Lost another player. Need ideas for recruiting

[arowley1977]

Hello Everyone,

I coach an ASA 12B tournament team in Billerica, MA and as we approach the season, I have had two girls drop.

I know this is common. I am looking for ideas to recruit new talent.

I have not been able to gain any traction outside of the town I live in.

I have hung flyers and have a nice website. I made the team as cheap as possible. It was $600 including three months of indoor training two days a week, uniforms, t-shirts and tournament fees.

We just dropped it to $400. WE are going to do some fundraising as well.

Our coaches take no money and even end up paying for a lot of stuff. We don't mind. We want the girls to play.

So help me out. How can I attract talent?

Our coaches have had success. We each won league championships last year. We train hard and do tons of research (you guys are a big help in that area)

Ideas anyone?

 

[JAD]

Don't know if there is something similar where you live, but we recruit on www.GeorgiaCoachesCorner.com - Home. You may also want to try Free Website Design & Website Hosting | Youth Sports Website Templates | eteamz. I would also recommend checking out any rec ball you find within a reasonable driving distance. There may be some diamonds in the rough out there!

 

[CoachKevin]

I too live in a smaller town and was having troubles getting players through the same means. We actually paid and put it in the newspaper. Had quite a few come out from it.

 

[marriard]

Contact other local softball organizations and travel teams (including probable competitors) and ask them if they cut anyone from their teams and get contact information if they did.

We helped place a few girls that we were not going to have room for when a nearby coach contacted me.

 

[RichK]

You need non travel playing athletes at 12 b there's still time. If no local rec league ask the jr high gym teacher. Girls on your team are great resource too. Lower your mustplaytravel standards and you might find a diamond in rough. And oh yeah at this point they almost have to play for free. Good luck.

 

[02Crush]

I am constantly recruiting for the day someone leaves. It is a new policy of mine the past 7 months. I find going to tournaments when not playing is important. I am seen. People know who I am. Coaches not so much. But I am looking for the players who are consistent and seem to have a loss of a step....I usually find they are not happy due to one reason or another. We also watch Rec ball heavily. There are lots of good players waiting for someone to teach them more than they are getting now. Good luck. Be bold, Be honest, Ask directly, Show you care and you will find recruits.

 

[Jr10234]

Offer positions to girls on other teams who don't play much, or contact former tryout players. Never hurts to ask, sometimes ther's a mutual situation where the player and team want to separate.

 

[mad hornet]

You need non travel playing athletes at 12 b there's still time. If no local rec league ask the jr high gym teacher. Girls on your team are great resource too. Lower your mustplaytravel standards and you might find a diamond in rough. And oh yeah at this point they almost have to play for free. Good luck.

This is a good suggestion and here is another that I never would have thought of till we just picked up our last player. See if there are any local girls playing baseball. Our latest pick-up is a complete unknown in the travel world here (12u) because she has been playing baseball since age 5 and just started playing softball for her middle school team. Her mom called me and I was skeptical until I went and watched her play in a MS game. Now our roster is full and I see her being a significant contributor.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Offer positions to girls on other teams who don't play much, or contact former tryout players. Never hurts to ask, sometimes ther's a mutual situation where the player and team want to separate.

Depending on the local etiquette, it can hurt to ask, imo. In my area, it's taboo to ask players on other teams to join your team. One key to recruiting is to be well liked among your rival coaches. If you want to attract other players, you can't have people saying bad things about you (true or false). There might be some areas where this kind of recruiting is just considered part of the game, but I'd be careful when approaching players (parents) on other teams.

 

[Jr10234]

Very much agree Coogan, I failed to insert sufficient sarcasm. I think there are coaches out there who do this, and I don't agree with it. Players leaving teams on their own is different (slightly different but atleast it's player initiated vs outside). We poached on another team, much to the dismay of parents, and are bringing on less talented players.

If the statement "you're only as good as your weakest link" is true, we just got terrible.