Navigating the world of softball recruiting is hard. There are so many things and so much information that we simply do not know. Having been through the recruiting process, today we share our open letter to our daughter's softball recruiter. Dear Cheri; (Yes. we are calling out Cheri Naudin today!) Today, I wanted to let you know first and foremost that I appreciate all the help that you have given us in regard to getting our daughter to play softball at the next level. Dreams really do come true, and despite the fact that I thought I could do without your help, the reality is that I … [Read more...]
A Softball Love Story | Softball is For Girls
Once upon a time, there was a little girl. A little girl who loved softball. This little girl loved the dirt, and hitting and running and sliding and throwing and practicing. She loved softball so much, that even before she could read and write, she wanted to play ball in college. She threw the ball so hard when she was just 7, that other 7 year olds were afraid to catch her throws. And that some parents of those 7 year old were afraid for their daughters to play with her. This little girl grew up playing the game she loved with wild and reckless abandon. Nothing and no one … [Read more...]
How to Honestly Get Your Daughter Recruited
Yo, SIFG - What is up with all the recruiting shares on your page lately? Well. We are glad you asked. Maybe you have noticed, maybe you have not. For the past several days we have been sharing with our social media fans the posts from Collegiate Sports Advocate. These posts show girls who are actively pursuing the opportunity to be recruited, and they have partnered with Collegiate Sports Advocate to do so. Why have we been sharing them? Well mostly, because far too many parents are drinking the College Recruiting Kool Aid, and going about this dream the wrong way, with the wrong people. … [Read more...]
Softball Recruiting for Dummies… | Softball is For Girls
Softball Recruiting. The word in and of itself is one that seems to be presenting itself earlier and earlier in the fastpitch circuit. When you hear about 8th graders verballing to D1 schools, it causes a sense of urgency among parents that start feeling like if they do not do something RIGHT NOW, they will somehow get behind the 8 ball and miss out on opportunities for their daughter. The problem is if "right now" is 10 or 12U you could end up wasting a lot of dollars. And recruiting for any sport is a business! In other words, there are people and companies and agencies in place to do one … [Read more...]
Thoughts for Thursday! The Fastpitch BUSINESS! |softball is for girls
The softball world as we know it has spiraled from sandlot games and tube socks on Saturday to a full-scale arena where words like 'recruiting' and 'college' are being baited into the minds of parents with girls as young as 10 and 12 years old. Think about that for a minute. 10 and 12 years old. Heck...13 or 14 years old? What were YOU doing at that age? Let's also add that fastpitch softball has become a million, if not billion dollar industry. Which in other words means that coaches and recruiters and whoever else you may be PAYING doesn't necessarily always have your daughters best … [Read more...]
Softball and Social Media
Last night, on the blog - the parent in SIFG scrolled through the teenage world of social media and literally felt the need to take a shower afterwards. A long, hot shower. Oh, the things that pop up on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterrest, Ask.fm, Twitter, and every other little corner of the internets that kids and teenagers invade. And we ranted, the same old warning to kids and parents that they hear echoed from nearly every corner of the universe! "Have some self-respect," we shouted! Look, we get it. You are trying to find yourself, find your niche in life, figure out who you … [Read more...]
