(This email will be sent to all campers Wednsday morning)
1/3/12
Hi 2012 CSC Campers,
Thanks for your registration to the College Softball Camp. We hope your weekend will be an active and productive time spent increasing your softball skills and getting to know the college coaches on staff. Here are some CSC updates.
Camp Website
Keep an eye on the camp website. Unless there is a major camp announcement or change, this will be the last email. There may be some minor changes and updates that will be posted on the camp website. If you have a buddy that is attending the camp, check with them to make sure they are seeing this same email. Every email is also posted on the camp website in the Camp Updates section. www.collegesoftballcamp.com
Schedule
The detailed camp schedule is attached to this email in both a Word file & PDF file named: CSC Schedule as of 1.3.12. You can also view it or download it from the Camp Schedule section on the website. As you know, the first rule in playing an outdoor sport is to expected the unexpected with weather. There are provisions to move everything indoors if needed. The forecast is good, with mild temperatures for the weekend with a high in 70’s. On Saturday, campers will be given detailed instruction on how the skill rotations work, and will be guided to where they need to be.
Saturday report time
Freshmen – 8:00am
Sophomore – 8:30am
Junior – 9:00am
Senior – 9:30am
Report to the back softball triplex at the Coquille Complex. The registration tables will be set up there. Be dressed and ready to hit the field 30 minutes after your report time. For those 8th graders attending the camp, you will be in the Freshmen group for the weekend. At check-in, each camper will have a unique numbered RF bracelet that will be used for her identification on the electronic timing stations. They will be used both Saturday & Sunday, anyone not returning this device Sunday afternoon will be charged for a replacement item. Most camp activities will be finished by 6:30pm on Saturday.
Sunday report time
All campers report to Gym 1 at Coquille for 8:00am (first gym on the right when entering from the highway). The camp is scheduled to be finished by 2:00pm on Sunday.
Equipment
Bring all your equipment: glove, gear if a catcher, bat, batting helmet, batting gloves, sliding pads, sun glasses or visor, tennis shoes, and cleats. One note on cleats, metal cleats are OK on the outside fields, but when indoor at the Sandlot, you must wear either tennis shoes or plastic cleats. You will need tennis shoes as well for the indoor arena (pitchers, that’s you). You may want to have an assortment of clothes to wear pending the temperature outside, and take into account that it could be colder at the start or end of the day. Hitting & pitching will be indoors on Saturday and it will be warmer inside. Activity may continue outside in a light rain, so be prepared to get wet. Each camper will be given a camp T-shirt to wear on Sunday. Each group will wear a specific color shirt to help identity your class. All campers will be required to wear a track style number at all times. Keep it for use on Sunday, if you loose it come to the registration table to get another. Just an FYI, on Saturday, many campers like to wear a jersey or shirt from either their school or travel team to help identify where they are from. That is OK. All the coaches will have a printed copy of the camper’s information, including their assigned camp #. The campers will have a short break (15 minutes) on Saturday. They will not have time to go off site. They are welcome to bring a lunch or snacks, or have a parent bring them a lunch. Coquille will provide concessions that include hot dogs, sausage, hamburgers, chips, nachos & cheese, and Chick-fil-A on Saturday. On Sunday, they usually have pizza. They also have bottle water, soft drinks and Powerade for sale. There is no food service at the Sandlot or Arena. There will be water coolers and cups at all sites for campers. Medical kits will be on hand and bathrooms will have female supplies if needed.
Softball Talk
Pitchers, if you are not familiar with the RevFire, take a look at their website: www.RevFire.com and read up on this new exciting tool that is being used by more and more pitching staffs. We will have two units at the camp to record the pitcher spin rates, in addition to a Jugs radar gun. The camp is using some of the high tech measurement devices you see on Sports Science TV. Take these stations seriously, the coaches have asked to have all this data presented to them after the camp for their evaluation. You will be timed via two methods of a home to first run: a standard sprinter method and also using a first bat contact timing method. Sunday the timing will focus on some agility and a home-to-home run. Sunday, the college coaches will have a bit of freedom to watch the campers in specially designed stations. During the catcher sessions, the coaches will record pop times. A master spreadsheet will be posted on the camp website after the camp, where campers will be able to track their all times via their camper number.
Schedule Choices
You can only do so much during the span of two days. While many girls play multiple positions, there will be some choices to be made on which session you attend. Take for instance; if you are a pitcher and go to the pitching sessions on Saturday, you will miss the catcher and outfield sessions. If you play both second base and third base, you will have to pick either middle or corner infield. If your group has multiple listings at the same time, then you have to pick which you want to attend. Campers need to look this schedule over in advance to decide what they wish to do. Campers, this is your choice, so don’t ask a staff member which station you should pick.
Transportation
We are NOT having a bus this year. But, any camper that needs a ride, just come to the registration table and let us know and we will help with a ride. Campers are free to travel in their own cars or with parents and friends. The Sandlot & St. Tammany Indoor Arena is just one minute down the road from the Coquille Complex. See the Directions section down below.
