D1 College Coaching Merry-Go-Round

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marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Just for perspective...

As of August 11th:
50 of ~286 D1 programs will have a new head coach next season (about 18%)
9 of these 50 have not yet announced who will be the new head coach (recruits are in total limbo)
21 of 50 coaches either 'upgraded' to a new program or had an interim tag removed (so many good coaches leave programs to move up or laterally)

The 50 number is already out dated. I know of 2 more changes that happened today and 1 other change that has not been announced by the university yet. I expect it will be over 20% by the time the season rolls around.

This is not an unusual year - this is about average. Think about what this equates to if your DD commits as a junior - somewhere around 1 in 3 D1 programs will change their coaches before you spend a day on campus.

Longevity is not always the exception. I see at least 4 names on the list who had been at a program over 10 years.

Other divisions - the numbers are somewhat similar if not worse. The Northeast this year in D3 was brutal for coach changes.
I don't even want to know what the numbers are for assistant coaches.

I know it is hard for people to wrap their heads around this - but if your DD is going to play college ball, then have your DD pick her school for the school first.

Source: https://fastpitchnews.com/college-softball-news/head-coaching-merry-go-round/353440

Added: Additional Source for all known coach changes at all levels: https://nfca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6229&Itemid=168
 
Last edited:
Nov 3, 2012
480
16
Just for perspective...

As of August 11th:
50 of ~286 D1 programs will have a new head coach next season (about 18%)
9 of these 50 have not yet announced who will be the new head coach (recruits are in total limbo)
21 of 50 coaches either 'upgraded' to a new program or had an interim tag removed (so many good coaches leave programs to move up or laterally)

The 50 number is already out dated. I know of 2 more changes that happened today and 1 other change that has not been announced by the university yet. I expect it will be over 20% by the time the season rolls around.

This is not an unusual year - this is about average. Think about what this equates to if your DD commits as a junior - somewhere around 1 in 3 D1 programs will change their coaches before you spend a day on campus.

Longevity is not always the exception. I see at least 4 names on the list who had been at a program over 10 years.

Other divisions - the numbers are somewhat similar if not worse. The Northeast this year in D3 was brutal for coach changes.
I don't even want to know what the numbers are for assistant coaches.

I know it is hard for people to wrap their heads around this - but if your DD is going to play college ball, then have your DD pick her school for the school first.

Source: https://fastpitchnews.com/college-softball-news/head-coaching-merry-go-round/353440

Added: Additional Source for all known coach changes at all levels: https://nfca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6229&Itemid=168

That's good info. The turnover is obviously high. But makes you wonder, what do the verballed players do once the coach leaves?So if you're caught in limbo as in the 50 schools referenced, how often do the new coaches takes the previous coaches committed players? And, how much leverage do the players have with other programs? I know coaches have scholarships filled up, but player A and B might be available now because the coach left the school they were committed to. I just wonder what kind of last minute deals get made.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
This is so true. My DD verballed Nov of her Jr year to a D3. Less than a week later the coach calls her to let her know that he is taking a D1 job. Everyone asks me. What are y'all gonna do? I simply say she's committed to the school not the coach. Fast Forward a month or so. A well known coach takes over the program as an "Interim" Head Coach. DD establishes a nice communication relationship with the new coach for 8 months and during the JO Cup we find out that the coach is not being held on for the head coaching role. New coach was announced last week.

So to the OP point. DD has not even stepped foot on campus and there have been 3 coaches! Just as bad for her HS. She will have 3 head coaches in 4 years. I guess you can say that she is used to it by now.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
This is so true. My DD verballed Nov of her Jr year to a D3. Less than a week later the coach calls her to let her know that he is taking a D1 job. Everyone asks me. What are y'all gonna do? I simply say she's committed to the school not the coach. Fast Forward a month or so. A well known coach takes over the program as an "Interim" Head Coach. DD establishes a nice communication relationship with the new coach for 8 months and during the JO Cup we find out that the coach is not being held on for the head coaching role. New coach was announced last week.

So to the OP point. DD has not even stepped foot on campus and there have been 3 coaches! Just as bad for her HS. She will have 3 head coaches in 4 years. I guess you can say that she is used to it by now.

