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Archived Articles by Cathi Aradi
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“IF THAT IS THE RULE, HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN?”
This article is a follow up to a previous
article which was entitled, "But I
Didn't Know That Was the Rule!" (It
examined various NCAA recruiting rules that parents tend to ignore or be
unaware of.) That article also ran on
StudentSportsSoftball.com, and I received a fair number of emails from readers,
all of whom asked the same question: “If college coaches can’t talk to players
until after their junior year, how are so many juniors and even sophomores
making verbal commitments to teams?”
I’m going to address the rule portion of this question, and then do a bit of
editorializing about the issue itself.
The NCAA rules state that college coaches may not have face to face
contacts (meetings) with players (or their families) off campus until after
the player completes her junior year.
(June 15th for Div. II coaches; July 1 for Div. I.) That means until those dates, college coaches
can’t phone you or talk to you at tournaments or games, visit your home, have
dinner with your family, etc. And
“official” or paid for visits are not allowed until after you start your senior
year.
Coaches may, however, email or write
juniors and send sophomores a questionnaire in response to a player’s
letter. There are also no rules that prohibit
players from visiting college campuses at their own expense. Once there, they can meet with the team
coaches. There are some distinctly
“gray” areas within the NCAA rules that touch upon discussing scholarships and
so on, but there are ways “around” these gray areas.
So when you see that a player has made a verbal commitment to a college before
starting her senior year—e.g., before the time she could even take an official
visit—here’s generally how that comes about.
In virtually all cases, a college coach has seen the player in action at
tournaments, probably playing for a fairly high visibility travel team. This player might be playing on a top ASA
gold team as a freshman or sophomore and performing very successfully at the
level of the older players.
The college coach will then usually let the player’s travel coach know that he
or she is very interested in hearing from the player. (Obviously, if the player has started her
junior year, the coach could be emailing or sending letters to her as well.) The player or her parent would probably then
call the coach and set up an unofficial
visit to the campus. (Coaches cannot
call you until after that July 1st or June 15th date, but
you may call them at any time. They just
won’t be able to return your calls.)
Remember, NCAA rules permit you to visit a college unofficially whenever you
want, so as long as the family pays all the costs of the visit, the college
coach is free to meet with this player, have her tour the campus, perhaps meet
with current players and so on. You will
find coaches may be a bit vague on how they work out the “details” of an early
commitment, but the truth is that it’s been happening in “revenue” sports for
quite a while, and it appears to be a trend at the top level of collegiate
softball too.
With that said, however, I am not alone in my opinion that the NCAA should
consider some sort of ban on early commitments, or failing that drastic move,
they should set up some sort of oversight process. I happen to think it’s hard for most 15 or 16
year olds to understand the commitment required to play college softball. Since I find many young adults aren’t sure
what they want to do this coming weekend,
let alone a year from now, it may be asking a lot to expect them to know what
will be best for them in terms of a college experience two or three years from
now. It’s easy to “wow” a player (or her
parents) with 100,000 people at a football game, the prospect of a National
Championship, and promises of a paid-for education, but that’s not the same as
really experiencing college life and the demands of college athletics
(particularly at a Top 20 program).
Believe it or not, a lot of college coaches agree with me, and there is some
talk that the NCAA may take a closer look at this issue. There are many reasons why it would be hard
to ban it, but I hope something can be done.
It certainly gives an edge to those coaches who have the resources to
identify or connect with players early, and it puts a ton of pressure on those
who don’t. It also places a lot of
unnecessary pressure on families. Those
players who may be smart enough to know they’re not ready to make this decision
as a 15 or 16 year old may feel they’re going to miss all the good opportunities. Some young athletes will almost certainly
make the wrong choices (for them) simply because they were afraid they would
lose out if they didn’t. And some
parents are so impressed by the prospect of a big scholarship that they would
(in effect) say, “To heck with sound parental judgment. Show me the money!”
On another note, however, it is critical that parents and players
understand one important fact about the early commitment process. Although these commitments get a lot of
coverage on Student Sports Softball.com, Spy Softball.com and so on, the
reality is that this group of students (and the schools they commit to)
represent a very small percentage of
the overall number of players in a given class of graduates. So when you read about these commitments,
remember that there will still be hundreds of college coaches looking for good
players when you are finishing your junior year in high school.
The only aspect of this issue that you may want to pay attention to is the type of colleges that get these early
commitments. For the most part, it tends
to be the bigger name, higher visibility Div. I schools that follow this
path. Because of that, it may be that
writing a Top 20 D-I program at the end of your junior year will be a waste of
valuable time. Remember, about 100 players
a year will go to these teams, and 75% of all
college players will be at Div. II,
Remember, this is just my opinion, and I know some folks will disagree. But theoretically, much of what the NCAA does
is designed to keep collegiate athletics fair and honest and to protect both
college athletic programs and young prospects as well. I hope they can manage to do that with this
very controversial issue!
*
* *
Understanding
Different Recruiting Styles
In my work
with college-bound student-athletes, I often hear that parents and players are
puzzled or frustrated by the way college coaches recruit. It’s not hard to understand
this confusion when you consider there are over 1100 four-year teams, three
NCAA Divisions, the NAIA, and junior colleges; and they all have their own
rules and recruiting timetables. In this article, I want to help families
become better prepared for the recruiting process by looking at some of the
differences in how coaches recruit.
I’ll start
with some generalizations that apply to all types of colleges. First, it's
important to remember that coaches are people too! Each has his or her own personality--and
that's bound to affect how they recruit. Some coaches may be outgoing, like to
talk on the phone, communicate well with strangers, etc. Others may be quiet,
even shy, and perhaps feel more comfortable showing skills, running practices
or planning game strategies.
These
individual differences can affect the way a school recruits you. The head coach
may leave 90% of the recruiting to an assistant coach. Or the head coach may do
it all himself. The coach who does most of the recruiting may hate phone calls,
or hate email, or not be great at time management, often leaving recruiting to
the end of the day or putting it off until tomorrow or next week. Some coaches
communicate better with adults than teens; others will be just the opposite.
One coach may feel touching base with a recruit once a month is plenty; another
may want to talk to you every couple of weeks; a third might email you several
times a week once the process actually gets underway.
My point
is that you need to keep these personal, philosophical and style differences in
mind when you start communicating with college coaches or they with you. I
sometimes hear families are upset because a coach isn’t attentive enough or
because a coach said she would call, then didn’t. I always favor the proactive
approach—i.e., if you want to find out why something did or did not happen, go
to the source. So if a coach says he’ll call, and then doesn’t follow through,
there’s no reason you can’t call him.
I’m a huge
believer in moving the process along if at all possible. Don’t sit around and
wait for answers if you can go out and get them! Since most coaches recruit
several players at any given time, it may be a big mistake to take anything for
granted. Rule number one is this: If you have questions about what a coach is
doing or why she’s doing it, ASK! But remember, it's unfair to expect every
college coach to be the same in how he or she recruits, (not to mention how
they view your skills, your experience, and your potential to contribute to
their program!)
(Note:
It's also very helpful to understand all the NCAA and NAIA rules on
contacts and recruiting as they differ not only from each other, but within
each division! For example, if you know that D-I and D-II coaches may only
phone you once a week, you're less likely to be upset if a coach calls, talks
to mom for ten minutes then doesn't call you back for the rest of that week.)
