- Jan 18, 2015
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She is usually 1,2, or 3 in the lineup. She get good grades and plays good defense.
I often wonder why more isn't being done by her coaches and when addressed they say it will happen and what your feeling is normal...bla bla bla
Recruiting Help!!!!
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I often wonder why more isn't being done by her coaches and when addressed they say it will happen and what your feeling is normal...bla bla bla
- Are the target schools emailing her back... after 10-12 emails if not then move them to the second list and add another target school and email them less. Take a second look at 'fit'? Maybe expand fit some more - even start a little lower in expectations to see if you get interest.
- Are you doing the emails personally or a service. Personally written get opened way more? Have you reviewed what you are saying - if it looks like a form letter it will get thrown out. A "Your school really interests me because <non-softball reason> helps show you actually looked beyond softball. Subject line is important - includes name, position, grad year + interest subject
- Are you sending emails back to any response that says "I am at event X, here is my schedule. Hope to see you there"
- Is her skills video current? Is it less than 3 minutes? Does it showcase her best talents? Think - what is her BEST asset to a program - if that isn't first in the skills video then you are underselling yourself. You get about 20 seconds to gain attention.
- Has she attended camps of schools she want to attend?
- Are you using other contacts - batting coach, org contacts, former teammates already at college, etc, etc. Networking is a big deal as well. There is even a terrible PC locally that some people go to once they get deep into recruiting because he has GREAT contacts in college? Is her travel team helping her in anyway?
- Is she at events that her target schools are going to attend? Have you done research on camps and events you know they will be at.
it is a journey. It will happen if you put the work in.
- Jan 18, 2015
- 32
- 0
When you say selling what exactly should being done? Not really sure how it works should they be calling saying this kid has shown interest in your school she is really good you should come watch her play. Or do they just wait for coaches to show up??
I don't think it's normal for a team's best hitter who is solid academically and defensively to have 0 offers when as many as six teammates have D-I offers, IMO. I asked her spot in the order because that is an indication of what the coach thinks about her.
Even if the coach isn't trying to sell her, he/she should at least try to help her understand what's going on. It might be that the schools your DD is showing interest doesn't have any money left for that class, or doesn't need your DD's position. Marriard has good tips. I'll just add that it's important that the schools she's interested in know that she's very interested. Colleges want players that want them. So make sure she's not just showing up hoping people will notice.
- Jan 18, 2015
- 32
- 0
Thank you so much for all the information!! Do you think her size is the issue? 5'3"
(Of course her size is an issue. It is an issue with every player.)
Softball is not the alpha and omega of life. It is a fun little game that kids play. That is it...don't try to make it into something more.
A lot can happen before she goes to college...including:
1) Your DD getting an injury that ends her softball career. (It happens.)
2) Something changes within the family (e.g., a serious illness) making it impossible for your DD to play softball. (It happens)
3) Your DD loses interest in the sport (It happens.)
I've also seen kids who get starry eyed and go to a big time softball program only to spend 4 years warming up the outfielders. Or, who sit the bench one year and quit.
She should make an alternative plan...
E.g., "If I don't get a D1 scholarship, I'll go play at a juco/D3/NAIA school."
My DD#1 played for a juco for 2 years. Best thing that ever happened to her...she played for a really great coach, pitched 50% or more of the games, and really learned the game. If she had signed with a D1 school, she never would have developed.
Softball is not the alpha and omega of life. It is a fun little game that kids play. That is it...don't try to make it into something more.
A lot can happen before she goes to college...including:
1) Your DD getting an injury that ends her softball career. (It happens.)
2) Something changes within the family (e.g., a serious illness) making it impossible for your DD to play softball. (It happens)
3) Your DD loses interest in the sport (It happens.)
I've also seen kids who get starry eyed and go to a big time softball program only to spend 4 years warming up the outfielders. Or, who sit the bench one year and quit.
She should make an alternative plan...
E.g., "If I don't get a D1 scholarship, I'll go play at a juco/D3/NAIA school."
My DD#1 played for a juco for 2 years. Best thing that ever happened to her...she played for a really great coach, pitched 50% or more of the games, and really learned the game. If she had signed with a D1 school, she never would have developed.
Just one opinion, but I do think that college coaches take note of size and that taller girls have a little advantage in recruiting. Once coaches realize you're good, it no longer matters, but I think being 5-3 makes it slightly harder to be noticed and given a fair shot. Evaluating softball players in a short period of time is extremely difficult, and coaches are forced to take short cuts.
But, I also believe the cream will rise to the top. It only takes 1 to believe in her.
As a 2019 you won't get any emails back from anyone but D3. That being said the occasional personal email might still come through from D1 and D2 but they are rare. My DD a 2019 grad emails about 30 schools for each tournament and had over 30 coaches come watch her play last year as a freshman. The manager of the team does not have a player on the team so he emails each coach of any camp we attend afterwards and asks for feedback and then forwards that to my DD and I so we have it. My DD CC's him on every email and puts his contact info at the bottom of emails incase the college wants to contact him.
At tournaments we have a recruiting coordinator that walks around to each coach there and hands out our profiles and asks the coach if they are there to see any particular player in a certain position or if they're looking for specific graduating years or positions and then brings that info back to the manager so changes to lineup/defense can be made. Each girl has there own profile on our team website with the contact info and includes this link into there emails as well.
My DD emails schools 1-2 times a week knowing they can't email back. However a D1 she's targeting emailed the manager telling him to make sure she keeps emailing and updates them with her schedule and to come out to camps. A D2 just wrote the manager yesterday saying they can't contact her until June 15th but to keep them updated with her schedule.
Is she playing 16U or 18U? On an 18U team she might not get a ton of looks as compared to 16U. Good luck to you and your DD, just know there's others grinding along this path with you.
No, size matters somewhat in some aspects, but there are lots and lots of 'smaller' players in college softball at all levels. 5'4" is still the USA average height for woman so even though she may be surrounded by lots of taller girls, 5'3" is right around average height especially for someone who us 14/15 and may well grow some more over time.
"No interest" bother me with the profile you have stated. If there was "some" and interest had waned from various coaches or something similar that is different. But it seems like you have had no interest over what I assume is over 12 months?
What level of school is she targeting in her preferred list?
Last question - and please do not take offense at this. Are you doing anything that may be effecting her recruiting negatively. You would be shocked how many parents negatively (and positively) effect their DD's recruiting though their behavior and actions both at the fields and off the field.
If she does have college coming to look at her, then this is where your TB coach should be having conversions with them.
OP said she is a 2019, so D1/D2 cannot email back.
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