2014 Anxiety

ClevelandDad,

I totally agree with you.  I can give you real examples of great parents, great kids and then same parents and kid who has been in and out of jail or prison since the age of 13.

Its all a crap shoot and lots of patience and prayer.

My sister tells the story of having her first child and how she thought she was the best parent that ever lived, as the kid was really great all the time.  Second child came and it was a whole new ballgame.  Nurture plays a huge part, and it should prevent anyone from judging most of he time.  

to get back on topic....anyone finding any anxiety relief yet????????

not yet, had 14 colleges watching my 2014 pitch today(he did well . a couple are talking to him. we  are planning a "media blitz" with those that have shown interest. We are getting help with what to send from his summer coaches. if anyone here has ideeas as well that would be great.  we are sitting down tomorrow (wife, son, myself) and plan visits in august along with which prospect camps to go too. 2014 will then contact coaches to set up. after this weekend, one more big tournament, then summer season will be over unless he is picked up for another team but truthfully in ohio it has at most 2 more weekends after he is done.  

My son is feeling good today. He received emails from head coaches at two schools on his list. Both of them saw him play at The Stanford All Star Camp and are requesting his transcripts,ACT scores,next years class schedule.They both said they will call later in the week, and are excited that my son has an interest in their school(s) . One coach said  that my son might be a perfect fit for this small recruiting class(5-6 players). Both coaches gave my son their cell phone number

I believe this is real interest.

After my son got back from Stanford, we decided to find out where he stands. So he sent an email to about 25 coaches that were at The All Star Camp.He had a short list of questions like ;

* Did you see me play ?

*What did you think ?

* How do I compare with others that you have recruited in my position ?

These are all questions that I gleaned from this site.Major props to BOF for posting that incredible list of questions to ask

So far about half of the coaches have responded.The ones who did respond were indeed very candid ! There were a couple that said that they are done recruiting 2014's for my son's position(s),A few others stated that my son was in their "mix" but was not their at the top of their board for his position(s).A couple others said that they believe my  son could contribute to their team offensively, but they would need to further evaluate his defense and speed.And there were a couple that said while he is not at the top of their board right now, the situation is fluid and can change at anytime.And, of course there were the two emails that were very positive

I'm actually happy my son asked the coaches these questions.At least now he knows where he stands(for the most part) at some schools on his list.One piece of advice that FenwaySouth and Blue10 have told me is to keep working these lists ! Don't close any doors and keep communicating with the schools on your list.

Everything will work out in the end. It's all good 

Lot's of anxiety here.  The boy was 0 for Georgia this week at the plate, but shined in the field. Don't you just wish there was a viagra for hitting slumps?  They palyed FTB Chandler in the single elimination round, who trucked out 5 pitchers in the game who topped and sat

over 90.  I am not sure there are 5 pitchers in New York who top 90.

The next month will be crucial as he is a high academic kid and will be seen by everyone he wants to be seen by.  He is no blue-chipper, but loves the game and wants to play.  By the way, I have hepled him with questionnaires because he asked for my advice - just as I will help him with a resume and cover letters when he graduates from college if he needs it.  He owns the process, but I ill do what I can to help him. 

Lots of anxiety here too!  Things are happening really fast.  Top choice programs that our son has been communicating with are letting our son know that he is not a good fit at their school, a school that he did not know was interested in him has talked about money and a visit on the first phone conversation (there had only been one email response from the coach and son had written the coach a few times with no response) and brand new schools who saw him at the Stanford Camp have expressed what feels like real interest. One month ago we were thinking that 2014 should just apply to top choice schools and try to walk on. Things can go really fast with baseball recruiting.  One month ago the three schools that are showing the most interest in my son had never communicated with him.  I do not know if any of this will translate to offers, but he is talking with coaches now.

2014Prospect - Your post is what the OldTimers refer to as the recruiting rollercoaster.  Hang on!

Fenway,

I really understand that term better now, up and down, up and down...

