Each week we take a question from a softball player, parent or coach and pass on to our long-time contributor, Cathi Aradi, one of the most knowledgeable pe
Dec 2, 2015 by Brentt Eads
Each week we take a question from a softball player, parent or coach and pass on to our long-time contributor, Cathi Aradi, one of the most knowledgeable people in softball when it comes to the recruiting process.
If you’d like to ask her a question, e-mail us at brentt.eads@flosports.tv and we’ll pass it along.
Today, Cathi talks about scholarships, dollars and what players should--and shouldn't--talk about with others about their financial situation…
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Recruiting Question : When it comes to recruiting and scholarships, I know you don’t always get a full ride—sometimes it’s partial dollars and other financial help I’ve heard-- and I’ve had some club teammates tell me they’re not supposed to talk about what their scholarships include. As I’m starting to talk to coaches, what am I OK to talk about and what shouldn’t I talk about with other people like my coaches and teammates? --- Courtney, Las Vegas.
Cathi’s Answer: You're absolutely right that the vast majority of players do not get full rides. Some may get athletic money only; others may get a combination of athletic money, academic money, need based money, etc.
Getting a scholarship offer to a major university is a dream come true, but every player's financial offer and situation is different and shouldn't be shared with other players. And many players get no athletic money at all.
Where athletic money is concerned, most college coaches prefer you don't share the details of your scholarship with other players, and there's a good reason for this. Coaches decide how much to give a particular player based on a number of factors, including how much money they have available for that position, what the player's perceived potential contribution to the team is, and what other money she might qualify for.
Remember, college coaches only have so much money to spend, and they have to spend it in ways that best benefit the team. When players talk about the amounts of money they're getting, it can cause confusion and even problems within the team. And it's not the coach's job to explain to each team member or her parents why he or she decides to disburse scholarship money in a certain way.
When you start to visit colleges and coaches talk about scholarships, it's fine to ask whether or not they see you as a scholarship candidate and if so, how the scholarship would be administered. You might get a smaller amount as a freshman and then the coach may add money later on if your performance warrants it.
Or you might get a set amount from the start (my book has questions to ask coaches about scholarships!). It's always good to be prepared when talking to coaches about financial aid so that you and your parents can be sure they understand just how things will work for you at each school you're considering.
— Cathi Aradi ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Catharine Aradi is the author of Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level, published by the National Fastpitch Coaches Assoc. (www.nfca.org). She has over 20 years of experience working as a recruiting consultant with athletes and colleges around the U.S and Canada.
Detailed information is available on her website www.fastpitchrecruiting.com. Cathi can be reached by e-mail at info@fastpitchrecruiting.com
