Do you know what fitness levels Division three coaches look for? Do you have an exceptional attitude? Do you know what age players D3 coaches look at? What about grades and test scores, do you know what they need to be? There are many advantages to knowing the differences in D3 softball recruiting. Knowing the differences can allow athletes to improve their base fitness levels, attitude, when to talk to coaches, grades, and test scores needed to be recruited. Information is readily available on softball recruiting from countless credible websites. Websites can offer insights on what the coaches are looking for including the skills desired for each position. Many of these skills require statistical data to represent the desired levels of play looked for by coaches. These statistics should be taken as the level that a recruit must be at to play but, also as a reference.

According to the NCSA website D3 softball coaches are looking for pitchers that are that are approximately five foot six and pitch at least 55 miles per hour. While  catchers looking to play D3 softball should be approximately five foot four rather than ideal five foot six pitcher. Pop time is a catching statistic that measures the time it takes the ball to go from the catcher's glove to the second  baseman's glove. The time starts when the ball snaps in the catchers glove and ends when the ball snaps in the second baseman's glove. The NCSA claims that D3 softball coaches look for a pop time under two seconds. Catchers have a final statistic that coaches look at,  time it takes the catcher to get to first base. The NCSA states that 3.2 seconds or faster is the minimum time for a catcher to get from home plate to first base. The next position’s criteria listed by the NCSA is the middle infielders. Middle infielders criteria includes the time it take’s for the middle infielders to go from home to first, average height, and the number of runs batted in (RBI). Preferably, D3 coaches are looking for about 3.1 seconds from home to first for middle infielders. The desired stature for middle infielders is five foot three according to the NCSA. D3 coaches are wanting to see eight RBIs per season for middle infielders, according to the NCSA. The next position’s criteria listed by the NCSA is the corner infielders. Corner infielders should be about five foot five. Corner infielders should also be able to go from home to first in 3.1 seconds or less. Corner infielders only have 3.1 seconds to get from home to first compared to the 3.2 seconds allowed for catchers. The Corner infielders have more batting criteria than all of the other positions. The NCSA claims that corner infielders should have at least 15 RBI's and one or more home runs to have a substantial advantage when being recruited. The final positions listed by the NCSA are outfielders. An outfielder should be about five foot four and should have a batting average of at least .330. The outfielders should also be able to go from home to first in less than 3.1 seconds the same as corner infielders. To play D3 softball minimal prior experience in needed. The NCSA states that to play D3 softball, one year on a high school varsity team and one year on a club team is sufficient background experience. (Softball Recruiting Guidelines.) These are some rough outlines provided by NCSA to provide an idea of what division players fit into. College softball coaches can also provide the specific information needed. The head softball coach from Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin has provided some information on the this topic.

Amy Gradecki provided information for the fitness levels she looks for along with additional qualities she looks for in future players. Gradecki does not look for certain fitness levels, instead she looks for overall athleticism. Athleticism to Gradecki means having good strength, quickness, agility, and flexibility. Gradecki mentioned how she can't really tell the players to have a certain fitness level at the D3 level. However, she talks to the players about being healthy as well as fitness in general. Compared to the NCSA, Gradecki doesn't require certain fitness levels from the players. Gradecki also looks for strength where the NCSA did not list strength as a quality needed to play. (Gradecki, Amy) The NCSA also gave exact statistics catchers should be five foot four, Gradecki looks for overall qualities rather than statistics. ("Softball Recruiting Guidelines.") Each coach has a different list of attributes required for future players. The head softball coach at MSOE also provided some of his insight on the subject. The head softball coach at MSOE, Marcus Wenzel, provided information similar to Gradecki’s. Wenzel and Gradecki both state that they look for quickness and strength in prospects. Wenzel provided more details about the precise skills he wants in players. These skills include having adequate arm strength and a satisfactory swing. There was not a certain arm strength or part of a swing that would make a player catch his attention. Wenzel looked for a good attitude in future players in a similar manner as Gradecki.