The bottom line is that for most, real recruiting doesn't begin until senior summer.

Best of luck, let us know how things work out for him!

With all due respect TPM, don't you mean summer after Junior year and during Senior year. Our experience was that schools are looking at the next group once Senior year is completed. Yes there are still opportunities, but most kids have committed by then.

No I meant senior summer, the summer before senior year. That is when things begin to heat up for most seniors in the country.

You said it brother--"So in the end go where you can play"

Last fall 2014 pitched in the PG tourney in Fort Myers drew Orlando Scorpions Prime,  Then two weeks ago draws Dulin Dodgers and last week in PG WWBA draws Marucci Elite....these three teams made it to the final four of the 17 WWBA.

What's the chances ?  BTW the way his record is 1-1 ND

Well, a few weeks go by and some kids on our team are getting visits from pro agents that say they will be top round picks, some kids are starting to make decisions on where they are going to commit, and some have received no emails or calls at all to date.  Not sure if people in the latter category are glad to be playing with the highly recruited or not, as it clearly is creating dual feelings of happiness for kid and family, but angst as to if it will ever happen for their son.  Think about it, your kid is a LHP that is effective but only throws low to mid 80s at best, or he hits well but is under 6' and does not run less than 7 in the 60.  At present all the attention goes to the 90+, 6'3"+, sub 7 guys.  What should a parent do to put kid on the radar if not one of these highly touted guys?  When do they start getting love?

If a player has enough heart, tenacity and ability, the "love" will come, but sometimes at a very different time  than the the time parents think should happen.  Baseball is truly "the" marathon!

Aleebaba, here is a link to an article about Ben Klimesh. Ben was cut from his HS team and recently was selected to the MWL All-Star team before being moved to High A in Milb.

http://chicago.sbnation.com/ch...15th-round-interview

Also attached is a link to a thread I posted on a friend our our son's, Daniel Nava. Daniel was cut as a freshman in college and offered a position as the team manager. He is  now roving the outfield in Fenway.

https://community.hsbaseballweb.com/topic/team-manager-doing-laundry-to

I can fully relate the angst of a parent at this stage.  Our family shared them when one D3 stepped up and pursued our son through his entire senior year in HS,before a number of D1's and JC's became involved. What is so hard at the stage leading into the senior year in HS is the fact that baseball is so different from every other college sport, or most any sport.  The period from age 17 to 21 is transitional for many players who get lost at age 17-18 and cannot be missed when they are 20-21.

Some will get plenty of love.Others  might not get the love our son "hoped" or we as parents "expect."  If they have talent, tenacity and "guts" the love might be quite distant into the future as it was for Klimesh and Nava.  Again, having been through the journey you and others  are starting, I would encourage patience and the appreciation of just how long  a marathon can be. For our son, I won't ever forget the only love being from the D3 followed by the rich and wonderful feelings of  draft day soon followed by  his running onto the field in the 2005 Midwest League All Star game  and knowing he "proved" he belonged!

Good luck to your son and all those son's and parents impacted with the anxiety of the process!

Aleebaba I feel your pain, I too am a 2014 dad as well that is feeling the angst and frustration of the recruiting process.  My son was an All-League, All-State OF this past season with quite a bit of interest coming from a few D1s and some more D2s and D3s.

Just as the HS season ended he fractured his wrist (Hamate bone) and missed the first 6-7 weeks of the summer ball season.  He is back now and is just starting to get back to where he was at the end of the HS season, but summer ball is wrapping up in another 2-3 weeks.  Many of the colleges he reached out to showed up to his games only to not see him play.  If I believe what many of his coaches have said – he would have had a number of offers already had it not been for the injury.  To top it off, he too is seeing teammates and players he knows getting their offers/opportunities to play at the next level, which I know is affecting him deeply.

I feel like this initial window of opportunity is starting to close, at least from a D1 perspective.  I realize there is still time and obviously nothing will start to get finalized until November, but again its hard not to feel a little discouraged.

