Fastpitch
Recruiting Web Source
FAQ with Cathi
Aradi
Home
page | Book | Article |Archived Articles
Please
note that the questions below were posted over the past ten years. Some of the topics/answers may have changed
as recruiting has evolved and collegiate softball has grown. If a question/answer is confusing or your
feel an answer is inaccurate, please email me at info@fastpitchrecruiting.com. I will check out the post in question,
correct or update it and send you the most current answer. If you have other
questions about the recruiting process, feel free to email me as well.
Check
out the Archived Posts page to see
additional information relevant to the college search process. (This page was last updated: 1/8/2010.)
RECRUITS,
COACHES AND PARENTS SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT
NCAA RULES AND
GUIDELINES CHANGE REGULARLY, SO A QUESTION POSTED IN 2001 MIGHT GENERATE A
DIFFERENT RESPONSE IN 2010. USE THE LINK ON MY
HOME PAGE TO ACCESS THE NCAA’S WEB SITE FOR THE
MOST CURRENT INFORMATION ON RECRUITING REGULATIONS.
Question:
Must We Go to a National Tournament?
I
am asst. coach of a very local (but talented) travel team comprised of girls
entering 10th and 11th grade. Our team plays 18u PAL and PONY 16u summer
travel. In order to go to go to a recruiting camp, must a player have
participated in a national event? Is this always the case, or can one apply to
attend a camp and be admitted without this accomplishment?
Our
team has lost a few core players who have chosen to try out for more high
profile teams for recruiting purposes. We have decided to stay independent and
enlarge our player recruiting efforts. We have enlisted our head coach (former
college player) and our outside batting coach (nationally recognized) to help
replenish our roster. In your opinion, have we set a course that will eliminate
our players from any real chances at playing college ball via scholarship or
walk-on?
Answer:
Must You Go to a National Tournament?
Where the recruiting camp is concerned, that will vary depending on who is
sponsoring it. I usually advise kids to apply and see what happens anyway.
Where
scouting and recruiting are concerned, it's pretty impossible to generalize an
answer to this type of question because of all the variables that factor into
recruiting. It is true that many coaches, particularly those at bigger programs
(Div. I, top Div. II, etc.) will focus their recruiting efforts on players with
a certain level of experience. It doesn't necessarily have to be an ASA
national tournament, but it certainly helps when a coach can see an athlete
competing against other top athletes. And most coaches who scout a lot during
the summer will focus on the larger tourneys that attract players from all over
the country or region. (Some coaches, particularly those at smaller schools,
however, do not scout as much, and their travel may be limited by budgetary or
other constraints.)
Another
aspect of recruiting that may affect your girls is that most Div. I coaches,
and many Div. II and NAIA coaches, won't recruit players they haven't seen in
action in person. (All coaches prefer this, but coaches at very small schools,
many Div. III schools, etc., who are limited in their travel options, may be
more willing to recruit based on a skills video alone.) Because of this, most
kids who think they are good enough to play at a Div. I program need to be sure
the coach at a given school is going to have the chance to see them at a
tournament. (Note: as of this time, D-I coaches cannot have kids on campus for
a "tryout" or "workout" per se.)
So
if your team won't be at any of the tournaments where coaches (they are
writing) would be scouting, it's likely they would have to consider walking on
at that D-I college as opposed to being actively recruited. The advantage that
NAIA and NCAA Div. II coaches have is that they ARE allowed to have prospects
visit and work out with their teams. So if a coach at an NAIA or D-II school
gets a video from a player and is really impressed, he/she might invite her to
visit and use that opportunity to see the player in action. So kids on travel
teams that do not get out to top tourneys may want to focus a lot of their
college search in this direction.
The
bottom line is recruiting isn't fair and never will be. Coaches tend to follow
certain patterns when recruiting, out of habit, convenience, experience, etc.
And there are just too many good players these days for coaches to consider all
of them. So the smart player looks at her college search realistically, and
then she focuses her efforts on the types of schools most likely to consider
her an impact player, and/or who are more likely to recruit her because they
can see her in action one way or another. And remember, whether you go to a big
tournament or not, if a coach doesn't know to look at or for a player, there's
a good chance she'll be missed completely.
Hope
this helps!
Question:
Contacting Colleges Via Email?
Does your book include e-mail addresses? Is it
appropriate to e-mail coaches about your interest in their program?
Answer:
Contacting Colleges Via Email?
My book includes email addresses where the coaches have sent them to me and
indicated they wanted them included. While it's totally fine to email coaches
about your interest, not all coaches treat email equally. Some read it
regularly; some read it occasionally; some rarely read theirs. Some coaches use
it to gather player information; others do not. And email addresses can easily
change or be incorrect (even when posted on a college web page!) However, some
college web pages also have contact forms built into them so that a player can
contact a coach about her interest in the school directly from the web page.
I
still believe in most cases, a written introductory packet is more personal,
harder to lose, and more likely to get a response from more coaches. (It's also
difficult to include a video in an email--at this time any way!) Letters (email
or written) alone will usually only generate a form response that asks for a
video, unless a coach is already in contact with you, has seen you play, etc.
Hope
this helps.
Question:
16U vs 18U As a Junior?
My
daughter will be starting her junior year soon and she will still be eligible
to play 16U travel ball next summer prior to her senior year of high school.
