8AM Games…
You can wake up mad & grumpy that you have to get up so early…
Or
Grateful.
Grateful to be alive & healthy
Grateful to have a supporting family that allows you to play travel ball
Grateful you get to have fun with your team
It’s your choice…
RECRUITING TIP
College coaches are taking their time recruiting & watching over multiple weeks..
YOU have to be soooo amazingly good college coaches can’t tell you no.
Just like you have a list of 40 colleges… they have a list of 40 players in your class & at your position…
The transfer portal is only getting crazier every year…
Kids going in bc they didn’t play…
Kids going in bc they did play & want to try to play at a bigger school…
This will affect recruiting in so many ways.
PARENTS:
If you are going to cause headaches and problems for travelball coaches and organizations… don’t be shocked when your kid no longer has a spot on a team…
(No matter how good she is)
It’s a shame parents ruin it for great kids.
2025s
The recruiting market is going to tell you what level you can play at..
What schools are contacting you?
The level of the schools that are contacting you - tells you where your skill level is at..
You want bigger schools - become a better player.
I feel like college coaches are taking their time with the 2025 class…
Watching for a few weekends to see if you just had a good weekend or are you truly good?
If a travel ball coach threatens to sabotage your recruiting if you leave their team… GET OUT!!
This shows their insecurities as a coach.
What kind of grown adult behaves like that?
Take control of your recruiting process & reach out/talk to college coaches yourself.
I
Talked with another travelball coach today & we agree…
The kids who are doing the work with the recruiting process are committing & the kids who are not working the process are having a tougher time getting recruited…
Are you playing to get recruited or are you playing to kick someone’s ass?
Are you training to get recruited or are you training to be the best in the country?
Are you playing to win or are you playing to not mess up?
It’s all about Intent & Self Talk….
Everyone who has entered the portal has the most politically correct tweet about their decision & why.
Looking for the athletes who are not scared to speak their raw & vulnerable truth.
Anyone else want to hear these stories? 🙋🏻♀️
Everyone knows the ✈️ are messed up for nationals…
You have 2 options:
1. Say your canceled, give up & not go..
2. Figure out how to get there..
As a coach, I want the FIGURE IT OUT Family (parents) all day bc that kid will figure it out on the field…
With any speed bump
PARENTS:
If you don’t hold your kid accountable & allow them to have excuses how can we hold them accountable as coaches?
I’m recruiting parent mindset…
I can teach a kid to play..
📣Transfer Portal Posts📣
1. Don’t look desperate
2. No one wants to see a picture of you..
POST VIDEO❗️
3. Update Your Profile with Important Info
4. No need to lie about why you’re leaving…
All of these college coaches talk & most of them are friends..
@SoftballPortal
🔥Recruiting HINT🔥
When you drop your weekend schedule under a college coaches post, drop a 5-10 second clip of your BEST film with it…
If they like your skills, they are more likely to come to your games (instead of someone else’s games - there are only so many time slots)!!
PLAYERS:
You should be going to “lessons” to acquire knowledge.
It is then your job to seek to understand what is being taught during that lesson.
Go home & fail a million times until you “figure it out” on your own..
Instructors don’t “fix” you..
YOU “fix” YOURSELF.
Take
National Tryout PITCHING Takeaways
60mph is no longer the base line for national pitchers. We said no to 3 at the 16U & 18U levels (for all national teams)..
You get 1 live batter & start with 1-1 count…
Can you get it done or are you scared?
What pitches do you throw?
Do
You are ALWAYS being recruited.
Idc if you are a signed senior.
What if your college head coach gets fired or leaves for a new job?
What if the new coach doesn’t value you?
It’s so important to continue to get better & build your personal brand so you ALWAYS have options.
I do not believe in reaching out to student-athletes to “steal” them from other teams…
My brutally honest personality would feel way too guilty.
If you reach out to me, then I will absolutely have a confidential conversation.
