Number 1 Training Bat on the Market⬇️
Camwood Bats
https://camwoodbats.com?a_aid=63d83ca5a0a57


Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is a professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. Although collegiate coaches comprised the majority of the organization's membership in the early days, today they are joined by high school, travel ball, professional and international coaches, along with umpires, clubs, companies and fans of fastpitch softball. Growing from 40 members in 1983 to over 6,500 today, the NFCA boasts members from all 50 states and several international countries.

There are many services offered to the membership, highlighted by education, events, awards and networking opportunities. All-America teams, scholar-athlete accolades, coaching achievements, off-the-field contributions and scholarships make up a robust awards program. An annual National Convention, eight regional Coaches Clinics, in-person seminars (NFCCs), tournaments and camps contribute to the Association’s continued event presence. View our member benefits here.

In addition to all of the above, education remains the top priority. Its robust Featuring a grassroots Coaching Tools package compiled of practice plans, drills and evaluation forms, the NFCA also disseminates podcasts, forums, a Digital Education Library, Virtual Coaches Clinics, webinars, a mentoring program, publications, a Drills Database, legal counsel and accurate and credible information surrounding the sport.

Headquartered in Louisville, Ky., the national office is the home base of 12 employees, 19 Board members and seasonal interns.

At the 2022 NFCA Meeting, a change was proposed that has caused more than a bit of consternation: the idea that Fall recruiting would stop—meaning college coaches couldn’t or wouldn’t go off-campus to events. Camps on college campuses would continue to be held, however, but recruiting at off-site tournaments would cease.

Many at the 2022 NFCA Convention–and even those not there–had an opinion about proposed changes to the Fall recruiting calendar.
From one position–the travel ball and event production side, in particular, and even some non-Power 5 programs–top club events from September through December would lose their key advantage of having college coaches come and watch teams and players who would, instead, take that window of time to go to college camps where they would get seen and evaluated there.

Some, on one side, saw this as a way to lessen the travel ball expenses for club coaches, players, and teams who feel compelled to get out and showcase their talents in front of college scouts through the latter half of the year, as much as is done in the summer (though not in the spring, as most states play high school ball during that season; a notable few do play prep ball in the fall, including Georgia and Colorado, among others).

On the flip side, some stated that they felt this was a power play by top DI programs—particularly those in the Power 5 conferences—to decrease the importance of the current fall events and, instead, make money for themselves by having top prospects visit their own campuses and pay for their elite camps.

Simply, the intent some feared, was to legislatively block fall club events by making it a non-recruiting period where college coaches couldn’t go to these events but instead would benefit from recruitable athletes going to them and, not insignificantly, make good money because they have the clout to get top prospects to come onto their campuses.

According to multiple sources with first-hand knowledge of what went on in the Division 1 caucus, the mental health of those coaches was frequently dwelt upon by those in favor of the proposal. D1 coaches noted the advantage of the recruiting cut-back would be more opportunities to spend time with their own teams and with their families, instead of being on the road every weekend for the better part of two fall months.

One coach, who spoke during an open-mic period at the Softball Summit on Friday afternoon, noted that this proposal—if passed—would provide not just more opportunities for college coaches to spend time with their teams and families, but that evaluating prospects could still occur through the camps.

Of the handful of college coaches we talked to who were opposed to the concept, some feared that big-name schools in Power 5 conferences would be able to draw in campers putting mid-major programs and smaller schools at a disadvantage.

One advantage of limiting Fall Recruiting: it would allow college coaches to stay home more to be with their own players and families more.
One college coach from a non-Power 5 DI program stated under the condition of being off the record:

“This would allow the rich to get richer and widen the gap between Power 5’s and other D1’s while making them a lot of money and hurting those coaches willing to work hard and go see players at events across the country.”

It’s important to note that numerous smaller DI school coaches are in favor of the change, seeing it as a net positive for their personal mental and emotional health, especially with the increased time to be at home and less time and stress traveling on the road to evaluate prospective student-athletes.

Interesting positions, for sure, on both sides and the topic looks to continue being discussed—especially if proposed legislation is advanced and the idea of no Fall Recruiting gets serious consideration.