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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, III or NAIA schools. So if you know that
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-Part 1
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 DON'T "SIGN" EARLY?
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 III colleges never have a "signing" period
since they don't offer athletic-based aid, and NAIA schools sign their own
individual commitment letters and do not use the National Letter of Intent.)
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-III and NAIA
schools--you would find that the majority of athletes do not sign in the fall. Even
if you just looked at players who will sign at a D-I or D-II at some point, I
suspect that you'd still find nearly half did not sign in November.
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!"
******
(And interestingly enough, the unsigned
2005--2008 players list published on Spy Softball had/has more
******
STAYING ON TOP OF NCAA RECRUITING
CHANGES
Unfortunately,
recruiting is not a "static" process. It changes constantly, and
knowing when a change occurs can be critical to your own college search.
Whether it's a "trend"--for example where coaches are scouting or how
they're communicating with prospects--or a firm NCAA regulation change, it's
important that you know what's going on.
I try to update readers regularly about major NCAA rule changes, but I've had things slip by me--for example, the NCAA enacts Section 24, Subsection 18, Bylaw 62A, Amendment 208 that goes into effect retroactively, and the NCAA forgets to call me to tell me about it. (This is poetic license, not an actual rule change...and No, I do not expect the NCAA to call me when they change a rule!)
You should know about some pending NCAA
changes that will affect those graduating in 2006 and beyond. The first big one
you need to be aware of has to do with NCAA CORE COURSES. Currently, you
need to complete 14 core courses for Div. I or II eligibility. However, as of
2008, students must complete 16 core courses for Div. I eligibility. Freshmen in
high school need to be aware of this now.
Another NCAA ruling regards the SAT.
The test itself is being revised, and 2006 grads will get to see the new
test next spring. The new format includes a written ESSAY section that
will count for an additional 200-800 points. It will be written in
longhand--NOT on a computer. There will be other changes pertaining to elements
they are removing from the SAT --eliminating analogies and quantitative
comparisons--and to things they are adding such as new math problems. For
details, go to www.collegeboard.com.
(I strongly encourage 2006 grads to take the
new SAT early in the spring of 2005. Do not put off taking your first
SAT until October of 2005! Forewarned is forearmed!)
Because there will now be three SAT
sections, this will mean you can have a score that ranges from 600 (the 200
points you get for each section just for showing up) to 2400 (a perfect score.)
HOWEVER, as of this writing, the NCAA will continue to determine athletic
eligibility based only on your MATH and VERBAL (Critical
There are also legislative issues
regarding recruiting and eligibility.
For example, all "electronically transmitted direct human interaction
voice exchange" will be considered a phone contact, and all
"electronically transmitted correspondence" will be considered
written correspondence. AOL Instant Messaging,
text messaging, and pagers are now WRITTEN contacts. Email or letters are also obviously written contact;
phone calls, video email, videophones, etc., will be considered voice contact.
Both are subject to NCAA guidelines, and these rules apply to both D-I and D-II
colleges. But in any case, please remember...VISIT
WWW.NCAA.ORG REGULARLY!
*****
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 WIN THE RECRUITING LOTTERY
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. III and NAIA college
teams, and 90% will be going to
schools that are located east of the state of
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. III
financial aid package if she really wants to play softball in college.
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 SAT and ACT and begin to
identify schools she'd like to write--encouraging her to focus on a broad range
of college programs. She can also being setting her resume up on the computer
and working on a letter of introduction.
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 WORK FROM THE CORRECT RECRUITING
"PREMISE!"
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 Arizona State or
Oregon State or Missouri and became a starter. But what you don't hear about are all the other kids who tried out for those teams
and were cut.
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 AGE GROUP IS BEST FOR YOUR ATHLETE?
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 KEY TO BEING RECRUITED!
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