What are some questions I should ask the coach while on a phone call with them?

As with most conversations between a coach and a prospective teenage recruit, the coach will seem to be the one talking the majority of the time because he or she is trying to build a bond.  If the coach doesn't talk during most of the time, then there will be a lot of dead air and awkwardness.  If you want to take control of the athletic recruiting process yourself, you should not let this happen.  Instead, what you should be doing is asking questions and trying to find out as much as you can about the school.  Find out which questions are among the best now!

When thinking about any potential college, think long and hard about what you want to know.  If a coach is calling you, there is a solid chance that they hope to have you as a student athlete at their school.  So any questions you throw their way will either be answered or researched and then responded to.  The more questions you ask, the more interested you seem in the school.  The most you are wasting is the ten or so minutes you are on the phone with the coach.

Here are some of the most important questions you should think about asking when these calls are arriving.  It is easy to think of more but these are some of the most obvious ones that should be brought up:

• How will I fit in on the team?
• Do you plan on redshirting me my first year?
• (If the team is struggling), what is the coaching staff doing to turn things around?
• (If the team is doing well), what is the coaching staff doing to continue to help the school have success?
• (If the coaching staff may be good enough to move up to a better job), what are the possibilities that the staff will be in place during my four or five years at the school?  This same question applies if the staff is doing a poor job as well.
• Where do you see the program in the next four or five years?
• How many other players are you recruiting at my position (this may receive a very interesting response)?
• How do athletes balance academics and athletics?
• Is there help in the classroom if I am struggling in a class?
• Are you able to help set up internships with former alumni in my field of study (ask this to the head coach)?
• How would you describe your coaching style?
• What are the best features of your school?
• Why should I pick your program over a conference rival that is recruiting me?
• How is the admission process handled and will any preference be given to student athletes?
• If there is a concern with the city/area, ask about it.
• Will the facilities be updated any time soon (take what they say with a grain of salt)?
• How will you help me become the best player I can be?
• What does the depth chart at my future position look like?
• Are you looking to bring in other scholarship recruits at my position?
• How well does the school/student body support the program?
• Does the team go on any unique travel opportunities during the year or the summer?
• How is the training staff at your school?
• Is there a full time strength and conditioning coach that is willing to help me become a better athlete?
• How is scholarship money handled and when do I know a final total for how much I am paying (this one obviously depends on the level you are looking at)?
• How would you describe the overall attitude of the team?

Again, there are so many others that you can add to the list.  These are just some common questions.  All should be considered but it is probably best that you only pick a few because if you have a talkative coach, you may be on the phone with them for hours.  That won't look good on that eventual cell phone bill that your parents will be paying for!

Who Pays for College Athletes Health Care?

All college athletes are required by the NCAA to have healthcare insurance. The NCAA does not mandate colleges to pay the healthcare costs for athletes. Should a player be injured, the parent's insurance is considered the primary insurance for paying for the athlete's injury costs. This shouldn't come as a surprise since the term "student-athlete" was created so that colleges wouldn't be held liable for sports related injuries.

Some may find it surprising that the organization that specifies the number of phone calls recruits can receive to whether or not athlete can accept rides to school doesn't specify college athlete's insurance requirements. The type and cost of healthcare an athlete will receive will depend on the school.

When the NCPA (National College Players Association) surveyed Division I athletics departments in 2009 to disclose specific medical policies the association was seeking, about 90 percent of the schools refused. The NCPA wants more states to pass legislation requiring public universities to provide additional transparency about how they care for injured athletes.

Why the push for more transparency? Because as reported by The Atlantic Monthly, "after an incoming student signs a letter of intent binding him or her to a university, many schools have no contractual obligation to treat injuries or strains that result from playing for that college." Furthermore, while players can't lose their scholarships because of injuries suffered while playing, the school isn't obligated to renew their scholarships for the following year.

The cases of Stanley Doughty of the University of South Carolina and Kyle Hardrick of the University of Oklahoma may be extreme, but they are examples of what happens when colleges get to decide what sort of medical coverage they provide.