She has an opportunity to play on an 18U team next year instead of 16U. She
would be the number 1 pitcher on the 16U team and would probably be the number
3 pitcher on the 18U team. From a recruiting perspective, how can I help her
make the decision between these two teams?
I'm
afraid that another summer of 16U will not give her the exposure that she could
get at 18U. Her overall playing time would probably be the same on either team.
Do you think that going 16U again would be a big disadvantage?
Answer:
16U vs 18U As a Junior?
I get asked this question all the time, and with very few exceptions, my answer
is an unqualified, "Play 18/U!!!!!!" The qualifications--e.g.,
reasons to play 16/U--would include:
1. She's not strong
enough to play on the only good 18/U teams in the area.
2. There are
emotional, financial or other significant personal reasons that make playing on
the 18/U team difficult.
3. The only good team
in the area/region is a 16/U team, and it's one of the top 16/U teams in the
entire state or part of the country.
4. There's no other
choice.
5. She's already
scoped out the college situation and plans to play locally, not play in
college, go to a JC, go to a specific school whether or not she plays ball,
etc.
That
said, it's extremely difficult getting enough exposure to college coaches
playing on any 18 U or Gold team (except for the top teams in any given
area and even then sometimes it's tough to be seen.) And these days, D-I
coaches will almost never recruit a player they've not seen in person. D-II and
NAIA coaches tend to be the same way, BUT, they have the advantage of being
allowed to have players on campus for tryouts. So if they can't see a player at
a tournament, it doesn't necessarily eliminate her as a prospect for that
school. D-III coaches also like to see kids, but tend to travel less, and so
are more likely to factor in a well-made video if they cannot get to see a
prospect.
Sometimes
the choice is out of your hands. Sometimes you have to work around this
obstacle. And you can certainly do that. But if at all possible, have her play
18/U. Coaches want to see kids competing UP, rather than DOWN. Hope this helps!
Question:
Fully-Funded Programs?
Can
you tell people how many D-I schools (particularly in the northeast) are fully
funded and what that means.
Answer:
Fully-Funded Programs?
I can tell you what fully funded means, but I can't say with authority how many
Northeast schools are fully funded. For Div. I, fully funded means the coach has
a TOTAL of 12 scholarships. How many or what percentages are available in a
given year will depend on who graduates, what amount of money they're getting,
etc. Fully funded at a Div. II school means the coach has a total of just over
7 scholarships. Again, how much is available in a given year will depend on
who's graduating.
It's
important to understand what these numbers mean because even a fully-funded
program (for example Michigan and Florida State are probably fully-funded),
can't give every player a full ride. If the coach carries 18-20 kids, you can
do the math. If all 18 kids got the same amount, everyone would be getting
60-70 percent. But in all likelihood, there are a few major impact
players--pitchers, perhaps catchers and shortstops, maybe the big home run
hitter or the base-stealing outfielder--who are getting close to full rides.
That means on the other end of the spectrum are kids who aren't getting
anything, or who are only getting a few thousand dollars. It's also a pretty
safe bet that many, if not most of the smaller Div. I programs in the Northeast
are NOT fully funded.
At
the Div. II level, even a fully-funded program would only have 7 or so
scholarships. With 18-20 kids on the team, you won't see many full rides there.
And you'll see even more kids who are getting just small amounts. Also, there
are many Div. I and II programs where the coach only has 2 or 4 or 6
scholarships to share among all the players. So parents expecting to get off
scot-free are generally in for a rude awakening unless their athlete is among
the tops in the region and has great travel ball visibility.
NOW,
on the flip side, academic money is more plentiful, so many
coaches--particularly at private schools--will try to package offers for
players. Where a lot of parents get confused and make recruiting mistakes is
when they hear some guy telling another guy that his kid got a full ride
to--you name it: St. Peter's or Holy Cross or La Salle. What the dad isn't
telling you--or spelling out--most of the time is that she got $8000 in
need-based money, $10000 in academic money (because she's a 4.0/1380 student),
she got some work-study, some loan money, and $7500 in softball money (and
she's an impact player for them!). Inexperienced parents hear this and think,
"Well, my kid is better than his kid, so my kid will get a full ride offer
from them too." Then they have a hissy fit when the coach says, "We
can offer you $7500 in softball money and whatever else you might qualify
for." The parent knows he won't get more than a few thousand in need-base
money, and his kid is a 3.0 student with 990 SAT's, so she's not getting a lot
of academic money. Now he's fried because he thinks the coach is trying to put
one over on him, when in reality, the coach offered his kid the same amount of
athletic money as the other girl received. It's just that she doesn't qualify
for the other types of money, thus less money is available to her.
Hope
this helps.
Question:
What Do Scouts Look At?
I have played softball for 9 years, and we moved to travel ball 6 years ago
because we thought that that is what scouts and recruiters would look at. But
recently a parent has told us that scouts look at your high school ball more.
So which one do scouts concentrate on when it comes to recruiting?
Answer:
What Do Scouts Look At?
Your resource really isn't correct in saying college coaches look at HS ball
more. While it's impossible to generalize, most coaches, particularly at Div.