Now let’s
look at some of the major differences in recruiting based on the differences in
programs. There are always exceptions, but these are general trends I’ve
observed over a number of years.
I
sometimes hear parents or players complain that while many of the Div. I
schools they’ve written have responded (if only with a form letter), the D-II
or NAIA coaches haven’t sent word one in reply. This is not unusual, because
there are often notable differences in both style and timing of
recruiting--e.g., from D-I, to D-II, from NAIA to D-III, recruiting will not be
the same.
And even
within divisions, there will be differences. For example, I tend to find that
the bigger the D-I program, the more likely you are to get a quick response.
Big schools with well-funded teams are more likely to have a full-time staff,
and their coaches often spend a lot of time on recruiting. They may have an
established routine—e.g., letters and videos are opened, time-dated, examined
and then responded to following a specific schedule. In many cases, if you send
a letter to one of these programs, you’ll likely get an answer back within a
month or two. Coaches at the bigger Div. I programs may start tracking
prospects earlier, they may initiate contact earlier, and they may make
recruiting decisions earlier. Families are sometimes surprised when their
athlete gets a letter telling her a school has finished recruiting—and it’s
only August!
This may,
of course, be just a form response and a nice way of saying, "Thanks, but
we’re not interested." However, it may also be true. A school that
identifies top prospects early in a given class, starts writing those prospects
as juniors, has them on campus for unofficial visits, talks to them in person
at the first allowable date, and so on, may indeed get commitments by the end
of summer or start of fall.
Statistically
speaking, however, this is unusual. Many Div. I coaches will not even finalize
their "short list" of recruits until late summer or early fall, and
some will still be looking for prospects after the fall tournaments conclude.
At smaller D-I schools where the coach may not even have a full time assistant,
it may take longer for you to hear back, and you may have to follow up
with a phone call. Still, most D-I programs will try to have their recruiting
wrapped up, with commitments in hand, by late winter or early spring. So unless
a team member gets injured or leaves the program, or an unexpected need arises,
you can typically expect D-I coaches to be done recruiting and looking ahead to
scouting next year’s prospects when summer starts.
The
timetable at other levels of competition may be different, however. Coaches at
well-established D-II, D-III or NAIA programs—e.g., those with good staffing,
good funding, etc.—may start looking at juniors in late spring or early
summer, assuming their current recruiting needs have been met. But it’s also
not unusual for these coaches to do very little recruiting until the fall. If
they have travel budgets that allow them to travel for scouting over the
summer, they may try to see kids who’ve written them. And some may begin
follow-up contact right away, trying to schedule visits and looking at fall
commitments. But, many D-II and NAIA coaches, since they are permitted to have
players on campus for workouts, will not have much contact with players until
they’re ready to schedule those tryout dates.
I've even
heard from NAIA and D-III coaches that they like to wait until the first
"crush" is over. Some have told me that they want to know the players
are really willing to consider their schools—e.g., they've adjusted their
expectations after the big D-I programs have turned them down. So these coaches
may put off a lot of their active recruiting until the end of the fall, after
the early signing period is over.
Another
factor in the recruiting timetable is money. Since D-II and NAIA coaches may
have some scholarship money to offer prospects, they may be more interested in
getting commitments earlier than Div. III coaches. The D-III coaches will not
be offering athletic-based aid, so they know players may not make their final
decisions until after they've been accepted and gotten their financial aid
offers. Consequently, it may be spring before Div. III coaches get most of
their commitments.
Coaches at
smaller programs generally have smaller staffs, and they may not be as
efficient at responding to letters and videos. If you’re looking at these types
of schools, your pursuit of their programs may be more important than
their pursuit of you. While these coaches might not respond as quickly, they
may appreciate your phone calls even more than coaches at big schools would. If
you’re really interested in a particular team, pick up the phone and let the
coach know it! Request a visit, ask about applying, and keep calling until you
get an answer.
Once you
get to the fall of your senior year, you should begin seeing results from your
marketing efforts. D-I coaches can start returning your calls once you've
passed July 1 following your junior year, so here's an important guideline. If
it's September, and you’ve sent a video to a big college program, called and
left several detailed messages, and no one has returned your calls, it's
probably safe to assume they're not interested at this time.
Keeping in
mind that D-II or NAIA coaches may be setting up workouts with prospects, and
you should also start calling these coaches once fall comes. But you might want
to keep calling (particularly if you think they'll be able to see you play fall
ball), and perhaps try again after the first of the year before you scratch
them off your list. If you’re writing a lot of Div. III coaches, you may see
even later recruiting responses. So don’t assume they’re not interested just
because they haven’t written you. Just keep calling.
With so
much competition out there, and with recruiting styles and schedules so
dependent on the type of college as well as the type of coach, you should be
very proactive. Look at each college you’re contacting, and consider the
factors that might affect when or how that coach responds to you. Then make
your follow up calls and stick with it until you get an answer—even if that
answer is no. While that big Div. I college might be done recruiting in
September, the odds are great that there’s some other coach, be it at a Div.
II, III, NAIA, or even another D-I school, who would love to have you as a
member of his or her team!
*
* *
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU
In the
sport of softball, NCAA Division I and II colleges are allowed to have an early
signing period for one week in November, and a surprising number of people
think that if you don't sign then, it's all over. Many families aren't even
aware that there is a "traditional" signing period which runs from
mid-April all the way through July. (Division
Seniors
and their parents often get caught up in an early signing frenzy, believing
that if they don't actually sign in November, there won't be any colleges left
to recruit them. Most would be surprised to learn that if you took all
players who will eventually sign at or commit to play at a college
somewhere--including D-
It is
probably true that many "high visibility" players--e.g., the top D-I
prospects, kids on well-known travel teams, etc.--will sign in November. But
they only represent a portion of the overall total. Of course, since many of
these top prospects will choose bigger name colleges, those particular teams
may well be out of the recruiting loop after November. But every year I find
lots of college coaches still looking well into the spring--some even into the
summer.
I think
early signing is great for the player who finds a terrific school and team
"fit" and whose family can work with the financial aid offered by
that particular school. However, those players who don't sign early should not
look for the nearest tall bridge to jump off of. As the old baseball saying
goes, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings," and she's not even
warming up yet!
But what if
you don't find the right school in the fall or you got a late start on your
college search? First of all, be sure you have several "Plan B"
schools to which you apply following their regular application deadlines.
Whether it is a local school, a school where you wouldn't play softball, or one
where you'd try out as a walk-on player, you need to have a college to attend.
(Of course, some players will decide college softball may not be right for them
after all, so they'll need a back-up school for sure!)
Once
you've gotten those applications out of the way, take a new look at your goals
vis-à-vis college ball, and try to decide how realistic those goals are. If you
were shooting for
If you
have been emailing or talking with coaches, November is the time to really pin
them down. You need to find out if they are done recruiting or are still
looking. If still looking, do they consider you a strong prospect? If you are
someone they want to recruit, try to set up a visit--if not before Christmas,
then after the first of the year.
If you
aren't getting much response from the schools you initially pursued, consider
contacting some new schools. But think about focusing on Div. II, III, NAIA or
Junior Colleges, since these schools often start recruiting later than the
bigger programs, and they may still be looking. It's also good to remember you
can go work out with a JC or NAIA program at any time during your college
search, but you can only work out with a Div. II team until you start the
semester in which you play high school softball. (If you don't play HS ball for
some reason, this limitation does not apply.)
