Recruited on purpose
A step-by-step system that takes every AE player from her first target-school list to signing day. Written down, so families can hold us to it.
Hope is not a recruiting plan
Most travel teams sell exposure: pay for the big tournament, play well, and hope a college coach happens to be watching your field. It rarely works that way.
College coaches don't go to tournaments to discover players. They go with a list of players they already know, to confirm what they've already seen.
Our job is to get your daughter on that list before the first pitch. That means choosing the right schools first, contacting those coaches directly, building a relationship over time, and then inviting them to watch her play.
The hope approach
- Enter expensive showcases and wait to be noticed
- No list of schools, or a list of dream schools only
- Coaches have never heard the player's name
- Parents manage it alone, guessing at the rules
- Junior year arrives and the phone doesn't ring
The AE approach
- Build a target list of schools that truly fit
- Player emails those coaches, with real numbers and video
- Coaches are invited to specific games, with field and time
- Staff guide every step and track every contact
- On September 1 of junior year, she's already on their board
Six steps, from target list to signing day
Every AE player works the same process. The player drives it; our staff coach her through it.
- 1Start here · any grade
Know your profile
Verified measurables, a skills video, grades, and a standardized player profile. Before we contact a single coach, we know what we're presenting and what level it fits. How we measure and develop players
- 2Freshman – sophomore year
Build the target list
A one-on-one meeting with each family to build a list of schools using our five pillars of fit. Reach, match, and likely schools, chosen on purpose and not by logo.
- 3As soon as the list exists
Reach out and show interest
The player emails each coach on her list, completes the school's recruiting questionnaire, and follows the program. We supply templates, review drafts, and help with the questionnaires.
- 4Ongoing
Build the relationship
Regular updates when there's something to say: new video, new numbers, grades, schedule. Camps at target schools. Every contact goes in her coach contact log so nothing is dropped.
- 5Before every tournament
Invite them to watch
Before each event, every player emails her target coaches the schedule, field numbers, and jersey number, with our team sheet and her player sheet attached. Coaches come to see a player they already know.
- 6September 1 of junior year → signing day
Be on the board when the window opens
When coaches can finally call, she's already in their recruiting process. From there: calls, visits, offer evaluation with an AE coach in the room if you want one, commitment, and signing.
Why September 1 matters
Under current NCAA Division I softball rules, September 1 of a player's junior year is the first day coaches may call, text, email, make offers, and host visits.
Players, however, can write to coaches at any time before that. Coaches read those emails, watch the video, and build their boards long before they are allowed to reply. Everything in this program is built to make that date the start of a conversation, not the start of a search.
Division II coaches may call and email earlier, with offers and official visits from June 15 after sophomore year. Division III, NAIA, and junior college programs have fewer restrictions. NCAA rules change; we confirm the current calendar every year.
Our promise, stated plainly
No one can guarantee a scholarship or a roster spot, and we won't pretend to.
What we guarantee is the process: a real target list, real numbers, real video, the right events, and consistent follow-through with college coaches.
The right fit at any level — Division I, II, III, NAIA, or junior college — is a win.
The five pillars of fit
A school belongs on the target list only if it holds up on all five. This is the conversation we have with every family.
1 · Academic fit
- GPA, course rigor, and test scores against the school's admitted range
- Majors and career path
- Academic support for athletes
2 · Athletic measurables
- Exit velocity, home-to-first, pitch velocity and spin, pop time
- Tested at our facility and compared to that program's roster
- Measured with the AE Power Index, Blast Motion, and pitchLogic. See how we assess players.
3 · Roster depth & playing time
- Who plays her position now, and when they graduate
- How many the program carries and recruits per class
- A realistic path to the field, not just the roster
4 · Finances
- True cost of attendance vs. sticker price
- Athletic, academic, and need-based aid combined
- In-state tuition, WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange), and private merit aid
5 · Geography, climate & campus life
- Distance from home, weather, size of school and town
- Diversity, campus culture, Greek life, and the social scene she wants
- Coaching staff and team culture, seen in person on a visit
The finished list
- Reach: stretch programs worth the effort
- Match: where her numbers and grades fit today
- Likely: strong fits where she'd be a priority recruit
What every AE player gets
The recruiting program is part of being on the team.
Individual target-school list
A one-on-one family meeting to build her list on the five pillars, revisited every semester.
Standardized player profile
A profile page with video, verified metrics, academics, and schedule: one link she can send to any coach.
Skills video
Filmed at the Athletic Edge facility, edited to what college coaches want to see in the first three minutes.
Assessments & development plans
The AE Power Index, Blast Motion hitting reports, pitchLogic bullpen reports, and an 8-week strength and power block, each with an individual development plan built around her goals. See the assessments.
Pre-tournament coach emails
Templates and staff review so every player contacts her target coaches before every event, with schedule and field assignments.
Team sheet & player sheets
A roster sheet for college coaches at every event and a one-page sheet for each player, at the backstop and in every email.
Questionnaire & platform support
Help completing each school's recruiting questionnaire and setting up her recruiting profile, messaging, and social media presence.
Coach contact log
Every email, reply, camp, and call tracked for each player, so staff know when to follow up on real interest.
Elite competition, chosen on purpose
Alliance, PGF, and showcase events selected because the coaches on our players' lists will be there.
The timeline, year by year
| When | What the player does | What AE does |
|---|---|---|
| 8th – 9th grade | Protect the GPA from day one. First measurables. Start a list of schools she's curious about. | Baseline testing, parent night on how recruiting works, profile page goes live. |
| 10th grade | Build the target list. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Email coaches and complete questionnaires. Attend camps at target schools. | Family target-list meeting, skills video, email coaching, schedule built around the list. |
| Summer before 11th | Email target coaches before every tournament. Keep them updated. | Team and player sheets at every event; staff follow up with coaches who watched. |
| Sept 1, 11th grade | Answer the phone. Division I coaches can now call, text, offer, and host visits. | Help her prepare for calls, compare interest, and plan visits. |
| 11th grade | Unofficial and official visits. Narrow the list. Updated video and numbers. | Offer evaluation against the five pillars; honest advice on fit. |
| 12th grade | Commit, apply, finish strong academically, sign. | Signing day, and a plaque in the AE Hall of Fame. |
What we ask of players
- Write your own emails. Coaches recruit players, not parents.
- Keep your grades up; they open or close doors before talent does.
- Do the work between practices, and keep your profile current.
- Answer coaches promptly and honestly.
What we ask of parents
- Be honest with us about budget, distance, and academics.
- Let your daughter lead the conversations with coaches.
- Come to the family meetings and parent nights.
- Stay open to every level. The right fit is the goal.
Start with a tryout
Nov 28 and Dec 5 · 2–4 pm · Casa Grande Varsity Field, Petaluma.