Medical coverage has been improving for athletes, although some school are improving more than others. The New York Times reports

Ellen J. Staurowsky, a professor at Drexel who is studying health care policy at universities in the five wealthiest conferences, said coverage varied widely. Some universities, she said, guarantee medical care only as long as an athlete is in school, while some provide it for an extra year.

Some conferences, such as the Big 10, are including medical insurance as part of their plan to provide more benefits to student-athletes. In California, universities that generate more than $10 million in revenue from athletic programs are required cover healthcare costs of a sports-related injury for up to two years after a student leaves the university. The City of Boston is working on passing student-athlete bill of rights that would include covering long-term medical expenses. Maybe conferences will start offering more medical benefits as a way to attract recruits.

A few states are pushing colleges to disclose more information to prospects in the recruiting process. Both Connecticut and California have Student-Athletes Right to Know laws that require schools to provide recruits with information on what medical expenses are covered. However, until all colleges and universities specify their college athletes insurance coverage and medical treatment policy, it is up to student-athletes and their families to ask for the information as part of the recruiting process.

What happens during the recruiting process?

The recruiting process is about a coach evaluating you, you evaluating the school/coach and making sure you are going to meet the academic requirements. The process is not quick and it is not easy, but you are making a very important decision when selecting a college and it is important to take the time in evaluating your options.

College coaches evaluating you

College coaches are evaluating you athletically, academically and personally. Athletically they are trying to determine if you can come in a play right away and/or projecting how good you can be. Academically, they want to make sure you can get into the school, you will be academically eligible and that you will be able to maintain your eligibility while in college. The last area coaches are evaluating you is trying to determine if your personality will fit their school and program.

As a recruit, you want provide coaches with what they need to evaluate you. This means sending them video, playing in tournaments and attending camps. Once you have established contact, make sure to keep a good dialog with the coaches so they can get a better sense of what kind of person you are.

You evaluating coaches and the school

When thinking about a particular school you need to be able to answer yes to this question; would you want to attend this school even if you weren't an athlete? If the only reason you are attending a particular school is because you are getting a scholarship, you are not going to enjoy your time in college. Being an athlete is only one part (all be it a very big part) of your experience in college.

You want to consider things like what size school you want, whether you want to play right away or take time to develop, what you want to study, what kind of weather you like, what the coach is like, among several other things.

Meeting the academic requirements

Many athletes confuse the academic minimums set by the NCAA or NAIA as the requirements in order to get into a particular college. For example, just because you would meet the GPA requirement with the NCAA or 2.3, doesn't mean you would be able to get into Stanford. College coaches know what you need academically in order to get into their school and unless you can meet those minimums, there is nothing they can do about putting you on their team.

One of the first things you want to do once you establish contact with a coach is set targets for your academic qualifications. Having a clear expectation from the coach about what your GPA and SAT or ACT test scores needs to be can help in avoiding any problems in not qualifying late in the process.

What is a verbal scholarship offer?

When a college coach offers a scholarship to a potential student-athlete verbally, this is considered a verbal scholarship offer. Verbal scholarships are not binding, but more of an agreement that the student-athlete will attend their school and sign a National Letter of Intent.

A verbal scholarship offer is not a binding agreement. At any time, a student-athlete or a coach can back out of a verbal agreement if they choose too. The verbal scholarship offer is made by the coach and not the athletic department, so it is not an official agreement until financial aid papers and the contract has been drawn up.

Getting a verbal scholarship offer from a college coach is an exciting event in the recruiting process. There are two things a student-athlete can do when a verbal scholarship is offered to them. First, they can graciously accept the offer and move forward in making arrangements with the coach. Or, they can ask the coach for more time in making their decision.

College coaches understand that making this decision is a big deal, and many athletes might need some time to talk to their parents or wait to hear from other schools. If a coach allows you some time to think about it, honor their offer and make sure you get back to them by the deadline.

5 Facts about FastPitch Recruits

50 Reasons to Contact College Coaches

Being proactive in the recruiting process is a must. Coaches are trying to evaluate hundreds of athletes each year, and the easier you make it for them to recruit you, the better your chances getting a scholarship will be. If you can't think of a reason to update a coach, check out the list below. Is there something that we missed? Do you have another reason to update a coach?

