Questions about skills video

[InsidePitch]

DD and I have enlisted another player and her dad to assist us in making DD's skills video this weekend. She has transitioned to primarily OF but still catches 1-2 games per weekend.

Should we focus on the OF with small amounts of catching, split them evenly or drop the catching. OR make two. I don't want it to be to long, hearing 3 minutes is about all a coach cares to see.

I'd be interested in hearing what others have done re two positions and how you handled it.

thanks.

 

[JAD]

Focus on primary position that you think she will be recruited to play.

 

[RichK]

If she has good catching skills and COULD catch in college I'd include that. It's an important position for any coach to have multiple athletes at.

Three minutes is good. One trick I now use, and is easy if you can do some basic editing, is to make the FIRST thing on the video 3 or 4 very short clips of the best things you captured your DD doing: a swing that resulted in a line drive, a diving catch, showing off her speed, whatever, edited crisply into a total of 8-10 seconds.

So a very busy coach can have an immediate great impression of who she is. Then do her short personal intro followed by individual skills demonstrations.

Good luck with it.

 

[marriard]

Always - ALWAYS put her college level skills first. The things that on day #1 she can bring to a potential team as it is already a college ready skill. Doesn't matter what it is - it goes first.

If that is lightning speed round the bases, or catching tough flyballs or a huge cannon arm, hitting home runs, slapping, surprise bunting, a drop ball, throwing runners out...then it goes first.

Yes, we have had a girl run the bases as the first thing in her video (we also included her winning a district track championship). Speed was what she knew she could bring to a program from day one and it got her a lot of attention and also helped coaches focus on her top skills when they watched her. I remember meeting one coach who came to look at her and the scouting sheet she brought with her had on the first line "Is she as fast in person as she is on video?" as what she wanted to check first. Last year she played in EVERY game as a freshman at a D1 school, starting as a pinch runner and forced her way onto the field/batting line up by mid-season.

Make a big statement first... The "I can also catch a little" is an at the end thing as something else you can bring to the program, but if it isn't college ready then no need to highlight early.

 

[druer]

Be sure to check out the great tips that the NFCA provides free of charge. The entire magazine is dedicated to helping you and DD build confidence you are doing the right things, and if you scroll to page 18 there are some great tips on the making your skills video specifically.

ISSUU - NFCA TOP RECRUIT 2014 by National Fastpitch Coaches Association

Best of luck,

 

[Greenmonsters]

Let them know what she thinks her primary position is (i.e., identify self as OF/C) and show it first, but showcase both her OF and C skill sets so that a coach can make their own informed decision about what she has to offer to their individual program. A good OF who is also a competent catcher provides great roster flexibility and is a huge bonus and should help to get the in-person looks that the skills video seeks.

PS I wouldn't hesitate to recommend showcasing C skills in a video for any catcher who is NECC trained or influenced.