About ODM Scores

The Allister Index is relied upon by college coaches everywhere

 

OnDeck Measurements is the recognized national leader in softball athletic testing measurables used by the college softball coaching community. OnDeck Measurements or ODM is the official testing arm for OnDeck Softball the authority in fastpitch recruiting. The individual scores, along with the corresponding players Allister Index (AI) generated from the scores using a proprietary algorithm, has become the single most important objective statistical measurements in the area of recruiting.

HOW DO YOU COMPARE TO YOUR COMPETITION?

A level I test is the highest protocol and returns an Athletic Index. The results of the ODM Level I test are put into a proprietary algorithm, and the resulting number is the players Athletic Index. This single number ranks that player against every player who has ever been tested. College coaches are looking for that Athletic Index number as they evaluate players in the recruiting process.

The results of these metrics have become an objective measurement that offers a clear snapshot of a player’s softball athletic abilities. College coaches across the country are using these measurements in a variety of ways as they zero in on the players they wish to recruit and offer scholarships to.

College Coaches and Scouts can log into their FastPitch Recruits account and see all detailed information including players profile data, individual rankings and more. All players can manage and promote their scores in their player portal.

THE LEVEL I

• This is the highest level of testing administered under the strictest of protocols only by ODM certified admins
• This test will return an Athletic Index and rank the player nationally
• The scores will be visible to all college coaches
• Scores can be searched and compared to current college players by college scouts
• Scores are visible on the player’s profile and can be managed in the player FPR portal
• Scores are added to and the player is ranked on the national leaderboard
• Players are ranked nationally by each individual test and as well by Athletic Index

ODM   SOLUTIONS

The real end game for ODM and these metrics is in Player Development! These scores are a true objective benchmark a player can use to better their skills. We created the ODM Training Solutions to connect the players and trainers in this effort.

A level II test follows the same protocols as a Level I however it does not return an Athletic Index. This is the first step a player will take in the development process. Level II scores are added to and players are ranked on a regional board so players can see how they stack up against their peers.

THE PROCESS

Once a player gets their Level II scores, they can select an ODM certified trainer in their area. That trainer is able to enter their scores into the FPR player/trainer portal. Goals are then set for the player’s development. The trainer will Level III test the player each month. This data is visible only to the player and trainer. Once the player reaches their goal, they will re-test in a Level II to verify their performance gains. See a step guide on the process below.

Once the player feels their scores are at a "Recruitable" level, they will get Level I tested and ranked nationally. Their scores will now be available to all college coaches and the player will use those scores to promote themselves to colleges.

ODM Player Development System

LEVEL II TESTS

• The tests are administered and data entered only by a certified testing center
• The tests are exactly the same as a Level I test
• An Athletic Index is NOT returned in results
• These scores are NOT made visible to college scouts nor can they be searched by college coaches
• Scores are posted to regional boards so players can compare their results to their peers
• Scores are visible in the players FPR player portal but are not shown on their profile
• Once a player is confident that their scores are at a "Recruitable" level they will get Level I tested

LEVEL III TESTS

• The tests are administered and results added only by a certified trainer
• No Index is returned
• These results are visible only to the player and trainer
• The test is given monthly until the player’s goal date
• Players can see their performance gains or shortfalls each month
• Trainers provide their players ODM specific weekly workouts
• Players are trained the correct protocols for each test

It is very important that every competitive softball player in the country get her verified OnDeck Measurements and her Allister Index. These scores are posted to the player's Fastpitch Recruits athletic profile so that the player can promote herself and college scouts can access the scores.

BE A RESPONSIBLE ATHLETE WHEN USING SOCIAL MEDIA

Student-athletes need to behave appropriately at all times and in all forums. They should be particularly aware of social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, or other emerging technologies. In fact, enough cannot be said about the importance of being aware of these emerging technologies. Anyone can post a picture of another student, and an athlete whose exploits are publicized on Facebook might lose a scholarship offer.

