Year-by-Year Recruiting Timeline
Class of 2031 — From 7th Grade Through Signing Day
Where Charlie Is Now: 7th Grade, Spring 2026. Playing school ball at Hartselle Jr High and travel ball with Birmingham Mustangs 2030 Poe (playing up). This timeline maps out every phase from now through college commitment.
7th Grade — Spring/Summer 2026 (YOU ARE HERE)
Spring 2026 (Now - May)
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Dominate school ball | Keep raking. Stats from school ball matter less for recruiting than travel, but .610 AVG builds confidence and local reputation. Save game film. |
| Get baseline measurables | Pop time (laser), exit velo (HitTrax/Rapsodo), home-to-first, overhand throw velo. These are your "before" numbers. |
| Start filming | Film every at-bat, catching rep, and throw-down you can. Use a tripod or have someone film from behind home plate and from the side. |
| Set up social media | Create softball-specific Instagram. Optimize existing X/Twitter and TikTok (@catcherchar4) with position, grad year, and team in bio. |
| Create online profiles | NCSA (free), SBLive Sports, Extra Innings Softball, PrepSoftball. Fill out everything — coaches search these. |
Summer 2026 (June - August)
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Travel ball exposure events |
You're already scheduled for great events: • May 30-31: Scout Town National Showcase (Montgomery) • June 6-7: PGF Super Grand Futures (Dallas, GA) • June 12-14: Bolts 5 Star Exposure (Fultondale) • June 27-28: Stars Over Alabama Exposure (Gardendale) • July 11-12: Heart of Dixie Exposure (Fultondale) College coaches attend ALL of these. |
| Film at every event | Set up a camera behind home plate at EVERY game. Every at-bat, every throw-down. This is your content library. |
| Post weekly on social media | 2-3 posts per week of highlights, training, and game clips. Tag the tournament and any college coaches present. |
| Attend 1-2 college camps | Even in 7th grade, showing up at camps gets you on the radar early. Focus on Alabama-area D1/D2 schools. See Camps page. |
| Start a target school spreadsheet | Begin researching schools. What matters: location, academics, program strength, scholarship money, campus feel. |
Fall 2026
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Fall ball / training | Focus on getting stronger and faster. Speed training is key — catchers who can run stand out. |
| Lessons | Catching lessons (framing, blocking, game management). Hitting lessons with focus on exit velo. |
| Academics | Keep grades up. Coaches check transcripts. Aim for 3.5+ GPA. Strong academics open D3 and academic scholarship doors. |
8th Grade — 2026-2027 School Year
Key Shift: This is the year to get serious about exposure. You're one year from high school, and many college coaches start tracking 8th graders at big events. Playing up on the 2030 team is a huge advantage here.
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Increase tournament level | PGF Nationals, USA Elite Select, Alliance Fastpitch events. If the Mustangs are playing these, perfect. If not, consider showcases on the side. |
| Attend 3-5 college camps | Mix of dream schools and realistic targets. Go to camps at Alabama, Auburn, UAB, Jacksonville State, Samford, Troy, and other SEC/Sun Belt schools. |
| Create skills video v2 | Professional-quality skills video (2-3 min). Catching, hitting, speed, arm strength. Post on YouTube, link everywhere. |
| Begin email outreach | Start sending introductory emails to coaches at 15-20 target schools. Brief, professional, with video link. (See Coach Contact page for templates.) |
| Unofficial visits | Visit 3-5 college campuses to watch games. Get a feel for programs. Introduce yourself to coaches afterward. No limit on unofficial visits. |
| Update measurables every 3 months | Pop time, exit velo, speed. Track improvement. Update all profiles and social media. |
| Prepare for the PSAT | Start thinking about test prep. Strong test scores help with academic scholarships, especially at D2/D3 schools. |
Freshman Year (9th Grade) — 2027-2028
CRITICAL YEAR: This is when recruiting gets real. You'll be on a high school varsity roster (or should be). College coaches are actively evaluating. For catchers, this is prime time — programs are building their future rosters and catchers are the first position they lock down.
