College recruiting and where to start

[mmeece]

My DD is currently on a 14u B team that will most likely be going A in Maryland. She is in her freshman year now. She pitches 59 mph, has a pretty good flip change, drop and drop curve. She plays outfield when not pitching and is a middle of the order decent contact hitter. She wants to play college. Any advice from the experts about the process for both her and I. Any advice appreciated.

If she throws 59 and has a good change a B team is not the right spot for her. She must dominate there and not get much competition. One of the first questions a coach would ask her right now is why she isn't playing A level.

That said, look in your preferred geographic area and start emailing schools at every level (juco, D1. etc), and attending their camps.

 

[Top_Notch]

How do you really know what level your kid is likely to succeed at?

I've asked that question a lot. As of now, we are going with information from her head coach (former D1 player same as DD position), organizational recruiter feedback, success against other teams, and our gut instinct.

Of course we will target those colleges that fit the profile (and major), along with one or two "reach" schools, and lower level athletic programs as well that might still be a good fit. I don't know if this is right, but it's where we are at right now.

 

[Softball fan dad]

Well as a former D1 coach and recruiting coordinator I would say that 59mph is exceptional for 14U. My guess is normal would be 51-55 for that age level. Does she throw consistently at 59 or once in a while? And where did you get the number? As for pitch variety, don't let those three pitches get away from her. You can give up twice as many base hits at times throwing at the bottom as giving up extra bases at the top. In 1990 the average D1 college speed was 59. Of course that is probably more like 63 now. As some point she can start to develop a riseball, but just as important as any pitch is how to use them; mixing and setting up the batter. You can have an elephant gun in your closet but if you can't shoulder it, you have an elephant gun in your closet.

 

[krazykat]

Academics is a huge part of softball recruiting. Make sure your daughter understands that grades and test scores affect her recruitability. When my daughter was going through it, the ACT score was very important. Not sure if that is the case these days.

 

[Softball fan dad]

Thanks to everyone for advice. I knew I went to the right place to start.
Let me clarify some of the questions about her. First, she has thrown 59, but only a few times, on two different radars (pocket and another gun). She’s usually around 56. Her Cu and drops are great when they work, but are inconsistent. In turn her results are inconsistent, but overall good. The dad in me might’ve painted the wrong picture. She’s come a long way and is working hard to continue her improvement. She’s doing great, but the A teams have beaten her. She has quite a bit of technique to clean up. Her team will be A in the spring and HS around here is unlikely to happen this year at all. Her TB coach mentioned a skills video and college, so I figured this was the place to start.

 

[Softball fan dad]

@Softball fan dad. I see that you posted some videos of your DD back in May. Did she pick up 6 mph in 5 months? You said she was pitching around the 53 or so. If so, that would be phenomenal. As mentioned before by myself and others, she needs to be on a team that competes against the best in your area especially if she is ambitious. Looks like she is taking pitching lessons. Usually those coaches have a pretty good insight into college recruiting. I know a kid that just transferred to Maryland from an Ivy school for one last year of eligibility. I think she is pitching right around 60 mph or so at least that was what she told me the last time I talked with her.

https://www.discussfastpitch.com/threads/14u-video-analysis.38925/

She has just made another jump in the last month or so. In May she was around 53 with 56 as the high. Now she’s hovering around 56 with 59 as the high. Still working on technique and consistency.

 

[MNDad]

Thanks to everyone for advice. I knew I went to the right place to start.
Let me clarify some of the questions about her. First, she has thrown 59, but only a few times, on two different radars (pocket and another gun). She’s usually around 56. Her Cu and drops are great when they work, but are inconsistent. In turn her results are inconsistent, but overall good. The dad in me might’ve painted the wrong picture. She’s come a long way and is working hard to continue her improvement. She’s doing great, but the A teams have beaten her. She has quite a bit of technique to clean up. Her team will be A in the spring and HS around here is unlikely to happen this year at all. Her TB coach mentioned a skills video and college, so I figured this was the place to start.

You may want to have her try soccer. Such an honest description of talent is unheard of in a pitchers parent!

 

[texasheat]

Go to camps of schools and different levels and of differing competitiveness. You’ll see her next to other kids aspiring to play at that level. Keep an eye on who the HC talks to and you’ll see the kids they’re recruiting.

Attending camps is a great way to get a feel for the programs and visit campus’s. There’s huge differences even within the same level.

soooooooo, there are no camps. May not have camps again for a year it seems. What then?

 

[uncdrew]

If your description is accurate, the sky’s the limit. Get her on a much higher caliber team. Go out of state if you have to. The girls she’s with won’t challenge her and the coaches are holding her back.

I know you can say this with a high level of certainty based on what you've witnessed and observed. Which of the attributes of this player lead you to say "sky's the limit"?

 

[uncdrew]

This could help the OP (or even other parents starting this search): How exactly should one figure out #2? Let's say a parent is perfectly objective about their DD's ability. This isn't a rose-colored glasses parent. How do you really know what level your kid is likely to succeed at? For most people, the only college softball they see on TV are those Power 5 teams (and often only the top 10% of those teams).

Agreed.

My DD was a very good B level player. I wasn't sure if she was ready for A ball. But we joined a "lower level" A team and she's doing great. But what does that mean? We just got thumped in a tourney. So obviously there are much better players out there. I have no idea where she falls.