College Recruiting

[GoldFastpitch]

Right now our family is going through the college selection process with a non-athlete older brother. But I have an 8th grade daughter with advanced size and skills. We have been advised to begin sending out correspondance to coaches. Of course, we will be going to as many camps as we can fit into our schedule. I have taken my love for the game of fastpitch to a new level and created a website that may help. At the risk of being shunned by the spam police. Here is the link to my website. www.GoldFastpitch.com In the Recruiting section I have accumulated some good information and links that will help those in the recruiting process.

 

[Steve Huff]

sofstballmom356, if you knew the salaries of the head and assistant coaches in advance, you might be able to find a danger sign when it comes to the "money" camps. For example, our assistant coaching salary was $17,000 a year. Texas A&M's assistants salary was $65,000 a year. I knew the assistant coach there. Some schools use camps to supplement the salary of their assistants, or they are not going to be there for more than one year. This necessity is understandable. But why not do 2 camps? Well the coaches and players don't want to make the effort! In other-words, it isn't about training. Some coaches in, say, California could actually use it for scouting because of the concentration of talent. Some coaches are giving back. But too often the intention is not to produce a more skilled DD.

 

[softballdad22]

The earlier you start the better...atleast that what I think.

 

[Steve Huff]

I forgot to mention this before, but I think it is very important in the recruiting process. How many of you knew there were two levels of DI schools, even when both schools give 12 scholarships? Utah State softball was a Tier I sport in the 1980s. In the 2000s it was a Tier II sport. What does that mean? Well it is a matter of how much the AD devoted to the underlying financial support for the program. A Tier I sport will get more travel money, stay in better hotels, travel on a less crunched time line, have more staff travel, and a bigger food stipend each day. A Tier II sport may not be eating at Olive Garden, they might be eating with a $15 per player meal budget.

Has anyone ever thought about how important it is to consider asking if that school's program is Tier I or Tier II?

At Utah State we were given 100 free flight coupons by Morris Air specifically and directly to the Softball Team. When the AD found out, he took the tickets and gave them to the football team. What were we going to do, report the AD to Morris Air? This is the difference, it it makes an impact in the long term success of a program. Look at Utah State's W/L record over the last 15-20 years. My guess is .350% or less. It all starts in the front office. So it is a factor in recruiting.

 

[Cannonball]

Steve, great point. Another question that we asked was about tutoring and "study table." Where my dd decided to go, they have mandatory "study table" for all freshmen athletes. Not only is it mandatory, they have to electronically check in and out. For the program my dd decided to play for, her coach has made it mandatory for all of the softball team to accumulate structured hours at study table even after their freshman year. Coach can get a printout of when they were there and what they did while they were there. As a parent, we feel so relieved knowing that our child is getting tutoring help and that the university has that type of commitment to its athletes. If I might, a few other things need to be considered. If your child wants to go into nursing, then they had better find out how that fits in with a school's athletic program. My dd wants to be a teacher, she has already accumulated 30 hours in the classroom as a freshman. Unbelievable! In the end, academics is what it is really all about.

 

[Steve Huff]

Steve, great point. Another question that we asked was about tutoring and "study table." Where my dd decided to go, they have mandatory "study table" for all freshmen athletes. Not only is it mandatory, they have to electronically check in and out. For the program my dd decided to play for, her coach has made it mandatory for all of the softball team to accumulate structured hours at study table even after their freshman year. Coach can get a printout of when they were there and what they did while they were there. As a parent, we feel so relieved knowing that our child is getting tutoring help and that the university has that type of commitment to its athletes. If I might, a few other things need to be considered. If your child wants to go into nursing, then they had better find out how that fits in with a school's athletic program. My dd wants to be a teacher, she has already accumulated 30 hours in the classroom as a freshman. Unbelievable! In the end, academics is what it is really all about.

Yes, well your's may be a better point! There are a few schools that don't have to worry as much as others when it comes to academics. Many students fall into two categories when it comes to academics. The first is distraction! They become distracted by sudden freedom and the inherent responsibility with that freedom is forgotten. And secondly, 74% of all kids today arriving at the university need remedial education because quite honestly our HS standards have fallen through the basement. If you don't believe it, compare a 9th year curriculum here with any European country, or our own in 1890. It would shock you! It doesn't mean that there aren't good teachers, but they are hamstrung by bureaucracy. I imagine most university softball programs have "study table" programs. I can't imagine them not! At times we had to incorporate the ball and chain technique!

There is one common practice I don't agree with except as a last resort. Often missing study table or not attending class results in a whole team being punished by running, etc. I think the individual should be punished in a visible but not too humiliating manner first. Then more humiliating, and then the team suffer as well. Then they can berate her into appropriate academic commitment. I just don't think punishing everybody first is appropriate. But it may have to happen. They have to understand that they are a team, not individuals when it comes to this process.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Here is the link to my website. www.GoldFastpitch.com In the Recruiting section I have accumulated some good information and links that will help those in the recruiting process.

Nice Site !!! One Problem though You don't have Ohio Nightmare #1 in your 18U Gold poll.....???

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Great statement about the Tiers Steve.

We stumbled across this important detail by chance in a post-camp tour of a lesser-known D1 school. The head coach was selling this point HUGE (and she should!)

 

[Bouldersdad]

I forgot to mention this before, but I think it is very important in the recruiting process. How many of you knew there were two levels of DI schools, even when both schools give 12 scholarships? Utah State softball was a Tier I sport in the 1980s. In the 2000s it was a Tier II sport. What does that mean? Well it is a matter of how much the AD devoted to the underlying financial support for the program. A Tier I sport will get more travel money, stay in better hotels, travel on a less crunched time line, have more staff travel, and a bigger food stipend each day. A Tier II sport may not be eating at Olive Garden, they might be eating with a $15 per player meal budget.

Has anyone ever thought about how important it is to consider asking if that school's program is Tier I or Tier II?

At Utah State we were given 100 free flight coupons by Morris Air specifically and directly to the Softball Team. When the AD found out, he took the tickets and gave them to the football team. What were we going to do, report the AD to Morris Air? This is the difference, it it makes an impact in the long term success of a program. Look at Utah State's W/L record over the last 15-20 years. My guess is .350% or less. It all starts in the front office. So it is a factor in recruiting.

This is true and not to mention that team that is Tier 2 may not be fully funded on top of every thing else. The coach has to put up with, Low paying job mixed in with the inability to attract big time players, little or no money for travel for spring ball getting their team ready for conference play. There are a ton of Mid major D1 teams that constantly roll around the bottom of their conference year in and year out. I understand that education is the end result of the 4 or 5 years they spend there. But if your in that situation of a tier 2 school it could be a long grueling part of your life as an athlete.

Tim

 

[7smom]

My daughter is doing a series of unofficial visits this spring to start narrowing the list down a bit. Is it appropriate to ask a coach straight out if his/her program is fully funded and what that means? That questions wasn't on her usual list she asks at a visit.