Response Rate and Degrees of Interest from College Coaches

[girliesmom]

I have a 2 part question.

Assuming that a kid writes to say 50 D3 college coaches, what can the kid expect for a response rate? Also, how quickly do coaches normally respond in general? What has your experience been like - ie, how many coaches responded to your dd? Also, have any of the responses panned out? Meaning, did your dd eventually go play at one of these schools that she had initially written to?

I've also read that there are various degrees of interest from the coaches. Let's go with the assumption that none of the said coaches have seen dd play, but have received her video. I understand that receiving a generic email asking the kid to complete a softball recruit questionnaire usually means that the kid is essentially "on the radar". I also understand that getting a coach's personal cellphone number means more than receiving a generic email. What about a follow-up email asking about attendance at a camp? I realize that receiving emails from coaches does NOT mean that the kid is being recruited. Since we're so new to the process, I would love to be schooled on the fine nuances of recruiting and signs of greater interest versus lower interest. Thoughts anyone?

Thanks.

 

[quincy]

2 qustions:

How old is DD?
Is she a good SB player?

 

[girliesmom]

DD is a sophomore.

She's a good Pitcher - best on our team. Not a flame thrower, has good movement on her pitches. Only 5' 4" but solid at 140 lbs. She's a very good student. Gets good grades due to hard work - hence D3 schools.

 

[Jquick823]

My DD is a Freshman and has received responses from 5 D3 schools that she wrote. Most were invites to camps but a few were personal and one school continued communicating back and forth. What I can really tell you is go to their camp, have you DD email before you go, thank the coach after and send a thank you email. Then have the manager engage the coach for feedback on her performance and that will tell you if the school is interested or not.

 

[girliesmom]

Thank you Jquick. Thanks for your tip. I like the idea of going to camps but we're in the Northwest and most of the schools she's interested in are in the Northeast (they may as well be in Europe since they're so faraway! lol But I hear you... going to camps is a good idea. We just can't afford to be flying her all over the country. Our plan is to write to coaches now. The ones that respond or show interest are the ones that she'll invite to watch her play at Pennsbury. The coaches that continue to show interest in her after Pennsbury will be the schools that we attend camps at. Just trying to stretch our dollar and get the biggest bang for our buck.

5 responses is great btw! I'm curious, how many letters did she write to get 5 responses? Also, how quick were the responses?

 

[maksoftball]

One other thing is that most D3 schools won't TRULY show interest until their junior/senior year AND when they have ACT/SAT scores. If she can take the ACT/SAT early (and do well), then she might start getting more interest...but my experience (and what I have heard/read) is that the interest gets fueled highest in their senior year.

 

[CoogansBluff]

My daughter is a sophomore who began emailing coaches about a year ago. She started w/ 15 schools, and 4 of those were D-III. Two of them responded immediately and then always responded when she emails. One occasionally responded. The fourth never responded, and ironically had the worst team of the four. Later, we planned to attend a camp where two D-III coaches would be and she emailed them, and one responded, the other did not.

If you're emailing Northeast schools and you're from the Northwest, these coaches might wonder if it's realistic that you'd come. So you'd want to sell them on that possibility. Anticipate that concern. Say it: "I'm from (whatever state) and I really want to play softball and attend college in the Northeast.'' Send video. You want them to express interest in them coming to a camp and have it based on something they've seen, not just 'sure, come see us, give us your money.'

Make the emails personal. Tell them a little about what you know. "I like your school because ... '' Maybe you like the academics, you like a major that they offer, you saw that they made the NCAA tournament the past 3 years, you know somebody who went there, something to make them understand that you're serious and not just mass emailing.

 

[Jquick823]

Thank you Jquick. Thanks for your tip. I like the idea of going to camps but we're in the Northwest and most of the schools she's interested in are in the Northeast (they may as well be in Europe since they're so faraway! lol But I hear you... going to camps is a good idea. We just can't afford to be flying her all over the country. Our plan is to write to coaches now. The ones that respond or show interest are the ones that she'll invite to watch her play at Pennsbury. The coaches that continue to show interest in her after Pennsbury will be the schools that we attend camps at. Just trying to stretch our dollar and get the biggest bang for our buck.

5 responses is great btw! I'm curious, how many letters did she write to get 5 responses? Also, how quick were the responses?

5 emails. 5 responses. The one school did send 5 of their own so I guess nine total responses. But they were D3 schools that were all headed to a showcase we were going to and we attended a camp at the one that responds a lot.

Yeah flying across country for camps is expensive and time consuming. I'm in the North East/Mid Atlantic so everything is right here. Schools across the country are going to look at your location especially D3 and move on to a more local girl they can see IMO. I would say write a D3 in a neighboring state and see if you get a response. A nice email introducing yourself, your team, desired major and that you would also like to play softball at the school. Include positions and graduating year. Then have the manager send one also if your DD is interested in a camp at that school.

Don't get discouraged if you don't hear back just keep sending them. My DD was at a D1 camp this past weekend and the coach said she averages 100-200 emails a week and has around 500 players per graduating year emailing and attending camps. Sometimes your email gets missed.

 

[girliesmom]

One other thing is that most D3 schools won't TRULY show interest until their junior/senior year AND when they have ACT/SAT scores. If she can take the ACT/SAT early (and do well), then she might start getting more interest...but my experience (and what I have heard/read) is that the interest gets fueled highest in their senior year.

Yes, I have heard this as well. I have heard that coaches won't show genuine interest until the kid has their ACT / SAT Scores. DD will be sitting for the ACT this weekend. She hopes to do well so as to garner serious interest. In curious, what's a good ACT score (other than the obvious 34 to 36 range)?

 

[girliesmom]

My daughter is a sophomore who began emailing coaches about a year ago. She started w/ 15 schools, and 4 of those were D-III. Two of them responded immediately and then always responded when she emails. One occasionally responded. The fourth never responded, and ironically had the worst team of the four. Later, we planned to attend a camp where two D-III coaches would be and she emailed them, and one responded, the other did not.

If you're emailing Northeast schools and you're from the Northwest, these coaches might wonder if it's realistic that you'd come. So you'd want to sell them on that possibility. Anticipate that concern. Say it: "I'm from (whatever state) and I really want to play softball and attend college in the Northeast.'' Send video. You want them to express interest in them coming to a camp and have it based on something they've seen, not just 'sure, come see us, give us your money.'

Make the emails personal. Tell them a little about what you know. "I like your school because ... '' Maybe you like the academics, you like a major that they offer, you saw that they made the NCAA tournament the past 3 years, you know somebody who went there, something to make them understand that you're serious and not just mass emailing.

Thanks for the tips. I must be living under a rock because it never occurred to me that a kid would write to a school that he / she would not be interested in attending. Thanks for turning on that light-bulb. We will make sure that the schools understand exactly why she wants to go there and that if given the opportunity, she will definitely attend.