All
colleges play in the spring, so between practices, home games and road trips,
many of these coaches will have limited time in which to bring you in for a
visit. The same thing will apply to you if you live in a state that plays
spring high school ball. So it's smart to get on a coach's radar
early--preferably in January--to allow you to find a time to visit--and
possibly work out--that works for both of you.
Don't be
afraid to call coaches; just be sure if you get voice mail, you leave a
detailed message--including your grad year--so they return your call. I hear
from a lot of kids that they're afraid to bother coaches, don't want the coach
to get angry, don't know what to say, etc. In my experience, most coaches are
very happy to talk with a player. You need to find out whether there's a
chance you can play at that school, and any information you get will be useful.
If a coach says, "Thanks, but we're done," at least you know to move
on. (As a side note, if you call a coach three or four times, leaving a message
each time, and that coach doesn't call you back, chances are good you can take that
school off your list.)
I have
seen players stick to their college search with dogged determination, through
the winter, into the spring and even into the summer. And it's almost always
paid off if only because most other kids gave up! Granted, most of the time,
successfully finding a college will mean adjusting your expectations to fit
your reality--and for some kids and parents, that's impossible. But for those
who truly want to play in college, if you are open to lots of options, keep
plugging away, and don't give up, you have a terrific chance of finding a
college that says, "We want you!"
*
* *
*
* *
HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY WANT TO PLAY IN
COLLEGE?
I wish
there was some way I could 'plug in' to parents' and players' heads and
transfer my recruiting experience and knowledge directly to that part of the
brain that is responsible for decision-making. Because no matter how much I
talk, many kids and parents still don't quite 'get it.' (And that's
understandable given all the misinformation that floats around the ball park!)
It is true
that there are a few travel teams who garner so much attention from college
coaches that their top players really don't have to do much other than play
well to get recruiting offers. But these kids represent a small percentage of
the total number of prospects. The vast
majority of kids will probably have to work very hard if they want
to find a college and a team. They and their parents simply cannot make the
mistake of assuming they/their daughter will be 'snapped' up by college coaches
just because she was All-League in high school or because she hit two home runs
last summer. They simply cannot
sit back and wait for the phone to ring.
When
talking to coaches about the college search process and recruiting, it has
become increasingly evident to me that many college coaches are simply overwhelmed.
They not only cannot see--let
alone discover--every
player out there, but many of them can't even get through the mail on their
desk! A coach who has 40 videos sitting in front of her may look at fifteen of
them and find three players she likes enough to call, go see play, etc. Because
of that, she may discover, recruit and sign a player long before she ever gets
to tape number 37--which happens to be your daughter's tape.
Several
coaches told me recently that while the video is critical in getting them to
consider a player (particularly if they can't see her in person), follow-up was
equally important. One coach told me she had sent out about 50 requests for
videos to kids. Of the 30 or 35 players who actually sent tapes back only four
or five called to follow-up--e.g., to ask if she'd gotten the tape and to find
out where she stood with recruiting. This coach said she paid a lot more
attention to those
four or five kids because of their phone calls. It definitely made a difference
in her response to a player if she knew that player was so interested that she would make the
effort to call--no matter how scary that phone call might be!
Most
coaches don't mind if parents call unless they sense the parent is doing a
'hard sell.' But almost all
coaches like it when a player is brave or confident enough to call
them herself. It tells them a lot about her desire to play in college.
I will
acknowledge that some college coaches are too busy (or too disorganized) to
return a phone call or, in lieu of a call, to send a letter saying, 'Thanks,
but we're not interested.' So as disappointing as it may be, I usually tell an
athlete if she calls a coach three times over a couple of weeks and the coach
just ignores those calls, it's time to move on to other schools.
It's also
good to keep in mind that at many of the 'big name' programs, they have
secretarial staffs to write nice letters and handle PR for them. I often hear
that a player has gotten a gracious letter from the #1 or #2 or #4 school in
the nation saying, 'You're a fine athlete. If you decide you want to attend our
college, please let us know. We'd be happy to have you try out as a
walk-on....etc., etc.'
Yet I may
also know the odds on this player making the team--forget starting--at that
school are very slim. I know
the coach at that school. He or she has signed four seniors from nationally-
known travel teams, and he or she will have twenty kids trying out as walk-ons,
including several more players from those same big name travel teams. He or she
will keep two or three, and the rest of the kids will get cut. It's a business
and that's how it's run. But the school's or team's image is important too, and
no one wants to deliberately hurt a player's feelings. Hence the nice letters
welcoming you to walk on.
I've had
many parents complain about some coach who wrote their daughter a blunt
'rejection' letter. And they'll often contrast that with the 'big name' school
coach who sent a lovely letter saying she was welcome to try out as a walk-on.
Personally, if I was the parent of a player who passionately loved the game and
who really wanted to play, I would much
rather a coach tell me the kid wouldn't make the team than lead me on.
Sure, she's welcome to
try out. But at that point, she's already chosen the college, enrolled, moved
to the school and turned down other colleges where she could really play. Now
if playing softball isn't that important, but attending
But if
your athlete really, really wants to play, you can find a team that will give
her that opportunity even if it's not the #1 team in the nation. Believe me,
there are lots of coaches at smaller programs out there who love to hear from a
player who's interested in their school.
Five or
ten years ago, if you just wrote a coach and maybe sent a video, you had a good
chance that the coach would try to see you play or would respond to your letter
at the very least. That's not enough any more. There are just too many kids in
the mix. You almost have to do something that makes you stand out. Obviously,
it's terrific if you can do this on the field during a game when a coach is
watching you. But it also helps if you are willing to try to sell your love of
softball to a coach.
That's
where the phone calls come in. Coaches know how hard this is for you, but they
are more likely to take you seriously because
it is so hard. So is college softball! Make that effort, take the chance. You
may get turned down; that's part of life. But you may also steal a spot on a
team away from another player who couldn't or wouldn't make pick up the phone!
*
* *
HOW TO
With each
passing recruiting year, I see proof of softball's growth at the youth level.
More high school and travel teams are becoming competitive, and the/re's a
definite increase in the number of student-athletes who are dreaming of playing
softball in college.
Softball
talent, just like softball teams--college and youth ball--tends to fall into a
pyramid shape; and I don't expect this to change. Just as there will always be
more average players than there will be Lisa Fernandez or Michelle Smith types,
there will always be fewer college teams at the top and a lot more in the
middle and at the bottom of this pyramid.
But the overall level of college team competitiveness is rising every year. This
is due to better coaching, better equipment and technology, better experience
and a bigger and better pool of talent to draw from.
Players
who five or six years ago might have walked onto many Div. I teams and been
guaranteed a spot are now scrambling to get themselves recruited. Last spring, I
saw many families on the brink of despair because their athlete didn't have a
school offering her money or even a starting spot. Granted, many of these
families had been sitting around "waiting" for it to happen--e.g.,
they assumed coaches would find their player and recruit her just because she
was a strong athlete. But there were also players struggling to find spots who had written colleges, had sent out videos, and
had tried to
let coaches know they wanted to play in college.