I think I am keeping up a good “game face” and attitude for him during this tough time, but believe me when I say we are going thru antacid like candy in my household right now.

Unfortunately I have no advice nor can I answer your question (What should a parent do ….?), I am only sharing in our mutual frustration, stress and anxiety over the collegiate recruiting process.

The only thing I can say is we are heeding the advice of what many bloggers have said in the past – “change what you can, accept what you can’t.”  My son is channeling his frustration into amping-up his strength and speed training regimen, which we normally don’t do “in-season” but I think it helps him cope.  There is still the Fall scout team/season he plays on and the Arizona Fall Classic in October.  With a lot a hard work until then and a little bit of luck … things will hopefully work out.

Good luck …. keep posting updates on your son’s developments, I trust good news is in the near future.

Aleebaba - Is your son going to be HeadFirst next week?  PM me if he is.  You will KNOW, after HeadFirst, what his recruiting status is relative to his true peers.  Remember, the kids being scouted for the draft aren't really competing with your son for recruiting spots.  As I recall your son's situation, his peers will be at HeadFirst.

I think the parent should kinda step back and let the kid deal with the situation on and off the field.

It makes perfect sense that the more talented kids are getting more attention or earlier attention than the less talented kids. How else would anyone want it and expect it to be? If this natural and logical state of affairs in sports and life is causing angst, I think it may be due to unrealistic expectations that need to be changed.

Back when the player was entering high school it might have been helpful for the parents to advise him that 90+ pitchers get taken before low 80s pitchers and sub-7 second middle infielders get taken before the over-7 second kids. But if a 2014 does not understand that today, July 25, 2013..............well maybe it is never too late.

How should less talented kids get on the radar? I would suggest (the player, not the parent) start working even harder and redoubling efforts to keep up communication with coaches/scouts.

part of the problem with these camps is most of the schools attending do look at players but most do not have open spots for all positions at 2014 grad class. I spoke to at least 25 recruiters for schools from div 1 thru d3 in the last few weeks and most will be honest with what their needs are if they know you dont have a kid of your own in mind. I can say almost all schools said they were saving some spots for a few arms but mostly were done with the 2014 grad class.

We're seeing that a lot in our area, but I think there are still regions where the whole push to earlier and earlier recruiting has not totally taken hold.  This can happen in states where the higher ed system is much more tilted to the JuCo pipeline, and also in areas where cold weather and the resulting absence of year-round baseball leads to your having more and more late bloomers.

another thing you see good and bad is ..not saying recruiters are lazy but they seem to follow the 'academy type teams around" let them recruit the best kids then we just shop at your team and games...i have had kids play on both kinds..the top teams with names on front and teams very average but with 1-2 players just as good as the players on top teams just not as many of them.  Player agents or advisors are shady at best..some kids make the mistake of saying they have no intention of going to college and gotten for cheap in draft..others make it known they have no intention of going pro..which is not nearly as bad if that is really what you want. Thats why both kinds fall to lower round picks..one you can have easy and the other aint comin 

I would like to add some notes from personal experience.  My 2014 INF (likely 3B) signed with a D1 program just after WWBA in East Cobb.  Since he is likely a 3B, his ride in the process was unique and filled with anxiety.  As we all know, not everyone is out there looking for 3B.  Some don't even look at 3B.  In the end, he will play at a big D1 and received a huge offer for any corners guy.

