Now that the WCWS is wrapping up, college recruiting is about to heat up! While there is no "one size fits all" recruiting strategy, I thought I would share my thoughts on ways to help your DD be successful.
My $0.02 on recruiting....
1) Make a Top 10 list of schools your DD would like to attend.
2) Try to attend as many of the summer camps of the Top 10 as time and money will allow.
3) Email the coaches of the camps you can attend and try to schedule an unofficial visit before or after the camp.
4) Have your TB or HS coach contact the college coach and "talk up" your DD.
5) You can visit as many college's as time and money allows, but do not expect any face time with the coach if you show up unannounced.
6) Do some research on websites like goldfastpitch.com to try to figure out what positions the coaches need for what years.
7) If a team already has two pitchers verballed in your DD's graduation year and she is a pitcher, move them towards the bottom of your list.
8) Get on a TB team that plays in showcases - if your DD wants to play D1 it helps to be in the big ones - NJ, IDT, Demarini, Legacy.
*Regional showcases are great for smaller D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCOs.
9) Keep an open mind - your Top 10 list will change as colleges show interest in your DD and others do not.
10) Make a skills video that shows of your DD and her abilities. You have @ 60 seconds to catch a coaches eye in a skills video, so make them count.
11) When you email college coaches include a link to your DD's skills video.
12) College coaches are like a fraternity, they talk and share information about players, DO NOT burn any bridges.
13) For your Top-10 I recommend 2-3 "dream schools", 5-6 "good fits", and 2-3 "fall back plans".
14) You and your DD need to be your biggest recruiting advocate. DO NOT sit back and expect someone else to do it for you.
15) When a college coach comes to watch your DD play follow up with a thank you note. We used postcards with a picture of my DD for this.
My $0.02 on recruiting....
1) Make a Top 10 list of schools your DD would like to attend.
2) Try to attend as many of the summer camps of the Top 10 as time and money will allow.
3) Email the coaches of the camps you can attend and try to schedule an unofficial visit before or after the camp.
4) Have your TB or HS coach contact the college coach and "talk up" your DD.
5) You can visit as many college's as time and money allows, but do not expect any face time with the coach if you show up unannounced.
6) Do some research on websites like goldfastpitch.com to try to figure out what positions the coaches need for what years.
7) If a team already has two pitchers verballed in your DD's graduation year and she is a pitcher, move them towards the bottom of your list.
8) Get on a TB team that plays in showcases - if your DD wants to play D1 it helps to be in the big ones - NJ, IDT, Demarini, Legacy.
*Regional showcases are great for smaller D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCOs.
9) Keep an open mind - your Top 10 list will change as colleges show interest in your DD and others do not.
10) Make a skills video that shows of your DD and her abilities. You have @ 60 seconds to catch a coaches eye in a skills video, so make them count.
11) When you email college coaches include a link to your DD's skills video.
12) College coaches are like a fraternity, they talk and share information about players, DO NOT burn any bridges.
13) For your Top-10 I recommend 2-3 "dream schools", 5-6 "good fits", and 2-3 "fall back plans".
14) You and your DD need to be your biggest recruiting advocate. DO NOT sit back and expect someone else to do it for you.
15) When a college coach comes to watch your DD play follow up with a thank you note. We used postcards with a picture of my DD for this.