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Too Late for College Recruiting?
Recently on Twitter, I saw an interesting question about college recruiting:
When is it too late to market a student-athlete?
This is an excellent question!
Even though I'm always hammering in the importance of starting early in the college recruiting articles at All About Fastpitch, the truth is, I believe that it's *almost* never too late.
I've seen high school GRADUATES secure a place to go to school and play their sport after graduation! Is that the ideal situation? Definitely not. Are your odds in that situation good? No, they are very, very, very slim. Most would say slim to none.
However, just because you didn't get started with marketing yourself as a student-athlete as early as you should of (even if you're downright late!), I don't think you should just give up.
You have to realize, though, that you have a LOT of work cut out for you.
Realize that it will NOT be an easy journey (heck most times it isn't easy even when you do start early). But if continuing to play softball after high school is something that you really want to do, dig in and starting learning about all the things you can do to make that a reality. *Then put her head down and plow toward that goal!
One thing I see that I just don't get is this:
"Late comers" who started the college recruiting process way later than they should have complaining about offers they get.
I understand that this may have been a dream of the student-athlete and their family for a long time. I know it can be extremely disappointing when the reality of "no scholarship" hits. HOWEVER, you have to remember than when your senior year in high school started (this is usually when I see this happen), you had no college to go to AND no option of playing softball after high school.
So, if somehow during your senior year, you get 1 or 2 schools showing interest, consider that a huge step up from where you were.
Too many times the student-athlete and family are at this point and they are all salty about schools offering them a spot on the team, but not having "softball money" for them. *The reality is that less than 1% of high school student-athletes receive an athletic scholarship.
Not having an athletic scholarship offer actually puts you in the overwhelming majority and reality of high school student-athletes. *It's not necessarily because you're not "worth it" or because you weren't "good enough." *It's a numbers game and it's a marketing/preparedness game too. *Often times those who are the most prepared and those who put the most in, get the most out of their college recruiting journey. *If you were unprepared or didn't put much in (didn't do much marketing), you're automatically at a big disadvantage.
But I'm getting a little off track here. *Back to the topic at hand - getting offers to play at schools that don't have money?
IF, and this is a very important IF, these schools have other attributes you like besides a softball program (i.e. they actually offer the area of study you are interested in, they are actually located in an area you wouldn't mind going to school, the environment at the school is one that you'd be comfortable in, etc, etc, etc), then you should seriously think about these schools as an option - even if there is no "softball money" attached.
Think about it?Any other school you choose has:
1.no softball money for you AND
2.no softball for you either!
When your senior year began, you were looking at having to pay for college anyway AND you didn't even have anyone offering you the opportunity to continue playing softball.
So yes, while it may not be your ultimate "dream" situation of*being at an upper level softball program on a full ride, you DO now have the option to:
1.continue your education at a place that has other attributes you were looking for
2.keep playing a game you love
3.possibly work your way into some "softball money" down the road
But, and goes along with that very important IF I talked about earlier - IF the schools giving you the possibility of playing softball have NOTHING else you like or want in a school, keep looking, keep searching, and find a better fit - even if it means that softball *may not* be a possibility.
It hurts to say this, but the reality is that if the school you choose has nothing besides softball that you want, chances are quite high that you will quit playing before your 1st season there is done AND with that comes the increased likelihood that you'll also quit going to the school as well. *Now where does that leave you? *You are better off choosing a school you WANT to be at regardless of the softball issue (this is true even when you are going to be playing softball at the college level).
Comments on Too Late for College Recruiting? ?
February 18, 2010
Jennifer Gonzalez
I've been playing softball all my life and i haven't looked at any schools for softball beacuse i cant afford college. But i would love to play college softball ball i worked on my skills since i was 8 years old. Here i am now a senior in high school Knowing everything i need to know about softball I love the sport and i would love it to be a part of me forever!
Reply
Lou Frontero
At what age do you think you should start being recruited? What to do to be noticed, besides being an all-star?