I, top D-II programs will tell you that they look at your travel ball
experience first and foremost. They scout more at travel tournaments, and they
generally consider that the more consistent experience for players. This is not
to say coaches never look at high school teams or players, because they will
occasionally go to state championship tournaments for high school or watch
players on high school teams that are considered among the best in the state or
region. But as a rule, if a player wants to focus on college ball, she should
try to be picked up by the very best travel team she can--one that attends
large regional or national tournaments where college coaches are likely to
scout. If you have any doubts about this, ask some Div. I or top Div. II
coaches in your area where they scout. And visit web pages like those for ASA
Nationals or the Radisson Colorado Fireworks and you'll see there are several
hundred coaches that attend. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Question:
Academics and Recruiting
Love this Q & A and love your book! Very insightful. Here's the question:
Will coaches look harder/search out a player who is National Merit Scholar -
Top 10% of class ranking, etc.? Do they look at these potential players as a
"free" type of player where they will definitely be receiving academic
dollars and therefore, coaches will not have to reach into their athletic
funds? Should we be pushing/marketing her academic excellence as hard as we
can? And if these type players are on the border line between being D I and D
II, will D I look twice because/due to academic strengths?
Answer:
Academics and Recruiting
Coaches will definitely take into account a student's academic record, and at
many schools, coaches do look for kids with top grades and test scores. These
players are more likely to be eligible for academic money, for fee waivers, for
special scholarships, etc. Coaches at private schools really appreciate
students who help them make the college more affordable! And coaches at schools
like the Ivy Leagues have to put grades/test scores first even before athletic
experience and ability. I always encourage parents of strong students to
investigate all options for scholarships and aid because there is more academic
money available than there ever will be athletic money.
Good
grades alone won't be enough for all schools, of course. And you can't
generalize along the divisional lines because there are top D-II programs that
are stronger than small D-I programs. So a player who might not necessarily be
a scholarship candidate at a strong D-II, but who has excellent grades/scores
might be recruited by a smaller D-I program with limited athletic money
available. Being a top student might get you admitted to a UCLA or a Stanford,
but it at top athletic programs, it won't guarantee you'll make the team. Still,
when push comes to shove, if a coach is having to choose between two players
who are similar athletically, but one is significantly stronger academically,
most of the time the coach will lean towards choosing the player who is the
better student.
Hope
this helps! Best of luck to you.
Question:
College Summer Camps
How important (if at all) are the Summer Softball Camps offered by colleges??
My daughter plays Travel Ball around the same time these camps are held and I
am not sure which is a better investment in her time. I see this as a possible
opportunity to get exposure within a small group?
Answer:
College Summer Camps
Camps can be a lot of fun and worthwhile IF the player and her family
understand that this is an experience that is only guaranteed to provide--at
best--good skills work. Yes occasionally, there are players who go to a camp
and are "discovered". But it's not common. I suspect there are lots
of kids --probably some of them very good--who go to Arizona or UCLA or similar
camps thinking the coach will see them and really pay attention. But from my
experience, it's not particularly common.
Most
of the kids who are ultimately going to be recruited by a top 20 D-I college
will be playing travel ball for top Gold teams during the summer and won't be
attending these camps.
So
it's probably a long shot in terms of recruitment. However, if a player has a
particular college that she really wants to attend--even if she can't play
softball there--then going to a camp at that school might not be a bad idea.
She could show enough to the coach to get some sort of idea whether or not she
might have a shot at walking on or something like that.
The
tough thing is that to be recruited by a top D-I college, your player generally
needs to be showcasing her skills against top Gold pitchers, hitters, etc., and
in game situations. She's not likely to find that at a college camp, so even if
the coach is impressed with her athleticism, talent, etc., he/she is probably
going to want to see her at a tournament in all likelihood before making any
commitment to recruiting her.
Hope
this helps!
Question:
When Is It Time?
My Daughter is a soph. in HS. She plays
great ball, and has begun asking about colleges. (She wants to play for ARIZONA
STATE, and I support her, I think anyone can do anything if they try hard
enough) This past summer I have looked over the rules for NCAA and Recruiting,
and I have looked into recruiting companies.
1)
I would like to hear from anyone who has benefited from sending out early
portfolios of their child's athletic and academic highlights.. (NCAA cannot
reach out to you until July of kids' junior year)... so I guess I'm asking is
it worth sending out portfolios before junior year?
2)
Are recruiting companies good?... And of what benefit are these companies,
can't parents do just as well?
Answer:
When Is It Time? (Note: This answer is
directed at the 85-90% of all players who will not commit early—e.g., as freshmen or sophomores.)
To answer your questions, my personal feeling (based on 20 years of working as
a recruiting consultant) is that the very best "window of
opportunity" for starting the college search begins during the junior
year. This means SAT/ACT tests in the
winter-spring, video shot, edited and copied in the early spring, and
letters/resumes and tapes/CD's sent out to coaches with a summer travel
schedule by May. If a player wants to do anything earlier than this--say at the
end of the sophomore year or start of the junior year, postcards to a coach
conveying basic information and upcoming travel ball schedule will be just
fine. As you are aware, active recruiting really can't begin much before the
junior year and contact recruiting--as in personal home visits, meetings at
tournaments, phone calls, etc.--can't start until after the junior year.
While it's true that if your player is TRULY going to be the next Lisa
Fernandez coaches would want to know this early--say when she's a sophomore--in
reality, doing too much very early may work against some kids. Many players
aren't nearly as strong physically, experientially, etc., at the start of their
sophomore year as they will be at the end of their junior summer. So making
videos, expecting answers or decisions from coaches on recruiting early on can
be discouraging because most coaches won't even be looking seriously at
sophomores. They may be gently encouraging because they know nothing is serious
that early (for them). But 95-98% of all college coaches will have to see a player
at the end of her junior year--playing competitive travel ball--before they'll
go any further.
