Nice post (I knew most but not quite all of the story). I remember seeing those videos of him throwing bullies against the fence all alone in France. They are probably still trying to figure out what he was doing. "I done told ya and told ya" not to worry - that velo would come eventually. See you soon enough!
Congratulations Coach! Well done.
Excellent #1AC. Really happy for you and your son. Your story says a number of things. First, the recruiting journey is not cookie cutter, one size doesn't fit all. Your son's journey took a detour (wow France!!). Also there are some measurables that some coaches see and others can't--the "it" the motivation, the drive, the commitment. Ready for the next phase? It will have it's share of excitements as well.
C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S !
Congrats!!
6'7" pitcher!!!
Outstanding! Congratulations!!
Good stuff! Thank you for sharing the process and the news! Congratulations to your family.
chefmike7777 posted:Oh duh, so can you disclose where he is going?
I could but I won't.
"Process over product."
#1 Assistant coach,
Somewhere on this site is the story of our youngest son. While he didn't go to a DI college, or go to France, or attend a private school, but from a growth and ability standpoint his story is amazingly similar to your sons.
Our son was a skinny young boy that lacked any noticeable baseball talent at 13. He kept growing until he reached 6'7 and his biggest velocity jump was between age 17 to 18 as young freshman in Junior College. He was drafted,signed and then had another big jump the first couple years in the Yankees organization. I always thought his older brother might make it, he signed with the Reds, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the younger son who was the absolute worst player on his 13 year old team had any chance of playing beyond HS.
Long story short... At 21 he was drafted in the first Rd of the expansion draft by the D'Backs. Right around his 22nd birthday he pitched in the Major Leagues in front of some 50,000 fans during the very first year of the D'Backs. Traded back to the Yankees and once again in 2000 he pitched briefly in the Big Leagues, then TJ surgery really took its toll and then with the Cubs he was released. He had lost a lot of velocity and I figured that was the end. But once again I was wrong, he signed late in the season 2003 with the Brewers, made their opening day roster in 2004 and spent most of that year in the Big Leagues before shoulder problems did him in for good. He didn't have a great MLB career, but just getting there seemed impossible.
I learned a lot from that experience just like I'm sure you have learned with your son.
Huge congratulations to him and your entire family. Tell him the sky is the limit, but maybe he already knows that. Maybe due to what I've seen, these kind of stories really make me happy. Your story continues... Best of luck!
#1 Assistant Coach posted:chefmike7777 posted:Oh duh, so can you disclose where he is going?
I could but I won't.
"Process over product."
chefmike7777 - I'm hoping if you are really interested in the school, you can find out which one with a little detective work. I found it and am extremely impressed all around! This kid gets to head off to France and all I'm trying to do is get mine into a good summer leauge where maybe he can spend some time at the beach. Did not see any recommendations for the Hamptons league on the summer league thread, but parts of Long Island are kind of like France, right?
2017LHPscrewball posted:#1 Assistant Coach posted:chefmike7777 posted:Oh duh, so can you disclose where he is going?
I could but I won't.
"Process over product."
chefmike7777 - I'm hoping if you are really interested in the school, you can find out which one with a little detective work. I found it and am extremely impressed all around! This kid gets to head off to France and all I'm trying to do is get mine into a good summer leauge where maybe he can spend some time at the beach. Did not see any recommendations for the Hamptons league on the summer league thread, but parts of Long Island are kind of like France, right?
WE WE MON CAPITANE
Coach,
Sorry that is late in coming, congratulations to your son and your family.
Was wondering if this is the schoool discussed recently in a pm? If so, I guess he went where he felt loved.
Congrats, Coach. Thanks for the post; it is a great read.
smokeminside posted:Congrats, Coach. Thanks for the post; it is a great read.
Thanks Smoke, and again, thank you to everyone for the kind words.
#1 Assistant Coach posted:smokeminside posted:Congrats, Coach. Thanks for the post; it is a great read.
Thanks Smoke, and again, thank you to everyone for the kind words.
Another post to once again show how great this site is!
Great insight...thank you for sharing.
Congrats to your son!
