Getting recruited might be easy for you. Maybe it's hard and you don't know where to start. Maybe you're 5-0 and think coaches won't give you a shot. Well you can't use that as an excuse because I'm 5-0 and was recruited. So anything's possible! It takes work to be great at anything!

The softball world has exploded into exposure tournaments, camps and combines. It seems like tournament competitions are things of the past. Trying to navigate the waters of recruiting can be daunting and confusing. My hope is to provide you with enough information to formulate a plan and get with the right people who can get you closer to getting seen by college coaches.

Grades and SAT Score: If you don't have the grades, the road ahead will be a long one. Your grades and scores need to be communicated honestly with your coaches. I've seen really talented players fall through the cracks because they weren't honest about their grades. I recommend holding a 3.8 GPA or Higher. AP or Honors classes are not worth taking if you're getting anything below an A. As far as SAT scores, you'll need to do your research on university requirements for admissions.

Talent: With the rise of specialty coaches, the talent level is beginning to even out. Nonetheless, talent is still a requirement for getting recruited. Measure yourself up against the best athletes to determine how good you really are. Numbers don’t lie. Performance does not lie.

Softball Measurables:

• Bat Speed
• Time from Home to First
• Vertical Jump
• Broad Jump
• Fielding Percentage
• Batting Average
• Slugging percentage
• Homeruns
• Stolen Bases

If you’re one of the last to be chosen on a team. The way you understand your place in the world changes a little. Shaping your sense of ability and subsequent paths you take. What you tell yourself about your abilities plays a part in shaping the way your learn and perform. How hard you apply yourself or your tolerance for risk taking and your willingness to persevere in the face of difficulty. Whether you think you can or you think you can’t you’re right.
- Peter C. Brown, Author of Make It Stick

Focus: A focused person is someone who can eliminate external influences to stay focused on the win at hand. She’s the person who's in the box with the body language and intention of destroying the ball. She’s the girl in the circle that demands the ball to deliver the next out. She’s the player that’s in tune with the message that coach is trying to send. In my opinion focus is not forced, focus is being in the zone and truly engaged calling upon your attention, resources, and talents in a given situation. The game demands that you are 100% in the moment.

We are allowed to hold ourselves to a higher standard while at the same time understanding that no one is asking us to that but ourselves.

Watch Ken Ravizza Break Down the Mental Game and Focus

Performance under pressure or “Clutchness” as Patti Gasso calls it, is a quality coaches are always looking for and it makes a player truly standout on the field. Bottom of the 7th, bases loaded, two outs, and you want the bat in your hand. The clutch player doesn’t see or feel the pressure, they see the opportunity. The opportunity to win and beat somebody. What does it look like? On the field, you know where you need to be ahead of the play that's unfolding. In the box, it's hitting in the game winning run. Strong performances in critical game situations are considered clutch.

Competitiveness is a lost quality in the showcase world. Over the years, specialty coaches have developed technicians instead of ball players. Technique is definitely important, but should it have a higher value over competitiveness? Coaches will take the competitor. They act and perform on instinct and the intention of winning. Technicians move slower with misplaced intention and question what technique they should use in a given situation. Competitors use their best weapons and resources to react to a given situation without thought or question. You're not always going to feel good right before you play. Competitiveness is bringing your best in the face of having a really bad day.

The competitor is harder on themselves than anyone else could be on them. Because losing sucks. Plain and simple.

Confidence is when you believe in yourself and believe in the work that you've put in. Confidence is a mindset that you can win at anything if you put your mind to it. Confidence is attained by putting in the work and putting in the innings. It doesn't just appear. Confidence grows through experience and the willingness to fail knowing that in the long run you will succeed.

