Some comments about the recruiting process :

[ManitouDan]

These are copied and pasted from another site from a couple guys that have been around awhile and show how misunderstood the recruiting process can be and to show how rapidly the process is changing .

granted my frame of reference is only about 5 years on the showcase/recruiting side, however, even in that small window I have seen the sport and recruitment process evolve quite remarkably....participation seems to be going through the roof, so it is tantamount now for the families of serious, quality players with aspirations of recruitment to 1.) be involved with an established, respectable organization of teams that has a proven track record in both recruitment AND in coaching while at the same time 2.) educating themselves on the process, so THEY are the ones taking the lead and driving the recruitment process rather than leaving it up to the coaches.......being from a historically "Softball Anorexic" state like KY (though it has been making up some ground), I am convinced that the biggest negative as of today, 10/29/2013 is a desperate lack of good, quality coaching....along with the wave of new players and teams popping up from every nook and cranny has been a loss of fundamentals and fastpitch game knowledge.....teaching the game is the travel organization's PRIMARY responsibility and the recruitment process SECONDARY, IMO....just opposite for parents...Make the recruitment process your #1 focus, and let the good coaches focus on teaching your kid the game....So much drama and consternation comes from the reversal of those roles, I believe.

As far as turn out of scouts, we were at St Louis this wknd with about 150 other teams, and there were plenty of scouts there....over 250 were registered....and they weren't just there window shopping, as one of our finest found out!!

I believe final responsibility always falls back on the parents to take their due diligence seriously when choosing the right team/organization for their DD...


Those observations are dead on accurate . . The points about responsibility -- Parents its your PRIMARY job to get your dd recruited , NOT any coach , not that coachs cant point you in the right direction and help out , but parents have to drive the process !

[ManitouDan]

and from another guy :

Having seen first hand the recuiting process for over 15 years worth. (kids playing, not kids coaching) there is a lot that has evolved.

1) The amount of kids playing and being recruited.
2) The amount of tools that players have to showcase their talents, #1 being social media. it used to be vcr tapes, now it's you tube. and the ability to edit and photoshop.....
3) The amount of tournaments calling themselves showcases
4) The amount of money teams spend
5) The cost of the entrance fee, sometime limits teams with a lower budget to attend. (teams playing, not coaches attending)
6) The amount of a school's budget that lets the coaches attend. I know when state schools cut budgets because of a lack of enrollment, travel budgets get cut also.
7) The amount of travel teams calling themselves showcase teams and playing a showcase schedule.


The one comment about it was the teams responsibility to teach fundamentals. Fundamentals need taught at 10u, and 12u. at 16u and 18u, you are fine tuning skills and teaching kids how to act both on the field and off at the showcases. What to say when approached, etc.

I agree somewhat though as the parents being one of the biggest stumbling blocks in the process. Most parents over evaluate their own child's skills. When the NAIA school comes knocking and you thingk your daughter is D1 and blow off the small school, then bash the process when the D1 offers don't come. (not meaning you, personally, but parents of players today in a genreal sense.)

Showcases are a money maker for many. Showcases are generally played with no winner. That kind of takes out the element for schools to see how a player will fight to win the game when down. Most of the time, teams just run players out for a few innings at a primary position, then a few innings at a secondary position. College ball is not played like this at all. How much do the colleges actually get to see? Showcases are better suited for those very athletic players who look good running onto the field. The hard working, sometimes not as athletic girl will only show best when they are seen when the times are tough and they keep diving for balls, running out grounders, slamming into a fence for a foul ball even tough they are down 7-2...

All of these things has changed the game of recruitment. Some of it I like, some of it, i wish would go back to the way it was.


The big point I see in this guys comments is " parents over evaluate their kids abilities" that coming from a guy who says he's been around recruiting for 15 years .

[GreenGrass]

Thank you for those, I have been telling kids for years that if they want to play at the next level they need to be actively putting their name out there. If the schools you are interested in do not even know who you are they will not come knocking on your door. You have to put yourselves on their radar. Every college has a questionaire with student interests and it is online, usually on their athletics pages, fill these out and coaches will respond to you.

[West Side Pride]

Hannah Cremeans signs with SSU today, congrads !!! She has earned it!!

[ManitouDan]

Ms Cremeans has been very nice to me -- Congrats Hannah .