Yeah, but we lost to the national power Coastal Carolina! What is it with all of our tournaments where we play one team 2 or 3 times and another 2 or three times? We are only seeing two different teams each weekend. That and the fact that they are teams no one has heard of makes this schedule very head scratching.
2016 Softball
- Thread starter LinusPF
- Start date
How is that working out? If we are going to go 4-11 we might as well be losing to some schools people have heard of.
As with baseball's forgettable first weekend, it's tough to go down to play southern teams on their turf, even if they're mid-majors. Next two weekends opponents are warm-weather schools also. But going 1-4 in Chicago against other snowbelt schools (aside from Lipscomb) was extremely disappointing. Judging from the box scores, the coaches are at least trying lineup & position changes to try to get some kind of a spark. Pretty clear we don't have any hidden power bats, though.
I don't have a problem with the schedule. We have zero business playing Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona etc. like we have the last few seasons. If we are going to head south to play games in February and March against southern teams, which is what we will always be forced to do, then you will be playing a team that probably already has 10-15 games under their belt when we play them and they have been practicing outdoors for a month. We probably haven't stepped on a dirt infield until we show up for our first game. The problem right now is that if we were playing Iowa conference opponents, we would probably not have a winning record. That is how devoid of talent this program is right now.
No disrespect intended to your daughter cranker. My talent comment is broad. From what I have heard, she definitely brought up the talent average the moment she joined the program.
My complaint with the schedule is the locations. We've played in South Carolina the last two years (where Bagetta is from), Corpus Christi (Jake's old school), and we have annual trips in Oklahoma (where Looper is from). Why aren't we playing in California and Arizona where there is a lot of softball talent? We need to be playing in areas where recruits can watch Iowa play. If I was a Cali recruit, I'd want to know the school I am going to is going to be playing at least once in my home state instead of where the coaches want to visit their families/friends. The talent pool in SC, OK, and Corpus is not great compared to southern California.
We were in Fullerton, CA last year, Tuscon, AZ the year before that, and back in Fullerton, CA the year before that. Their west coast trip this year is to Hawaii.
Blevins had a lot of recruiting connections on the west coast and in SoCal specifically. Looper's connections are in Texas and Oklahoma, so it is not surprising that we take more trips to those areas.
I want nothing more than for Iowa to return to its rightful place. Like I've said it's as SPECIAL a place as there is.
My daughters injury sucks and now we play the waiting game for next year. I can't tell you how much she loves Iowa.
Even though the season isn't going as planned so far she knows she made the right decision and that she's where she's belongs.
I'm disappointed in the start but I'm going to keep hoping they get it turned around soon.
I've seen video of some of the incoming recruits and it looks promising going forward but we have to get going this year.
My daughters injury sucks and now we play the waiting game for next year. I can't tell you how much she loves Iowa.
Even though the season isn't going as planned so far she knows she made the right decision and that she's where she's belongs.
I'm disappointed in the start but I'm going to keep hoping they get it turned around soon.
I've seen video of some of the incoming recruits and it looks promising going forward but we have to get going this year.
Saw Iowa recruiting the IDT in Colorado this last summer, that tourney brings in some of the top talent from all over the country so they are at least seeing the girls. Now getting them to come to the cold of the north and play for a program that is really struggling is going to be a tough sell. I too hope it turns around, doubt it will anytime soon but they are young. I know I can only wish my daughter would play for Iowa, but she is totally not interested in even trying to go there so i dont push it. Iowa should do like Murphy does at Alabama and try to play games or tourneys at least once for each of the players home states. I know that is why Bama played at the dome against UNI a while back so Spencer could play in her home town. That to me is very cool. Shows a player something.
Recruiting is only part of the equation of course. I believe the current staff has at least as much trouble developing the players they do get. For example, the current seniors are no better than when they arrived and a couple have regressed - quite a bit. Not calling out these seniors - it's pretty much what we see every year.
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Blank being a major exception, who IIRC was a slapper when she got to Iowa and actually developed a power bat under our coaches. Katie Keim from a couple of years ago also improved quite a bit. But yeah, much more common for kids with nice numbers coming into the program to bat in the low .200s when they first get here, and then graduate around the same. Examples are in the stats page.
