Here’s the truth: coaches don’t recruit highlight reels — they recruit how she carries herself when things get hard.

In this episode of Signed & Ready, Coach Mel Rushing and Coach Alicia Smith break down the invisible side of recruiting — the part stats can’t show and exposure can’t guarantee.

Because what really gets a player noticed isn’t just talent.

It’s presence.

It’s leadership.

It’s the ability to stay composed, confident, and coachable under pressure.

Whether your athlete is just starting to email coaches or already attending camps, this episode will help her understand what college recruiters are really evaluating every time she steps on the field.

You’ll Learn

1. What “presence” actually means (and how coaches define it).
2. The body language habits that make or break first impressions.
3. How to stand out in camps and tournaments — even when she’s not the loudest or flashiest.
4. Why leadership is the deciding factor between being seen and being signed.

Key Takeaway

“Highlight reels get you noticed, but we recruit resilience & grit.”

Coaches recruit players they trust to compete, lead, and elevate the team — and that starts with how she shows up when it matters most.

Listen If Your Athlete...

💥 Feels pressure to be perfect in front of coaches

💥 Struggles to bounce back after mistakes

💥 Wants to stand out but isn’t sure how

💥 Is tired of being overlooked despite her talent

Next Step: Give Her the Edge Coaches Actually Recruit

If your player has the talent but isn’t getting traction in recruiting, it’s not because they're not good enough — it’s because she’s missing the mental edge.

Ready to go all in? Book a WINNERGAME Recruiting Strategy Call → mentalsweetspot.com/winnergame

Thousands of softball players spend time, money, and energy trying to get seen — but exposure alone doesn’t get offers. In this episode, we break down why the “spray-and-pray” approach to recruiting is leaving talented athletes stressed, stuck, and overlooked.

You’ll learn:

1. Why being seen ≠ getting signed
2. What coaches are actually looking for (beyond your stat line)
3. The shift that reduces pressure and puts players back in control

Whether you're early in the process or already talking to coaches, this episode gives you the mindset advantage that makes recruiters pay attention.

Ready to go all in? Book a WINNERGAME Recruiting Strategy Call → mentalsweetspot.com/winnergame

If you're a softball parent, coach or athlete navigating the college recruiting process, you're in the right place.

Welcome to Signed & Ready — the podcast where we coach the mental game of recruiting so athletes can lead themselves, play with confidence, and finally get seen for what they’re really capable of.

In this trailer episode, host Alicia Smith (head coach, recruiting mentor, and mental performance coach) shares the why behind the podcast, the real edge college coaches are looking for, and how to break free from the pressure, panic, and chaos of the traditional recruiting grind.

🎯 What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why the mental game matters more than ever
• What it means to find your athlete’s “mental sweet spot”
• How to help your daughter show up calm, confident, and college-ready
• What to expect from future episodes (Q&As, coaching insights, real stories)

Whether you're chasing a scholarship or just want your daughter to play with pride, presence, and purpose — Signed & Ready will guide you every step of the way.

👉 Subscribe now and start building the mindset that gets her signed — and makes her unstoppable.

Learn more at https://www.mentalsweetspot.com

Keywords: softball recruiting, college softball, mental performance, athlete mindset, mental game, sports parenting, softball scholarships, college recruiting tips, recruiting podcast, softball coach

Interested in attending the Clutch Mentality Bootcamp but have some questions? This (10 min) series can help you decide!

Ready to join? Head to https://www.mentalsweetspot.com/clutchmentality

Imagine being able to screen your girls before practice to get a true idea of what you're going to get out of them that day?

Instead of HOPING you notice the signs. Hoping you don't miss one player among 12-30 players. All so you can get the most out of your limited time with them.

And what if that process only took a couple minutes using their phones? Oh and THEN what if each player was immediately given a suggested exercise to boost their mental & emotional state for THIS practice.

That's what Rewire does! Listen in to hear how their app is revolutionizing how we manage our emotional & mental stress :)

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Learn more at https://rewirefitness.app/

Ever look at your team mid-practice (or mid GAME) and think... Are they ALIVE?

There are so many things that drain their energy, then before you know it the energy is gone and you might as well call it a day. And if we're honest, we have those days too! Today's guest not only speaks to this topic - he EXUDES energy and positivity!