If your player is hoping to make the team at a highly competitive college such
as a Pac-10 school, her best bet is to follow a good conditioning program, get
top grades and play on the most competitive travel team she can--playing
"up" even at the Gold level if possible as a sophomore.
Unfortunately, recruiting -- like life -- isn't fair, and many coaches tend to
follow certain patterns when recruiting. Players who don't fit into those
patterns will probably have a harder time getting noticed and therefore
actively recruited.
Also by starting too early, kids often get burnt out or tired of the recruiting
process. Many, if not most kids are still pursuing colleges, making phone
calls, sending out tapes, etc., well into their senior year. Starting early
won't necessarily change that, and continuing a high-intensity college search
for two years can be very tiring. You'll likely get the same or better results
by waiting until the mid-junior year to start!
As
for recruiting companies, yes, parents can do it themselves and be just as
effective at a much lower price. Follow the guidelines in my book religiously
and be very dedicated--remember, when the time comes, she has to make
the phone calls because coaches aren't recruiting you, her mom or any
recruiting service!
And,
beware of expensive companies that want your money when she's a sophomore and
promise to mass-market her to 1000 schools. She'll get some feedback, but it's
very unlikely to be from the schools you think she can play at. And again, when
she's a senior and it really counts--when coaches are actually likely to be
recruiting her--most of these companies have done their part and are nowhere to
be seen. Before spending any money be sure to talk to people who've used a
service for softball and who felt they got their money's worth.
Question:
Late Start on Recruiting
I’m a senior in high school and have been giving collegiate softball some
thought. I had planned on having schools come watch me during my junior year. I
was out most of the season with a shoulder injury and was unable to have
college coaches come watch. Because of this injury I was also unable to play on
a summer ball team to get noticed that way. I really don't want to give up on
my chances of playing but I'm at a loss as to what to do. I've heard many
people tell me its too late, others say it's almost impossible now... Is this
true? I really don't want to give up on my dream. Is there any advice or
guidance you could give me as to what to do?
Answer:
Late Start on Recruiting
It IS very late to be getting started, but, it's not an impossible task. You
need to learn all about the college search and then begin to market your skills
and experience to college coaches around the country. It's much like finding a
job. You CANNOT wait for them to come to you--you have to go
out and find them. Your best bet is to get a copy of my book, Preparing to Play
Softball at the
Collegiate Level. It is published by the Natl Fastpitch Coaches Assoc. (the
college coaches' organization). You can call them at 662-320-2155 or email www.nfca.org to order the book. I will also be
glad to mail you a brochure (if you send me a snail mail address).
The book will take you and your family step by step through the college search
process and tell you everything you need to know and to do to find the college
and team that are right for you. Recruiting is extremely competitive and there
is no "magic bullet" for most kids. Hard work, dedication, a
determination to play in college and the willingness to look at lots of
different kinds of college teams is the best way to ensure you find a school
that wants you. This process includes playing very competitive travel ball,
writing lots of letters, sending out skills videos, making follow up phone
calls and showing coaches how serious you are about playing at the college
level.
However, since most coaches won't offer money to kids they can't see in person,
I would suggest that you consider focusing on either local colleges that might
see you play fall ball OR on Div. II and NAIA schools. You should rush to get a
good video shot, edited and copied and then put together packets with the video,
an intro letter and a resume. (You may also want to mention your injury and
that you are completely recovered.) Then send these out ASAP and follow up with
phone calls within two weeks
after mailing the packet.
The benefit of focusing on D-II and NAIA schools is that THEY are allowed to
have you come on campus and work out or tryout with their teams in the
fall--and for NAIA's all year. So a coach who likes your video won't
necessarily ignore you just because he/she can't see you play in person. If
they like the tape--and get it soon enough--they can invite you on campus for a
tryout. That's why these schools are great for kids who may not have had the
exposure they need over the junior to senior summer.
My book will enable you to do all these things--if you are willing to go for
it, you should be able to find a team. Best of luck!
Question:
Early Signing
What percentage of Div l & Div ll softball players sign letters of intent
during the early signing period (Nov.)...75%,50%, 25%???. I have a tentative offer
at a Div l school which I will be visiting during the week of early signing. I
feel pressure to sign early, but I'm concerned that I have not visited any
other schools. The coach has indicated that if I don't sign
early the offer will go to someone else. I do have offers to visit schools in
January, but those schools are D-II and can't match the academics of the school
that wants me to sign early. Any advice, and what's the percentage that sign
early??
Answer:
Early Signing
I wouldn't want to guess at the exact percentage of kids who sign early, but, I'm fairly
comfortable saying that the majority of kids who do eventually commit to or
sign at a school (and that includes D-I, II, III and NAIA as well
as JC programs) will make those commitments in the spring. It's possible
that half of the kids who will sign at a Div. I program sign early because D-II
and NAIA schools as well as JC's often tend to sign kids later. But many
D-I schools will also still be looking at kids after the early signing.
What's difficult is to get new coaches to look at you or pursue you as winter
progresses. Since they won't have really any opportunities to see you in
person (except local coaches who might see some HS ball), it can be tough for a
coach to make a decision to recruit you. Videos are crucial to this
process, but some coaches still will want to see you in person.
