Alabama high school softball "outside participation rule"

[GOINGDEEP]

On a SB forum where the kids play SB it is easy to keep looking at this on how it affects SB. I would be surprised if they even care. Now if the baseball stopped playing, then you might see some changes. I am sure some baseball players make the decision not to play HS because of these rules. And basketball players.

(Now cheerleading is different, there are a lot of specific references to cheerleading. They must be good a lobbying for their sport)

Maybe? Baseball is a different animal, because there is a ton of money in it and it's "America's sport". We've had a good number of HS baseball players go on to play minors and MLB in Memphis, a good number of HS basketball players make it to the NBA. The advantage in playing HS sports is national coverage for the male side.........aka the evening news. I don't think I've ever heard the news have a story on their TB/AAU team.

 

[SCDad]

How is that possible? They are off campus solely for the purpose of the evaluation of a player.

" An evaluation day is defined as one coach engaged in the evaluation of any prospect on one day
(12:01a.m. to midnight)."

I see college coaches at our high school softball games all the time. Usually dressed incognito. Maybe even stay in their car. Pretending to be a fan. Once you know who they are, and there are a bunch of them, and know what to look for ... you see them. I seriously doubt it is called an evaluation day.

Once you know the inside. You would be amazed at how much the HS players get looked at in spring.

 

[SCDad]

OK. Please tell us how many players on your DD's HS team that are able to get D1/D2 scholarships with only HS and without any TB play?

Our HS players play travel softball. Some play for the top elite big orgs. Some play local for the coach who elevates them the most. Most every regular starter on our HS team gains a scholarship.

We are splitting hairs. Our HS gets watched by all the colleges. Yes they play travel softball. Whether travel softball wants to lay claim to these scholarships (they will) is up to them.

The reason I voice my minority opinion, is that my DD loves HS softball. Picks up games in travel that her HS coach wants to prepare for the HS season.

So to directly answer your question ... ONE, my DD. It is possible, but only because of the level of her play.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I see college coaches at our high school softball games all the time. Usually dressed incognito. Maybe even stay in their car. Pretending to be a fan. Once you know who they are, and there are a bunch of them, and know what to look for ... you see them. I seriously doubt it is called an evaluation day.

Once you know the inside. You would be amazed at how much the HS players get looked at in spring.

We have about 10 colleges, D1 thru JC, within an hour of home. I've seen most of them at SB HS games. ( various HS games ) Furthest coach I've been able to "spot" was about 3 hours from home.

My opinion from a few years around the "process". They pick the tougher games on the recruits schedule to watch. What they are looking for is her/his composer when you're not surrounded by studs. Because even the best D1 teams will have those error filled games. Does she/he hold it together, does she/he throw a tantrum, does she/he take a leadership role, do they play the blame game? Great coaches look at more than physical ability.

 

[SCDad]

We have about 10 colleges, D1 thru JC, within an hour of home. I've seen most of them at SB HS games. ( various HS games ) Furthest coach I've been able to "spot" was about 3 hours from home.

My opinion from a few years around the "process". They pick the tougher games on the recruits schedule to watch. What they are looking for is her/his composer when you're not surrounded by studs. Because even the best D1 teams will have those error filled games. Does she/he hold it together, does she/he throw a tantrum, does she/he take a leadership role, do they play the blame game? Great coaches look at more than physical ability.

College coaches get sick and tired of the dog and pony show the upper level showcase travel softball circuit brings. Deny it if you wish, but I have heard directly it is true.

They want to see how a prospect reacts in a "college", or team type atmosphere, High School softball is the closest to this. How they are in a true 7 inning game. How they lead in the clubhouse. how they adjust. Most every player a college offers is "scouted" at the high school games. Maybe not directly, but definitely so.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

College coaches get sick and tired of the dog and pony show the upper level showcase travel softball circuit brings. Deny it if you wish, but I have heard directly it is true.

They want to see how a prospect reacts in a "college", or team type atmosphere, High School softball is the closest to this. How they are in a true 7 inning game. How they lead in the clubhouse. how they adjust. Most every player a college offers is "scouted" at the high school games. Maybe not directly, but definitely so.

Perhaps my post wasn't clear, I'm agreeing with you. My reference was college coaches do come to HS games. But usually they are more localized. Only in rare instances, mostly in baseball, have I seen a college come 4+ hours away to view a phenom.

