tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31178677279294182262024-03-05T10:58:24.591-08:00the simple prospectrecruiting talk for the rest of usAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-58966769194008250482016-09-09T08:48:00.000-07:002016-09-09T08:48:35.876-07:00How to Choose Between Taking the ACT, SAT<div class=" " style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;">Choosing which standardized test to include in your portfolio is, without a doubt, an important part of your</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;"> </span><a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/applying" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #2c7ef0; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">college application</a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;">strategy.</span></div>
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Many years ago, your choice would have been determined largely by geography. Students applying to Midwestern schools took the ACT, while students applying to schools on the East and West coasts took the SAT.</div>
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Today, however, most <a href="http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #2c7ef0; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">colleges and universities</a> place equal weight on results from either test. This ambivalence provides an opportunity for savvy applicants to play to their key strengths as a result of the different structures of each exam.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">1. Pick the exam that suits you best:</span> Research is the first step in choosing which standardized assessment is right for you. If a school on your list prefers one test over the other, then it is essential to focus your efforts accordingly.</div>
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If you have yet to <a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2013/09/23/create-a-to-do-list-for-your-college-search" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #2c7ef0; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">narrow your college search</a>, then you should focus on determining which test would allow you to excel most. Taking both tests is rarely the best option. They differ enough that your time spent studying for one will not likely improve your score on the other. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;">It is a more efficient use of time and resources to</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;"> </span><a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/test-prep" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #2c7ef0; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">focus on maximizing your score</a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 1rem;">on just one of them. An excellent result from one test will outweigh merely good scores on both of them.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">2. </span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span dir="ltr" id=":17n" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Assess your critical thinking skills and overall knowledge:</span> </span>One of the differences between the two exams is that the SAT primarily assesses reasoning ability, while the ACT focuses more on strict knowledge. Of course, there is some crossover in material.</div>
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Both tests, for example, have a math section and both require a solid foundation in geometry and algebra. The SAT is more likely to include story problems and creative application of the basic rules of geometry. The ACT, by contrast, tends to be more straightforward.</div>
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Additionally, the ACT includes basic trigonometry among the math questions. The main difference becomes one of problem-solving versus a wider range of tested concepts.</div>
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In the English section, the SAT places a greater emphasis on reading comprehension and vocabulary. In fact, it could be said that the SAT is notorious for its emphasis on vocabulary, to the extent that some of its study guides exist solely to focus on helping students get up to speed.</div>
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The reading comprehension portions of the SAT also present some challenging time management issues due to the length of the passages and the difficulty of some of the associated questions.</div>
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Although the ACT includes a reading comprehension section as well, it focuses more on grammar and syntax. As in the math sections, the ACT is more a test of knowledge than of reasoning and problem-solving.</div>
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[<a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/2013/07/29/how-to-select-the-right-sat-act-prep-course" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #2c7ef0; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Find the right SAT or ACT prep course</a> for you.]</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;">3. Factor in your science skills:</span> The final difference is that the ACT includes a section on science – a subject that is entirely absent from the SAT. For students with a good background in <a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #2c7ef0; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">high school</a>-level biology, earth science and physics concepts, this can be an opportunity to shine.</div>
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Furthermore, the ACT requires interpretation of graphs and charts, as well as knowledge of the proper construction of scientific hypotheses. The broader range of topics, however, can make studying for the test that much more challenging for students who do not already have a good footing in the subjects.</div>
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One of the best options for a student deciding which test to take is to take practice exams for both, either online or from a professional prep book. Be sure to follow the exams' formats as closely as possible.</div>
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[Check out these five <a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/twice-the-college-advice/2013/01/08/5-ways-to-improve-your-act-score" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #2c7ef0; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">tips to improve your ACT score</a>.]</div>
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Complete each test in one sitting while observing the appropriate time limits and other rules. Most students are able to do very well on the SAT when they have unlimited time to consider their answers – the time limits are an inevitably large part of the overall challenge.</div>
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When comparing your scores, look at the percentile results. Remember that raw scores – the number of correct or incorrect answers – matter only relative to the results of other students.</div>
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If your practice scores on each test land you in a comparable percentile, focus on the test that feels more natural to you. In almost all cases, however, your goal should be to center your efforts on the one test that plays to your strengths the most.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-56731487941063811412016-09-09T08:44:00.000-07:002016-09-09T08:50:08.494-07:00SAT vs, ACT<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUdqlJSlojsH_rGLt7ONjglEgscZzVhW5rYaudGKAorNq4Ph4vS-UuZVDBwfsevk1ZtQK6BC_M9Ilvhinp5HLpJmie3jR4qRR1dL5uAHDTK2ZrVYnd_bKqian6Z014rANmpQ7w_3eg3QV/s1600/2016-09-09_8-42-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUdqlJSlojsH_rGLt7ONjglEgscZzVhW5rYaudGKAorNq4Ph4vS-UuZVDBwfsevk1ZtQK6BC_M9Ilvhinp5HLpJmie3jR4qRR1dL5uAHDTK2ZrVYnd_bKqian6Z014rANmpQ7w_3eg3QV/s640/2016-09-09_8-42-11.jpg" width="552" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-23633631070779612192016-05-23T07:59:00.001-07:002016-05-23T07:59:04.545-07:00An Open Letter to the Athlete We Must Stop Recruiting<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a letter sent to a perspective recruit after the coach looked closely at the player:</span></h2>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear Prospective Student-Athlete,</strong></em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I received your introductory two-line email and read through it. I must say your first sentence was painfully familiar as you introduced yourself by first name only. I assumed if you were trying to make an impression that you would have paid more attention to punctuation, but my assumption appears incorrect. While your opening email failed to identify your last name, what year in school you are, where you are from, or what position you play, you managed to include your most pressing question as to whether our team is "giving out scholarships".</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A week later, I received a second email with full color resume attachment including your action photos, and a variety of links to related newspaper articles. Each of these items were compiled in an orderly fashion and sent out directly from both your parents' emails.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">While it took a bit to thumb through the long list of your impressive extracurricular activities, please thank your parents for putting this packet together and understand that it would have been far more beneficial for our staff to speak to you personally by way of an old school phone call. As my staff sent correspondence to your personal email, we have received only a return from your parents apologizing and explaining that you are simply "too busy to answer".</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As a word of advice, while many college coaches support parental enthusiasm, initiative taken by the athlete is crucial if you are serious about connecting with a quality program. Our staff explained to your parents that we would prefer to connect with you directly, but they continue to respond on your behalf. This will be a red flag for any coach, so please be aware of this feedback being a possibility from any of your other options.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When you visited the campus with your parents, the first thing I noticed is that they did most of the talking for you. However, when you did speak, you were openly correcting and verbally scolding them when you deemed their information sharing inaccurate. As a coach, an athlete who displays disrespect, especially to their parents, is a red flag in the recruiting game of analysis and observation.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As we toured the campus I took copious mental notes including a short ponder on how you were too busy for a returned phone call or email to our staff yet, your email-ready smartphone was all but attached to your hand the entire unofficial visit.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Upon your departure, our staff reviewed your stats, strength numbers and transcripts. All are impressive, but of course we had to see you compete. Unfortunately, the highlight film you left us with that was edited to perfection to omit mistakes, was unhelpful. </em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite my reservations, I made the trip to watch your game live so I could determine if your resume matched your talent. After observing only a few minutes of the team warm-up, I noted that you were clearly the most gifted on your squad. However, your talent was unfortunately overshadowed by the lack of energy and effort you displayed. </em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">At halftime, the team huddled up and as always when observing recruits, I honed in carefully on your demeanor and body language. I watched you walk in the opposite direction of your teammates and take a seat on the bench away from the group. You did not return to the team circle until prompted by your assistant coach. As the head coach spoke, I observed you break off into a private conversation with another teammate, rather than offering the coach your attention.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the second half, when you scored I noticed you waited for the other players to huddle around you and celebrate. In contrast, when a teammate scored, you retreated to your position without acknowledging or congratulating them.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You added much depth in the scoring category with some impressive runs but when you made mistakes you became vocal and eager to point out where your teammates needed to improve. You had moments of greatness but they were followed by sporadic lulls of half-hearted effort. </em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As you are the team captain, I found it disappointing that you did not contribute to the post game team discussion. I watched as your mother brought over snacks and saw that you made no effort to assist her in bringing those large containers of cupcakes from the bleachers out to your 40 other teammates. Last, as the rest of the team broke the field down and put equipment away, you found a quiet spot on the empty bench to text on your phone.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Perhaps as a high school-age athlete, these are behaviors you are simply unaware of. In a world where you are being taught the X's and O's of mastering a sport, so much practice and dialogue in character building is diminishing. I realize that you have been told repeatedly by many of your previous coaches that you are amazing in your sport. However, players like you, with similar demeanor are a dime a dozen. </em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Since you have been a star in your sport for quite a while with coaches and parents who have clearly allowed these details to slip through the cracks also, you are not entirely to blame. However, please bear in mind, none of this makes you a bad person only potentially, a bad teammate. The attributes I am judging you on happen to be far more important than any of your trophies, all-star selections or travel team accolades.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There is no doubt you are talented. However, from my experience, here are the 10 things I know about athletes like you.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Your incredible talent is the same talent that in your sophomore year of college will suddenly suffer an ego blow when a new freshman arrives with equal or greater talent. Battling your feeling of ownership over your position and feeling threatened is inevitable. </em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Rather than working hard to better your game, you are more likely to be the athlete that is constantly comparing your success to others rather than focusing on growth for yourself. This will become a tedious and exhausting process for your coaches and team to constantly have to reassure you of your self worth and value.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3. As those around you put in the work, rather than be grateful to be surrounded by a committed group of individuals who share common goals, you are more likely to resent them and seek out allies to split the team support in half and create locker room chatter.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4. In the event you see time on the bench you may not be emotionally prepared, willing to engage or support the teammate who is starting over you. Also, it is likely you will find it challenging to support the success your team obtains when they win without you on the field.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">5. When you become unhappy with your own performance you are more likely to blame your coach, teammates or anyone other than yourself.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Since your previous coaches and adult guidance have fallen short in emphasizing the importance of accountability, you will likely be that much more of a challenge for our staff and program to work with.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Aside from your time in college, the end goal of being a student-athlete <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">is to get a degree while playing a sport you love.</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If your goal as an athlete-student <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">is to get a starting position while earning a degree you tolerate,</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>your goals will be out of alignment with the program from the start. </em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8. Athletes who truly work for their program become stronger people who work well with others and are able to admit their weaknesses in order to improve. If I am forced to spend your first two years of college trying to catch you up on late lessons of being accountable and respectful, it is probable you will spend your second two years resenting me which ultimately leads to an ambush of bad senior exit interview feedback.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9. Athletes are treasured in the workforce and therefore, you are likely to land a job after you graduate. However, if you fail to get along with those in our program you are prone to carrying this over into your professional life. If you are unhappy with your boss or coworker you will be more likely to find yourself unequipped to work through your problem without soliciting complaining or quitting.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">10. By choosing not to recruit you, I am saving my team culture. On the bright side, perhaps if you are rejected this will be your first opportunity to face adversity and grow from it.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I recognize that it is possible you could change with guidance by coming to our program. However, the investment on my end presents high risk to the health of team morale, my livelihood and sanity. In my younger coaching years I believed far too often that many like you were capable of transformation. Over time, without consistent support from the powers that be, I have lost my fair share of those battles and have watched colleagues lose their jobs when athletes like you are unsatisfied. I am a great coach who takes so much of my success and failure home with me at night and am actively making the choice to choose ethics and attitude over talent.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Today I crossed you off my list as a potential recruit despite your obvious talent. Over the thousands of hours I have spent away from my family recruiting, answering emails, calls, official visits, watching game film and logging contacts and evaluations, I have learned from my mistakes. As a result, although the athlete playing right next to you has half the stats and three quarters of your speed, they are supportive, determined and selfless. This kind of athlete, will be our next signee.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Please take these words and advice into consideration and I wish you all the best.</em></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #232629; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 200; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px 0px 32px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coach</em></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-8963523143935188742016-03-21T15:18:00.006-07:002016-03-21T15:18:49.649-07:00About ODM Scores<h3 align="center" style="line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The Allister Index is relied upon by college coaches everywhere</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: rgb(30, 128, 223); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">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.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.2pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.2pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><b>HOW DO YOU COMPARE
