We had the opportunity to interview with college coaches to get a better idea of what they are looking for in players they recruit for their programs. During our time in New Orleans we had substantive conversations with about 5 coaches on this topic. Here are our key learnings:
- They want to see players in competitive situations to see how they respond to adversity – their preference is to see players in competitive tournaments as opposed to showcases
- They prefer to have players attend their on campus camps so they can spend more time getting to know the player and assess whether they are a fit with their program
- They view a scholarship as a major investment and take their diligence seriously.
- They will talk to several other people beyond current coaches in their diligence process: your coach two seasons back, guidance counselors, and teachers.
- They will make a point of observing you not only in game situations but also pregame – one coach watches pre-game routines from her car.
- They have to spend a lot of time with players once they get to campus so character really counts and they want to make sure recruits are a good fit with their program’s culture.
What really struck me is how important character and fit are to these coaches. All the players these coaches evaluate can play the game but it’s the player’s character that is the differentiator. They will look to see who is helping set up for practice and who is staying late to clean up. They try to understand who is a great teammate and gives of herself to help others. At the highest levels of softball it’s the character of the people who are the foundation of the best programs.
Maryland Fever Fastpitch 18U 