People talk a lot on this site about "having a plan" and to make a realistic "target list of schools" as you and your player set out. I mentioned in my son's story that in June 2014 we made a list of 15 target schools on an envelope, still have it. That the school son committed to recently was on that original list. Not sure what that means? But as I look at all 15 schools we targeted 28-months ago I notice a few things:
- on the list of 15, some were local, some were far, some were "reaches" for son's baseball skill set and some were "reaches" academically.
- 9/15 did end up recruiting son (meaning he made unofficial visits there, or was invited for unofficial visits, or they initiated at least one phone call conversation with son)
- in the final 30-days prior to son's commitment, 5/15 original schools were in contact with son almost daily with a phone call or a text.
-I believe son was a "match" at any of those 5 remaining schools. Fate simply stepped in on the last day, when the right one offered.
Now, did son focus solely on the Original 15 thru entire process? Oh no. There were detours all over the place. He'd get a camp invite from some place and suddenly be interested in that school. Schools we never, ever considered stepped out of nowhere and showed interest of some sort. He considered plenty of schools, not on his Original 15. Many he was smitten with had zero interest in him. Let's just say, you know when your son's wanted, and you will know when he is NOT wanted. Kind of like HS dating all over again. Seriously.
In closing, I guess what I'm trying to say is your target list should be realistic, but don't be afraid to dream. Your list should have "reaches" on it for both baseball and academics. School son committed to was a "reach" school 28-months ago. There should also be realistic schools on there.
Fenway puts it best by saying, "Ask yourself if you are the buyer or the seller with a school?" Being the "buyer" is the optimum position to have. Son was the "seller" for all 28-months with school he finally committed to, until the last day, when the offer came. Then the tables turned and suddenly he became the "buyer."
Lastly, as I've learned on this site, every school on list should be a place where your player would want to attend WITHOUT baseball, should that be taken away from him.
Just sharing some observations from son's journey.
#1 Assistant Coach posted:People talk a lot on this site about "having a plan" and to make a realistic "target list of schools" as you and your player set out. I mentioned in my son's story that in June 2014 we made a list of 15 target schools on a used envelope, still have it. That the school son committed to recently was on that original list. Not sure what that means? But as I look at all 15 schools we targeted 28-months ago I notice a few things:
- on the list of 15, some were local, some were far, some were "reaches" for son's baseball skill set and some were "reaches" academically.
- 9/15 did end up recruiting son (meaning he made unofficial visits there, or was invited for unofficial visits, or they initiated at least one phone call conversation with son)
- in the final 30-days prior to son's commitment, 5/15 original schools were in contact with son almost daily with a phone call or a text.
-I believe son was a "match" at any of those 5 remaining schools. Fate simply stepped in on the last day, when the right one offered.
Now, did son focus solely on the Original 15 thru entire process? Oh no. There were detours all over the place. He'd get a camp invite from some place and suddenly be interested in that school. Schools we never, ever considered stepped out of nowhere and showed interest of some sort, or even just a camp invite and son suddenly considered them for a while. He considered plenty of schools, not on his Original 15. Some considered him but many he was smitten with had zero interest in him. Let's just say, you know when your son's wanted, and you will know when he is NOT wanted. Kind of like HS dating all over again. Seriously.
In closing, I guess what I'm trying to say is your target list should be realistic, but don't be afraid to dream. Your list should have "reaches" on it for both baseball and academics. School son committed to was a "reach" school 28-months ago. There should also be realistic schools on there. Fenway puts it best by saying, "Ask yourself if you are the "buyer" or the "seller" with a school." Being the "buyer" is the optimum position to have. Son was the "seller" for all 28-months with school he finally committed to, until the last day, when the offer came. Then the tables turned and suddenly he became the "buyer."
Lastly, as I've learned on this site, every school on list should be a place where your player would want to attend WITHOUT baseball, should that be taken away from him.
Just sharing some observations from son's journey.
Nice Coach.
The program son attended was never on his interest. Its just the way things turn out.
To be successful in this endeavor, you MUST have a plan of attack and that plan will be different for everyone. In 10th grade we saw by accident a list of top 100 players in his grad year across the country. That meant he more than likely would have good options. The options would happen by planned exposure, but not OVER exposure. The plan included southeast US, Florida the goal with anyone of the 3 big D1 as preference.