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Make varsity | Push for a varsity spot at Hartselle High. Starting catcher on varsity as a freshman is a MAJOR recruiting bullet point. |
| Play top-level travel | National-level tournaments are a must now. PGF Premier, USA Gold Nationals, Alliance Championships. Coaches are at every one. |
| Heavy camp attendance | 5-8 camps per year at target schools. Camps are the #1 way coaches evaluate talent up close. Get personal feedback from coaches. |
| Email campaigns x2 | Send update emails before and after each major tournament and camp. Include updated stats, video, and upcoming schedule. |
| Begin unofficial visits | Visit 5-8 schools this year. Watch practices, tour campus, meet players. Start narrowing your list. |
| Build relationships | Follow target coaches on social media. Engage genuinely with their program's content. Name recognition matters. |
| GPA check | First semester of high school GPA COUNTS for NCAA eligibility. 3.5+ unlocks everything. Take the hardest classes you can handle well. |
Sophomore Year (10th Grade) — 2028-2029
June 15, 2029: D2 coaches can make direct contact (calls, texts, emails, DMs, official visits). Sept 1, 2029: D1 softball coaches can make direct contact. (D1 softball uses Sept 1 of junior year, later than most D1 sports.) D3/NAIA/JUCO coaches have been able to contact Charlie all along. Everything before these dates is building toward this moment — when they hit, you want coaches already knowing who she is.
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Peak exposure summer | The summer between sophomore and junior year is the single most important recruiting window. Play every major exposure event possible. |
| Contact date preparation | In the weeks before June 15 (D2) and Sept 1 (D1), send "looking forward to connecting" emails to every target school. Have your phone ready on those dates. D3/NAIA/JUCO coaches may already be in touch by now. |
| Narrow school list | By end of sophomore year, have a top 10 list. Mix of reach, target, and safety schools across D1/D2/D3 levels. |
| Updated skills video | New professional skills video with current measurables. Night and day difference from 7th/8th grade video. |
| SAT/ACT prep | Take the PSAT. Begin SAT/ACT prep. Strong scores = academic money + NCAA eligibility. |
| NCAA Eligibility Center | Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org. This is REQUIRED for D1/D2 scholarships. |
Junior Year (11th Grade) — 2029-2030
Decision Time: Many D1 commits happen during junior year. Official visits begin September 1. This is when relationships built over the past 3 years pay off.
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Official visits | Take up to 5 official visits (paid by the school). Use them wisely on your top choices. |
| Handle offers | When offers come, don't rush. Visit, compare financial packages, talk to current players. Take 48 hours minimum before any verbal commit. |
| Continue high-level play | Maintain performance in school and travel ball. Coaches are watching until you sign. |
| SAT/ACT | Take the SAT/ACT. Send scores to the NCAA Eligibility Center and target schools. |
| Early signing | November early signing period. Many committed players sign here. |
Senior Year (12th Grade) — 2030-2031
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Sign NLI | Sign National Letter of Intent during early (November) or regular (April) signing period. |
| Maintain grades | Offers can be pulled for academic issues. Finish strong. |
| Enjoy the process | If the work was done right, senior year is about enjoying your last year of high school ball and preparing for college. |
| Late recruiting | If not committed yet, D2/D3/NAIA/JUCO programs actively recruit seniors. Transfer portal is also always an option. |
At-a-Glance: Key Milestones
| When | Milestone | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Get official measurables + set up social/profiles | NOW |
| Summer 2026 | 5 exposure tournaments + first college camp | Upcoming |
| Fall 2026 | Strength/speed training block + skills video | Planned |
| 2027-2028 | Freshman year — varsity, heavy camps, first email outreach | Planned |
| June 15, 2029 | D2 contact date — D2 coaches can call, text, email, DM + official visits | D2 KEY DATE |
| Summer 2029 | Peak recruiting summer — biggest exposure window | D1 KEY DATE |
| Sept 1, 2029 | D1 SOFTBALL contact date — coaches can call, text, email, DM + official visits begin | D1 KEY DATE |
| Nov 2030 | Early signing period (NLI) | SIGNING |