Looper should do what the rest of the Big 10 has done and offer a few kids on the Iowa Sundevils.. Crazy the talented girls she doesn't recruit from Iowa..
Agree with Juana. The first thing an Iowa coach in any sport should do is get the best players out of Iowa. Looper hasn't done that. I understand you need to get players from out of state and maybe a majority from out of state but you can't let D1 caliber instate prospects go to programs in bordering states. Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, etc. have signed Iowa HS players that would have made a difference if they had been playing here. We are seldom going to recruit and get top talent out of southern states because of the weather factor and the fact there are a lot of strong D1 programs in those regions. Blevins had some luck there but a lot of it was based on her talent evaluation and seeing something the more prestigious programs didn't need to search for, sort of like Kirk Ferentz. You have to have absolutely no clue about softball to not see that Looper's recruiting strategy is.......well, no strategy at all.
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If you are coaching an equivalency scholarship sport at Iowa and you are not able to build a large base of your roster with Iowa Prep athletes that also have the talent to compete in the B1G then you have absolutely no shot a running a consistently successful program. This is true on both the women's and the men's side of the department.
The question then becomes are there sufficient Iowa prep players that are able to compete at the major college level. Seems that if these type of prospects are able to succeed (at least at a higher level than Iowa) elsewhere as mentioned that they would be able to also have success at Iowa - given the abilities to develop and coach said players.
It is a travesty that Iowa has so few Iowa preps on its softball roster.
Juana, there are very talented girls on lots of Club teams here in Iowa.. Not just the Sun Devils. Primer, Eastern Iowa All Stars, Barracudas, Blitz they all have talent. Not sure why Looper does not recruit Iowa girls. Gayle told me that she recruited Iowa kids for a couple reason, they usually had a bigger upside later on down the line, meaning most were not D1 ready as Freshman but as she developed them they became very good and by their senior year were as good as any, plus when you recruit an Iowa Girl, you bring Iowa girl fans to the games That Kids family and friends attend alot if not all the games. When you recruit kids from California and states other then Iowa they dont bring that. I look at the recruiting like this. If Major schools like Minnesota and Missouri are recruiting these Iowa Girls then Iowa should be too, and they should be the first to do it. Evaluation of talent is difficult, sometimes girls are stars in HS or Club but never get any better, and then there are the girls who develop late and become monsters. UNI has a talent for picking quality players. The Krodinger Twins are a good example. they are contributing now for them as Freshman. I know they are from Missouri but they were missed by U of Missouri so you just never know. Brook Craig was an Iowa Kid that the Hawks should have been looking at, she will develop and become a big contributor for UNI watch.
There are only three sports that Iowa sponsors at the Varsity level that could legitimately compete for and win a national championship with a roster completely comprised of Iowa prep athletes. Wrestling, volleyball, and softball.
I agree. And Looper's not even trying to recruit the Iowa talent. I know of a couple sophomores that have scholarship offers from the other instate schools, and multiple Big10 offers and Iowa's not involved at all.. Makes no sense..
Yes I agree there is more talent than the SunDevils. I just used them as an example cause the Sundevils would probably beat Iowa in a game.. As well as a few other programs..
I agree that it is a travesty. Are there sufficient Iowa prep players to completely fill a whole team and compete for a BIG title? Maybe not, but you can sure find at least half of your starters from Iowa and be very competitive. More competitive than we are now.
I don't know of anyone proposing that Iowa only have in-state athletes on its teams. However, the large absence on Iowa girls on the softball team is something that defies any logical explanation.
There already is mention in this thread of several of the softball programs from around the state that have talented players devoting time and effort to the game. Similarly, there are Iowa girls performing at post-high school levels and doing quite well.
It is difficult to understand, much less accept, Iowa's lack of more of these type of players on its roster.
And neither am I. I am simply pointing out that the level of skill in these three sports at the prep level in Iowa could allow the University of Iowa to field an all-Iowa prep roster and be very competitive nationally.
Juana,
I've never heard of this Sun Devils team you bring up.
We've played against the Barracudas,Premier and the Blitz in the past.
Looper has personally told me directly that she's tried to recruit the LEGIT instate talent but they either won't listen to her or the message isn't being delivered to the player by the coaches.
I'm all for recruits instate kids and they should have priority but they and the coaches also have to cooperate.
This isn't just a Looper issue.