 

[SCDad]

Perhaps my post wasn't clear, I'm agreeing with you. My reference was college coaches do come to HS games. But usually they are more localized. Only in rare instances, mostly in baseball, have I seen a college come 4+ hours away to view a phenom.

I understood your post. I was trying to support.

The other things folks fail to realize is how close the coaching community is. Though usually the coaches coming to our games are an hour away, what they say to their fellow coaches a continent away is what gets them the spot. How else does our little state get big time players from CA. Because of that local college coach in CA, at high school games, looking for that kid the big time colleges in the area has overlooked. And reporting it to their buddy east of the Mississippi.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I understood your post. I was trying to support.

The other things folks fail to realize is how close the coaching community is. Though usually the coaches coming to our games are an hour away, what they say to their fellow coaches a continent away is what gets them the spot. How else does our little state get big time players from CA. Because of that local college coach in CA, at high school games, looking for that kid the big time colleges in the area has overlooked. And reporting it to their buddy east of the Mississippi.

Absolutely right. College sports is a business, they communicate just like any other business within their field. From a family who has had/have 5 members play at college................there is a lot of "horse trading". There is a game, beyond the game, the best are the ones who learn "how" to play it. That's why they win the big trophies.

 

[flarays]

College coaches get sick and tired of the dog and pony show the upper level showcase travel softball circuit brings. Deny it if you wish, but I have heard directly it is true.

They want to see how a prospect reacts in a "college", or team type atmosphere, High School softball is the closest to this. How they are in a true 7 inning game. How they lead in the clubhouse. how they adjust. Most every player a college offers is "scouted" at the high school games. Maybe not directly, but definitely so.

I have to say this, and maybe I am missing your point, but this is totally contrary to what I have experienced over the last 16 years I have been in this sport. I can't even come close to estimating how many HS games I have been to in those years. If you take out the state tournaments and maybe a high profile HS Invitational I bet I could count the number of college coaches I have seen at a HS game on 2 hands. I don't mean that as any disrespect to the HS game but there are a number of factors that drive that fact. First is pure logistics. HS and College seasons in most states are the same time of year. Coaches are tied up with their own teams. Unlike basketball and football you can't reschedule practices to go watch games. Not many HS teams have lights. Seeing games is very tough. (Along with that, would they burn a recruiting day to see a singular player)? Secondly - it is a VOLUME thing. College coaches get to watch MANY of their (possible) recruits at tournaments. For most HS teams the competition is scarce and the level of play is not what the coaches are interested in evaluating. Not one time have I ever been asked for a players HS stats. Quite honestly - besides GPA, running times and throwing speeds I never get asked for stats period.

Your assumption that a TB team player can not or does not show leadership, adjustments or how they act in a team dynamic is puzzling to me. In fact most coaches spend as much time watching those attributes at tournaments as they do the game skills. Even so far as to watch their interaction with their parents between games. Remember in HS these players have history growing up with their teammates. The leadership pecking order has already been established over the years, so have the cliques. In TB these players might have just met each other that year - which closely resembles the college team experience.

Another puzzling comment is the one about 7 inning games. Yes HS games are 7 innings unless there is a RR. But hopefully college coaches are recruiting players that are playing summer events against other teams with recruitable players on those teams. My experience is that even under a 80-90 minute time limit our games at competitive events RARELY end before the 6th or 7th inning. At Showcase events we cater to what the coaches want to see. most of the better showcases are going to longer games and getting 7 innings in.

Now going full circle to your initial comment - yep the coaches are tired of the for profit showcases. But the fact is they drive the bus. The NFCA/College Coaches are trying to formulate a new direction and bring it up to vote during the next voting cycle. We will see what they come up with. The discussions between all the parties involved have been interesting to say the least.

 

[flarays]

I understood your post. I was trying to support.

The other things folks fail to realize is how close the coaching community is. Though usually the coaches coming to our games are an hour away, what they say to their fellow coaches a continent away is what gets them the spot. How else does our little state get big time players from CA. Because of that local college coach in CA, at high school games, looking for that kid the big time colleges in the area has overlooked. And reporting it to their buddy east of the Mississippi.

Totally agree with this as it relates to SoCal and Calif in general. But the rest of the softball world doesn't get that attention.