anotherparent posted:I agree 100% that the best advice is to be found here at hsbbw. But, I see the point of what some people have identified as services provided by these companies. They seem to fall into two categories:
- posting video and measurables: but, you can do videos free on YouTube, and measurables are best when coming from sources such as PBR or PG anyway. Many things matter more than putting this information on a recruiting site, starting with having the skills that colleges want, and then having a reputable coach who will contact colleges for you.
- having databases where you can search colleges, get coach contact info, etc. Getting coach contact info is not hard, although it takes time. Looking for colleges based on specific criteria, especially if trying to combine academic, geographical, and baseball information, IS hard. We did it all ourselves, but I can understand people paying a company to provide all the data so they don't have to look it up themselves.
Most high-school players end up playing college baseball in their home states. Of the 30 friends of my son who are freshmen baseball players in college, from juco to P5, only 8 are playing out of state, and 7 of those are playing in the next state over. It's not hard to research colleges in your state.
A lot of good info in this post, especially...
"Many things matter more than putting this information on a recruiting site, starting with having the skills that colleges want, and then having a reputable coach who will contact colleges for you."
A few questions, though (directed to the group - not just anotherparent) ... do you really need coach contact info? I have rarely had difficulty finding the HC and RC along with contact info readily available on the school athletic site and it tends to be updated far more often than outside resources. Also, most kids going through the recruiting process don't necessarily have a solid idea of what their "criteria" is for a college and, thus, need to wade through school sites and make visits anyway. Those who do know their specific direction are most likely more in-tune to which specific colleges may provide both their desired major and a baseball program that may be a fit than any service would.
Your final point rounds things out nicely. Yes, in fact, most will attend either an in-state or neighboring state college. So, that alone instantly narrows the search significantly.
I guess that brings me back to agreeing with the point that everything you really need (aside from the skill set and reputable spokesperson, which services cannot give you) is here for free. I would be more inclined to spend that money on having a videographer come out for a couple hours and help with a recruiting video, but only after the skill set is there and you know what to tell them to focus on and how to shoot it.