Can someone help me out?

I'm sorry because I know this probably has been covered a thousand times but I can't find it. My 13yo is just starting her first year of 14u. We have no idea of what colleges she is interested in yet, but she seems to want to stay close to home, or at least on the east coast. So we are starting to research schools and majors. We have discussed schools on all levels. My question is, as a 2021 grad, when do we start contacting schools-D1, D2 and D3. I feel we still have time for D2-D3.


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DD has gone to thier camps and has done well enough, school is the priority.

I think DD might walk on to a good school 5 miles from our house. My preference is it needs to be a plain flight.

Pop time 44 said:

I'm sorry because I know this probably has been covered a thousand times but I can't find it. My 13yo is just starting her first year of 14u. We have no idea of what colleges she is interested in yet, but she seems to want to stay close to home, or at least on the east coast. So we are starting to research schools and majors. We have discussed schools on all levels. My question is, as a 2021 grad, when do we start contacting schools-D1, D2 and D3. I feel we still have time for D2-D3.

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Plenty of threads on this, however..

You have lots of time at the moment. Despite lots of people saying otherwise, unless your DD is a top 25 D1 school type player, she doesn't have to be 'verballed' in 8th or 9th grade - and if is she is that good schools can wait until she is ready anyway. Most of those girls never end up at the school they verbal - until you have that NLI signed the verbal means basically nothing. And there are plenty of players who commit as seniors to D1 schools (because that 2020 grad doesn't help when I don't have a SS for THIS season)

Unless DD is a massive superstar spend all of the first year of 14U doing your research, and plan to start contacting schools in the 2nd year 14U. You need a target zone of about 20 schools - don't spam bomb schools - you will just get ignored - pick a target list and move teams on and off them over time.

Buy Cathy Aradi's book "Preparing to play softball at the Collegiate Level"
https://nfca.org/index.php?option=c...t_id=136&virtuemart_category_id=12&Itemid=152

The College Confidential website is also a great way to find colleges who might meet your DD's requirements. But if she doesn't know what she wants to study... well choosing a school for softball first can be problematic

You will find universities you never knew existed. Sometimes even local ones.

Don't ignore NAIA schools - sometimes more money and the top end of NAIA play some REALLY good softball.

My DD is a 2020 graduate. She doesn't plan to kick off real recruiting efforts until after her first HS season (so next May) - but then she is definitely going to be choosing a school on academic goals first with softball - not the other way around. Her target zone so far includes some strong colleges in her intended major and has schools from all four 4-year divisions.

I know there are plenty of threads and sifting through them all can get overwhelming. Thanks for taking the time to help me out.


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I'll throw this in as well since it may have been bypassed in your reading of marriard's post. Since DD doesn't know what she wants to major in at this stage of her life, and it will more than likely change over the course of the following years, I would concentrate on a geographic location. For instance, my DD didn't want to be more than a 3 1/2 hour drive away from home so that she, or we, could visit and/or drive to see her games without excessive drive times.

Marriard is giving you great advice on choosing 20 or so colleges based on the fact that my DD changed her major of study of focus from being a marine biologist her Freshman year to being a veterinarian her Sophomore year to being a pediatric nurse her Junior and Senior years. Having a wide selection of schools initially, allowed us to narrow the focus down to colleges that had her interest of study. It also allowed the Coaches of those schools to follow her as she progressed through her SB career.

Pop time 44 said:

I'm sorry because I know this probably has been covered a thousand times but I can't find it. My 13yo is just starting her first year of 14u. We have no idea of what colleges she is interested in yet, but she seems to want to stay close to home, or at least on the east coast. So we are starting to research schools and majors. We have discussed schools on all levels. My question is, as a 2021 grad, when do we start contacting schools-D1, D2 and D3. I feel we still have time for D2-D3.


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All of the above are still on the table. Some of things you need to consider that may not have been previously discussed:
-I assume she is she expecting a scholarship, what percentage is her goal?
-If she is expecting a scholarship you have to be honest with her and yourself as to the level of her ability.
-Whatareher goals for college. Trade softball for an education or play on a championship caliber team.
-The difference in out of state tuition as opposed to in state. (if finances are a concern)
-Define close to home. You said at least on the east coast. If she would play 700 miles away down the coast why not expand that range toward the middle of the country?
-I know things change over the course of 4 years but do homework on coaches for schools she may be interested in playing. PLaying for a coach that is not a good fit for your dd will make the experience bad regardless if she is in state or on the west coast. Being farther away will make it worse.
-Start sending emails to any and every school she may be interested in playing for ASAP. Gotta get a foot in the door and no sense waiting.

I'm sure you will get a ton of good advice. Good luck!

Some great advice here....

Pop time 44 said:

I'm sorry because I know this probably has been covered a thousand times but I can't find it. My 13yo is just starting her first year of 14u. We have no idea of what colleges she is interested in yet, but she seems to want to stay close to home, or at least on the east coast. So we are starting to research schools and majors. We have discussed schools on all levels. My question is, as a 2021 grad, when do we start contacting schools-D1, D2 and D3. I feel we still have time for D2-D3.


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Click to expand...

It is never too early to start the recruiting process! There are schools (power 5) who have 2021's that have verballed. My DD is a 2020 who started emails to a very big list of schools in 7th grade on her own. She attended camps at the schools at the top of her list, and attended 2 ODM Jamborees. She received a lot of interest, and went on a few Unofficial visits. Proud to say, she verballed to play with an SEC school last month. My advice, from what worked for us, is to get the emails going, and get to the camps at the schools to try to gain the interest, and show her interest in them. Get to the showcase tournaments and make sure her schools know when (date and times), and where (park name, and field numbers) so they know where to see her. Good luck to her, and enjoy the process. We had a great time visiting different schools, and traveling around.