TO YOUR COMPETITION?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">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.</span><span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">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.</span><span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">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.</span><span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 13.2pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; text-transform: uppercase;">THE
LEVEL I<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">This is the
highest level of testing administered under the strictest of protocols
only by ODM certified admins</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">This test will
return an Athletic Index and rank the player nationally</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">The scores will be
visible to all college coaches</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Scores can be
searched and compared to current college players by college scouts</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Scores are visible
on the player’s profile and can be managed in the player FPR portal</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Scores are added
to and the player is ranked on the national leaderboard</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Players are ranked
nationally by each individual test and as well by Athletic Index</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="line-height: 13.2pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; text-transform: uppercase;">ODM SOLUTIONS<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
<div style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h2 style="line-height: 13.2pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; text-transform: uppercase;">THE
PROCESS<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">ODM Player
Development System<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.2pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><b>LEVEL II TESTS</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The tests are administered and data entered only by a
certified testing center<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The tests are exactly the same as a Level I test<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An Athletic Index is NOT returned in results<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These scores are NOT made visible to college scouts nor
can they be searched by college coaches<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scores are posted to regional boards so players can
compare their results to their peers<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scores are visible in the players FPR player portal but
are not shown on their profile<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once a player is confident that their scores are at a
"Recruitable" level they will get Level I tested<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.2pt; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: -0.6pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><b>LEVEL III TESTS</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The tests are administered and results added only by a
certified trainer<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No Index is returned<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These results are visible only to the player and
trainer<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The test is given monthly until the player’s goal date<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Players can see their performance gains or shortfalls
each month<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Trainers provide their players ODM specific weekly
workouts<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3e3e3e; line-height: 16.8pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Players are trained the correct protocols for each test<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">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.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-89681574853381872572016-03-13T18:50:00.000-07:002016-03-13T18:50:03.291-07:00BE A RESPONSIBLE ATHLETE WHEN USING SOCIAL MEDIA<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Follow these best practices when using social media:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
1.) If you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it then Don’t post it.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
2.) If you even hesitate for a second to post it, Don’t. There is a reason you hesitated in the first place.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
3.) Make sure your default picture (and all others) are appropriate.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
4.) Your Twitter handle and Facebook name and URL should not include profanity or slang.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
5.) Privacy settings only go so far. Social media is public, always keep that in mind.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
6.) Respect yourself and respect others. You are conversing on a public platform after all.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
8.) ReTweeting profanity is no different than using it in your own original Tweets. Don’t do it.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
9.) Avoid replying to, or ReTweeting Twitter users with vulgar names.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
11.) Don’t allow a hater to bait you into a “social beef.” Ignore them and remember their actions are usually fueled by jealousy.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
13.) Consider opinionated topics off limits. Avoid commenting on sexual orientation, race, and religion.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
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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.</div>
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19.) Multiple mentions of the same business could be considered an endorsement, which is impermissible according to NCAA legislation.</div>
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20.) Act as a representative of your sport and your team and always maintain a professional profile.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-80837736286590618092016-03-13T18:48:00.002-07:002016-03-13T18:50:32.002-07:00HOW COLLEGE COACHES USE SOCIAL MEDIA IN RECRUITING<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
College coaches want to know who you are.</div>
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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.</div>
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But more than that, college coaches want to know who you are as a person. It’s sometimes called <em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the intangibles</em> of recruiting: who are you? What makes you tick? What kind of player will you be like on the team?</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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College coaches use social media to promote their programs to student-athletes</h2>
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Especially with <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); border-color: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; transition: background-color, color 0.2s linear;">Signing Day coming up</span></span>, 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 <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); border-color: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; transition: background-color, color 0.2s linear;">college has to be the right fit for you</span></span>.</div>
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“Nothing has impacted recruiting more in the last 20 years than social media,” Nebraska director of player personnel Ryan Gunderson told <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); border-color: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; transition: background-color, color 0.2s linear;">ESPN</span></span>. “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.”</div>
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There are even more people than college coaches using social media to watch high school student-athletes.</h2>
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And I don’t just mean your high school teachers or schools’ admissions departments.</div>
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Back in December we covered the story of Tre’Vour Simms, who will be making his written commitment next week on Signing Day.</div>
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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.</div>
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“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.’”</div>
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What can student-athletes do on social media to get recruited?</h2>
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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.</div>
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Coach Enquist recently wrote about the microbehavior of courage, where she said that the number one trait college coaches look for is courage.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-42126089316704024812016-03-13T18:39:00.000-07:002016-03-13T18:43:35.435-07:007 WAYS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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.</div>
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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.</div>
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But there’s good news.</div>
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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.</div>
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Take a look at the top seven things you <em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">should</em> do while you use your social media accounts so you’ll help — not hinder — your recruiting.</div>
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Search your name and delete old accounts</h3>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Follow coaches</h3>
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Following coaches at colleges that interest you is good for a few reasons.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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DM (Direct Message) coaches that follow you</h3>
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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.</div>
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Take 30 seconds before you post anything</h3>
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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?”</div>
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Post updates on your recruiting</h3>
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Monitor the people you follow</h3>
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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.</div>
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If you follow someone or something questionable, or with a crass handle, it makes the most sense to unfollow them for the time being.</div>
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Be gracious and humble</h3>
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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.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-51089716415224343982015-12-02T07:25:00.001-08:002015-12-02T07:26:37.196-08:00The Recruiting Liaison: DOs and DON’Ts for college showcases<div style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701961); font-family: "merriweather" , serif; font-size: 32px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 42px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
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I found this interesting article on the web re; a parent helping the team as the "Recruiting Liaison" during showcase events:</i></div>
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My daughter plays travel softball at a high level and I remember being very excited when I heard we were going to be playing in college showcases last summer. These showcases are talked about as a place where college coaches stand around with scholarship offers in their hand waiting to pounce on any athlete with a pulse.</div>
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The first time. We made our team profile sheets. We made our individual player profile sheets. The design was on point. Our logo popped. Our sponsors were proudly displayed. We had a file box separated by colored tabs with players names on them. We had a good team that could compete on the field. We had sweet uniforms. We had matching shirts and hats for all of the parents. We were big time. We were going to go and get some of those scholarships for our girls.</div>
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The first college showcase we went to, I sat in stunned envy of the coaches who were on the outside of the fence and the college coaches they were all talking to. Why were none of them grabbing the coaches from our team and talking to them? We were winning games, cheering hard, and showing our team spirit in the stands. What were we doing wrong? The answer….. doing all of that instead of talking is what we were doing wrong. I realized quickly but probably too late (for that tournament anyway) what needed to happen. Someone needed to speak to the coaches from these colleges directly, honestly, and to give them what they asked to see.</div>
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The next college showcase our team attended, I decided I would be the person to step up and talk to them. I remember that first tournament like it was yesterday. We were in Las Vegas and relegated to the less than desirable fields where lesser known programs are sent to toil with each other. After watching some of my colleagues work the stands, I had some idea of what I hoped to accomplish, establish contact. The tournament started early Saturday and we were beating every team that stepped on the field. By large margins. At this particular showcase, college coaches were put in a rotation and forced to come to the fields every 20-30 minutes or so. When coaches came around, I approached them with our team profile sheet, handed it to them, asked what they were looking for, and then offered up what our team had to offer. This particular day, we ended up playing a late game and couldn’t break a tie in a killer matchup. After 3 innings with a California tiebreaker, all of the coaches in the park were now watching our game. If you were to ask anyone there were no less than 20 and possibly more than 30 coaches at the game by the 9th inning.<br />
Let me take a step back…. the above actually happened and it was bonkers, but the thing I failed to mention was the work that I put in before we even got to the tournament. I needed to know more about the girls. Several had played for me when I had coached before. Those girls I know plenty about, but the ones I hadn’t coached went through a short but thorough interview with me. What are your grades like? This is the question every coach should ask because if you are carrying a girl on your team that has a 2.0 GPA, chances are, college softball is not going to work out past the junior or community college level. Would you like to attend a big school or would you like to attend a small school? Big city or little town? What do you want to be when you grow up? Have you taken the SAT? ACT? What was your score? Are you in any clubs? What other hobbies do you have other than softball? Once you have these answers, you can at least be honest with coaches about the things that interests them. I then went to the tournament website and collected the names and email addresses of every coach. I then sent an email to them announcing our presence at the tournament we knew they were coming to. Read that <a href="https://www.allteamz.com/sendy/w/h365Gno7B22urgiD0jdXnA" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">email here if you’d like</a>.</div>
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Now, back to the tournament. Here is how it went down. A coach walks up and has the school name on every thing he or she is carrying. Easy to spot. Because of my email research I almost knew all of the schools just by seeing the acronyms for it. BC, Boston College. NDSU, North Dakota State University. MIT. What? They play softball? Yes they do. I know them all and some I even know the names of the coaches.</div>
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The first thing I say is something I think will be funny and show that I am not trying to be pushy but instead helpful. “Hey Coach, my name is Ryan and I represent the coaches on the outside of the fence. They don’t let me on the field anymore” I’d say.. Then “I don’t want to hover over you but here is a team profile sheet for our team, if you have any questions please let me know. I will be over there sipping my Big Gulp and hoping you come and ask me about someone”. Occasionally, based on the non-verbal feedback I get, I will go further with the conversation. It seriously is about 75/25. 75% of the coaches want to talk or watched the video of one of our girls and knows who they are there to see. If they are engaged, I will say something like…. What are you out here looking for? When they answer, and this important, be truthful. If they say they are looking for 2018 graduates who play middle infield or pitch, don’t push your 3rd baseman who graduates this year. If you don’t have what they are looking for, just say so.</div>
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One of the big answers you will get from college coaches is “athletes, I am looking for athletes”. That is the answer I love. What graduation year? I will ask. Once I know that information I can speak about every girl on our team.</div>
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That’s how it worked. I spoke to 50 schools and our girls were talked to. They started receiving letters. They started getting invited to camps for the schools. Now, several of our girls will be playing college softball in the next 3 years. Some because of our effort, others because of their great parents and coaches. It’s been a journey and since I enjoy people (surprise, but college coaches are people too) I am developing great relationships with teams and schools.</div>
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Now that I have written about our experience I will close that part with the following.</div>
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DOs</div>
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<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Do find someone who isn’t selfish and only wants to talk about their kid.</li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Do find someone with the gift of gab.</li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Do allow that person to help you as a parent.</li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Do walk over to the dugout and tell the coach who the colleges are interested in. Most times in these tournaments we have the ability to put the same girl up to bat three times in the inning.</li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Do understand that it’s a showcase. None of them are worried about bad calls, close plays, or whether Susie struck out. They are looking for something completely different and if you don’t get that, then you will have a hard time.</li>
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Now for the DON’Ts</div>
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<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don’t allow the parent who constantly talks about his kid as though her or she is the next coming of Crystl Bustos or Babe Ruth be the person to represent your team.</li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don’t give a coach something they didn’t ask for. They need a center fielder and you offer up a catcher. Not a good look.</li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don’t pimp your kid over all other kids. I try to make it a rule that no coach I talk to will even know which kid is mine unless they are interested.</li>
