On Monday, April 3rd, a group of student-athletes and their parents gathered for an informational seminar on the softball college recruitment process hosted by Head Softball Coach Linda Derk.
Linda Derk, AFA Head Softball Coach
Additional guest speakers included:
- Jeri Williar, AFA Director of Counseling and College Placement
- Brittany Joseph, AFA Assistant Head Softball Coach
- Art Bautista-Hardman, Sante Fe College Assistant Softball Coach
They covered topics such as the college preparation timeline and NCAA recruiting facts for division I, II, and III regarding participation, scholarships, academics, and other statistics. Other information included a collection of questions to ask college coaches, an example of a high school and athletic resume and cover letter, and a list of national letter of intent signing dates. Each student-athlete also received a composition book to write daily goals and keep track of their college coach communications.
“One of the goals for this seminar was to introduce a step-by-step process to assist our student-athletes in creating a plan for their college recruiting,” said Coach Derk. “It can be an intimidating process and difficult to get started.”
“Another focus was to encourage each student-athlete to focus on what the ‘best fit’ would be for them. The key is not to just play on a showcase team, but to use that opportunity to visit colleges, meet with coaches, attend camps, and ask questions,” continued Coach Derk. “Hopefully the information and the “how to” we provided will point them to a positive college recruiting process. We encourage our student-athletes to figure out their roll on the team. Everyone has an important role as a team member. What will set you apart from everyone else and catch the eye of the college coaches…it’s not just about talent…it’s about the whole package; academics, character, and being a good team player.”
In the future, Coach Derk hopes to utilize this information to assist more student-athletes in the college recruiting process.
Thank you to our speakers for their presentation and also thank you to SAGE Dining for providing dinner for all in attendance.
Jeri Williar, AFA Director of Counseling and College Placement
Art Bautista-Hardman, Sante Fe College Assistant Softball Coach
Brittany Joseph, AFA Assistant Head Softball Coach