The
process of finding a college is much like finding a job, and the tighter the
job market, the more you have to work. I know
the process as I outline it in my book works. Proactive marketing, contacting
coaches, sending out videos, and never stopping does produce results. But I also have to
warn parents that because of the pyramid structure of college softball, there
will be far fewer spots open at top schools and far more players wanting to go
to those schools. And the bigger the talent pool, the more coaches can pick and
choose which kids they want to recruit.
It has
become more important than ever to identify your athlete's "target
zone" early in the recruiting process. In the "old" days,
players could write five or ten schools, and if those schools weren't
interested, they could then write another five or ten, gradually working their
way down the list until they found schools where they would be
"impact" players. (The key to being recruited as a player is to find
the school where you will make a difference.)
Now, many families take way too long to do this. Where players think they can play and
would like to
play may not be where they are most likely to make a strong contribution to the
program and therefore be a "hot prospect."
I try not
to discourage players by telling them they are unlikely to be recruited by
In my
experience, it's a lot easier to hear that a Top 20 Div. I team doesn't want to
recruit you, if at
the same time, you are hearing that a smaller D-I or good D-II/NAIA school has
a spot just for you. Yet, many kids (or their parents) would rather risk giving
up softball than approach schools that aren't "big name" programs.
As you're
sitting around waiting for a coach to call think of these numbers. Every fall,
roughly 3500 to 4000 young women will enter four-year colleges as new recruits destined
for the softball team. Of this total number, 75%
will go to play for
Div. II, Div.
Too many
parents waste time insisting that their player is in the elite "blue
chip" pool of recruits, when in reality she's in the much, much larger
pool of "very good" athletes. Because of this, these families take
too long to realize that their player may have to accept a Div. II scholarship
or an NAIA talent award or a Div.
I would
certainly never recommend that a player go to a college she hates just to play
softball. This is always a big mistake. But I do urge athletes to expand their
horizons and consider colleges they might not have heard about or colleges that
are farther away from home than they originally wanted. College coaches do want
the best talent they can get. But almost all coaches will take a long hard look
at the player who most wants to play and who really wants to be part of their
program. So the more open an athlete is and the more willing she is to take a
look at lots of different types of colleges and college teams, the greater are
her chances of being some coach's "dream" recruit.
The
recruiting game is like the game of musical chairs. There are way too many
players competing for too few seats. If the music starts to slow down, you had
better grab the first open chair. If you don't you may find you are out of the
game all together!
*
* *
SOFTBALL "WINDOWS OF
The
way a family approaches the college search process is based on a lot of things,
not the least of which is the athlete's commitment to finding the team and
school that are right for her. Some families are very "gung ho,"
wanting to write colleges when the player is a freshman or sophomore. Others
are more laid back or perhaps take a lot for granted--e.g., they are pretty
sure their athlete will just be "discovered," recruited and signed.
In any case, they often wait until her senior year before panicking and rushing
to send out letters and tapes.
Is there a right answer to the question of when to start the college search?
Technically, there isn't. You can get lots of different input from
coaches--travel, college, high school, etc. While it's true that a few college
programs may spot young players they want to watch, there's a catch there. They
want to identify the next Lisa Fernandez or Cat Osterman--e.g., the next phenom
. If they can find that player when
she's young and get her interested in their college and team, so much the better.
But most athletes will not be the "greatest athlete of their
generation." And, we all know of players who as sophomores are solid (but
nothing special), but who become outstanding recruits by their senior year (and
vice versa!)
Parents need to remember that NCAA college coaches are supposed to follow NCAA
recruiting guidelines. They are not supposed to write players for recruiting
purposes until the start of the junior year, and they cannot talk to players in
person about recruiting until July 1 following the junior year (for Div. I
coaches and June 15 for Div. II coaches). Yes, they can send out a generic
questionnaire to sophomores. But that's it. They're not supposed to be telling
freshmen and sophomores that they want to recruit them! Another key factor is
that not all college coaches are created equal when it comes to recruiting.
Some have great support staffs who can be churning out letters on a weekly
basis to players. Others lumber along like dinosaurs struggling to respond to
letters and tapes that came in six months ago! Some schools have identified
their rising senior prospects by early summer; called them and set up visits by
early September; and have the players signed by November. But, other colleges
may aim to sign one player in the fall and the rest in the spring; and some
sign none in the fall, waiting until after the early signing period to get
serious about recruiting. And, even those coaches who want to be done by in the
fall often find themselves in March, April, May or June still looking for
recruits.
Since my approach to the college search centers on helping families get the
best return over the long period of time with the least amount of confusion and
as little duplication of effort as possible, I usually recommend following this
time table.
END OF THE SOPHOMORE YEAR: If your athlete is playing on an 18/U team that goes
to
START OF THE JUNIOR YEAR: If your player is on an 18/U team or Gold team that
goes to a major fall tournament that coaches attend, you again have the option
of sending out the post-cards.
MIDDLE OF THE JUNIOR YEAR: Have her schedule the
SPRING OF THE JUNIOR YEAR: I consider late January to late May the opening of
the best "recruiting window of opportunity." This is when I encourage
players to make their skills video; and a tape made at this time should work
for them all the way through the recruiting process. This is also when they
should begin putting together packets to send to coaches. They can include the
video or wait until it's requested, and they can let coaches know where they'll
be playing over the summer. As soon as school ends, they should start the NCAA
Clearinghouse process, having their high school send the IEC a 6th semester
transcript.
START OF THE SENIOR YEAR: Families need to ensure their player is on track and
keep the process moving forward. If they haven't heard back from the schools
initially contacted, follow-up phone calls may be in order--particularly if
they have sent a video. Seniors need to remember that no coach will give them
any realistic feedback on their chances of making a college team without either
having seen the video or seen the player compete in person.
Seniors need to sort colleges into three categories: the "Thanks, but no
thanks" category; the "We don't know yet" category; and the
"Yes, we're definitely interested and would like to talk to you, bring you
in for a visit, have you apply to the school, etc." category. As the
senior year progresses, the player's goal should be to constantly empty the
"No" category, to move the schools in the "Maybe" category
into either the "No" or "Yes" category, and to find out
which schools in the "Yes" category may be a good match for her.
If families take advantage of this "window of opportunity," they are
more likely to be on track throughout the process, while at the same time
avoiding having to write schools three or four times to get a response. For
most kids, the college search tends to be more like a marathon than a sprint.
The key to winning is stamina, persistence and the ability to pace yourself.
Starting at the most optimum time makes this a lot easier. Start too early and
you may have repeat and repeat and repeat your efforts. Start too late, and you
may miss the boat completely at a lot of schools!
*
* *
BE SURE TO
When it
comes to recruiting, many families (and players) often make the mistake of
assuming certain things are true. Then when their college search gets stalled
or derailed, they are confused and upset. What I hear most frequently is one
version or another of this simple phrase, "It's not fair!" Right there is where
the problem begins. People assume or take for granted that because they think
something should be a certain way, it will be. Unfortunately, that's all too
often not the case. You might be lucky and find this out early enough to change
your perspective. Or you might not accept it out until it's too late.
One of my
goals as a recruiting consultant is to help families approach the college
search from the perspective that is most
likely to get them the results they want. And that means accepting
right from the beginning that this process is very likely to be unfair. While it may be
true that their athlete is very talented, has terrific competitive experience,
is a good student and a wonderful human being, none of those things guarantees
recruitment.
