Getting recruited to play softball can be tough. The national exposure just isn't there like it is in basketball and football. Even baseball is starting to get a little bit more exposure. There aren't a ton of websites or TV coverage that help a softball recruit get her name out there. For the very top softball players, getting recruited in eighth grade is becoming more and more popular. However, just because you're getting recruited at such a young age doesn't mean you have to rush your decision at a young age.
When it comes to making a decision that plays such a huge part in your future, so many kids are making this decision way before they're ready. Even if you think you're ready, you're not. Jim Alexander of The Press Enterprise wrote a column about a softball player who was starting to receive attention from major Division I programs when she was in eighth grade.
According to the article, Taylor Dockins received her first recruiting communication from a Division I softball program in September of 2012. She was 13, and in the eighth grade.
"Mike Stith, the head coach of our (travel ball) organization, called my dad and said, 'Oh, you know, the University of Washington head coach (Heather Tarr) really wants to talk to you,' " she said. "It was kind of a surprise. I had to call her real quick and it was pretty cool. It was really interesting to talk to a college coach."
Unlike some players and their families who make a verbal commitment to a college even before they see the inside of a high school classroom, Taylor and her parents, Rick (who works for Turner Construction) and Debi (a homemaker), don't seem to be in a rush to choose, at least until she's finished her freshman year at Norco.
"I do want to take some extra time," Taylor said. "I want to make sure it's the right fit for me, and make sure that's the school I really want to play for, that I can see myself there for four years. But I would definitely have to think about it more. This year is a little too soon for me."
It looks like Taylor understands the decision she's going to make and wants to make sure it's the right one. It isn't going to be this easy for a majority of college softball prospects. This is where you need to put in the work. Make sure you contact plenty of schools so when it's time to make a decision, you're committing to the school that's right for you.
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