It's all about Exposure(and talent!)

[jonriv]

Some tips for those starting out! Treat it like a marketing campaign! No matter how good a player your DD may be-she will not be recruited if she is not seen and not known about. It is key to get her name out there and to haver play seen by the right people!

1. Start early- freshman/sophomore year (or the latest Junior year)
2. Only 5% of HS players go on to play in college
3. Make a list of 30-40 schools. List should be a mix of Div I, II, and III schools. Should be a combination of Reach, Comfort, and Safety schools
4. Understand that there are not many scholarships (let alone full scholarships) out there. Ivy league schools offer no athletic scholarships at all. Div III schools offer no athletic schools either. Softball can be a way of getting into a school you might not have otherwise have gotten into.
5. Academics are very important. The higher your SAT/ACT and GPA score the more attractive the recruit and the more choices they will have. Poor grades will seriously limit your choices
6. Contact- coaches need to know who you are, what you do, and where you are doing it. They will not know unless it is communicated to them. It is seldom that softball players are “discovered”
7. Play Travel Ball- play on the best team that you will get playing time and play against the best competition. - ASA A or Gold level team
8. Participate in several Individual Showcases. This will give you some “official” numbers and will get you in front of coaches
9. Participate in college clinics/camps. Gives you a chance to show your stuff in front of coaches and to check out the competition
10. Interview with college coaches- as many as possible. Start interviews with the “least favorite” on your list for practice
11. Make sure your Travel Coach and High School coach are part of the process
12 Pick a school that meets you academic goals first, softball second. Find a school you would want to go to even if you did not play.
13.Have fun


College Clinics/Camps


Players should try to attend college clinics/camps. I recommend you attend those held at the campus and exclusive to that school. These are not only less expensive then some of the “commercial” clinics, they are a tool used by these programs to identify recruits. It is a great chance to meet the coach and talk to actual college players. It is also a great way check out the competition


College Coach Interviews


The best way to get one of these is to ask. Call or e-mail the coach and schedule. I recommend starting with a school that is low on your list. This way the player gets a chance to practice. Interviews are a very important way for the coach to get to know the player. It is important that parents let the coach talk to the player. Best advice for the parent is to speak only when spoken to. At the interview it is a good idea to bring a copy of your profile. You should also bring a skills DVD if you have one. Another great idea is a scrapbook of any newspaper articles. These interviews are a great skill to learn, one that will carry-over to real life in the way of job interviews


Individual/Team College Showcases


College Showcases offer the chance for several college coaches to observe as many potential recruits in the shortest amount of time possible. The Individual Showcase puts players through a series tests. These usually include hitting, fielding, timed runs and may even include vertical jumps and radar clocked throws. It is important to get an “official” listing of these results. Do not take these lightly, college coaches utilize these numbers as a way evaluating players and to see if they are worth a deeper look. When at the showcase, have fun!. Encourage and cheer other players-be enthusiastic.


Team showcases are tournaments where the main purpose is not to win, but to showcase players to coaches. Most of these have a set number of games. Coaches use these games to evaluate players in game situation. It is important that you inform coaches the time and place you will play. The biggest mistake that most players make is assuming that coaches will just find them. College Coaches have limited time, the easier you make it for them to find you the more likely it will be for them to see you play