<li style="list-style: disc; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don’t let parents dictate the job you do for their kids. If you have coached then you know that parents are not all moonlight and rainbows. Some will feel their kid is not being talked to because of something you are not saying or doing right. Ignore that. Before you started talking to coaches, no one else was. Do the best you can to know the players and be honest. If the coaches like the kid they are going to talk to them regardless. Just be fair.</li>
</ul>
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I am still learning how all of this works but I will tell you that I have had a lot of fun doing it. I have been told that I am appreciated for my honesty and my honesty, so far, has been a good thing for the girls that play on our team.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-89359213008234178772015-11-30T14:54:00.002-08:002015-11-30T14:54:26.671-08:00Great article: 61 Daily Thoughts Of A Student Athlete<article class="entry style-single type-post" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Article" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 30px; position: relative; transition: margin-top 0.12s ease-out, opacity 0.4s ease-in-out, height 0.2s linear;"><figure class="row carousel slide" data-ride="carousel" id="article-images" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px -15px; max-height: 452px; position: relative; width: auto;"><div class="carousel-inner" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 780px;">
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Image Credit:</span> <a href="http://www.cmuchippewas.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/14-quick-facts.html" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.cmuchippewas.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/14-quick-facts.html</a></div>
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61 Daily Thoughts Of A Student Athlete</h1>
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“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” Mike Singletary</h2>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Lainey Materise</span> in <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">The List</span> on <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Jun 29, 2015</span></div>
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Academics, athletics, extra workouts, mandatory events and a social life?! Juggling all these things is a hard task to do. Every day, student athletes all over the country are grateful for the opportunity they have to play the sport they love at the collegiate level. Here's a look inside some of the daily thoughts of a student athlete.</div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Snooze button.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Snooze button.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Snooze button.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Okay, time to get up. If I'm late I'll have to run sprints.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder when I can nap.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">What should I eat for breakfast? Apple? Granola Bar? Oatmeal?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I can’t believe the moon is still out.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Is everyone here? 1… 2… 3…</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Who’s going to call him or her?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I think if I blink too long, I’ll fall asleep.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Why can’t I touch my toes? I’ve been stretching since I was six.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder what we’re running today.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Nooo, not 300s!</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder if Coach is in a good mood.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Nope, not in a good mood. Here we go.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Did I forget to put deodorant on this morning?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Here we go, time for sprints.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Water. Need water.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder how many calories I’m burning.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder when I can nap.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">How many sets are we doing?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">The sunrise looks so pretty through the windows of the weight room.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Am I skinny, yet?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Driving with ice bags on your legs should be a skill on my resume.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Should I nap, shower, or eat?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Shower, nap, eat.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">No -- eat, shower, nap.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">No, no -- definitely nap, eat, shower.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Groufit or look cute?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Definitely, groufit.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Do you realize how much I’ve done before my friends are even up?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Shoot, I’m sore. Is it frowned upon to take the elevator?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">What if Coach sees… Guess I’ll take the stairs -- leg day, part two.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder if my professor likes athletes (game changer).</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">No, I’m not from Michigan.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Yes, field hockey is a women and men’s sport.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I’m not wearing this because I’m an athlete; I’m wearing this because I’ve been up since 5 a.m.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">When am I supposed to get my study hours in for the week?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">How am I supposed to get to practice on the other side of campus?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Running, that’s how.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I’m not late for class -- stop mocking me.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder when I can nap.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Still can’t touch my toes.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Woah, my ___ is so sore.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Coach seems happier (4 p.m. vs. 5 a.m.).</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Until that... sprints again.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ugh, this drill again?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder what ___ practices are like.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wonder what time it is.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">What should I make for dinner?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Probably, cereal with the milk from the weight room this morning.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I thought you said, “last one” twenty minutes ago?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Thank God the trainers are here. Ice is bae.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I have so much homework.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Eat, homework, Netflix?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Eat and Netflix, homework?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Homework and eat, Netflix?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Skip Netflix. I’m going to bed.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I’m exhausted.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Set alarm for 5 a.m.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">I wouldn't trade this life.</li>
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<a href="http://theodysseyonline.com/author/elainematerise" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #337ab7; text-decoration: none;">Lainey Materise</a></h3>
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I get way too emotionally attached to Netflix shows</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-91039709381319910682015-11-30T14:07:00.000-08:002015-11-30T14:07:04.934-08:00How To Effectively Email College Coaches<h2 class="title" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Gibson, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.16; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6;">The idea of getting recruited to play college sports can seem daunting. Many athletes and parents have questions about how to get on a college team and how to get coaches to know who you exist. While there are many ways to contact a coach, email is one of the most effective methods. It is non-invasive and gives coaches time to process your message and craft a necessary response. Here is our 5-step guide to maximizing your emails to college coaches. </span></h2>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">PREP</span></div>
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Before you start sending off email to coaches you want to contact, it is important to do some research. You want to find out about the coach and the team so you can send a more effective, personal email. It will help to show you care and that it is not just about you. </div>
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<li>Take some time to find out more about the coach and the team. Search on Google and Twitter.</li>
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<li>What are the coaches achievements? The teams? How long have they been there? Know the details! </li>
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<li>Figure out what you can bring to the team and how you might provide value. </li>
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<li>How many players on the roster already play your position? Have they already signed someone in your position?</li>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">EMAIL ADDRESS</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 1em;">
This may seem trivial and unimportant, but you don’t want to send an email with an address that is not professional. Avoid addresses that are unreadable and that have many special characters. The best thing to do is have your first name, last name, or both in your email address. </div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">SUBJECT</span></div>
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The subject line is the first thing a coach will see. Avoid making it too long, and keep out words or phrases, such as, “Recruit Me”, “Best Player”, “Scholarships”, etc. </div>
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Keep the subject direct and to the point. </div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">OPENING LINE</span></div>
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Use your findings from your prep here. Say something about them - acknowledge a recent achievement, show appreciation, something about a recent game. </div>
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Everyone enjoys something nice said about them.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">BODY</span></div>
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Keep it short and to the point, 1-2 paragraphs maximum. If it’s too long a coach probably won’t read it all. </div>
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<li>Tell them why you are interested in their school/program. </li>
<li>Include a link to your highlights. Have a full game tape ready to send if they reply and want to see more. </li>
<li>Let them know some intangible things you can bring to the team. </li>
<li>Ask a quality question, such as, tips for improving a certain skill set, good camps to attend, etc. </li>
<li>Attach your Athletic profile link so coaches can have a more in depth look at you. (This will make their job easier and save them time when they are trying to find social media accounts, and other relevant information about you, like your GPA)</li>
</ul>
Use proper punctuation and grammar and do not use slang! You wouldn’t believe how many people do not follow these basic things. It could automatically eliminate any chances you have.<br />
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Not all coaches will reply the first time and that is okay, they are busy people who receive lots of email per day. Sometimes it takes a few attempts to stand out and be unique. Be willing to follow up and show coaches your progress. Remember, it’s a process. Building good relationships can take some time.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-13187587768564271602015-09-07T07:36:00.002-07:002015-09-07T07:36:33.509-07:00Tips for Calling Coaches<h2 style="color: #333333; font-family: 'PT Sans', Tahoma, HelveticaNeue, HelveticaNeue-Bold, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 28px; line-height: 34px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="font-family: 'PT Sans', Tahoma, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1. Be enthusiastic and engaged.</strong></h2>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">Coaches are looking for athletes who are excited about the opportunity to compete at their school. Consider your tone, confidence level, and leadership ability while you’re talking to a coach.</li>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2. Before you call, it’s a good idea to practice.</strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">Role play with a friend or parent the conversation you expect to have. The practice should help calm your nerves when you make the actual call.</li>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3. Do your homework.</strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 0.35in; padding: 0px;">Research the college and the coach before the call. A coach will be impressed if you know specifics about his/her program.</li>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4. Be prepared.</strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 0.35in; padding: 0px;">Have a list of questions or a script in front of you when you call. Introduce yourself with your name, city, and high school. Ask specific questions about the program and your chance to compete. Ask the coach what your next steps should be in the recruiting process. Cover the basics during your first conversation with a coach. On second and third phone calls you can discuss more detailed information about the program.</li>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">5.Be ready to answer questions from the coach.</strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 0.35in; padding: 0px;">Phone calls give coaches a chance to find out more about you. They’re likely to ask what your strengths and weaknesses are, what other schools you’re considering, what goals you have, and what you’re looking for in a college.</li>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">6. Be persistent.</strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 0.35in; padding: 0px;">Coaches are busy, and you’ll likely have to leave a few voicemails before finally reaching them. Find out from the coach or an athletic secretary the best time to call. When leaving a message, let the coach know exactly what time you plan to call back.</li>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A sample phone call script is below:</strong></div>
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-"Hi Coach Moore, my name is Jill Smith and I'm a 2013 graduate from Chicago, IL. Can I get a minute of your time?</div>
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-"Great! Coach Moore, I'm very interested in learning more about your school. I received the questionnaire you sent me in November and wanted to follow-up with you to find out a little more about your 2017 recruiting needs."</div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">Go into questions from your list.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">Talk about something interesting or sport specific. For example, "I see that last season your team went undefeated, how is it looking so far this year?"</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">Before you end a call, always thank the coach for his/her time and inform them that you are looking forward to speaking with them in the near future</li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-76618370103937067732015-09-07T07:33:00.001-07:002015-09-07T07:34:18.132-07:0010 QUESTIONS TO EXPECT FROM A COLLEGE COACH<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The initial phone conversation is a big step in developing a recruiting relationship. Unfortunately, many prospects have no idea what to expect from that phone call. Here is some information to shed some light on how prospects in ALL sports can prepare for a phone call from a college coach…Before we get into what a recruit can expect from a phone call from a college coach, here are a few important ideas to keep in mind:</div>
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- <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The first day a college coach can call a prospect is not always the first time they have spoken on the phone.</strong></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; list-style: circle; margin: 1.5em 0px 1.571em 1.571em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Prospects are able to call college coaches at any time. The prospects that are farther along in the process might have already made phone calls to college coaches and spoken with them prior to the initial period which makes it permissible for a college coach to call the prospect. In cases like this, the phone call might go a little differently than for the prospects who are speaking with a coach for the first time.</li>
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- <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By the time the first day a college coach can call a prospect rolls around, many student-athletes already have offers!</strong></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; list-style: circle; margin: 1.5em 0px 1.571em 1.571em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This is very important to realize. DI college coaches in just about every sport have already begun to offer scholarships to 2016 (junior) graduates…and some might even be finished recruiting the class of 2016 completely. This has all taken place and coaches haven’t even been able to call them yet in some sports! This should be a strong indicator of how early college recruiting takes place and why freshmen and sophomore year are so important in the process.</li>
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- <strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Know the dates for your sport!</strong></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; list-style: circle; margin: 1.5em 0px 1.571em 1.571em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The first thing every recruit should do is to learn when a college coach is able to call them for the first time. Find out that date for your sport. If you are unsure when this date occurs, be sure to download the <a href="http://www.ncaapublications.com/Uploads/PDF/2008-09%20CBSA9c29e699-00f6-48ba-98a9-6456c9b98957.pdf" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 94, 153); border: 0px; color: #f68b1f; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color, color 0.2s linear; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="Guide for Student Athletes">“Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete” Here.</a></li>
