WINTER SOFTBALL CAMP MEMO
This time of year many of you are signing up for the winter softball camps being held at various colleges. I thought it would be a good idea to give you my thoughts on how that experience can be maximized to your best advantage.
1. These college camps serve several functions for the schools and the campers. For the schools, it gives them an opportunity to look at prospective players and have verbal contact with them within the NCAA rules. It also gives the coaches an opportunity to supplement their incomes. These two purposes can co-exist and not work to the detriment of the camper. Still, it is good that you understand that these camps are not just being held to give you an opportunity to make an impression. Your potential benefit from attending camp includes: (1) learning something about softball; (2) visiting a college campus and getting to interact with college coaches; and (3) getting some close-up exposure to a school that you might be interested in being recruited by.
2. It is important that the camper let the school know she is coming and that she is interested in being recruited by that school. The camper should email the coaches a week or two before the camp. You can furnish them with your various recruiting tools such as your player profile and skills video. Many of these camps have hundreds of kids attend and I guarantee you will not stand out based simply on your performance at camp.
3. It is equally important you let ME know you are attending camp. I have at the very least an email relationship (and often much more) with a coach at virtually every school you are likely to attend camp at. I will let them know you are coming and something about your background. Our team is well respected and connecting you with the team can only help. Also, the coach is able to contact me with limited questions or comments; they may not be able to contact you AT ALL because of NCAA rules. A lesser reason for letting me know you are attending camp is that I need to account for your absence from practice or a practice game and make sure we are covered.
4. Make sure you prepare for camp. This time of year, it is not always easy to keep your skills sharp. Still, if you know you are going to camp in a week or two, get out and hit and throw multiple times a week in advance. The repetitions at camp are often limited so you want to be as comfortable and as sharp as you can go into camp.
5. Let us assume we have prepared the school for your arrival by completing steps 2, 3 and 4. Once you arrive at camp you need to take maximum advantage of your opportunity. First, I suggest wearing a Chill shirt if you have one. If you do not have a Chill t-shirt or practice shirt, wear your jersey. Again, it makes it much easier to identify you and link you with the emails that were sent in advance. If you are in a 3-hour camp with 100 other kids you will recognize the value of being easy to spot. Second, be personable and outgoing, but don’t screw around. If you attend camp with a teammate or friend, don’t goof off and chat the whole time. When the instructors are speaking you need to listen and look like you are listening. Third, get yourself to the front of the line every chance you can for repetitions and drills. Many times the instructors have a hard time managing their allotted time properly and the people at the back of the line get shortchanged. If you get in a camp that is running kids through hitting stations, you usually stay in the same order through every station. Therefore, without shoving people out of the way, make sure you are one of the first two or three in line. Fourth, execute your fundamentals the way you have been taught (or the way they are trying to teach you if it is different than what you have been taught). You will be pleasantly surprised how many college coaches are going to teach you how to do things the way we have already taught you. You have a tremendous advantage with your background so don’t squander it by not carrying out the drills in the proper way. Fifth, be helpful. Many times there are balls that need to be picked-up, equipment to move, or a call for a volunteer to demonstrate something. If you jump into these roles it will get you more “face time” and show that you are a team player. Sixth, remember you are there to make an impression on the college, not on your fellow campers. Some of you are so polite that the other campers will edge you out of reps or hog the attention if you let them. There is no need to be rude or obnoxious, but keep in mind this is your opportunity and you paid just as much to be there as the next girl.
6. Follow-up with the school after the camp. If there is a memorable moment that connects you positively with the coaching staff or the camp, mention it again. In some cases, it will help them remember you, and at the very least it will confirm to them that you are interested in the school.
7. These camps take up valuable time and resources. As I mentioned, they are not really set up to show you in your best light. It is really up to you to do all the things you can do to get something out of it.
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