Here are a few things that we found and some things we did in the process -

The money is not gone if you find a school with need that doesn't recruit too early

Most schools were honest when we asked if they were looking for 3B and it kept us from wasting a lot of time

He sent a ton of emails to schools, and I helped him with wording in almost EVERY email...I actually think this was a great learning experience

Phone calls that prospective schools made to references were a huge factor in getting offers

We put a lot of focus on private schools due to his academic strengths, because they find money

He put contact info for all of his coaches at bottom of every email, his HS principal, and competing coaches

His level of play on recognizable travel programs helped develop a group of people willing to help him and who know him

His current travel program was EXTREMELY helpful

He promoted things that set him apart in emails such as strong academics and success in multiple sports

Once a coach was interested, he made personal calls to them to specifically as level of interest and did his best to hold the coach responsible

Access to the PG website showing commits at certain schools is not always up to date, but can give a good sense of where schools are in the process

He lost an offer from a mid-major school at one point (had offer for over a year) and was very upset, but it just made him hungrier

He had 2 offers that were very strong, but decided that it was not the right fit, so he called the coaches within 3 days to be honest

We researched the snot out of all schools' baseball programs including recruiting habits and true commitment

He actually got a lot of help (recruiter to recruiter calls) from 2 recruiters who knew him, but did not have a spot (came from asking if they had a spot)

Recruiting coordinators are extremely important and the one at his future school really helped, but the head coach makes the decision...ALWAYS

These are just a few observations from one experience.  My son has found that "perfect fit" for him, and, of course, we are all very happy, relieved, and excited.  I can see clearly that the anxiety can be both motivating and limiting at times.

Enjoy the time with your son! 

Agreed, I am from Ohio and though the top 25-30 or so 2014 are committed, a lot of the MAC, A10 size D1 seem to be still evaluating. I have no doubts they relativly close though, and from what I have been told offers will be coming soon to the next tier (which I hope so, since mine seems to be falling in that area). I would guess a school in big ten for instance might be done except a specific player

Academy type teams are always going to attract the recruiters. To use "Fenwaysouth" analogy...Fishing where the fish are. They are constantly evaluating talent, watching kids play and talking to kids they are interested in. If you are a talented player, you will be found. 

There are shady characters in all walks of life, but for the most part, what I've seen in the baseball world, are hard working evaluators that give honest assessments of a players ability.  

chefmike, you are absolutely correct. Offers should coming in the next couple of months for the next tier guys. Verbals for the elite have already been made. My 2013 had been talking with a handful of DI's up until August, but no confirmed offers.At an August showcase in San Diego, he was seen by a RC from a school that had been low on the radar,(only because the school he thought was out of his reach/talent) called him and invited him to throw for the HC the following weekend. Two weeks later, once HS started, he was invited for an OV and made an offer with 7 days to accept. Signed in November.  

The other point that we are side stepping is the plaintive cry, when does the player without big time tools get the love?

It should be understood that not everyone who wants to play in college gets to.  Just like not everyone who wants to be an actor has the good looks to land movie roles.  And 5'10" point guards who aren't very quick don't play in the NBA.  There are some things you need God-given talents to qualify for.  Some of us are pure of heart and we work terribly, terribly hard and it still isn't enough.  It will ever be thus.

For those players, my thought is to enjoy playing while you can and not let the times right in front of you right now speed by you without savoring them while they last.  No matter what your level of ability, the day comes all too soon when you don't get to play any more.  For many that day comes sooner than they would like.  When your son is doing all he can and every objective indication is that it isn't enough, maybe it's time to realize this may be where you are.

I would qualify that by saying, I know nothing of the particular poster's son, these comments are just made as a matter of the general rule of thumb. 

Midlo:

Good post -- and an important one.

true midlo..what you also see is kids who are not as good as other players getting offers but the recruiters know or think in 3 years the kid will be better than the other...coaches are more willing to get fired over a 6 2 pt guard than a 5 10 one..

if you are borderline and time running out sometimes it may help to let it be known you are willing to walk on IE dont need money...i would do that as a last resort but they may take a chance on the 5 10 kid who is costing nothing and then go after a 6 8 pf over a 64 one LOL

The distinction between the 5'10" and 6'2" player out of HS is very real and legitimate when it comes to recruiting, especially at the D1 level. It can be even more of a factor if the 5'10" player is slight of build, weighing 150lbs or less.

