These kids are good..

[fanboi22]

So posts shouldn’t be rainbows and lollipops? Should be game action or bad call reactions? Voice over of parents to hear who the parents blame things on? What I am hearing is that nothing will help but some things will def hurt. So in this day and age when coaches can’t get to games or there are 10x the number of teams and tourneys I would think that somehow getting on the radar will help. Suppose that goes back to the email and being specific about the school so they know you did your research. At a certain point it’s also know where you stand. D1 2 3 etc. not sure how many kids that aren’t playing in national tourneys will get that exposure they need. Or parents can’t afford it.

 

[Orange Socks]

Fair enough. You say you wouldn't base your decision off a social media presence. I'll take your word for it..

Choose one player from the same league:

Player 1
4.3GPA
15 bombs
78 MPH pull down throw
2.9sec home to 1st
Shady social media presence

Player 2
4.3 GPA
14 Bombs
75MPH pull down throw
2.98 sec home to 1st
Positive social media presence

I choose the one who plays for the best travel team that runs the best practices and has a history of producing players that produce for 4 years. You are putting WAY too much emphasis on social media presence. I know plenty of people with great social media presence, and are really not very good kids.

ETA: By the time the coaches have to make a decision they would have been in direct contact with the player via emails, phone calls and possibly camp interaction. The coach will have lots of boxes to be checked off or alarms before they make the offer. I had a conversation with a college coach last year and he said that many TB coaches will say Susie will be a great fit for your program. He said, they have no idea if that kid is a good fit for their program. Very blunt but very true. He is very right. The coaches are looking for something specific and they know what is a good fit for their programs. Maybe the coach likes blondes? Maybe he/she likes speedsters? Maybe they like big power hitters? Maybe they want a good kid, that goes to church and can afford the school? It's all a big puzzle that they have to piece together.

 

[Westwind]

Couple reacts here

Maybe you could say social media posts won’t get you a scholarship but it may cost you one.

When evaluating two players of equal talent I say reaction to failure may be the difference maker. I watched some of a game yesterday of a SEC team that has been really hot and billed as an up and comer. I saw some really mopey behavior after a K by two players. I think that is a big time warning sign for that team.

 

[ian]

I choose the one who plays for the best travel team that runs the best practices and has a history of producing players that produce for 4 years. You are putting WAY too much emphasis on social media presence. I know plenty of people with great social media presence, and are really not very good kids.

ETA: By the time the coaches have to make a decision they would have been in direct contact with the player via emails, phone calls and possibly camp interaction. The coach will have lots of boxes to be checked off or alarms before they make the offer. I had a conversation with a college coach last year and he said that many TB coaches will say Susie will be a great fit for your program. He said, they have no idea if that kid is a good fit for their program. Very blunt but very true. He is very right. The coaches are looking for something specific and they know what is a good fit for their programs. Maybe the coach likes blondes? Maybe he/she likes speedsters? Maybe they like big power hitters? Maybe they want a good kid, that goes to church and can afford the school? It's all a big puzzle that they have to piece together.

You could be right and WAY more coaches base their decision on hair color than social media presence. I dont think that is true though.

 

[ian]

Couple reacts here

Maybe you could say social media posts won’t get you a scholarship but it may cost you one.

When evaluating two players of equal talent I say reaction to failure may be the difference maker. I watched some of a game yesterday of a SEC team that has been really hot and billed as an up and comer. I saw some really mopey behavior after a K by two players. I think that is a big time warning sign for that team.

Social media is a piece to the coach's puzzle. It can help or hurt.

 

[BT3100]

So posts shouldn’t be rainbows and lollipops? Should be game action or bad call reactions? Voice over of parents to hear who the parents blame things on? What I am hearing is that nothing will help but some things will def hurt. So in this day and age when coaches can’t get to games or there are 10x the number of teams and tourneys I would think that somehow getting on the radar will help. Suppose that goes back to the email and being specific about the school so they know you did your research. At a certain point it’s also know where you stand. D1 2 3 etc. not sure how many kids that aren’t playing in national tourneys will get that exposure they need. Or parents can’t afford it.

I can only speak from what I've seen and heard. I know its difficult with the D1 dead period.
Orange is right, if your DD wants to make a D1 team then the best pathway starts with a legitimate travel organization that has a track record of placing girls in top tier programs. Think about it, if you get an email from a kid who plays on a well respected organization you'll make that call to the coach for more information. You know that kid will be working with the best trainers and play the top competition. I know top tier organizations that work with parents who can't afford to pay full fees.
I've watched my kid and all of her teamates progress year after year and the growth is amazing. Some of these kids at 14 and 15 were marginal at best. Years later they are going to top level D1 programs. So much of this is just dirty hard work.
As far as social media posting game footage is probably the best bet. Being sure to list who the game was against and where. I see so many homers posted but the pitching in many of these clips is weak. A high level college coach knows that a homer against weak pitching is not the same as a bomb agaisnt a top ranked pitcher. Thats just the reality. Posting clips of working out or hitting 1000 balls off a tee is pointless imo. One thing we learned as we progressed up the travel ladder is that everyone works hard, everyone. It used to be an exception if cold winter teams worked in the off season, today its the expectation. Coaches know eveyone works, posting clips of it is pointless.
The other mistake is tagging dozens of schools. I've seen kids who are good mid major talent tagging top 10 programs. That's a clear signal to the mid majors that the PSA lacks awareness. Of course my kid would love to pitch for UCLA, but she's not good enough and I'd never let her tag KIP in her posts.

 

[Vertigo]

I've seen kids who are good mid major talent tagging top 10 programs. That's a clear signal to the mid majors that the PSA lacks awareness.

Yes! I’ve seen way too much of this, even from players who couldn’t play at any D1 level. Again, nothing wrong with having a dream but don’t limit yourself to only the top programs, especially if you are a 2022 and haven’t heard a thing from any coaches by now!!

 

[BT3100]

Yes! I’ve seen way too much of this, even from players who couldn’t play at any D1 level. Again, nothing wrong with having a dream but don’t limit yourself to only the top programs, especially if you are a 2022 and haven’t heard a thing from any coaches by now!!

Exactly
If a girl wants to play in college there is a place for almost everyone. Just need to broaden horizons

 

[ian]

Just saw another D1 commit twitter posting workouts. Box jumps, footwork drills, front toss bombs. Showing off her hard work.. She obviously plays for a good program, like lots of players.

 

[fanboi22]

, if your DD wants to make a D1 team then the best pathway starts with a legitimate travel organization that has a track record of placing girls in top tier programs.

I really think this is a big part of it, again my DD a 2023 is just getting started, so a bit later than i would have wanted but she seems more committed now than before and i was unsure her path before. I am still learning alot about this. That being said, IMO if you are not getting the exposure at the tourneys with a good club, it may be possible to get recruited at a higher level but probably alot more difficult. Not sure coaches are spending alot of time trying to find the 'diamond in the rough'. They have so much to do, why spend alot of time doing that. Also there may be the notion that if you are not on a good club, you weren't good enough to get on a good club in the first place and all the social media is just fake fluff.

I think at least social media can be a helpful tool to add to the attraction of a player or at least to keep them on the coaches feed only after the deliberate emails and communication from player to coaches/schools. That is our plan to be specific and not try to blanket the whole nation and hope to see what sticks. But we shall see, right or wrong, i am still learning.