 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Softball
Father, Son On Same Trail
Aug. 2, 2006 It was a warm moment on a warm day -- father and son sitting together in the bleachers at Jack C. Fisher Park, taking in a high-profile game in the Amateur Softball Association 18-and-under Fastpitch Nationals.
Compuware's Shannon Smith slides safely into third base after the Simply Wild Rebels' Megan Benson loses the ball Tuesday evening in one of the last games on a hot day at the Amateur Softball Association 18-and-under Fastpitch Nationals at Jack C. Fisher Park. Compuware defeated the Simply Wild Rebels 6-2. Photo by Gary Emord-Netzley, M-I.
But this wasn't just any father-son tandem.
Jess Dannelly and son McKewn Dannelly are in town on business, as both are coaches at NCAA Division I schools. Jess Dannelly is in his 22nd year as head coach at Coastal Carolina University; McKewn Dannelly is in his second season as an assistant at the University of Mississippi.
Both Dannellys know what they're looking for this week, and what they're looking for might surprise some.
The general consensus is that D-I college coaches are seeking only the best hitters, the best fielders, the best pitchers, the fastest runners; that physical ability is the end-all and be-all of the recruiting process.
It's not that simple.
"A lot of it has to do with the player's attitude," Jess Dannelly said. "I watch how they interact with their teammates and their coaches. And, I watch how they interact with their parents. All of that tells you a whole lot about an individual.
"If they don't hustle, if they can't get along with those closest to them, that's something we make note of."
This week, with temperatures in the mid-90s and high humidity, coaches are keeping an keen eye on how players are responding to the heat.
It's not a one-tournament test, either.
"Typically, you don't go to a tournament and make a recruiting decision based on what you witnessed that week, or weekend," McKewn Dannelly said. "We evaluate these players over an extended period of time and then make a conclusion.
"This is the sixth or seventh time I've seen some of the players in this tournament. It's not an overnight thing. Knowing whether or not a player is right for your program is a process that takes time."
Jess Dannelly said a player's academic abilities also play a critical role in the recruiting process.
"We get 12 total scholarships in Division I, and how we utilize those scholarships goes a long way toward determining the overall success of our program," Jess Dannelly said.
"If a player is getting a high percentage of scholarship money from academics, then what softball provides to make up the difference won't be as much. That's important, because you have to spread 12 scholarships over a 20-player roster."
McKewn Dannelly concurred.
"At the collegiate level, the term 'student-athlete' takes precedence over the term 'athlete,' " McKewn Dannelly said. "There are a number of reasons for that.
"If a player is a good student, you know that individual is willing to work hard to achieve, and it provides you a pretty good indication that she'll work hard to be the best softball player she can be, as well."
The Dannellys are also convinced that every high school player who wants to play collegiate softball can find a place to play.
"These days, there is a place for everyone," McKewn Dannelly said. "There are so many divisions in college, including NAIA, and so many colleges across the country now competing in softball, if a player wants it bad enough she can find a place to play."
And there are few secrets.
"We keep some things to ourselves, but not much," Jess Dannelly said. "We share quite a bit of information with our fellow coaches.
"For whatever reason, a particular player may not be right for my program, but maybe I know a program that player would be perfect at -- so I pass the information along.
"We help each other out and that, in turn, helps out a lot of young ladies who have aspirations of playing at the next level."
|
|
See the Softball Headlines |