Having a good attitude is an important part of softball. Having a good attitude is the difference between someone shaking a play off and losing their mind thinking about a mistake. Wenzel wanted to know what a player would do after they made an inauspicious play. He wanted to see if the girl got upset or shook the play off. Having a grasp on the player as a student due to the strict academic standards involved with being a student at MSOE was important to Wenzel. (Wenzel, Marcus) Wenzel had more specific criteria for incoming players compared to Gradecki, but compared to what the websites stated his criteria was simpler. Wenzel had a long criteria, for skills wanted in a player. For example be looked at the players strength, swing, quickness, and attitude. Some of the criteria are the same as Gradecki's, for example they both would be interested in a player that was speedy. The criteria in the antecedent paragraphs are not the only skills needed the play D3 softball, to play a good attitude is also in order. The next section of the criteria needed to play D3 softball being analyzed is attitude.

Attitude as mentioned in the previous section plays a brobdingnagian part in softball. A good attitude—needed to play softball—can be learned in many ways, websites are not the best option. Most websites only touch on the subject of attitude, leading many players not to think about their attitude. While many players are not thinking about their attitude or how to fix it, coaches are. Coaches are looking for good attitudes, attitudes that will benefit their team. Coach Amy looks for these things in her future players but has more specific criteria for them. Coach Amy had four main attitude criteria pieces that she looks for. The first piece of the criteria she had was that she looked for a good attitude in general. Having a good attitude was important to her but she also looked for more specific things than just having a good attitude. These included players that are coachable, listen, and are all in. Coachability is a simple task, there is only one thing she needs to see from a player to know that they are coachable. Which is that when someone tells them something they listen and utilize that information. Being coachable leads into listening, because if a player is told something and they do it they will probably listen as well. This is helpful to Amy because if she sees a coachable player two pieces of her criteria are already crossed off. The last part of Amy's criteria is the hardest part to understand. She wants her players to be all-in, this can mean many things but, in Amy's case it means that she wants a player that will always put in 110% effort on anything from softball to school. Coach Amy wants players who have good attitude, listen, are coachable, and are all-in for school and softball. (Gradecki, Amy) Mark Wenzel from MSOE had a similar opinion on the subject.

Wenzel's criteria was very similar in the fact that it also contained a player's coachability. The second part of his criteria was the player's major. To Wenzel having a good major is having major that means something and is not a "fluff" major, or a major that will do nothing for a recruit in the future. Wenzel also wanted players that were, a level above everyone else. This was important to him because he wanted a team that had a strong heads and even better skills. (Marcus, Wenzel) Compared to Gradecki, Wenzel's criteria had more criteria that a player would need on a day to day basis. Amy's criteria was more average oriented were as Wenzel's was more school based. These coaches still have another obstacle the overcome, NCAA rules.

NCAA rules are quite strict except for the many gray areas that are included within them. The NCAA has many rules listed but, there is main rule that many coaches do not appreciate. This rule is states that coaches can not talk to players off campus until the conclusion of their junior year. (Jj:8/12/0) This rule also has many gray areas because of players that may approach the coach or what the coaches can and can not talk to the player about. Because this rule has so many gray areas a lot of coaches leave it to their own interpretation. Many coaches will have the players coach talk to the player for them or talk to the player about things other than softball. Gradecki also has her own interpretation of this rule that she follows.

Gradecki's interpretation still follows the rule from the NCAA but she uses the gray areas to her advantage. Gradecki will only talk to a player that has completed their junior year. This part of the rule is not a gray as when she can talk to a player. Gradecki uses this to her advantage and will not initiate a conversation with a player. She will however talk to a player if they start a conversation with her. Gradecki will also go watch players at camps but, because they are few she does not go the camps often. (Gradecki, Amy) Gradecki has used these gray areas to her advantage and talks to players only if they talk to her. Mark Wenzel also uses the gray areas to his advantage.

