With us for softball, we consider the education the priority. Those fortunate enough to play in college are among the few. Those fortunate enough to play anything beyond that are even more fortunate. To our school and travel team, they are student athletes. The student always comes before the athlete. A degree in the area they want a career in is most important. Being a student athlete is very desirable on resumes but where they played is not important for their career.
Benefits and best approach to join a national organization
- Thread starter Manager18
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
With us for softball, we consider the education the priority. Those fortunate enough to play in college are among the few. Those fortunate enough to play anything beyond that are even more fortunate. To our school and travel team, they are student athletes. The student always comes before the athlete. A degree in the area they want a career in is most important. Being a student athlete is very desirable on resumes but where they played is not important for their career.
Its been many years since my oldest went though the recruiting process, but looking at the responses nothing has changed. Its all about the tournaments and how your girls fair in those tournaments.
If your team doesn't have the funds there are multiple ways to get notice.
If your girls have the Grades, SAT/ACT scores, and other accolades you can direct market to some of the smaller D1 schools. The Ivory League, Military Academies etc are always looking for kids that are in the top of their class, have high SAT/ACT scores, volunteers at the local elder home, have a part time job, baby sits, and is All Regional/State.
You can direct contact coaching staffs it worked for my daughter. She was on a no name team. She played in a few highly talented tournaments, and we just did a email marketing champagne. She ended up with a 50% offer which I understand is pretty good for softball.
We sent out her resume with a focus on all the none softball activities and attached a link to a site where we up-loaded full videos of her games (games from the high end tournaments and high school playoffs)
Like many have replied there is nothing wrong with playing for a Big Name, but you still need the Talent to go with it, and traveling to multiple states every weekend and get heavy on the on bank account.
If funding is an issue email marketing direct from the girls work.....oh yea I failed to mention I had my daughter directly contact each coach though email. A few reply many didn't reply but in the end she walked away with 50% and the 50% came from the school she started contacting her freshman year and kept sending the coach links and academic accomplishes.
It paid off -- there are options
If your team doesn't have the funds there are multiple ways to get notice.
If your girls have the Grades, SAT/ACT scores, and other accolades you can direct market to some of the smaller D1 schools. The Ivory League, Military Academies etc are always looking for kids that are in the top of their class, have high SAT/ACT scores, volunteers at the local elder home, have a part time job, baby sits, and is All Regional/State.
You can direct contact coaching staffs it worked for my daughter. She was on a no name team. She played in a few highly talented tournaments, and we just did a email marketing champagne. She ended up with a 50% offer which I understand is pretty good for softball.
We sent out her resume with a focus on all the none softball activities and attached a link to a site where we up-loaded full videos of her games (games from the high end tournaments and high school playoffs)
Like many have replied there is nothing wrong with playing for a Big Name, but you still need the Talent to go with it, and traveling to multiple states every weekend and get heavy on the on bank account.
If funding is an issue email marketing direct from the girls work.....oh yea I failed to mention I had my daughter directly contact each coach though email. A few reply many didn't reply but in the end she walked away with 50% and the 50% came from the school she started contacting her freshman year and kept sending the coach links and academic accomplishes.
It paid off -- there are options
So
- your team has 2 potential D1 athletes, but they don't want to play D1
- none of your players want to focus on colleges outside a 3 hour driving radius, except for maybe UK and Baylor/Florida, but for academics not softball
- you don't plan on traveling to seek out top competition because no need
- yours is an academics-first organization
And your question is do you need a bigger name org on your jersey.
I think you answered this yourself.
Exactly. And although you hear a lot of people say some D2 and D3 schools can beat some D1 schools the truth is that D1 is the highest level of softball and if you have girls good enough to compete at that level then why not offer them that opportunity? If they don't want to play D1 and you are still holding your own in bigger tournaments then stay put and place more emphasis on getting your team's name out there. Boost your social media presence, take the whole team to a camp hosted by a D1 school (when it's allowed again) or win a major tournament. Remember the Texas Dirtdogs shocked the world winning PGF a few years back? It can be done as most good teams can easily qualify for PGF.
The big name orgs can help in a few ways.... they can get you on the big fields, they can provide you with excellent skills training, they often pool money to rent premier training facilities and they have connections to get kids who are fringe players that extra nod in the recruiting process. For those reasons it will cost each player $3500+ in fees. Since you have a team that you want to keep together you would need to get all parents to agree to move. That will be your biggest challenge.