Where the recruiting is very challenging for the coaching staff, and frustrating for the parent/player, is  projecting whether the player who is below 6" and somewhat slight of build, but with talent, heading into the HS senior year will remain that height and close to that weight when he steps onto the college campus in about 12 months.

Top  college coaches below the D1 level have won a lot of games by recognizing  players with some D1 skills who are not physically developed and by taking advantage of exactly these types of recruiting dilemmas and then stepping in when the player slips through the D1 process. If the player remains 5'10" and around 160lbs, they can be a terrific D3 player.  If they get to 6'1" and 180lbs, they can be a major part of getting a D3 team to the very top tier, while also proving anything which needs to be proven in some of the top Summer Wood bat leagues.

Reading this thread really does increase my anxiety about the recruiting process!  Our son plays for an academy type team, and only one of the position players and three pitchers have committed so far. Many of the guys on his team want to go JUCO so that they can go after those big baseball powerhouses in a couple of years. Our son is lucky that he is getting emails and some phone calls from coaches even though none of the schools are a perfect fit.  Our son has good grades and ACT scores although not good enough for Ivy admission.  Several D2s have talked with him (although no offers yet, there has been a discussion about money and one school that has promised a "package" in the near future)  I am not sure what that means. His best option is probably a high academic D3 although I have no idea how we would pay for it. The big anxiety for us is that,our son is probably going to have to decide if playing baseball is worth compromising his educational goals or going heavily in debt to play for a high academic D3. Baseball money is not a priority; our son would happily walk on to a school with strong academics and apply for academic scholarships, but we do not live on the east coast where there are many options for players who want top academics, a great baseball program, and affordable tuition.

You're thinking about the right things.  Stay on that track and best of luck to you with whatever opportunities may ultimately come as his choices.

One other thing:  I know many players who have greatly enjoyed club baseball, which is a growing phenomenon across the nation.  They find this as a way to attend college affordably (in-state universities), play baseball competitively, travel a fair amount, and yet not have the pressure or the workload demands that are seen with D1 programs.  And I promise you, some of these club teams would clean the clocks of some NCAA mid-major, D2 or D3 programs.

2014prospect - At the highest academic D3's (think Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore) 100% of financial needs are met by grants purely as a consequence of admission.  Only a handful of the baseball players are paying full price and the AVERAGE grant is $36,000.  The financial aid office will work tirelessly with an admit to find the financial package that works.  I don't know of any baseball "tips" (a Tip is an application supported by the coach and AD that is being shepherded through admissions) who ultimately didn't come because of finances.  So, don't be discouraged by sticker prices.

Lefty (or whomever), is this true of most D3's? When looking at some colleges recruiting my 2014 and thier average yearly price to go there I get sticker shock. 40K plus. I own 2 cars that combined are less than that  

Right there with you chef!!!

Referring to the part I put in bold, I believe you when you say you don't know any tips who didn't matriculate due to finances.

But readers should not draw conclusions from that about how frequently this might happen.  Just because you don't know any, doesn't mean it doesn't happen, or how frequently it might happen.......unless you tell us you have access to the results of all the offers made by the schools you mentioned.

I have no inside information, but I would not be surprised if it is a common occurrence. Anybody have real data?

Just the baseball results from the school I'm most familiar with in this regard.  Posters should search the media on this issue where they will find the math described in great detail.  Additionally, The Common Data Set published by each school will also describe the amount of awards give to students of all types.  Plenty out there on this topic but the best thing to do is just call the financial aid office of the schools mentioned and they will tell you directly.  That's what we did during the recruiting process.

I'm sorry.  I underestimated.  The average award is $38,000 at Swarthmore and over 50% of all students receive grants.

http://www.swarthmore.edu/admi...price-calculator.xml 

Swarthmore is indeed very generous.

Taking into account the average award of $38,000 (not every student or ballplayer has average financial circumstances, of course), and the total cost of $60,270, http://www.swarthmore.edu/admi...cost-information.xml ,  the "average" expense for those who qualify for scholarships is about $22,000