Softball · Issue No. 22
One Year Later: Why She'd Still Pass on a Talented Player
Week of September 14, 2026
ONE YEAR LATER: A year of watching more recruiting cycles has only reinforced this coach's original point, not softened it.
Appalachian State's head softball coach makes a claim that surprises most families the first time they hear it: given the choice, she would pass on a genuinely talented player because of her parents' behavior — and she's done exactly that.
Recruiting a player means, in practice, building an ongoing relationship with that player's family for four years or more. A parent who's difficult with umpires, disrespectful to coaches, or consistently creates conflict around a team is a real, predictable cost that a coaching staff has to absorb for the length of that relationship — regardless of how well the daughter herself plays. In her experience, that cost is rarely worth it, even for a player good enough to make a real difference on the field.
This isn't a small, abstract consideration buried in a broader evaluation — it's often close to a deciding factor once talent is roughly comparable between two recruits. A parent who undermines a coaching decision publicly, argues about playing time, or treats umpires and opposing teams poorly is signaling something real about what a program can expect to deal with over the following four years, and plenty of coaches quietly weigh that as heavily as any statistic.
The practical takeaway for parents is uncomfortable but straightforward: how you behave in the stands, on social media, and in interactions with coaches and officials is being watched as part of the recruiting evaluation, whether or not anyone says so directly. A daughter's talent opens a door. A parent's conduct can just as easily close it, even when nobody explains exactly why a particular opportunity didn't materialize. Coaches notice more than most families realize, and they remember longer than most families expect.
From an interview with Appalachian State's head softball coach.
This piece ran in PPA Pro Issue No. 22, alongside a camp spotlight and trainer pick for every sport. Subscribe free.