We looked at big orgs and couldn't really identify how they would be better than the org we have been with for the last 5 years. Our Org started out with 3 teams 14, 16, 18 many years ago. Today we have 14 teams and our top team gets on all of the best fields. Two years ago we won Triple Crown Nationals at 18s.. So Cal Invitational. You can do it! Just win!
What it really comes down to...
If your players want to stay close to home for college
If they aren't interested in playing D1
If they aren't playing in the top showcases in the country
If they're more concerned with long term careers vs short term softball playing goals
then why would you want to have to increase your players fees a minimum
$250-$300 (more like $350-$400) per player to get a big name jersey?
The chances of getting noticed at a showcase, big name jersey or not, is around 5%. The biggest thing your players can do to get noticed is reaching out to the HC's of the colleges they are interested in via email or handwritten letter. Few college coaches, especially at the D2/D3 level, will pursue a player that hasn't shown interest in their school or program.
If your players want to stay close to home for college
If they aren't interested in playing D1
If they aren't playing in the top showcases in the country
If they're more concerned with long term careers vs short term softball playing goals
then why would you want to have to increase your players fees a minimum
$250-$300 (more like $350-$400) per player to get a big name jersey?
The chances of getting noticed at a showcase, big name jersey or not, is around 5%. The biggest thing your players can do to get noticed is reaching out to the HC's of the colleges they are interested in via email or handwritten letter. Few college coaches, especially at the D2/D3 level, will pursue a player that hasn't shown interest in their school or program.
Last edited:
Dirt Divas-at that time, they were a one team organization.
In the Fall of 2019, the team (not very strong)I was helping coach played the DD at the Scrapyard (Bombers Weekend-maybe) and we were clearly outmatched. It got ugly.
Last edited:
I keep hearing and reading you don't need a big org just email the schools..
That may work but... with the big orgs you have a better chance at getting higher quality coaching. That's not a guarantee and I'm sure there are small orgs with great coaching BUT there is a better chance at higher quality coaching at an organization that has a track record of success.
There is a reason these top teams are top teams.. yes they get great players but they also develop them.
That may work but... with the big orgs you have a better chance at getting higher quality coaching. That's not a guarantee and I'm sure there are small orgs with great coaching BUT there is a better chance at higher quality coaching at an organization that has a track record of success.
There is a reason these top teams are top teams.. yes they get great players but they also develop them.
Exactly! If you are playing for the Hittin' Kittens and your are a D1 player skill wise, you are facing an uphill battle in getting recruited to many D1 programs. Let's be honest here. D1 coaches go to the well with highest quality water. Take note that if you want the highest percentage chance of playing D1 you need to be able to get on the Gold team within the organization. Just because you play for 1 of the 20 18U Bombers team is not the same as playing for Scott Smith's Bomber's team. If you join the PA Chaos and work your way to the top team, you odds have just increased. I had a few drinks with the Chaos coaches around a pool in Atlanta. Those coaches said do you know where the head coach is right now, while we are out here? He is working the phones by having conversations with college coaches getting our players recruited. That is the difference!
I don't think people understand the power and impact a letter or email from the athlete to the coach has. Especially to the smaller schools. I don't want to fool anyone --- you wont get replies to majority of your correspondence, but the method does work.
True Story
We had a player on one of my basketball teams that wasn't one of the best players --ok she rode the bench on my B level travel team ...... but she made the local news a few times for her high school (they were not very good so she was a star) and she was in the top 5% of a 6A high school.
A D2 college called her and said quote "are your grades for real" she said yes
The coach asked how many hours a week do you spend practicing?" she said I practice 2 to 3 hours a day.
The coach went on --So you are spending that much time practicing and you still keep your grades up? The girl said yes it just takes dedication.
The coach replied that is all I need to know and gave her a full ride to a D2 school......full ride D2..who gets a full ride to a D2.......they needed the grades not the skill. I had 8 more girls on the B team that was 100% better, but none of my girls were rocking a 4.0 GPA in all AP classes. Sitting in the to 5% of a class of 1100 plus kids. Heck none of my A team were rocking grades like that.
I don't think people understand the power of emails and letters.
I'll never forget we were playing team NJ a few years back and it was a cold and rainy day. Feilds were getting hammered with rain. A&M flew out to see one of our pitchers. The head of chaos knew it was gonna be too wet so he spent the morning calling indoor facilities till he found one that would let our gold team play. A&M coach got the opportunity to see our pitcher. Thats what a gold organization does for their kids.
DD faced the bombers last fall. Legit team very very well coached.