My advice, however, to all players is this. If you've visited a few
schools in the fall, and you've found one you love, don't NOT sign because you (or
mom and dad) want to know if bigger, better offers/schools might come along. On
the other hand, if you've visited a couple of schools--or a lot--and really
don't feel you've found a good college match, definitely don't sign just
because you're afraid there won't be any other offers. When kids are
hesitant to sign--money aside--I've found there's usually a good reason. Hope
this helps. Good luck!
Question:
Small-town Players
My daughter is in her Grade 11 year in a small town in British Columbia. She
has been playing competitive ball for the last 5 years and would like to pursue
college ball in the U.S. In our
small town we aren't sure if there will be enough girls to carry an 18u travel
team. The girls don't get the exposure the bigger centers get. My
question is does this have great bearing on college recruiting? We keep
stats on my daughter who is a pitcher. We are in the process of compiling
a resume and video. I would appreciate any advice.
Answer:
Small-town Players
Basically most recruiting decisions college coaches make are based on (grades
and work ethic aside) a player's performance when the coach is watching.
This may be through a skills video. But more often that's a starting
place and coaches prefer to recruit a player based on seeing her in
person. Since Div. I and Div. III coaches cannot
have players try out for them or work out with their teams, most coaches will
prefer to see a player with her travel ball team. It's not just whether
you have a small travel ball club, but even what tournaments they attend.
It's not fair, but it just is the way it is.
If an athlete is unlikely to be able to attend many tournaments where
college coaches will be scouting, I usually encourage her to send her skills
tape to a lot of Div. II and NAIA programs because these coaches are allowed to
have players try out on campus (under certain conditions for D-II.) This
makes them more likely to pursue a player whose tape they really like even
though they know they won't be able to see her at any tournaments.
Realistically, statistics only matter in a school media guide. Stats may
look impressive on the page, but in softball they are very subjective and
relative to the caliber of competition. So not a lot of recruiting is
done based on statistics alone. Hope this helps.
Question: Scholarship Funding Amounts?
I’m new to the recruiting process. What percentage of the cost of college
is covered under a typical softball scholarship? 100%, 50%, 25%, etc.?
Answer:
Scholarship Funding Amounts?
This is an excellent question, but one that's impossible to answer--at least I
can't give one general answer to it. A true "softball"
scholarship--e.g., factoring in only athletic-based aid--could be any amount of
money. A top Div. I program might offer a player a full ride scholarship that
covers books/tuition/room/board. (These aren't very common, by the way,
despite what you may hear at the ball park!)
Far more common are "partial" scholarships, and they will vary from
player to player and school to school--even year to year. Two schools
might offer tuition--at a state school, this might be $3800 and represent 30%
of the cost of attendance. At a private school, this might be $17,000 and
represent 60% of the cost. Because D-I's are limited to 12 full rides (total,
not annually)--and most D-I's don't have the full 12--and D-II's are limited to
around 7 total, realistically, almost all players receiving only softball-based
aid are getting partial scholarships.
What's
important to keep in mind, however, is that there are many other sources of
funding. There is a lot more academic money available than softball
money, and there's also need-base and ethnicity-based money as well as other
grants and loans. So investigate all options when your athlete is looking
into college funding. Hope this helps!
Question:
Statistics for a Pitcher?
What pitching statistics will college coaches be expecting to see? What
will they likely ask for in an informational profile? Should statistics
be broken out for high school and travel ball, or should they be
combined? Should we present statistics for only the current year (or most
current year), or should they include all four years of high school? Do you
have a good example we might follow?
Answer:
Statistics for a Pitcher?
College coaches will look for basic pitching stats such as innings pitched,
walks, strikeouts, hits/extra base hits, earned runs and ERA. They may
also be interested in the teams she's pitched against in summer ball.
Stats should be recent...don't go back to freshman year in HS...doesn't mean
anything...and definitely separate high school and travel ball
I have a sample resume and letter of introduction in my book, but always keep
in mind, coaches recruit players based on their performance when the coaches
see them, in person or on video. Other things like grades, attitudes,
experience, etc. also factor in. Stats look nice in a college's media
guide, but don't mean much in the final accounting when it comes to recruiting.
Hope this helps!
Question:
Specific Skills for a College Catcher?
My daughter's best friend would like to pursue a college softball
scholarship. What specific softball skills do college coaches look for in
a catcher who is seeking an athletic scholarship? In addition to their defensive
skills, what are coaches looking for with regards to batting average and base
running? This girl is a sophomore and wants to know what specific skills
she needs to become proficient in.
Answer:
Specific Skills for a College Catcher?
The tough part about your question is that all coaches have "ideals"
about what they want in a catcher or any position player. But what each
coach will settle for and what each coach gives highest priority to will differ
from coach to coach.
The things coaches tend to look for are: 1) top grades; 2) good size (being a
5'1" catcher is hard at the college level); 3) quick feet behind the
plate; 4) a strong arm with a quick release!!!! (usually they should be able to
make the throw to 2nd base certainly in under 3 seconds from hand to
glove. That's where the quick release comes in because a player can have
a strong arm, but take 5 seconds from the time the ball hits the glove until
the throw leaves her hand. She won't throw many runners out.) 5)
Excellent blocking skills, particularly on low throws and drop ball pitches; 6)
The ability to relate well to and communicate with pitchers; 7) PERHAPS MOST
IMPORTANTLY, a strong knowledge of the game and excellent leadership skills.