No joke - he had me standing up in Superwoman pose. You ready to get some fantastic nuggets from a world class athlete, dad, and motivational speaker? Listen in!

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>> David Lindsay's site

>> Mental Sweet Spot Resources

In today's episode, we chat with Bootcamp OG Candace Fenton-Brockbader! You're going to find so many moments in this episode you can relate to. She is a GEM!

Coaching is hard. You know what I mean. Not the on-field stuff.

It's the attitudes... The lack of competitiveness... The people talking smack about how you're doing things. It can be draining.

Honestly, that kind of stuff can make you want to quit. Alicia and I have certainly both considered it. Many times.

But what keeps us coming back? What keeps us grounded, confident that we're on the right path, and unshakable despite other people's opinions?

Hands down, it's Culture.

This is what we want for you and why we're hosting the Softball Coaches Culture Bootcamp. Tickets are available by the time you're hearing this and we kick off Monday, August 7th. And BONUS - Lonni Alameda will be joining us for a Q&A too! Head to mentalsweetspot.com/bootcamp to learn more. Now onto the episode!

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It is my most sincere wish for EVERY softball coach to feel the way Alicia and I do when we reflect on our careers this far.

If we could reach every coach who truly cared about their girls and wanted to help them grow as PEOPLE... And we could give them the confidence and clarity we have now...

We could positively impact MILLIONS of girls.

That's why I want you Softball Coaches' Culture Bootcamp. To learn more, head to mentalsweetspot.com/bootcamp

Culture can be complicated.

You have to get 12-20+ players on the same page, understanding what it takes to achieve the goals they want. As vital as any coach like you knows culture is... it can be difficult to maintain a positive one with so many culture killers out there.

But maintaining a strong, supportive culture is honestly THE most important thing we can do for our teams. Today we discuss the top 3 culture killers we've come across through the years, so you can get ahead of them this season!

And if you wish you had a better way to keep your culture on track, join the waitlist for Culture Bootcamp! Doors open NEXT Monday, July 24th.

Join the waitlist or tune in to the end of the episode to hear who our DI, National-Championship-winning, and even more amazing human special guest will be!

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Once you've identified the top culture killers that I KNOW you've experienced yourself, you might be wondering how you can prevent them!

Full disclaimer: you can't prevent culture killers from showing up, but there IS a way to identify them early and get back on track faster!

With your very own, customized and ACTIONABLE Dream Team Blueprint!

In the Softball Coaches' Culture Bootcamp, we'll walk you through creating your own blueprint so you can get your entire team (and the parents) to buy in to what you're doing, be more committed, care more, give better effort and have more fun while they're doing the things to make them their best!

We kick off August 7th and the GRAND finale will be with the one and only Lonni Alameda on August 14th! It's going to be a blast and could honestly skyrocket the trajectory of your impact on your girls! www.mentalsweetspot.com/waitlist!

We coaches are contantly looking forward. What's next. Where is there room to improve. What can we do better as a coach? But sometimes the answers are already there for us - if we just take a peek into our recent past.

With Alicia on a trip with her daughter's soccer team this week, I was struggling with what to air on the podcast. We've got bootcamp coming up quickly, we have so many lessons we still want to share, but I want to have Alicia here to discuss them... And then it hit me. We already have AMAZING content that I'm certain you could benefit from.

So in honor of Bootcamp (doors open July 24!) I'm going to refer you to our past bootcamp special guests to hear how some of the ALL STARS of softball coaching develop their team culture!

Simply head to the podcast notes & you'll see the links for our episodes with Florida State's Lonni Alameda, Michigan's Hutch & Bonnie Tholl, Patrick Murphy from Alabama, Sue Enquist formerly of UCLA and Mike Candrea - recently retired from the University of Arizona.

Then if you're as inspired as we were, we hope you consider joining this round's bootcamp where we'll help you BUILD that kind of culture! Just head to mentalsweetspot.com/waitlist and join to be notified when tickets go on sale!

I know you're excited now, so check those out!

• Florida State's Lonni Alameda
• Michigan's Hutch & Bonnie Tholl
• Alabama's Patrick Murphy
• UCLA's Sue Enquist
• Arizona's Mike Candrea