When do coaches start watching?

[teammom2]

I have no expectations that my daughter will play college softball. She is a very good player, but is only 13 playing 1st year 14U TB. A lot can change in the next few years. That being said, when does this craziness begin? She's been "noticed" at a couple of college sponsored camps. She got recognized by the head coach at one and was asked her name, etc.

 

[JAD]

My $0.02....a STUD will be recognized and recruited at 14U, most recruiting is done at 16U and there are always some that wait until 18U, including a lot of the Ivy League schools and others where grades are a top priority.

 

[coach james]

My $0.02....a STUD will be recognized and recruited at 14U, most recruiting is done at 16U and there are always some that wait until 18U, including a lot of the Ivy League schools and others where grades are a top priority.

Spot on response
Except I've seen quite a few 8 and 10u coaches that think it begins at their age groups!
Funny how many veins can pop out of some guys necks when 8yr old Sally's riseball is slowing down to below 60... "you'll never get a scholarship with that kind of pitching!!"

 

[InsidePitch]

We have a Freshman and a sophomore pitcher that verballed this fall. DD who is a good player but not a stud started getting some looks after 9th grade from D3 schools. Probably had a lot to do with her GPA. Throw in a good SAT and some smaller D1s with high academics are now looking at her as a sophomore. Not being a pitcher puts less urgency on schools to commit early.

 

[kenb63]

DD's college coach says DD showed up on coach's radar during DD's freshman HS year, but no offer until junior year.

 

[CoachHarley]

How do they show up on the radar? My DD is in 8th right now.

 

[redhotcoach]

The "1 in 200" pitcher can get looked at 14. The fastest track star that is a high average slapper, 15-16. The homerun hitter making the newspaper blowing up records, 16-17. Every other great player it depends on luck and who ya know. (All my opinion)

 

[Perfect Circle]

Just my theory... If the TB Coach's have the connections, and there are some Colleges Coaches on here, then smile, your on candid camera. TW said he is watching us...

 

[guero_gordo]

We haven't gone far enough down this path to confirm the truth of this, but, the way our org. layed it out, unless you are emailing coaches, you probably aren't on the radar.
They will undoubtedly notice spectacular plays, and your kid might get noticed that way, but they have limited time, so they typically don't just comb the backwoods looking for stars, they have scheduled times to look at targeted individuals that have shown interest in their program.

 

[Perfect Circle]

We haven't gone far enough down this path to confirm the truth of this, but, the way our org. layed it out, unless you are emailing coaches, you probably aren't on the radar.
They will undoubtedly notice spectacular plays, and your kid might get noticed that way, but they have limited time, so they typically don't just comb the backwoods looking for stars, they have scheduled times to look at targeted individuals that have shown interest in their program.

Did you get your Skilz balls yet???