(Being able to guide the team and understand strategy and situations will often
make an average athlete into an outstanding catcher. And a big strong
catcher who doesn't know the game and is tentative and quiet behind the plate
won't inspire confidence in her team.)
As for offensive skills, you can't generalize about averages because it really
depends on the caliber of competition a player faces. Coaches do want to see
that the player has the most competitive travel ball experience possible, and
usually a coach looks for a catcher who is a power hitter. Coaches look to see
if a batter has proper hitting mechanics, good discipline at the plate and the
ability to hit the ball hard against really good pitching. Catchers aren't
usually the fastest runners on the team, so coaches don't worry as much about
speed, but baserunning "smarts" always help.
My advice to your friend is to develop her skills to the best of her potential,
and then when it's time to look for a college team, look for a coach who feels
she can really contribute. Don't worry about whether or not it's the best team
in the country. Tell her to work to become the best player she can, and someone
will think she's a good prospect!
Comment re
Home Schooled Student Athletes
My daughter who was home schooled, received a full-ride athletic scholarship to
[a Division I university.] And yes it's discriminatory, however as Cathi
indicated you have to fill out forms and a board of the college reviews
it. The Athletic Director at the university was very helpful for
us. My son also played on [a full football scholarship at a Div. I
college]. He first went to a small college, then transferred. The
Div. I college was great with him as well. Guess the Lord blessed
us. But it is a lot of work and well worth it. My wife has all the needed
info and would be happy to answer any questions.
Question:
How to Get
College
Exposure?
My daughter is a junior in High School. She has been pitching for 8
years, taking private lessons for the last four. Currently she is stuck
behind an All-State pitcher and is getting very little game time during her
high school season. This has been very discouraging for her as well as
me. She has played summer travel ball for the last 3 yrs and will be
again this year. Besides summer tournaments, talking with the college coaches
where she wants to go to school, and making a video, is there anything else we
can do to get exposure? How important are overall high school stats for
pitchers? He pitching instructor (A D-1 college coach) has indicated she
is D-II/III or NAIA level
pitcher. How late do colleges "recruit" seniors? Perhaps
she is better trying to be a walk-on as a college scholarships may not be
needed? Unfortunately, do to her high school experience, she may decide
not to play in college.
Answer:
How to Get
College
Exposure?
Well, the first thing you and your daughter should do is read my book!
The reason is that it will open her eyes to the world of recruiting, and it
should hopefully help motivate her to keep going as well as provide the tools
you/she need to find a college and team that are a great match for her.
The second thing you need to do is understand that while high school softball
is important for continuing skill development, extra work-out and playing time,
and socialization, most college coaches these days look first and foremost at a
player's travel ball experience. High school ball varies too much from
region to region, even county to county, in terms of consistency of
competition, coaching, etc. Your daughter can view HS ball as her time to
get ready for summer ball while contributing whatever she's asked to her team
and school.
HS stats are minimally important, because unless a college coach knows the
level of HS competition, they really don't say much about the player. A
pitcher with a 1.9 ERA who's in a really tough HS league with lots of top
travel ball hitters might be good Div. I prospect, while a pitcher with 0.02
ERA who's playing in an essentially "slow pitch" type of league might
turn out to be someone who just throws a 54 mph fastball and nothing else.
It's very important to remember that when it comes to playing in college, the
athlete's motivation has to be very strong, and things like sitting the bench
can't deter her from doing it. She may well sit in college, at least as a
freshman, so she has to want to be there for the love of the game. As for
her college search, you can follow the guidelines in my book for contacting
coaches, sending out tapes, making follow up schools, etc. But the most
helpful information may be on how to find her best "target zone"
colleges.
If she has her heart set on going to specific schools only, she may have to
give up college ball--if she wants to go to a big D-I school, for example, and
she's a good D-III or NAIA prospect,
then she probably won't be playing ball there. But there are so many
schools looking for good pitching, that she has lots of choices. The key
is marketing her skills to the right schools
for her!
She can try
out as a walk-on at a big program, but since 80% of ALL college teams are
Div. II, Div. III or NAIA, if she's going to help
that kind of team, she has lots more schools to choose from. If you are
fortunate enough to be able to help with the cost of her education, that opens
even more doors, as Div. III schools--and many
smaller D-I, D-II or NAIA schools--don't have athletic scholarships. This
factor combined with solid pitching skills may make her a terrific prospect for
a lot of coaches!!!!
If she loves the game and really wants to play, don't be deterred by an unfortunate
HS situation. Send out 40 or 50 packets with a letter (see my book),
resume (see my book) and video (ditto!!!) and then start following up in the
fall with phone calls. Smaller programs are often still looking over the
winter and into the spring of the player's senior year! Hope this
helps. Best of luck!
Question:
Committing Without A Letter of Intent?
If you are being recruited by a Div. 1 school without an athletic scholarship
is there a formal signing process? Without a letter of intent, how do you
know you are more than a walk on?
Answer:
Committing Without A Letter of Intent?
Basically you have only the coach's word on this. There ARE no guarantees, and
you do not sign any kind of letter--or at least anything you sign would be meaningless.