Follow these best practices when using social media:

1.) If you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it then Don’t post it.

2.) If you even hesitate for a second to post it, Don’t. There is a reason you hesitated in the first place.

3.) Make sure your default picture (and all others) are appropriate.

4.) Your Twitter handle and Facebook name and URL should not include profanity or slang.

5.) Privacy settings only go so far. Social media is public, always keep that in mind.

6.) Respect yourself and respect others. You are conversing on a public platform after all.

7.) The laws of the real world still apply in the world of social media, i.e.; underage drinking is against the law, harassment, hate crimes, cyber bullying, etc. Remember that teachers, coaches, teammates, peers, and other important influencers are watching and listening.

8.) ReTweeting profanity is no different than using it in your own original Tweets. Don’t do it.

9.) Avoid replying to, or ReTweeting Twitter users with vulgar names.

10.) Is who you are representing yourself to be online, who you want the world to see you as? Be a responsible social media user.

11.) Don’t allow a hater to bait you into a “social beef.” Ignore them and remember their actions are usually fueled by jealousy.

12.) If you don’t like something a media member wrote about you, your coach or your teammate, ignore it.  Engaging in a public Twitter of Facebook argument is a battle you won’t win.

13.) Consider opinionated topics off limits. Avoid commenting on sexual orientation, race, and religion.

14.) There are many other teams and student-athletes at your school. Take the time to give them a shout-out when they do big things.

15.) What happens in the locker room stays there. Things that are said in private team settings should never find their way onto social platforms.

16.) Don’t tweet or post during class. That’s like disrespecting someone (in this case, your teacher) behind their back. Always be mindful that your teachers may be monitoring your social accounts.

17.) If your coaching staff and/or athletic administrators give you guidelines to follow for Twitter and/or Facebook, be sure to trust and follow them closely. Your team and staff has your long-term best interests in mind.

18.) Your athletic compliance office is monitoring your social accounts. The NCAA has acknowledged that it monitors student-athlete activity on Twitter as well. Even if you don’t compete in a major conference or a revenue sport, don’t be fooled into believing nobody is paying attention.

19.) Multiple mentions of the same business could be considered an endorsement, which is impermissible according to NCAA legislation.

20.) Act as a representative of your sport and your team and always maintain a professional profile.

HOW COLLEGE COACHES USE SOCIAL MEDIA IN RECRUITING

College coaches want to know who you are.

They absolutely want to know who you are as a student-athlete — both a student, in the form of your transcripts and SAT/ACT scores, if you’ve already taken them, and an athlete, in the form of your highlight or skills video and descriptions of your role on your team.

But more than that, college coaches want to know who you are as a person. It’s sometimes called the intangibles of recruiting: who are you? What makes you tick? What kind of player will you be like on the team?

There are a number of ways you can highlight what kind of player you are in an online profile specifically packaged to show what kind of student-athlete you are. But remember that college coaches are also going to look at your social media accounts — yeah, even your Instagram account — and think about what kind of player they’re recruiting.

If you want to learn more about how to use your social media to prove to college coaches you’re the best athlete for their team, read about the 7 top ways you can use social media to your advantage in recruiting.

College coaches use social media to promote their programs to student-athletes

Especially with Signing Day coming up, college coaches and athletic departments are taking to social media to celebrate recruits joining them, and to stay at the top of other student-athletes’ minds. After all, your college has to be the right fit for you.

“Nothing has impacted recruiting more in the last 20 years than social media,” Nebraska director of player personnel Ryan Gunderson told ESPN. “It has revolutionized recruiting. Sure, cell phones have had a huge influence in the process, allowing recruiters to go mobile with their communication. But with today’s technology, cell phones are merely a vehicle for social media use.”

There are even more people than college coaches using social media to watch high school student-athletes.

And I don’t just mean your high school teachers or schools’ admissions departments.

Back in December we covered the story of Tre’Vour Simms, who will be making his written commitment next week on Signing Day.

