Scouting is one of the most integral parts of the league. Without accurate and effective scouting, teams can miss out on great players in the league, as well as miss out on opportunities with players. Having spent time helping Norfolk scout the S25 class, as well as having been recently scouted for the ISFL draft, I wanted to share some thoughts about what was helpful and worked, and what just stinks as both scouter and scoutee.
Form scouting stinks:
I think this is relatively obvious - but great scouting doesn’t come from a list of questions. I understand from an efficiency standpoint, but nothing makes you feel less like a person and a player and more like numbers and TPE than just a list of questions. As a team, you really have to judge what is more important to you, and if this is the way you can reach out to everyone, even if it’s impersonal, at least you’ve made contact with everyone.
Forum scouting also stinks:
Unfortunately, the nature of forum posts is that it doesn’t lend to a natural conversation. In order to be efficient and effective, you run into similar problems as form scouting. Typically forum scouting includes a list of questions you have, with the potential for followup. Now, I completely understand why someone wouldn’t want their discord to be linked or allow messages to be sent (I too, have messages blocked from the general ISFL discord, but I tried to remain available in the Rookie discord). I feel, though, that if you’re able to be available through discord, communicating that in your forum message can be key from moving your scouting from a list of questions and answers, to an actual conversation.
Solo or group conversations:
This is the meat of scouting, and honestly, if you aren’t making this your priority when scouting I’d re-evaluate what you’re doing. Personalized conversations from the scouters perspective help so much in really getting a feel for how someone might be liking the league and how they will mesh in your locker room. When you ask a question about their enjoyment in the league so far, you might get the same base response on the forum or the real-time conversation, but you can follow-up and offer feedback so much faster.
As a scoutee, I know that it was easier to explain what my reasoning was behind an answer when I was chatting through discord rather than the forums. The time lag means that I may not remember exactly what mental state I was in when I responded, and there may have been events which could alter those feelings. Additionally, as a scoutee, I think that having that personalized conversation makes me much more willing to do things for the team.
Now, I honestly, legitimately feel that it’s vital that every user be scouted by your team, regardless of if you ever think they have a shot or not. Even if their position isn’t a good fit for your team, by not reaching out, you can sour the user to your team in the future (Wow, I’m not even worth their time of day, they didn’t even care if I was willing to swap). Additionally, it’s been mentioned that many DSFL alum stay in their locker rooms, and report back to ISFL War Rooms what they know - While it’s true that the ISFL team has a great picture and feel for you as a user, you unfortunately, don’t have the same experience. In a sim-league where, let’s face it, being social is half of the reason a lot of us are here, being able to check that you are a good fit for the team that you are going to is kind of a big deal, and sometimes, checking that fit can make huge changes.
Prospect Chats Are Important
If this was just 100% who are the best TPE earners and stats for your team, this category shouldn't matter, but we all know that isn't the case. Having great candidates on paper is meaningless if they complicate absolutely everything about your locker room. Someone who will come in and just throw hate down on everyone else isn't going to be fun to be around. Prospect chats let you actually get to see players outside of your questions you want answered, and give you a legitimate feel for how they will fit in with your team. I think it's so important to make sure that any candidates your team is seriously considering, are allowed that opportunity. Sometimes surprising things happen.
Here’s why personalized scouting matters:
Everyone (if they scout you, that is) asks if you’re willing to position swap. It’s pretty standard, because knowing a great player is willing to make changes can make them all the more desirable. However, it’s also easy to get attached to a position. Early on, I was upset that kickers don’t get dots in the sim, but I did realize that it was amazing being the only player in that position on my team, and I got my name in colorful bold letters every time. I legitimately went into my draft scouting conversations believing that I would never want to swap out of the kicker position. I told everyone that.
However, after joining the Yeti prospect chat in their locker room, as well as multiple additional conversations with both GMs and members of the war room, I really wanted to be a part of the Yeti team. That desire outweighed any other decision I had to remain a kicker, especially knowing the status of the league and the teams that were going to need kickers in the future. I don’t care much about stats and standing (yes, it is AMAZING to know I was offensive Player of the Game during the playoffs in the DSFL, and winning Kicker of the Year was fantastic too, but they aren’t why I joined or why I stay in this league). Seeing a locker room and talking to members of the team that were just so open and honest about what they were looking for, and conversations that ended up not just being about sim football (thank you again for all the piggie pictures, Woelkers), I would have done just about anything to join their team, and as Syl mentioned on stream, when I read Infinite’s contract, I just had to make him a Wolfie plushie, and it’s adorable and as derpy as McDummy is.
![[Image: 20200731_092932.jpg]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/293066324635156480/738751400858877972/20200731_092932.jpg)
It wasn’t just that they treated me like a valuable member of the community, but it felt as though the conversations with the Yeti were about what I would bring to their team, as well as what they could provide for me too. I find it hard to describe why I instantly was drawn to them enough to go, “Yeah, I’m willing to play almost any position for you.” They asked what I was looking for in a team and GMs, and I told them I wanted a league family, and I 100% feel that they will be that for me. They have been nothing but supportive and amusing (even if they’re weird, but I love you biskit), and I couldn’t be more thrilled with what happened in the draft.
This wouldn’t have been possible though, if it was just one scouting conversation. If it was just one quick discord chat with one member of the team. Scouting needs to be more than just a quick Q&A, and I know that it takes an insane amount of time and effort to scout, especially large classes. But the more that you can get prospects involved in your locker room, and the more that you can offer individual conversations with the GMs, War Room members, and just the rest of the team, the better off your team and prospective players will be.
