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Support local college programs. Why? Do they support us?

by etcsuta » Sat Feb 28, 2015 7:20 am

We have begun the game with my daughter’s eagerness to play at the next level (including and not including schools listed below). However, we are very adamant about choosing a school where she can stay for four years, get the education she wants, and we can afford. Knowing that full-rides or even decent partial rides are not available for most softball players, we have focused our efforts at academics, then softball. If she plays at her college, great. If not, fine. But believe me, we will only take a look at softball programs at that have her best interest and provide a benefit to her college experience.

My daughter told me of an opportunity to attend a game at Indiana University this March. From my understanding, a letter was sent to her HS coach marketing a “High School Days” game and inviting her team to tour the facilities and watch a game. It was even advertised in the invite that IU had six players named NFCA Academic All-America Team Scholar Athletes and eight players named Academic All Big Ten Honorees. Sounded interesting.

If IU and other local programs want to gain support from young players and their families, I might suggest they do a better job at truly supporting local players. Here’s what I mean. Curiously, I gathered some quick stats from rosters of Indianapolis metro programs. I was looking for two things; One, how many in state players does each team have and Two, how is the retention of players after their freshman year. I won’t elaborate anymore and let the blog do the rest.

Team, Players, From Indiana, % From IN, Freshman, % Fr
Indiana, 21, 5, 24%, 8, 38%
Purdue 17, 6, 35%, 5, 29%
Butler 19, 10, 53%, 6, 32%
Ball State 20, 10, 50%, 6, 30%
IUPUI 21, 16, 76%, 6, 29%
Marion 18, 17, 94%, 5, 28%
U Indy 23, 9, 39%, 8, 35%
Anderson 26 , 24, 92%, 10, 38%
Depaw 23, 11, 48%, 9, 39%
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by slapperdad » Sat Feb 28, 2015 7:58 am

Glass will figure it out sooner or later.

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by afastpitchfanatic » Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:29 am

Just food for thought.
There are players that choose to go out of state after being courted by an in-state University/College. It that the college coach's fault that the recruit didn't pick them? Let's face it, big programs are hoping to fill a position with the best recruit possible. There's only so much time and so many recruits that they can track as closely as they'd like to. We've got some bigtime recruits going out of state. Why? Not because an in-state college wasn't interested, but because that's what the player chose.
Also, our Big 10 and larger D1 schools have the ability to attract talent from much further away than a smaller softball program can.
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by exD1dad » Sat Feb 28, 2015 9:59 pm

Just remember they have to choose you too :lol:
"It's not giving up if you discover you've been chasing the wrong destiny" -Morley LA street artist who posted this on Melrose Avenue in Jan '14
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by PDad » Sun Mar 01, 2015 9:29 am

etcsuta wrote:We have begun the game with my daughter’s eagerness to play at the next level (including and not including schools listed below). However, we are very adamant about choosing a school where she can stay for four years, get the education she wants, and we can afford. Knowing that full-rides or even decent partial rides are not available for most softball players, we have focused our efforts at academics, then softball. If she plays at her college, great. If not, fine. But believe me, we will only take a look at softball programs at that have her best interest and provide a benefit to her college experience.

Excellent. Determining your options without softball is a critical first step that many skip. If those options don't fully meet your DD's academic potential and/or needs, softball may be a means to meet them. This first step provides both an important basis for targeting schools to pursue and a baseline for evaluating offers.

My daughter told me of an opportunity to attend a game at Indiana University this March. From my understanding, a letter was sent to her HS coach marketing a “High School Days” game and inviting her team to tour the facilities and watch a game. It was even advertised in the invite that IU had six players named NFCA Academic All-America Team Scholar Athletes and eight players named Academic All Big Ten Honorees. Sounded interesting.

Sounds like a gameday promotion that doesn't cost more than normal admission. It's worthwhile just to see the level of play and their facilities for comparison purposes.

If IU and other local programs want to gain support from young players and their families, I might suggest they do a better job at truly supporting local players. Here’s what I mean. Curiously, I gathered some quick stats from rosters of Indianapolis metro programs. I was looking for two things; One, how many in state players does each team have and Two, how is the retention of players after their freshman year. I won’t elaborate anymore and let the blog do the rest.

Team, Players, From Indiana, % From IN, Freshman, % Fr
Indiana, 21, 5, 24%, 8, 38%
Purdue 17, 6, 35%, 5, 29%
Butler 19, 10, 53%, 6, 32%
Ball State 20, 10, 50%, 6, 30%
IUPUI 21, 16, 76%, 6, 29%
Marion 18, 17, 94%, 5, 28%
U Indy 23, 9, 39%, 8, 35%
Anderson 26 , 24, 92%, 10, 38%
Depaw 23, 11, 48%, 9, 39%

The number of freshmen typically varies yearly and by itself doesn't provide retention info - you need to look at multiple years' freshmen and track them on their subsequent years. You should also look at the school's overall retention and graduation rates.

Good luck!
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by backstop13 » Mon Mar 02, 2015 5:28 am

You probably will not have to worry about what IU coaching staff does after this year...3-16 so far this year. Mom always told me if you don't have anything nice to say about someone then don't say anything, so in IU's case, I will leave it at that.

You are going to have in state kids leave Indiana for a variety of reasons. Some is lack of interest from in state school, some is a kid just wants to see what else is out there. I used to get caught up in keeping local talent here, but at the end of the day it is that kid's decision and now all I hope is they make a great one that gives them everything they are looking for.

Personally, my kid fell in love with a campus/school/coaching staff out of state and really never waivered from wanting to go there (long before THEY wanted her to go there too). She had 1 other school in state in the mix that she really liked the staff and a couple of others that were starting to show interest. She also had some pretty big fish swimming around (not huge interest, but enough to have phone calls), but it didn't matter. She had her school chosen, and fortunately they chose her in time.

We have some great staffs in this state and the talent pool in Indiana is getting better and deeper. Some will leave for better programs, some will want to just get out of Indiana and some will stay here and play for Indiana schools. This will go on for as long as the sport is played. Whichever they decide, I hope it works out for them.
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by sjjjbugs » Fri Mar 13, 2015 7:39 am

Just as a head's up. University of Southern Indiana has 17 players on their roster with 14 from Indiana, 2 from Illinois and 1 from Michigan and they are now ranked number 22 in D2...12-1 to start the season. Indiana girls can play!
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