What we didn’t cover — and I’m still not going to link to, because there were some pretty nasty words exchanged — was that no matter which tweets you clicked on, fans from both schools that Tre’Vour was considering were getting pretty upset about such a top recruit.

“The whole process was honestly so negative,” former Oklahoma State QB commit Nick Starkel told ESPN. “Fans hop onto social media and take shots at high school kids who are being asked to make the biggest decision of their lives so far. Some fans don’t realize that we’re just kids making a huge decision. It’s very disrespectful when you get tweets saying, ‘I hope you never succeed.’”

What can student-athletes do on social media to get recruited?

When we look at any social media platform, it doesn’t matter if you’re thinking about whether it’s a college coach, or a rabid fan from a rival school (or a really excited fan from a school you’re verbally committed to!) or a parent, or a teacher, or your great-aunt Sue: always make sure your social media profile is showing you as a model student, a model athlete, and a model citizen.

Coach Enquist recently wrote about the microbehavior of courage, where she said that the number one trait college coaches look for is courage.

By that she meant that coaches want to see a student-athlete who won’t just say no to partying — they’ll talk to their friends on the team about a bad decision they might be tempted to make, and convince others to make what might seem like the unpopular decision.

The same is true for how athletes who want to get recruited should use social media. It might seem funny to put a ridiculous gif up, or to join in a social media fight among Amber Rose, Kanye and the Kardashians.

But when you think about all the people who are going to be watching your social media account, and thinking about whether you’re the perfect fit for their college spot, staying focused to your school, your sport and how you’re enacting positive change in the world is going to do you far more good in your recruiting journey.

7 WAYS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

I’m sure a parent, coach or teacher has warned you about putting things online. Sometimes it feels like over time, various social media outlets have done more harm than good.

With college coaches and administrators heavily monitoring twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the other social media outlets of their prospects, we definitely hear more cautionary tales then smart social behavior when the topic comes up among collegiate programs.

But there’s good news.

There are ways you can use social media to your advantage when it comes to your recruitment. Like various tips on posting we’ve offered in the past, they’re all pretty simple.

Take a look at the top seven things you should do while you use your social media accounts so you’ll help — not hinder — your recruiting.

Search your name and delete old accounts

See what comes up. If there’s anything you don’t like the look of, research where it came from and get it taken down or taken care of.

Additionally, deleting old accounts minimizes different social media avenues that are putting your information out there – and getting rid of the ones you no longer monitor.

Follow coaches

Following coaches at colleges that interest you is good for a few reasons.

First of all, you get all of their updates so you can keep up with the team and what the program is up to. You can also get a feel for the coach and his or her personality. Even if they have someone else posting for them, chances are they have the majority of day over the voice and content they’re putting out there.

There’s also a chance the coach will follow you back once you’ve followed them, which could help you gain attention if you make the right kind of posts.

DM (Direct Message) coaches that follow you

While there are rules regarding when, where, and how a college coach can contact a high school student-athlete, a student-athlete can DM a college coach at any time. Depending on the time period or other factors surrounding NCAA rules, the coach may not be able to write the player back, but as with calling, a student-athlete can send a DM without penalty, at any time.

Take 30 seconds before you post anything

Ask yourself: “What is my message? Is there any chance this could be misinterpreted negatively? Is there any chance this could hurt my recruitment or reputation?”

Post updates on your recruiting

• Academic and athletic awards or accolades
• Recaps of combine/camp performance
• College visits
• Firm scholarship offers

Monitor the people you follow

As you do your best to keep your social media pages as squeaky clean as possible, pay attention to the people you’re following. A coach may check who you follow to get a feel for your interests.

If you follow someone or something questionable, or with a crass handle, it makes the most sense to unfollow them for the time being.

Be gracious and humble

Remember: posts you put online have little to no tone in them, so coaches who haven’t met you in person might not understand your sarcastic sense of humor. Plus, this is just a good rule of thumb at all times.