This time of year everyone is thinking about recruiting. Colorado became the hub of all things softball for a couple of weeks because so many players and parents are hoping to be seen by college coaches. College coaches come out in great numbers to evaluate and find the players who will make up their future rosters.
Over the years, I’ve done dozens of recruiting seminars and have tried to share some of what I have learned with softball players and their families as they embark on this process.
There are many things that I hope these players and families will take away from these sessions but none is more important that what I call the 14 Commandments.
What are the commandments supposed to accomplish? To help the next wave of potential softball players avoid making the same mistakes others have made.
No. 2: Do not allow the score to change the way you play!
How many times have you seen a player get down and allow her performance to fall off in a game where her team is down by a bunch of runs early? Or, to allow her focus to fall off in a game when her team has jumped off to a great start and is up by a bunch of runs early. It’s just human nature, right?
News flash! Recruits, college coaches are not there to see your team play. They are there to see you play!! They really don’t care very much whether your team wins or loses. They are there to see you play and need to see you perform at your very best. Most college coaches are only going to invest a small amount of time to watching a specific player and that time will disappear completely if that player isn’t giving her best effort.
Moping around when your team is losing is a huge mistake. Honestly, when your team is struggling you are presented with a great opportunity to show just how tough and passionate you really are. Keep digging and playing as hard as you can and that college coach will notice.
Being disinterested when your team is playing really well is another gigantic error that too many kids make. Acting too cool to keep playing hard when your team is rolling shows a lack of maturity that college coaches do not want to add to their program.
You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Are you making it?
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Contact fastpitchprep@gmail.com