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Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about some of the most common questions prospects can prepare for when speaking with a college coach. Obviously every staff will ask different questions, but many will have an actual script of questions and topics to assist the coaches in their phone call…It might be a good idea to have a script of your own, or at least some answers prepared in advance. Here a few of those questions as well as some advice for answering them:</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: How are you doing in school? What is your GPA, test scores, etc?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice:</em></strong> Make sure you are always aware of your current academic standing. Always know your GPA (both core and cumulative), class rank, and test scores. Even if your GPA or test scores are lower than you would like, be honest with the coach and let them exactly what you are doing to improve. Tell them you are receiving extra tutoring or taking a SAT / ACT prep class to raise your scores. The worst thing a student-athlete can do is simply not know their academic information. If you don’t know your GPA, what do you think a college coach will assume? (Hint…they are not going to assume you are earning straight A’s)</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What are your strengths as a player?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice:</em></strong> Do not be modest here! This is your chance to shine and tell the coach what you do best. Be informative and honest. You have been working your whole life to develop these strengths…be proud of them and communicate their value with answers that consist of more than one word.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What areas of your game are you working to improve?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice:</em></strong> While this can be a tricky one, it is important to be honest. Do not spend too much time discussing your weaknesses, but rather let the coach know how your off season workout is going to address those areas and how you are going to turn them into strengths.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What are your goals for the upcoming season?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice:</em></strong> This is something every student-athlete should think about. We encourage student-athletes to set measurable goals and write them down to hold themselves more accountable. Make sure to mention both team and individual goals.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: Do you think you are capable of playing at our level?</strong></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice:</em></strong> Always Yes! Explain why you think you can compete at their level or what you are doing to ensure you would be an asset to a team at any level of play.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What improvements have you made over the past couple of years?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice:</em></strong> Focus on things you have done to improve your game over the years. Do not be afraid to tell the coach how much better you are now than a year or two ago!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What type of scholarships are you looking for?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice: </em></strong>This is your chance to bring up financial issues if they will be a determining factor in your decision making. Be open to options and always ask about other types of aid besides athletic scholarships. Never directly ask for a scholarship, but rather let the coach know what sort of impact that need will have on your decision.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What are your interests or hobbies? Do you have a girlfriend, boyfriend, etc?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice: </em></strong>This is the coach’s attempt to get to you know you on a personal level. Remember, in many cases, these coaches are many years older and they are doing their best to relate to the prospect. Let the coach know more about you! This will help you connect on a more casual level and also give the coach something to ask you about next time you speak. Have some fun with this question!</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: Who is going to help you make your college decision?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice: </em></strong>Let the coach know who will be a part of the decision. Will your high school coach play an integral role? Will the decision be made by you and your parents? Are your parents involved? This information will greatly help the coach understand who needs to be included and involved.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">***This is the million dollar question***</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What other schools are recruiting you?</strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice: </em></strong>Let them know who else is interested…and be honest! If the coach finds out that many other schools are recruiting you then you will immediately look like a better recruit. Try to let them know about schools that are similar to the one you are talking to. For example, if you are speaking with the coach at Yale and you have heard from four other Ivy League schools, make sure you go into detail about their interest. No coach wants to lose a recruit to a rival school.</div>
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This is your chance to show off how wanted you are by other coaches with the hope that it motivates the coach you are speaking with at that time to take action. If you have offers, let the coach know. In order to create this type of leverage, you must have a number of options. If you are concerned about the number of options you currently have, be sure to expand your search and let more coaches know about you.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Q: What questions do you have for me?</strong></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advice: </em></strong>Be sure to check back next week when we explain what sort of questions prospects should be asking when they have the opportunity to speak with college coaches. This is your chance to find out valuable information…don’t pass it up!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-79911904467780362982015-09-07T07:23:00.002-07:002015-09-07T07:23:58.029-07:00ADVICE FOR CALLING COLLEGE COACHES<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Before calling the coach, a student should visit the college’s website to learn some facts about the college and the team. Does the college offer the athlete’s major? What are the graduation rates? What was the team’s record last year? How many senior players are graduating? An athlete should know all this information going into the call. If a student calls to inquire into a program at a school that doesn’t offer their major, the athlete will be embarrassed and the coach might be irritated.</div>
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Parents should consider role-playing with the recruit before the first phone call. For adults, the process seems easy: Pick up the phone and call the coach. But parents need to remember that their child is inexperienced and needs to practice calling authority figures. They should have their child record his or her practice calls. Play them back and help their child eliminate “ums” and “ahs.” A confident voice mail can pique a coach’s interest.</div>
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Contacting coaches one at a time is the next step for a student-athlete. Ideally, recruits will call those colleges that have sent questionnaires or have their name on their “recruiting list” since it will make the identification easier. That being said, recruits should also be empowered to call the schools they are interested in attending, but have not heard from yet.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coach’s Tip</strong><br />After five or ten calls, a student-athlete will start to get into the rhythm and develop confidence and comfort leaving messages. Practice makes perfect!</em></div>
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To get acclimated to the process, an athlete should start by calling those colleges who rank at the bottom of their list of favorite colleges. Recruits will probably be nervous, stumble, and mutter when they talk to this coach. By talking to a coach at their least favorite college, they will gain confidence for when they call the coaches that are higher on their priority list. Recruits can also call during off-hours so they are able to leave messages, allowing a chance to warm up to the process.</div>
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A student-athlete should have a list of questions, as well as a script, to work from when calling the coaches. Below is an example script that recruits can follow:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sample Script</strong><br /><em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Student-athlete: Hi. My name is Jane Student. I’m a soccer player at Boulder High School in Boulder, Colorado. I received your questionnaire last week. Thanks for sending it. I sent it back a few days ago, and I’m really interested in your program. I’m wondering if you have a few minutes to answer some of my questions.</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">[Pause and wait for coach to affirm his ability to spend time answering questions.]</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What GPA and ACT or SAT would I need to have a chance to attend your school and play for your program?</em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Have you had a chance to see me play? [If the student-athlete has not sent the coach a highlight or skills video, replace this question with: Would you like me to send you a link to my video?]</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When would be a good time to visit your campus?</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How many players are you recruiting from my position?<br />Thanks so much for your time. I just have two more questions:</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What else would I need to do to have a chance to compete for your program and earn a scholarship?</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the next step I should take with you?</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Great! Do you have any questions for me?<br />[Pause to allow the coach to answer questions, which the student has prepared for in advance and will be covered in next week's newsletter]</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I really appreciate your time, and I look forward to talking with you in the future.</em></div>
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The best way to improve your phone calls with college coaches is to establish familiarity prior to the call. This can be done by contacting college coaches at an early age and making sure you are on their recruiting list.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-81099729019850935912015-08-18T14:34:00.002-07:002015-08-18T14:35:12.712-07:00Just because you’re a standout athlete doesn’t mean that college will be completely paid for with an athletic scholarship.<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just because you’re a standout athlete doesn’t mean that college will be completely paid for with an athletic scholarship. Very few college athletes earn a full ride, but there are other forms of financial aid available to help defer college costs, especially if you understand the FAFSA. Here are a few answers to a few questions about the importance of financial aid and how to get it.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does an athletic scholarship ensure that all of my tuition and expenses are paid for?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not necessarily. The stark reality is that full-ride athletic scholarships are extremely rare. According to the NCAA, only 2% of high school athletes are awarded athletics scholarships in college and very few of those are full scholarships. Big money Division I sports like football or basketball offer full rides, but smaller sports tend to spread scholarship money around between athletes.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do I pay for college expenses if I’m only given a partial athletic scholarship?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you don’t get a full athletic scholarship you’re still eligible for other financial aid. That’s why completing the </span><a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #00b0d9; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is essential. Federal Student Aid distributes more than $150 billion of federal financial aid each year, and it’s available to you even if you’re an athlete.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When should I complete the FAFSA?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can apply as early as January 1 of your senior year. Many forms of financial aid are given on a first come first served basis, so completing the FAFSA as soon as you can gives you the best chance of getting some sort of financial aid.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What types are financial aid are available?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Need-based aid </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">includes grants, low-interest loans, and work-study jobs.Grants are financial gifts that don’t require repayment. Student loans let athletes borrow money for college expenses at low interest rates. Work-study lets students earn money towards college expenses through jobs on or off campus. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Note: The time that work-study requires may not be ideal for most student athletes.)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Non need-based aid</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> includes merit-based awards, and other scholarships not associated with athletics.These types of financial aid can be awarded based on a strong academic record, excellent community service and school involvement, or other special qualifications.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are there other resources besides FAFSA to consider for financial aid?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Absolutely. Ask your high school guidance counselor about awards and scholarships that your high school has that you may not know about. You should also get in touch the financial aid department at the college you plan to attend to ensure that you’re not missing out any scholarship opportunities.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are there ways to earn scholarships at the Division III level?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are no athletic scholarships in Division III, but that doesn’t mean that financial aid isn’t available. Many Division III schools have additional need-based and merit-based financial awards to help defer the cost of college.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-fd131c84-42bc-09ea-4067-9c771cd6d9d2"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-52251176191338045802015-08-17T16:56:00.001-07:002015-08-17T16:56:21.495-07:00How to make a great Skills Video<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">A well-made recruiting video is an essential
tool for high school softball players trying to earn college softball
scholarships. College coaches don’t have the time to see softball recruits in
person. That’s why a good skills video is one of the most important parts of
your online resume. It takes just a few minutes for a recruiting video to show
softball coaches what a high school recruit has to offer. For your skills video
to be effective, you need to know specifically what softball coaches are
looking for. In terms of recruiting videos, every sport is different. For
example, a softball skills video should show skills clips specific to your
position, but doesn’t require any in-game footage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">If you follow these guidelines and create a
standout recruiting video, you’re taking the first step toward earning a
softball scholarship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">How to Film:</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A tripod is highly
recommended. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ideally station the
camera 5 feet off the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The camera view should
not be obstructed (backstop or fence). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Do not move the camera
back and forth.<b> </b> Get the angle from a wide view if
necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Focus on the player
being taped so that they are clear and in focus, but not too close! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Skills footage
only. Do not send game footage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You only need to send
footage of yourself playing your primary position. If you are not sure what
position you will play in college and you film yourself playing multiple
positions, cut all the numbers below in half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dress in spikes, pants
or shorts, a tucked in shirt and helmet when hitting. <i><span style="letter-spacing: .75pt;">(A uniform is preferred – NO cut-off shirts).</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Position Specific
Inclusions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hitting:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The pitcher should throw
batting practice type fastballs OR use a pitching machine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Footage should be filmed
either outside on a diamond or in a cage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle behind
the catcher area film<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">30 swings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle 5 ft.
directly to the right of the plate for right-handed hitters or left of the
plate for left handed hitters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">15 swings <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Base Running:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Footage should be filmed
either outside on a diamond or in a cage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With Camera angle from
3B side of home plate (to show running form)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Take a swing and run
through 1B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Take a swing and run for
home run. (Sliding into home is optional). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Pitchers: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Begin recording these
pitches AFTER a complete warm-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">RHP camera angle should
be set up 3 ft. to the right and 5 ft. behind the mound to be able to see ball
movement. LHP should be to the left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We must be able to see
the catcher catch the ball at all times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 3 ft. directly behind catcher for half AND from the open side of the
pitcher for half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Log 20 varied pitches,
with fastball at least 5 of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Go through each pitch:
Rise, Drop, Curve, etc. (approx. 5-6 each pitch).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">20 mix your pitches,
with fastball being at least 5 of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Infielders (SS & 2B)</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Regardless if you are a
SS or 2B, you will need to take your groundballs at SS in order to maximize
range and arm strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 4 ft. to the left of the mound for half AND 4 ft. behind 1B for
half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">8 Groundballs hit
directly at you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">8 Groundballs hit 8-10
feet to your left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">8 Ground balls hit 8-10
feet to your right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">6 Slow Choppers hit
directly at you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 2 ft. behind the mound for the first 4 shots AND 4 ft. behind
1B for last 2 shots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Double plays - 6 Feeds
from the 2B coming across the bag and making the throw to 1B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 2ft. behind the mound show fielding from SS position & throw to
the 2B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2 ground balls hit
directly at you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2 ground balls hit 4 ft.
