D3 please explain

[wannaplaysb]

Are there bonuses for bringing in girls to the school via the softball team? How many? And what do you do when they get there?

I personally have watched many coaches acting like they are recruiting. Then what?

A D3 player absolutely wants to play out her last four years. With no $$ it's a balance. And are usually the top market in grades. But I'm confused on what the coaches expect when these same players have class. Btw... my dd is not able to play this year since she transferred in conference. But I witnessed a D1 player get cut from a MAC school and play under scholarship at another D1..

 

[lewam3]

Wannplay-
I detect maybe 5 different themes in your question and am not sure what you need explained.
d3 coaching recruiting
d3 bonuses- how many
D3 player expectations
DD transferring in conference
D1 getting cut and getting a scholy at another school in another conference

 

[wannaplaysb]

Very good. Yes lots of questions.
#1 what is the kickback for D3 coaches or their program on girls coming in as "recruits"
# 2 how much goes to the program for x# of girls coming in. How much to the team funds for said girl going to the program.
#3 what are the coaches stipend if they bring in x# of players.
# not mentioned...how can a girl get cut for discipline reasons from a D1 program and transfer to a D1 program and get $$? But D3 without any money have to sit a year? (Not disciplined... just a transfer)

Just wondering the mix at this level. And the reality. Hope this is clear

 

[Bullbuck]

Very good. Yes lots of questions.
#1 what is the kickback for D3 coaches or their program on girls coming in as "recruits"
# 2 how much goes to the program for x# of girls coming in. How much to the team funds for said girl going to the program.
#3 what are the coaches stipend if they bring in x# of players.
# not mentioned...how can a girl get cut for discipline reasons from a D1 program and transfer to a D1 program and get $$? But D3 without any money have to sit a year? (Not disciplined... just a transfer)

Just wondering the mix at this level. And the reality. Hope this is clear

Wannaplaysb, as to your first 3 questions, I think the combined answer is that D3 coaches in any sport have a target number of athletes that they need to bring in each year. I doubt the coaches (or the team in general) get a bonus per se, but it is a part of the coaches job description to supplement the rolls of the university student body in general by bringing in "athletes". It's why D3 football programs like Mount Union have 150+ players on them between the varsity and freshman squads. It is assumed that a substantial percentage of players will drop from the athletic team each year, but remain at the school. In other words, a certain percentage of recruits are brought on the team with no intention of actually contributing athletically. They are there to generate revenue for the school.

 

[coachjwb]

Cleveland State by the way is also a D1 program. I'm not an expert by any means but I've not heard that D3 coaches get a bonus for bringing in players ... my guess is that if they want to keep their jobs, that they need to do so ... but they're also doing it because they want to have successful programs, and thereby keep their jobs or build a resume to eventually enable them to coach at bigger schools where they can make more money doing it. As for grades, I would wager to say the requirements are less at D3 schools than D1 schools, of course depending on the school's admission requirements, but a D1 coach has a lot more on the line if a student athlete comes in under an athletic scholarship and then can't play or drops out because of grades.

 

[manitoudan]

Didnt read every response but one comment I'd make is not only is the team picking up a player with every addition but maybe more importantly the school is getting another paying member . Schools want students about any way they can get them.

 

[manitoudan]

we see teams in our NAIA conference carrying 30-35 - 40 players counting JV squads .

 

[JoeA1010]

With the number of players being brought in, it's all school-specific. Many D3 schools and NAIAs, as well as some D2 schools, are driving enrollment through athletics, and otherwise won't stay afloat. As a result, many softball coaches are being told they need to bring in 10-15 girls per year or lose their jobs. I know of two schools that pay or used to pay their coaches a $500 bonus once they get past a tenth recruit in a given year, up to 15 or 20 recruits. This is also why we are seeing so many D3 schools making big improvements in facilities, in a bid to help with enrollment. Adrian College now has bass fishing, bowling and rowing to help drive enrollment. All are low-cost sports.

With the transfer rules, they differ for each division of NCAA and they differ for different conferences. Also, if the school a girl is departing from gives a release, the player will typically be immediately eligible. So any question on this topic must include the specific facts to get to an answer.

As far as expectations from D3 coaches, that varies quite a bit. D3 is supposed to be about the entire college experience, but I'm guessing Mt. Union football, Kenyon swimming, etc., set some pretty high expectations. NCAA rules limit what coaches can expect, assuming the rules are followed. But this question also will depend upon each individual school and coach.

 

[Louuuuu]

That was a very good question.

When Louuuuuise was playing D3 ball, I saw girls on the team who, in my opinion, shouldn't have put on the uniform, as they had very limited skills. I never even considered the fact that coaches might be padding the enrollment stats. ('Kind of rotten, though. The schools are turning away some deserving non-athletes in the process.)

 

[MCS21]

D3 schools do carry a large roster because the turnover rate is so high from year to year. Most D3 schools carry a roster of 30-35 girls, thats including JV. And the majority of their roster are Freshman and Sophomores. But when these girls become Seniors there are only about 4-5 left. D3 does offer grants to the kids they recruit and get to come. It's not much but it helps. But the girls eventually decide they don't want to put all the time in and only play 50% of the time or they get bumped out of their starting position by a younger girl. As far as transfers go I believe anytime you move to a higher division like D3 to D2 you have to sit out a year, this doesnt apply for JUCO to NCAA D1-3. And if you stay in Division or bump down there is no sit time. And after talking to some D2 coaches, their university allows them so many equivalencies in scholarships to hand out but they also require them to have so many non-scholarship athletes on their team. So when coaches recruit their athletes they may find a girl who is good enough to play at that level but is not a priority signee, so they offer them a walk-on spot. I feel bad for D3 coaches. It's not a job I would want. You continuously recruit kids that you would love to have in your program but continuously lose them to other D3 or D2 schools. I can't even imagine what they start with as target kids in a sophomore class of high schoolers, hoping to get 7-8 girls.

 

[coachjwb]

My experience is that most D3 schools don't have that many players ... I know some do, but I don't think most. The school where my daughter played never had more than 20 and was usually around 15, and I always looked at the rosters of the other schools in the OAC, and I can only think of one that was in the mid to high 20s. Agree that there is a high turnover rate. My daughter was the only one in her class to play all 4 years.