DD attended a D3 camp a couple of weekends ago. Did really well however the head coach seemed reluctant to engage in the recruiting talk you see at these camps to any of the players. As we were leaving the coach told my DD she want to talk to her 'soon'. Next day she was hired at another school. As soon as she is official there (you can't recruit until you are an official employee of the school) and has an email address I expect contact will be reestablished.
 
Jan 18, 2018
22
0
For those of you with daughters going through the recruiting process, please pay close attention to this thread. How many times have I heard " I am going to xxx University to play for Coach XXX". There is a good chance Coach XXX won't be there by the time your daughter gets to school and even a smaller chance that the coach will last the entire time your daughter is on the team. Pick your softball college based on the educational opportunities they provide, and the team culture exemplified by the girls on the team.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
That's good info. The turnover is obviously high. But makes you wonder, what do the verballed players do once the coach leaves?So if you're caught in limbo as in the 50 schools referenced, how often do the new coaches takes the previous coaches committed players? And, how much leverage do the players have with other programs? I know coaches have scholarships filled up, but player A and B might be available now because the coach left the school they were committed to. I just wonder what kind of last minute deals get made.

A player I coach in travel ball recently went through this. She received an offer from a D1 school in the NE but learned that the coach had resigned less than a month later. When the new coach was installed, she scheduled a meeting with her. The new coach stated she would honor the commitment but that she already had another recruit coming in at the same position. Overall, the player didn't have a good feeling about it. Ultimately she decided to attend a D3 because they offered her the opportunity to play both softball and field hockey. The D1 was requiring her to give one up and she didn't want to.

For those of you with daughters going through the recruiting process, please pay close attention to this thread. How many times have I heard " I am going to xxx University to play for Coach XXX". There is a good chance Coach XXX won't be there by the time your daughter gets to school and even a smaller chance that the coach will last the entire time your daughter is on the team. Pick your softball college based on the educational opportunities they provide, and the team culture exemplified by the girls on the team.

Excellent post. Just based on the OP, if we figure 20% turnover every year, the average length of tenure would be 5 years, max. And I know of some schools that have had the same coach for nearly 20 years, so they are skewing the average to some extent as well. While I believe it is important to have a good relationship with the coach, it really shouldn't be a factor in the decision process. Academics, campus, finances, etc are far more important.
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
This is so true. My DD verballed Nov of her Jr year to a D3. Less than a week later the coach calls her to let her know that he is taking a D1 job. Everyone asks me. What are y'all gonna do? I simply say she's committed to the school not the coach. Fast Forward a month or so. A well known coach takes over the program as an "Interim" Head Coach. DD establishes a nice communication relationship with the new coach for 8 months and during the JO Cup we find out that the coach is not being held on for the head coaching role. New coach was announced last week.

So to the OP point. DD has not even stepped foot on campus and there have been 3 coaches! Just as bad for her HS. She will have 3 head coaches in 4 years. I guess you can say that she is used to it by now.

Schools that offer scholarships are a little different. You verbal with the coach and if coach leaves you’re back to square one. Many coaches will honor the previous coaches verbals, however verbals on their own aren’t guaranteed so ones with prior coaches are even more precarious. When you sign your NLI you’re committed to the school even if the coach leaves so it better be one you like. DD has been through three different coaches in four years. Thankfully she chose to go there for the school itself.

Couldn’t agree more about the OP’s original point. Most of the girls I’ve followed who went on to play in college have either been through coaching changes, transferred to other schools or dropped out of softball. The odds of committing and then playing four years with the same coach are extremely low.
 
May 23, 2015
999
63
Schools that offer scholarships are a little different. You verbal with the coach and if coach leaves you’re back to square one. Many coaches will honor the previous coaches verbals, however verbals on their own aren’t guaranteed so ones with prior coaches are even more precarious. When you sign your NLI you’re committed to the school even if the coach leaves so it better be one you like. DD has been through three different coaches in four years. Thankfully she chose to go there for the school itself.

Good information in this post. Verbals mean absolutely nothing. If you only knew how many verbals a D1 coach receives every year you would be stunned :). They are a good recruiting tool for the school but not for the player. It instills a sense of loyalty to a school because Mom and Dad already posted it on Facebook, so the coach can go look at other players. It's like an Ace in the Hole. Coaches can back out of your verbal over a text and you're done. Dried ink on paper is the only thing you can slightly Bank on in recruiting
 

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