Softball and recruiting Kansas girls

[flyingMoose]

This is a topic worthy of discussion, but relevant posts were about to hijack another thread. So I moved them here in a crude sort of way. And yes, absolutely no one asked me to do it. Sorry.

[flyingMoose]

Hovpen has been great with information on local prospects and the such. I don't know the first damned thing about softball talent and recruiting. I guess my only hope is that if we are not going to be hugely successful, then I'd just as soon be mediocre with local kids.

[flyingMoose]

Over the last four years and the next two years, we have had local softball players commit to or sign and play well at: Oklahoma State, Florida, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Missouri, Missouri State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, UMKC, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pacific, Baylor, Utah, Louisiana Monroe, Purdue, Costal Carolina, South Florida, Central Michigan, Kansas, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville State, Nebraska, Dayton, U of Illinois-Chicago, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Drake, Creighton, Harvard, North Dakota, Eastern Illinois, Iona, South Dakota State, Southeastern Louisiana, Tulsa, Northwestern, and U of Indiana Purdue. Why shouldn’t WSU go after a few of our local girls? Several of those players have even been selected to their all-conference teams. We have two local teams who compete well with the best California and Texas have to offer at the national level in the Mustangs and Peppers. Currently we have three junior colleges in the national tournament and one feeder school, Butler, has six players who could be headed to D-1 programs next year not to mention, they owned the Shockers this past fall.

If anyone thinks our local kids are going to be mediocre, think again.

Now, anyone want to get me started on our local kids playing basketball at the D-1 level? I'm seeing around 30 within a two hour drive of campus who for whatever reason got away.

For the future in softball, this is as good of a freshman class this year as I have seen in the past 10 at the high school level with our top talent in Kansas.

KU btw, beat WSU with six Kansas players in the starting lineup and although they are currently at the bottom of the Big 12, they are a much improved team and the Big 12 is this season one of the top leagues in the country, playing some excellent ball.

That said, good luck with whomever is the new hire and good luck also to the current staff in securing their future. I do believe a current Big 12 assistant was interviewed according to my sources.

I don't think it would be too hard to put together a competitive program in the Valley.

[flyingMoose]

Hovpen, I didn't mean to imply there aren't competitive athletes in Kansas. The list you provide is impressive.

Let me ask this, and hopefully with the change in leadership you will feel comfortable going into some details;

Why do you think WSU let's so many local type players get away? I know it's FAR more expensive to recruit someone from another state, plus there is the added expense of out of state tuition.

As I see it (and again, I know nothing of softball recruiting so I am just attempting to use what's left of my own common sense) there are 3 explanations:

1)Our program just refused to recruit local players that given an option, at least some would have chosen WSU.

2)There is some rift between the WSU staff or program and the AAU type teams that has really driven a wedge between the 2 and hinders WSU from successfully recruiting these young ladies (I don't know the first damned thing about any of this, I am just doing this from memory of what I can think was posted over the years).

3)And this is really what I was getting to......that most if not all of these potential student athletes just don't want to go to WSU for whatever reason...they don't like the school, they want to get away etc. This isn't meant to place blame...I am just curious if that's a perception that you may have noticed.

[flyingMoose]

Okay, I'll bite. Shelby Davis from Goddard is going to Oklahoma State. Florida? Arkansas? Are we speaking of Jacey Juden? I think I will stop there.

[Quick Pitch]

Stewart from Ark City signed with Florida
Navarro from Butler signed with Arkansas

[flyingMoose]

Stewart from Ark City signed with Florida
Navarro from Butler signed with Arkansas

But Arkansas parked Navarro at Butler and neither we (nor anybody else) were ever going to recruit her. At least that is the story I was told.

Regarding Kelsey Stewart, there is this.

http://blogs.varsitykansas.com/blog/2010/06/09/arkansas-citys-kelsey-stewart-named-the-kansas-softball-gatorade-player-of-the-year/

But then there is also this.

http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=19174

But perhaps I am missing something.

