate for the other.
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I have a friend who played college softball, she speculated had her parents just put all the money away for her college instead of spending it all on select teams and tournaments she needed to get the scholarship they probably would have come out ahead money wise. But she got to play college ball which very few of us get the chance to do.
Gibby runs Xplosive Edge and he is Duvall brother. They do a great job. I was lucky enough to work out there in HS with Duval.
One thing these numbers don’t show, for the first session they just have you go up and do them to test in. After they record those numbers, they teach you the form to run the drills, which will automatically improve your numbers even if you don’t improve physically.
They did do a great job when I was there, a long time ago. I’d have no problem recommending them to HS athletes.
On the select sports note, I coached basketball for the OSA and before that, the JCC. Most parents are nuts to spend that much money. It was better coaching than what most parents would do and they have a solid and fair system. But like it had been mentioned, your kid probably won’t be a stud, no matter the money you spend. Save the $4,000 a year and put it in a 529 and you’ll be way ahead.
One thing these numbers don’t show, for the first session they just have you go up and do them to test in. After they record those numbers, they teach you the form to run the drills, which will automatically improve your numbers even if you don’t improve physically.
They did do a great job when I was there, a long time ago. I’d have no problem recommending them to HS athletes.
On the select sports note, I coached basketball for the OSA and before that, the JCC. Most parents are nuts to spend that much money. It was better coaching than what most parents would do and they have a solid and fair system. But like it had been mentioned, your kid probably won’t be a stud, no matter the money you spend. Save the $4,000 a year and put it in a 529 and you’ll be way ahead.
No, I was serious and just like you typed out all this info...that is what I meant. Lots of kids get those "scholarship" to small private schools.
I have no knowledge other than usssa baseball, but I'm guessing the costs vary a lot depending on where you're from and what sport you play. My boys play "select" baseball, they play a lot of the teams from bigger towns and go to a lot of tourneys. Rec ball here and I'm guessing in most places is a JOKE. The team cost is next to nothing, sure we spend on gas and some hotels. I see a few a-holes, no more than in any other sector of life. We all have fun and we do it as a family. It's not so they can get a scholarship or get drafted. Do you rail against people that drive $80k vehicles? Or people that play a lot of golf? Or people that have huge houses that are 4x bigger than what they need? Why does it bother you so much what other people do?
I know two parents who did the 1 or 2 sports and year round club thing. One had a kid burn out and decide not to play in college. She could have been D2. The dad said that had he known that she wouldnt play they would have spent their time doin other things as a family instead of constant club sport. You dont get that time back.
Another family swore their girl was D1 basketball and filled her head with it. Affected her game. Coulda been an all star in some other sports but specialized. Come college time she was ruined because of course no D1 schools came callin even though she did all the select and club stuff almost year round.
I also know of a club bball team for fourth graders. Their season runs from october to almost april. They go longer and play more games than the varsity teams in the state!! Ditto for little kids wrestling, man thats getting way out of hand.
Its gettin way too insane. I feel bad for kids.
The kids that specialization works for are the kids who would still get a scholly if they just worked hard, played multiple sports and did camps. They wouldnt need club. You either got it or you don't.
Parents on here, your kids need to develop their mind, gpa, and ACT. They need to learn about adversity and how to deal with it themselves, on their own and without your meddling.
They dont need you tryin to ride them to a sports scholarship.
Literally almost anyone can play NAIA or D3 and they will find you money and make you feel special.
I care a lot about how kids are raised.
The reason it matters is because we are raising a generation of narcissists who think the world revolves around them. We have parents living vicariously through their kids. We have the highest ever recorded rates of teen depression and suicide despite the highest standard of living of all time. We have kids missing out on opportunities to play multiple sports or join non athletic school clubs, including some they arent as good at which is very important to development. We have kids burning out, getting treated like animals, missing other life experiences. We are losing our town sports teams and a team mentality.
Now, that isnt to say its happening to every kid. Doesnt mean all club or select sports are the same or bad or too much. Doesnt mean all parents are forcing it. Certainly not the worst thing kids could be doing. Cost to me doesnt matter, not the issue.
But if a family life and plans revolve around a club or select sport, that is sending more than one unintended message to a childs undeveloped brain.
Play multiple sports as long as you can. The pricing of "select" sports is crazy to me. People pay fornot, so I guess it will stay around. Bothers to see non profit or other. Programs that state they are player centered creating huge facilities and centers with all of that money or even better having community facilities and renting them for a fraction of the otherwise cost of using the fields. They grow and grow and use other people's money to do it. A small percentage of the select kids ever play varsity level ball but if parents keep paying, those organizations will keep taking the money.
I’ve always gotten along with Bob and he’s been nothing but nice to me. And he strokes my ego a lot because whenever I see him he asks me to come back and coach. So I’m sure that helps too.
Bob has always been nice to me too...But like you said, he likes to stroke the ego of a lot of people.
Let me answer...I don't care at all. I am making fun of...not caring. It also doesn't bother me that you sign up for it..I have been lucky enough to make a lot of money from parents that just love sending their kids to my camps/tourneys.
Both my youngest sons did select soccer for years starting very young. I even went so far as to certify as a ref and a national C coaching license. It is an incredibly costly racket. It is also a massive waste of time and energy for kids and time and money for the parents. It is basically a 365 day commitment if you want to play on a top team. Parents watching every single practice and going crazy at games. Insane pressure on everyone involved.
