Softball Recruiting in Ohio

[default]

Thanks to Ball4 and the other coaches who help put Ohio on the softball map.

:yahoo:

 

[default]

I think OHSAA hamstrings a lot of our girls as well. With the limited time outdoors in Ohio, they should be able to play as much as possible to attempt to catch up to the west and south...

Outcast, you got that right. Sure, there would be challenges in balancing the interests of school head coaches and travel ball head coaches, but for gosh sakes, accept the challenge as in the interest of the players and reorder the priorities so they aren't elevating the OHSAA institution/bureaucracy over the players they are supposed to be supporting.

Whew, it feels good to no longer have a DD who is subject to that stuff. But not so good to see our team roster entering a phase of their playing experience that will be adversely affected by the OHSAA. And that adverse effect might eventually include making the decision to play club ball instead of school ball. I'm not saying that's an easy decision, and it probably wouldn't be the right decision for some players, but all you have to do is look at the s***er world to see where the OHSAA has effectively pushed future D1 college players into giving up high school participation.

 

[default]

I think OHSAA hamstrings a lot of our girls as well. With the limited time outdoors in Ohio, they should be able to play as much as possible to attempt to catch up to the west and south...

I've heard a lot of talk about the OHSAA and I can't think of a single time when it's been positive. They simply don't see or care to see the big picture concerning school AND travel ball and how as Outcast put it hamstrings the girls who want to do both. I'd bet that given the "play all year" perspective we have of California and sunshine state players they don't have restrictive rules on high school players that play travel ball as well. Someone once said school ball is a "necessary evil" and it's because of the OHSAA (and occasionally crappy HS coaches). The real problem with the organization is it's over-insulated from the general public and with no direct public control and oversight IE general elections of it's members it's like a federal judgeship once you're in, they do pretty much what they please for life. All I ask is someday to elect a governor who's also a softball dad (or mom) and then we might see some interesting happenings.

 

[default]

I don't disagree with the comments about the OHSAA, but keep in mind the OHSAA does not care about trying to help girls get college softball scholarships. The OHSAA will come right out and state that helping athletes play in college is not part of its mission.

That is fine, but the OHSAA cannot then be heard to complain when athletes who dream of playing in college forego high school ball.

 

[default]

gamer,

I hear what you are saying, but we are thinking of going outside the area for a couple reasons:

* Expose the players to what is out there (the "bright lights")
* See the BEST, Play the BEST (learning, recognition, goal development & skill development)
* Make a name (hopefully) that resonates back home ... Promote Ohio softball

It's not like some of this doesn't already occur simply from going to out of region Tournaments/Nationals over the years, but we want to find the "edge", and allow the players to experience and know that level, have some memories, thrills, etc.

That said, and like you pointed out, .... we also understand where we are most likely to get "real" attention from (the Midwest), and most of our heavy promotional efforts will be within the Midwest.

...... "EAST" opportunity question - for those knowledgeable?? I may start another thread for this also .......

The West migrates eastward looking for schollies with the CA/AZ/TX/WA overflow of talent. Should we be looking not only Midwest, .... but in the East??

Seems like whenever Ohio teams go to eastern tournaments, we whupp some butt. Lots of ASA Eastern titles go to Ohio teams, often times with multiple top 5-10 finishers. Same with some nice "elite" tournaments that we have attended in the past. We have played the ASA/NSA state champs from some eastern states and absolutely DRILLED them, especially the NE.

Are we in the Midwest leaving Eastern school schollie money on the table? Or is the out-of-state tuition issue a problem for those eastern schools??? You could say why isn't this a problem for the Western recruiting from out of state in Ohio though also, right?

Thoughts?

 

[default]

I've said this before but I think we've made softball such a large part of our lives with the travel, time , and money we've committed to for years that to quote Pickledad's phrase we tend to be drawn to the "bright lights" of successful programs and forget that it's supposed to be about the education the college offers first, softball second. Florida's star has been rising in the college softball world but would a degree from U of F get one further than one from Miami of Ohio? I don't think so. At Kent State Coach Linder likes to conclude her camps by explaining the college recruitment process and in her explanations she is adamant that the SCHOOL must be the right fit for a girl, not necessarily where she wants to play ball the most.

 

[default]

Hockey,

Good point. Also, you reminded me of another of Coach Linder's key comments .... there is a LOT more "academic" money available that "softball" money ... to go along with your point.

We focus on the softball aspect, because we have kids with some differentiating skills, however, we hear coaches saying over and over that academics are also VITALLY important, and perhaps there is a better shot there than even softball itself, for at least getting "something" ..... and practically a "must" for getting "softball" money.

In the end, you should be happy with the school/education first, unless perhaps softball is the only way to afford an education, I guess. It all needs to fit into the "big picture" that is her "life".

 

[default]

Hockey,

Good point. Also, you reminded me of another of Coach Linder's key comments .... there is a LOT more "academic" money available that "softball" money ...

