“I’m going the ‘JuCo route’.” It’s a phrase that showcase founder and promoter Bob Hlavac heard often that sparked an idea.
“When I was talking to high school baseball players years ago about which DI or DII college they were getting looks at, I kept hearing them say ‘I’m going to the JuCo route’,” recalled Hlavac.
Hlavac, a long-time resident of Nebraska, was in the early stages of his idea: a traveling showcase that not only networks with Junior College baseball coaches but actively promotes and connects high school student-athletes who are looking to continue their baseball career with coaches who have spots to fill.
Hlavac is no stranger to the physical, emotional, and financial strains student-athletes and their families face just to have a chance to attend a showcase in baseball hot spots such as Florida, Texas, or California.
“Being a baseball dad myself, I know first hand how expensive and time consuming it can be on a family. Equipment, team costs, fundraisers, tournament fees, and now pay for airfare, hotel, rental car, food, and showcase fees; it’s a lot of time and financial commitment for families in smaller communities to try and come up with just to get a chance to get a few pitches, plays, or at-bats.”
The JuCo Route Showcase started out in the midwest, including Hlavac’s homestate of Nebraska, but is starting to not only cover more ground in the Midwest including Kansas and Oklahoma, but also along the coasts, such as North Carolina, West Virginia, and even in Florida.
“Not only do we want to showcase the student-athletes that come to our events, but we want to help them connect with coaches that might not have otherwise given them a single consideration. The need for baseball players on the junior college scene is greater than what some might think. We’re trying to be the bridge of that need between coaches and players.”
The JuCo Route Showcase for Kansas will be in Hutchinson Community College on Sunday September 15th, 2019. Hutchinson, which houses one of the best facilities in the Jayhawk Conference, also is home to the Junior College Men’s Basketball National Tournament, giving visiting families plenty of options for hotel and dining.
Spots still remain for the September 15th event and the fees include a video and profile on their website, www. JuCoRoute.com, along with college coach’s feedback.
“We are hoping to make Kansas an annual stop for our showcase. When you look at the Junior College products that came through the Jayhawk Conference such as former pro player Travis Hafner, who attended Cowley in Arkansas City, and current pro players out in San Diego in pitcher Matt Strahm and Chicago’s utilityman David Bote, both who are from Steve Murry’s Neosho County Community College baseball program, there are some programs here in the Sunflower state that have professional connections.”
Click on the banner below to find out more information, or to sign up, with JuCo Route