Stars National 💫
Athletes:
Please keep your grades up… by being at a 3.0 I can guarantee you cross off at least 200 “softball schools” (if not more) which completely limits your options when trying to get recruited…
As Coaches… we fight & we fight & we fight for our kids…
To ensure they are getting the best training..
To ensure they are on the main fields..
To ensure they are getting the absolute best opportunities..
But at some point, these kids have to PROVE they belong & show
Your level of exposure will determine your level of success.
If you’ve never been exposed to the best in your grad class, how do you know where you stand?
The true national level is different…
When college coaches say “drop your schedules” - try dropping your best 20 second highlight video with your schedule… if you are good enough, coaches will change their schedule to come see you…
We are all just trying to figure it out.
You are not alone.
Just make the decision. If you find out later it’s the wrong one, you are allowed to change your mind & make a new decision based on new information!!
Travelball Thought
Some coaches create elite players…
Some coaches are just buying elite players…
Which team is going to benefit you more in the long run?
There is a home for everyone.
Just like you have a list of schools..
The college coaches have a list of kids.
Do you realize you have to be at the TOP of their list to get the offer?
Win the spot.
Be good enough.
TRYOUT SEASON:
If you are playing for non parent coaches who care & you are looking for a new team because you are sitting the bench, typically your problems follow you…
Why not figure out how to earn a starting spot on the team you are on?
99% of the time is mindset or
PARENTS:
Let your kids fail and learn to pick themselves back up again.
If you are always saving them & shelter them from negative experiences, what are they going to do when they are at college without you or when you are not here one day?
Instead, can we allow them to be
One common theme I’ve see with all champions & winners is…
They are GRATEFUL for everything.
Family
Parents
Teammates
Coaches
Big Moments
Success
Failure
Big Stage
Travel
Good Times
Bad Times
Struggle
Support
Pressure
Lessons
Sacrifice
Etc..
What are you grateful for? LMK ⤵️
RECRUITING TIP:
Spend your time & money on the BEST development systems to become good enough…
If you aren’t good enough, you are wasting your time & money on camps/clinics to get recruited..
I think sometimes kids are trying to please the college coaches & give the “right” answers…
STUDENT-ATHLETES: be yourself, say what’s on your mind & be honest about what you are looking for.
Find a school/program/coaches that loves your truest authentic self!!
People are human.
Everyone makes mistakes.
When you make a mistake just own it & make a change for next time!
Just had a great conversation with a former parent & I am excited to work with this student-athlete again!! 💫
Just because it’s one of our Stars FASTPITCH Teams doesn’t mean that team is not better than most National Teams…
The only difference is our Fastpitch Teams do not travel Nationally keeping cost down.
🔗 💫
If you can’t bet on yourself to get it done..
How do you expect other people to bet on you?
To put you into the starting lineup?
To give you $200K scholarship?
You have to believe in you FIRST before other people can believe in you..
Isn’t it funny when people talk shit about you nonstop.. call & ask for favors?
Lessons:
▪️If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything
▪️Stay focused on you
▪️Be 100% honest- always
▪️Do the right thing even if they’ve talked shit…
Softball Gods Always Know 💫
What is your standard?
Don’t come to me with championship level goals & “I’m tired so I’m going to give myself a break” mindset..
Champions & Winners always find a way to get it done + work & accomplish extra no matter what.
Get it done.
A grown man (parent) is not going to “bully” me into doing what they want me to do…
I have had wayyy too much therapy & my dad was wayyy tougher than that growing up…
You have no idea what a kid is going thru unless you provide a safe space for them to be open, honest & transparent..
But with this generation - a lot of times you have to just ask questions & listen..
So incredibly proud!! To have ALL of our 16U National Teams win their brackets & make it to Championship Sunday is truly an amazing accomplishment!!🤩
What’s even crazier is to have all 3 16U National Teams who like, help & support each other!! We are building something special
Just finished our Intro to Recruiting Meeting with the Stars Org. 💫
Families don’t know what they don’t know about the recruiting process… it’s amazing..