Unless you hit like Bustos or pitch like Osterman don't count on much "softball money". I couldn't believe all the academic money Kent State had available for incoming freshmen who have a 3.25 or better GPA and of course this is available for everyone, not just athletes. Coaches seem to like smart girls who qualify for money from outside the program and most D1 coaches seem to distance themselves from most girls who have a GPA below 3.0 but again there are exceptions.

 

[default]

When just entering the recruiting process, parents get a warm 'n fuzzy feeling being able to say that their kid is going to Florida, Texas, Georgia, or even California, etc. to play college ball. But then it finally sinks in that they won't get the opportunity to see them play college ball! And that's a BIGGIE! I've witnessed this first hand with quite a few Cali girls. But the difference is - the Cali girls really had no other options!! There were no softball schollies out west, so Eastward Ho! Ohio girls have a LOT more choices closer to home.

It absolutely boils down to academics/field of study first, then softball is the bonus. In our case, softball paid for the education, and the GPA was a bonus. Every college coach I've ever talked to said that the ultimate test when deciding on a college is to simply take softball out of the picture. Would your DD STILL attend that college?

 

[default]

New Jersey teams have girls sign from outside the East and Midwest, so why can't Ohio teams? But you have NJ teams that go Gold, play in the Surf City, Ronald McDonald, etc., exposure tournaments. I find it difficult to believe that New Jersey somehow has much better instruction than Ohio.

I think the decision to step it up schedule-wise kind of drives things. By doing that, it forces families to invest in the decision by getting more instruction and working harder at the game. And then by consistently playing the best competition, I can't quantify it, but I believe that also forces athletes to get better. Finally, once teams are regulars at those big tournaments, I believe college coaches (including me) are subconsciously and maybe consciously swayed by the name on the front of the uniform. Add all that together and I have no doubt Ohio will start getting a lot more girls signing Big Ten, SEC, ACC, etc., once the top 16-U and 18-U teams start acting like the Shamrocks and those New Jersey teams and stop worrying about the ASA Eastern Nationals. Unless it's being used to secure an "A" berth the following year, the Eastern (or Western) Nationals have practically no value from a recruiting perspective.

 

[default]

Took the DD for D2 visit in West Virginia yesterday and the Coach was very straight forward. Anything coming from a recruiting service is immediately thrown out or deleted. They want the personal touch from an individual that they know is interested. If you wouldn't go there if they didn't have a softball team then don't just come because they do.

On the travel of travel ball teams. He was very perplexed as to how team such as the Dusters and other travel teams in WV head to all over the country and then they get a letter from a recruit asking them to come watch them in Colorado!! He said he didn't have the budget to chase girls from his own back yard all over the country to watch them play and wondered why they didn't play in more tourneys closer to home.

Some of the things I've always wondered, about teams that travel all over, he seemed to answer with the same concerns.

By the way it was a very productive visit to WV and Thanks to the staff and players!:yahoo:

 

[default]

ball4, pickle, hockey and joe all relay really good information to the masses. Although, we have moved a little off topic from the original topic, I for one do appreciate the effort from all of your posts.

 

[default]

Makes sense LK. The recruiting landscape looks completely different when viewed from a parent/player's perspective versus a coaches. Coaches generally have an agenda focused on softball (which they should), but parents/players (should) put more weight into the educational side of college. Make no bones about it - choosing a university to send your DD to is a business/financial decision. I know of at least three kids that were recruited about the same time my DD was that are no longer playing. I have to believe that part of that reason was because of not putting enough emphasis on the "educational/college life" side of things.

 

[default]

ball4, pickle, hockey and joe all relay really good information to the masses. Although, we have moved a little off topic from the original topic, I for one do appreciate the effort from all of your posts.

Thanks. I won't offer an opinion on the original question. Back when I was in Ohio as a hs and travel coach I would have, but not now, especially seeing how I'm not at Ohio tournaments.

 

[default]

Joe, I hope you didn't take my post the wrong way. I really do appreciate your input, as well as pickle, hockeye and ball4's input. Keep up the good work, it is very informative!

 

[default]

Mantle, no I didn't, I just wanted to address why I didn't answer the original question. I considered saying that in my earlier post instead of just seeming to ignore the original question.

There are some schools out this way who have no recruiting restrictions as far as number of observation days who won't drive down the street to watch a tournament. But believe me, that's fine with me! I hope they never show up.

 

[default]

Sounds like Joe is ready to swoop in and grab the "undiscovered" kids.

 

[default]

You have to watch O'l JoeA...he's sneaky fast like Emilio on "Mr Deeds"

 

[default]

Is anyone going down to Ohio State this weekend to watch the Ohio college coaches in action?

 

[default]

^^^Spent the entire day at OSU yesterday and saw some great softball being played. As always, it was fun watching all the Ohio colleges in action. If you got the ball up in that wind it was defenitly going yard. Met a couple of new friends from out your way...they still haven't adjusted to the change of the seasons...lol.