For Basketball folk-
@reggiecleveland can maybe answer this best.... what is the year round cost to "get noticed" ? And does a kid from Podunk (State/Territory/Province) have a chance to "make it" if they can't afford to showcase their talents?
Short answer. I can get a talented kid noticed with an animated GIF.
Direct answer, and you can skip my detailed answers below. For a kid to get skilled enough to have chance he should play in the summer, and that goes 300-1000 a summer. Probably by sophomore year he needs to be playing hoops all year. There are lots of really good people that don't charge anything. Most teams though are funded by middle class parents, who often cover costs for other kids. The non paying kids, sadly need to be talented, most of the time. Mostly really good people, honestly helping kids. But there are teams with 18 kids dressed where the coach takes an "honorarium" and some kids are paying twice as much as others, and hardly playing. But, generally talent leaps out and kids get noticed. My kid played summer ball for 4 years but got noticed and recruited during highschool. The summer ball helped him improve. '
Getting noticed' is a farce IMHO. If a kid can play somebody will find him. Physical talent is the separator. I am pretty sure the USA is similar, except many more serious coaches, many levels, younger ages.
Just read the first paragraph for the brief answer, below lie details!!!
Covid has me delaying my retirement options. But, for years I have resisted taking the money people want to throw at me and other coaches to get their kid to the next level. Part of it is moral, most kids don't have the talent. But, after thousands of hours coaching for free, or not much, I am (probably) ready to cash in. But, generally talent gets found. For example I am about as low as you be in pro basketball coaching, assistant summer league, older guy not interested in being career coach, etc. But, I get yearly contacts from a few agents (usually questions about a guy playing in this college conference) college coaches, Juco guys, etc. In return I talk to elementry PE teachers, coaches, guys who run summer camps, asking about stud athletes. My, end mostly wanting to find kids spots, with good guys on summer teams.
But most of the time it flows up. You have a player, know a player, you contact the coach. Good coaches cultivate contacts they trust. This is usually the calls I get, coaches that trust me ask about a kid they heard about. There are times I contact a college coach, 'Hey this kid's parents want to play at your school, here's a film, looking at your roster, not sure he can make it, but here you go.' Tons of resentment over recruitment. I will hear, "Reggie got this kid a workout but not my kid!" when one kid was just better. Since I am back in highschool, college guys that know me, assume if I don't tell them about a kid he is not a prospect. This is lazy. As a college coach we asked everyone every year. We didn't have a tryout we had a week long workout with out of province guys in for a weekend. If nothing else there are dedicated coaches doing this. Send the kid there to get noticed.
I am out of the loop with the USA recently, but athleticism and talent get noticed. Look at Jalen Brown, not considered a college superstar but Danny recognized his physical ability was NBA elite and spent a lotto pick on an all star.
There are measurables that get players noticed. My son threw a certain speed on a baseball trip to Arizona as a 15 year old that we had JUCOs in the USA send us form letters. Kids throwing more strikes at the same speed, NCAA emails, the kid that threw in the 80s got a phonecall. The lefty threw strikes in the 80s got invites to camps.
Hoops size ("length" is the new jargon, in part because people want the next KD more than the next Shaq) gets you noticed. If you are not 6'2 you better be a rocket. But if you are a rocket (extreme speed quickness) you can be small. I coach a Sophomore about 5'9 that coaches already want. Lightning. Just leaps off the film. Can you dunk? really short list for next level hoops. Only 1 is about skill.
Rockets
Dunkers
Over 6'6
Everyone wants bigs. There are just fewer 6'9+ guys, and everybody wants 3 or 4 on their team. As a young smartass highschool coach I made up a fictional kid 'Smokey' for tournament programs. 6'8 freshman grew an inch each year. When I got to the tournament I told people he was being disciplined. He went from 18ppg, 10 rpg, to 37/20 as a 6'11 Sr. But always skipped school, swore at teacher, punched a cop, etc. Never made the trip. Spring of his fictional Sr year my phone rings, 'Hey coach this is _______________ San Diego State, now I understand Big Smokey has had his troubles, but the Aztecs believe in 2nd chances, and would like to contact him." I mean he was in a program at Moose Jaw Saskatchewan and they found him.
Generally throwing money at getting kids recognized is a fool's errand. If money mattered most of the NCAA, NBA wouldn't be black kids. Lots of people thinking the constant competition is bad for kids. But talent always wins. I coach a Jamaican kid that is 7th Day Adventist . No Friday, Saturday before sundown hoops. Never any summer ball. Every time I send a film out coaches ask me about him. Just superior athlete. There are kids, athletic kids, that have played 500 games of summer ball, parents have dropped 10 grand on basketball. Good players. Not wanted.