10th Grade Softball Recruiting Plan

Activities:

•

Create your first skills video and post on the Internet

(YouTube or other hosting service). Some of the best

skills videos are created by players and parents. If you

do not have the desire, equipment, or skill to do this, hire

someone who can.

•

Join an online recruiting database such as CaptainU.

Create your profile. Upload pictures of you playing.

Upload links to game footage of you playing – make sure

the footage is edited down to just you playing.

•

Register to take an SAT or practice SAT as appropriate.

•

Research college clinics and camps

•

Continue to monitor and review career options. Are there

any changes in career outlooks for 7 to 8 years from

now?

•

Consider your previous decisions. Do they still hold?

Which criteria are still important? Are you still interested

in a particular division, or are you now considering a

different division? Is the geographic region you were

interested in, still what you want?

•

Narrow your list of schools down to 25 or so. Use your

revised career outlook and revised criteria decision

making to narrow your list. Make sure that you are

selecting schools that are a good fit. Can you get in

academically? Do you fit athletically?

•

Create a player profile – single sheet summary. Look on

the Internet for many examples.

•

Send out your first introductory letter to college coaches.

You are allowed to initiate contact with coaches, but they

cannot initiate contact with you.  If you are interested in

an early commitment the best way (and for some the

only way) is to initiate contact. Coaches can send you

questionnaires but not recruiting material yet.

•

Send out an update letter to college coaches reminding

them of your spring/summer travel schedule and any

changes or awards you have received in school or

school ball.

Milestones:

•

October 1st: Register to take the SAT or PSAT

•

October 1st: Complete your career outlook review

•

November 1st: Sign up for 2 or more college clinics for

the fall/winter season. The clinics should be held at

schools you are interested in.

•

November 1st: Complete your previous decision review

(criteria that you used in prior years to make decisions

from).

•

December 1st: Narrow your list of schools

•

April 1st: Send out your letters to college coaches,

including a link to your skills video, your player profile,

and your spring/summer travel schedule

•

June 1st (earlier if your spring schedule starts earlier):

Send out your update letters to college coaches.

•

July 1st: Send out letters to college coaches whose

clinics you are attending

•

August 1st: Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center

•

High level Division I schools will start giving verbal

commitments during the summer. Division II coaches

can start calling after June 15th. Division III coaches can

contact you anytime.