Having a strong team culture is essential for any sports team to be successful. Culture is the foundation upon which a team is built, and it can often be the determining factor in a team’s success or failure. A positive and cohesive team culture will encourage collaboration and a sense of unity. 

A Team defined as "A group  of individuals all working together 
They have common goals and  common objectives.

Individuals who are not compatible with each other can never form a team. They must deliver their level best to achieve the team objective".

Joe Alba  

Manager/Head Coach

U.S SAFESPORT TRAINED

USA SOFTBALL MEMBER #1305855

"If it doesn't challenge you..It doesn't change you"   

ON TWITTER:

@pbbsoftball

Email Us :

http://www.jcowboyz88@gmail.com

 Overview of the Recruiting Timeline

FRESHMAN YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL:

Research & compile an initial list of 20 to 30 schools you're interested in. 

 Rank schools based on the attributes that are most important to you

 *Begin writing coaches of schools you're interested in, get on their radar and get your name out there!

 * Play at the highest level of club/HS team you can. Ask your coaches where you need improvement and set goals.

* Look for College camps and clinics to attend.

 * Good grades are critical ALL 4 years of HS - hit the ground running freshman year! 

 * Consider working with a personal trainer to improve speed, strength and overall athleticism.

SOPHOMORE YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL  :   

* Register with NCAA & NAIA eligibility Centers, complete recruiting questionnaires for all schools on your list. 

* Begin compiling highlight & game videos, consider setting up a channel within YouTube

 * Continue to research and update your list and write coaches & schools. Send videos and/or links to videos. 

* Consider working with a speech coach to develop and improve communications skills - make a good first impression when you talk to coaches.

* Begin making phone calls to coaches, let them know your game / meet / match schedule  - stay on their  radars!

 * Take SAT / ACT practice tests and/or test prep courses, keep your grades up!

* Pick a good attitude and show it. Recognize that nothing is owed to you just because you're a good athlete.

 *Begin writing coaches of schools you're interested in, get on their radar and get your name out there!

 * Play at the highest level of club/HS team you can. Ask your coaches where you need improvement and set goals. 

 

JUNIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL:

* Continue to research schools but narrow your list to 10 to 15 schools. 

* Keep in contact with coaches often ,let them know of your continued interest and also if you're no longer interested. 

* Continue to send videos & grades to schools you are interested in.  Be your own advocate & keep your name out there! 

* Ask coaches where you stand on their recruiting list and their timeline. 

* Take SAT/ACT Tests

* Look to attend Showcase games and tournaments and let coaches know your schedule. 

* Continue to play at the highest level of club/HS team you can. Get feedback on where you can improve skills. 

* Make unofficial visits to schools you're interested in. 

* Take AP courses, challenge yourself academically!

SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL :

 * Narrow your list to 3 to 5 schools, stay in contact with coaches on a weekly basis.

* Ask coaches for the timeline they will make offers.

 * Quickly & politely let schools know if you're no longer interested  

* Contact players on your short list of schools, get their direct feedback on the school and program.

 * Take official visits to schools on your short list, meet coaches and players. 

* Complete college applications in early and apply to all schools on your short list. 

* Keep your grades up - avoid Senior Slump! 

* Character is key, make good choices every day. Who are you when no one is looking?   

* Post nothing on social media you may later regret. Don't let a 100 character tweet cost you a  scholarship!. 

 * Receive, consider and respond to all written offers from schools 

* Make the decision ... make sure it's your decision! 

TOP SOFTBALL PROGRAMS IN FLORIDA ....WHICH ONES MATCH YOUR CAREER AND SOFTBALL GOALS? PICK 10 NARROW IT DOWN TO TOP 5 ..BE PROACTIVE WRITE EMAILS SEND VIDEOS ATTEND CAMPS..(EDUCATE YOURSELF ON NCAA RECRUITING RULES )

Ave Maria University Softball 
Barry University Softball 
Bethune-Cookman University 
Broward College Softball 
Chipola College Softball 
College of Central Florida Softball 
Daytona State College Softball 
Eastern Florida State College 
Eckerd College Softball Recruiting
Edward Waters College Softball 
Embry-Riddle University Softball 
Flagler College Softball Recruiting
Florida A&M University Softball 
Florida Atlantic University Softball 
Florida Gulf Coast University 
Florida International U. Softball 
Florida Southern College Softball 
Florida State College at Jacksonville Softball Recruiting
Florida State University Softball 
Florida Tech Softball Recruiting
Gulf Coast State College Softball 
Hillsborough CC Softball 
Indian River State College Softball 
Jacksonville University Softball 
Keiser University 
Lake Sumter State College 
Lynn University Softball 
Miami-Dade College Softball 
Northwest Florida State College 
Nova Southeastern U. Softball 
Palm Beach Atlantic U. Softball
Pasco-Hernando CC Softball 
Pensacola State Softball 
Polk State College Softball 
Rollins College Softball Recruiting
Saint John's River State College 
Saint Leo University Softball 
Saint Petersburg College Softball 
Santa Fe College Softball 
Seminole State College of Florida 
Southeastern University Softball 
South Florida State College 
Stetson University Softball 
St. Thomas University (FL) 
Tallahassee CC 
University of Florida Softball 
University of North Florida 
University of Tampa Softball 
University of West Florida Softball 
U. of Central Florida Softball 
U. of South Florida Softball 
Warner University Softball 
Webber Int'l University Softball

