College Corner
Welcome to the SWAT college corner page
We have developed this page so that we can research, organize and share best practices and important steps for our SWAT athletes and their parents to follow in order to be prepared to have the opportunity to play college softball.
Top 10 most important information to know now:
- It is not too early to be preparing to play college softball – College softball coaches are looking at athletes that are in 8th and 9th grade. One local division I college softball coach has all of her recruits committed through the 2016 year!
- Being proactive– Your daughter must be committed to taking proactive steps now to give her the best opportunity to be evaluated by college softball coaches from a targeted list of schools. Sit down with your daughter now and talk to her about her dreams and preferences about playing college athletics. What does she think he wants to do after college? Where would she like to go to college? These are just a few of important questions that your daughter should try and answer. It is very possible that she does not know the answers but just by asking these questions it will get important conversations started.
- Do your own research – There are dozens of websites that have valuable information about the college recruiting process. Don’t forget to check out the NCAA’s website and become educated with their eligibility tool kits and other important information regarding playing college athletics. We have created a list of links to some of information for your convenience but you know the cliché “knowledge is power” and it really applies with this process.
- Athletic profile and skills video – Creating an athletic profile and skills video for your daughter will be two important steps towards helping college recruiters evaluate her. We have set up a simple form to fill out to start this process on the SWAT website. We also have posted all the step by step information about how to shoot a great skills video. Stay tuned for more information about professionally shot and edited videos as we hope to make this process easy and affordable for our SWAT athletes.
- College coaches are overwhelmed – College coaches receive over 200 e-mails, messages and contacts a day from prospective college bound athletes hoping to get their attention for evaluation. Just because your daughter is playing softball at a very high level does not mean that college coaches will find her. There are specific best practices, techniques and tips that can give your daughter a better chance of being recruited successfully. We will be exploring those tips in the coming months so stay tuned.
- Over 1600 schools – There are over 1600 schools comprised of Division I, II, III, NAIA and Jr. Colleges that hold opportunities for student athletes. Of those, Division I, II, NAIA and Jr. Colleges offer athletic scholarships. Division III schools offer financial support for “need based” or for specific merits like academic/arts etc.
- Academics and extracurricular activities – It is so important for your daughter to work hard in the classroom while developing interests outside of athletics. College recruiters are looking for more than just a great athlete. They are searching for the best rounded students that will add more than their “on field” skill to the student body. Sometimes the candidate that is a little less skilled athletically will receive scholarship support over the skilled athlete because they have a more robust application with regards to academics and extracurricular activities.
- Your coaches are not recruiters – You cannot expect your high school coaches or your SWAT coaches to be your daughter’s college recruiters. They can be supportive in the process and may even be able to college coaches to see her play but you cannot expect them to put the time in that is required to get recruited to play in college. Ultimately that job is up to parents and their daughter!
- Message from a DI softball coach – During an interview recently with a DI softball coach she told me that just e-mailing coaches profile information about your daughter will not be successful. You must try and get in front of them if possible. One of the best ways to do that is to narrow your list of schools to a top 5, research those schools and their coaches. Try to attend summer softball skills camps that those coaches are holding. College coaches can meet, interact and show interest in freshman and sophomores while they are attending camps and clinics.
- Have fun! – As stressful as some of this process must seem and at times “stress” will be a reality it will also be exciting and fun. While college athletics can be somewhat exclusive when selecting scholarship athletes there are so many opportunities for our SWAT girls. It is going to be fun watching our girls build exciting futures for themselves.
Information inks:
NCAA College Bound Student Athletes Guide
The College Athletic Recruiting Process
Discover the best college for you
Recruiting services:
National Collegiate Scouting Association
You Tube Links:
