recruiting dead period

I stand corrected. There is a quiet period for softball from the day after Thanksgiving until Jan 1. A quiet period is defined by the NCAA in by-law 13.02.4.3 A quiet period is a period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the institution's campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.

So basically coaches cannot be out on the road evaluating or making in-person, off-campus contacts, but recruits may make an in-person contact on the campus of an institution.

Guess you learn something new every day!