Hitter provided these words of knowlege.
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Google NCAA recruiting process and become familair with when you can start talking to the coaches via email texting and verbally. Know the rules as to the process.
Grades play a huge factor, so make sure she understands that. It is also full time job as she will spend 20 to 30 hours a week on softball related activities and that includes working basketball games and sending letters out to friends and family asking for money....it never stops.
The big issue is how far a way does she want to be from home? This is a huge decision! I have had girls turn down full rides because she was too far from home. Get that answer ASAP and it limits or factors in where she will attend school. Softball comes in second to education in my opinion.
Get that answered and then take her to the school and walk around the campus, go to more than one games and pay attention to how the coaches coach and that will be another factor. look at the number of kids that leave the program after two years or less and ask yourself why the turn over rate is so high....coaches style is usually the answer and the girls spending 20 to 30 hours a week is next.
Time management skills should be being taught as we speak! Next are life skills, such as doing laundry, checking her oil, putting air in tires, a triple A membership. If she is taking prescription drugs, how will she get refills, if she gets sick where does she go and does she have a co pay and will they take her insurance card.
Finally look at the campus at 10 PM and is the parking lot lighted and does she feel safe or does she have to run to the dorm rooms? Check with the,local police as to rapes,break ins, thefts. Miami of Ohio is not well lighted and history and crime has been proven there in my opinion.
A support network of family and friends is required for an 18 year old leaving home and possibly for the first time being on her own. Set standards and limits now as a teen and explain to her there are people who will take advantage of her as a freshman because they know she is alone and lonely. It happens! I have had 80 kids in college and know all the stories good and bad.
From this day forward always tell her there is a coach in the stands looking at your attitude on the field, after you make an error or give up a home run and how you are handling yourself. I get phone calls from some coaches asking for details and one thing I have learned is to tell the truth or I will not get another phone call.
Also go the high school consular as that is there job to guide them and provide resources...it is the internet age.
Thanks again, Hitter.