 

The 50 Reasons You Should Contact College Coaches Now

 

1. Share your new highlight video or action clip with them on YouTube

2. Make sure they know your travel ball club team schedule

3. Let them know you will be attending their camp

4. When you receive all-league, all-region, all-state honors

5. When you establish a new personal best

6. When you beat a higher ranked opponent

7. When you get new ODM scores

8. When you get your SAT or ACT scores

9. The end of the semester/quarter to update coaches with your grades

10. When you are done with your season

11. When the school year is starting

12. When the school year is finishing

13. To wish them a happy holiday

14. When one of their athletes receives a prestigious honor

15. When they have a big win

16. After they win a championship

17. When you want to schedule an unofficial visit to their school

18. When you have submitted your application to their school

19. When you have decided to accept another scholarship offer

20. To let them know when another program has offered you a scholarship

21. When you have calculated how much your family will be able to pay for college

22. Letting them know how your summer time training is going

23. When you have game film from your best games of the year

24. When you have developed a new skill

25. If your team has won a championship

26. To ask for advice on what you should work on in the off season

27. When you have a new reference for them to contact

28. To thank them for their evaluation of your video

29. To establish a time you can call them

30. To find out what tournaments they will be attending in the spring and summer

31. To find out where you rank in their recruiting class

32. To ask if they are going to offer you an official visit

33. To ask if they are going to offer you a scholarship

34. To see what camps or combines they will be working at over the summer

35. To see if you can get tickets to their home game

36. When they receive an award or coaching honor

37. At the start of their season

38. At the end of their season

39. After they sign a major recruit

40. When you have signed up for the NCAA Eligibility Center

41. When you have signed up for the NAIA Eligibility Center

42. If you have narrowed down your list of potential schools

43. If there was a natural disaster near their campus

44. If the university gets a national honor

45. If a different team at the school wins a championship

46. To confirm when you will be visiting campus

47. To ask where you rank after they sign a new recruit

48. To see if they need more film on you

49. Just to say hello

50. Because you should try to always learn more about the program and university

What should I look for in a potential college?

As an athlete you have more to think about when considering what school you might want to attend then a normal student. You need to consider the normal things like the educational and social opportunities, but also does the athletic program fit what you are looking for. Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself.

Athletic Considerations

• What coaching style do you prefer? Can you handle coaches yelling and being high energy or do you prefer a coach who stays more under control?
  
• What are the athletic facilities like? Specifically, consider the training room and gym because chances are you will be spending a fair amount of time there over your four or five years.
  
• How important is playing time and starting as a freshman? It is very rare for an athlete to come in and play as a true freshman. Sometimes athletes choose smaller schools or other division levels to get more playing time.
  

Academic Considerations

• Does the school have your major or at least a couple different majors you might like to study? A lot of small schools have limited majors, but if the school has the major you want, it can be a great fit for you.
  
• Do you like big or small class sizes? Huge schools with 20,000+ students have classes with 300 or more students in a single class. Does that sound like something you would like?
  
• What type of academic support does the athletic program provide? Some schools have free tutors and additional support for athletes, other schools won't. Do you think you will need the help in college?
  

Other Considerations

• What kind of setting do you envision for your university? Can you see yourself in the big city like Columbia University in the middle of New York or more remote like the University of Wyoming?
  
• Do you want to live next to campus or would you be okay with driving to and from school?
  
• What kind of weather do you want to live in? You are going to be at school during the late summer, fall, winter and spring. If you don't like the heat or want to avoid snow, make sure and take that into consideration when choosing a school.
  

Five Common Recruiting Mistakes

The path to landing a spot on a collegiate athletic team may seem confusing at times. Here are some common missteps to avoid:

Being Overconfident
Don't assume that because you receive a letter from a school, or are the star of your high school team, you will be aggressively recruited. Only a few select athletes receive personal visits from coaches. You need to market yourself, following up with coaches to express interest and showcase your skills.

