Recruiting Help!!!!

[YOCOACH]

Many college coaches nowadays are looking at players that attend their camps on the college campus. They no longer as, a general rule, go on the road except for HUGE college exposure showcases. For a rather local tournament, within a 45 minute drive or so, that's a different story.

The biggest thing you can do for her is to take her to the target colleges camps. The next biggest thing you can do for her is to sign her up for the email listing of every individual college showcase camp. This will allow you to get emails from them so that you can see if the targeted school's coaches are not only instructing, but attending to get your DD in front of them. A couple of examples are the TMC showcases, the Top96 Showcases and the Queen of Diamonds Showcases. If the coaches are attending, instructIng or coaching a team in live play, take her to it. No matter what, keep in contact with the coaches whether it's via email, text or phone call. Remember, when the kids are on campus,the coaches can talk to them no matter the time of year. Off, campus....well.... As a 2019, the only time they are allowed to converse directly to your DD or her parents (you) is when she is on campus. Every other time it has to be through an intermediary such as the TB coach or organizational contact except during specific times of the year.

 

[gatorcoach]

Many college coaches nowadays are looking at players that attend their camps on the college campus. They no longer as, a general rule, go on the road except for HUGE college exposure showcases. For a rather local tournament, within a 45 minute drive or so, that's a different story.

The biggest thing you can do for her is to take her to the target colleges camps. The next biggest thing you can do for her is to sign her up for the email listing of every individual college showcase camp. This will allow you to get emails from them so that you can see if the targeted school's coaches are not only instructing, but attending to get your DD in front of them. A couple of examples are the TMC showcases, the Top96 Showcases and the Queen of Diamonds Showcases. If the coaches are attending, instructIng or coaching a team in live play, take her to it. No matter what, keep in contact with the coaches whether it's via email, text or phone call. Remember, when the kids are on campus,the coaches can talk to them no matter the time of year. Off, campus....well.... As a 2019, the only time they are allowed to converse directly to your DD or her parents (you) is when she is on campus. Every other time it has to be through an intermediary such as the TB coach or organizational contact except during specific times of the year.

Yes and no. Camps at target schools are very important in building relationships. However, of the coaches are still out at the top showcases. 3/4 of the offers my dd had on the table, including the school she is verbaled, she had never been to a camp. They saw her at a showcase and started following. Same can be said for the majority of the rest of the 2019s/2020s that we know who have made their verbal.

Also, if you have been to IDT, St Louis 1, Demarini Invite, Diamond 9 Orlando, Atlanta Legacy, Fireworks, and Senic City you see tons of coaches everywhere! I realize not all teams can get into these, but to say coaches are not out is just false.

 

[YOCOACH]

Yes and no. Camps at target schools are very important in building relationships. However, of the coaches are still out at the top showcases. 3/4 of the offers my dd had on the table, including the school she is verbaled, she had never been to a camp. They saw her at a showcase and started following. Same can be said for the majority of the rest of the 2019s/2020s that we know who have made their verbal.

Also, if you have been to IDT, St Louis 1, Demarini Invite, Diamond 9 Orlando, Atlanta Legacy, Fireworks, and Senic City you see tons of coaches everywhere! I realize not all teams can get into these, but to say coaches are not out is just false.

First, I agree with most of what you said. DD's school she verballed to, she never went to a camp at. They found her at a showcase as well. However, many of the other schools that wanted her she went to camps for. Also, it let her see the campus and make a decision before ever being offered. That said, DD's future coach has said she just doesn't bother with the smaller showcases anymore. Many of the other coaches that I talked to said pretty much the same thing. The only exception they may make is if a player they are interested in or one that had emailed them and piqued their interest, they will go to see them if it's fairly close. I never said they weren't out at showcases, I said they attend the big ones and you proved my point by sighting some pretty good sized showcases.

ETA: One other thing to think about. With the ever shrinking travel/ expense accounts of many colleges and the ever increasing number of simulcast showcase events, not to mention the change in recruiting rules this year, fewer and fewer coaches will have to leave campus as the years go by to field a competitive team.

 

[MNDad]

I think its important to distinguish that college coaches can’t directly contact a 2019. However, if she or her parents call they can talk as long as they want. Often times the college will call the travel coach, who calls the player, who then returns the call to the college.

 

[YOCOACH]

Is she doing all the off-field work or just turning up and hoping someone notices her.

- Does she have a list of target schools
- Are those target schools realistic? Is she JUST looking D1 or is she open to D2 or D3 (who tend to do less formal recruiting until they are Juniors)
- Is she emailing those target schools regularly with skills video, schedules and updates
- Is she taking schools on and off the list as they express interest or don't
- How are her grades? Has she taking the SAT's yet? What major does she want to do?

And so on. If you are not doing the work off the field, the chances you get noticed on the field are really low. You want to get coaches to come out ESPECIALLY to see her play. Especially on a team where you have a lot of talent and it may be additionally hard to stand out. As a coach, if I don't know your DD specifically and I am watching the game (probably looking at a totally different player), it is going to be real hard to notice your DD among at least 6 D1 commits who are her teammates. Also being on a team of committed players may make coaches think she is already committed - since most of her best teammates apparently are.

Don't forget NAIA schools.

 

[YOCOACH]

I was in a hurry and on my tablet. Thanks for correction.

 

[buckeyeballer]

Just wanted to update and thank everyone for the advice!!
After three showcases and performing very well today something happened!!
At 8 am this morning she received a text from her coach that she needed call a head coach of a mid major d1 at 6 tonight by the time she got out of school she had a second text saying she need to contact another coach when she got home from school.
Both conversation went well both want to get her on campus as soon as possible for visits.
And let me tell you nothing beat seeing the look on her face after she came out of her room from making her first call she had tears running down her face and a huge smile!!
Hopefully she doesn't have false hope, but it sure did make her day!!

 

[JAD]

Not to get off topic but a quick question on this - if you get no response to an email that does not necessarily count as no interest...correct? If no response she should keep emailing, right?

Coaches cannot contact players directly until after Sept 1st of their junior year in high school. Therefore, keep sending updates to the coaches on your DD's list realizing that it just seems like they are going into a "black hole".

 

[JAD]

She is a 2019 with 4.0... She recently moved from in/c to outfield because she thought she may have better chances at getting recruited there.

Since she is a sophomore in HS, coaches are not allowed to contact her directly. Therefore, you are at the mercy of her TB, HS and pitching/hitting coaches to talk directly with college coaches on her behalf. This responsibility usually falls on the head coach of her TB team, unless they have a recruiting coordinator responsible for contacting college coaches.

 

[JAD]

One thing I will add about the faster girls is that coaches want to see that they keep their speed. There are too many speedsters at 14U who lose a step or two by the time they are second year 16U. I have had several college coaches tell me that they want to see a fast girl keep her speed through her junior year of HS.

When DD played 12U we had a couple of girls who could fly, but as they matured the became taller and more muscular and lost a few steps along the way.