As for MU, they've let a TON of legit instate talent go elsewhere. We have kids going to PAC,B1G and other SEC programs that MU wouldn't pay to keep. It's not just an Iowa issue.
People have complained for years how MU turned their back on instate kids and finally the message is being heard. HCEE has started to recruit instate kids harder after all the other kids began to leave the state in droves.
My point is it's not just an Iowa thing it's prevalent everywhere but I do believe instate kids should be a priority for every school.
Get the kids to listen and they might decide to stay instate.
Personally my daughter wanted to be part of a program that was rebuilding. She committed when they where in the cusp on the top 25 and never wavered despite the downturn.
Get the local kids to stay to be apart of rebuilding this program. I'm 100% behind that
I've never heard of this Sun Devils team you bring up.
We've played against the Barracudas,Premier and the Blitz in the past.
Looper has personally told me directly that she's tried to recruit the LEGIT instate talent but they either won't listen to her or the message isn't being delivered to the player by the coaches.
I'm all for recruits instate kids and they should have priority but they and the coaches also have to cooperate.
This isn't just a Looper issue.
As for MU, they've let a TON of legit instate talent go elsewhere. We have kids going to PAC,B1G and other SEC programs that MU wouldn't pay to keep. It's not just an Iowa issue.
People have complained for years how MU turned their back on instate kids and finally the message is being heard. HCEE has started to recruit instate kids harder after all the other kids began to leave the state in droves.
My point is it's not just an Iowa thing it's prevalent everywhere but I do believe instate kids should be a priority for every school.
Get the kids to listen and they might decide to stay instate.
Personally my daughter wanted to be part of a program that was rebuilding. She committed when they where in the cusp on the top 25 and never wavered despite the downturn.
Get the local kids to stay to be apart of rebuilding this program. I'm 100% behind that
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Well Looper needs to be more friendly to the local instate kids. Show some desire to have them. Not just drive by interest. Crankermo, you know recruiting... You have to massage the kids you are after and even after doing that you are still not guaranteed to sign them. Kids these days like to be liked, Marla seems a little distant from this type of recruiting. Get target kids on your radar, hit them up hard, stay with them and keep on them until they either sign or tell you to your face they are committing somewhere else. I hear from Parents that she just didnt seem genuinely interested in their kid, I feel like coaches have to put in work on instate targets, not just hope they go to Iowa because they are from Iowa. BTW the Sun Devils are a Top notch Club here in Iowa, out of the Des Moines area, there are many in that area. I am sure MU as do just about all schools have missed on lots of instate kids. You just cannot take them all. Plus some just break open after they leave HS and were not on anyone's radar.
Well reading your post tells me she's a horrible recruiter. Never a good thing when the players and coaches don't listen to the "message" a college coach is intending to deliver.. If you can't get kids in your own state to buy in why would anyone buy in?
Juana,
The issue is why aren't kids listening is it background noise, lack of winning, lack of interest from Iowa, or just dislike for Looper?
When kids are told by handlers to not listen, guess what they aren't going to. If a travel/HS coach doesn't deliver the message how is ANY college coach supposed to recruit that player?
My daughter was invited to Iowa's camp and she honestly had no intention of going because she had higher profile offers and Iowa didn't strike a cord with her.
Her travel coach told her to go and just listen. Well she fell in love with the school and the city. Her decision to go after prodding from her travel coach was the best decision of her life.
Kids and COACHES need to be open minded if this is ever going to turnaround.
There's blame on both sides, it's not just Looper and her staff.
You want Iowa to recruit legit instate kids, get them to be more open minded. Looper has to do her part by winning and listening also.
The issue is why aren't kids listening is it background noise, lack of winning, lack of interest from Iowa, or just dislike for Looper?
When kids are told by handlers to not listen, guess what they aren't going to. If a travel/HS coach doesn't deliver the message how is ANY college coach supposed to recruit that player?
My daughter was invited to Iowa's camp and she honestly had no intention of going because she had higher profile offers and Iowa didn't strike a cord with her.
Her travel coach told her to go and just listen. Well she fell in love with the school and the city. Her decision to go after prodding from her travel coach was the best decision of her life.
Kids and COACHES need to be open minded if this is ever going to turnaround.
There's blame on both sides, it's not just Looper and her staff.
