Future First, Softball Second: College Planning for Softball Athletes & Parents

In this coaching session episode, Quincy Lewis-Buggs discusses the vital role parents play in supporting their athlete's journey through the recruiting process. Emphasizing the importance of being a supportive parent rather than a recruiting coach, Quincy provides insights on how parents can help their athletes navigate challenges, maintain independence, and build a strong support system. The...

As we head into the 2026 recruiting cycle, Quincy Lewis-Buggs dives into self-evaluation and reflection, planning for summer, and evaluating your list of schools for softball players who want to play in college.  We're also celebrating the 5 year anniversary of our college planning program, so you can g rab a discounted VIP week or meeting here during January and February!  Connect with us: ...

While I'm away from the mic this week loving on our nieces, we're revisiting an old episode to share more about how we support families in the recruiting process and what our softball specific college planning program is all about!  As we celebrate 5 years of college planning support on January 5th, you can g rab a discounted VIP week or meeting here  during January and February!  Connec...

With the holiday season I am away from the mic this week, and hope you all are enjoying some family time too! I went way back to 2024, and pulled out episode 46, What finding your first actually means just in case you’re spending some time in the car this week and wanted to dive in! I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season, and can’t wait to connect with you in 2026!  Connect with us: ...

In this episode, Quincy Lewis-Buggs discusses the latest updates from the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Convention, focusing on potential changes in NCAA rules regarding communication dates for Division I athletes, eligibility updates for Division II, and the ongoing discussions about junior college transfers. Quincy emphasizes the importance of relying on accurate information fro...

This week's episode dives into the listen submission "I am the parent of a 2028 and a 2030. Realistically what should off season training look like if they want to play in college someday? It seems like what we hear from college coaches about it is very different than what her travel ball coaches are saying and doing."  SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTION Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our college plann...

This week Quincy Lewis-Buggs dives into growth, patience, and the importance of embracing the more mundane off season aspects of the recruiting process to achieve long-term success.  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group

I'm working on practicing what I preach and taking some time away from softball this week to spend with family, I wanted to pop on with a quick reminder for you all to do the same!  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

As we dive into the world of college softball, it’s so important to understand the hectic lives of college coaches during the fall season. In this episode of Future First Softball Second, Quincy Lewis-Buggs shares what her schedule looked like in the fall as a college coach and talks about why college coaches don't respond to emails.  SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTION Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our college...

In this episode, Quincy spends time with mental performance and college softball coach Bekah Good! They discuss the importance of process orientation when failure is common in our sport, focusing on actionable steps rather than overwhelming outcomes, and using mental skills to succeed while working towards playing college softball!  Connect with Bekah via email at Bekah@totalathlete365.com and on...

This week on the podcast I dive into some popular conversations I've had this fall with college softball coaches out at showcases and they're identifying athletes to recruit!  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this coaching session, I break down the next steps for softball players in junior year who feel they’re doing everything right to play in college but aren’t building the relationships they hoped for yet!  SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTION Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our college planning program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To celebrate our 100th episode, I reflected back on my own time going through the process as a student-athlete and share the top 10 things I needed to hear back then. Head over to Instagram to check out #11-100!  Also, congrats to our 100th episode giveaway winner, Amy Bourbar!  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group...

In this episode, I discuss the complexities of the recruiting process for softball athletes, focusing on the timelines for offers, the behind-the-scenes factors that influence college coaches' decisions, and the importance of understanding scholarship budgets. As hard as it is, focus on controlling what they can in their recruiting journey and to be aware of the various opinions that may affe...

This week on the podcast I give some guidance to a parent reaching out for advice as they attend softball showcases and dive into recruiting for the first time with their athlete this fall!  SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTION Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our college planning program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week I welcome Allie (former D1 softball player, travel coach and recruiting coordinator) and Paul Richmond (father of 2 D1 softball players and current Horseheads HS coach), a father-daughter duo deeply involved in the softball world. They discuss their unique experiences in navigating the complexities of youth sports, the recruitment process, and the importance of maintaining open communica...

In today's coaching session episode I dive into the pieces that should be in your athletic resume, when to start working on it, and more!  SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTION Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our college planning program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In today's episode I dive into some of the consistent themes that have come up in conversations with our underclassmen as they watch the juniors go through the process of connecting with college softball coaches!  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week on the podcast I dive into this listener submission: "My athlete is a high level softball player and a high level volleyball player. She’s done travel and high school for both successfully up to this point but she’s just starting sophomore year and it feels like it’s starting to get harder and things are slipping. We’re considering taking a step away from volleyball next year. Any t...

With so much buzz going around the softball community this week I wanted to dive into some thoughts for the athletes who didn't get the interest they wanted or expected on 9/1 from D1 coaches.  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

After 13 listener questions came in about September 1st coming up and D1 communication starting for the juniors, I wanted to touch on it all! It's important to remember that September 1st is one day of a years long process, and each athlete is going through it on their own timeline.  SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTION Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our college planning program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Today's episode is a hodgepodge of thoughts from across this summer that kept coming up! I'll cover everything from commitment timelines, to camp invites, to how coaches do things differently than other coaches!  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week's episode dives into a coaching session that came about after  a parent listened to our last coaching session episode about being an uncommitted 2026 (senior). We head to the opposite end of the process and chat about those just starting the process as a 2029 (freshman) and what parents can be doing to set their athletes up for success!  SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTION Connect with us:  ⁠⁠...

In this week's episode I dive into four main things you should focus on the next two months that include: resting, camping, reseting, and evaluating your plan! Connecting with college coaches is a 12 month commitment, and those that treat it that way are well ahead of others as they work to make an impression!  Connect with us:  ⁠⁠⁠Our College Planning Program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Support Options ⁠⁠⁠...

Today on the podcast I have a tough conversation geared towards those of you who are uncommitted 2026s (rising seniors). I dive into why you may not have the offers you wanted, how to develop relationships with college coaches late in the process, and some thoughts from a college coach point of view to help you understand where they are coming from.  If after listening to this you're looking...