Advice RE Recruiting, etc

[bravencheese]

I wasn't sure where to post this, it's a long post. I've read just about every thread on here regarding club, travel, college, recruiting, etc and I have so many questions!

My DD is 14 (8th grade) and will be playing for her VERY small-town high school team this summer (we are in Iowa). She will probably make Varsity for her hitting and play first (5'10" & left-handed).

Her pitching is great (I think) but there is a very deserving upperclassman that will probably pitch the majority of the Varisty games (she has three seasons left). DD's average pitching speed is 59-60 but has hit 62, and puts lots of spin/movement on her pitches. She has a fastball that naturally drops, a two-seam drop ball, a change-up, and a curve. She is working on a riseball but I (and her pitching coach) think her drop ball will be her best pitch. I don't think she will pitch JV because the team is developing other pitchers that don't get any off-season experience. So probably just a few Varsity innings here and there and maybe a game or two during HS tournaments.

She is playing with her Iowa club team in March & April (five tournaments) and picked up two tournaments in May and a showcase in June with a Nebraska A-level team. Her Iowa club team isn't playing after April because HS practice starts on May 3.

The HS team has gone to state in the past but probably not in the cards for 2 or 3 years and they only have 17 games and 3 Saturday-only tournaments scheduled for the 2022 season. We are encouraging DD to focus on hitting for HS and to hone her pitching with club ball.

DD's regular club team doesn't plan on going to any showcases in the future but we had switched to them from a Nebraska club team that did because they were in Iowa and would not conflict with DD's HS team.

This is a critical time (right?) to be seen if she would like to play at the next level. Like all kids, she thinks D1 would be "amazing". She plans on getting a degree in Animal Sciences or biology and becoming a dog trainer. We are still in the research stages of what schools would be best (at any college-level).

How does she get seen by coaches if her HS probably won't be very good and her regular club team doesn't travel much? I think she has a chance to really shine at the HS level despite how they might do AND I think it is important for her to continue to foster the HS team relationships.

She did attend a local D1 pitching camp and got invited back for a smaller pitching camp but it isn't really a college she wants to attend as they don't have the major she wants. We do have plans to take her to any camps, etc that there might be once she narrows down her list of potential schools.

Side note: Her HS coach is already trying to switch her pitching from IR to HE and keeps contradicting everything her pitching and hitting coaches tell her. HS coach is telling DD that she wants her to hit down on the ball to generate lots of grounders! Anyway...that would be a totally different post on here!

After this season does she stick with HS ball in Iowa and see if a traveling team in Nebraska will take her on with her Iowa HS schedule? Can players really get recruited with emails and videos to DD's colleges of choice if she doesn't attend the big tournaments that college coaches go to? Have we started too late?

DD had to sign a form with her school that said she wouldn't participate in any club softball activities that conflicted with HS. That takes out most weekends in June and July which I gather is when all the good showcase tournaments take place. There are travel teams in Nebraska that go to the bigger showcase tournaments but she would probably have to give up HS softball, I suppose if she were to make one of these teams.

Advice, thoughts, guidance, personal experiences are welcome. Thanks!

 

[Lance Steckler]

#1 . tall, lanky left handed pitchers throwing that velo at 14, WILL always get looks. And politely ignore the HE crapola. She's already past that stone age coach's teaching level.

#2 get her on a travel team that will actually travel. Assuming you have the funds, cause it's not a cheap endeavor.

#2.5 in re-reading - have them cram that letter about conflict with HS and travel.


#3 . If she's that good on the rubber, don't be surprised if some VERY high level travel teams come knock.

Best of luck.

 

[John T]

Also, be very honest with yourself and DD about where she will fit in level wise. Watch other pitchers and hitters when you go to tournaments to see where she is development wise. I was in your shoes with my DD several years ago.

Always remember it is about the degree in the end because chances are she won’t make any money playing ball.

I wish you and her all the luck in the world!!!

