2005 College Prospects

Lucretia Butler

Lucretia Butler has a great story worth telling. She was second team All-WNC as a freshman pitcher for TC Roberson pitching a majority of iinnings that season for Coach Fred Parks. lShewas looking forward to her sophomore season when another NSR prospect, Courtney Hudson, from Owen High transfered to TCR.

Courtney was one of the premier pitchers in the mountains and took over the #1 pitching slot. Coach Laura Beatty put Lucretia in centerfield as a result. Under the circumstances, any coach would have done the same. To Lucretia's credit, she never complained or made a fuss over what must have been a disappointing turn of events. Instead, she went out, worked hard, became one of the top outfielders in the mountains and earned All-WNC honors in that position.

Later that year it was discovered that she had played through a tremendous amount of elbow pain. Her condition continued to deteriorate through the fall and in the first week of her junior softball season, Lucretia made the trip to Alabama where she received an operation for what is popularly known as Tommy John surgery. Anyone familiar with this procedure knows of its severity and lengthy recuperation time. Still, Lucretia never once complained or got visibly down about her situation, choosing instead to be upbeat and approach her rehab with enthusiasm. Perhaps most telling, though, is the fact that Lucretia continued to support her high school team by attending practices and games. She did not abandon her responsiblity to the team in favor of her ego or well being. Many kids would have been demoralized.

Moreover, she missed the most crucial part of the recruiting season for a rising senior, summer travel softball. She did, however, approach her rehab with vigor and this fall began making visits to college campuses to meet coaches.

After leaving Lees-McRae where she had her first legitimate tryout for a coach, she called me that day and told me that it was everything she wanted in a college. Academically, athletically, geographically and socially, it was what she wanted. Coach Kennedy called me almost at once to say how much she enjoyed Lucretia and that she wanted her to play at LMC, if nothing else but to be a part of her team. In the short time there, Lucretia had made a terrific impression on Coach Kennedy and the players.

The lesson here is obvious - everyone must overcome obstacles in life, but the ones who approach them with a positive outlook and unflagging determination are the ones who will be a success in whatever they choose to do. I cannot tell you how proud we are to have worked with this exceptional young woman. She is a person we can all learn from and, in may ways, emulate.

 

A few more 2005 prospects:

Amber Banks-Enka High
RH Pitcher

All MAC Conference-Player of the Year

All WNC team-Player of the Year

All State first team

Pitching: 13-1 record, .78 ERA with 91 SO

Hitting: .330 batting average

1HR, 8 doubles, 30 RBIs
Also plays volleyball and basketball




Katie Searcey-Enka High

3rd base

All Conference, All WNC

All State HM

.336 batting average

2HR, 4 doubles, 6 triples, 33 RBIs

.945 fielding percentage

Excellent student-also plays volleyball





Love Freeman-Owen High

OF

2 time All Conference, All WNC

All State HM

.446 batting average

1 HR, 1 triple, 5 doubles, 9 RBIs

.913 fielding percentage





Brittany Buckner- Owen High

Shortstop

2 time All Conference, All WNC

All State HM

.446 batting average

3 HR, 1 triple, 4 doubles, 21 RBIs
.952 fielding percentage
Excellent student

 

I agree Enkamom12, I had hoped Katie would play at the next level as she is truly a gifted athlete. Last I had heard she wanted to go to App State. Student only? I guess thats to be seen.

Love is a gifted ballplayer as well as just a nice kid. She comes from a great family and it reflects in her as well. Good Luck to Love. I hope she chooses to play at the next level.
:xyzthumbs

 

Recruiting Notes

For Juniors, there are eleven months to the NCAA Early Signing Period. Things you should know and be doing:

Things to know:
1) A letter and questionnaire from a college coach does not mean you are being recruited. They are only a signal a coach knows you play softbal and a request for info for evaluation. Neither constitutes that a college coach "is all over" you. Coaches will send dozens, if not hundreds, of these letters to prospects throughout the year.
2) According to the NCAA, a high school student-athlete is being recruited when one of three things happens: a) A coach calls you at home more than once, b) a coach comes to specifically see you play, c) a coach extends you an invitation for an official visit. Everything else is preliminary work that allows a coach to evaluate prospects, narrow down their list and eventually focus on the dozen or so kids they will seriously go after. Still, these letters and questionnaires are often mistaken by prospects and parents to mean they are being formally recruited. Not so.
3) Questionnaires are an indication of how many colleges know about you, period. They are NOT an indicator of how many colleges are recruiting you. However, coaches cannot start the recruiting process, and eventually recruit you, if they do not know about you and subsequently evaluate you.
4) Practically everyone who plays in college made All-Conference, All-County, All-Area and/or All-State. There are a lot of NC/SC kids who had the talent to play collegiately and thought making those teams was enough to get noticed, but are not playing in college today. Those honors are great for a resume, but a coach will take you seriously only if you have the legitimate talent and desire to play in college, solid grades, the recommendation of a reputable coach, and match the coach's specific needs for that recruiting class, AND they know about you.
5) While club ball has replaced high school ball as the place where college coaches do a majority of their recruiting, there are more and more teams competing in travel ball with more and more kids competing for scholarships. In the typical tournament, there will be 24 teams with over 300 players participating. Most coaches attend these tournaments to verify their previous evaluations (via questionnaires and videotape), not to discover talent - although it does occasionally happen.