Reply
Bryan Hartley, Softball Coach at Waycross College
The points in the article above are so true. There are many great athletes that are deserving of scholarship money yet find themselves un-signed late in their Senior year. It is important for these athletes not to define their self-worth solely on receiving an athletic scholarship. More importantly athletes need to focus on playing for the love of the game. As for Jennifer's comment, there are many other options available to fund college expenses such as financial aid grants, student loans, and/or academic scholarships. The key is not to give up, keep working to find the right fit for your educational and athletic desires.
Reply
Coach Bob
Be careful of what you ask for! Most people don't even understand what playing on a scholarship means. It means four hour practices, seven days a week, perhaps only to sit the bench. Playing a grueling 70 game schedule with long travel time. Only carrying 12 credits a semester in the spring, so you can't graduate in 4 years. Not being able to take a major where pm labs or mandatory OJT (like student teaching) is required. Having no social life or free time and much more. Playing on a sports scholarship is a job. It's not all glory and fun. I have two daughters who both played in college. One on a sports scholarship and one on a academic scholarship and have coached HS and college softball for years. I encourage gifted girls to take academic scholarships and grants over sports scholarships every time. Div III schools are often the best academic schools and many have scholarship money. They are limited to 40 games a season, most double headers, so you are playing basically a HS schedule. Practices are usually limited to two hours five or six days a week. My youngest daughter, a pitcher, was recruited by six major Div I colleges, which would have been full rides. She accepted a Div III academic scholarship and was ranked sixth in the Nation. She had a wonderful college experience. Her softball experience helped her get accepted over other applicants. She went on to medical school after four years. Many players who are pushed into softball scholarship positions quit after one or two years. This often results in them quiting college as well. Stacie's comments are right on. Choose a college you love and meets your academic needs first. Then look at the softball program. Take the time to learn about Div I, II and III programs. Check out community colleges as well, for your start.
Coach Bob
Too Late for College Recruiting?
Recently on Twitter, I saw an interesting question about college recruiting:
When is it too late to market a student-athlete?
This is an excellent question!
Even though I'm always hammering in the importance of starting early in the college recruiting articles at All About Fastpitch, the truth is, I believe that it's *almost* never too late.
I've seen high school GRADUATES secure a place to go to school and play their sport after graduation! Is that the ideal situation? Definitely not. Are your odds in that situation good? No, they are very, very, very slim. Most would say slim to none.
However, just because you didn't get started with marketing yourself as a student-athlete as early as you should of (even if you're downright late!), I don't think you should just give up.
You have to realize, though, that you have a LOT of work cut out for you.
Realize that it will NOT be an easy journey (heck most times it isn't easy even when you do start early). But if continuing to play softball after high school is something that you really want to do, dig in and starting learning about all the things you can do to make that a reality. *Then put her head down and plow toward that goal!
One thing I see that I just don't get is this:
"Late comers" who started the college recruiting process way later than they should have complaining about offers they get.
I understand that this may have been a dream of the student-athlete and their family for a long time. I know it can be extremely disappointing when the reality of "no scholarship" hits. HOWEVER, you have to remember than when your senior year in high school started (this is usually when I see this happen), you had no college to go to AND no option of playing softball after high school.
So, if somehow during your senior year, you get 1 or 2 schools showing interest, consider that a huge step up from where you were.
Too many times the student-athlete and family are at this point and they are all salty about schools offering them a spot on the team, but not having "softball money" for them. *The reality is that less than 1% of high school student-athletes receive an athletic scholarship.
Not having an athletic scholarship offer actually puts you in the overwhelming majority and reality of high school student-athletes. *It's not necessarily because you're not "worth it" or because you weren't "good enough." *It's a numbers game and it's a marketing/preparedness game too. *Often times those who are the most prepared and those who put the most in, get the most out of their college recruiting journey. *If you were unprepared or didn't put much in (didn't do much marketing), you're automatically at a big disadvantage.