 

[bravencheese]

Also, be very honest with yourself and DD about where she will fit in level wise. Watch other pitchers and hitters when you go to tournaments to see where she is development wise. I was in your shoes with my DD several years ago.

Always remember it is about the degree in the end because chances are she won’t make any money playing ball.

I wish you and her all the luck in the world!!!

That is the hard part - I think she is very talented and one of the best I have seen her age. But I think like you, I want her to get a quality education if we are going to spend that much money. I've told her what I've read about how not every degree aligns schedule-wise with softball practice in college. I played at the NAIA level (in the 90's) and went to Nationals and it was VERY rewarding. I would like to see her go to a smaller school and still get the college sports experience BUT I don't want her to feel like we didn't support her dreams of playing at the D1 level.

 

[nikkilugi]

If her club isn't traveling much then the other option is camps. Since she knows what she wants to major in why not have her start researching programs now? Get her to camps this fall after HS season is over. Camps is when you get eyes on her directly. Sounds like she did well at the camp she did attend - now get her to the camps of the schools she possibly wants to attend.

 

[BRsoftballDad]

If her club isn't traveling much then the other option is camps. Since she knows what she wants to major in why not have her start researching programs now? Get her to camps this fall after HS season is over. Camps is when you get eyes on her directly. Sounds like she did well at the camp she did attend - now get her to the camps of the schools she possibly wants to attend.

THIS!!! Typically after the Colorado Sparkler the summer camps crank up. Keep an eye out for their winter camps too. Follow the colleges she wants to go to on Twitter and Facebook and you will see camp announcements on there. She is definitely NOT too late in the process. My DD is a 2025 and she plays in a lot of the big name showcases. There will be coaches there but a lot of them are still looking at the 2023's and 2024's. However, your DD will be on the clock very soon so enjoy the process. Lots of good recruiting information on here.

 

[riseball]

14 yo 5'-10" lefty working at 60mph. What is not to like????

 

[Strike2]

IF my kid was that physically gifted and throwing like you say in 8th grade, she would have been playing varsity as a 9th grader and would have likely been in the starting rotation at her large and typically very competitive HS softball program. Further, she would have been the best pitcher on her already decent travel team, and would have had little problem finding a spot with the best organizations in the state.

I'm at odds with some here regarding the value of HS softball...I think it can add great value. However, IF she's that good, ditch the small mediocre HS team that wants to teach her HE and won't even pitch her regularly. Find the best club / travel team you can that will play against good competition and see how she does.

IF she's that good, then no, you're most certainly not too late for anything. The recruiting process starts (and continues) with emails and video. It progresses to attending camps hosted by the schools you want to play at, and culminates with interested coaches communicating with her as a prospective player (beginning of her junior year for D1...earlier for lower levels) and watching her play against good competition either in person or remotely.

 

[cnardone]

She is n 8th grade. Are you too late? No way. Keep working. As was mentioned, do your research find the schools she likes. Try to go to those camps. but don't sweat not playing in big name tournaments now.

 

[riseball]

IF my kid was that physically gifted and throwing like you say in 8th grade, she would have been playing varsity as a 9th grader and would have likely been in the starting rotation at her large and typically very competitive HS softball program. Further, she would have been the best pitcher on her already decent travel team, and would have had little problem finding a spot with the best organizations in the state.

I'm at odds with some here regarding the value of HS softball...I think it can add great value. However, IF she's that good, ditch the small mediocre HS team that wants to teach her HE and won't even pitch her regularly. Find the best club / travel team you can that will play against good competition and see how she does.

IF she's that good, then no, you're most certainly not too late for anything. The recruiting process starts (and continues) with emails and video. It progresses to attending camps hosted by the schools you want to play at, and culminates with interested coaches communicating with her as a prospective player (beginning of her junior year for D1...earlier for lower levels) and watching her play against good competition either in person or remotely.

She is in Iowa which is the unicorn of HS softball. Unless things have changed they play in the summer and there is not much in the way of summer TB.