to your right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">2 ground balls hit 4 ft.
to your left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Infielders (3B)</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 4 ft. to the left of the mound for half AND 4 ft. behind 1B for
half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">8 Groundballs hit
directly at you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">8 Groundballs hit
directly to your left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">6 Groundballs hit
directly to your right/backhand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">6 Slow Choppers hit
directly at you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Catchers</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle 10ft
in front of the catcher<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Framing Pitches (5
pitches on each corner).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 2 ft. to the left and 5 ft. in front of the mound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Blocking Pitches (5
directly in front of you, 5 to your left, 5 to your right).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 3ft. behind the 2B for half AND 2 ft. behind the catcher for half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Pop and Throws to 2B (8
throws).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 3ft. behind the 3B for 4 throws AND 2 ft. behind the catcher for 2
throws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Pop and Throws to 3B (6
throws).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned 3 ft. behind the plate for 2 throws AND 3 ft. to the right of the 1B
for 2 throws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mock Bunts and Throws to
1B (4 balls up the 1B line, 4 balls up the 3B line). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Outfielders</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For all outfielders,
regardless of whether you are a CF, RF, or LF, you will need to take your
groundballs and fly balls in centerfield.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With camera angle
positioned halfway between 2B and the mound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 ground balls hit
directly at you and thrown to 2B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 fly balls hit directly
at you and thrown to 2B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 ground balls hit to
your left and thrown to 2B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 fly balls hit directly
to your left and thrown to 2B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 ground balls hit to
your right and thrown to 2B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 fly balls hit directly
to your right and thrown to 2B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Camera angle should be
positioned directly behind 3B<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 ground balls hit
directly at you and thrown to 3B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 fly balls hit directly
at you and thrown to 3B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 ground balls hit to
your left and thrown to 3B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 fly balls hit directly
to your left and thrown to 3B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 ground balls hit to
your right and thrown to 3B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 fly balls hit directly
to your right and thrown to 3B.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Camera angle should be
directly behind the catcher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 ground balls hit
directly at you and thrown to home plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">4 fly balls hit directly
at you and thrown to home plate.<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-83203648385977906532015-06-18T14:20:00.001-07:002015-06-18T14:20:39.355-07:00How to Write Letters of Interest for College Softball<span xmlns=''><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Your sophomore and junior years in high school are an exciting milestone in your softball career. This is the time you should start showing interest in colleges across the nation.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>According to ASA rules, a coach cannot physically approach you until July 1st, after your junior year in high school, but they <em>can</em> start speaking to you via written correspondence starting September 1st of your junior year. This means it's time to start your homework!<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Your college search must be active. Sure, scouts notice players at exposure tournaments, but you want your name in their head before those types of tournaments. You want recruiters to look for you, not stumble upon you as you're playing.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>A letter of interest is your first impression. You'll hardly get a second chance to evoke interest in college coaches so you need to sell yourself. Think of it like this: If you aren't your biggest fan, why should they be?<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>This guide will give you some helpful tips to producing the best letter of interest, one that will help you to stand out and speak out to the coaches you want to listen.<br /></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style='color:#0a3247; font-size:18pt'>Finding a College<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If you want to play collegiate softball, there is a school for you. But you may need to roll up your sleeves and do some work before finding it. The very first thing you need to have on hand is a college guide. Give yourself weekly assignments of finding at least 5-10 colleges that interest you.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Choosing schools is a process. You definitely do not want to be too selective, so make sure to widen your scope of interest. You'll want to start with your first-choice schools and go from there:<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'><strong>First choice</strong>: Find the schools you've always dreamt of attending. Even if it's a reach, there is no harm in trying!<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'><strong>Second choice</strong>: Decide on a division of play in which you can honestly compete and the location where you'd like to attend college. Locate schools that fit your criteria.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'><strong>Third choice</strong>: Venture further. In the same division of play, locate schools in areas you <em>might</em> like to attend college.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'><strong>Fourth choice</strong>: Keep Going! Sticking to the same division of play, find some schools in locations that you would possibly give a chance.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'><strong>Fifth choice</strong>: Repeat all of these searches for every other division of play.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>This process gives you one valuable thing — options. It will be a lot easier to play collegiate softball if you have numerous options from which to choose.<br /></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style='color:#0a3247; font-size:18pt'>The Letter<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>There are two ways to show interest in a college. You can email the college coach and fill out a prospective player profile on the team's website, or you can send an actual letter. In today's world, everything is electronic, so that might be the way to go.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>However, snail-mail letters are quite out of the ordinary these days. Even though each letter should be typed, a letter sent in the mail may stand out as a relief to coaches who sit in front of computers all day.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:#4e4e4e; font-size:14pt'>The Hook<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>A coach can do two things with your letter. A coach can be hooked and continue reading it, interested in you as a prospective player (this is what you want!). Or, a coach can get bored, having read similar letters a thousand times, and toss you into the abyss (this is definitely not what you want).<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Always ask yourself one thing when you are writing: What would make you want to read your letter? The answer is liveliness! Try not to write in a monotonous tone. For example, what sounds better?<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>"My name is ____. I have a 4.0 GPA and my time to first base is 2.6 seconds."<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>"My name is ____. I play for (team) and I go to (high school)."<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The first opening is far more likely to hook a coach. Of course not every athlete has a 4.0 GPA, but this type of introduction does wonders, so make sure to point out some stellar skills you have to offer!<br /></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style='color:#4e4e4e; font-size:20pt'>The Body<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The body of the letter is where you really want to sell yourself as a prospective player. Remember, these coaches read hundreds of letters every year so make yours memorable. You should list your positions and your hitting strengths. Are you an infielder? Middle infielder? Outfielder? Utility Player? Catcher? Power hitter? Slapper? They need to know exactly what type of player you are, so market your talents accordingly.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:black; font-size:14pt'>In college you will be a student-athlete. Your athletic abilities will put your foot in the door, but it's your academic performance — your grades and test scores — that will push you through to admissions. So before you get too preoccupied deciding whose colors you'd like to wear, remember that first and foremost, you are going to college for an education.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:black; font-size:14pt'>Lastly, study for those SATs and ACTs. These are very important tests for college admissions. Take them multiple times if necessary, so that you give yourself the best chance to get into the schools of your choice.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Coaches are looking for players who can perform in the classroom as well as on the field. In high school, make sure your teachers and counselors know your name.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Check in with your counselors on a regular basis to ensure that you're taking the correct classes, and keep your GPA up! Consult a tutor if necessary; in college, most teams have assigned tutors, so never be embarrassed to ask for help.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The next thing you want to do is describe what you can contribute to their team. Coaches love reading that a player is <em>coachable</em>. No coach wants a prima donna or an egomaniac, so make sure to include something along the lines of: "I play (position), but I'm willing to contribute by playing any position the team needs."<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>A coach needs to know that you aren't already assuming you're going to play the position <em>you</em> want. Their team is already comprised of veteran players. You might be able to take someone's spot after trying out and proving yourself, but don't assume it in the letter.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Conveying that you are a coachable athlete allows you to market yourself to a wider audience. For example, if you say that you are only a second baseman, it may give the coach the idea that you are only <em>willing</em> to play second base. This will essentially cause every team who already has a second baseman to lose interest in you.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Lastly, personalize each letter to make each coach feel special. Mention their colors, some school accolades, etc. Show the coach you've done some research on the team. What you don't want to do is make coaches feel like they're reading a generic letter that you've sent to hundreds of colleges.<br /></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style='color:#4e4e4e; font-size:20pt'>Invite Further Correspondence<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The last thing you want to accomplish in your letter is an invitation of correspondence. Rules prevent coaches from approaching you until July 1st of your junior year in high school, but they can start writing to you on September 1st of your junior year. Take full advantage of this!<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The last few sentences of your letter should tell them that you are looking forward to seeing them at your games and hearing from them about the opportunity to wear their colors.<br /></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style='color:#4e4e4e; font-size:18pt'>Your Signature<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>Always personalize your letter by including a handwritten signature. To add a little more flair, include a sentence at the bottom of your letter, quickly thanking them for taking the time to read the letter and convey your excitement in hearing from them. Just don't be sloppy!<br /></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style='color:#0a3247; font-size:20pt'>What to Include with Your Letter<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>There are a few things that should be included with your letter. The first is a copy of your current schedule. Giving a coach your schedule is an invitation to your games. This way, they know exactly when you'll be playing so they can include watching <em>you</em> in their itinerary.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The second item is an official skills video or DVD. A skills video gives your letter life. In your video, make sure you demonstrate all of your abilities. You should include pitching (if applicable), hitting, base running, throwing, infield defense, and outfield defense because remember, you are willing to play <em>anywhere</em>. What coaches do not want to see are montages of trophies and medals. You should also try to add background music for some pizzazz!<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The third (optional) thing to include is a player program. If your team's program includes something spectacular about you, go ahead and include it. If it doesn't, there is really no need to send it, since your basic information will be in the body of your letter.<br /></span></p><p><br /> </p><p><span style='color:#0a3247; font-size:20pt'>Good Luck!<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>The deadlines set by ASA for July 1st and September 1st are crucial to follow. Most of your letters should be mailed out in September at the very <em>latest</em>. There is nothing wrong with expressing interest as early as your sophomore year since coaches often have prospective players already in mind.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If you want to play college softball, there is a school out there for you. If you need help finding schools in your area, use our <span style='color:#02426e'>Team Directory</span> to find the colleges near you, and then venture further. It may take a little work, but you will eventually find the school of your dreams!</span></p></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-8754389130890806232015-06-18T14:13:00.001-07:002015-06-18T14:13:27.806-07:00If you are already emailing coaches but not getting a response, here is some advice on how many times you should be emailing coaches.<span xmlns=''><p style='background: white'><span style='color:navy; font-size:20pt'><strong>How Many Times to Email a Coach<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If you have committed to emailing college coaches, it can be frustrating when you don't receive an email back. Coaches are busy people and it is normal to not receive a response with your first email. If getting a coaches attention was as easy as sending a single email, the recruiting process wouldn't take much time at all. The process is hard and takes perseverance, you need to be prepared to email 250+ schools several times before you can expect to generate serious interest.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>There is a fine line between emailing a coach enough to get attention and wasting your time with a program who isn't interested. The following advice is based on years of working with athletes who have emailed coaches on their own and gone on to play college sports. The following advice is assuming you <span style='color:black'>have researched schools and are writing emails that coaches want to open. This advice </span>is designed to help you know when to keep emailing and when to move on to another school.