What is the difference between a college camp and a showcase?

It is important to understand the differences between college camps and showcases. Showcases are often held by organizations that are not associated with any specific school. Their goal is to attract college coaches to attend their event to scout student-athletes. Showcases can promote that colleges will be at their event, but there is no guarantee that the coaches will be in attendance. NCAA schools are not allowed to interact with student-athletes at a showcase. Their only interaction can come after the event. Most showcases often have the same format; which is a basic skill workout and then possibly a showcase game or set of games. Some showcase organizations will post results from the showcase afterwards to their website and make them nationally accessible. Showcase events will vary in size, class year, and some showcases will be invite only.

Camps, on the other hand, vary quite a bit depending on who is running the event. There are two most common types of camps; camps run by specific colleges, and outside organizations that bring colleges in to work their event. The format for either of these types of camps will vary; they can be single day camps, multiple day camps, have an instructional period, skill workouts, and game format.

A camp that is hosted by a specific college can vary in style and who is in attendance for those camps. Some bigger college camps will bring in coaches from other colleges to help work the camp, and those coaches are paid for their attendance. These camps can often have 100-300 student-athletes from all different classes in attendance. Smaller college camps will often be more exclusive to just their coaching staff. These camps are often smaller in attendance, and there is more personal interaction with the coaching staff. 

College camps that are run by outside organizations are camps that companies will run where they pay college coaches to come and be in attendance at their camp. Often time; the coaches in attendance at these camps will be the volunteer or lowest paid assistant. On occasion, there will be a recruiting coordinator or head coach in attendance. These camps will bring in anywhere from 10-30 college coaches, sometimes even more, and provide a guaranteed opportunity to be exposed to many different colleges at one time. They are a highly popular choice to maximize recruiting exposure in a select region.