E-mailing college coaches

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Which makes me wonder, would a coach ever say to a kid, "I appreciate your interest in our program and the fact that you send me your schedule every week, but my recommendation to you is that you focus your efforts elsewhere." Or anything like that. Will a school ever come out and say to a kid - "You are barking up the wrong tree."?

Yes. DD received an email back that simply said:

Thank you for your email and interest in our university. At this point we are not looking for players of your position/class. We wish you the best of luck with your search!

Not good to hear, but at least an honest answer so she could move on.
 

FP1088

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Which makes me wonder, would a coach ever say to a kid, "I appreciate your interest in our program and the fact that you send me your schedule every week, but my recommendation to you is that you focus your efforts elsewhere." Or anything like that. Will a school ever come out and say to a kid - "You are barking up the wrong tree."?

Yes. My daughter was actually at a camp (D1 MAC school) that had been following her for over a year. The head coach pulled her aside and said, "Listen, you're a great kid but I just don't have a place for you on my roster." It was the hardest 2 hour drive home. But once it wore off we were thankful the coach told us.
 

Stedman00

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had coach at D1 school come over to DD last January at conclusion at camp and exact words, "I'd love to come watch you play, but I'm done looking at 2019's already."
 

DanMaz

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covid china kung flu did not help a lot of girls the last year or so and moving forward and trying to get recruited. A lot of girls are getting extra years to play a 5th or even 6th year in college. So that right there throws a wrench in the recruiting world for those classes. Keep grinding it out! Do your work and then do it again. Find a school you like first because of the school and what they offer academically before softball and then you can focus on the schools that will be best for your future.
 

2ndTimer

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STEP 1:
Know your SKILLS and have them ranked/measured by respected Professional Services (OnDeck, TPR, SCOUT,.......) where there is non-biased measurements and assessments of your skills that will give College Coaches and Idea of what level you are capable of competing at along with an overal Skills ranking that shows where you stack up nationally. Please know if you are not in the top 3-5% Natoinally, that is a sign that at that point, your SKILLS are not on par with D1 recruiting. Not to say there aren't kids that are FLAT OUT PLAYERS with low skill measurements that seemingly always make the routine play and find a way to always hit .3oo but those kids have to be seen at games/FOUND opposed to HIGH SKILLED kids being chased by coaches.

Overhand throw=
Home to 1b =
Home to Home=
Pitching Speeds =
Bat Speed =
Ball exist Speeds =

Have SOLID Hitting, Pitching, and/or Defense videos ready to go so you can share in STEP 2 in Introduction Email to College Coaches. Showing Uncut video of 5-10 Swings on Inside, Outaside, high, low pitches is gold if hitter can hit each pitch (Front Toss) exactly where it's pitched showing Load/Lag/Whip/Extension all tracking to where ball is pitched being SHORT TO IT & LONG THROUGH IT. #1 way to get any coach to want to come see you play. Game Video verse HIGH END COMPETITION always helps.

STEP 2:
" Introduction Email: State all that Coach Joe and others mention, GPA, Why you like the School in question, if there's things that Coaching Staff does that appeal to you/dd, and your schedules with all the details Coach Joe advises (GPA, SAT Scores, Summer / Fall Schedules, your #, Accolades/awards received from Travel, High School both softball and academic, Service/Community stuff, paint a full picture of WHO YOU ARE.


Step 3: Assuming Coaches come to see you play, Must follow-up and ask for feedback on your performance and whether they see you as a fit for your recruiting class and advise that you are looking forward to attending their upcoming CAMP/CLINICs to get to know them and their program if they see a potential fit. MUST GET THEM ON THE HOOK early advising they like what they saw or find out you are wasting your time. Always share who else is recruiting you. It's JUST LIKE FISHING. Anytime other boats see a fish caught MORE BOATS(coaches) SHOW UP.

If Positive Response to above and they INVITE or encourage you to camp/clinic, take the next step and CALL THE COACH to thank them and start to develop the relationship as they will get to hear you communicate and your personality, accountability, leadership, humor, ..... through the phone. PRACTICE on Coaches/ Schools that are not in your top 10 to get used to talking to coaches. BEST TIME TO CALL is a Monday morning around 9:00am, as they are fresh of the recruiting from weekend and great way to get yourself back to top of their minds, especially if they came to see you. Start having conversations more from a personal level to get to know each other. Their philosophy and style and discern whether it's a fit. Do you like Hard Ass old school coaches that are in your face with accountability, or are you liking the Coaches promoting FAMILY and being your friend? Beware of Coaches that show little to no interest in developing you as a HUMAN, as they are telling you they are not capable of helping you mature. and from experience view their position simply as a job.

Step 4: Attend College Camps/Clinics, if affordable at least 3 from each level of target school. LEt them know you would like to spend time with them post camp on tour and sit down to get to know them. If you perform well , they will roll out the red carpet and potentially start talking about $$$, but not always, but should not leave until you know exactly where you stack up with all other recruits.

DREAM SCHOOLS Maybe only 1 of these as initial focus to get feedback on whether you truly hang with that level Top 25s - 50s
GLOVE FIT SCHOOLS - At Least 3-5.......Whatever these are, (Student Size, Roster, Rural, Urban, Regional Geography- weather, ....)
FALL BACK SCHOOL - Depending on Feedbacks above , adjust approprlatey... (Grades and Skills are at tops for these schools Whether D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JUCO......

Step 5: Follow-up IMMEDIATELY post CAMP/CLINIC , ONSITE to get Coaches assessment and exactly where you are in their recruiting process. If onsite follow-up is not possible, then call them on the following Monday and actually ask, Am I top 3, 5, 10. Make them TELL YOU exactly where you are so you can KNOW if continuing relationship is appropriate in regards to other schools and where you are with them. It's always helpfull to get the FIRST COACH to say, yes, we LOVE you and see you in our TOP 3. That is something you can share with other Coaches that in your TOP3-5 that you have other schools placing you in their top 3.... MOTIVATES THEM and VALIDATES you as a solid recruit.


NOTE: This formula provided my two daughters over 20 Scholarships combined with 5 FULL rides, 5-6 between 85%-95%, and the rest falling between 35%-75% offers from SEC, ACC, Big10, MAC, SunBelt, Big South, Summit conferences. Not to say this is the only way, but sharing with other's exactly what worked for us. Playing for High Profile teams helped but we turned down playing for Beverly Bandits, NJ Intensity, other TOP Teams in country as we didn't need those pipelines, or costs that many chase for recruiting and were competing in the same tournaments so it is completely feasible to NOT have to play for those highest end teams chasing recruiting if you and your DD know what work is required and how to go about it.
 

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