ID camps have become a year-round offering, and I think there is a lot of confusion, speculation, and FOMO when it comes to deciding whether a prospect should attend one or not. If you’re in touch with coaches or even just played in a showcase, you’re likely receiving invites to numerous ID camps, making it very confusing and potentially very expensive. However, attending the right ID camps can be beneficial, but it is not always necessary. If you do decide to attend, you should prioritize them based on your budget and expected return on investment (ROI). Just as selecting a college is different for every prospect I work with, so is choosing which ID camps to attend.
1. Watch this video about ID Camp selection with your parents. Be sure to discuss and be honest with your takeaways.
2. Complete and submit the ID Camp Prioritization Worksheet to help you with your decision.
3. Send the worksheet back to me and I will review and provide feedback to help you with your decision on which camps to attend.
If you plan to attend ID camps, it’s best to have a game plan in place for the summer camps by the end of April. However, it’s important to note that new camps may continue to pop up. If you decide to attend, we will choose camps that provide the best opportunities and are a good fit for you. It is important to realize that not all camps are created equal when it comes to their ability to help your recruitment. Also, based on your needs, priorities and level of play, there are several important factors to consider based on your needs priorities and level of play.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Do I meet the academic requirements of the schools that will be attending/hosting the camp? Before attending, make sure you are likely to be accepted or have a good chance of being accepted based on your academic qualifications.
- Have I had real and personal communication with coaches attending the camp? Have you been personally invited to the camp, or is your communication limited to mass emails? If a coach expresses interest in you and invites you to a camp, consider asking for a Zoom call. If they agree, it’s a good sign that they are seriously interested in you and want to see you play.
- Do I have the ability to play at the level of the programs hosting/attending the camp? Be honest with yourself and make sure the camps you are attending are a good fit for your abilities. It’s okay to have some “stretch” programs that you are interested in, but you should also have some sure things.
- Does the camp fit in with my personal/family calendar? Unless there are extreme circumstances, prioritize family events and obligations.
- Are there multiple colleges I am interested in attending the camp? The more coaches at the camp, the more opportunities you have.
- Do I know where I stand with coaches attending the camp? Have you had real conversations with the coaches? Do they see the camp as a final decision maker, or is it just one of many evaluation opportunities?
- Did a coach say I must attend the camp to be considered? You don’t have to attend camps to be evaluated, but attending a camp may be necessary to show a coach what you can do in a particular setting.
- Is the camp the only way a coaching staff can evaluate me? If you’re interested in out-of-region schools that your team doesn’t play against, attending camps may be necessary to get in front of coaches from that region.
- If you’re younger, attending some camps can help you get used to playing in that environment. ID camps can be intimidating, and attending camps can help you get used to playing with new teammates and adjusting to a coach’s style of play.
Watch the video with your parents and fill out the worksheet together. I hope this will help you prioritize some things in the ID camp world. Think about ROI and have a camp game plan if you decide to attend any. I have worked with players who were recruited without attending a single ID camp, and I have seen others chase way too many camps. The goal is to help you make an informed decision.
I am not a huge fan of big, third party camps like Exact and Future 500. These camps have great marketing, but pay coaches to be there. Many coaches that attend these don’t do it with the intent of recruiting, but rather to get paid. You may see names of colleges coaches that get you excited on their attendees list, but usually it is the volunteer assistant they are sending in an effort to help them make some extra money. At the end of the day, this position usually has very little to do with recruiting. Just my opinion, but I am skeptical and haven’t seen one client I work that attends these types of camps get recruited from them.
Additionally they are expensive, sometimes as much as $500 or $600, and require travel and several hotel nights and food. While they’ll advertise that college coaches will watch film from the camp, the reality is that this doesn’t happen. I would be leery of camps like this.
When you’re ready, watch the video above and complete the worksheet to guide your camp selection. Then, send the worksheet to me and we can review and discuss which camps make the most sense for you.