The Journey – How to use the College Season in the Recruiting Process
If you are like me, the college softball season is my favorite sports time of the year. However, other than just enjoying it here’s some ideas to make the most out of it in terms of helping your daughter determine where she might want to play someday:
- Visit many different games in person – at all levels. Go to JUCO, NAIA, NCAA Div I, II & III. Get a sense of the skill level of the athletes – and what makes certain players stand out. Pay attention to their speed, size, athleticism, and competitiveness. Find players that have similar skill sets as your daughter and help her see that there is indeed a spot for everyone in college somewhere if she has the drive to get there. Do NOT get hung up on only visiting the “big name” schools around you – visit a very diverse range of schools as you will be surprised how much there is to like about many of them.
- While there, take the time to walk around the campus and do whatever informal touring that you can. See what student/campus life is like. See what the practice and workout facilities are like. See what the student/athlete housing is like. See what the camaraderie is like between the athletes and between the athletes and coaches before and after the games. Just take it all in and let your daughter start to create a vision for herself of what she wants for her college experience someday.
- Arrive very early before the games and see what the athletes’ pre-game is like. How do they interact and prepare? Do they look like they are enjoying themselves? Are they relaxed or stressed-out? What do the good coaches do to get them in the right frame-of-mind for game time? Help your daughter see what style and approach she would like in a coach and program for herself in college.
- Study the current and prior years’ statistics of the players of the teams you’ll be watching BEFORE attending — and then watch those players in pre-game and during the game. Can you see why the starters are starting or why some might not be getting much playing time? What specific skill sets make them be set apart from others? Can you see what the pinch hitters, relief pitchers, etc. do to be ready for when their names might be called on? How do the fielders move and react? What does a smart hitter look like in their at-bats and approach?
- Get a sense of what the players go through during their time in the program. What are the attitudes of those in the dugout – and are they enjoying their experience and teammates even if not out on the field? Do you notice any trends with the current coach/program – such as does the coach basically ride the starters every game all game long….or do they get the whole roster get involved as much as possible? Do players tend to stick with the program for 4 years regardless of how much they play as freshman and sophomores or do they tend to leave quickly?
These are just a few examples of how you can turn the experience of just watching games into also being tools for helping your daughter assess what she wants in a program and how various programs operate. Again, the college search process is about finding the right “fit” for your daughter which requires an honest, 360-degree view of both herself but also of the programs she’s potentially a match for. Doing this type of analysis BEFORE she has the pressure to sign or commit will make that signing & commitment the right one.
