Here is my advice on this subject :
1. Use the search bar to find previous threads that talk about JuCo issues
2. Most JuCos are considerably better at either developing pitchers or developing position players. Hardly any are good at both. Make sure you find one that is better on the position player side.
3. Over-recruiting is a fact of life. Some places are worse that others. Word of mouth will tell you more than info you can find online. Avoid programs that have JV teams.
4. All JuCos are not fully funded - regardless of whether they are D1 or D2. And there is very little uniformity in how scholarships are handled from school to school.
5. Go where your player is wanted and where he can make a difference. That is where he will be treated the best and where he will get the most opportunity. This criteria is far more important than who advances the most players and who does or doesn’t put a lot of first year players on the field.
6. Every program is a reflection of its HC. So take a hard look at that guy and make sure his personality and habits are something that your player is comfortable with.
7. View JuCo as a 2 year commitment. Even if your player has a great freshman year it is a snowball’s chance in hell that he will be recruited to a 4 year school after one year at a JuCo.
8. As a parent, or as a player, once you get to your JuCo don’t start tagging 4 year schools on social media posts just to let them know where you are and that you are still interested in them. They do not care. I promise you they don’t. And it gives the optics that you are already thinking about your next stop before you have taken care of business where you are. Guess who doesn’t like that.
9. Understand that the person that can do the most to help you advance is your JuCo HC. Also understand that the person that can do the most to prevent you from advancing as you desire is also your JuCo HC. So stay on his good side. JuCo recruiting is different than HS recruiting in many ways but one big one in particular. The first phone call a 4 year school makes if they are interested is to your JuCo HC. It’s likely that no colleges called your HS HC. But once you get to JuCo it’s a different process.
10. There is no way to predict how many D1 bounce downs will show up at any JuCo program at any point in time. However, the more competitive the JuCo program is the more likely it is to happen.
11. This is just my opinion but I would try to avoid JuCo programs that bring in a lot of international players. A lot of foreign players often leads to a lot of problems
12. If you transfer from a JuCo to a 4 yr school within the same state there is a much greater chance of not losing academic credits.
13. JuCo coaches are among the most approachable. Ask them a lot of questions