Bob,
You remind me of son's HS summer coach.
For 12 years he ran an elite summer ball team, one of the first to do such a thing in our area. His goal was to showcase teh best players from our area to college coaches who didn't leave campus much in those days. There are many MLB who have come from his team as well as milb players and those that went to great programs and are successful businessman. His sole purpose was to help players get seen and help secure college scholarships. He never made one dime from it, and each year spent his own money when he couldn't raise enough funds. Retired at one point, he actually formed a new business to help so he wouldn't have to keep digging into his own pocket or have his coaches come up with money, or the kids more than he asked for in the beginning of each season.

He made sure that the experience resembled that of college programs and each year a trip to Omaha for inspiration as well as playing on college campus, travel on buses, strict curfew and living out of hotels, 60+ games in a short period of time. He even made them study on the road, each player had to read the newspaper each night and then there would be questions asked at breakfast. This was to show them how you had to play baseball AND study while on the road. He would tell the kids, if you can't do this, you definetly couldn't handle college baseball. There was dropout too. He was tough, one year they went to Memphis and a tornado came through knocking out power. While the other teams went cross town for electricity, he made the boys live in the hotel for one week without electricity, cold showers, no espn. They were allowed to use the generator to plug in their cell phones. My son still states it was the best week that summer and he learned lots of lessons from it.

He decided to give up his rights to the program, as he saw that travel ball was changing, and his company took off like a rocket and he was too busy. In one season the guy who took it over, used most of the money from the kids to pay his own bills, never raising money and falling short, parents were left to pay additional over what they paid that summer (3000K). It'snot easy doing these things and coming out even. Though the program still is competitive, it is not the same Florida Pokers.

BTW, this, IMO is what really helping kids is all about.

After reading this thread, I have come to the conclusion our son would not have been worse off if he had not attended. We made the trip a mini vacation by driving down and did sight seeing along the way. But the best part is at least he has it on his baseball resume. We did not receive any calls or letters after attending the games, except one out of the way school. Son wouldn't attend if it was all free. Yes it was well scouted by college coaches, but there were the starters and the bench player scene.