High school softball

[HunterMO]

If you look at OU's roster, HS stats are listed for almost every player...some by year. That's the top program in the country, and its recruits certainly aren't all from the local area.

I'm not outright saying HS stats don't matter. In my post I stated that at the end of the day I believe top players always stand out no matter where they play. And if there are school/state accolades that can be collected then for sure that matters. But, I also tend to believe that's not all that a college coach would go by. If my DD starts collecting school, conference, and/or state records you better believe we'll be listing those in recruitment communications.

I'd be curious (and I need to go look) what high schools OU players have played for and then see what areas those schools are in. Are they in no-where x-State or are they in softball hotbeds?

Not arguing. Just food for thought.

Edit: Also let it be known I am not a college coach. I do not know a college HC. Nor have we started any recruitment process. My opinion is simply based on talking to others and reading through DFP.

 

[_MIA_]

I personally believe that you’re much more likely to see a group of coaches from prominent universities at a Fall PGF tournament or showcase than at a high school game. Much more bang for the buck.

? I am not sure what you are responding to, but if it is to my point about why "HS things" are in bios..you missed the point. The point was you need to put accolades in those and not many are given out for TB..Had nothing to do with what is more valuable for recruiting.

 

[Strike2]

I personally believe that you’re much more likely to see a group of coaches from prominent universities at a Fall PGF tournament or showcase than at a high school game. Much more bang for the buck.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a college coach at a regular HS game, but I've certainly seen them at large-school HS tournaments during the season. While I'd wager that some coaches will also show up to later games at state championship tournaments, they really don't have to be there to know what happened. If you're a starting pitcher or top hitter during a 6A HS championship game, your performance can't be faked, and someone is getting paid to write about it.

 

[Strike2]

I'd be curious (and I need to go look) what high schools OU players have played for and then see what areas those schools are in. Are they in no-where x-State or are they in softball hotbeds?

Many from California and Texas, but also many from Oklahoma. If you look at the roster listing, their HS, not their TB team, is listed next to their name. By no means am I discounting the impact of TB on their development, but I suspect that a player who doesn't do well in HS will prompt most higher level college coaches to at least ask why.

2022 Softball Roster - University of Oklahoma

The official 2022 Softball Roster for the University of Oklahoma

soonersports.com

 

[kibadbo]

I agree. Many states have high schools that are Travel Ball all-star teams. California and Texas are two other states that come to mind. DD's HS was like that. There were some pretty good players who hardly got off the bench.

It's that way in AZ. There are four or five schools that just pump out power 5 recruits. We see them in the world series every year. Kids will drive an hour one way to play for these teams. I don't doubt travel ball is more important, but I imagine they aren't doing it for the theater program.

 

[_MIA_]

I don't see why anybody is relating what is put in a bio and what the respective coach valued in the recruiting process. Wouldn't the player dictate most of what is put in there?

 

[_MIA_]

Coaches want to see their players perform against competition which is going to be comparable to what they will see
when they play for them. If that is a HS game, and they are able to make it (most states play HS in the Spring..), then I would
guess they would try and make it out to the game. I would guess (lots of guessing..I know) coaches recruiting in-state kids would be more likely to try
and make it to such HS games.

 

[Strike2]

I don't see why anybody is relating what is put in a bio and what the respective coach valued in the recruiting process. Wouldn't the player dictate most of what is put in there?

No doubt players provide the input, but the HC ultimately decides what will be included in the player bio. If HS doesn't matter...at all...why does ANYONE care enough to devote any attention to it in college? The obvious answer is that it does matter, at least to an extent.

 

[nikkilugi]

Geez I hope Haley's future college doesn't put her HS stats on their page because they SUCKED last season. Sucked so bad she thought she wanted to quit softball because she wasn't having "fun" because she was sucking so bad. I mean - it was awful, truly. No conference honors. No state honors. Nada.

Guess what? She went into travel ball and killed it - was a freaking bomb machine and lo and behold come Sept 1 got the email from her future college coach. When we went on her visit, the topic of high school ball never came up. They didn't ask her where she goes to high school and they didn't ask how she did during her HS season - good thing because her only answer would be - "I sucked coach". My point is her (mid-major D1) future coach didn't care one bit - but he did go watch her play with her TB team and spent at least an hour talking to her TB coaches. (shrugs).

 

[_MIA_]

No doubt players provide the input, but the HC ultimately decides what will be included in the player bio. If HS doesn't matter...at all...why does ANYONE care enough to devote any attention to it in college?

We are talking about whether it matters for recruiting, right? Not what matters to the person reading the bio..those may be two different things. By the time the Bio is put out..the recruiting is done

The coach values putting their players in the best light for the general public and they may view putting HS accolades as best accomplishing that task. So yes, the coach does value the HS stats/accolades in that respect. If they predominantly used TB as their recruiting tool, and decided to put that information in the bio, what would they put? Sally hit bombs against another P5 recruit during PGF Nationals? Suzy's footwork at SS during the 18U Sparkler Power Pool play was off the charts?

If you look at the OU bios, some have some pretty extensive TB accolades as well. They probably all have standard forms which they fill out for these bios which include both HS and TB stuff. The players fill out what think is going to put them in the best light.