College Visit

[softballmom12]

When meeting with a college coach what are some important questions we should ask/discuss?Daughter has her first visit in a few weeks just want to make sure we have everything covered.

 

[WalkOffHR]

The less the parents say the better. I'm not trying to be a jerk either, in my opinion it's true. The coach and player need to bond and your DD has to feel comfortable with her or him. Quite honestly a lot of questions can be answered by researching the program. Look up the team rosters and see how much playing time freshmen get on average. See if there are barely any Seniors or Juniors on the roster. Check out the players bios to see the calibre of players. Read about the assistant coaches.

More than likely toward the end the coach will ask the parents if they have questions. You could ask about fundraising responsibilities (yep, lots of programs have them). Housing. Meal plans. Practice times. Study tables, etc.

But above all its time for DD to demonstrate her maturity. Let her handle as much of the conversation as possible.

 

[fmr_sparty]

When meeting with a college coach what are some important questions we should ask/discuss?Daughter has her first visit in a few weeks just want to make sure we have everything covered.

I agree with the last post- you want to make sure your daughter handles the questions and does the talking. I assume the coach has seen her play, so its perfectly fine to ask questions like, where do you see me fitting into the roster, do I have a shot at competing for a starting job right away or will I need to develop for a year or two? Ask the coach how she defines progress and success- for the team and individuals.

I would not overlook the coach's philosophy on balancing academics and practice schedules. If your daughter is doing a challenging major (engineering, sciences, nursing, etc.), is the coach flexible or will practice always come first?

Finally, make sure your daughter gets to spend more than 15 minutes with some players. And hopefully they are not the two top studs on the team. What was the coach like during your recruitment and was there any difference when you start playing for them? How does the coach relate to players- is everyone treated the same or do they try to get to know you personally? If there is player with a similar major, what are the challenges in balancing softball with the class schedules?

 

[DougL]

Congrat's! Hope this helps http://www.ohiohawks.com/RecruitingGuide/

 

[Fairman]

This is your dd's college visit not yours.
Meet the coach, shake hands and then disappear.
She'll call you when she's done.

You raised a strong, athletic, independent, smart young women trust her.

 

[travelinmom]

We went on 2 actual meet the coach and see the campus visits before doing the overnight experience at her top choice. DD did the talking/questioning, I tagged along only because the coach invited me to. I listened to their exchange and saved my questions for when the coach asked if I had any.
DD's questions (to the best of my memory from over 2 years ago):
What is the practice schedule off season and during season?
What is the conditioning/weight lifting regimen for players? Does it vary for pitchers?
Do pitchers get to hit and/or play other positions? How is playing time determined?
Do players have to run a mile under a certain time?
Is there a certain bat that players are expected to use? Is mine okay?
Can I wear white cleats or is black expected?
Is there a certain time expectation at study tables?
Does the coach help students get tests/assignments moved while traveling during season?

This is a D3 school so we were not talking scholarships for playing so I did want to know about our financial obligation for team expenses. Coach asks for $150/player to cover food while on the road during the season and there are a couple of fundraisers to help cover spring break costs. Team spirit wear is an additional cost. All said, it costs about almost as much to play there as it does a summer travel team. I asked about the coach's involvment in monitoring student grades.

 

[Hilliarddad3]

And there is nothing wrong with your daughter writing her questions down on a pad and bringing it. you She is interviewing the staff as well........ You are paying for the education so nothing wrong with being prepared.......