Coaches are free to contact prospective students up until the point where the athlete draws The Number of Scholarships per Team at Each Division Level NAIA Rule Changes. You must now register with the NAIA Clearinghouse

INSIDE THE COLLEGE COACHES SOFTBALL RECRUITING PROCESS:

Recruit athletes that have solid academics, who have demonstrated their ability to do academic

Work on Their grades at the high school level.

Recruit athletes who are motivated and focused on earning a degree.

Recruit athletes who will commit to the challenge of academic and athletic discipline.

 Questions To Ask Concerning A Prospect

Can she graduate from college?

Is this young lady dying to become a great college softball player?

Is she mentally and physically tough?

Is she coachable?

Is she a team leader?

Is she a team player?

Will she compete?

Never limit yourself; the more versatile a player is the more enticing she is to a coach. You need to be willing to try new things and believe in your athletic ability.

In addition, work on all areas you are interested in playing and be prepared for when the opportunity presents itself. Make the coach say about you, "She is so good I have to put her there."

Remember it is not about where you start, it is about where you end.

It all starts with forming good habits before being recruited, writing emails purposefully with a specific concept in mind, calling college coaches armed with questions, going on visits and having a clear objective of what you want to get out of it and, finally, never setting limits because you never know what the future has in store for you!

Junior College Recruiting

Going the junior college route gives you the opportunity to improve your athletic skills while earning credits toward a degree.  You can transfer after two years, and still have two years of playing eligibility.  Many coaches are now looking for junior college prospects to come in and compete right away.

The NJCAA serves as the national governing body for two-year college athletics in the United States and is the nation’s second-largest national intercollegiate sports organization (second to the NCAA).  Each year nearly 60,000 student-athletes from 525 member colleges compete in 28 different sports. 

What are the eligibility requirements for junior college?

• Every student must be a high school graduate with an academic diploma, general education diploma or a State Department of Education approved high school equivalency test.
• Each institution is different when it comes to academic eligibility requirements.  It is recommended that each potential student-athlete discuss their athletic eligibility with the specific college.

What are the junior college recruiting rules?

• No institution shall permit an athlete to be solicited to attend by the promise of a gift or inducement other than an athletic scholarship.
• An institution may pay for one visit to its campus by direct route, for a stay not to exceed two days and two nights.  The paid visit must be limited to the campus and local community where the college is located.
• A student-athlete must have completed his/her junior year in high school in order to receive an official recruiting visit by a member NJCAA college.
• While recruiting a potential athlete on campus, a college representative may purchase meals for the athlete.  The value of the meals may not exceed the amount provided to a college employee while traveling on college business.

 When creating a subject line for college recruiting emails, be sure to include:

• Grad Year
• Name
•  Position(s)
• Your location (city and state)
• A unique, or interesting fact about you. For example, Pitch Speed ..Catcher POP Time..Slapper,
• Power Hitter,20-yard dash time..SAT score, your club team 

The top section of the email is where you need to grab the coach’s attention. This is a great time to show coaches that you’ve done research on their program in about 2-3 sentences. Use a recent stat about the team that interested you, or explain why you’d like to play for them.

The middle section of the email very  important when it comes to emailing college coaches. This is where you give a little more information about yourself, including your athletic and academic standouts, tell coaches why you would be a good fit for their program. Include the following information :

• General information: 
• Name,
• Graduation Yr
•  City/State
• High School and Travel Team  name
  • Academics: 
  • ..GPA
  • Test scores.
  • Academic Achievements
  • Athletics: 
  • Sport specific stats and relevant measurables.
  • Contact information: 
  • your phone number and email, as well as the contact information for  your Travel Team  Coaches
  • The bottom section of the email should be giving college coaches a specific next step, such as letting the coach know you will be giving them a call at a specific date(per NCAA Recruiting Guidelines) and time and inviting them to come see you compete by giving them your tournament schedule
  • Whatever you do, DO NOT send mass, generic emails out to all the coaches you want to contact when emailing college coaches. The coach will know if you took the time to personalize your email, and it will make a difference. Coaches want to recruit players who are genuinely interested in their program—most don’t have the time and resources to recruit an athlete who is not likely to commit to their school.