What is the hardest thing about the recruiting process?

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FastpitchFan

Softball fan
Feb 28, 2008
465
0
Montreal, Canada
I am curious, for those of you who have been through it or are going through, what you find is the hardest thing about the recruiting process?

Whether it is from a college coach, a travel coach, a parent or an athlete's perspective. I think it would be interesting to know.

For me, being from Canada, 2 of the hardest things have been:

1) Understanding the whole NCAA Clearinghouse thing and getting all of the various academic tests completed (i.e. SAT) as these things are not standards in Canadian HS. Our schools counsellors are not that familiar with that.

2) The province has a unique educational system and most of the time, admissions office around North America have a hard time figuring out that we don't have grade 12 but a mandatory community college system instead for the grade 12 equivalent. Very unique to the province of Quebec in North America.

How about you?
 
May 5, 2008
358
16
As a coach...the most frustrating thing is trying to help players and their families out when the players are just freshman and sophomores. But because the families think it's "not time yet" they don't do ANYTHING - then they want to rush and do everything junior or even senior year and feel bummed out or complain about all the opportunities they missed out on because they are doing everything last minute even though I told them exactly what to do 2 years ago. :mad:

Seeing kids being told time and time again that grades count....knowing they've seen their own peers go through stress because they didn't take care of their grades early on in their high school career BUT seeing these same kids STILL not put forth the effort they could have to get the best grades they could have gotten and AGAIN, stressing their junior and senior year to try to bring up a GPA they messed up as a freshman or sophomore because they were too busy "being a teenager" and then they feel like they could have had more opportunities if only they had been as focused in those first two years as they finally are in those last two. Just frustrating seeing players sell themselves short and close their own doors due to lack of effort which is something they have 100% control over.
 
May 8, 2008
35
0
South Florida
recruiting process

Thank you Marc I am a parent also from Canada and my daughters are as well and I have a very hard time understanding the whole process, this site as well as Stacie's info to me has been a big help. My issues are that my oldest daughter who we had a very difficult time getting her green card but now we just recently received after 3 years but she has already graduated high school and she is an exceptional second basemen. She had a couple of offers last year for scholarships which were some great opportunities but because of the green card she couldnt go through with them. She is a year younger than eveyone else at her level because the Canadian education system is much different and more advanced than here in Florida. She is doing extensive travelling this year wit her travel team like going to Colorado, Tennesse for some great showcases. Here grades were very good all throughout school so I am not worried on that end I am just worried that she may miss opportunities because of the whole green card issue. She has kept in touch with all the coaches and they are coming to see her in the local showcases we hold here. Should there be anything else that she can be doing to help this process or for that matter what I should be doing as a parent. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 

FastpitchFan

Softball fan
Feb 28, 2008
465
0
Montreal, Canada
Thank you Marc I am a parent also from Canada and my daughters are as well and I have a very hard time understanding the whole process, this site as well as Stacie's info to me has been a big help.

My pleasure. That is the purpose of our sites.

My issues are that my oldest daughter who we had a very difficult time getting her green card but now we just recently received after 3 years but she has already graduated high school and she is an exceptional second basemen. She had a couple of offers last year for scholarships which were some great opportunities but because of the green card she couldnt go through with them.
She is a year younger than eveyone else at her level because the Canadian education system is much different and more advanced than here in Florida.

She is doing extensive travelling this year wit her travel team like going to Colorado, Tennesse for some great showcases.

Here grades were very good all throughout school so I am not worried on that end I am just worried that she may miss opportunities because of the whole green card issue.

She has kept in touch with all the coaches and they are coming to see her in the local showcases we hold here.

Should there be anything else that she can be doing to help this process or for that matter what I should be doing as a parent. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am not sure I follow you. Do you live in Canada or in the US?

Because, you don't need a green card to play college softball. You only the the institution that is admitting you giving you the right forms so that you can get the right student visa.

I am no immigration specialist but getting a student visa has never been a problem for any Canadian Athletes as long as the school provides the documentation confirming their enrollment. They are used to dealing with foreign students.

The green card is a permanent permit that allows to live and work in the US. No need for that just to go south to play college softball unless the whole family moves and someones wants to work in the US. That is a whole different story.

Let me know more details and I might be able to find someone to help you.

Marc
 
May 8, 2008
35
0
South Florida
Softball Mom - Lori

I am sorry for the confusion. Yes we live in the United States and yes we had issues with her background check because someone else had the same last name and a criminal record (NOT MY DAUGHTER) but it was truly a nightmare that has cost alot not only financially but emotionally for her. And no she couldn't attend any college or university until it was all cleared which now it is THANK GOD and like I said she is now ready but I am afraid that she may have missed some opportunities but I hope that her travels this summer to all the showcases will lead her in the right direction. I would hate to see her talents wasted because she is amazing. I know I am her mother and all parents say that but I hear it from total strangers every where we go. Look forward to hearing from you Marc.
 
May 5, 2008
358
16
Lori, wow, what a nightmare that must have been. Glad to hear it's all cleared up now. The only thing I would suggest is to contact some coaches prior to going to the showcases. Sounds like people already know who she is, but it never hurts to just let them know you're interested in their school and their program and give them a copy of her schedule for the summer.

I hope ypour daughter ends up in a great college situation. By the way, second basemen are the best! :D
 
May 8, 2008
35
0
South Florida
Thanks Stacie

Thank you so much for your encouraging wishes and yes we are glad this nightmare is over now we are just working towards the future in hopes that she goes the best route. Another question I do have is it a better route to go to a 2 year college and then on to a 4 year institution I have heard this more than once. What is everyone's thoughts??

Thanks Lori
 

FastpitchFan

Softball fan
Feb 28, 2008
465
0
Montreal, Canada
Hi Lori,

Oh I see. Not that easy.

Other tips - make a skills video. Post it on youtube. So when you send an email to a coach, provide the link and she can check you out "RIGHT AWAY" rather than putting aside a DVD she got and probably not get around watching it for a couple of weeks.

Read at www.fastpitchrecruiting.com for more tips.

Showcases, summer camps, etc. are excellent.

Good Luck.

Marc
 
May 27, 2008
20
0
Our daughter will be a pitcher for a Division One program in 2008.

Travel to the right tournaments, contact the coaches through various methods, email, written letters, videos, profiles, going to camps, all that fun stuff.

That's the hard part to figure out. What to put in a letter, how to do a video, how often to contact a coach, how to create a profile. Cathy Aradi's website and book can help with many of these questions. There are other resources as well. You can Google search most of this stuff.

Softball is such an information rich sport in a way it's almost comical. Those who have the information and those who have access to others who are connected and have the information are just as prized as anything. Think of it as insider trading. You have to have the skills obviously but a lot of times it's who you know and who you can get hooked up with that will make a difference.

The biggest thing athletes also need to do is succeed in the classroom. Remember there is many times more academic money available than athletic money.
 

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