Opinions on college recruitment

[default]

What are some opinions on the best way to get players recruited to play college ball. .What are some of the success stories that got a player recruited? Are camps and clinics more important or showcase tournaments? I know grades and talent have to be there ,but what methods work best?

 

[default]

writing the college coachs and sending them your schedule for summer and
going to good college showcase tournaments. Also attending the queen of diamonds north and
south. You have to sell yourself. let them know where you will be to be seen.
if your really interested in a certain school then go to their camp.

 

[default]

Hermom hit it on the head. ? Cassie Cunningham Head coach at Ohio Wesyleyan took time at ?a recent camp to ?cover this subject in detail with handouts and open discussion with parents.

1, Resume to that college coach. Just like Hermon stated with your schedule.
2. Take the SAT as many times as you can , since they take the highest score for that section.
3. They can only attend travel ball games, so its important they get to see you play.
4. Camps. Attend them and let them know who you are. ?
5. TEAM-attitude. They are looking for kids that what to be part of a team and how you act on the field.
She gave us examples of good resume's. ?

 

[default]

Right on Hermom. Her daughter signed at a great school this fall. She knows what she is talking about.

Don't just contact the coaches once. Many players do that. Keep them updated, at least every few months. During the winter, my daughter sends an email toward the end of the winter to tell the coaches what clinics she attended and any tournaments she played in, along with one or two good things she did in the tournaments. She also includes a copy of her high school schedule.

During high school she emails half way through the season with her highlights of the season so far and includes her summer schedule if she hasn't already sent it. At the end of the season she emails a summary of the season and includes a schedule of games at her next tournament.

During the summer after every tournament she emails her tournament results along with game schedule for the next tournament. If she doesn't have the schedule, sometimes she emails a second time with a schedule.

At the end of the summer she emails her fall schedule along with a summary of the summer.

She also includes at some point in her emails a player profile and a link to her skills video. She also mails her video and player profile if requested.

Now this is more than most players do, but when my daughter attends camps, they know her by name. Last fall she went to a camp where only prospective players were invited. The coach told her that she was the only one she felt like she knew because my daughter sent so many emails. She really liked it.

Some coaches don't like emails, so sometimes my daughter will send a postcard, either of a photo of herself playing softball or of a place they visited while at a tournament. The coaches like creativity.

If your daughter is interested in a school, be sure to have her complete the online recruitment form. It shows the coach that she is interested.

 

[default]

The SAT test does NOT really matter, It is the ACT test that matters most if going to a college in OHIO. If attending out-of-state college then the SAT test becomes a little more important.


My 2 cents worth....

1) Let the coaches know when and where you play (tournaments and dates) if you already know times and field location add that.

2) Teams MUST attend tournaments that college coaches are going to be. If that means showcases, so be it.

3) Camps and clinics during the Fall and Winter a great too. That gives college coaches a chance to see your daughter up close and get to know them on an individual basis.

4) Take the ACT test starting as a freshmen no later than a sophomore and take it as many times as possible until you get your higest score.

5) Coaches DO watch you warm-up, play in a game, how you react to situations in a game, how you take to your coach(es), how you talk to your parents or treat your parents, how players interact with other players on YOUR team and on OTHER teams, Coaches DON'T want OVERBEARING parents.... Trust me, I've seen coach and talked to coaches that have been turned off to players because of PARENTS.

6) Have a video handy in case a college requests one. Don't waste your money by sending them to everyone, ONLY send it if they request one.

7) DON'T harass coaches at tournaments....They act uninterested or even rude at times because they are NOT allowed to talk to parents between certain dates and until your daughters team has been eliminated from that tournament you are attending. Don't take it personal.....It's the NCAA rules....Not the coaches rules.

8) If you are interested in a school... YOU must contact them! If your daughter is not past her JUNIOR year in school they CAN NOT talk to them OFF campus....BUT on their campus after YOU contacted them to set up an "Un-Official Visit" they can then talk to them ALL day long. After her JUNIOR year a coach is NOW able to approach your daughter and officially "Recruit" them to a college.

BEST of LUCK!!! It's a game that there are NO rules printed for us coaches and parents to KNOW how to "play the game".


Jamie Wolff

 

[default]

luvthegame & wolfpack are right on with great advise - Let me add a couple more

1) Your travel ball coach can play a big role - for example, your travel ball coach attending "coaches clinics" sends a message to college coaches that they're serious about being sound coaches. Your travel ball coach's "Networking" skills can really help as well.

2) Even if you don't want to go to a particular college ( ie..they don't have your major or they're deep at your position ) go to there camp/clinic anyway - college coaches want the kids to be successful so they do talk to each other about players.

 

[default]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[default]

Only disagreement I have with any of the above is I would have dd send skill videos to universities in which she is interested (assuming you're talking a reasonable number of schools) regardless of whether a video has been requested. It's not that expensive these days to burn copies of a skill dvd and, particularly if dd is looking to attend college out-of-state, an unsolicited dvd may be the best shot she has to get on the coach's radar screen.

 

[default]

I'm trying to get a handle on how many girls are actually getting scholarships to play. How many girls are getting full rides or partial aid? An earlier subject began to address this but ended after only about 5 girls were listed. Surely more then 5 girls are getting scholarships - aren't they? :-?