And girls invited to the Junior National Team Camp are unlikely to stay in the area to play at WSU unless they have an ailing mother. That is just the way life is.

[1972Shocker]

Looks like the gatorzone.com announcment is for Class of 2011 signings.

Isn't Kelsey Stewart the Class of 2012? She may have verballed to Florida but may not have actually signed an LOI yet.

I definitely could be missing something.

[flyingMoose]

Isn't Kelsey Stewart the Class of 2012?

I was missing something, and I think you have found it.

But Nikki Armagost going to Pacific - maybe this is part of the WSU v Mustangs saga that is alluded to so often. But Pacific is in the Stanford Regional this year, so ...

[Hovpen]

Brock from Derby is also at Pacific. There are a lot more ball players in this state than what plays on the club team that some disgrunted fans want to bash. It's a two way street and softball fans should look both ways before crossing it. Two of the top HS players in the state play on 21st street on the other end of town and I didn't see any offers for them from WSU nor did I see any Mustangs staff advising them not to accept. IMHO, Mac Millspaugh is a better pitcher right now than anyone on WSU staff or that has been recruited for next year. She will throw for Butler next year. Perhaps WSU should hire Doug Chance as their next coach. He will do the recruiting and you can take that to the bank. How about one of coach Tim's assistants at Florida?

Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Nebraska, Wisconson, Oklahoma State, Missouri, are all in state looking at several of our sophomores and freshmen now. Someone needs to get on the recruiting trail there.

I only hope that WSU hires soon, and the new staff can get this recruiting process started quickly.

BTW, Nikki loves it at Pacific. .374 batting average, 15 doubles, three home runs. 19-9 on the mound and will throw against Stanford on Friday. League champions and was named player of the year.

[1972Shocker]

Here is Doug Chance's bio:

http://grizzlies.butlercc.edu/softball/head_coach.cfm

Hov, have you considered conveying your thoughts to Eric Sexton?

His e-mail is: esexton@goshockers.com

I'm not sure what we have to lose by giving a local guy a shot.

[Hovpen]

WSU administration will do fine without my thoughts as I'm sure many will agree with that statement. I'm just gonna sit back and try and help some of our kids fullfill their dreams.

[flyingMoose]

Brock from Derby is also at Pacific.

But she and the family had their heart set on her playing in the Big XII, so where does that leave WSU? Actually, neither Baylor nor Pacific have worked out that well for her which is unfortunate because she seemed like a really nice kid the few times I ever saw her. But yes, I agree, there are kids in Kansas that can play softball which leads to the question ...

I only hope that WSU hires soon, and the new staff can get this recruiting process started quickly.

BTW, Nikki loves it at Pacific.

how many can you get to stay here? I understand that academics and family are just two of a host of factors in a decision, but given the choice of playing in California or playing at WSU, an urban-serving university ... . For a lot of kids, WSU would be a tough sell it seems.

(Yes, I know Coach Lamb makes it work, and I think we are incredibly fortunate to have him.)

To sum up the points (if there are any :) ), yes there are girls that can play but how easy is it to get them here? Or do we even try, which you would know far better than I. (But Carney is here and Steuver is coming.)

This is a bit of a rambling post - sorry.

[RoyalShock]

Here is Doug Chance's bio:

http://grizzlies.butlercc.edu/softball/head_coach.cfm

Hov, have you considered conveying your thoughts to Eric Sexton?

His e-mail is: esexton@goshockers.com

I'm not sure what we have to lose by giving a local guy a shot.

Looks like a good candidate.

[1972Shocker]

Here is Doug Chance's bio:

http://grizzlies.butlercc.edu/softball/head_coach.cfm

Hov, have you considered conveying your thoughts to Eric Sexton?

His e-mail is: esexton@goshockers.com

I'm not sure what we have to lose by giving a local guy a shot.

Looks like a good candidate.

On paper, but I really have no idea whether he is a good candidate or not. However, Hovpen mentioned him and he knows a lot more about this sport than I do.

At this point I don't think we have to be in a big hurry to make a hire. Regardless of who we hire I expect that next year weill be a very challenging one.