An Honest Response

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum. My daughter is a 2018 grad and attended a showcase a couple weeks ago (Headfirst). She got a lot of interest and has gotten a few emails from D3 coaches and a generic email from a Division 1 school with a questionnaire attached (a school she is interested in but not her number 1). She also spoke with D1 coaches from her dream school while at the camp. She was asked to send out her travel schedule for the fall/winter and told "we'll be in touch". Obviously with NCAA rules they cannot directly communicate with her until 9/1 but my daughter did send them an email prior to the camp with her skills video/stats. She also has sent a follow up email. When she asked the coach directly during their conversation where they were at in their recruitment they did say there were spots open for 2018's and they were actively looking for players. My daughter did go to their skills camp earlier this summer.

We're on the fence about the responses we have gotten from this school. On one hand I don't want to discourage her it is her dream school but at the same time I don't want her hopes up. She asked the recruitment question with hopes she would get an either "No you're not a good fit" or a "You seem like you're playing at a level consistent with who we would recruit". Do you ever get these black and white responses from coaches? If she's not cut out for the team fine we'll move on but I hate to assume theres no chance if there is. Do we keep our fingers crossed we may hear something 9/1? She is planning on giving them another call and watching a game this fall but it's not like she's been invited up there. This recruitment process is playing with my emotions!

My thought process....

We can afford DD to go to school, probably still be paying for it 50 years from now.

DD is an iffy player. You want her on your Team but you are not going to lose sleep if she is not.

Lastly I think she can walk on most teams in country when she is free.

Unless you are really good you are not going to get a yes or no, it sucks.

Is it her dream school for academics or for playing softball?

canyonjoe said:

Is it her dream school for academics or for playing softball?

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Both. Its very good academically and is a strong division 1 school for softball

You will know a lot more on 9/1. If a coach calls her that day they are definitely interested. It is only a few weeks away so go ahead and wait until then and see what happens. Don't dismiss their interest yet. If it is truly her dream school, this is exciting. Why not be optimistic for a couple more weeks?!

55dad said:

You will know a lot more on 9/1. If a coach calls her that day they are definitely interested. It is only a few weeks away so go ahead and wait until then and see what happens. Don't dismiss their interest yet. If it is truly her dream school, this is exciting. Why not be optimistic for a couple more weeks?!

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Definitely not trying to discourage but at the same time trying to be realistic. Do a lot of people find they get contacted after that 9/1 deadline? I understand if a coach really likes you they will try and contact your travel/high school coach (this information was provided to the 'dream school'. ) If you don't get contacted does it mean they're completely not interested? or should she just keep trying to contact them with her stats/updates/schedules/etc.

I am a BIG advocate of never putting all of your eggs into one basket. My DD showed interest in any school that showed interest in her, and her Top-10 was constantly changing based on schools that were interested and schools that cooled off. Even if your DD's "dream school" offers there is a good chance it will be a partial, so there are a lot of factors that weigh into the decision making process.

JAD said:

I am a BIG advocate of never putting all of your eggs into one basket. My DD showed interest in any school that showed interest in her, and her Top-10 was constantly changing based on schools that were interested and schools that cooled off. Even if your DD's "dream school" offers there is a good chance it will be a partial, so there are a lot of factors that weigh into the decision making process.

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She is pursuing schools that have expressed interest. Its just hard to give up on a dream school if you havent heard a definitive "no" yet. Im just wonderinf if that will ever happen or if we'll just be left in limbo and assume that theres no chance

bombermom said:

She is pursuing schools that have expressed interest. Its just hard to give up on a dream school if you havent heard a definitive "no" yet. Im just wonderinf if that will ever happen or if we'll just be left in limbo and assume that theres no chance

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I am not sure where y'all are in the decision making process, but at some point either your DD or her TB coach needs to contact the head coach at her dream school and lay it on the line. "DD loves your school and you are our 1st choice, but we need to know where we stand because DD has other offers and we need to get back to the coaches that have offered her."

Bombermom, look at the situation: Your DD has put her happiness under the control of someone else (the HC of Dream U.). Does that make any sense to let someone you barely know control you and your DD?

Of course not...

There is a white board in the HC's office which has a rank ordered list of potential recruits and the number of available scholarships. As the kids sign, they are erased from the white board. if they sign with the HC, then the number of available scholarships is reduced. The lower your DD is on the list, the less attention you will get from the HC. As kids sign, your DD moves up the list. If your DD is at the top when there are scholarships left, the HC will offer her one. If not...

Unless your DD is a premier recruit, the HC will likely "string your DD along" as long as possible. He won't offer her a scholarship and he won't tell her "no". He'll say, "there might be some scholarships that come open...I'll know more later"...which means, "If Suzy signs with me, your DD is SOL."

Your DD has to do is make her own "white board".

List the three or four schools that "fit" your DD. Go visit them. Go talk to their HCs.

She has to create alternatives.

Also, plan out what is going to happen if your DD doesn't get a scholarship.