Daughter just attended a DI camp yesterday. After camp there was a question/answer period with coaches and players. A mom asked "What is the recruiting process?" Head coach looked at her assistants, laughed and said- "the recruiting process starts when you are 8 and ends when you are 18." She went on to say that some of her colleagues are starting to go to 14U Nationals which she thinks is ridiculous but called it a reality. Coaches then told the girls/parents things we've all heard before -run on/off the field, love the game etc. One of the assistants said he likes to spend time at games talking to little brother/sisters and watching how girls interact with families.
Another question asked was "if you could pick one thing for girls to come to you with what would it be?" Answers from coaches: 1) Realize that "getting" the scholarship is not the end but the beginning- he said too many girls view that as benchmark as the time to relax and back off and then they come to college unprepared- once you get the scholarship the real work begins, 2) Come to college with a better understanding of the game. He said many girls go to pitching lessons, hitting lessons and play in games but don't really understand the game (why a cut goes to a certain position in a certain situation etc.). Said the easy fix is watch major league baseball and listen to commentators.
Another question asked was "if you could pick one thing for girls to come to you with what would it be?" Answers from coaches: 1) Realize that "getting" the scholarship is not the end but the beginning- he said too many girls view that as benchmark as the time to relax and back off and then they come to college unprepared- once you get the scholarship the real work begins, 2) Come to college with a better understanding of the game. He said many girls go to pitching lessons, hitting lessons and play in games but don't really understand the game (why a cut goes to a certain position in a certain situation etc.). Said the easy fix is watch major league baseball and listen to commentators.