NCSA Recruiting

[iMlearning]

After the recent clinic we went to, a parent sent me an email about NCSA . She said after seeing how DD performed at the showcase, we should consider starting the recruiting process. Has anyone used NCSA? This parent said they were really pleased so far...her DD got to listen to Mendoza on the phone this week and ask questions, which she was really excited about. They want to set up an interview with us soon to talk about options.

 

[18GoldDad]

I've only heard good things about the service, my only concern was the cost. Personally, we did the majority of the leg work on our own. However, we did (and still do) use Softball Showcase for $10.00 per month. I found it to be a great site where my DD could post her profile, give weekly updates, add pictures, add video, provided schedules and find information on most colleges. What I find cool about the site is that your able to search the player data base be name, grad year, position, or state.

When DD sent her interduction emails and her follow ups she always included the link to her profile.

 

[iMlearning]

I've only heard good things about the service, my only concern was the cost. Personally, we did the majority of the leg work on our own. However, we did (and still do) use Softball Showcase for $10.00 per month. I found it to be a great site where my DD could post her profile, give weekly updates, add pictures, add video, provided schedules and find information on most colleges. What I find cool about the site is that your able to search the player data base be name, grad year, position, or state.

When DD sent her interduction emails and her follow ups she always included the link to her profile.

I've heard it costs from $300 to a couple thousand. The family that told us about it said they are doing a $1,200.00 plan paid over time because their DD is older than ours. They also said it all will be refunded if your DD were unable to play due to injury. It seems like you're paying to relieve a lot of the "headaches" that come along with finding a good fit etc...

 

[Indiana]

My DD's TB coach has been e-mailing a few college coaches to get a feel for the process and to get the team's name out there. All of the coaches have been really nice and extremely responsive (her team is not well known, a 14U team under a club that has been around for 4 years). Just my 2 cents about contacting coaches directly.

I received some information about NCSA as well - but it is $50/month? I like the Softball Showcase idea for $10 - sounds like a nice way to explore if your DD doesn't know where she might want to go to school (as mine certainly doesn't!)

I also like the website "college confidential" for identifying schools that are a good all around fit - my advice there is use it for the "college finder" tool. Don't read the forums unless you have a blood pressure cuff handy - ha ha!

 

[18GoldDad]

All great tools. I'd use every tool available to help your DD make one of the biggest decisions she'll make in her young life. We took the hands on family approach. DD wrote and sent enough introductory and follow up emails to probably last a lifetime. When she was too busy to send them she was still required to write them and I'd email them for her. The travel coach plays a very important role in the process , our coach does a great job. From speaking to college coaches at Tournaments and Showcases to follow up phone calls and emails . He's work is never done and he's effort is truly appreciated.
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It's been a great experiene watching her go through the recruiting process. I tried to post a link to her Softball Showcase Profile but for some reason I'm having trouble getting on the site from my phone.

 

[Softball_2]

Perhaps NCSA has its niche, and I'm not saying it's a scam or anything like that, but I think you'd be well-served learning how to do a mail merge through Excel and/or writing personal emails to coaches. I'm not sure of all that NCSA offers, but if it's really $50/month as reported, I think there are better ways to spend that money -- like gas money to visit campuses, payment for camps/clinics at colleges, etc. Just my two cents.

 

[slingnit]

The services can't do anything that you can not do yourself. You actually can do so much more. Coaches are sitting around on the computer sifting thru those websites to find players. Not to it isn't a good tool to help you. All your info, achievements, videos, pics,.. all right there on hand. But constant emails, with videos and tourney schedules, and updates to coaches will do more for you than the website. Parents (I meen daughters) have spent many an hour sending emails to hundreds to coaches before every tournament, on every holiday, or any time something happened at school.

 

[wichita]

My DD uses NCSA ...the thing we like about it is that they shop you so its easier to get coaches to look at your profile the first time you send it to them instead of having to send multiple letters in the beginning to get them to read your letter ....seems like when NCSA sends her profile out it gets seen the first time ...also if your a freshman or sophomore and cant be contacted by a coach if you send your emails through NCSA you can look on your NCSA page and see what colleges looked at your site and which coach it was I.E. head coach asst. coach etc. and can email them back again and thank them for taking a look as to where you would have never even known they looked at it sending emails yourself (we have even had coaches that we haven't even emailed that has looked at her site). It was $1200 but if you get it as a freshman your paid up through your senior year. On kind of a down side to NCSA, you have to have a video before they will shop you to anyone because it is there reputation on the line so they look at your video and determine what schools fit your ability I.E. D1, D2, D3, and NAIA schools so if your DD sends a mediocre video in she will not get shopped to D1 schools.... or maybe just lower D1 depends what NCSA thinks .... as an up side they have ex college players and coaches on staff for you to call and ask as many questions as you would like about the recruiting process or how to write a recruiting letter to a coach etc. hope this helps