College recruiting and where to start

[Hillhouse]

A list of players and a list of teams. Usually about 6-10 and then the 500 coaches fight over the 90-150 players on those teams. I saw it recruiting. Even bench players on the Bat Busters or Gordon's Panthers would be recruited without stepping on the field and touching a ball. I could not pull in tier 1 level players into a tier 2 level program. I had to search for the diamonds in the rough, or top players on unseen teams. But there were too many coaches searching for the magic bullet(s) to improve their teams when they had no chance. It also led to recruiting violations. I once saw JoAnne Graf of Florida State recruiting some top six team players who were in the semi-finals, which is a violation of NCAA rules. She didn't do it on purpose I don't think. Afterward I asked her if she knew they were still playing and she looked shocked. But the pressure creates mistakes.

You dated yourself by mentioned the Gordon Panthers, Steve. ha ha. One big difference is, there are so many more college teams now than there was in 1990. Thousands more, in all levels. This turns into a supply and demand situation. A mediocre pitcher can sometimes get a full ride to a mid major school, where a Power 5 school might only offer 10% scholarship. If people will set their ego's aside and go for the best fit instead of the "prestige" of being a preferred walk-on at a Power 5 school, it'll open a lot more opportunities. There is an NAIA school here where I live that carries 18 players, all 18 have full scholarships. If the education is what counts and softball is the means to an end, then even more doors open when you consider that option. NAIA won't be on TV, I realize that. They don't have the budgets that P5 schools do for travel and goodies. But you also won't come out owing $200,000 in student loans just so you can say you went to Arizona to be on the softball team as a bench player.