When should players begin pursuing schools?

[softballrebels]

Just curious at what age/grade kids should start to pursue colleges to consider? What should a student athlete use as a measuring stick to determine what level they may be able to pursue? For example, what skills should a hitter, catcher, or pitcher demonstrate and at what age so they can begin to determine what level to pursue? Thanks for any information you can provide.

[bucketboy]

There are so many variables to the questions you are posing as there are no concrete rules when it comes to recruiting.

As a general rule the pitchers, catchers, and stud position players are being asked to verbal early which can be in their sophomore or early in their junior year.

When a player gets to high school it is never too early for them to email a college coach and let them know they are interested in their particular school. Send them a schedule, attend their camp as most schools will at least give a kid a look if they show interest in their school. For example my daughter had her first unofficial visit the fall of her sophomore year in high school, and made several more before verballing after the fall of her junior year in high school, but I also know seniors that got deals done late like during the winter months as well. Again no real set in stone timeline as each school is a little different.

The best resource book out for recruiting is available thru the nfca website www.nfca.org and is written by Kathy Aradi. Worth the investment, but also consider accelerating the time line she spells out since more and more coaches are recruiting at an earlier age.

Hope this at least helps point you in the right path.......

[slugger]

With the trend in early verbals becoming a more common theme across the entire country...It's NEVER to early to start the recruiting process. The Aradi book is excellent and is a must have for anyone serious about playing at the next level. I would agree that moving the timeline up is acceptable...If your daughter is looking to play at a Top 50 program, the best thing you can do for her early on is to get her to the schools summer and winter camps. Since the colleges can't talk to players til after their junior years, the camps allow them the opportunity to assess the skills of the player, talk to them, see how they respond to the coaches, show them around the school, etc. Many of the college coaches I have spoken with say that the majority of the recruiting they do comes from their camps. It should be noted that many of the girls at the camps were invited to come.