Getting Recruited is Easy.........but...

[AimHigh]

Getting recruited is easy, finding the right fit, now that's damn difficult. My daughter has gotten five d2 offers, four d3 offers, one NAIA offer and two community college offers. But, in each case in her mind, the "fit" was not what she wanted.

What is "fit"? In some cases fit means not enough scholarship money, or distance to home, or perceived connection to the coach, or not a good academic fit, or not liking the campus feel, or size. In one case, the school was a very low level d2 that was/under resourced and the coach quit. Is she too picky? I don't think so, I guess it means going for your goals and not accepting less than what you want.

At this point, she plans to be a student-athlete at a community college coached by a former NPF head coach with the remaining goal of finding the right fit after community college, if after Community college she can't find what she wants, it may be time to hang up the spikes and simply be a student.

In terms of the recruiting process, she/we did nothing that you've not already heard:

1) Camps/clinics (one offer)
2) Videos/emails and subsequent campus visits (four offers)
3) "Gold" level travel teams - attending exposure tournaments (five offers)
4) Personal softball contacts (two offers)

As you can see from above, the most offers came from exposure tournaments which very much surprised me. The caveat being that three of the offers were d3, one d2 and one NAIA. In any event good luck to all of you, recruiting can be a mind and soul numbing process.

 

[SCDad]

As a parent you have done a tremendous job with your DD. You wrestled through the travel, and high school softball world. She has been offered over a half-dozen opportunities. Sit back, relax, and say job well done.

Now your DD gets to choose her life !!! (with your support, of course, ha, ha)

By now, as a parent, you have watched and enjoyed far more softball games in the past, than you will ever get to watch her play in the future.

When my DD reaches 18, I would do anything to have her play for a community college, to be able to make a short drive and watch mine play just one more season.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I'd rather have to find a new wife than go thru recruiting again. There were times I wanted to blow my head off. Too many options, opinions, pros, cons........ugh!!

After all the offers and the smoke cleared, she chose the Juco right down the road. It's not your "typical" Juco, it's the largest in the state with 3 separate campuses. One of which is a satelite campus 6 mins from the house, very convenient.

1) It was close to home, our "large" family are all within 20-30 mins of each other. She was never one who liked the idea of being 4-5 hours away. ( as a dad, I'm not complaining )

2) For her "fit" it was the financial offer, full athletic scholarship. She can also stack the state scholarship on top for any clinics or clinical supplies she needs for her nursing degree. ( she'll have to finish the degree at another campus, we will cross that bridge when it gets here ) Basically for 2 years it will cost us/her $20 a year for a parking pass.

3) She has 2 good friends she's played ball with a long time who also got offers and signed after DD did. ( I believe that was a group "girl" decision behind closed doors )

4) The coach, he's really a great guy. Even this year while they are just in HS, he would post links to media stories of our girls on the college site. He always posts links to them and their accomplishments on the college Facebook site, and they aren't even playing yet.

He's laid back, not the drill Sargent type, and that's what works for my kid. He even travels to watch DD pitch in TB this summer.

He coached a semi-pro baseball team for 29 years with a .739 winning percent over that time. 11 National title wins, 1 Global win and inducted into the Semi-Pro Hall of Fame. Dude is pretty sharp on the diamond game.

He's only been coaching softball for the college a few years, this summer he quit his semi-pro team to concentrate fully on the softball program. He's the kind of guy you can sit and talk "ball" with all day and never get tired. I'm looking forward to watching him coach my daughter.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I'd rather have to find a new wife than go thru recruiting again. There were times I wanted to blow my head off. Too many options, opinions, pros, cons........ugh!!

After all the offers and the smoke cleared, she chose the Juco right down the road. It's not your "typical" Juco, it's the largest in the state with 3 separate campuses. One of which is a satelite campus 6 mins from the house, very convenient.

1) It was close to home, our "large" family are all within 20-30 mins of each other. She was never one who liked the idea of being 4-5 hours away. ( as a dad, I'm not complaining )

2) For her "fit" it was the financial offer, full athletic scholarship. She can also stack the state scholarship on top for any clinics or clinical supplies she needs for her nursing degree. ( she'll have to finish the degree at another campus, we will cross that bridge when it gets here ) Basically for 2 years it will cost us/her $20 a year for a parking pass.

3) She has 2 good friends she's played ball with a long time who also got offers and signed after DD did. ( I believe that was a group "girl" decision behind closed doors )

4) The coach, he's really a great guy. Even this year while they are just in HS, he would post links to media stories of our girls on the college site. He always posts links to them and their accomplishments on the college Facebook site, and they aren't even playing yet.

He's laid back, not the drill Sargent type, and that's what works for my kid. He even travels to watch DD pitch in TB this summer.

He coached a semi-pro baseball team for 29 years with a .739 winning percent over that time. 11 National title wins, 1 Global win and inducted into the Semi-Pro Hall of Fame. Dude is pretty sharp on the diamond game.

He's only been coaching softball for the college a few years, this summer he quit his semi-pro team to concentrate fully on the softball program. He's the kind of guy you can sit and talk "ball" with all day and never get tired. I'm looking forward to watching him coach my daughter.

I've seen pictures and am familiar with your posts. The chances of you outkicking your coverage again are slim to none, IMO.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I've seen pictures and am familiar with your posts. The chances of you outkicking your coverage again are slim to none, IMO.

DW turned 40 this year, told her I was going to trade her in for two 20yo's. Then I took off running.

 

[AimHigh]

I'm happy she'll be close by and playing for a pitcher. If after a year or two she hangs it up, we'll have gotten 12 years of joy. If she decides to play at a 4 year school after community college, all the better.

 

[Cannonball]

AimHigh, too bad we live so far from each other. It would be neat to have our DDs play ball together. GoingDeep, your DD can still go north.

 

[AimHigh]

AimHigh, too bad we live so far from each other. It would be neat to have our DDs play ball together. GoingDeep, your DD can still go north.

Always good to hear from you, yeah that would be cool. Hard to believe fall season is almost here! Good luck to BB!

 

[GOINGDEEP]

AimHigh, too bad we live so far from each other. It would be neat to have our DDs play ball together. GoingDeep, your DD can still go north.

Thanks for the offer, but my mother-in-law lives up north, which means DD and I choose to stay down south.

 

[JAD]

I would be willing to bet $1 that the girl being recruited thinks she is a D1 prospect and is holding out for a D1 offer, but based on her offer list, she sounds like a solid D2 prospect.