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:navy; font-size:14pt'><strong>Email a Coach 2-3 Times When First Sending Emails<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>When you are first sending your emails to coaches send 2-3 emails over 7-10 days. Try following this pattern:<br /></span></p><ul><li><span style='font-size:14pt'>Day 1 – Email, complete the recruit questionnaire (if available) and follow up with a phone call<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-size:14pt'>Day 3 – Email again acknowledging the first email (don't send the exact same email from the first day).<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-size:14pt'>Day 8 – Email again and follow up with a call. Acknowledge your previous efforts to reach out and let the coach know this will be your final email until you have something new to share.<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If you are attempting to reach coaches during holiday breaks or the middle of the season, you can expect to wait longer for a response. I suggest waiting until after the holidays or busy parts of the season.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:navy; font-size:14pt'><strong>Following Up With Coaches Who Didn't Respond to Your Initial Emails<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If you haven't heard from a coach after your initial effort to contact them, you can continue to update them every 2-4 months. You want to send them updates on things like where you are playing, new highlight videos or updated academic performance. This can seem like you are wasting your time because you are emailing a coach that you aren't even sure is reading your messages; that is okay. The reason you are sending emails is you are exactly sure what is happening and you want to assume you still have a chance.<br /></span></p><ul><li><span style='font-size:14pt'>If the coach you have been emailing finds themselves at a new program they will be scrambling for recruits. While you might have not been the right fit at their old program, you are at their new one.<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-size:14pt'>If a program has several of the recruits they thought were going to commit back out, they are going to need to find recruits quick. You will be top of mind if you have been emailing.<br /></span></li><li><span style='font-size:14pt'>While a coach might not think you are right for their program, they can and do recommend recruits to other programs. This doesn't happen often, but you are looking for any advantage you can get.<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='color:navy; font-size:14pt'><strong>When to Stop Emailing Coaches<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>There comes a time when you should stop sending emails to a particular program.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If a coach has specifically told you don't qualify athletically or academically for their program, there is no need to continue to update them. The only exception to this rule is if you make drastic changes athletically or academically; if this does happen, you can try reconnecting.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If a coach has responded as said they are no longer recruiting for your class or position, there is no need to follow up. Keep in mind, some programs are finished recruiting for a particular recruiting class years in advance.<br /></span></p><p><span style='font-size:14pt'>If you can see that a program has signed a full class of recruits for the year you are interested in (this is more common at large programs) there is no need to email coaches. An example of this would be going to website like rivals and seeing that Oregon has signed a full class; there is no need to email them. If you are interested in these types of programs, you should be contacting them a year in advance at least.<br /></span></p></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-78116640076317496542015-06-18T14:09:00.001-07:002015-06-18T14:09:13.600-07:00Some guidelines for email messaging coaches<span xmlns=''><p style='background: white'><span style='color:navy; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:19pt'><strong>Sample Email to College Coaches<br /></strong></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:navy; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:19pt'><strong><br /> </strong></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>Email has become the preferred method for introducing yourself to college coaches. Just having talent, playing for a travel team and attending showcases does not guarantee you will get discovered. Using email and some hard work, you can ensure college coaches know who you are and how to contact you.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>The recruiting process is starting earlier than ever. In an effort to lock up the most talented recruits, the top colleges are recruiting and offering scholarships to athletes in the 8th and 9th grade. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from initiating contact with a recruit before their junior year of high school, but, they can talk to you if you if you contact them first.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:navy; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:13pt'><strong>Email is just an introduction<br /></strong></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>The email you send to a coach should serve as just an introduction. You want to show the coach you have researched their program, have the potential to be a college athlete and a give them a schedule of where they can watch you.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:navy; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:13pt'><strong>Guidelines for Emailing Coaches<br /></strong></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Personalize each email</strong> – If you don't take the time to personalize the email to the coach, they won't take the time to respond. College coaches receive hundreds of emails each week. They can tell when an athlete has taken the time to write them a personalized email and when someone is using a form letter, just changing the name of the coach and school.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Include the contact information for your coaches</strong> – If you are emailing a college coach before they are allowed to respond to your email, they need the contact information for your coaches so they can let them know they are interested. Here is how it works, you email the college coach, and if they are interested, they will contact your coach and let your coach know when to call them so you can talk.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Just your basic athletic and academic information</strong> – Coaches don't expect you to be a college ready athlete when you email them; they just need to see that you have potential. Include your basic info, there is no need to detail every award or stat from the last few years.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Let them know where you will be competing</strong> – Second to your contact information, coaches need to know where/when they can watch you in person. Coaches bring a list of athletes they want to watch at a tournament or showcase; they don't go there hoping to discover talent. They need to know where you are playing so they can add you to their list of players to watch.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:navy; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:13pt'><strong>Template for Emailing College Coaches<br /></strong></span></p><p style='background: white'> <br /> </p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>Dear [Coach's Name],<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>My name is [Your Name], I am part of the class of [Your Graduating Class] at [Your High School] in [Your Hometown and State]. I am interested in [The Name of The University] and learning more about your program.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>[Include information here about the research you did into their program]<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>I play [List your position or best events here and the name of your team]. Some of my best accomplishments to date are [list your top two or three best times, awards or recognitions]. You can view my complete online profile here [Link to your online profile if you have one]. Here is a link to my highlight tape [link to your online highlight tape]. Please feel free to contact my coach(s) [List the email and phone number for your high school and/or club team coach]. Here is my schedule:<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><span style='text-decoration:underline'><strong>Date Location Name of Event My Team Name</strong></span><br /> </span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>2/22/2014 Sacramento, CA Elite 7-on-7 Tournament Nor-Cal All-Stars<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>[List your GPA and test scores here if you have taken them]. [Talk about what you like about the academic reputations of the school].<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>I will be following up this email with a phone call. I look forward to hearing back from you and learning more about your program.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'> <br /> </p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>Sincerely,<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>[Your Name]<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>[Email]<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>[Phone]<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'>[Address]<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'> <br /> </p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:navy; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:13pt'><strong>Use This Checklist Before You Send Your Email<br /></strong></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Have a professional sounding email address</strong> – Creating a new email account is free; there is no excuse for emailing a coach using your baller420@aol.com email address. Make it something simple with just your name and graduating class johndoe2015@gmail.com.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>The title needs to make the coach want to open it</strong> – Include your name, position and graduating class in the email. Coaches appreciate being able to tell what the email is about in the title. <a href='http://www.athleticscholarships.net/2013/10/02/writing-a-subject-line-for-your-emails-to-college-coaches.htm'><span style='color:#323674'>For more on that, go here</span></a>.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Do proper research</strong> – You should know things like if there are athletes from your hometown on the roster, how many upper classman at your position, the team's record and the athletic background of the athletes currently on the team.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Collect the coach's email and phone number</strong> – There are several ways to get a coaches email address. You can use our free recruiting profile or go to the athletic website and look for the staff directory. <a href='http://www.athleticscholarships.net/2012/02/06/contact-information-college-coaches.htm'><span style='color:#323674'>Here is how to find a coaches contact information</span></a>.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Spell Check and use proper grammar</strong> – This is not the time to use "text speak". Have someone read the email before you send it.<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:#222222; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:12pt'><strong>Follow up your email with a phone call</strong> – The phone is the best way to get a hold of a coach, you should follow up you email with a phone call.</span></p></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-51074255044774616702015-05-19T10:58:00.003-07:002015-05-19T10:58:51.317-07:00Q&A - top questions from 5/19/15<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 12.8400001525879px;"><b>"I have an 8th grader who is a lefty pitcher. She will be taking all AP classes in High school. Will the AP classes help with her being recruited. Besides taking care of business in the circle she takes care of it in the classroom as well? Also at what age is appropriate to start sending videos to perspective colleges? Thank you!"</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 12.8400001525879px;">AP classes are great to take; however, all AP classes can lead up to a very heavy load so make sure your daughter can handle all of them. An “A” grade in a college prep class will look better than a “C” or “D” grade in an AP class. College coaches will look at the GPA quickly and unless that GPA is above a 4.0 they will not know if the student is taking AP classes. Overall, AP classes really help once the student is already in college. AP can count towards the student’s credits, lessening the amount of classes needed to graduate, and allow them to graduate earlier or take on more minors/majors (please make sure to check the policy on AP classes with the colleges you are interested in, they vary from school to school).</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 12.8400001525879px;">Being strong in the classroom is the most important aspect of recruiting, after all, your daughter is going to college for an education. Your daughter is a student-athlete. Student comes first. The smarter she can become in school the smarter she’ll become on the field and the better she will portray herself to the college coaches. GPA requirements are a big part of college softball, not meeting the requirements will make a student ineligible and a low sport GPA will make the team look bad. College coaches are always looking for a student who can excel in the classroom, so they can stop sending the student to study hall and focus more on maximizing performance on the field. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 12.8400001525879px;">You can start putting your daughter’s name out there with keeping her FPR profile up-to-date, putting together athletic profiles and sending emails; but, make sure she is absolutely ready for a video. At a young age she will need to look very good in the video. Also, keep it SHORT. Since she is so young, coaches do not want to watch an hour long video of her hitting off a “T”. Keep it short, keep it to the point, and make her look good. It’s never too early to start the recruiting process.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I have 2 daughters 1 going into 10th grade and she has been on her varsity team for 2 years starting first year LF and this year RF. Always has a great bat and I believe she lead with RBI's staying 4th or 5th batter. She has a GPA of 4.27. What would be the best way to hopefully have colleges looking at her. She also plays travel ball and normally plays SS or 3rd very versatile kid. My youngest is going into 7th grade awesome grades. She pitches, 1st and 3rd. Big bat on her as well. What should we try doing to hopefully get seen? Thanks for any input. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grades are extremely important (in my opinion – most important), so it is great that your daughters are doing very well in the classroom. Coaches love the idea of being able to pool an athletic scholarship with an academic scholarship. This also allows your daughters the ability to keep a scholarship in case the unthinkable happens in college such as a career ending injury. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As far as being seen, first make sure your daughter is on a travel ball team that goes to big tournaments and showcases where a majority of coaches are watching. Second, keep your daughter’s FPR profile up to date with all her latest stats, places she is practicing and playing, academic accomplishments, and any short clips of her playing. Also, if she is able to get an ODM certified athletic index score, this will help college coaches find her within FPR. Your younger daughter can get started on all of this as well just make sure that if you post a video of her, it is short and portrays how good she is. Don’t post an hour long video of her hitting off a “T”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And keep those grades up!!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-74119482419299902032015-05-15T16:07:00.001-07:002015-05-15T16:07:11.595-07:00Q: I do not know how to convert my GPA into Current Core (NCAA) GPA. Can you help me convert my grade?<span xmlns=''><p style='background: white'><span style='color:black; font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt'>Well this is a big questions and I can give the simple answer with this link:<br /></span></p><p style='background: white'><a target='_blank' href='http://fastpitchrecruitsconnectinrealtimereallyeasy.createsend1.com/t/j-l-dkqitl-l-y/'><span style='color:#808285; font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt; text-decoration:underline'>How is the NCAA Core GPA Calculated?