Things to do:
1) Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at www.ncaaclearinghouse.org ASAP. Your grades will not be sent in by your guidance counselor until the conclusion of your junior year, but you can register with the Clearinghouse anytime after you enter the 9th grade. You must do this to play NCAA DI or DII ball, but not for DIII. There is a $30.00 fee paid to the NCAA.
2) Play travel ball and encourage your coach to play in the best tournaments possible. Make no mistake, it is very important to play and do well in high school. Doing so is an essential part of the process, at least for now. (Some prospects in California, Florida and Texas have started to bypass high school ball to concentrate on year round training for their travel team - thank goodness we are not there, yet). But, college coaches are spending a majority of their recruiting time and money scouting prospects in the summer at tournaments. It is a simple matter of efficiency, time and money. They can spend the same amount of time and money going to a summer or fall tournament evaluating 20 to 50 prospects as they would at two high school games to see two to five kids. Their evaluation days are limited and their budgets are tight. Besides, high schools play at the same time they play in the springtime.
3) Stay in excellent shape year round. Get used to it because it will be expected of you in college. If you cannot commit to year round workouts, training and skill improvement, don't bother to waste a college coach's time. That being said, there are coaches who are less demanding of players in the off season. Still, these situations are getting fewer and fewer.
4) Raise your GPA and take the SAT and/or ACT as early as possible. There are NO advantages to waiting until your senior year to take these tests. If you do, you could risk losing out in the competition for a scholarship offer.

Good luck and feel free to contact us if you need help at www.nsr-inc.com/carolinas.

 

NSR

Great memo on recruiting! U said it all and I am glad someone had the guts to let everyone know just how tough it is to get college coaches to notice young ladies and all the work and effort, players, parents, and coaches must perform to get the kids noticed. This fall I got more involved in our younger kids and saw that parents are more interested in their child playing every minute than being on a team that works to get them noticed and that understands what it takes to get them to the next level. Parents, please give your child all the tools they need in school and encourage them to do the very best they can! Also, in the softball world, give them the best chance of being seen and recruited! Just going to showcase tournaments without many hours of pre-event letters, e-mails, phone calls by you, your child, and the coach or travel team representative, will not provide the results U expect. As has been stated, in most Showcase tourneys, there are 50 to 100 teams with 600 to 1200 girls, what makes U think your child will be the girl they see? U must develop a relationship!
Lastly, explain to your child the huge committment it takes to develop into a college player and to remain at the top of their game. Stress to them the time management and sacrifices that they will have to endure to play the game they love. It can be a great experience and help them grow and mature if they are schooled and go in with their "eyes wide open" Hope all have a great 2005!

 

I have a couple Questions for either Top Scout , or LBlues1.What age or grade level can a college coach start talking to your DD?When do you need to start gathering up info,& corresponding with schools?I have a freshman,& am wondering when to start the process?

 

Coaches talking

First let me say it is never to early to get on a coaches radar screen. U can e-mail coaches and ask them questions any time, your child can e-mail them and inquire about the school, the program, the requirements, basic skills needed, etc. U can attend camps at the schools U think U may have interest and really during a camp pretty much have free reins to ask questions of a coach or staff member. I like the camps cause U can ask players about their experience at a school U may want to attend. Prepare profiles, do videos, get to camps, get private lessons, and get on a quality travel team with connections and attends the better tournaments and ASA regionals and nationals. Lastly, be honest with your child and yourself! Reconize her skill level and work toward getting her ready for the college experience. School first! Good grades are extremely important as they determine the type of school U can attend. Year round work is needed and concentration on one sport by your junior year at the lastest is important. Good luck with your daughter, softball is a great game and I have made wonderful friendships because of this great game. Happy New Year.

 

Thanks so much for the input LBlues1,will be getting started on this soon.It's really fantastic all the help you guys do for the girls,& is to be much commended!! :applause: Her pitching coach has told me that this is the year to start taking her to the camps, to be seen.She does play for a quality travel team,Carolina Cobras,who I believe will be doing several showcases this coming year.This will be new for us & would like to know some of the good showcases to attend.I have been told you have to sign up way in advance.Thanks again,Go Cobras !!!! :xyzthumbs

 

Cobras

The Cobras are a great little team! U do need to play ASA regionals and nationals as well as the showcase events. Rising Star Showcase in Plantation Fla. is a good one and it is first come first in, unlike most of the showcase events. Dynamite Classic is full already, Bandits in Florence probably full, Colorado full since last July, NSA is having a nice Showcase in July here in NC. However, that said, playing Showcase in anything but 18U will not get U seen unless your coach has pull with college coaches. I would suggest playing the best quality tourneys at 16U, them move to 18U in the fall. Just a suggestion from someone who has been there done that. Best of luck to U and the Cobras.

 

Thanks again for the info,& will pass this on to our coach if he hasn't read this already.Thanks also for the complement on the Cobras,we love to watch them play.I must also say that we played 3 different age levels of the Lady Blues last year,& every team was solid from top to bottom,great bunch of girls,parents,& coaches.Very good competition,good luck to the Blues organization this year! :xyzthumbs