SPRINGDALE — Haden Gilder spent much of January and February on the phone, making long-distance calls to other high school football coaches.
The Shiloh Christian offensive line coach had a list of top football teams from across the country that might be interested in playing in this week’s Southwest Elite 7-on-7 Showcase at Shiloh Christian.
By the time he was done, Gilder had narrowed his list to 32 schools from 10 states.
The 7-on-7 tournament will again have a deep talent pool to draw from, as it has grown in four years from a regional event to more of a national showcase for top recruits.
“One thing we did this year was we were a little bit more selective in our invitations,” said Gilder, who serves as the showcase’s tournament director.
“We targeted some of the bigger programs in Oklahoma and Arkansas. With the growth of our tournament, people have been interested in coming to us.”
In past years, Shiloh Christian has traveled to Hoover, Ala., to take part in the prestigious National Select 7-on-7 Championships. However, Gilder said Hoover contacted him about playing in the two-day tournament at Shiloh Christian.
Meanwhile, quarterbacks Rafe Peavey (Bolivar, Mo.) and Ty Storey (Charleston) — who have each committed to signing with Arkansas — will highlight a large crop of big-time recruits expected to take part in the showcase.
Pool play begins at 9 a.m. today at Champions Stadium and several fields around Shiloh Christian, and the championship game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday. A number of games will be broadcast live on elite7on7.com.
“You see top-quality quarterbacks and receivers, and you have to play really good defense. And if you make a mistake, it’s very glaring in 7-on-7,” said Rogers Heritage coach Perry Escalante, whose team is among several from Northwest Arkansas who’ll compete in the tournament.
“The stuff that we see and the level of competition and the type of athlete we see is so much higher on every down than you see week in and week out during the season.”
While the field for the Southwest Elite 7-on-7 Showcase will have only one more team than a year ago, Gilder said the level of competition has “dramatically increased.” The addition of several high-profile teams from outside of Arkansas helps.
Gilder said Derby, Kan., could prove to be a “sleeper” team with the help of four-star tight end Deandre Goolsby, who has offers from Arkansas and a number of other colleges.
Meanwhile, Olive Branch, Miss., will again play in the tournament after the 2010 champions didn’t take part in the event a year ago.
Olive Branch is the only team from outside of Northwest Arkansas to win the showcase. Fayetteville relied on the arm of current Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen to claim last year’s title.
“From the words I’m hearing from all the guys that run another tournament, Olive Branch is going to be one of the top dogs,” Gilder said. “Obviously, Hoover is always in the mix.”