However, if the coach has treated you like a "recruited" walk-on as
opposed to just any walk-on--e.g., if you've gone for an official visit, if the
coach has assured you have a spot on the team (assuming you "do the
work" when you get there), you're probably okay. It would be a good
idea to do an informal "poll" of current team members and ask them
whether the coach is as good as his or her word. Ask them how many
walk-on's make the team, how many were recruited ahead of time versus those who
just showed up. Answering these kinds of questions can help provide some sense
of security. HOWEVER, be aware that it's really up to you--e.g., how hard you
work and so on. And there is definitely an element of risk. But every
coach needs good, committed walk-on's! Just be sure you're going to the college
because that's where you want to be. Don't go there just because it's Div. I or
has a "name."
Hope this helps.
Question: Softball Pitching/Recruiting
If your daughter is
a premier pitcher and is in the newspapers all the time--League MVP, Scholastic
All Star, etc., should you assume that colleges are looking at her or should
you be contacting colleges about her? She is a junior this year, and I'm not
sure what to expect. Everyone thinks she will get a scholarship, but I'm a
little bit concerned whether it's all hype.
Answer:
Softball
Pitching/Recruiting
Coaches are always looking for top pitching prospects, but they also focus
closely on players' experience at the competitive travel ball level. High
school ball isn't quite as important, so while honors achieved there are
terrific, they don't guarantee recruitment. It's usually unwise to assume
coaches "know" about any athlete (no matter how good she is), and to
believe that they will automatically recruit her when it's time. There
are just too many really good players out there, and even good players get
overlooked. My advice...read my book and follow the guidelines for
conducting a thorough and aggressive college search. By covering every
base, no matter what happens, you will always know you did the best you could
for her. When she makes a college choice, it will be based on her having
looked at a lot of different options in order to find the school as well as the
team that's right for her. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Question: Div. III schools and
scholarships
I've been hearing
conflicting stories about D-3 colleges giving athletic scholarships. My
daughter has been getting a few calls from D-3 coaches. However, these schools
are too expensive for us unless she gets money. Her grades are not good
enough to get an academic scholarship. Do we just come right out and ask
these coaches instead of guessing?
Answer:
Div. III Schools and Scholarships
It's not unusual to hear conflicting stories because many parents tend to
s-t-r-e-t-c-h the truth a bit when discussing their athlete's financial aid
situation in college. Tuition scholarships become full rides; aid
packages based on need, ethnicity, academics, become athletic scholarships; and
so on. However, Div. III schools cannot offer athletic-based aid, period. Each
school administers financial aid differently though, so a D-III
school with generous aid based on need may, for example, have a certain amount
set aside for students with special talents other than academics.
But
no matter what you hear, a coach at a D-III
school simply will not come up to you and say, "We can get Susie athletic
money." You will probably have to go through the financial aid
application process at each school to see what they might offer. Don't be
afraid to do this or assume you won't qualify. Private schools vary
GREATLY in how much they give and how they administer funds. So while one
school might offer you $5000 out of $23,000, another might give her $9000 out
of $14,000. Also keep in mind that most athletes getting softball
scholarships are getting partial amounts only. Often the aid package a D-III
school puts together may be better than the pure "softball" money a
D-II or D-I might offer. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Question: Scholarship Package Negotiations
Thanks to the great
info. in your book, we are now talking to several coaches & planning
visits. Your book was essential because she didn't get any exposure last summer
at the tourneys, and coaches are coming to see her because of the tape &
follow-ups only. My question is this: What is the S.O.P. regarding
scholarship package negotiations. What do you get in writing? Are scholarships
usually guaranteed for 4-5 years barring injury? What happens in the event of
an injury that prevents play for a season? Is every detail spelled out in
a written contract?
Answer:
Scholarship
Package Negotiations
All softball scholarships must be
renewed on an annual basis. No matter WHAT a coach tells you about four
years guaranteed or five years guaranteed, technically, they can take a
scholarship away at any time and the scholarship must be renewed every
year--before July 1, I believe. However, most coaches go into this
with honorable intentions. If they offer your athlete a scholarship, you
can expect it will be renewed every year unless she doesn't live up to HER end
of the bargain. But you need to understand the "terms" going
into it. As for four years vs. five years, some schools can afford the
extra year, some can't. Some will give her money towards the fifth year,
but make her work in the Athletic Dept. or as a coaching assistant. It
really does vary, and it is BY NO MEANS a given--many schools simply don't have
a scholarship budget for a fifth year. As for injuries, this is a
question you should ask each coach offering her any scholarship money--e.g.,
What if something happens? Most schools will honor the scholarship and
have her red-shirt that injury year if possible. But you need to ask
because, again, this may differ from school to school and they are not under
any obligation one way or another.
Finally,
this will not necessarily be written down anywhere. Her Natl Letter of
Intent will reflect her scholarship money for one year only and she'll renew at
the end of her freshman, sophomore and junior years. Some schools will
make formal, written offers, but other than the Natl Letter of Intent, nothing
she signs or reads would be binding. (And one suggestion..... Don't
approach this as a "negotiation." Most schools offer a player a
given amount based on a) how much THEY have available and b) HER perceived
impact on the team. Since this can differ completely from one type of school
to the next, getting into comparisons or trying to "haggle" is
extremely risky. Many coaches will at that point, simply say, Best of
luck to you at the other school) Hope this helps. Good luck
with your athlete!