Form scouting stinks:
I think this is relatively obvious - but great scouting doesn’t come from a list of questions. I understand from an efficiency standpoint, but nothing makes you feel less like a person and a player and more like numbers and TPE than just a list of questions. As a team, you really have to judge what is more important to you, and if this is the way you can reach out to everyone, even if it’s impersonal, at least you’ve made contact with everyone.
Forum scouting also stinks:
Unfortunately, the nature of forum posts is that it doesn’t lend to a natural conversation. In order to be efficient and effective, you run into similar problems as form scouting. Typically forum scouting includes a list of questions you have, with the potential for followup. Now, I completely understand why someone wouldn’t want their discord to be linked or allow messages to be sent (I too, have messages blocked from the general ISFL discord, but I tried to remain available in the Rookie discord). I feel, though, that if you’re able to be available through discord, communicating that in your forum message can be key from moving your scouting from a list of questions and answers, to an actual conversation.
Solo or group conversations:
This is the meat of scouting, and honestly, if you aren’t making this your priority when scouting I’d re-evaluate what you’re doing. Personalized conversations from the scouters perspective help so much in really getting a feel for how someone might be liking the league and how they will mesh in your locker room. When you ask a question about their enjoyment in the league so far, you might get the same base response on the forum or the real-time conversation, but you can follow-up and offer feedback so much faster.
As a scoutee, I know that it was easier to explain what my reasoning was behind an answer when I was chatting through discord rather than the forums. The time lag means that I may not remember exactly what mental state I was in when I responded, and there may have been events which could alter those feelings. Additionally, as a scoutee, I think that having that personalized conversation makes me much more willing to do things for the team.
Now, I honestly, legitimately feel that it’s vital that every user be scouted by your team, regardless of if you ever think they have a shot or not. Even if their position isn’t a good fit for your team, by not reaching out, you can sour the user to your team in the future (Wow, I’m not even worth their time of day, they didn’t even care if I was willing to swap). Additionally, it’s been mentioned that many DSFL alum stay in their locker rooms, and report back to ISFL War Rooms what they know - While it’s true that the ISFL team has a great picture and feel for you as a user, you unfortunately, don’t have the same experience. In a sim-league where, let’s face it, being social is half of the reason a lot of us are here, being able to check that you are a good fit for the team that you are going to is kind of a big deal, and sometimes, checking that fit can make huge changes.
Prospect Chats Are Important
If this was just 100% who are the best TPE earners and stats for your team, this category shouldn't matter, but we all know that isn't the case. Having great candidates on paper is meaningless if they complicate absolutely everything about your locker room. Someone who will come in and just throw hate down on everyone else isn't going to be fun to be around. Prospect chats let you actually get to see players outside of your questions you want answered, and give you a legitimate feel for how they will fit in with your team. I think it's so important to make sure that any candidates your team is seriously considering, are allowed that opportunity. Sometimes surprising things happen.
Here’s why personalized scouting matters:
Everyone (if they scout you, that is) asks if you’re willing to position swap. It’s pretty standard, because knowing a great player is willing to make changes can make them all the more desirable. However, it’s also easy to get attached to a position. Early on, I was upset that kickers don’t get dots in the sim, but I did realize that it was amazing being the only player in that position on my team, and I got my name in colorful bold letters every time. I legitimately went into my draft scouting conversations believing that I would never want to swap out of the kicker position. I told everyone that.
However, after joining the Yeti prospect chat in their locker room, as well as multiple additional conversations with both GMs and members of the war room, I really wanted to be a part of the Yeti team. That desire outweighed any other decision I had to remain a kicker, especially knowing the status of the league and the teams that were going to need kickers in the future. I don’t care much about stats and standing (yes, it is AMAZING to know I was offensive Player of the Game during the playoffs in the DSFL, and winning Kicker of the Year was fantastic too, but they aren’t why I joined or why I stay in this league). Seeing a locker room and talking to members of the team that were just so open and honest about what they were looking for, and conversations that ended up not just being about sim football (thank you again for all the piggie pictures, Woelkers), I would have done just about anything to join their team, and as Syl mentioned on stream, when I read Infinite’s contract, I just had to make him a Wolfie plushie, and it’s adorable and as derpy as McDummy is.
![[Image: 20200731_092932.jpg]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/293066324635156480/738751400858877972/20200731_092932.jpg)
It wasn’t just that they treated me like a valuable member of the community, but it felt as though the conversations with the Yeti were about what I would bring to their team, as well as what they could provide for me too. I find it hard to describe why I instantly was drawn to them enough to go, “Yeah, I’m willing to play almost any position for you.” They asked what I was looking for in a team and GMs, and I told them I wanted a league family, and I 100% feel that they will be that for me. They have been nothing but supportive and amusing (even if they’re weird, but I love you biskit), and I couldn’t be more thrilled with what happened in the draft.
This wouldn’t have been possible though, if it was just one scouting conversation. If it was just one quick discord chat with one member of the team. Scouting needs to be more than just a quick Q&A, and I know that it takes an insane amount of time and effort to scout, especially large classes. But the more that you can get prospects involved in your locker room, and the more that you can offer individual conversations with the GMs, War Room members, and just the rest of the team, the better off your team and prospective players will be.
![[Image: Untitled_drawing4.png?ex=65189885&is=651...a7e4ddfd2&]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/906612704905666593/1157434655218352178/Untitled_drawing4.png?ex=65189885&is=65174705&hm=723bcd75bd49d3fa16b31bd7ebf7e536fca998ba339a37ec7590f00a7e4ddfd2&)
![[Image: 62699_s.gif]](https://signavatar.com/62699_s.gif)