I nominate this to be in the Golden thread primarily for WallyL's personal input and story. Great read and lots of great advice. Good luck with your 2014 Aleebaba!
Good luck Aleebaba...good times.
BTW...Hired Guns are going down!
Originally Posted by Aleebaba:
Anxiety is building as son waits to hear from top choices, but those colleges are waiting on other commitments as my son is not their first option. We are blessed as son has got a few offers, but none yet from any college with combination of academic and baseball success hoped for by all interested parties. As with most things, most likely one will have to be sacrificed, and that has created some tension in our house about the way to proceed. In addition, those programs that have extended offers will need an answer in the next few weeks, as they are making decisions based on whether my son commits or does not. Interesting times indeed.
Aleebaba,
I feel your pain. 2014 son had singular goal throughout high school - play in the Ivy League. Academics and standardized testing made it, but could not generate any baseball love from coaches. So be it. Most of them saw him play and did not pursue him. However, thanks to a good Headfirst showing he is now being pursued aggressively by half of the NESCAC and other top-tier D3's. It is certainly not what he wanted, but when the sting subsides he will be grateful to get the opportunity to play another 4 years.
As a parent it is difficult to watch the disappointment. I think we will all see it as baseball parents at one point or another. From little league to the pros, eventually they are going to tell your son he is not good enough for something or he will get hurt. Very few make it to the hall of fame.
Originally Posted by HVbaseballDAD:
Originally Posted by Aleebaba:
Anxiety is building as son waits to hear from top choices, but those colleges are waiting on other commitments as my son is not their first option. We are blessed as son has got a few offers, but none yet from any college with combination of academic and baseball success hoped for by all interested parties. As with most things, most likely one will have to be sacrificed, and that has created some tension in our house about the way to proceed. In addition, those programs that have extended offers will need an answer in the next few weeks, as they are making decisions based on whether my son commits or does not. Interesting times indeed.
Aleebaba,
I feel your pain. 2014 son had singular goal throughout high school - play in the Ivy League. Academics and standardized testing made it, but could not generate any baseball love from coaches. So be it. Most of them saw him play and did not pursue him. However, thanks to a good Headfirst showing he is now being pursued aggressively by half of the NESCAC and other top-tier D3's. It is certainly not what he wanted, but when the sting subsides he will be grateful to get the opportunity to play another 4 years.
As a parent it is difficult to watch the disappointment. I think we will all see it as baseball parents at one point or another. From little league to the pros, eventually they are going to tell your son he is not good enough for something or he will get hurt. Very few make it to the hall of fame.
HV, if I am reading right, your son is a shoo-in for Ivy admission but will choose perhaps a NESCAC school because of baseball. That in itself is a difficult, courageous decision.
Good luck, Aleebaba! Keep grinding and marketing him and it will happen. Still a lot of money out there for 2014 catchers.
HV, if I am reading right, your son is a shoo-in for Ivy admission but will choose perhaps a NESCAC school because of baseball. That in itself is a difficult, courageous decision.
Greenlight,
There is no such thing as a shoo-in for Ivy admission (unless you have a parent in the White House, etc.). He would have been very easy to admit with support from a coach, but you are right on target that he is not willing to risk walking on. Baseball is too much of who he is right now.
Seems that he has good self-awareness. As I said, I think it is a difficult, courageous decision.
HVbaseballDAD - My son had this same decision; roster spot at Ivy School (support in ED sans likely letter), or lots of love at top D3. He went the D3 route and is very grateful he did. His friend who picked up that spot played some as a freshman but has had very little playing time as an upperclassman. Remember, at every level, the coach is always recruiting your replacement. Meanwhile, the D3 player has the opportunity to have non-baseball leadership positions on campus and fantastic summer opportunities, instead of being owned by the coach during the school year and married to a position of the coaches choosing during the summer. PM me if you need advice or more clarification. `
Lefty,
Thanks for the boost and your advice and counsel along the way. Headfirst was a godsend for him as droves of elite academic D3 coaches have been all over him in the last month. His ego needed the boost after the Ivies discarded him. He is in a very good place right now after receiving a call last night from a top NESCAC regarding a slot offer. He may see your son next month at his last event of the year before he makes his ED decision. They are one of 5 schools on the short list right now if they like him down there.
We have played ball with and against top-level talent in the State of Texas for many years, and I am noticing that very few position players are getting the love. Pitchers yes, hitters -- not so much. Is this just recent as a result of the new bats, or has it always been this way?
Lefty, You are so right about the opportunities at the D3 school. My son is going to a D3 school. He was involved with the student Senate his freshman year and this year he is a new student ambassador. He is in several clubs and he has had job's at the book store, library and concession stand. The school is local so he was able to continue working for the library and the concession stand over the summer. I'm not sure he realizes how lucky he was to have a full time job over the summer.