The above
qualities may factor into her recruitment, but unfortunately, they don't
guarantee that things will work out fairly or logically. The simple truth is
that there are some important factors in the recruiting equation that parents
can control...and some that they can't. If you understand this and work your
tail off to stay of top of the things you can
control, then you may be able to lessen the effect of those things you can't control. For
example, your athlete can control her grades (at least to the extent that she
gets the best grades she's
capable of getting.) The athlete can determine how hard she works to make the
most of her athletic ability--she can choose to go hang out with her friends
rather than putting in extra time at the batting cages or on the mound. She can
choose to play the toughest competitive schedule, and she can decide how much
she hustles.
To some
extent, the athlete may be able to control how she performs under pressure;
parents or coaches may be able to help by encouraging the practice and drills
that build confidence and help her succeed. But if she's only successful when
no one is watching or when she's playing against weaker competition, and can't
produce when it counts--e.g., when coaches are there to watch her--fair or not,
she may have trouble convincing those coaches that she can play for them.
Families can control how well
they market their player, and they can focus on the types of programs where
she's most likely to be successful because these are the teams that are most
likely to recruit her. But parents can moan
and groan until they're blue in the face and it's not going to
change the mind of a coach who just doesn't see what they see when looking at
this athlete.
Parents can't control whether or
not college coaches make recruiting mistakes. But they can help their
college-bound player avoid making college search mistakes if they work from the
correct premise. Assume
that this process may not be fair, that it may be confusing and that you're not going to
change the process. All you can change is your approach to it. But changing
your attitude may give your athlete an edge that players who are more
experienced or even more talented may lack!
*
* *
PLAYING RECRUITING ROULETTE
This is a
follow-up to the article that ran last month. It has to do with "playing
the odds." Collegiate recruiting is
a gamble in the purest sense of the word (for both the coach and the player.)
Statistically speaking, the odds are that only about one in ten players who
hope to make a college team will actually come up a winner after her dice are
rolled.
Not all
high school ball players will be dealt the same hand, of course. Coming from a
strong softball area or program with high visibility will increase your odds
somewhat. Having an unusual amount of talent or spectacular grades also may
slant the odds in your favor.
Not all
would-be college players have the same desire
to play either, and the more a player really wants to play in college
(because she just loves the game and can't imagine not playing), the greater
are her chances of finding a team. And there are things parents and players can
do to increase their chances of "winning" in the recruiting game. But
many players and their families don't want to do these things...or are only
willing to do them to a certain degree.
I cannot
stress how important it is to identify the odds that are in your favor before you begin your
college search. Recognize the "rules" you've set for yourself at the
start of "play," and understand how these "rules" may
affect your odds of winning. For example, if your personal "rules"
state that you will be a winner if and only if you're recruited by a Top 25
Div. I team, then your odds of winning at recruiting roulette go way, way down--unless
you happen to be one of the top one hundred ball players in the country. (Statistically
speaking, about 75-100 kids total
will be become new players at the Top 25 programs in the country every year.)
If you're
willing to change your game "rules" enough to consider playing for
one of the top 50 Div. I teams or one of the top 30 Div. II teams, then your
odds increase somewhat because now you might only have to be among the top
three hundred ball players in the country! And, of course, if you relax your
"'rules" enough to talk to all
good college teams that might be interested in you, then your chances of being
recruited go way, way up!
Considering
schools where you will be actively
recruited versus making a team as a walk-on player will also drastically
increase the recruiting odds in your favor. Every year I hear many girls say
they're going to walk on at "Big Name" University because they're
just sure (or more often their parents are just sure) they can make the team.
And occasionally
it does happen. But more often than not it doesn't (or if it does, the player
finds out she'll be a two to four year bench-sitter and she quits). Then the
player has to admit either that it really wasn't that important to her to play
college ball or that she made a big mistake in choosing this school and team.
Yes, we all hear about the lucky unknown who tried out for
You
should, of course, choose the college where you'll be happy and get the
education you need. But if playing softball is important to you, there are many
hundreds of wonderful colleges with good softball teams--but the vast majority
of them are not D-I, Top Twenty programs..
One other
big factor in your "odds" game is money. If you're lucky enough to
have parents who will contribute financially to your college education, then
your chances of finding a team and a school are significantly higher because
you can choose from many, many teams. If you will only go to a school that will
give you a full ride softball scholarship, your odds decrease immediately and
drastically--again unless you happen to be among the top two or three percent
of all the players in the country. Being able to get academic-based,
minority-based or need-based financial aid may help increase your odds. But if
your family is expecting or insisting that everything be paid for, you may be
out of luck. Unless your family can demonstrate significant need, or you are at
the very top of your class, getting a full "package" is pretty tough.
If you're
asking who does
win at the recruiting roulette game, the answer is actually pretty simple. The
player with the odds of coming up a big winner is the ball player who
passionately loves softball, has good grades, lots of motivation, an open mind,
and supportive parents who understand the "realities" of winning at
this game. This player will most likely be the one who will actually do everything she can to
make the most of her odds. And in so doing, she will likely pass up better,
more experienced players who haven't figured out how to "beat the
odds!"
*
* *
WHICH TRAVEL BALL
As
recruiting becomes increasingly competitive, choosing to play for the right
travel team can be a major decision for a player and her family. I won't go
into the really hard part of selecting a travel team--i.e., determining
up front whether or not the coaches are the best ones for you! I've given up
suggesting ways (short of consulting a crystal ball) that players can determine
ahead of time whether a travel ball coach is a good fit, let alone whether he
or she is a) being honest (and will stay that way); b) being honest in the
moment, but with little likelihood he'll be saying the same thing in six
months; c) believing she is being honest, but already developing contingency
plans; or d) just telling you what you want to hear.
There are
two other important questions I frequently hear, however, when it comes to
choosing a travel ball team. The first revolves around whether or not to play
"up." Parents of high school freshmen and sophomores often ask me if
I think their daughter should play 18/U or 18/Gold, particularly if it means she
may not get as much playing time.
My answer
to this is generally, "Yes, by all means." There are certain
questions I'd ask before committing to playing "up," but it
can be a great experience for a number of reasons. You should decide if this
particular 18/U or Gold team is actually a better/stronger team than the best
16/U team she'd play for. Playing--even all the time--on an 18/U team that only
travels to small local tournaments doesn't necessarily offer a lot of benefits.
You need to find out beforehand if the team has an established track record,
goes to major tournaments such as the CO Fireworks, the Rising Stars Showcase,
ASA or AFA Nationals, and other well-known venues that attract a lot of college
coaches. And you need to ask specific questions about what the team coaches do
to help their players move on to college. You should also try to discover--if
possible--whether she will really get enough playing time to help her put into
practice what she's learning...at practice!
But
experience has shown me that younger kids who play for established older teams
often benefit in many ways. She may get excellent, experienced coaching; she
should have the chance to compete with and against better players--which should
make her a better player; and she'll have a year or two to see the
tougher pitching (or better batters) before it has to "count." In
other words, if she plays up as a freshman or sophomore, she can play part
time, get used to traveling, get used to seeing college coaches everywhere, and
have lots of time to adjust to a higher level of competition. If she doesn't
succeed immediately, it won't hurt her because she'll be learning. And while
coaches may be watching and making notes for the future, she's too young to be
actively recruited yet. So there is much less pressure to perform "under
pressure."
