15 yo, got an invite to a showcase camp, help?

Eric,

If your son was a HS junior and involved in recruiting correspondence with specific college coaches, then it would be important for him to inform the coaches of his medical situation. But as a freshman, I think the only thing necessary is for him to express his interest.

I agree with you: "My first instincts were to have him write a letter to the school thanking them for the acknowledgement but declining." And at this point in the recruiting process, it is not necessary for him to state why he cannot attend. He can simply say something like "Thank you for the invitation to XYZ showcase. I regret that I cannot attend this year but hope you will keep me on your list for future consideration."

Best wishes to your son in his recovery. My son (pitcher) also had a labrum tear due to his pitching shoulder popping out of the socket in his senior year (while baserunning, not pitching). It's not the easiest injury to recover from!

Julie

I agree 100% with MN-Mom when she says:

quote:

If your son was a HS junior and involved in recruiting correspondence with specific college coaches, then it would be important for him to inform the coaches of his medical situation. But as a freshman, I think the only thing necessary is for him to express his interest.

I'm sorry your son had a labrum tear and hope he recovers soon. I'm also excited for you and your son as he begins his college recruitment phase. Sounds as if you have it in perspective when you say you realize his invite probably came from playing on a high profile team. If your son is an ACC caliber prospect he will receive MANY invites and letters in the near future.

For clarification what exactly is an ACC college prospect showcase? Is this where Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest all pool their efforts and have a big showcase benefitting all colleges in the ACC ---- or ----- is this one ACC college that has renamed one of their camps?
Fungo

I'd say you don't have to do anything right now.

You might check to see that this camp is advertised on the college's athletic website. If it is, you just look for it next year at this time if you don't get an invite. Consider the invitation you received as extra advertisement for their camp, not a personalized invite.

I believe that the college camps must be made available to all appropriately aged players, whereas companies like PG and Headfirst can be a little more exclusive on who they invite.

Eric,
Like Fungo, I am sorry to hear about the labral issues. I truly wish your son the very, very best. It can be quite a challenging process.
Let me speak from the perspective of some experience.
In my view, the first and only focus for you right now is to support your son in the healing and rehabilitation process.
Having artificial things like the ACC camps/College ball and the like involed is an approach I would question.
The reason is that high level athletes are highly competitive. That is true on the field. It is equally true when they rehab.
They work harder than many can imagine. They don't complain, especially about pain/discomfor/hurting. They don't complain because they want to play. If they say what is truly happening, they have a realization it can impact the moving forward process of being on that field competing.
Your son is lucky. He has the time to heal/rehab and hopefully recover fully to return and play 1B. Both are huge advantages for him.
But he may have set backs along they way. If those set backs can occur when he isn't thinking it jeopardizes anything for him baseball wise, he can deal with the mental aspect easier. He can be more candid with the doctors and PT about how he is doing, rather than hoping he can work through it.
I will tell you, high level, highly competitive players approach rehab with the dedication that made them high level players.
With the rehab from a 2nd labral surgery, they need to be able to rehab without the pressure of feeling they need to be on that field, to compete, to get better, that they are falling behind. They need to rehab with that as the main focus. For the "mental" part of that rehab, I think a player will do better if an ACC showcase camp/college baseball and what might be there at age 17/18 isn't part of his mental approach in the rehab.
I hope these thoughts help. Some are extracted from my thinking. Some are extracted from some things our son talked about in trying to recover and rehab, how hard he drove himself, and how tough it was at times mentally when you drive yourself as hard as you can, you want more than anything to be on that field, you want to convince yourself you can/will get there...and your shoulder rehab isn't the direct line to recovery that might be "expected."

Write a letter and tell them you are very interested, but cannot attend.

DO NOT mention the injury. In time it will heal if he listens to the doctor and doesn't rush it. That makes it a non-issue.

This is NOT the last or best opportunity for recruitment. In fact, you just saved the cost of the camp. A 6'1" 225 freshman will get many opportunities as MN Mom states -

YOU have to be PATIENT, while your son heals. The WORST thing you can do is rush it.

Hope this helps...

Words of wisdom as I knew I would get from you guys! Thanks for all your input and I am taking it all to heart.