Incredibly excited about this upcoming year!!
You have to take care of yourself FIRST before you can help a teammate…
I’m not talking selfishly… I’m saying if you aren’t mentally strong in that moment, how can you help someone who is struggling?
On the other side of that, you need to learn to get yourself out of a
It’s all about becoming the absolute best player you can be.
Training smarter & harder than everyone else..
Playing games to kick the other team’s ass…
That’s what gets you recruited.
Executing at a high level.
You become what you surround yourself with. Energies are contagious. Your environment will become you. 💫
Words cannot describe how incredibly blessed I am to be surrounded by so many amazing people!! 🔥
You won’t get very far in life alone.
Tonight I realized the impact of our ⭐️ coaches community. The coaches are leading the way setting an amazing example for our student-athletes.
The community of ⭐️ players on all of our 16U National teams getting along, laughing &
Successful people will be successful in anything they do at any level… they always find a way to figure it out…
Unsuccessful people always have an excuse on why things did not work out…
Concentrate on improving your skills to become the best player you can be. Join a strong team & allow college coaches to determine the level at which you can compete (DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, JC)…
Look at an X post from a year ago…
Did you grow as a person & leader?
Did you get bigger, faster & stronger?
Are your skills better or the same?
How is your self talk? Mental toughness? Grit? Mindset?
What is one thing you will do differently moving forward?
You have to absolutely love being in the big time moment…
If you don’t, there is a 99% chance you fail..
So why be scared?
Go all out confidently and let whatever is going to happen, happen.
Ava has “IT”!
She was injured a week before summer season started & decided to push surgery until August so she could compete with her team.
Listen to Ava’s Interview ⤵️
“My mindset behind the plate is I’m here for my pitchers,”
@avajacobs_2026
.
Get to know 16U Stars National Gleason’s 2026 uncommitted catcher Ava Jacobs.
Ladies….
Please do not lie or inflate numbers to get seen… you’re more likely to get crossed off & all of the college coaches are friends soooooo then no one will come see you.
Be honest and find someone who appreciates you for who you are as a person & player!
Ok. I’m going to say it. HS & Travel Coaches. Please don’t give us false MPH readings on your athletes. If you tell me she’s throwing 64, & I go out & she’s throwing 60… that’s a big difference. Nothing wrong with 60, I just need the truth or else I’m sitting there like this 🤡
Talking with some college kids last night.. I asked what does it take to be a starter?
MINDSET
FEARLESS
GRIT
CONFIDENCE
SWAG
ENERGY
Some of the more talented players are on the bench bc they are full of fear who can’t get it done..
What do you think the coaches are recruiting?
When I look at someone’s social media account, it paints a clear picture of who they are…
The question is, do I want that person to join my family & network?
FYI - you are co-branding with your friends, teammates & coaches..
Do they have a positive impact on your brand?
TEAM THOUGHTS:
What makes a good team great?
My thoughts…
1. Holding yourself accountable
2. Holding your teammates accountable
3. Everyone working together towards a common goal.
As soon as the “blame game” starts happening in any direction it’s hard to get wins together…
The greatest things in the world were built by tired people.
It doesn’t matter if you are tired or exhausted.. you just have to keep going..
Or you can use it as an excuse..
There is a BIG Difference between Throwing & Pitching!!
▪️Spin Direction
▪️Vertical Movement
▪️Self Talk
▪️Spin the Ball THRU the Zone
@shannonbeckerr
(Notre Dame) &
@DorseyGrose
(2026) got better today!
Thank you
@GraillynWeber
for Catching!
If you have never played true national ball on the main complex it takes most student-athletes about a year to get used to it…
Anyone else have thoughts?
DATA & SCHOLARSHIPS
Having “DI Data” gets college coaches to your field…
In game EXECUTION with mental toughness, grit, heart & passion gets you the offer/scholarship.