Was this a reflection of a series of non-competitive years? Or the lack of promotion? It seems that a few promos with girls softball leagues could generate more than this.
Softball Coach - Gemeinhardt-Cesler
- Thread starter BenEClone
- Start date
Was this a reflection of a series of non-competitive years? Or the lack of promotion? It seems that a few promos with girls softball leagues could generate more than this.
How does that help? My daughter plays high-level travel softball, and the past three weekends her team has been under the lights, and it has been miserable. 45 degrees with a 20mph wind is 26 degree wind chill. You can't feel your fingers in those conditions. Knowing that you're going to be playing in Ames at night in March and April is not going to bring more recruits.
Someone in here already nailed it. Our next hire MUST recruit in state. Iowa and Iowa State fail to do so and it costs us.
There is currently a player at Alabama from Iowa who will be playing all 4 years. I think she is a senior now.
Paige Lowry was a top lefty pitcher two years ago in Iowa high schools that went to Mizzou and has done a great job there.
Lindamann from Centennial is the best player in Iowa softball history and she's going to Minnesota.
The best shortstop in the state right now (from Johnston) will be heading to Missouri after next softball season.
There is currently a player at Alabama from Iowa who will be playing all 4 years. I think she is a senior now.
Paige Lowry was a top lefty pitcher two years ago in Iowa high schools that went to Mizzou and has done a great job there.
Lindamann from Centennial is the best player in Iowa softball history and she's going to Minnesota.
The best shortstop in the state right now (from Johnston) will be heading to Missouri after next softball season.
Good grief, I didn't say average, but so glad you feel the need to be didactic. So Alabama averages 2927 not 3000. Averages include low crowd games. I have watched multiple Michigan games on BTN this year where announceded attendance was around 3000, but their average is less than 2000 in looking at the stats.
It will bring fans to games. Right now, attendance is miserable because half our games are at 2 in the afternoon on a weekday.
And to be quite honest, if any player complains that it's too cold, they probably shouldn't be playing spring ball in Iowa period.
Last edited:
Is weather just enough warmer in Missouri to matter though? Would think recruiting at home makes'sense but even our good programs'struggle to keep top talent home.
I really don't think weather is a factor for midwest kids. It's the California and Texas kids that have an issue with it.
It's not just recruits. If you think fans are coming to games in those conditions, that's just silly.
And let's say you're getting great Midwest kids from programs like Beverly Bandits, Iowa Premier, Illinois Chill, KC Peppers, etc. You aren't filling your roster from those teams, you don't have the cache to pull girls from those programs. And if you take kids from lesser programs, you're not competitive either. You need to dip into California, Texas, and Florida to complete the roster. Night games won't help that.
No, Midwest girls play in this weather often. The point I'm making is go after those girls.
I would be crazy to think that we could fill our rosters with kids from those "elite"programs, but I'd also be crazy to think that there aren't better players out there that aren't a part of those top club programs.
I would be very happy to see Iowa State recruiting Illinois and Indiana better. There are a lot of good programs here with girls that could do well at a school like ISU. Programs like Wasco Diamonds, Sparks, New Lenox Lightning, Indy Dreams, Lids, etc. Those girls would be just fine in Ames weather.
Michigan won a national title and Northwestern played in the national finals. The weather is worse in both those places yet they compete every year at an elite level.
Michigan has Hutch, a hall of fame coach who is extremely popluar in softball circles and has built that program for 30+ years.
Northwestern offers one of the most prestigious degree pedigrees is the US.
ISU has neither of these.
The point of the comment was good softball can be played by northern schools. Is ISU in this class no, but to use weather as a recruiting excuse is a cop out.