</span></a><span style='color:black; font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt'><br /> </span></p><p style='background: white'><span style='color:black; font-family:Arial; font-size:10pt'>That said, we strongly suggest you use our partner service GradeCheck to guide you with your grades throughout your high school career. Even if you do not use FPR, this is an invaluable service for every student athlete! Go to your FPR dashboard and click on the partner services tab at the top of the screen. You get a great discount on their services. Don't find out after it is too late that your GPA does not meet the NCAA standards.</span></p></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-72661590146987258412015-05-15T16:04:00.001-07:002015-05-15T16:04:35.868-07:00Q: What is current weighted GPA and Current ncaa Core GPA.<span xmlns=''><p><span style='color:#4c4c4c; font-family:Arial; font-size:21pt'><strong>A: Grade-Point Average<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>The NCAA Eligibility Center calculates your grade-point average (GPA) based on the grades you earn in NCAA-approved <a href='http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/core-courses'><span style='color:#007dc1; text-decoration:underline'>core courses</span></a>. Only your best grades from the required number of NCAA core courses will be used. Grades from additional core courses will be used only if they improve your grade-point average.<br /></span></p><p><a href='http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/play-division-i-sports'><span style='color:#007dc1; font-family:Arial; text-decoration:underline'>Learn more about Division I eligibility requirements</span></a><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'><br /> </span></p><p><a href='http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/play-division-ii-sports'><span style='color:#007dc1; font-family:Arial; text-decoration:underline'>Learn more about Division II eligibility requirements</span></a><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'><br /> </span></p><p><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>Your GPA is calculated on a 4.000 scale. Numeric grades such as 92 or 87 are changed to letter grades such as A or B. The NCAA Eligibility Center does not use plus or minus grades when calculating GPA. Weighted honors or advanced courses may improve your core-course GPA but your high school must notify the NCAA Eligibility Center that it weights grades in these classes.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>In Pass/Fail grading situations, the NCAA Eligibility Center will assign your high school's lowest passing grade for a course in which you received a Pass grade. For most high schools, the lowest passing grade is a D, so the NCAA Eligibility Center generally assigns a D as a passing grade.<br /></span></p><p><a href='http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/DI_and_DII_Worksheet.pdf'><span style='color:#007dc1; font-family:Arial; text-decoration:underline'>Calculate your core-course credits and GPA</span></a><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'><br /> </span></p><p><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>Generally, you receive the same number of credits from the NCAA for a core course that you receive from your high school for the class. One academic semester of a class counts for .5 of a core course credit. One academic trimester of a class counts for .34 of a core-course credit. One academic quarter of a class counts for .25 of a core-course credit. A one-year class taken over a longer period of time is considered one core course and is not awarded more than one credit.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>To calculate your estimated core-course grade-point average, divide the total number of quality points for all of your core courses by the total number of core-course units you have completed.<br /></span></p><p><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>To calculate quality points for each core course, multiply the following points for each grade by the amount of credit earned for the class:<br /></span></p><ul><li><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>A: 4 points<br /></span></li><li><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>B: 3 points<br /></span></li><li><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>C: 2 points<br /></span></li><li><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>D: 1 point<br /></span></li></ul><p><span style='color:#007dc1; font-family:Arial; font-size:18pt'><strong>Examples<br /></strong></span></p><ul><li><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'> An A grade (4 points) for a trimester course (0.34 units): 4 points x 0.34 units = 1.36 total quality points<br /></span></li><li><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>An A grade (4 points) for a semester course (0.50 units): 4 points x 0.50 units = 2.00 total quality points<br /></span></li><li><span style='color:#838383; font-family:Arial'>An A grade (4 points) for a full-year course (1.00 units): 4 points x 1.00 units = 4.00 quality points<br /></span></li></ul></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-25605896358414110022015-05-13T10:08:00.001-07:002015-05-13T10:08:38.147-07:00Wednesday Legends: NCAA Softball Sportsmanship that Brought a Team to Tears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-66603574256321684182015-05-06T10:51:00.001-07:002015-05-06T10:51:44.485-07:00Wednesday Legends: ESPN Joan Joyce -The Best Ted Williams Ever Faced<div class="article-byline" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
By Dave Scheiber | Aug 5, 2011</div>
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BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Joan Joyce still remembers the night in vivid detail. The twilight sky above Municipal Stadium in Waterbury, Conn., was clear, the summer air thick with humidity and growing excitement on that August evening in 1961.</div>
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Some 17,000 spectators from in and around the working-class, metal-manufacturing city packed the old minor league ballpark. The 1930s-era park seated only half that number, so the crowd spilled onto the field, 10 rows deep, for a glimpse of history in the making.</div>
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It was a showdown, pitting the man long known as baseball's best hitter, Ted Williams, against a woman regarded as the best pitcher in softball, a fiery 20-year-old sporting the uniform of the national champion Raybestos Brakettes.</div>
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<span class="media-responsive loaded" data-alt="Joan Joyce" data-height="187" data-raw-height="200" data-raw-width="300" data-scale="fit" data-src="/photo/2011/0804/espnw_joyce_300.jpg" data-width="284" style="background: none; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 187.4375px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Joan Joyce" class="img-responsive" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0804/espnw_joyce_300.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.5s; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 187.4375px; left: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: auto; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 0px; transition: opacity 0.5s; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></div>
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Courtesy of Florida Atlantic University athletics</div>
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Joan Joyce, now 70, won 753 games as a pitcher and has 714 victories as softball coach at Florida Atlantic University.</div>
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Fifty years to the month later, Joyce sat behind the desk of her office at Florida Atlantic University, her eyes still the same piercing blue that Williams saw from the batter's box.</div>
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She recounted an event that to this day transcends the jaw-dropping statistics she amassed in a career as perhaps the greatest female softball player ever: a 753-42 win-loss record, 150 no-hitters and 50 perfect games, a record 42 wins in a season (including 38 shutouts), a lifetime earned run average of 0.09, and a batting average of .324.</div>
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The night she struck out the Splendid Splinter with her signature slingshot delivery was one of the many ways she propelled the national profile of women's softball for generations to come.</div>
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"I remember the crowd going crazy -- but after all, it was in my hometown," she said with a smile. "In my opinion, that's what made me famous more than anything."</div>
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The moment forever shaped her legendary athletic résumé, a résumé that includes 19 years on the LPGA tour, a sensational run in basketball as a member of the U.S. national team (including setting a single-game scoring record in 1964 with 67 points), a volleyball stint as a player and coach for the Connecticut Clippers and enshrinement in both the Amateur Softball Association of America National Softball Hall of Fame and the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame.</div>
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"Joan Joyce is the greatest player who ever played the game," said Johnny Stratton, her longtime coach with the Brakettes. Stratton's wife, Micki, caught for Joyce the night she stymied Williams. "She dominated the sport for 24 years. And her name is the biggest name in softball ever. But she was tops at everything -- volleyball, basketball, bowling, shooting pool, pingpong, cards -- it didn't make any difference. She'd always beat you."</div>
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"I remember Joan coaching us in the national volleyball tournament, and she'd also have her softball glove with her," said Debbie Chin, one of Joyce's former volleyball stars and now athletic director at the University of New Haven. "And somebody would have to catch for her to get her ready for softball season. She was an absolutely phenomenal athlete -- a Babe Didrikson Zaharias."</div>
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There is also Joyce's legacy as a championship softball coach at FAU. Joyce built the program from scratch in 1995, and has never had a losing season in 18 years. "Knock on wood," she said, rapping her knuckles on a desk covered with scouting reports and files for softball and the successful golf program she's coached since 1996.</div>
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Almost every inch of the office walls is covered with plaques and trophies reflecting the Owls' accomplishments under her guidance, highlighted by 10 conference championships, six Coach of the Year awards and 714 victories -- a nice bookend to all those pitching wins.</div>
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These days, you're lucky to catch Joyce in the modern, sand-colored structure housing FAU's sports offices and overlooking a state-of-the-art softball stadium ringed by palm trees. At 70, she shows no signs of slowing down, frequently traveling the state to recruit potential players now involved in summer leagues. But there's one constant with high school girls she speaks to about FAU. They have no idea of her claim to fame from that night a half century ago.</div>
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The tale of how Williams agreed to take part in that charity exhibition contest is etched in Waterbury sporting lore.</div>
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But to appreciate the details of what happened next, you need to know the story of a little girl and the competitive flame that burned inside her.</div>
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Her parents, Joe and Jean, worked at factories in town and had overlapping shifts -- with her dad often at home with the kids during the day. A talented softball and basketball player, Joe liked to take Joan and younger brother Joe Jr. outside to play ball.</div>
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"He'd always take us to the fields, from when we were in push carriages," she said. "And as we got older, we were playing softball and basketball all the time."</div>
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Their dad also brought them to many of his own games. They were always the first to run on the court after a basketball contest to scoop up the ball and shoot it around, or the first to run onto the softball diamond to play catch after the final out.</div>
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Joyce quickly displayed natural athletic ability. She excelled in local recreation leagues from age 10-12, dabbling with pitching, even though she had no grasp of the technique and didn't throw fast.</div>
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But as luck had it, one of the pitchers from her father's team was a mailman named Tony Marinara. During the summer, Joyce would race up the hill to meet him and help deliver the mail on his route, just so he'd have 10-15 minutes to throw the ball around with her when he reached her house.</div>
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"I'd pitch, but mostly we just threw the ball," she recalled. "And I remember him one time saying to me, 'When you get a little older, you should probably try out for the Brakettes.'"</div>
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That was the women's softball team, 35-40 miles away in Stratford. Joyce didn't think much about the suggestion at the time, because her thoughts had shifted to baseball and her brother's Little League team. She began by tagging along to his practices, but decided to try out -- and made the squad as a catcher.</div>
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"The first game that we played, I hit a triple and a single and did very well -- and they decided that girls couldn't play on the team after that," she said.</div>
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The ruling stung, but did nothing to douse the fire inside. If anything, it made her more determined. A year later, Joyce, 13, was a high school freshman and soon excelled on an intramural girls' basketball team. One of the older standouts on the squad, a girl named Bev, asked if she played softball, too. After a game of catch, Bev saw that Joyce had talent and said, "You need to come down and try out for the Brakettes."</div>
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That made <i style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">two</i> people who'd mentioned the Brakettes. This time, Joyce listened, because Bev was a member of the team herself.</div>
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Raybestos was a big brake liner company that sponsored men's and women's softball teams. Both were the best in Connecticut and perennially among the top teams in the country. Joyce tried out as a second baseman and outfielder -- and made it. That was the easy part. The challenge was convincing her mother to let her play, and she succeeded only when Bev's family agreed to drive her to and from practices and games.</div>
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She started playing at age 14 and never looked back. Though she didn't pitch that first season, Joyce gradually got her chances.</div>
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"I wasn't very good," she said. "I used the traditional windmill delivery, and I could throw it fast, but I was wild. And I didn't like it."</div>
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But she stuck with it, throwing batting practice and getting sent in for mop-up duty in blowout wins. By the time she was 16, she was a starter for the powerhouse team, going 11-1. But the turning point came a year later in 1958, when she was on the Raybestos field one day, preparing for the new season.</div>
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"They were getting ready for a Little League opener that afternoon on the field, and dressing it up with bunting all around the park," she said. "And there was this fellow up on a pole, doing his work hanging the buntings. And I was pitching down below. He hollered down to me, 'Have you ever tried to throw slingshot?' I didn't even know what that was. He came down off the ladder and showed me how to do it."</div>
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The man was Cannonball Baker, a standout softball pitcher and future member of the Connecticut Hall of Fame, and he knew a few things about pitching motions. Unlike the over-the-top windmill style, the slingshot delivery started with Joyce's right hand outstretched high behind her, then whipping the ball with a hard flick as it crossed her hip. Baker gave her a 15-minute lesson, and told her he thought she'd get better velocity with the slingshot.</div>
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"I wouldn't say I was an accomplished pitcher with the windmill motion," she said. "So I thought, 'What the heck? I might as well try this.' And I did. I stayed with that motion -- and it was the whole difference in my career."</div>