You want Iowa to recruit legit instate kids, get them to be more open minded. Looper has to do her part by winning and listening also.
That's good to hear cause I've heard the opposite.. No interest but that's maybe as Looper feels she doesn't have a chance.
A bit of chicken and egg... which came first here.
It is imperative for the Iowa coaching staff to develop strong relationships within the Iowa borders. It takes work and then some. Other in-state programs have found the ability to communicate with prospects from Iowa high schools. Iowa needs to do the same. It cannot be a sometime thing or a once and done type of thing. The old saying of kissing a whole lot of frogs to find the prince/princess applies. I cannot claim to know very much at all about the situation other than what my sense tells me and my sense says that the Iowa coaching staff has not established itself within the Iowa prep community.
Softball, at the high school level in Iowa, is a summer sport. Within the rules permissible, the Iowa coaches should be in constant contact with their desired prospects throughout the year and especially during the season to let them know of the genuine interest.
As for the legitimacy of any particular prospect, I am not even certain that that should be first and foremost in consideration at this juncture. This program needs a jump start that is not likely to come from a nucleus of great softball talent anytime soon. Iowa girls have and continue to perform well with the best of the lot at many levels right now. There is absolutely no reason, and even less room for any excuses for why the University of Iowa is unable to compete at its level.
Thats good that she was welcomed in.. As it should be! I Think Stacy May Johnson would have been a better choice then Looper for HC. I know she has not been in that roll but she seemed positive and friendly when we met her, and with her back ground. I think she would have done at least as well as Marla.
Cranker, I don't think you can blame it on "lack of winning". In the season prior to Looper's arrival, Blevins last one, we were 25-23 which was a bad season and as we now know, there was some internal strife on the team. Prior to that Blevin's previous nine season records in reverse order were:
2009: 42-16
2008: 42-20
2007: 37-21
2006: 39-22
2005: 50-14
2004: 39-24
2003: 44-15
2002: 36-20
2001: 49-14
That 10-year stretch included a B1G Championship, 8 NCAA Regionals, and a College World Series. Blevins also had only one losing conferenc record in her entire career at Iowa and that was in her first year in 1988. So there was plenty of winning taking place that looper could sell when she first arrived. Unfortunately, that has turned intobarely .500 records in Looper's first three seasons and then the disaster last year. She also has losing conference records in 3 of her four seasons.
So if losing is the problem, then that is of Looper's own making. It's not like you have to go back two decades to find some tradition. Iowa softball has plenty of it prior to Marla's arrival.
Cranker, you and I have had this conversation before. I don't know what the rules are and how often and when a coach can contact a player. If Looper is using the excuse that the Iowa club coaches aren't on her side, then that just confirms my original thought which as that she is in way, way over her head. She needs to get those coaches on her side like three years ago and if not then she needs to work that much harder with her direct contact with the players.
73,
I agree with what you posted but having come from the travel ball circuit recently I can tell you it's not that easy to get in a coaches ear so to speak.
It's just my opinion but kids have docking more chances to play and be on TV now that's it's becoming harder to keep instate talent for everyone.
Obviously it becomes much easier by winning.
I'm just trying what I can to make the program what it should and can be.
The posters in this thread are great fans and that's what we need. It perfectly understandable to not like where we are now
I agree with what you posted but having come from the travel ball circuit recently I can tell you it's not that easy to get in a coaches ear so to speak.
It's just my opinion but kids have docking more chances to play and be on TV now that's it's becoming harder to keep instate talent for everyone.
Obviously it becomes much easier by winning.
I'm just trying what I can to make the program what it should and can be.
The posters in this thread are great fans and that's what we need. It perfectly understandable to not like where we are now
Maybe I'm not understanding the recruiting process for softball. My cousin played soccer in college and played for a very high level club program in Kansas City. Her club coach had absolutely zero influence in her recruiting process. He had no say on which schools she spoke to, and which schools spoke to her. Granted, this was soccer and we are talking about softball. Is there that much of a difference in the process? Do club softball coaches in Iowa serve as king maker type gate keepers in the recruiting process like some AAU coaches do in men's basketball? Why does Looper not devote 100% of her efforts at directly contacting the prospect? Can she not send mail to the prospect? Can she not call a prospect directly at her home or does she have to get the club coach's permission?
