New Era Diamond Girls Softball: College Knowledge

 You don’t want to wait until senior year to learn about the recruiting process. You can start taking serious recruiting steps as a freshman. National Collegiate Scouting Association president Chris Krause’s simple timeline that everyone can follow:

 ”You can’t expect coaches to keep the process moving all the time, because the average coach [is] very limited in time by the NCAA and by recruiting budgets,” “It’s up to you to keep the process moving.”

Freshman Year
Get the ball rolling early, because “college coaches are recruiting the world,” “If [your] competition is being proactive and [you’re not], they’ll assume you’re not interested.” Understanding NCAA recruiting rules is crucial to the success of this first step. The rules and regs constantly change, and staying abreast will save you from breaking them-and the headaches and heartaches of being penalized.

Also know the measurables for your sport [e.g, Football: 40-yard dash, vertical jump; Volleyball: standing reach, touch jump; Softball: pop times, ray and jug guns]. “Those are the types of little things [to know], so you know where you stack up.” 

We also recommends going to a D-I, -II and -III game or competition to learn the differences between the levels of play. You’ll benefit from this experience as you graduate to sophomore status.

Sophomore Year
Resume the recruiting process by starting your athletic résumé, noting the essentials. “[Coaches] want to know how tall, strong and fast you are [and] what you’re doing academically,”

A paper evaluation isn’t the only analysis you need at this point. A scouting evaluation-from your high school coach or an independent third party-is also necessary to help you realistically determine where you stack up against higher competition.

By this time, look into compiling a skills tape, which you can send to a coach after writing a personal letter. “Don’t send videos unsolicited,”  “Let the coach know you’re interested [in his program] and why.

“Recruiting is about relationships. The more chance you can help a coach build a relationship with you, the easier you make the process on him, and the more likely you’re going to be recruited.”

This year is also when you should be calling D-III coaches, who, unlike D-I or -II coaches, aren’t prohibited from calling you back. “[This] can really be a great tune-up for you, so by the time you get to your junior year, you’re really prepared for those phone calls.”

Junior Year
This stage is intense because “what you do during your junior year really makes up a lot of minds.” 

If you’re not receiving letters by now, better start putting ink to paper. “Writing a letter is critical,” Be specific when addressing the coach [e.g., write “Dear Coach Smith,” not “Dear Coach”], and share what you like about his/her program and why you’re interested in playing for the team.

Open the [phone] lines of communication. For most sports, this is the year you can start receiving calls from D-I and -II coaches. Always return calls in a timely manner and be fully prepared for phone conversations by knowing about the school’s academic background, its athletic conference and the team’s style of play.

You should be focusing on 10 to 20 schools you think could be a realistic fit, then proactively start talking to those coaches and scheduling unofficial visits.

Senior Year
“For bigger D-I programs, most scholarships are offered during the junior year,”

Didn’t get the offer you wanted? You can still take your game to college. “Keep the level of schools in your recruiting pool open at all times,”  “For D-III, most of those coaches are waiting to see who signed D-I and who didn’t. And most of the time, tons of student athletes weren’t recruited by D-I schools, and now they need to follow up with [coaches from other divisions].”

I recently read that Samford University signed three 2010 softball recruits. 

Being reminded once again that student-athletes seem to be signing earlier and earlier these days, I was struck by something else worth mentioning again.  There is something very valuable about attending college sports camps.  

Besides the obvious benefit of learning from collegiate athletes and coaches, you are getting a chance to showcase your skills for them first-hand.  I believe there is extraordinary value in this.  

Most colleges offer camps for kids starting as early as 6th grade.  So, consider this scenario:

You sign up for a softball clinic during your holiday break at a university near your home that has a good coaching staff and a successful program.  You are 12 years old.  You learn some great things about fielding and bunting and pitching and hitting and you are excited to use what you’ve learned at your next practice and during your upcoming season.  You really enjoyed learning from older girls who love the sport and are playing it at the level you someday hope to as well. You see that they will be holding a week-long camp over the summer so you sign up again.  You participate in these camps/clinics each time they are offered for the next 5 years. You have now become a fan of that softball program and you go to watch their games and cheer them on.  You imagine yourself playing there someday.  It has been a great experience for you personally over the past 5 years.  

Now look at it from the perspective of the college coach and the softball program:

A 12 year-old girl signs up for your holiday clinic and makes an immediate impression.  She’s a hard worker and listens to instruction.  She is fun and has a good attitude.  You can see she loves the game and is working to make improvements in her game based on what you are teaching her.  She asks questions and is eager to learn.  She continues to come back to your camps and clinics and it is gratifying to you and your program to see a familiar face and to see how she has grown and matured over the years.   She comes to your games and cheers you on and even invites her friends and teammates to do the same.

By the time you (the student-athlete) are in high school and start to think seriously about your college recruiting process, you have already laid a foundation with this particular school and softball program.  The coaching staff KNOWS your name.  They know a lot about your character and about your skills as an athlete.  You know plenty about them too.  You have seen them play. You know the recent history of their program.   You know the coaching staff well.  You know their approach to the game and their coaching style.  You know the current players.  You even know some that could potentially be your future teammates if you continue to attend their camps through your senior year.  You also know a bit about the school itself.  You have been on the campus numerous times.  It is all familiar to you.

Here is what 2010 Samford University signee Jessica Jackson and coach Beanie Ketcham had to say:

“I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet a few of the softball players at Samford at a young age while attending clinics on campus,” Jackson said. “The question of where I wanted to play softball in college was determined by how amazing the coaches and players seemed to be and now I’ll be living out a four-year dream playing softball at Samford University.”

“Jessica has been on our radar for a long time, having attended our softball camps over the last several years,” Ketcham said. “We have been waiting on this day for a long time and are excited that she will finally become a Samford Bulldog. Jessica brings a level of toughness and commitment that will help us continue to improve as a program. Her “big game” experience while playing on the Vipers is also a positive. We expect her to make an impact in the line up with the potential to hit for power and drive in runs.”

There is tremendous value in attending a clinic/camp at a local college or university.  You may be laying the groundwork for a great future opportunity.  And if you attend a camp or clinic and have a negative experience, that too can be beneficial, as you will know which places you DON’T want to spend time contacting.  

In addition to camps at specific schools, there are a number of other sports camps, nationwide, that can offer you similar exposure.  These camps are often run by current college coaches from all over the country.  Another great way to get your name out there and to be seen by coaches who are ALWAYS looking for their next great discovery!  

So, get busy.  Start by checking the websites of some local schools and get signed up for upcoming camps and clinics.