"Walk-On" - Is there a Best Strategy or Best Plan for this?

RubberBiscuit · Jul 5, 2016

Now that it looks like no big D1 coach saw DD's amazing pitching performance in JUCO playoffs and she is not being offered a free ride and a company car to Alabama (lol),....what is the strategy for giving yourself the best opportunity as a "Walk-On"??

Do schools have their Open-Tryouts all at around the same time (fall?)? Do all schools have an Open-Tryout and are there any real chances to get noticed?

DD & I know nothing about an Open-Tryout Walk-On possibility and would like to hear from any of you that have an understanding on this.

THx!

YOCOACH · Jul 5, 2016

While I have no direct experience with this process, I was talking to our local D1 HC just the other day about this very subject. He told me that although they are required to have tryouts/walk-on opportunities available, he doesn't particularly like walk-ons since he has spent so much time recruiting "his" players. He went on to say something like, 'Don't get me wrong, if I saw a player that was just too good to pass up, I would take her but my experience is that they are far and few between.' I took this to mean that the players had a limited amount of time to impress him.

29dad · Jul 5, 2016

YOCOACH said:
While I have no direct experience with this process, I was talking to our local D1 HC just the other day about this very subject. He told me that although they are required to have tryouts/walk-on opportunities available, he doesn't particularly like walk-ons since he has spent so much time recruiting "his" players. He went on to say something like, 'Don't get me wrong, if I saw a player that was just too good to pass up, I would take her but my experience is that they are far and few between.' I took this to mean that the players had a limited amount of time to impress him.

Makes sense but RB's dd is an entirely different kind of walk on from a "typical" walk on. If you went back to that D1 coach and told him that you know of a pitcher who was previously on scholarship for a D1 program, but things didn't work out due to a complicated coaching situation, and that pitcher went on to have mad success at a JUCO after transferring... well I bet the D1 coach would be VERY interested in seeing this player. RB's dd is the "few and far between" that D1 coach was referring to.

RB - best of luck to your dd. Keep us posted.

sb03dad · Jul 5, 2016

Auburn University played the WCWS with three starters that were walkons. The Myers have announced a walkon tryouts every year they've coached, including at Arizona State. I guess it all really depends on the coach.

Here is last years tryout announcement. AUBURNTIGERS.COM Softball To Hold Open Tryouts For Possible Walk-Ons :: Auburn University Official Athletic Site Auburn University Official Athletic Site :: Softball

riseball · Jul 5, 2016

Seasoned, quality pitcher. No cost in terms of athletic money. Got to be a special kind of stupid not to be interested in that.

riseball · Jul 5, 2016

sb03dad said:
Auburn University played the WCWS with three starters that were walkons. The Myers have announced a walkon tryouts every year they've coached, including at Arizona State. I guess it all really depends on the coach.

Here is last years tryout announcement. AUBURNTIGERS.COM Softball To Hold Open Tryouts For Possible Walk-Ons :: Auburn University Official Athletic Site Auburn University Official Athletic Site :: Softball

They are required to have open tryouts. And they certainly make the most of it. I was shocked when I saw they had 30 kids on their roster.

JAD · Jul 5, 2016

sb03dad said:
Auburn University played the WCWS with three starters that were walkons. The Myers have announced a walkon tryouts every year they've coached, including at Arizona State. I guess it all really depends on the coach.

Here is last years tryout announcement. AUBURNTIGERS.COM Softball To Hold Open Tryouts For Possible Walk-Ons :: Auburn University Official Athletic Site Auburn University Official Athletic Site :: Softball

Which 3 were walk ons? Also, there is a difference between a "preferred walk-on" and a regular "walk-on". A preferred walk-on is a player that the coaches are aware of, but for whatever reason she does not need any athletic money. Can include players who have some academic money, but no athletic money.

JAD · Jul 5, 2016

RubberBiscuit said:
Now that it looks like no big D1 coach saw DD's amazing pitching performance in JUCO playoffs and she is not being offered a free ride and a company car to Alabama (lol),....what is the strategy for giving yourself the best opportunity as a "Walk-On"??

Do schools have their Open-Tryouts all at around the same time (fall?)? Do all schools have an Open-Tryout and are there any real chances to get noticed?

DD & I know nothing about an Open-Tryout Walk-On possibility and would like to hear from any of you that have an understanding on this.

THx!

I would put together a skills video/resume ASAP and send it out to as many college coaches as you can. Unless she is only targeting certain schools I would sent it to every coach you can think of, recruiters, and old TB coaches who may be willing to help. College coaches are always looking for pitching, you just have to find the right fit. College coaches also talk amongst themselves, so you need to start networking asap.

sb03dad · Jul 5, 2016

JAD said:
Which 3 were walk ons? Also, there is a difference between a "preferred walk-on" and a regular "walk-on". A preferred walk-on is a player that the coaches are aware of, but for whatever reason she does not need any athletic money. Can include players who have some academic money, but no athletic money.

Victoria Draper, Center Fielder; Madi Gipson, Right Fielder; and Whitney Jordan, Short Stop. They talked about it at length on the WCWS broadcast. Kasey Cooper played on Academic Money.

The roster was definitely very large, but I think that was due to the transition from Coach Deas 3 years ago. Coach Myers commented at the last camp we attended that he wants to pare this down to around 25. Still large, but he rarely plays freshman.

JAD · Jul 5, 2016

sb03dad said:
Victoria Draper, Center Fielder; Madi Gipson, Right Fielder; and Whitney Jordan, Short Stop. They talked about it at length on the WCWS broadcast. Kasey Cooper played on Academic Money.

The roster was definitely very large, but I think that was due to the transition from Coach Deas 3 years ago. Coach Myers commented at the last camp we attended that he wants to pare this down to around 25. Still large, but he rarely plays freshman.

I think Auburn had @ 7 seniors on this years team, and they signed 8 or 9 2016s to NLI's and I think they have a couple of transfers coming in, so unless there is some serious attrition from players eligible to return, he is not going to get anywhere close to 25...

"Walk-On" - Is there a Best Strategy or Best Plan for this?

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