Facts For College Bound Students…
Key Points About Playing Softball in College:
> All D1 teams get 12 scholarships across an average roster of 20-25 players.
> D2 colleges get 7.2 full scholarships.
> D3 can only give academic scholarships and grants and many times is worth more than D1 or D2 schools.
> Community colleges can give 24 tuition waivers. NAIA gets 10.
> An athletic scholarship can be taken away by a college coach. An academic scholarship can't be taken away unless grades slip or trouble.
> Do the math. Of the top 64 - 2017 major D1 college teams in the country there is approximately 1,400 players. Of that 1,400, 104 are from Illinois and 35 from the far west, west, north and far north suburbs.
> Players should investigate the style of play at the college of their choice. If they are a running and slapping type school and you are slow footed slugger there will not be a place for you. Players should fit the college's system.
> It's about GRADES. All schools want good grades, high character, work ethic, gym rat and love of the game type players. No prima donnas. No pain in the butt parents. The colleges want players that will make the team better. Again do the math. If most D1 major teams have 22 players (average) then 13 players are sitting.
> Pick a school that is a good fit concerning distance from home, major, etc. Most importantly cost. In state public schools usually give you the most bang for the buck.
> Contacting a player by college coaches can only happen after September 1 of their junior year.
> Understand how much you want softball to be a part of your college vs. academics and other activities.
> A player should fill out the recruiting forms that most colleges have on their web sites.
> Beware of non-truthful college or Elite type travel coaches.
> Playing in college is not on every players agenda. Parents' and coaches don't push it even if they are talent worthy. It's their life choice.
> Walk on's are possible but difficult.
> Ivy League does not recruit until senior year. They need to know if a player is acceptable academically.
> Scouting services are not worth it. The players should do most of the leg work.
I’ve heard that if you’re a good softball player, the college coaches will recruit you. Is that true?
Any college coach or recruiter will tell you that being good doesn't automatically give a player an edge in being recruited or being offered a scholarship to play college softball. There are thousands of good softball players who go unnoticed and not recruited every year.
The coach or recruiter first has to know about you to be able to recruit you. In addition to talent, coaches recruit players based on a number of important factors including experience, grades, work ethic, team needs, and the player's ability to adjust to the demands of college softball.
NCAA can only recruit (talk to) juniors and seniors. NAIA can recruit or talk to any high school student.
Verbal commits are no longer acceptable for Division 1 colleges before September 1 of a players junior year in high school. Verbal commitments do not guarantee a scholarship, as they are unofficial verbal contracts between the athlete and coach. The NCAA does not recognize or even track verbal commitments between athletes and colleges. The only time an athlete can officially commit to a college is during the signing period, when they sign their national letter of intent. Any story you see of an athlete getting an offer or committing to a school before the signing period their senior year is unofficial.
How Many Player Positions Are Available to Incoming Freshman?
On average, there are about 4 player positions per college team available to incoming freshman (and junior college transfers), or about 4000-4500 available positions on four-year college teams across the country every year.
How many players get “full-ride” D1 or D2 scholarships?
Very few players get a "full ride" (100% of college costs). It’s important for players and parents to know that colleges are allowed to divide scholarships. With rosters of 18-25 players per team, there's not enough scholarship money for every player on the team to get a “full ride." Most college teams award tenth, quarter, half or three-quarter scholarships, in order to stretch their funds as far as possible and still be able to recruit quality players.
Which players get D1 or D2 "full rides"?
When available, full-ride scholarships generally go to top-notch pitchers, catchers, and hitters. Prospective college softball players should expect that scholarship offers will range along these lines: pitchers, 80-100% of “full-ride”; catchers, 50-80%; infielders, 30-70%; outfielders, 20-50%. Versatility, hitting ability, and team needs can make a player more valuable, and a scholarship offer will be adjusted accordingly. Many players receive nothing.
What are my chances of being awarded a four-year scholarship?
No matter what any player, parent, coach, or recruiter might tell you, there is simply no such thing as a "four-year scholarship" to play softball. Scholarships are awarded on a year-by-year basis only. The name of the game is performance. The best way to insure a “four-year scholarship” is to exceed expectations from each “one-year scholarship” to the next.
Will going to a recruiting camp or tournament guarantee that I’ll get recruited?
Just attending a recruiting camp or tournament is no guarantee that you’ll be recruited. A college coach might never recruit some of the better players at a recruiting camp, or even get a chance to watch them play.
How can I improve my chances of being recruited at one of these camps?
The best chance any player has of being noticed and possibly being recruited as a result of a recruiting camp is based on two important factors:
· Parents and players must do their “homework” and marketing preparation, including letters, “Player Marketing Package” phone calls, emails, and so on, to the coaches who are expected to be at the camp.
· You must perform up to expectations while the college coach is looking at you.
Coaches don’t just show up at these camps and tournaments looking for players to fill any old position on their rosters. They go to the camp with a list of names of players they want to evaluate, and a list of positions that they need to fill. The players on a coach’s list are top-level players who are well known to coaches, players who the coach has seen before and wants to watch again, or players who have contacted them directly. Unless a coach knows about you, chances are that he/she won’t be looking at you. The way to get a coach to look at you is, first, to tell them that you’ll be there, and, secondly, to ask them to take a look at you.
Plan on attending the camp of the college of your choice. This way you can meet and get to know the coach and they can't see you play up close.
When should I start my scholarship search?
Searching for a scholarship is only part of the college selection process. Your first goal should be to find a school that’s a good match for your academic abilities and interests, and to find a team that's a good match for your softball skills. Then you can start thinking seriously about the scholarship search.
NCAA schools can’t begin actively recruiting players until their junior year. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should wait until your junior year to begin the college selection process or to start your marketing efforts. There’s nothing wrong with getting a head start on your college selection process in your freshman or sophomore year. It’s a simple matter to log on to a college’s web site, and find out all the information you need to know. If you start narrowing the field of prospective colleges early in your high school career, you'll be well ahead of the game (and ahead of other players) by the time your junior year rolls around.