The 24th annual local College Showcase girls basketball competition is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 29 at Fairfax High School from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for high-school age players from Northern Virginia and surrounding jurisdictions.
Some talented eighth-grade players have participated in the past.
The event is sponsored by the Northern Virginia Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
Registration for the showcase is ongoing at nvwbca.com, follow the procedures outlined there, and closes Sept. 27. The registration fee is $95 per player. Pay Online or mail a check to NVWBCA c/o/ Fred Priester, 13311 Popular Tree Road, Fairfax, Va. 22033.
Early registration is encouraged.
Priester, the current Oakton High School girls head basketball coach, started the College Showcase in 1998. With the exception of 9/11 and the pandemic, it has been held every year since.
“The showcase gives high-school players another good opportunity to be seen by college coaches,” Priester said. “We have had a good turnout of players over the years.”
The showcase consists of a series of refereed games with running clocks and some individual drill stations. Players receive bright jerseys the color of Skittle candy.
In the early years, the event was viewed by college coaches as one of the top showcases on the east coast and a go-to for the 30 to 40 Division I college schools. Over time, the changes in the NCAA rules and the entire basketball landscape led to a refocus on providing an event for Division III and NAIA schools.
During the past 12 years (with the year off for the pandemic), the event has drawn an average of 80 athletes and 10-20 college coaches.
Priester said NCAA rules and the landscape continue to change and evolve, but the showcase provides great opportunity for high school players to get some exposure to the colleges (about 90 schools in the Mid Atlantic are invited to attend). In an event that focuses on individual exposure, Priester said the showcase provides an opportunity for competitive play in the pre-season against local talent.
A number of current college coaches who once participated in the showcase, now return to scout the next generation of players.