 

[default]

I agree that you should send a skills video even if they do not request one. We have our videos online, and we send the link to the coach. We have had great response from coaches regarding this.

I also don't think that you will get a lot of information regarding how much of a scholarship a player is offered or accepts. People tend to keep money matters private.

 

[default]

The reason I'm curious is so many parents seem to think softball is going to pay for DD college. As a coach, I firmly believe this causes some of irrational behavior we see in parents! Thank god we have girls - can you imagine the pressure of parents thinking you're keeping junior from a Major League career?

Folks don't have to give their names - just wondering what is out there.

 

[default]

I'm trying to get a handle on how many girls are actually getting scholarships to play. ?How many girls are getting full rides or partial aid? ?An earlier subject began to address this but ended after only about 5 girls were listed. ?Surely more then 5 girls are getting scholarships - aren't they? :-?

This depends entirely on the particular team. The top players may get the "full ride" and the rest divided up among the rest of the girls or some may not get any at all. It's up to the particular school. Also there technically is no 4 year scholarship. It's awarded once a year for that school year. You could be given a scholarship 4 years in a row.

 

[default]

Not that California does softball better than Ohio (well, OK, they do) but here is an article in the Southern California ASA guide, regarding college-bound players.

http://www.socal-asa.com/index.php?ct=players_knowledge

How many players get "full-ride" scholarships?

Very few players get a "full ride" (100% of college costs). It's important for players and parents to know that colleges are allowed to divide scholarships. With an average roster of 18 players per team, there's not enough scholarship money for every player on the team to get a "full ride." Most college teams award half or three-quarter scholarships, in order to stretch their funds as far as possible and still be able to recruit quality players.


Which players get "full rides"?

When available, full-ride scholarships generally go to top-notch pitchers, catchers, and hitters. Prospective college softball players should expect that scholarship offers will range along these lines:

Pitchers, 80-100% of "full-ride"

Catchers, 50-80%

Infielders, 30-70%

Outfielders, 20-50%

Versatility, hitting ability, and team needs can make a player more valuable, and a scholarship offer will be adjusted accordingly.

What are my chances of being awarded a four-year scholarship?

No matter what any player, parent, coach, or recruiter might tell you, there is simply no such thing as a "four-year scholarship" to play softball. Scholarships are awarded on a year-by-year basis only. The name of the game is performance. The best way to insure a "four-year scholarship" is to exceed expectations from each "one-year scholarship" to the next.

Thought it was interesting and informative.

 

[default]

Those numbers are very accurate. The west coast girls that come east generally get 100% - would you come to Ohio (Brrr) from Cali if that wasn't the case?

Do your math. Add up the expenses you've incurred since your DD started playing softball. If you play a heavy ASA schedule, you're gonna travel a LOT. Don't do the ASA and stay close to home - you'll miss a lot of recruiting "looks". You can easily spend the equivalent of a full ride in the course of your DD's travel ball "career". Unless she gets a full ride to Stanford, don't count on any more than breaking even from summer ball expenses - which is a good deal.

College ball on a scholarship is a great accomplishment, but the young lady better be prepared to work her tail off once on campus - both on the field, weight room AND in the classroom. Slackers don't make it, so you'd better be honest with yourself about your work ethic.

Nuts and bolts - Go to every major college "camp" (thinly veiled recruiting sesions) you can. Play a competitive schedule in summer. I won't dwell on the best tourneys, but they've been listed on here many times. If you really want to know which tournaments to attend, ask the coach at any DI school in Ohio which tournaments they will be attending. A good time to ask them is, of course, at their winter camps. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Good academics are evidence to the coach of a good work ethic. A high ACT score solidifies that opinion. Coaches know from experience that a slacker in the classroom is usually a slacker on the field. Being a good student means less study table time, and more time for sports stuff.

 

[default]

also.. don't get caught up in only going division 1... sometimes NAIA or D2 might be a better fit.. keep your options open. Check out alot of schools. Write alot of Coaches.. Sell your dd.. (correction...have her write and sell herself) (thats what i actually meant)

 

[default]

hermom, don't sell your dd have her sell herself

 

[default]

falcies-she did.. she worked hard.. she sold herself.. it paid off
thats what i met but parents do help they do give guidiance
i just didn't type what i meant to say...

 

[default]

Thanks for info Sammy, Sideliner and Hermom - all of which appears to be spot on. My nieces experience with was exactly like you laid out - only she and one pitcher for a large D1 SEC school had a full scholarship each of the 4 years she was there. And she had to fight each year to keep it. Scholarships (at least substantial ones) appear to be something that are rarer then most people think.

 

[default]

hermom glad to hear hard work paid off

 

[default]

Something that is rarely if ever mentioned on these forums: Your DD will play softball for four years, but use her academics for the rest of her life. Choose a group of appropriate academic colleges first, then narrow the choices down with a good softball fit if she wants to play in college.

It's not all about D1 and parent's egos, its about your DD's life.

We've already run into a handful of college students who were recruited to play college softball, couldn't handle the academic load while going to classes, and quit the game. It happens. Being at the right school is most important.