June Checklist: High-Academic Softball Recruiting Tips

June 13, 2019

With our West camps wrapping up – and our Northeast camps less than two months away – check out what you should be doing this month to prepare yourself for the summer recruiting season and to make sure you are getting the right exposure this summer.

Click below to skip ahead to your class-specific checklist:

Class of 2020

• Give coaches from your target schools every opportunity to see you play this summer
• Look for places in your schedule to add additional recruiting opportunities

Class of 2021

• Compare your summer events and schedule with your target schools
• Prepare for any campus visits planned during the summer

Class of 2022

• Look for opportunities to demonstrate your versatility on the field
• Ask for feedback from coaches on how to be seen by the schools on your list this summer

 

CLASS OF 2020:

• Give coaches from your target schools every opportunity to see you play this summer – We wrote last month about how important it is for rising seniors to make sure they get exposure to the right group of schools this summer. Ensuring that you are playing in front of the right schools is only part of the battle in the recruiting process – you also need to make sure you are maximizing those opportunities and putting yourself in a position to succeed. A very dangerous assumption in the recruiting process is that if you are a strong player, coaches will find you. With the high number of players reaching out to the same high-academic schools, you need to do everything you can to make sure you are on a coaches’ radar. The best way to do this is by letting coaches know where you will be playing throughout the summer. By expressing interest in their program and letting them know which events you are attending, coaches will know to look out for you when your paths cross this summer. Proactive communication will make it easier for coaches to find you – and open doors for you later in your recruiting process.

 

• Look for places in your schedule to add additional recruiting opportunities – Now that you have most of your summer schedule planned out, see if you can fit in a few more recruiting events to increase your exposure to the schools on your list. This summer is a crucial period for rising seniors and every opportunity in front of college coaches can be the difference maker in continuing your career at the college level. These additional opportunities should strike a balance between schools that have seen you before, and some that you will be playing in front of for the first time. This gives you the chance to build on existing relationships and make a strong first impression on schools that are trying to finalize their upcoming recruiting class.

 

CLASS OF 2021:

• Compare your summer events and schedule with your target schools – Now that you know which tournaments and showcases you’ll be attending this summer, see where there is overlap with the schools on your list. Many tournaments and showcases will list the confirmed coaches on their website – you can click here to view the 70+ coaches attending Headfirst this summer. See which of the schools on your list are attending the same events and reach out to the coach ahead of time. Expressing genuine interest in their program and letting them know that you will be in the same location as them will make it easier to get on their radar. If you do not overlap with some of your target schools, ask what events they are attending this summer. You can use this information to schedule additional showcases to make sure you get exposure to all of your target schools.

 

• Prepare for any campus visits planned during the summer – Back in April we recommended using your categorized school list (“fit schools” vs “reach schools”) to plan campus visits for the summer. With some of those visits approaching, make sure you are prepared for your time on campus to make the most of each visit. Identify areas of the school that peak your interest and others that aren’t as appealing to you. Find out how the school’s academic strengths match up to your potential majors and how the softball program fits in to the school culture. By creating this list of qualities – both positives and negatives – that stand out to you will allow to you ask thoughtful questions while on campus. If you have not done so already, see if anybody from the softball program, athletic or admissions department can meet with you while on campus. Meeting with someone for a tour or interview can help you gauge your chances of playing softball there and if the school is the right fit for you.

 

CLASS OF 2022:

• Look for opportunities to demonstrate your versatility on the field – Coaches love to recruit players who are versatile and can contribute to their program at multiple positions. The more you can add to your skill set, the easier it is for coaches to imagine ways that you can help their program succeed. Look for opportunities this summer to try new positions or to refine an area of your game that needs improvement. If you’ve been working on your base running, talk to your coaches about getting more opportunities to steal or take the extra base. If you are a pitcher who’s been trying to add an extra pitch to your repertoire, make sure your catcher is mixing it in. And if your coaches need somebody to step up and play a new position, always volunteer to help your team in anyway possible. Every opportunity on the field is another chance to add to your game and to be seen by a college coach – taking advantage of these moments and maximizing your playing time will help you later on in your recruiting process.

 

• Ask for feedback from coaches on how to be seen by the schools on your list this summer – Although there is still a lot of time left in your high school career, it is crucial that you get exposure to college coaches early in your recruiting process so that you can follow up with them over the next few years. Ask your high school and travel coaches – along with college coaches that you reach out to – about the best ways to get exposure to the schools on your list. You can also lean on your older teammates who are wrapping up their recruiting process. Learning about the best ways to get exposure to these schools allows you to familiarize yourself with these events and to prepare for them. Being proactive in your preparation is essential to getting ahead in the recruiting process. Find out which exposure opportunities are the right fit for you so that you can maximize your opportunities over the next three summers.