Subscribe to the NCSA BlogSoftball Crucial Recruiting Time
June 24th, 2009 - bySummer is officially upon us! And for college softball coaches, that means the busiest and most important recruiting time. They are in the midst of their most active evaluation time and a majority of them will spend this time at college exposure tournaments throughout the country. Coaches can see a huge number of athletes in one quick weekend, at one major tournament. For NCAA Division I coaches, rules and regulations limit them to a certain number of dates they can go out and recruit.
So, what does this all mean for you? The greatest advantage you can give yourself at this time of year is letting these coaches know who you are BEFORE they leave for tournaments. Their time is limited and they can only see so many games and so many players in one tournament. If you desire to be one of those players, then give the coaches a reason to find you and watch you play!
Have a complete resume of who you are as a student-athlete and get that into the hands of the coaches you would like to play for. This resume should include your summer tournament schedule, statistics and contact information for you and for your current coaches. You should also have a sample of skills available in a video format (DVD). Your academic information should also be included. Once you have all of that ready to distribute, you need to identify what schools you are most interested in and familiarize yourself with their softball programs. Look at their roster and see if you would be a good fit. Check out the background info on current players. This will help you get a good idea as to whether or not you have the skills and resume to compete in their program. It’s great to aim high, but being realistic is important so you will have options of schools where you can be a contributing player.
It is vital for you as a student-athlete, to be realistic about your skill level and to seek out schools and coaches you can truly play for. Keep in mind that by this time, approximately half of NCAA Division I softball coaches/colleges have identified their top recruits of to-be seniors. If you are a top softball player, the summer going into your junior and even sophomore years of high school are when coaches will be evaluating you. During those summers, it would be most beneficial to you to be playing on up level teams such as U16 and U18. If you are a higher level player and can compete at the Division I level, be sure and include all of your awards and accolades in your resume (being one of the top players in your area and state, playing at the varsity level, etc.).
Have a game plan this summer! Get your resume set up and be sure to include all of the info listed above. Identify colleges you can play for. Let those coaches know of your interest in their programs and be prepared to have a skills DVD for them to view. Lastly, let them know where and when you are playing so they can get out to see you. Be proactive. Out of all of the athletes that coaches will see and hear about, be the one they are going to recognize and remember!