I
generally see positive rather than negative results from playing
"up." But it's true, not all kids are ready for this big move.
If your player doesn't understand that sitting 50% of the time on a great team
still offers lots of opportunities to shine and to grow as a player, then this
may not be for her. If she doesn't have collegiate aspirations, there's
certainly no need to play up--particularly if she would be sitting a lot. And
some 15 year olds just are not socially mature enough to be spending a lot of
road time with 17 and 18 year olds--or even returning college players. But
overall, if I had to choose for my athlete, I'd jump at the chance to play on a
good older team that welcomed her. Getting comfortable early at the top level
of competition can help a player be relaxed and ready to compete when it really
counts--when college coaches are there to watch her!
The second
question that I hear frequently is the opposite of the first one. Time
and time again parents want my assurance that it's just fine for their junior
(soon to be senior) to play "down" on a 16/U team. Unfortunately, I
can't respond to this question with the same enthusiasm I showed for the first
one. Once in a blue moon, I'll say it's okay for a junior to play down, but for
the most part, my answer is always a resounding, "DON'T!" I know,
sometimes it just can't be helped. The only good team within a two-hour driving
distance may be a 16/U team. Or she may not be recruited by any 18/U teams
except the local rec. ball club. And of course, if your player doesn't have
collegiate softball goals or is just planning on walking on at the local J.C.,
it's likely to be fine for her to play 16/U as a junior.
That said,
however, here are the two best arguments against it. First, despite what 16/U
coaches may tell you, college coaches scout far less at 16/U tournaments. Yes,
some will go to 16/U ASA Nationals--though they're often there to look at the
class a year behind your player's. But can you guarantee in November or
March that your junior's 16/U team will go to Nationals? And yes, if your
player is very strong and has done all of her college search
homework--sent out letters/resumes/videos in the spring and followed up with
emails and postcards--and her 16/U team goes to a major tournament like
the CO Fireworks, some coaches will certainly come watch her play. But the
"random discovery" factor for most 16/U players is much smaller. And,
since coaches can't be in two places at once, they'll almost always choose to
go where they can get the most bang for their buck.
This means
if a coach has to choose between seeing a couple of the kids who've written him
playing in the 16/U division or seeing 15-20 of the prospects he's considering
in the18/U bracket, he'll be watching the older teams. No matter how you slice
it, there's just no way coaches can spend as much time watching 16/U teams. So
if you need to be seen in order to be recruited (and most kids do), your
chances just aren't as good if you play down.
The second,
and equally important, reason not to play down is the competition. While there
are great 16/U teams and outstanding pitchers and hitters, the older kids,
particularly at the Gold level, will generally be stronger. If you're a junior
playing 16/U ball, you're the oldest--and theoretically--the best or most
experienced. So there are not nearly as many challenges to your game. Then, all
of a sudden, you have to go up to 18 or Gold in the fall of your senior year,
and now you have to adjust immediately to pitching--if you're a
hitter--or batters--if you're a pitcher--that your teammates have been facing
for a year or two. And you may have to do this under tremendous pressure
because this may be the only time college coaches get to check you out.
I can't tell
a family what to do. And yes, kids do need to be happy playing softball because
there's no other reason to do it. College coaches want you playing because you
love the game, not because they might give you a little money. Still, you have
to ask yourself, is it more important to be with my friends right now or to
play college ball in two years?
It's
certainly not impossible to get recruited or to find a college softball team
after playing 16/U as a junior. However, I know a lot of parents who would tell
you--hindsight providing 20-20 vision and all--that the biggest mistake they
made with their daughter's college search was letting her play 16/U her junior
summer--when she had other options. Sometimes you don't have them; and
sometimes this might just be the best choice for your athlete. But if
this is the route you choose to go, be sure you plan wisely, map out her
college search early and thoroughly, and be prepared to hit some roadblocks
along the way.
*
* *
A WINNING ATTITUDE IS A BIG
Many
athletes and their parents will use the player's performance in game situations
as an indicator of her recruitablity. If she goes three for four and makes a
great diving play on a ball, they're convinced all college coaches will want to
recruit her. If she goes "0" for the day and boots a couple of balls,
they're sure no coach will even look at her.
The
player's (and her parents') attitude towards the game is often tied to her
performance. If she's hitting, fielding or pitching really well, she smiles,
she's happy and her parents are ecstatic. If she has an off day, reactions can
range from simply "getting down on herself" to rage and tantrums.
I have
also seen cases where a player is doing very well in a game, but other team
members are struggling and not "showing" as well as they would like.
In this situation, parents (and occasionally the player herself) may get upset,
talk about finding another team, complain about the current players and/or
coaches, and create a very unpleasant environment. If you asked them why they
were acting this way, they would tell you that the team's performance was hurting their player's chances
for success.
Performance
is important.
No one would argue that a player who can't hit or field will probably not make
it at the college level. And it's equally true that college coaches look for a
'clutch performance' when scouting a prospect. But just as there are many
different levels of collegiate competition and many different types of college
coaches, there are many levels of success among players. The
"blue-chip" player, the girl in the top 1% of all players, will
probably--even on a bad day--look better than a very average player does on a
good day. But college coaches know that even top athletes have "off"
days now and then.
When
scouting, how much attention a coach pays to any given athlete may also depend
a lot on whether or not the coach has a context for that player. In other
words, when a coach just randomly stops at a field for five minutes to watch a
team he or she doesn't know, if your player is having a really bad game, the
coach will probably move on and not pay her any more attention. However, if the
coach had gotten a letter from her, seen her video and liked it, and knew your
player was very interested in his or her college, that coach might still take the time to
watch more than one inning. He or she might even come back for another game to
see if this poor performance was the result of an 'off day.'
It's also
good to remember that college coaches don't just look at mechanics or skill
level when recruiting athletes. Although these things are very important, most
coaches also look closely at a player's attitude, work ethic, sportsmanship,
and other qualities that can't be measured by 'statistics.'
It's
completely normal for young adults to get discouraged, depressed or frustrated
when they don't perform up to someone's expectations--whether it be their own,
their parents' or their coaches'. But learning to deal with this frustration is
as much a part of being a successful competitor as is learning to hit a
change-up or throw a curve. Softball is a team sport and failure is just
sometimes part of the game.
When
recruiting, many college coaches will specifically try to look at an athlete's performance
in challenging situations; and they will definitely be interested in how she
copes with adversity. When the ump has an inconsistent strike zone or the team
isn't playing up to its potential, coaches want to know how the individual reacts. Does she
throw her bat and helmet, stomp around angrily, sit and sulk on the bench, or
in other ways fail to adjust to the situation? Or does she rise to the
occasion, try to keep her teammate spirits up, try to perform to her best?
Loving the
game and being competitive enough to hustle even when it's ninety degrees and
you're losing will tell a college coach a lot about how you will cope with the
demands of college softball. In between innings if you drag your butt out to
your position at shortstop and just lob balls to the first baseman, laughing
when you miss a ball, this may give a college coach the impression you lack
intensity or that you can't stay focused.
If you sit
in the dugout and sulk when the coach pulls you for a pinch hitter or when the
coach asks you to bunt, you pop up because you really want to hit away, this
may tell a college coach you're not a team player and you're only interested in
your own performance.
