We continue our series of articles running this week discussing what elite club coaches thing are factors common to the elite players who make the Full Count Softball Hot 100 Recruit lists.

We’ve done the top 100 players in the 2014, ’15, ’16 and ’17 classes and soon will begin working on the 2018 standouts (you can start sending in your player nominations too! Brentt@FullCountSoftball.com)!

Our first expert was National Championship coach Mike Stith of the OC Batbusters who has no less than 18 players Hot 100 players on his current team led by top rated standouts in outfielder Amanda Lorenz (2015, Florida signee) and pitcher Mariah Lopez (2016, Oklahoma commit).

In Monday’s video, Coach Stith talked about four key elements of a Hot 100 player (summarized below)… you can see his comments in the video here.

Yesterday we got input from Kevin Shelton of the Texas Glory organization and the new General Manager of the Dallas Charge organization of the NPF.

Coach Shelton added three more factors to our list which he thinks are important

Today we head back to Southern California to hear from Bret Denio of the Explosion organization, which finished in the top 10 at PGF Nationals last summer in the 18U Premier division and has had four dozen signees and commits out of his program including several Hot 100 players.

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Here’s what Coach Denio says about what he feels are attributes of the elite national players:

“In addition to the obvious traits of a top recruit such as commitment, work ethic, and passion for the game – which have been mentioned previously, the following are also keys to the make-up of a Hot 100 prospect:

1. Athletic Ability

“You have to have the tools to play with and against the best.”

2. Top Notch Competition

“There is no better way to improve your game than playing against the best players on a regular basis.”

3. Innate Knowledge of the Game

“The best players have the unteachable gift of knowing intuitively how to make a play.”

“All of these are key components for a top recruit and come naturally for many of these top players.”

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A HOT 100 PLAYER… Previous Points:

4. Love of the Game

If you truly love something and enjoy doing it, it’s not a job or work, it’s a passion. The best players eat and breathe softball, eager to participate in the most mundane drill or workout.

“The love for the game, or at least the desperate need to compete and win or be the best, is crucial,” stated Coach Shelton. “Everything flows from here.  I have never seen an athlete that I coached that excelled without a genuine joy for the game and a will to be the best.”

5. Mental Toughness

As the cliché goes, if you only succeed 30% of the time as a hitter, you’re a success. In every pitch and at-bat, there’s going to be a winner and a loser and the best are able to maintain confidence even when the game isn’t going their way.

“This provides the foundation that allows our kids to do what it takes to get better and to win,” adds Shelton. “Extra reps, fighting thru adversity in whatever form it comes and just good old-fashioned perseverance require some level of mental strength. It’s key to success.”

6. Thirst for Knowledge

The best want to keep getting better and soak up any tip or counsel they get. This also ties into being coachable and being willing to seek out the expertise of those who can pass on useful information.

“A desperate thirst for knowledge is (another) critical factor for our top players,” continues Coach Shelton. “The best athletes embrace the idea that there is always more to learn. This not only makes the best coachable but it shows the way for others on the team. The great seek information and ways to improve.  It’s a trait that lends itself to humility and helps the best lead others less talented.”

“The best athletes I’ve seen combine love of the game, mental toughness and a thirst for knowledge into a lethal formula for their competition because they more often that not, maximize their own results and can lead those around them to get closer to their own potential.”

7. Commitment

The best club players aren’t necessarily more driven, they have more exposure to the understanding of that level of commitment (what it takes to excel). Many high school players don’t know what it is to compete at a high level or to maintain commitment at that level. It takes a passion to want to excel and the willingness to do what it takes, many times sacrificing social activities or “fun” stuff to hone the necessary softball skills, but the best and most passionate players say it’s worth the effort and commitment to make it happen!

8. Accomplishments

As Coach Stith said, “At some point it comes down to accomplishing something. You have to do something to make people notice what you’ve done, It’s a results world and you will have to achieve something to get that recognition.” This includes team and individual successes. Coaches love players who are winners and it’s not surprising to see elite players playing on championship caliber teams. They do what it takes to win and, more often than not, they help their teams get into a position to succeed.

9. Exposure

You have to be seen to be recruited and exposure does matter, but if a player is good they will be found, almost all coaches agree she will be found. “Good players usually don’t slip through the cracks,” says Coach Stith. It’s a good news/bad news scenario, though: as a player you WILL be seen but are you prepared in your skills and abilities that you WANT to be seen? Preparation is key to maximize the exposure that will come!

10. Work ethic

Unless you’re a freak of nature and everything comes exceedingly easy, Hot 100 caliber players have to work incredibly hard to get every bit of their talent squeezed out. “The elite work and hard and put that time in,” says Coach Stith,” and the good players know and do what it takes to work to reach the highest levels.”