Hi, my name is Chad Durbin. I’m a current Major League pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. I’m also Co-Founder of Showcase U and I couldn’t be more excited about the public launch. The credit for the idea of the site goes to my business partner and Co-Founder, Jake Chapman, who came to me with a mental picture of what we could create for parents, student-athletes, coaches, and more…that idea is now Showcase U. We plan to provide as many resources as possible to help everyone involved in the recruiting process. That being said, this site is built to grow through influence from our community, advice from key board members, and research from the Showcase U staff. We are open to suggestions and plan to keep adjusting to our customer’s wants and needs.
Talk about being excited, I’m very excited for what Showcase U can and will do. I wish something like this was available while I was going through the recruiting process. Let’s put it this way, from a student-athlete’s viewpoint on getting better and recruiting, I didn’t know:
• what to eat
• how to eat
• how to train
• who to call
• where to be
• what was possible
• what GPA was needed
• what SAT/ACT score was acceptable
• what was legal
• how confused my parents were
It was a bit of a zoo…and maybe that’s the way the coaches liked it, who knows?? Now that the power of the internet and passing of information is easier, resources are readily available to help with the process. Our nutrition section should help with what and how to eat according to how athlete’s train. It is very important for recovery to eat quality foods at the right times of the day. We let the experts be the experts on this one, check out our section on Nutrition. Some of the answers on strength training and conditioning can be found in that area of the site. The enormous strides I made once I entered professional baseball were hard to wrap my brain around, but the right diet and exercise took me to new levels.
On the academic side of things, we’ve partnered with a company, GradeCheck, that will provide answers to many questions on eligibility, SAT/ACT testing, GPA, and resources available to reach an eligible status. Additional partnerships and affiliations should provide more options and resources as we grow. For many parents, student-athletes, and coaches…this obstacle can be very difficult.
My parents weren’t ignorant to the recruiting process, but the amount of information available definitely wasn’t what it is today. I’m confident Showcase U is going to make a positive impact on anyone who takes part in the online resource.
Thanks and let’s talk soon!