But I'm getting a little off track here. *Back to the topic at hand - getting offers to play at schools that don't have money?
IF, and this is a very important IF, these schools have other attributes you like besides a softball program (i.e. they actually offer the area of study you are interested in, they are actually located in an area you wouldn't mind going to school, the environment at the school is one that you'd be comfortable in, etc, etc, etc), then you should seriously think about these schools as an option - even if there is no "softball money" attached.
Think about it?Any other school you choose has:
1.no softball money for you AND
2.no softball for you either!
When your senior year began, you were looking at having to pay for college anyway AND you didn't even have anyone offering you the opportunity to continue playing softball.
So yes, while it may not be your ultimate "dream" situation of*being at an upper level softball program on a full ride, you DO now have the option to:
1.continue your education at a place that has other attributes you were looking for
2.keep playing a game you love
3.possibly work your way into some "softball money" down the road
But, and goes along with that very important IF I talked about earlier - IF the schools giving you the possibility of playing softball have NOTHING else you like or want in a school, keep looking, keep searching, and find a better fit - even if it means that softball *may not* be a possibility.
It hurts to say this, but the reality is that if the school you choose has nothing besides softball that you want, chances are quite high that you will quit playing before your 1st season there is done AND with that comes the increased likelihood that you'll also quit going to the school as well. *Now where does that leave you? *You are better off choosing a school you WANT to be at regardless of the softball issue (this is true even when you are going to be playing softball at the college level).
Comments on Too Late for College Recruiting? ?
February 18, 2010
Jennifer Gonzalez
I've been playing softball all my life and i haven't looked at any schools for softball beacuse i cant afford college. But i would love to play college softball ball i worked on my skills since i was 8 years old. Here i am now a senior in high school Knowing everything i need to know about softball I love the sport and i would love it to be a part of me forever!
Reply
Lou Frontero
At what age do you think you should start being recruited? What to do to be noticed, besides being an all-star?
Reply
Bryan Hartley, Softball Coach at Waycross College
The points in the article above are so true. There are many great athletes that are deserving of scholarship money yet find themselves un-signed late in their Senior year. It is important for these athletes not to define their self-worth solely on receiving an athletic scholarship. More importantly athletes need to focus on playing for the love of the game. As for Jennifer's comment, there are many other options available to fund college expenses such as financial aid grants, student loans, and/or academic scholarships. The key is not to give up, keep working to find the right fit for your educational and athletic desires.
Reply
Coach Bob
Be careful of what you ask for! Most people don't even understand what playing on a scholarship means. It means four hour practices, seven days a week, perhaps only to sit the bench. Playing a grueling 70 game schedule with long travel time. Only carrying 12 credits a semester in the spring, so you can't graduate in 4 years. Not being able to take a major where pm labs or mandatory OJT (like student teaching) is required. Having no social life or free time and much more. Playing on a sports scholarship is a job. It's not all glory and fun. I have two daughters who both played in college. One on a sports scholarship and one on a academic scholarship and have coached HS and college softball for years. I encourage gifted girls to take academic scholarships and grants over sports scholarships every time. Div III schools are often the best academic schools and many have scholarship money. They are limited to 40 games a season, most double headers, so you are playing basically a HS schedule. Practices are usually limited to two hours five or six days a week. My youngest daughter, a pitcher, was recruited by six major Div I colleges, which would have been full rides. She accepted a Div III academic scholarship and was ranked sixth in the Nation. She had a wonderful college experience. Her softball experience helped her get accepted over other applicants. She went on to medical school after four years. Many players who are pushed into softball scholarship positions quit after one or two years. This often results in them quiting college as well. Stacie's comments are right on. Choose a college you love and meets your academic needs first. Then look at the softball program. Take the time to learn about Div I, II and III programs. Check out community colleges as well, for your start.
Coach Bob
