WWYD if you knew your D3 recruit would receive an "invitation to tryout" in year 1+

WWYD if you knew your D3 recruit would receive an "invitation to tryout" in year 1+

If you knew when making final decisions that your DD who was actively 'recruited' D3, that after 1 season the existing coach would offer "invitations to all existing players to tryout the next fall" the following summer, all things being equal, choose that school to get an education and play?


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Regardless of how it is spun by the coach, in D3 you are trying out every year. If you are confident in your skills it should not be a concern.

I'd be happy that the coach was committed to having the best players on the team every season and would make sure that I understood and worked on whatever I needed to in order to ensure that I was among that group.

If I wasn't certain about being among the group of best players, I'd make damn well sure that school was one that I'd be happy to be at for 4 years regardless of whether playing softball or not!

By actively "recruited" do you mean will have a spot on the team THIS year and we get a nice "academic" "merit" scholarship that brings your portion down to maybe the equivalent of state school tuition?

From what I understand although DI and DII can offer extended year scholarships most don't and you can get politely shown the door when your starting spot and 75% ride turns into a ride the bench and 20% ride.

As always she should make sure the school is a good academic fit for her...might be good to understand the terms of the academic/merit scholarship too.

In the end she has to answer the question for herself if everything went sideways does she want to go to the school? or does she just want to play softball?

that after 1 season the existing coach would offer "invitations to all existing players to tryout the next fall"

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Happened at DD's school(DIII). Had tryouts and then cuts. We assumed that's how it would go every year. We didn't need to be told about trying out every year.

I'd be happy that the coach was committed to having the best players on the team every season and would make sure that I understood and worked on whatever I needed to in order to ensure that I was among that group.

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We agree...just means DD has to keep working and getting better. DD also understands that at some point maybe her 'best' wont be good enough.

riseball said:

Regardless of how it is spun by the coach, in D3 you are trying out every year. If you are confident in your skills it should not be a concern.

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Doesn't it effectively work that way in D1 and D2 as well?

rdbass said:

Happened at DD's school(DIII). Had tryouts and then cuts. We assumed that's how it would go every year. We didn't need to be told about trying out every year.

We agree...just means DD has to keep working and getting better. DD also understands that at some point maybe her 'best' wont be good enough.

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Nothing is guaranteed. Returning starters get beat out regularly. I talked to one D3 coach of a very successful team at a good private school and was told that every year girls who were not even being recruited get accepted to the school, receive their financial aid package during their senior year, and then call to ask about tryouts. Nearly every year a completely un-recruited player shows up and makes the team. Many of these girls were players who were holding out for D1 or D2 money that never materialized and then realized when they got their financial aid package that they could go to a great private school and play ball for the same price as walking on at a D1 or D2 public school.

At DIII, aren't you really there for the education first? I am just asking, no insult intended. This was the conversation my DD and I had during her search.

At DIII, aren't you really there for the education first?

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Aren't you at every college DI, DII & DIII for an education first.

rdbass said:

Aren't you at every college DI, DII & DIII for an education first.

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Yes and no. If you are playing D1, it really takes a lot of time and limits your ability to pursue certain majors such as engineering and the sciences. If you have a 40 hour per week job (Spring semester), it is necessarily going to take time away from your studies. In the rather unlikely event that my daughter ends up playing D1, I think I would plan on a degree in 5 years instead of 4 if she pursues a demanding degree.