I know personally of two pretty good Iowa prep players that play D-1 softball and are having high end success at their respective programs. Both of these girls would be the two best players on the Iowa roster right now by a wide margin. Both players absolutely would have considered Iowa. They might not have ended up going to Iowa, but they absolute would have been more than open-minded enough to look long and hard at Iowa. According to both sets of parents for these respective players, neither received even a mailer from Iowa softball let alone a phone call from anyone even associated with the Iowa softball program. It was is if the University of Iowa did not even exist when it came to their recruiting. So when I hear these stories that Looper is saying that she is doing everything she can to recruit elite in-state kids, but they just aren't listening and not giving her a chance, I have to call bull shit. She is either not telling the truth or these two sets of parents are yanking my chain. Considering that I'm 99% sure that these two sets of parents don't know each other, yet the stories about Iowa's lack of recruitment of their respective daughters is close to identical, I'm strongly leaning towards their version of the story being accurate and Looper's being somewhat less factual.
I coach on the so called "Club Circuit", I am an assistant coach for the Mn Irish, I know for a fact that we are totally committed to getting every girl in our program recruited. We do whatever we can do to contact coaches, get the girls exposure and to help them with the recruiting process. On the team We had last season all of our Juniors going into their senior year got recruited by somebody. Now, only one had D1 offers (Wisconsin), but she ultimately chose Winona St, because she wanted to play right away. But Wisconsin wanted her and offered her. I tried very hard to get Iowa to Look at her. I know Adam Arbour and told him to let Looper know about this girl. Nothing.. No contact.. She is a very good pitcher and Iowa had been struggling with getting pitchers. I know she would have considered Iowa if they put time in for her. The point is, the Club coaches I know all want to get their kids recruited. It makes your program look good when you send players to college, and helps you get new kids to play for your club. So all Looper has to do is start making contact with them. Let them know she has an open line of communication to feed her info on players. At least she will hear about the quality ones, we all end up playing each other through out the year and all the coaches notice and recognize talented players for whatever team.. I would gladly tell her that I saw a really talented pitcher or this great Lefty hitter on so and so's club team you should check her out. That is just me though, I want all the kids to be successful.
73,
Travel ball coaches control recruiting for softball quite a bit. It's a lot like AAU for basketball nowadays. My daughters travel ball would let her know what time to call all the coaches.
The rules may have changed but when my daughter committed coaches couldn't have any contact with a player unless the player called them or they were on campus. No emails until July 1st of the summer before their junior year.
Drmac,
I coached travel ball for a long time until we left to go to a power program that would get my daughter recruited. Once we joined that team the differing recruiting was AMAZING.
WE ended up having 3 D1 kids off that team after we left and joined name programs. We played against the MN Irish a few times with our old team also
I'm like everyone else on here I don't know how to fix it but I agree that something has to change
Travel ball coaches control recruiting for softball quite a bit. It's a lot like AAU for basketball nowadays. My daughters travel ball would let her know what time to call all the coaches.
The rules may have changed but when my daughter committed coaches couldn't have any contact with a player unless the player called them or they were on campus. No emails until July 1st of the summer before their junior year.
Drmac,
I coached travel ball for a long time until we left to go to a power program that would get my daughter recruited. Once we joined that team the differing recruiting was AMAZING.
WE ended up having 3 D1 kids off that team after we left and joined name programs. We played against the MN Irish a few times with our old team also
I'm like everyone else on here I don't know how to fix it but I agree that something has to change
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Now with all this being said I do believe they've started going after harder to get recruits and are starting to have some success.
I told Looper if you get them to visit I have no doubt they will commit because you just fall in love with the place.
I have always said Midwest kids have a higher ceiling than warm weather kids because they haven't reached their potential like warm weather kids. Recruit the Midwest and you can play with ANYBODY ANYWHERE.
I told Looper if you get them to visit I have no doubt they will commit because you just fall in love with the place.
I have always said Midwest kids have a higher ceiling than warm weather kids because they haven't reached their potential like warm weather kids. Recruit the Midwest and you can play with ANYBODY ANYWHERE.
Crankermo, what team was your old team and the team you moved to last?. Probley saw you down in KC a time or two. I agree about the midwest kids, having the higher ceiling. I hope she can turn it around and start an upward trend. Kids want to play for winners. or at least a competitive team.
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