Not Being Confident Enough
Some high school athletes assume that because they're not stars, they have no chance at an athletic scholarship. They may be leaving money on the table. Although you need to be skilled at your sport to earn an athletic scholarship, you don't need to be the best athlete in your league or even on your team. Talk to your coach to assess your chances and get some advice on how to proceed with the recruiting process.

Making Poor Decisions Off the Field
You can severely damage your chances of earning an athletic scholarship by getting trouble with the law or abusing drugs and alcohol. Coaches will assume that if you don't exercise discipline and good decision-making off the field, you probably aren't going to on the field. Drugs and alcohol also dramatically affect the body's recovery time and double the chances of injury.

Letting Your Grades Slip
Schools want excellent athletes, but they also need recruits who can perform in the classroom. Do not assume that your athletic prowess trumps your academics. Do your best in the classroom at all times.

Relying Too Much – or Too Little – on Your Coach
Your high school and travel coach can be one of your biggest assets in the college recruiting process. Often, coaches have connections that can help you in your search. Experienced coaches are also good judges of talent and may be able to give you an idea of your level of competition. Don't forget to use your coach as a resource.

However, don't assume that coaches know everything, or that they will manage the recruiting process for you. You need to ask for their help, and you will need to follow up with them. Remember that they have a lot going on in their lives besides you. Few coaches will aggressively market you to colleges. Consider your coach as being a crucial part of your recruiting process, but not your only resource.

Do I have to register with the NCAA or NAIA?

In order to be eligible to compete in college sports at the NCAA and NAIA levels, you will need to register with their respective Eligibility Centers at some point. It is recommended that you register as you enter your junior year only if you know for sure that you will be playing at either level. Make sure you know which division level you are able to compete at before you register for any Eligibility Center; this will save you both time and money.

You should start researching colleges and universities so you know which schools you want to target in your recruiting efforts. It's a good idea to contact those college coaches and start conversations with them about playing for their schools. As you get into deeper discussions with them, you will get a better idea of where you are most suited to play. Then, you can register for the correct Eligibility Center. The NCAA and NAIA registration fees are $65 for U.S. students and $85-$95 for international students.

College Softball & Scholarship Opportunities

1,655 schools sponsored varsity level Softball teams during 2013:

						Athletic Scholarships
	Number		Participants *			limit per school **			Average team size
Division	of Schools		Men	Women		Men	Women		Men's	Women's
NCAA  I	292		-	5,933		-	12		-	20
NCAA  II	279		-	5,440		-	7.2		-	19
NCAA  III	399		-	7,047		-	-		-	18
NAIA	192		-	3,809		-	10		-	20
NJCAA	354		-	5,835		-	24		-	16
Other Divisions	140		-	2,111		-	-		-	15
Totals	1,656		-	30,175					-	18

*  Statistics report student athlete participation at the collegiate varsity level (including JV and freshman teams)  and do not reflect  school club and intramural sports teams. Athletic scholarships are not awarded for participation in either club or intramural sports.

Number of college athletic scholarships available for College Softball:
			Athletic Scholarships						Average Athletically based
	Scholarship		limit per team			Number of teams			Student aid per athlete ***
Division	Type **		Men	Women		Men's	Women's		Men	Women
NCAA  I	Equivalency		-	12		-	292		$               13,821	$        14,660
NCAA  II	Equivalency		-	7.2		-	279		$                 5,362	$           6,599
NCAA  III	none		-	-		-	399		$                        -	$                  -
NAIA	Equivalency		-	10		-	192		$                 6,431	$           6,791
NJCAA	head-count		-	24		-	354		$                 1,960	$           2,698
Other Divisions	varies		-	n/a		-	140		$                     342	$              474
Totals						-	1,656		$                 5,266	$           6,382

**  Softball is an equivalency sport for NCAA scholarship purposes, so partial scholarships can  be awarded to meet the limit per school.  For example, an NCAA Division I school can award 24 softball players each a 1/2 scholarship and still meet the  limit of 12 per school.  Additionally, these are the annual limits for the entire team;  so for a 4 year school  only about  25% of the limit per school  will  typically be  available for  incoming students. *** Athletically based student aid is the average per participating student athlete for all varsity sports sponsored by the specific school. Some athletes receive full awards, some receive partial and many receive none. Additionally some sports within a school may be fully funded, some partially and some sports provide no athletically based student aid. Private schools generally have higher tuition than public schools and the average award will reflect this. These averages are strictly for athletically related student aid and do not include academically based and other financial assistance that all students - including athletes - may qualify for. NCAA & NJCAA Division III schools  do not award athletic scholarships, but provide other financial assistance that student athletes may qualify for.