Remember,
you never know when a college coach or a scout is watching you. From the time
you show up at a tournament or game, you should be performing--in every sense
of the word--to the best of your abilities. Whether you're just hitting
soft-toss during pre-game warm-ups or making a leaping catch to save the game,
coaches may be watching. When you're carrying gear after the game or sitting on
the bench keeping stats for your coach, someone may be watching. And a decision
to recruit or not recruit you could be based on how you handle yourself in
these situations.
Finally, parents should keep in
mind that the same cautions apply to you. While coaches are scouting your
player, they may also be scouting you. Although it seems farfetched, I know of
situations where coaches have decided not to recruit a good athlete simply
because they watched her parents "act out" in the stands. The coaches
saw the parents and realized the athlete would probably not fit in with their
team--or at least her parents wouldn't! It may be difficult for some parents to
understand, but the reality is when your athlete joins that college team, you
have to say good-bye. Even if you've coached her for ten years, you will not
have any input
once she's in college. Where she plays, when she plays, what pitches she
throws, whether she hits--these are all decisions the college coach will make
without your help. And whether or not you
like what the coach is doing probably won't matter a bit.
As a
family, it's a good idea to talk about the
emotional aspects of softball. Look at how you all handle pressure
and try to gain some perspective. The more positive you can be during the tough
games, the more likely you are to leave a positive impression on a coach!
*
* *
SUMMER SCOUTING IMPRESSIONS
I spend
most of June and July on the road, often at major tournaments like the Colorado Fireworks. This
can be an exhilarating (and scary) time for players, particularly those who
will start their senior year in the fall. It sure wipes me out!
Each year, I see new things and am reminded of old ones that are part of the
college search for players or the recruiting process for college coaches. I'd
like to mention or remind you of some of these things that might help keep you
aware, motivated and on the right track during your college search.
Observations
from/about College Coaches
Observations
for/about Players
Observations
for/about Parents and Youth Coaches
*
* *
BIG NAME SCHOOLS AREN'T YOUR ONLY OPTION!
Many
families have a hard time grasping the "big picture" where college
softball is concerned. Just as with the proverbial iceberg, in assessing
college teams, families often see only what's above the water line. In most
cases their vision will be limited to local or regional schools and to
high-visibility schools. Since the high-visibility schools are often Top 20,
Div. I colleges, these are the programs that every
athlete wants to play for.
While
dreaming is an important part of being a young adult, one of life's
hardest-learned lessons is that every
aspect of every
dream may not come true. The likelihood of a seventeen-year old realizing her
dream of making a college team is directly
related to: a) her willingness to do whatever it takes to make this
dream come true, and b) her ability to adjust her personal expectations to fit
her individual reality.
What this
means is simple. When I ask a player to list her top five or ten schools, I
almost always hear the same schools mentioned. Everyone wants to play for
Kids want
to play for these schools because they've seen them on TV or because they're
National Champions or because the school is nationally-known for its sports
programs. Parents want their kids to play for these schools for a multitude of
reasons. They want "bragging rights," or they want a full-ride
scholarship. It doesn't really matter, because these reasons tend to be the
wrong ones--at least if a player hopes to succeed at this type of college
program. For the most part, Mike Candrea, Margie Wright, Sue Enquist, and their
colleagues at top Div. I colleges recruit a player based on a number of
factors: her talent and her competitive experience, her potential to help their
programs, her grades, her work ethic, and one more subtle, but equally important
factor--e.g., her ability to withstand the very tough demands (both academic
and athletic) that they will put on her once she's playing for them.
Softball
at the highest levels of competition--and particularly for those players on
scholarships--is a job. And it may be the toughest job you've ever had. So
you'd better love it, because otherwise, the sacrifices you have to make and
the work you'll do just won't be worth it. Sure, it's great to get your
education paid for by a scholarship. But working in the library or taking out
loans may be a better way to pay for college than being miserable playing
softball.
Yes,
sometimes I'm a big party-pooper when it comes to recruiting! I can seem pretty
tough when dealing with a player whose family is living in
Here
are some facts that might help families stay grounded during the college
search. There are just over 1100 softball teams at four-year colleges. Of that
number, about 260 are Div. I, about 230 are Div. II, and all the rest (over
600) are Div.
There is nothing wrong with dreaming of playing at a top D-I college program.
And if you’re offered a scholarship and it’s the right school for you, take it!
On the other hand, the player who will go anywhere as long as the school and
the team are a good "fit" has so many more options and so many more
chances for success that she is very likely to be recruited over other,
possibly more experienced or talented athletes who refuse to adjust their
expectations even a little. Recruiting is a game of musical chairs. There are
way too many players and not nearly enough seats for all of them. So when
you're marching around those chairs and the music starts to slow down, if
you're smart, you'll grab the first empty seat you see. Otherwise, you may be
out of the game completely!
*
* *
Why Consider Smaller Schools
Many people
(including college coaches themselves) are surprised when I tell them that 75%
of all college teams do not compete at the Div. I level. That has a very
specific impact on college-bound players because it means that 75% of those
who go on to play in college will be competing at a Div. II, Div.
Families are often
surprised when they hear that many D-II teams or NAIA teams beat D-I teams when
they play them in the fall. And top
D-III teams beat good D-II teams as well.
One thing is certain. Not all
teams are created equal at any level
of competition. Just as there are D-III
or D-II teams that struggle to be competitive, there are also D-I teams that do
the same. Athletic funding really varies
from school to school, and the commitment to hiring top-notch coaches,
providing state of the art facilities, and so on, is just as likely to be
present (or absent) at an NAIA school as it is as a Division I college.
Realistically, how
many players will go on to professional careers in softball or make it to the
Olympics? (Maybe 1 percent.) Dreams are great, but it's your life after college that college is supposed
to be about. Where you get your degree,
what kind of education you get, how good your grades are, and the completeness
of your collegiate experience should determine what schools you consider, and
not whether the team is D-I or D-III.
Many parents are
somewhat surprised and disappointed to find out that there are D-I teams that
are only moderately competitive, and that many D-I schools are not fully
funded--e.g., instead of having 12 scholarships, they have 2 or 5 or 7. Yes, if you are recruited by a top D-I team,
you may be offered more scholarship money than if you choose a D-II or NAIA
program, but what if you're not necessarily a top 2% prospect? You might find that a Div. II or NAIA school
puts together a better package based on academics or need or other factors than
a smaller D-I school could offer you.
While there is probably more money available overall at the Div. I
level, the fact still remains that 75% of all college players will not be
playing at D-I schools.
Something else you
have to consider is what you want your college experience to consist of. Do you want to take part in student government,
perform with the theater or music department, play another sport, do
internships or research projects? It may
be next to impossible to do any of this while competing at a nationally ranked
D-I program. Are you thinking of
graduate school, maybe law or medicine, after college? When you apply, they'll look at your GPA and
your MCAT or LSAT scores. Softball
experience will look nice on your resume, but it will not get you into a top
law school. It really may be better for
you to have a particular undergraduate academic experience instead of a certain
athletic experience if you want to achieve your future goals.
Or perhaps you're
at the other end of the spectrum. You're
a great athlete who's being pursued by major university teams. But you have to work very hard to get C's and
B's, and just getting into college will be a big achievement. While many D-I programs have excellent
academic support systems, the demands of 65 or more games a year, conditioning,
practices, road trips, etc., may make it difficult for you to succeed in the
classroom without constantly feeling overwhelmed. You might want to consider a smaller school,
where student-teacher ratios are 20-1, and where you will be helped to succeed
by professors who know who you and can keep you on top of your academic game as
well as your athletic one. You might
play only 40 games a season, but be more successful and much less stressed!