Player Profiles
Each University on staff will have a folder on a table Saturday. Any campers that would like to leave a profile can insert one into whichever schools they wish to do. At the end of Saturday, the folders will be given to the coaches.
Sunday Morning Devotional
All campers, parents, and camp staff are invited to a special Fellowship of Christian Athletes devotional. Gary Fayard is the local director of FCA, and will be joined by a number of the college coaches on staff with this short 30 minute devotional. Come have some fun and hear how FCA supports student-athletes in high schools and college sports. This will be held at the Sandlot, starting at 7:15am. You will have plenty of time to get to Coquille for the start of the CSC program at 8:00am.
Camper Behavior
Girls, it goes without saying, that it is expected and demanded of you to exhibit excellent behavior during the camp. This includes being respectful to all coaches, listening and responding to directions, staying on schedule and in your group, keeping safety in mind, no horse-play, be friendly to other campers, and most of all, HUSTLE. We are on a very tight camp schedule.
Parents
Parents, you are welcome to observe most of the camp activity, but not required to stay (plenty of shopping opportunities just minutes away). At Coquille, there is a covered bleacher area that includes an area for lawn chairs. Parents are not allowed past the dugout gate area or in the coach tent. You are allowed inside the Indoor Arena for the pitching sessions but must stay in the spectator area. At the Sandlot, parents are not allowed. Sorry for this, but we need to keep the focus on the campers and staff in there, and having the parents is too much of a distraction. Only pre-approved camp staff will be allowed inside. Parents are welcome to wait inside the Indoor Arena next door. Sunday morning, during the classroom setting in the gym, players will be seated on one side of the gym in the bleachers and on the floor. Parents are welcome to attend, but will be located on the opposite side of the court. A PA will be used so they can hear the presenters. Sunday, parents will not be allowed in the grandstand area of F3, that area is reserved seating for the college coach staff watching the hitting session.
Parents, please take note of this message. One of the major benefits of this camp is to provide the girls time one-on-one with the college coaching staff. While a parent might not think there is any harm in talking to a college coach for just two minutes during or in-between groups, please understand, that if all 300 parents did the same thing, there would be no instructional time left for the campers. Please refrain from contacting the college coaches, or coaching your daughter from the stands. This is the time for the girls to let their personality, skills, and ability to learn shine for the coaches.
Camp Staff
There will be over 40 college coaches working on the staff, plus 15 volunteer college players. For a softball camp, that camper- to-college coach ratio is unbeatable. You can see the coach listing on camp schedule or website.
Free Coach Clinic
The CSC is proud to host a free coach clinic for any high school, travel or recreation softball coach. It will start Sunday at 9:00am in Gym 2 at Coquille (next door to Gym 1). See the camp website for the clinic line-up and agenda. It is excellent opportunity for coaches to learn from a very qualified group of coaching professionals.
Directions
Directions to Coquille and all the facilities are on the camp website. The address for the Coquille Sports Complex is: 13505 Highway 1085, Covington, LA 70433. When on I-12, take the Goodbee exit #57, go North for half a mile, turn right at the red-light and Coquille is there on the left. The softball triplex (Fields 4/5/6) where registration will be held is in the back. Fields 1/2/3 are located in the front by the highway. The Sandlot & St. Tammany Indoor Arena is just one minute down the road from the Coquille Complex. When heading out the Coquille parking lot, turn right onto the Hwy 1085, go one mile and turn left onto Deer Cross Dr, go down a block to the dead-end, the Sandlot will be there to the left, and the Arena is next door to it to the left.
Transportation
We are NOT having a bus this year. But, any camper that needs a ride, just come to the registration table and let us know and we will help with a ride. Of course, campers are free to travel in their own cars or with parents and friends. There is plenty of free parking at Coquille.
Camp Feedback
We encourage campers and parents to submit any suggestions or complaints that you might have. We are thrilled to see so many of the repeat campers and hopefully you have enjoyed your past experience. But we also know there are always ways to do things better. The camp takes its direction on structure and format from the college coaches, but if you have any thoughts, don’t hesitate to send a written note or email of them along after the camp.
Camper Tips
Girls, be prepared to make the most out of this opportunity. In one weekend, you may have more verbal communications with college coaches than a summer full of travel all over the country. Saturday can be a grueling day. Get a good night sleep and drink plenty of fluids ahead of time. Don’t overlook the intangibles that the coaches will be observing. Sure, your softball skills are important, but there are countless other things that the coaches are looking at that have nothing to do with if you can hit or catch a ball. How you present yourself at ALL times is critical. This is your chance to have your personality shine with a coach, so don’t be shy. Hustle in everything you do.
Thanks for being part of this camp. We hope you find it to be a productive weekend. Call anytime if any questions.
Jim Hewitt
(985) 778-3153
Doug Ellis
(985) 892-4151