Ended up going to school out of state.
Best thing I take away from the above quote, be realistic in your plan, and remember, education for most should be #1.
That now makes two baseball Dads of Yale players I know, you and Bucsfan. And that's two too many!
#1 Assistant Coach posted:
- on the list of 15, some were local, some were far, some were "reaches" for son's baseball skill set and some were "reaches" academically.
Coach... with your statement above, which school did your son commit to? A local, a far or a reach; either baseball or academically?
Unfortunately not local, not by a long shot. Will be flying to home and away games unfortunately, at least those we can find the time and money to get to.
As far as reach question: As of 28-months ago definitely a reach both academically and skill set wise. We always agreed that baseball was to be used as a way to get into a school that normally he would not have a shot at if he were to apply as a regular student. So yes, it is academically a reach still and always will be. Without baseball son is probably not matriculating at this school.
My son was not a "lock" on D-1 by any means in summer of 2014. Son has matured in the classroom and in the game however. The school is still a reach skill set wise, but he has made gains in the past two years. He still has 22-months before he steps in the college classroom and 29-months before he throws a pitch. When offer was made it was pointed out how son had progressed the passed couple years . And I believe the assumption would be he needs to continue to progress the next two years before he steps on their field.
Tough question really to answer as we are comparing apples and oranges really. I think it's really a gut thing. Let's just say I believe son will be able to contribute before his Junior year.
Here's to hoping he continues to bridge the academic and skillset gap these next two years!
delete
The topic of tall pitchers vs not tall pitchers has been debated at length on this site. And I don't want to divert the thread to rehash it again. The height thing is summed up best by a coach who once said, "We don't waste time talking about things we can't control. " - Dan Pepicelli, Cornell HC
I mentioned my son's height as it did have an effect on his recruitment. It played a role in his story. Many coaches were drawn to it, but many ran away like it were the plague, especially from age 10-14, especially with regard to pitching.
Also, to be mentioned re: my son is he admittedly did not devote the time some other pitchers do on his craft. Never played middle school ball, is a multi sport athlete, took a year off and went abroad, shut down this summer for six weeks to do weighted ball program. And he was 15 when coaches finally RELIED on him to pitch. 10-14 he was USED to pitch but only when the coach was forced to use him due to game management needs. Usually desperate needs. Big difference.
A lot of his troubles clearly came from a life of distractions that kept him from focusing 100% on pitching. That was his choice. And the consequences were clearly there as his story and struggle show. Not a hard luck story by any means, but a hard choices story. And then dealing with the sometimes negative consequences.
There are arguments for the benefits and detractors for both. The one axiom that I learned on this site, that I do think is true, for better or for worse, right or wrong:
"Big athletic kids have to prove they can't. Small kids have to prove they can."
#1 Assistant Coach: Thank you for sharing.
#1 Assistant Coach posted:The topic of tall pitchers vs not tall pitchers has been debated at length on this site. And I don't want to divert the thread to rehash it again. The height thing is summed up best by a coach who once said, "We don't waste time talking about things we can't control. " - Dan Pepicelli, Cornell HC
I absolutely agree with this Coaches comment. What this young man has is a plan, guidance, never quit attitude, and his academics. He optimized his strengths in all these areas and that is why he got the opportunity to attend a world class University. I think it is kind of ridiculous to think that anybody on this website or in life would not try to play to their strengths whether they are under your control or not.
Congrats on a great job with a difficult and unusual path.
Development for these kids is paramount. Especially in the early years of HS. At the WWBA or a HS game, or even an American Legion game is not the place usually a coach is going to give a kid reps who needs to develop.
One of the best things I found about showcase ball was the willingness of coaches to get a kid reps in a game, especially a pitcher on the mound. Especially one who has all the issues mentioned in Old School's post. The coaches I would assume knew what the kid's abilities were and weren't, or they should have. Many showcase games are, I hesitate to say they don't count or don't matter but, yeah, they are played as if a scrimmage. And that's great. Especially in the fall. This is precisely where some kids get the game reps needed to develop. Which is why many kids play with these types of teams in showcase events. Maybe a few more outings for the 6-5 kid Old School talks about and he may progress? Don't know how old he was or how important the game was, but if he is 15 or 16? I'd say he is being well served by the program he plays for.
