Forum for advice for MS and early HS players wanting to play college ball?

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JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
This question is not about softball activities, but for softball players and getting into college.

I am curious about the bigger picture of what a TB player should be doing to make herself the best possible recruit, besides the basics of good grades and HS and TB experience. Which is the best forum to ask such a question?
I want to follow the Forum Rules and post in the appropriate section.

I cannot emphasize grades highly enough - including ACT/SAT scores. We ended up getting my DD a tutor to help with her ACT prep and it raised her score 5 points. There is always more academic money vs. athletic money available. Softball can also open some doors to academic schools that may not be an option if she was just a regular student applying. Once she is admitted she can stay in school even if she does not play softball all 4 years.

As for softball - unless your DD is a pitcher, I cannot emphasize hitting enough. A lot of coaches will take a silver glove fielder batting .400 over a gold glove fielder batting .200. Speed is also a valued commodity, but that is more of a God given talent. Work ethic is also HUGE at the collegiate level because playing a sport in college is a HUGE time commitment and a grind. No one likes 6:30am strength and conditioning, but the players who do not have a good work ethic are probably not going to stick with it.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Ok, one sort of softball question, but would love to hear what parents who have gone through this process think. Got an invitation letter to the National Junior Honor Society from the school today. I don't see value in spending money on this honor society, when the grades are already proof of academic excellence.

One commentator I read said colleges are not interested in seeing a student with a long list of extra curricular activities with little commitment to any of them, rather they would rather see a student who makes a serious commitment to whatever extra curricular activity they chose. Does being on a TB team show that type of commitment?

The answer will vary from school to school. Playing high level TB is a huge time commitment, but having some philanthropic extracurricular activities always looks good on a resume. Volunteering makes the schedule more flexible - my DD volunteered at the local Human Society walking dogs. I would also like to point out that high level academic schools want to see high level AP/Honor classes on transcripts. It demonstrates a students willingness to push themselves academically. DD had to add an AP course the second semester of her senior year because her new school required it.
 
Feb 19, 2009
196
0
I am hoping my DD does not strive for a school where a "C" student is the norm. I would like her to strive for a highly or very competitive school rather than a less competitive school.

A mid-major D1 school near me (that regularly plays in the NCAA regionals) prides itself on the academic performance of its team and will not admit a student who does not fall within the very competitive standards of admission.

So my question is of subtly. I am wondering if there are two equally achieving students, both taking part in community service, one because it is something she just volunteers for, and the other, because it is a requirement of the National Honor Society, will the student in the Society have a better chance of admission.

I am not expecting definitive answers, but would love to hear opinions.

Unfortunately for this forum, what you get with Sluggers as a mod here is a lot of old-school, brain-dead cave man advice followed up with a few sycophantic replies from his amen corner. I'm sure there are a lot of coaches who get paid just by results on the field but usually team grades and graduation rates are a significant chunk of a coaches compensation package and even the "just win baby" coaches want motivated students so that they don't want to have to worry about player eligibility during the season.

My dd looked primarily at academic schools across the spectrum from D1-D3. I think some people get dissuaded from D1 thinking their kid isn't good enough and while most aren't for top performing D1 schools the division is so large there are plenty of kids on D1 rosters with D2 or D3 talent. My dd pitches which made it easier for her to get seen but if your dd doesn't pitch I think JAD's post about hitting is spot-on. NHS and other academic awards are useful resume enhancers but I've only heard grades and test scores mentioned by college coaches as admission factors and I've never known NHS vs volunteering to factor at all (not saying it doesn't, just hasn't factored w/us and my dd is in the NHS).

The mid-major D1 you describe sounds like the one my dd was very interested and one she would have committed to but as a private they couldn't come close to the cost of a public in-state D1 with a similar academic profile. I would suggest getting to their camp early (around 9th grade) and going through their financial aid qualification process to find out if it is an option financially while there's still time to consider other schools. The other thing to think about if your dd is in MS is that a typical college coach's tenure seems to be about 3 years so committing early can have it's drawbacks if the coach departs. My dd committed late, at the end of her junior year, and was fortunate to get into the school she wanted after a coaching change.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
If you answered Yes to all these questions, then your DD has a chance to play D1 softball. These are broad assumptions, but it's something to think about as your DD progresses.