Life Long Learners: No one player has perfected softball. Coaches are looking for players that learn quickly from their mistakes. My father always used to tell me, “Don’t make me tell you twice.” I took that lesson with me in everything I do. I hate making mistakes. On the field, I wouldn’t allow a pitcher to beat me twice in the same location. At practice, I tried to be perfect in every drill because it was my personal mission. You will make mistakes, but your personal growth will come from learning and adjusting from those mistakes. I used to tell players with every loss or mistake, the game is trying to tell us something. We have to keep our eyes and ears open to receive that message.

Caliber of Team: I hate to break it to you, but your team name matters. I wish it weren’t the case. Winning matters. If your team wins, you are more likely to be placed on fields with better teams which means there will be more college coaches that may pass by. If your team wins all the time, coaches will assume that your team is pretty good and worth watching.

If your team is being looked at by college coaches, your manager or coach should build relationships with those coaches. I know that interaction can be awkward and make you feel like a car salesman but it’s necessary. College coaches know whether or not you know what you’re talking about or are trying to pawn a kid onto them. The pawning method should be avoided.

Coaches and Managers here’s a little help:
Hey Coach, I’m Name , thanks so much for coming out today. Real quick, here are our players profiles, these are the best three players (Point them out) If you have any questions or want to see a certain player play a different position just let me know.

Some parents might get upset, but if you’re telling the truth, there’s value and respect in your evaluation. I advise you not to abuse this power. Coaches and managers are a huge factor in recruiting. The travel coach is the middle man.

Recruiting videos are a good tool to have, but I advise you not to spend a ton of money on getting one made. Most Division I Top 25 Teams don’t watch recruiting videos. But, mid-major schools Division I, Division II and III do watch them. I know because I used to watch all of them when I worked at UC Riverside. Watch 5 Things to Leave Out Of Your Recruiting Video before you make a recruiting video.

What you should capture in your video:

• Side view of hitting
• Game Footage of hitting
• Pitching
• Game Footage of Pitching
• Infielders: Ground Balls with throw
• Catchers - Blocking, throwdowns, pick offs
• Catchers play at the plate
• Include basic info: Graduation year, position, team name, and email.

Should you use recruiting sites? Most Division I Top 25-50 teams do not use recruiting sites. But, mid-major Division I, Division II and III, and Junior Colleges use them. On NCSA, there are currently 31,029 softball users.

Here are the NCSA softball numbers for 2013:

• Number of Committed: 2,474
  
• Average Yearly Offer: $18,467
• Division I: 18%
• Division II: 19%
• Division III: 24%
• NAIA: 13%
• Junior College: 26%

So of the 16,000 + commits through NCSA 2013, 2,474 were softball and looking at the percentages above it falls in line with approximately what percentage of opportunities there are at each level.

There are 1,639 college softball programs and only 290 of which are DI (17.6%)

There are 412 DIII schools which is roughly 25% of all opportunity.

Should you go to college camps or combines?
If you’re going to a specific college for camp, you should definitely go to their camp if the coaches invite you. How do you get invited? If the college coach is truly interested, they will contact your coach to invite you. Should you go to camp if you haven’t been invited? That would be your call. If you feel you can compete with the athletes that were invited, it’s worth a shot if it’s your dream school. I encourage to be honest with how you stack up against the best talent.

Communicating with Coaches: Players and coaches can always contact the college coach. The college coach cannot call prospects until July 1 after their junior year. Email and written contact is permitted at the start of a prospects junior year. However, the prospect can call the coach. It's recommended that your coach (middle man) set up the call time that way the coach is available. Make sure the coach agrees to talk with you before calling. Please, please, please do not call the coach incessantly. That is frowned upon and annoying. Read Recruiting: know the rules for more recruiting information.

Setting realistic expectations is imperative to you finding the right program. Keep your grades up. Try to play for a winning team that will challenge you. If you don't make the winning team and it's not "political," that should tell you something. Make sure the coaches are social and knowledgable enough to connect you with the schools that would be a good fit for you. I'm so excited for your journey! There will be bumps along the way but that's when you have to bear down and push through the hard to get to thing that you really want. Good Luck!