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The College Softball Recruiting
Process
Below is some information to help you with
the recruiting process, including the NCAA Rules Timeline, Frequently Asked
Questions, Do’s & Don’ts and the Realities of Recruiting.
THE RECRUITING
TIMELINE
Prior to the Junior Year in High
School
At the beginning of your ninth grade year,
you become a prospective student-athlete. All rules regarding recruiting go in
effect at this time. You may visit an institution at your own expense as often
as you wish, and all contacts with a coach must be on the college campus. The
athlete can call the coach, but the coach cannot return the phone-call or email
(except Division III where the coach may call or write starting with the
athlete’s first year in high school).
Junior Year of High
School
September 1: Coaches may send athletes
recruiting letters, emails and information about the athletic program. Coaches
may not call prospects; however, until after July 1 for Division I and June 15
for Division II. (See Division III exception above).
Early in the Junior
Year
- Take the ACT and/or SAT and request scores
to be sent to the Eligibility Center
- Begin your amateurism
questionnaire
- After completing your junior year, request
your high school to send your transcript to the Eligibility 
Center.
Upon Completion of Junior
Year
College coaches may initiate in-person,
off-campus contacts for Division I schools as of July 1; for Division II, as of
June 15; for Division III, as of the end of junior year. Division I and II
coaches are allowed three total contacts with a prospect or her family members
during her senior year in high school. Coaches may only call prospects once a
week, and these call include conversations with other family
members.
Senior Year of High
School
First Day of Classes:
On-campus official visits may begin. Before a college may invite you on an
official visit, you will have to provide them with a copy of your high school
transcript (Division I only) and SAT or ACT score. You are limited to one
official visit at five different institutions.
National Letter of Intent
Signing: Early signing begins the second Wednesday
in November of your senior year. The late signing period begins the second
Wednesday in April of your senior year.
Near or at the End of your Senior
Year: Complete amateurism questionnaire.
Guidance counselor must send final transcript with proof of graduation to the
Eligibility Center.
Frequently Asked
Questions:
When should I contact
colleges?
The winter of your sophomore year. It is
never too early to start the recruiting process.
How do I start the
process?
Begin by making a list of colleges you
are interested in attending; make it a broad list. There are many opportunities
to play softball in college, so don’t limit yourself. Do your homework and send
an introductory letter to those colleges. Make sure to include: Your return
address, your graduation year, a brief introduction about yourself, your summer
team’s name and your high school.
Make sure each letter is personalized
(e.g., goes to the current head coach and that you have proofread it
carefully). Additional items to include are your player profile, transcript,
game schedule and skills video DVD or internet video link. Make sure you
register with the NCAA Eligibility Center; see your guidance counselor for
assistance. Make sure you take the SAT and ACT early in your junior
year.
What should be in my skills
video?
Your video should be five to ten minutes
long’ it should include an introduction that says who you are
and:
- Hitting off a tee, machine, front toss or
pitcher; video from the side and behind
- Field your position from the front and
the side. Make sure to show fielding and
throwing
- Pitchers should throw all of their
pitches, and the video should include shots from behind the catcher, behind the
pitcher and from the side
- No need to get fancy or include game
footage; keep it short and simple. Remember coaches have a lot of videos to
watch
- Make sure your graduation year is clearly
marked on the video
Should I attend college
camps?
Yes. This is a great way to be seen and
to figure out if you will fit in with a certain team or coaching philosophy.
This also provides you with an opportunity to learn and develop as a player.
Many colleges have both summer and winter clinic and camp
opportunities.
The Do’s &
Don’ts
Don’t approach a college coach while playing
in a tournament.
A college coach cannot speak to you until
after your team has completed play in the tournament for the weekend and only
after June 15 for Division II or July 1 for Division I after your junior year.
A college coach may speak to your parent or guardian before the completion of
the tournament. However, doing so will count as one of the three allowed
face-to-face contacts between you and the coach. Even if you are not playing in
the tournament but are watching, a college coach cannot talk to you or your
parents before July 1 after your junior year in high school. Just to be safe,
let the coach approach you when he or she is allowed to do so.
It’s generally not a good idea to try to
hand your video or player profile to a college coach at a tournament. If you
can’t mail this information, ask your summer ball or high school coach to give
it to the coach.
Do stay on top of your
grades
First and foremost, you are attending
college to receive an education. Coaches will look to see if you are working
hard in the classroom as you are on the field. Check with your high school
counselor to make sure you are taking the right core courses (16 core courses
for Division I, 14 core courses for Division II (16 required after August 1,
2013 and after) and that your GPA is where it needs to be. Refer to
www.ncaa.org for core course descriptions and required GPA. Be sure to enter
“9999” code when registering for the ACT or SAT. This requests for your
official test scores to be sent directly to the Eligibility
Center.
Realities of
Recruiting
- Of the over 1100 college fielding fastpitch
softball teams, only about half offer any form of softball scholarships. This
means that the majority of girls playing softball in college right now aren’t
receiving athletic-based aid.
- Even at the “fully-funded” programs (meaning
12 full scholarships for Division I and 7.2 for Division II) most players on the
team will get only partial scholarships and some may have to make the team as
walk-ons.
- Without a doubt, every college-bound
softball player would love to be offered a full athletic scholarship. But
unfortunately, the competition for athletic aid is getting tougher each year.
Be prepared to look at all of your financial aid
options.
If you have any more questions about
recruiting you can visit:
2011-2012 Guide for the College-Bound
Athlete
Becoming a
Student-Athlete