Question:
Coach
vs. Parent and College Contacts
I have read your
book (which is excellent), but I have a few questions. My daughter is a junior
in high school and plays summer travel ball on a team I coach. She has
received some written materials from several schools, and I understand she can
have no verbal contacts until her junior year is complete. I believe as a
travel ball coach, I could talk to college coaches about members of my team
regardless of their grade in school. Am I, as a coach prohibited from
talking to college coaches about my daughter who plays for me? In
addition, my daughter and I may have the opportunity to travel to a college
tournament in February. There will be several schools participating that
she is in interested in, but I assume that she is not to make contact with any
of the coaches. Again, I assume that as a travel ball coach I could
approach coaches and discuss my players, but in this context could I discuss my
daughter's abilities as a player on my team? Finally, as a family we are
in the process of conducting college searches for my older daughter. Some
of the schools we visit are also schools my younger daughter (the junior) may
be interested in. While we are on campus, can the younger daughter make
an appointment and talk to the softball coach and is this advisable?
Thank you for the book and the web site. They provide a wealth of useful
information.
Answer: Coach vs Parent
and College Contacts
Basically, you shouldn't be talking to coaches about recruiting your junior
daughter until July 1 (June 15th for Div. II schools), but if you have any
questions about this call the NCAA When you visit the schools with your
older daughter, if your younger daughter wants to contact the coach and see if
the coach will set up an appointment to talk to her about the school, she can
do this, but the coach still shouldn't be talking to her about
"recruiting" her. What I recommend to parents who are also
coaches is that you let your assistant coach talk to college coaches about your
daughter when possible. If you start (or a college coach starts) a conversation
about the team and its players, you might want to preface any comments you make
by saying, "My daughter is #12, the SS." She's a 2006 graduate,
so you might want to talk to my assistant if you want more information about
her. Or we will be happy to send a resume and video and to call you at
the appropriate time." This way you cover yourself and don't risk
getting into any "gray" areas.
When
you go to the tournament in February, you could take some team books/rosters
along and hand them out to coaches there. You could tell them some of
your players--including your daughter--will be sending tapes, resumes, etc. and
would like to learn more about their programs. I know rules like this get
STRETCHED and BROKEN all the time, both by parents and coaches. But my
motto is better safe than sorry. I wouldn't want my daughter's
eligibility jeopardized by something I did or a college coach did, and if a
school is a good "fit" for her and vice versa, she can make sure the
coach knows she interested via the proper channels and proper follow-up when
the time is right. Hope this helps...good luck!
Question:
Recruiting
Dead/Quiet Periods
What's the
difference between a 'DEAD' period and a 'QUIET' period?
Answer: Recruiting
Dead/Quiet Periods
A "dead" period is a time when coaches cannot have any contact other
than phone contact with players they are recruiting. Typical dead periods
include the NCAA D-I Championship tournament, the time immediately before and
after the initial National Letter of Intent signing day, and the time during
the NFCA convention. Coaches can't scout, visit players' homes, bring recruits
in for visits, talk to them in-person, etc. A "quiet" period is a
time when coaches cannot scout. They can still bring recruits in for visits,
talk to them, and so on, but they cannot attend games, tournaments or practices
where they might scout or evaluate talent. The D-I coaches have a recruiting
"calendar" which marks specific time periods during which they can
scout at travel ball tournaments. (At this time, high school games/tournaments
are not be affected by the recruiting calendar.) Hope this helps!
Question:
Academic
support for college athletes
I am a junior and
have 3.2 GPA. I have had learning disabilities all my life, but I study hard to
get the grades I get. Could you tell me if they have tutors to help athletes? I
have been a starting catcher on my high school and traveling team since I was a
freshman, and I made the all City Team in my sophomore year. Any help would be
appreciated.
Answer: Academic support
for college athletes
The key to making it in college as a softball player with learning disabilities
is to plan ahead and to start early to overcome the obstacles in your way. For
example, you need to get complete documentation of your learning disability so
you can arrange to take the SAT and ACT under "special circumstance" testing
conditions. You need to get mom and dad to start looking into this right now if
you're a junior because this is a process that takes time. (Call the SAT and
ACT Boards for more information.)
You
also need to be sure you're taking NCAA core classes to meet eligibility
requirements. The NCAA does have some special provisions for LD students, so
have mom or dad call the NCAA to find out more about this. (913-339-1906). Then
when you begin to contact colleges, be sure to let coaches know about this
situation and to send copies of transcripts, etc. so that they can see from the
very beginning how good your work ethic is and how you have successfully
mastered your high school classes.
Many
colleges have great resources for LD students (and for athletes as well!) that
include tutors, study halls, grade-checks, and much more. You might consider
looking at smaller colleges with good student-teacher ratios, and possibly at
smaller softball programs with schedules that aren't as hugely demanding as
some of the big D-I schools can be. This may allow you a better chance to
succeed both on the playing field and in the classroom. Hope this helps. Keep up
the good work. It will pay off!
Question:
Working
out with a college team
I have a girl who
is a senior, and a Division II school has asked her to work out with them. I
want to know if this will be permissible. Thanks, Joe.
Answer: Working out with
a college team
It is permissible for athlete's to work out with D-II teams, (but not D-I or D-III).
However, they must be seniors and they can't work out during their traditional
high school season. Call the NCAA for details and more information. Recruits
may also work out with NAIA school teams if invited to do so. Good luck!
©Collegiate Softball Connection 2010