This time of year everyone is thinking about recruiting. Colorado has become the hub of all things softball for a couple of weeks each year 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 are 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. 3: Warmups count!
How many times do you see a team just going through the motions during warm ups? A lot of clowning around and half-hearted effort. A lot of standing around happens, along with a lack of attention to really preparing yourself to play.
Most college coaches will watch a player they’re interested in during warm-up prior to the game, just as much as they will watch a player perform in a game.
Why? Two reasons:
A player who is a pre-game clown is showing a lack of maturity and commitment to the game. If they are not serious about their craft pre-game, how serious are they? That doesn’t mean that the pre-game routine has to resemble hard labor in a prison yard, but it must be focused on getting ready to play the game.
The coach will get to see a player take many ground balls, fly balls, swings and pitches during pregame warm ups. They may not see much of that during the game, so these pre=game opportunities to show a coach what you can do are very important. Do Not Waste Them!
About the Author: Tory Acheson brings a wealth of knowledge to the Fastpitch Prep staff. He has coached at all levels of the game, including the last 25 years at the college level at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, Tennessee Tech and Kennesaw State. He began his coaching career at the high school level spending 9 years Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wisconsin and is now working as a professional softball instructor.
