April: What PrepDig Is Watching Now

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We are no longer at the beginning.

We are not quite at the end.

This is the part of the season where college coaches' lens starts to sharpen.

They are not just watching what you can do. They are watching how often it shows up.

Not just how you perform but how you respond between the points

The conversations get more specific. The patterns get easier to recognize.

April is where visibility shifts.

This is where everything starts to connect. Because now, they are not seeing you for the first time.
They are seeing you over time.

April Check-In Question:
Are you consistent, or are you occasional?

At this point in the season, college coaches are not looking for flashes. They are looking for patterns.

Are you steady on the court, finishing near the top at your tournaments?
Are you communicating and showing genuine interest in their programs?
Are you staying visible through your posting and outreach on social media?

Consistency is not just how you play.
It is how you show up, everywhere.

April Check-In Question:
Does your Player Profile reflect who you are right now??

This is one of the first places PrepDig is looking.

Your PrepDig Player Profile gives college coaches a centralized, updated view of who you are, beyond a single match or moment. University Athlete houses the coaches' notes, while PrepDig helps tell the full story of your development over time.

Your profile includes:

Some of you already have profiles built. If so, claim it and update it.

April Check-In Question:
Is your Instagram showing who you are right now, and creating something you'll be proud to look back on?

Your Instagram page is your digital resume for volleyball. It is one of the main ways I discover, track, and stay connected to athletes between events.

But it is also something more.

Years from now, this will not be about Court 49 or match times. It will be a memory you get to look back on and feel proud of.

What matters is:

Invite @PrepDigCA to collaborate and tag us in your stories.
Send messages through DM.
Follow our account so I can message you back.

Social media is your recruiting resume in motion.
Use it wisely.

April Check-In Question:
Have we connected yet this season, or are you still waiting to be noticed?

I'm at tournaments almost every weekend, and a lot of the time I am absolutely star struck by you. If you see me in the gym, come say hi. Introduce yourself. Tell me your name, your team, and your position.

It doesn't need to be awkward or formal.

“Hi Michelle, I'm (Name) ___, I am a (Grad Year) ___.”
Please always include your name.

That's it.

This shows confidence, maturity, and awareness. And I promise you, it is great practice for talking to college coaches.

Recruiting is still human. Relationships matter.

Tip: when I ask you how you are doing, I mean it. I am not asking for your team's record for the day. I want to know how your mindset is, how you are feeling, and what you are working on.

And yes, I will always take a picture with you. 📸

April Check-In Question:
Are you putting yourself in front of the right eyes?

Showcases are valuable as long as they produce content, either highlights or written evaluations.

PrepDig Showcases allow me to see you live, in a controlled environment, side by side with other athletes, evaluated the same way college coaches evaluate. The best part is you do not have to compete for a starting spot or playing time.

It's not about being perfect.
It's about:

What I love about showcases is that they create real visibility. I get to watch you, film gets created, stories get written, and your name actually starts circulating in real recruiting spaces.

That's what matters to me. Not just playing, but being seen.

PrepDig showcases happen year round, including the Winter Exposure Tour, National Qualifying Showcases, and our Spring Up Next, Freshman, Sophomore ID, and Stock Up Showcase Series.

April Check-In Question:
Are you focused on your development, or distracted by comparison?

As the season progresses, rankings conversations pick up.

I am not the California ranker. The official California State Rankings are created by Michael Deleon (@CoachMikeDZ or Michael@prepdig.com).

Michael spends hundreds of hours in gyms across the country watching athletes compete in person. He also studies game film, highlight reels, high school and club performance, and speaks with club directors, high school coaches, and college coaches throughout the state. His process is extremely detailed and very intentional.

The rankings are a living document, meaning they are updated three to four times per year. Players are added, moved, and adjusted based on new data, film, evaluations, and continued development. There is also an Official Watch List, which includes athletes who are being actively tracked and evaluated for future ranking consideration.

Are rankings 100% perfect? No. And Michael is very open about that. Recruiting and player evaluation is not an exact science. But what is real is the time, care, and experience that goes into the process.

Here's where you come in.

The best way for Michael to learn about athletes he may not have seen yet is through film, social media, showcases and direct communication. Tagging PrepDig, sharing updated highlights, and staying visible absolutely matters. The more film available, the more accurate and fair the evaluation process can be.

And this is where I want to tie it back to my role.

My focus is not where you are ranked.
My focus is making sure you are seen.

I help athletes build visibility, tell their story, get evaluated, get featured, and get connected. Rankings are one piece of the ecosystem. Exposure, relationships, consistency, and character are what sustain it.

If you are ranked, amazing.
If you are on the watch list, amazing.
If you are not listed yet, that does not define your future.

What defines your future is your development, your mindset, your work ethic, and how you show up.

And that part, I'm always watching.

April Check-In Question:
Are you learning, or just playing?

PrepDig articles are written for college coaches, but they are also written about you, which makes them directly relevant to your journey.

They teach you:

If you want exposure, start by understanding the system you're trying to enter.

The smartest recruits I meet are the ones who read, learn, and apply.

April Check-In Question:
Are you invested in the system that is working for you?

Without subscribers, I cannot do the work that I do. Subscriptions are what allow me to be in the gyms, write the articles, attend showcases, highlight athletes, and build relationships across California and beyond.

You do not have to be an active high school athlete to subscribe. If you love the sport of volleyball, believe in exposure for female athletes, and want to support the next generation of players, this is how you can be part of it.

If you're ready to join the PrepDig community, you can subscribe using my code:

Use code: COACHABLE247 for 30% off your subscription

And every subscription helps me shine a bigger light on more athletes.

Thank you for being part of the community.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247