Wenzel has varied the rule a little different compared the Gradecki to fit his needs rather that hers. Wenzel has interpreted the rule by only talking to players after a tournament rather than not talking to them unless they start the conversation. Both of these methods follow the rule even though they are bending the rule to fit their needs. Wenzel has also took the rule in a different way because he will only talk to juniors and seniors. (Wenzel, Marcus) Compared to Gradecki, Wenzel bends the rule more because he is talking to juniors whereas Gradecki will only talk to players going into their senior year. Gradecki and Wenzel both bend the rule, Gradecki only bends it by not starting a conversation where Wenzel bends it more by talking to juniors. All of these rules can be very disheartening to a coach when they see a great player, even if the player meets these there is another roadblock to overcome.

The roadblock caused by students grades and test scored can be challenging for some players and not a worry for others. This is a very important part because if a person can not be accepted into the college they can not play softball for them. Websites can give valuable information about grades and test scores. The main tests that colleges look at are ACT and SAT. The ACT test is more important that the SAT even though many colleges want students to have took the SAT. The required score on the ACT for most colleges is 24. 24 is a relatively low score on the ACT because the highest score anyone can receive is 32. The SAT is scored differently, and goes up to over 1,000. Colleges look for a SAT score of over 1,000 and at some schools the SAT is a required test. The NCAA requires a GPA (grade point average) of 2.0 for student athletes even though many colleges will not except a student with a GPA below 3. (Softball Recruiting Guidelines) Coaches will always chose the player with higher grades and test scores, Gradecki also looks for players with higher grades before a great player with bad grades.

Gradecki looks for players with superior academics and will play a player successfully completing their classes over a player that is failing a class. Gradecki will only look at a player that would be a good fit for the team. Even if the player is number one in the state Gradecki will not look into the player if they have bad grades or aren't a good fit for the team. Gradecki also has the issue of the school accepting the player. If the player does not get accepted into the school because of bad grades the player can not play with the team. Carroll University requires a ACT score of 24, the same as most schools including MSOE. Gradecki will chose a player and then checks out the students grades by talking to the players coach if they know, this helps her know if she can continue to pursue the player. (Gradecki, Amy) Wenzel has similar methods to finding a players grades and knowing if they meet the ACT and SAT standards at the school.

Wenzel will talk to a player's coach in a similar way as Gradecki to see what their grades are and to know if they are a good fit for the school. Wenzel also has a tougher school to find players for because MSOE is harder to be accepted in to compared to Carroll University. Wenzel has to be sure that the player has a 3.0 GPA to be accepted into MSOE even if they only need a 2.0 GPA to play sports for the NCAA. Behind aware of players ACT score is important for Wenzel because the player needs a score of 24 to be accepted into the school. Having a player with an ACT score higher than 24 is important for Wenzel as well because that way there is less chance that the player won't be accepted into the school. Wenzel has to look at the players SAT score as well as the ACT test score. Wenzel wasn't sure of what the SAT sure needed was exactly but he did know that it had to be over 1,000. All of these grade and test score requirements can be a daunting task but, going one at time can make a huge difference in getting into a college of choice. The many advantages to knowing what D3 coaches are looking for can extend to the base fitness levels, attitude, age to talk to coaches, and grade and test scores needed to be recruited. Knowing the fitness levels needed to play D3 softball can allow anyone to improve their levels. Even knowing that having a good attitude can help get recruited can help. The limitations of ages the coaches can talk to can help anyone know when to send letters or when to go to camps. Getting a 24 on your ACT and having high grades and test scores can get anyone into the school of their choice before someone with lower scores.

Works Cited

Gradecki, Amy. Carroll University Head Fastpitch Softball Coach. Interview. n.d.

Jj:8/12/0. This Document Is Designed to Provide a Quick Reference of NCAA Division III Recruiting Rules. (n.d.): n. pag. Web.

MSOE Head Fastpitch Softball Coach. Interview by Marcus Wenzel. n.d.: n. pag.

Softball Recruiting Guidelines." Softball Recruiting Guidelines. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2015.