I didn't take Old School's post in any way other than face value.
ClevelandDad posted:Oldschool - your comments seem like a low blow to me given the spirit of this thread. I am pretty sure you would not be happy if someone started implying your kid was not deserving of the opportunity for one "implied" reason or another.
sorry, I deleted the post, the intent was kid big who keeps improving by hard work, nothing more nothing less.
Oldschool - all's well that ends well. I deleted my post as well.
"Proud of my son for learning by age 17, that hard work can pay off. For those of you still driving your sons to this field and that field. Enjoy those times. Those conversations in the car. They are priceless. In words I learned on this site, "Enjoy the ride.""
Congratulations on working your plan. The above quote seems the most relevant in the OP. It certainly matches our experience. The most valuable thing my son learned from Travel BB was the connection between hard word and results. It paid off recently as he received early acceptance to Medical School. He has a plan and has been working it. Like the OP, we couldn't be prouder.
Congratulations!! I just saw this and I couldn't be happier for you, your son & your family. Great news!
#1 Assistant Coach posted:ClevelandDad posted:Great, great post. A dream is a powerful thing. When you have one, wonderful things can happen. A wonderful thing has happened for your son and your family and you have much to be proud of. All the best to him and your family in the future.
ClevelandDad AND everyone,
Thank you for the well wishes. That's all it ever was, a "dream." I am telling you, the years age 13-17 in this game have been BRUTAL. It's a miracle son just didn't quit, and like most HS 6-7s just dunk basketballs and hang with the cheerleaders. Seriously. Baseball between ages of 13-17, that transition from LL to HS ball is just brutal for some kids, my son being one of them.
Many more "down" days ahead I'm sure. But son weathering the storm between 13-17 has been huge. For every (1) good baseball day these past 4-years, there have been (9) disaster baseball days.
Some one on here, I think Ironhorse, said something once about success being defined as " if you can still get up after getting your a$$ knocked down," you're doing ok. Something like that? Son kept getting up I guess?
Congrats - and I really like this viewpoint. And mine is in the middle of those years now. Right smack in the middle at 15. I tell him all the time essentially what you just said. I tell him "it's like jimmy V said - survive and advance". No idea if mine will make it as yours has... But he just keeps hanging around while others fall off. I am beginning to believe that a big part of 'making it' is to be a survivor. Not the best or the brightest necessarily but one of the guys still standing at the end. Kudos to you son for still standing!
#1 Assistant Coach posted:The topic of tall pitchers vs not tall pitchers has been debated at length on this site. And I don't want to divert the thread to rehash it again. The height thing is summed up best by a coach who once said, "We don't waste time talking about things we can't control. " - Dan Pepicelli, Cornell HC
I mentioned my son's height as it did have an effect on his recruitment. It played a role in his story. Many coaches were drawn to it, but many ran away like it were the plague, especially from age 10-14, especially with regard to pitching.
Also, to be mentioned re: my son is he admittedly did not devote the time some other pitchers do on his craft. Never played middle school ball, is a multi sport athlete, took a year off and went abroad, shut down this summer for six weeks to do weighted ball program. And he was 15 when coaches finally RELIED on him to pitch. 10-14 he was USED to pitch but only when the coach was forced to use him due to game management needs. Usually desperate needs. Big difference.
A lot of his troubles clearly came from a life of distractions that kept him from focusing 100% on pitching. That was his choice. And the consequences were clearly there as his story and struggle show. Not a hard luck story by any means, but a hard choices story. And then dealing with the sometimes negative consequences.
There are arguments for the benefits and detractors for both. The one axiom that I learned on this site, that I do think is true, for better or for worse, right or wrong:
"Big athletic kids have to prove they can't. Small kids have to prove they can."
And as we both know size is not always an advantage. A lot of issues making that growing body work. Bottom line do the best with what the good lord gave you! And your son clearly did.