The costs mentioned only cover your club fees, basically the cost of the coach and whatever the club gets as well. In our case, you can then add in the cost of the uniforms which are very expensive given they are usually sponsored by someone like Adidas. Next, you have to pony up for every tournament fee your team plays. In addition, you have to pay up for the hotel rooms and meals out (unless you prepare food ahead) as you will be travelling more than you ever thought. Finally, you'll have to pay winter fees if you play indoors.
Baseball and Hockey are the same. Our neighbors bought an RV just to take their pre-teen son to Minnesota to play weekends. Insane. It is really the stupidest thing I've ever participated in and I deeply regret ever setting foot in one of those clubs.
I really suggest staying at the rec level in all sports and having your kids play 3 or more different ones each year so they don't get burned out. Take them to ball games and let them work things out on their own about what they like and don't like and how to play.
The costs mentioned only cover your club fees, basically the cost of the coach and whatever the club gets as well. In our case, you can then add in the cost of the uniforms which are very expensive given they are usually sponsored by someone like Adidas. Next, you have to pony up for every tournament fee your team plays. In addition, you have to pay up for the hotel rooms and meals out (unless you prepare food ahead) as you will be travelling more than you ever thought. Finally, you'll have to pay winter fees if you play indoors.
Baseball and Hockey are the same. Our neighbors bought an RV just to take their pre-teen son to Minnesota to play weekends. Insane. It is really the stupidest thing I've ever participated in and I deeply regret ever setting foot in one of those clubs.
I really suggest staying at the rec level in all sports and having your kids play 3 or more different ones each year so they don't get burned out. Take them to ball games and let them work things out on their own about what they like and don't like and how to play.
All that said though, I will say that Xplosive Edge was the most useful thing my kids did in select sports (although you had to pay extra for it).
This is a great post and very honest! Did you ever get the emails in the middle of the week from "Coach Bobby" or "Coach Ricky" letting you know something like "Hey Shark Parents, guess what?!?! We just got invited to play in a super select tourney in Tulsa this weekend! Great opportunity for the kids against some of the BEST 10 year olds in the a 500 mile radius! Now, this tourney was not originally on the schedule so there will be an extra entry fee cost and of course gas, food and lodging cost. Let me know my the end of the day! So far it looks like most of the parents want to play!"
One of my teaching friends would get these emails (for baseball) all the time...she would get so pissed!
My nephew plays NAIA baseball in Iowa. He gets a 50% scholarship and only has to pay about $17,000 a year of his own money to play baseball for them. His parents dropped tons of money on select baseball growing up. I shake my head. It would be cheaper to go to UNO or UNL without a scholarship and only have to focus on getting an education. These small colleges are all about sports. Most all of the students at his college are athletes. No one else goes there.
I have coached a few guys that fell for this trick...they would come back and say "Yeah, coach, guess what...Hastings (or Doane or whatever small school) is going to give me a 50% scholarship!"
I would always tell them what you just said and I would add in "Hey, I know you love football and right now it is tons of fun to play...but your games now are a huge deal and all the students go to the games and it is awesome...when you play at ______________ it won't be like that, trust me."
My oldest daughter had scholarships totaling $260,000 Had she not played on the select level, she would never have been seen by those coaches and offered a scholarship from that school. Period.
My youngest daughter, "only" received $210,000 in scholarships, again she is not going to that school if not for the club circuit.
I can promise you I didn't come close to paying $470,000 in fees, dues and travel expenses.
The thing I did get out of the club aspect is countless hours of 1 on 1 time with my kids, talking about life as we drove to tournaments on the weekends My kids got to travel all over the country and see places we would have never seen otherwise. They met people from every corner of the country that they have maintained relationships with. My oldest participated in the Team USA selection process, mostly due to the coaching and development she received from the club level. I got to travel and watch my kids play in the NCAA tournament at the highest level.
To each his own, but I wouldn't change a thing about their experiences, and in talking with them, neither would they. The vast majority of the people I had dealings with, have had good to great experiences. There will always be those who don't, same with every aspect of life.
Sorry for the rant, but you typically only hear from the people that want to poo poo the process because their experience didn't end up like they thought it would, or from people that never experienced it and want to tell you how you should have spent your money or how you should have raised your kids.
My youngest daughter, "only" received $210,000 in scholarships, again she is not going to that school if not for the club circuit.
I can promise you I didn't come close to paying $470,000 in fees, dues and travel expenses.
The thing I did get out of the club aspect is countless hours of 1 on 1 time with my kids, talking about life as we drove to tournaments on the weekends My kids got to travel all over the country and see places we would have never seen otherwise. They met people from every corner of the country that they have maintained relationships with. My oldest participated in the Team USA selection process, mostly due to the coaching and development she received from the club level. I got to travel and watch my kids play in the NCAA tournament at the highest level.
To each his own, but I wouldn't change a thing about their experiences, and in talking with them, neither would they. The vast majority of the people I had dealings with, have had good to great experiences. There will always be those who don't, same with every aspect of life.
Sorry for the rant, but you typically only hear from the people that want to poo poo the process because their experience didn't end up like they thought it would, or from people that never experienced it and want to tell you how you should have spent your money or how you should have raised your kids.
Agree BF is a total ass. OSA as an organization is about the best example of what is wrong with select sports. They have like five teams per age and run it all like an assembly line. There is very limited real coaching, just coveyor belt like drills. You have your 90 minutes of practice and you're out. Nothing extra, EVER. Nothing to specifically help a kid. And there are a very limited number of good coaches there. Most really, really suck. Bob wants the money but doesn't provide a good basis for any but the best players. Look at their second, third, fifth teams and look at their coaching. Poor at best. Total money grab and a total ripoff. There are much better development clubs out there if you're going to spend the money.
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