For a girl who wants to play on a top tier school, yes that makes sense. I was curious about the schools in middle of the pack of the NCAA RPI rating for D1. The players on those teams were not the best in their state, many of them got All League and All Conference First Team Honors, but not much more.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
As for softball - unless your DD is a pitcher, I cannot emphasize hitting enough. A lot of coaches will take a silver glove fielder batting .400 over a gold glove fielder batting .200. Speed is also a valued commodity, but that is more of a God given talent. Work ethic is also HUGE at the collegiate level because playing a sport in college is a HUGE time commitment and a grind. No one likes 6:30am strength and conditioning, but the players who do not have a good work ethic are probably not going to stick with it.

I chuckled at your 6:30AM comment. I showed DD1 a video from a nearby D1 team at their 6:30AM strength training, and her eyes lit up. Seems that really appeals to her. She is also very determined, believes hitting is key, and hits off a T regularly, outdoors, even when it is 40° here.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I am hoping my DD does not strive for a school where a "C" student is the norm. I would like her to strive for a highly or very competitive school rather than a less competitive school.

A mid-major D1 school near me (that regularly plays in the NCAA regionals) prides itself on the academic performance of its team and will not admit a student who does not fall within the very competitive standards of admission.

So my question is of subtly. I am wondering if there are two equally achieving students, both taking part in community service, one because it is something she just volunteers for, and the other, because it is a requirement of the National Honor Society, will the student in the Society have a better chance of admission.

I am not expecting definitive answers, but would love to hear opinions.

Softball is NOT a revenue generating sport and most schools, especially those with high academic standards, are NOT going to recruit students who cannot hack it academically. Athletic departments are graded by their overall graduation rates, and while they are willing to let coaches take chances on a STUD football or basketball player who puts fans in the stands, non-revenue generating sports do not get as much relief from academic standards. I would also like to point out that softball is a Spring sport and I know of several young ladies who did not make grades in the Fall Semester and were declared academically ineligible before they played a meaningful inning. Most ended up transferring after their freshman year and their coaches were NOT happy about it!
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I chuckled at your 6:30AM comment. I showed DD1 a video from a nearby D1 team at their 6:30AM strength training, and her eyes lit up. Seems that really appeals to her. She is also very determined, believes hitting is key, and hits off a T regularly, outdoors, even when it is 40° here.

Some kids love early morning workouts....my DD is not one of them. She would sleep until noon if she could. I would also like to mention that these workouts are unlike anything my DD ever experienced. They push the players harder/further than they ever thought they could. My DD's idea of a 2 hour workout in HS was 30 minutes on a treadmill and 1.5 hours drinking a smoothie while sending Snapchat videos to all her friends so they would know she was at the gym...

There are going to be conditioning tests if you want to challenge your DD during her off season workout. My DD's team does "gassers", a "gasser" is sprinting the width of a lacrosse field (60 yards) down and back in under 21 seconds, foot has to touch the line. They do it 18 times and have to make it in under 21 seconds 16 of the 18. They get a one minute break between each one.

As for hitting, get her in the cages as often as you can. T-work is great, but doing front toss or live pitching usually pays better dividends. During my coaching career I have seen a lot of "cage hitting phenoms" who can wear out a pitching machine or front toss, but struggle against live pitching.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
As for hitting, get her in the cages as often as you can. T-work is great, but doing front toss or live pitching usually pays better dividends. During my coaching career I have seen a lot of "cage hitting phenoms" who can wear out a pitching machine or front toss, but struggle against live pitching.

Wish I could, but it is not within our budget.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
I would also like to point out that softball is a Spring sport and I know of several young ladies who did not make grades in the Fall Semester and were declared academically ineligible before they played a meaningful inning. Most ended up transferring after their freshman year and their coaches were NOT happy about it!

That is excellent information. Thanks!
 

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