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Later in that '58 season, Joyce pitched in her first national tournament with the Brakettes, and threw a no-hitter. Her prowess with the slingshot soon made her the dominant pitcher on the scene. And ultimately, that's what led her to cross paths with a baseball icon in the summer of '61.</div>
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Every year the Waterbury police department set out to raise money for "The Jimmy Fund," a charity to help kids suffering from cancer.</div>
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They held out buckets on Main Street and staged fund-raising games that featured baseball galore, highlighted by Raybestos' various teams playing on different nights at Municipal Stadium.</div>
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One of the police officers had an idea for a way to increase attendance: Invite the great Ted Williams to make an appearance at an exhibition game. Williams had retired the year before, famously bowing out at the end of the 1960 season with a home run in his last at-bat, No. 521 in his career. But he ran a baseball camp in Massachusetts and perhaps would be open to the idea of participating for a good cause.Williams agreed to a meeting with the committee.</div>
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"So they called me and asked if I'd go with them, and I said yes," Joyce said. "They had me bring my uniform, glove and spikes, and Ted set up a time in the morning for me to pitch to a bunch of the counselors, and also him. At the time, I was having a little problem with my arm -- we were getting close to going to the national tournament and it was a concern. I'd get this shooting pain."</div>
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But Joyce went with the group anyway, and she pitched, while trying to not overdo it because of her arm injury.</div>
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"Some of them hit the ball, some didn't -- and then Ted came up, and he hit the ball, too," she said. "I don't know if I was just being too careful or what. But afterward, we were walking up a hill to have lunch with him and discuss having him come to Waterbury. He's walking in front of me and halfway up there, he stops and turns around to me and goes, 'How'd you throw that curveball?'"</div>
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Joyce took the ball from her glove and demonstrated how she gripped and spun it.</div>
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"He looks at me and says, 'Girls shouldn't know that.' I looked at him and I said, 'This girl does know that.'"</div>
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Maybe Williams liked the way she had stood her ground. Minutes later over lunch, he agreed to take part in the fund-raiser, and to bat against Joyce as part of it.</div>
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The August date was set, and Williams arrived for a big luncheon to kick off the festivities. Joyce's coach sat next to the star and made small talk. Among the things Williams told him was that he didn't like high, tight inside pitches.</div>
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"So my coach comes to me and tells me this," Joyce said. "I looked at him and said, 'Ted is just trying to set me up, because he knows you'll come back and tell me.' So I said, 'He's not gonna get a high, inside pitch. He's got the best eyes in baseball. If he's going to hit me, he's going to have to hit my drop ball, which is down and away.'"</div>
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That night, a parade preceded the much-publicized exhibition. Dom DiMaggio, Joe's younger brother and a seven-time All-Star for the Red Sox, and a former American League pitcher named Spec Shea showed up to take part. Williams took Joyce aside and asked her to take it easy on DiMaggio, because he couldn't see out of his left eye.</div>
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"He said 'Just warm up and let him hit, and then you can throw hard to me,' so I accommodated him and Dom hit the ball pretty well," she said.</div>
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Then it was time for Teddy Ballgame to step to the plate: one intense competitor squaring off against another. But this time, Joyce wasn't holding back the way she had due to her sore arm. And she wasn't taking it easy as she had against DiMaggio.</div>
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The balls came whipping in at a speed Williams wasn't prepared for. Joyce says her pitches, from some 40 feet away, were in the 70-mph range -- and a test later conducted at the University of Southern California calculated her pitch speed at the baseball equivalent of 119 mph. Essentially, Williams would have to start his swing at the moment she released the ball to have a prayer of hitting it.</div>
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"I had him up there for 10 to 15 minutes, and he fouled off three pitches," she said. "And finally, he threw the bat down and said, 'I can't hit this.' I gave him some rise balls, but they were out of the zone and I knew he wouldn't swing at those 'cause his eyes were so good. Then, I went to my drop ball."</div>
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He swung -- and missed -- repeatedly.</div>
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"You know, I had really mixed emotions about it," she said. "I thought, 'Maybe I should have let him hit a couple -- just for the show.' But I was too competitive. I've always said that if my mother put a bat in her hands and came up to hit, I'd have to strike her out, too."</div>
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Joyce and Williams would meet on the diamond one more time, on the night of Aug. 5, 1966, several weeks after he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. It was another event for "The Jimmy Fund" in Waterbury, and it almost didn't happen due to a knee injury Joyce had suffered.</div>
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Williams said he'd only show up if she did, so organizers pleaded with her, and she relented. Unfortunately for Williams, he fared no better the second time around -- taking one pitch for a ball, then swinging at air on three risers. But to show there were no hard feelings, he gave Joyce a hug at the mound, waved to the large crowd and left -- still hitless.</div>
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Years later, Joyce met a man who fished with Williams in the Florida Keys. The man said he had once asked Williams to name the toughest pitcher he ever faced. "And he said, you won't believe this, but it was a girl."</div>
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Joyce laughs at the story. She takes it as high praise from a man whose lasting respect she had earned with her burning desire to be the best.</div>
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Williams had his collection of amazing numbers, including being the last man in baseball to surpass .400 in a season. Joyce had her own: an eight-time MVP of the national tournament, most innings pitched in a game (29), 15-time All-America selection and the 1971 national batting champion at .467.</div>
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Williams went on to earn new acclaim in another pursuit, fishing; Joyce did the same with golf. She picked up the game at age 35 in 1975, earned her tour card in 1977 and played on the LPGA tour until 1995, when she came to FAU. Among her achievements: a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records for lowest number of putts in a single round for either women or men – 17, and her ability to drive the ball like few other women at the time could do, launching shots in excess of 275 yards.</div>
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Joyce feels a sense of pride in helping usher in the power era of women's golf, causing tournament officials to start marking golf courses differently. Former LPGA star Jane Blaylock concurs, but takes it a step further.</div>
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"Her power game was amazing and caught attention -- though JoAnne Carner had been a long ball hitter and there had been a couple of others, going back to the Babe (Didrikson Zaharias)," Blaylock says. "But the most impressive things is that she took up the game so late in life and had not grown up as a golfer, so to speak. She had a great combination of power and finesse.</div>
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"And what's astonishing is the fact that she holds the record on the LPGA and PGA for fewest putts in a round. She was the athlete of the century I think in many people's opinion -- a lot of athletes try to take up the game of golf and do okay but certainly were not as successful as Joan was. Look at Michael Jordan. Look at Tony Romo. The success she had on the fairway was pretty remarkable."</div>
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None of that generated as much attention as striking out Williams. Yet her greatest contribution to women's softball came through her prowess with the Brakettes. She led them with her unblemished 42-win season of 1974 to the first world championship by an American team by throwing a no-hitter and 1-hitter against an offensive powerhouse from Australia, then facing Japan in the championship game.</div>
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Japan's players tried to distract her by wearing helmets at the plate in an era when they weren't worn in the women's game. The tactic backfired.</div>
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"You want to distract me? I don't think so," she said. Joyce allowed one bunt single, and led her team to victory.</div>
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It was a precursor to the dominance that the U.S. women's softball program has exhibited on the world stage for decades. A year before the first gold-medal effort in the 1996 Olympics, Joyce took her young first-year team from FAU to watch the U.S. squad practice in Orlando. Her excited players asked if they could get autographs afterward, and Joyce assured them they could.</div>
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But when practice ended, members of the U.S. squad saw Joyce, and immediately surrounded her, asking for <i style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">her</i> autograph and an impromptu demonstration of the slingshot delivery that, for some reason, never caught on after Joyce retired.</div>
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The slingshot that felled a Goliath 50 years ago.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-4176156431899219762015-05-04T09:20:00.001-07:002015-05-04T09:20:42.378-07:00Mental Toughness of the Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02466580510710791289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117867727929418226.post-55864636593019110892015-04-29T14:45:00.000-07:002015-04-29T14:45:54.384-07:00The History of Softball - One of America's Favorite Pastimes <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue Light', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnAJBbeel2kKRIKOGFUL9jpcv3HOQJgn3xPLoaFqXCtn2PKXWtR-V8PcQTFw0haazJjwdOuxE6ncl23FMilQ-eStIm5vE-QDyBcxa0CHd_TbIMoqI3vH11Vb71JmVs_yye1MTO7KFk7wN/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnAJBbeel2kKRIKOGFUL9jpcv3HOQJgn3xPLoaFqXCtn2PKXWtR-V8PcQTFw0haazJjwdOuxE6ncl23FMilQ-eStIm5vE-QDyBcxa0CHd_TbIMoqI3vH11Vb71JmVs_yye1MTO7KFk7wN/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a>Although many people assume that softball was derived from baseball, the sport’s first game actually came about because of a football game. The history of softball dates back to Thanksgiving Day of 1887, when several alumni sat in the Chicago, Illinois Farragut Boat Club, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Yale versus Harvard football game. When Yale was announced as winner, a Yale alumnus playfully threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The Harvard fan swung at the balled-up glove with a stick, and the rest of the group looked on with interest. George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, jokingly called out, “Play ball!” and the first softball game commenced with the football fans using the boxing glove as a ball and a broom handle in place of a bat.</div>
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Due to the initial excitement surrounding the game, the Farragut Boat Club decided to officially devise their own set of rules, and the game quickly leaked to outsiders in Chicago and, eventually, throughout the rest of the Midwestern U.S. As the history of softball shaped itself over the next decade, the game went under the guise of “indoor baseball,” “kitten baseball,” “diamond ball,” “mush ball,” and “pumpkin ball.” In 1926, Walter Hakanson coined the term “softball” while representing the YMCA at a National Recreation Congress meeting, and by 1930, the term stuck as the sport’s official name.</div>
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In 1934, the Joint Rules Committee on Softball collaborated to create a set of standardized rules. Up until this point, the game was being played with varied rules, player positions, and ball sizes. The original softball used by the Farragut Boat Club was 16 inches in circumference. However, Lewis Rober Sr., the man responsible for organizing softball games for firefighters in Minneapolis, used a 12-inch ball. Rober’s ball won out as the preferred softball size, and professional softball games today are played using a 10–12-inch ball. However, many Chicagoans still hold fast to the belief that real softball is played using a 16-inch ball. Games using these 16-inch balls are often referred to as “cabbage ball,” “super slow pitch,” and “mush ball,” and unlike competitive softball, players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves.</div>
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While the sport was originally advertised as an indoor game for baseball players looking to maintain their dexterity during the off season, it gained so much popularity and recognition that it quickly became its own official sport. In 1991, women’s fast pitch softball was added to the roster of the 1996 Summer Olympics—a landmark many people recognize as the ultimate success of a sport. Although softball was later dropped from the 2012 Summer Olympics lineup, the game is still one of the most popular participant sports in the United States and 113 countries have officially joined the International Softball Federation since the organization’s formation in 1952.</div>
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According to the official rules developed early in the history of softball, and eventually defined by the International Softball Federation, there are nine players on the field at a time. The players take the positions of pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, third baseman, and outfielder. Usually, there are three outfielders holding the positions of right fielder, left fielder, and center fielder. However, slow pitch softball allows for a fourth person in the outfield. Similar to baseball, the team with the most runs at the end of the seventh inning is named the winner. However, if the teams are tied at the end of the seventh inning, the game can go into extra innings, until the tie is broken.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFGdcdKEeumzy4LT3rlhDg0zRzyu-2BAJ_GFrlXP8Va0tGX0GwfMGVMTjcOe_zrjAoZ15DO9PIerTe7un6BkJqSwr0oNHe8RJtg0zKHXjon0GNoy0pUz_2POIe2Z0lNOh5_ZhtLXjDnuD/s1600/c009834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFGdcdKEeumzy4LT3rlhDg0zRzyu-2BAJ_GFrlXP8Va0tGX0GwfMGVMTjcOe_zrjAoZ15DO9PIerTe7un6BkJqSwr0oNHe8RJtg0zKHXjon0GNoy0pUz_2POIe2Z0lNOh5_ZhtLXjDnuD/s1600/c009834.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a>Today, softball is one of the most popular sports in the country, and an estimated 40 million Americans engage in at least one softball game each year. Because it can be played on either a field or an indoor arena, softball games are played year round and involve teams with players as young as 8 years old and some players over 60 years in age. Softball is sometimes played by co-recreational leagues, where both women and men play on the same teams, but the rules are generally modified to reduce physical inequalities between the sexes. Often, companies and organizations form amateur coed teams to play for benefits and charity fund-raiser events.</div>
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The history of softball is still unfolding, and the game has undergone numerous modifications since its creation in 1887, but it is still one of the most preferred sports games in the country and has developed a following in several countries throughout the world, especially in Australia, China, and Japan. Loved by amateurs and professionals of all ages and athletic backgrounds, the world can only anticipate what is in store for the future of America’s other favorite pastime.</div>
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