Chances of a high school athlete competing in College Softball *						Men	Women
Number of High School Softball Players						2,048	381,116
Number of College Softball Players						-	30,175
% of high school players competing in college						-	7.8%
Click HERE to see the list of all schools and what they offer

  

When can I visit a college?

Student athletes can visit a coach on that coaches campus at anytime, as long as they pay their own way. These types of visits are called unofficial visits and have become a big part of the recruiting process. Because college coaches are recruiting players during their freshman and sophomore years in high school, the only way they can really meet and talk with these recruits is on unofficial visits. Recruits are being asked to commit to schools before they can take official visits, so unofficial visits are playing a more important role.

Before you schedule a trip to see school and visit a coach, you want to make sure they are going to be available to meet you. Here is a checklist for making sure you are prepared to get the most out of your unofficial visit.

• You've already spoken with the coach on several occasions and they have asked you to visit the school or you have asked and they said you should visit
  
• The coach has reviewed your academic information and thinks you will be qualified for the university
  
• The coach has reviewed athletic information and indicated to you, they think you will be able to play for their program
  
• You have reviewed the roster and the program and you think the school would be the right fir for you
  

Going on an unofficial visit without checking all of these things first and you risk going to a school that doesn't present a real opportunity for you to play or receive a scholarship.

The other type of visit athletes think of are official visits. This is where a college coach can pay for you to visit the school. This type of visit is generally only given to the recruits coaches are seriously considering offering a scholarship to. In addition, you can only go on five official visits and they are only allowed to take place during your senior year of high school.

Staying focused throughout an injury during the athletic recruiting process

There is nothing more frustrating than an injury that limits your ability to play the sport that you love. It is one of the most difficult times to go through because you feel isolated and on an island because you are not on the field with your teammates. The hours and hours you put in over the off-season may feel like they have gone to waste when you start your season and get injured right off the bat.

The unfortunate thing is that in all sports, whether it be softball, baseball, basketball, or anything else for that matter, injuries happen. While you can try hard to prevent them, things happen and you can't prevent everything. But if you are unlucky enough to have been injured, there are some things you can do to stay focused on the athletic recruiting process even if you are sidelined.

Make sure to attend practices and any team meetings
Some athletes get disconnected because they are not part of the team bonding. While you may be unable to play, being at all practices and bring around things will make you feel much better.

Don't let your academics slip
A lot of injured athletes get depressed and don't care about school anymore. The last thing you want to do is dig yourself out of a hole when healthy.

Spend more time researching the schools you are looking at
This is a big one for the recruiting process. If you are not all consumed by the season because of this injury, figure out more about the schools that are recruiting you.

Work on putting a highlight tape together of what film you have
If your senior season was cut short because of an injury, look into getting that video put into a highlight tape. The more highlight videos that you have, the more marketable you are.

Look more into what interests you as far as academics go
If you have more time on your hands, look more into what interests you. Is it Science, Business, or something else? Think about what you want to do for the next forty plus years of your life.

Market yourself to schools that fit what you are looking for
Once you really know what you are looking for academically, start taking another serious look at schools that have the programs you want.

Listen to your doctors
The doctor is the one that will help get you healthy. Listen to him or her and let them be the boss here.

Don't rush getting back
Some athletes rush back and further hurt themselves. Keep that in mind before throwing yourself into the mix before you are ready.

Be realistic
If you have no Division I offers and have no senior tape, it may be time to start being realistic about the recruiting process. This may be your time to look at Division II and Division III or NAIA schools in the softball recruiting process. It may not be easy but you need to be realistic, especially if you get injured. No matter how good you think you are playing, no tape won't help matters.