I always recommend
prospective college players go watch top D-
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Happy? Miserable? Happy? Miserable? What Works For Your Daughter?
Throughout
the year, I get periodic emails and phone calls from parents describing how
unhappy their daughter is on her college team.
She may love the school, like the players, etc., but she’s not getting
playing time, and she’s heartbroken.
When the coach recruited her, he or she created a glowing picture of how
it was going to be once she was there.
But the reality is completely different.
Parents want to know what they can do, why does this happen, what are
her options, etc.?
In
order to help prevent this from happening to your daughter, let me suggest a
few things to consider ahead of time.
Then I’ll look at a couple of ways you might handle this situation if it
does come up.
BEFORE SHE CHOOSES A COLLEGE
When
a coach is recruiting a player, he wants to present the best case scenario for
the prospect. Some coaches paint
glowing pictures that make it sound like all your daughter has to do is show up
and she’ll be the #3 hitter, batting .400 as a freshman. Other coaches are cautiously optimistic,
telling her that if she works hard and develops as they hope, she should get
lots of playing time. A third group of
coaches may be bluntly honest (particularly if they see your daughter as a role
player or if she’s considering walking on at their schools.) They may be very straightforward and tell her
she’ll have to work hard to get a chance to contribute, and that there are no
guarantees.
But
it almost doesn’t matter what they really say! Most families will hear what they want to
hear. And that means they expect their
daughter will play—even when the coach indicates it could well be
otherwise. Thus the disappointment of
sitting the bench can be crushing, for both parents and child.
Coupled
with this is a (frequently) first time sense of powerlessness. In the past, if things didn’t work out on a
given team, parents might have confronted the coaches, perhaps complained
loudly in the stands, and often ended up finding another team. But you can’t do that in college. (Well, you can complain loudly in the stands,
but that’s about all.) And in fact,
interference from a parent generally makes the situation worse.
So
how do you avoid this? Honestly,
sometimes you can’t. If your player just
doesn’t make the jump to college level competition as you expected, she may find herself on the bench. You can come up with fifty reasons why she’s
only hitting .098 or her ERA is 12.10, but you’re not the one stepping into the
batter’s box or setting up on the pitching rubber. If she doesn’t produce, she probably doesn’t
play.
I
know I’ll get internet tomatoes thrown at me by parents who insist that their
child can play for UCLA or
Most
parents would deny that they’d rather see their kid unhappy on a big name team
they can brag about than see her happy and successful on a smaller team that
none of their buddies have heard of. But
if my experience counts for anything (and it should), there are quite a few
parents whose behavior indicates this is actually how they feel. (At least this is how they feel before she goes to that bigger program
and is miserable.)
If
you want to avoid having to deal with a player who’s sitting the bench and
hating life, there are a few things you can do when choosing a college.
1. Ask the right questions, and really listen to the answers. See
how many other players are currently on that team or have been recruited to
fill your daughter’s likely college position.
If there are already 3 kids who can play catcher, chances are your
daughter will have to fight for a spot.
That pressure is more than you can imagine…trust me.
2. Don’t assume the bigger program is the better
program—for your daughter anyway. Yes,
it might be fun to tell other parents that Suzy is at a big name college. But again, trust me when I tell you it won’t be fun when they ask you how she’s
doing and you have to tell them (or figure out how to avoid telling them) that
she’s sitting the bench or she’s hitting .102, or worse, that she hates
softball now.
3. Don’t put a dollar
value on her playing experience. Yes,
it’s great to get the most money you can.
But is that money really worth
it if she’s miserable? There are loans,
jobs, grants and various ways to pay for college. If she wasn’t playing softball at all, you’d
still have to figure out how to cover her expenses. Would you rather borrow $3000 a year or
forego that new car for a couple of years so that your daughter can love every
minute of her college softball experience?
Or do you prefer to sell her happiness for $20000, for $10000, for
$5000? And keep in mind that changing
colleges may end up costing you more than you ever got in scholarship dollars
if she hates it there and wants to come home.
For
my money, the happiest college players are usually kids at D-III programs. They aren’t getting a dime of athletic
money. And it’s amazing how many of them
love softball more now than they did in high school.
Be
smart. Look at the experience of the
kids sitting the bench versus that of those playing somewhere else. Consider lots of options and be honest with
yourself about your financial needs versus your ego needs. Assess each school your athlete is
considering, making sure you understand the worst
case scenario. If your daughter can
be happy with this, then you’re probably okay.
We
all make mistakes. Athletes do sometimes
choose teams and colleges for the
wrong reasons, and that’s just part of life.
If you find yourself in a situation where your daughter is very unhappy
because she’s not playing, you do have some options. This applies mostly to players who are in
their sophomore year because it’s not unusual for freshmen to sit. And, assuming the college itself is a good
fit, I believe players should give a school at least one year to see if the
situation improves. But by the time
she’s well into her sophomore year, it should be apparent whether or not she’s
going to have a chance to play.
If
she’s sitting the bench and is truly miserable, but doesn’t want to give up
softball, there are a few things she can do.
1. The player, not the parent, should go talk
to the coach. Don’t do it before or
after a game; pick a quiet time. Don’t
approach the coach in a confrontational way.
Simply ask the coach to be honest about why you’re not playing, what you
might work on to improve your skills, and what it would take for you to get the
playing time you want.
2. If the coach makes
sound suggestions, act on them. If it
means more time in the weight room or in the batting cage, do it. Work twice as hard as any other player on the
team, and show the coach how much you want it.
If you do everything the coach recommends, and things don’t improve, you
will have a very legitimate reason to consider leaving.
3. If either the coach
indicates you’re never likely to be more than a role player, or, you do
everything the coach asked for and still don’t get any more playing time,
parents and player will have to sit down and decide how important softball
is. If the player is happy at the
college, maybe it’s time to put down the bat and glove. Even if it means giving up a scholarship, she
can finish her education and move on with her adult life.
4. If, after some
serious thinking and family discussions, the player decides she wants to find a
school where she can be a contributing player, do it the right way. The player or her parents can’t just pick up
the phone and start calling coaches. She
will have to talk to her coach, ask for her release, and assuming that it’s
granted, she can then start contacting colleges.
But
don’t make the same mistake twice. Understand that transferring will probably
mean that mom and dad have to pay for school, at least for awhile. The player may find she still has to prove
herself once she gets to a new program.
So be smart. Look for a team
where she can realistically make an
immediate impact. After all, there’s no
point in transferring only to sit the bench again.
For
most players, this may mean going to a different kind of team. It doesn’t necessarily mean the team won’t be
a good one, however. A player sitting
the bench at a mid-level D-I team might be able to start right away at a good
D-II or NAIA team. In some cases, the
player might have to go to a smaller, less competitive program, but remember,
it’s all about the playing time.
If
you’re smart and lucky, you will choose wisely out of high school. Finding the right team is always about more
than the dollar and the name. Re-arrange
your priorities if necessary. Finding a
team where you can contribute as a freshman (or definitely by the time you’re a
sophomore) should be higher on the list than either the affiliation or the
scholarship!
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© Collegiate
Softball Connection 2010