How to run a metrics showcase day for your high school softball program

Overview

As a high school softball coach, gathering the core softball metrics on your players helps you guide each player’s ongoing development, and it also allows you to provide important feedback on where they might fit athletically as they move forward on the college planning and recruiting process. 

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Below we’ve outlined the 3 important components that will help you run a successful metrics showcase day at your practices so you can use this data to help your players on their journey to play in college:

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• What tools do you need to run your showcase day?

• What are the core softball metrics and how do you accurately capture them during your showcase day?

• How do you collect the data and share the metrics with your players so they can use this information as they move through the college planning and recruiting process?

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Tools you need to run your showcase day

Below are the 5 tools you need to run your showcase day, with links to specific products you can buy if you don’t already have these tools:

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1. Stopwatch to time the 20 yard dash - stopwatch

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2. Radar gun to measure throwing velocity and hitting exit velocity - radar gun

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3. Tape measure to mark off 20 yard sprint and to measure broad jump - tape measure

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4. Dynamometer to measure grip strength - dynamometer

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5. Spreadsheet to input and track player metrics

You can save your own copy of this Google spreadsheet or this Microsoft spreadsheet, and then customize it however you’d like to capture and access your player metrics from a showcase day. These spreadsheet templates can also help when transferring player metrics to their MyNextPlay Tracker or to other online recruiting profiles on sites like FieldLevel, SportsRecruits, or others.

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How to accurately capture core softball metrics during your showcase

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1. Number of players = stations versus sequencing

If you are just doing a single team (e.g. less than 20 players), you can likely go through the showcase day process that’s outlined below in a sequence with the full team from one assessment to the next.

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If you have a larger number of players that you are measuring at your showcase day, then you can break them up into smaller groups and have your other coaches capture their metrics at separate stations you set up. In this scenario, keep in mind that you’ll need to log player metrics separately (either by hand or electronically), and then make sure to accurately record all the metrics captured into a consolidated spreadsheet that allows you to see each metric by player.

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2. Dynamic warm up

It’s critical that before any showcase day assessments begin, players go through a full dynamic warm up process that includes dynamic movement warm up exercises, bands work to warm up throwing arms, and then your team’s pre-practice throwing routine (e.g. 4-step throwing leading into long-toss).

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In order to capture the most accurate softball metrics on your players, they need to be fully warmed up and ready to perform just as they would be for a full practice or game competition.

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3. Capturing the metrics

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20 yard dash

Using a hand held stopwatch works just fine in capturing 20 yard dash times. Have your players start in whatever position they prefer (e.g. semi-sprinter start or side start as if leading off first base). Have a timer positioned at the finish line. The timer starts their stopwatch on the player’s first movement and then stops the stopwatch when the player’s chest hits the 20 yard finish line.

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Each player should run two 20 yard dashes, with the top time recorded.

Throwing velocity - Video instruction 

Using a radar gun (e.g. Pocket Radar handheld device is a great option), the coach stands facing the player who is on the other side of a large screen or net. The player is able to run a few steps and crow hop into releasing their throw 15-20 feet behind the net. Be sure that the radar gun is held 15-20 feet back from the other side of the net facing the player, and that it’s held (or positioned on a tripod) at the same height as the player’s approximate release point so that the ball is traveling directly towards the radar gun.

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Each player should throw at least two times, with the top radar gun MPH reading recorded.

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Hitting exit velocity - Video instruction

Using a radar gun (e.g. Pocket Radar handheld device is a great option), the coach sits about 15-20 feet behind the hitter who sets up to hit off a tee into a net. Be sure that the radar gun is held at a height that will capture the flight of the ball off the tee heading away from the radar gun.

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Each player should hit at least two times, with the top radar gun MPH reading recorded.

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Broad jump - Video instruction

Have the player line up with their toes behind a line marked on the field (or court) and their feet hip width apart. When ready, the player should crouch into an athletic squat position (not rocking backwards) and broad jump straight forward. The tape measure should be laid out flat and tight from the point of the line just in front of the toes, and the distance is measured from that starting point to the spot where the player’s back most heel lands. (Note: For those who want to measure broad jump more precisely, you can invest in a broad jump mat that has measurement included.)

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 Each player should make two broad jumps, with the top distance recorded.

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Grip Strength

Using a dynamometer, have the player hold their arm up at 90 degrees with the device screen facing them. The player should grip the device and hold with their right hand until the display registers their best reading for the attempt, and that metric is captured. Switch to the left hand and repeat the same process. Do the grip strength test a second time with each hand and record the top reading for each hand regardless of which attempt it was achieved in (e.g. the top right hand grip strength reading could be in the first attempt and the top left hand grip strength reading could be in the second attempt).

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How you collect the data and share it with your players

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1. Spreadsheet tracker

You can save your own copy of this Google spreadsheet or this Microsoft spreadsheet, and then customize it however you’d like to capture and access your player metrics from a showcase day. Alternatively, you can create your own spreadsheet or other database to record your player metrics from any showcase day.

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2. Sharing data with your players

Sharing showcase day metrics with each player is an important way to give them feedback on where they’re at as a player, and the areas where they should focus their training efforts. 

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One option for your players is to have them create their own copy of the MyNextPlay Tracker workbook, and then either include their metrics in the document if they share access with you, or have you send them their metrics via email so they can add them to their MyNextPlay Tracker themselves. If your player shares access to their Tracker with you, their coach, you’ll be able to check in with them on their college planning and recruiting progress.

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Another option is to upload your players’ data to the free profile option on a recruiting service like FieldLevel or SportsRecruits. As a coach, you can create a free account on many of these services and then see the profiles of your players which allows you to check in with them on their college planning and recruiting progress.

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3. What’s next after the showcase day?

Once each of your players has completed their showcase day in your program, coaches are able to support their players in a few important ways.

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Showcase day metrics help coaches have the “fit” conversation with their players based on what levels they might align with as a college softball prospect. Be sure to read our article “How high school softball coaches can have the ‘fit’ conversation with their players”, to help you structure this important conversation with your players. As part of the “fit” conversation, the results from your showcase day also helps coaches guide players on what areas they should aim to improve on through their training and development efforts. 

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Once you and your player are able to discuss the types of schools that might be the best fit for them to play at in college, you can then begin to help them build a target list of college programs in their MyNextPlay Tracker and encourage them to start reaching out to college coaches and programs directly.