Advice For The HS Freshmen Who Wants To Later Play College Baseball

The focus should be on getting bigger, stronger, faster and improving skills.  There’s no sense in going to a quality showcase unless there’s something to show. It’s not a bad idea for a freshman to go to an inexpensive, local college showcase style camp to get a feel for what’s coming. 

Typically college camps are fundraisers for the spring trip. The good college camps are the prospect camps where the coaching staff has reached out to the player through his high school or travel coach.

At the right time your son should align himself with a travel team where the coach/program has contacts and credibility at the right competitive level. Recruiting is a lot easier playing for a coach who can sell the player. 

Unless the kid turns into a potential D1 player who could be recruited out of the area think regionally in terms of showcases. If he’s a top student think Head First.

Go watch college games at various levels of ball. Ask parents how their son ended up there. Most parents enjoy talking about their kids. Sometimes you can engage a scout and ask him about the typical metrics in the conference for your son’s position 

Short answer... must do's - be good enough mentally and physically and have the grades.  But there really are no short answers.

Welcome to the site and congratulations!  You have found the place that will answer those questions in far more detail, ten times over, some more and some less related to your son's specific and unique set of circumstances.  RJM's reply was a great one.  You will get plenty more.  You can also search the site by topic and find an enormous amount of discussion and information on these topics.  

My contribution always includes the reminder to make sure he fully enjoys the HS experience along the way.  Once in a lifetime and very special.  Too many get caught up in chasing the college or pro baseball dream and forget to fully take in what is likely the most rewarding and fun baseball experience that is the present.  If he reaches his goal, it will be far more like work once he gets there than what he envisioned during the dream phase.

Francis7 posted:

Your son just started High School this semester.  He will graduate in 2022.  His goal is to play college baseball after high school.    Outside of training on his own and working hard on getting good grades, what should he be focused on in each of the next 4 baseball seasons and off-seasons?  What should he avoid and/or not be concerned about and when? 

For example:  Showcases.  When are they appropriate and when is it too soon?  Should he attend them at all?  Or, are college camps more important?  Is attending a camp without an invitation worthwhile or not?  Should he align himself with a certain kind of travel team?  What should he be looking for in a team with respect to showcases, tournaments and camps? 

Basically, for a just starting HS baseball player, who wants to play in college, what are the “must do’s” and “don’t bothers” and when and why for anything mentioned? 

There is no correct answer. Everything is fluid, changing and subject to what the player's skills are. If your kid is a 2022, focus on playing against the best competition you can find. Play on the best team you can get on (travel) in which you will get meaningful playing time. Have fun, don't burn him out.

Right now, it's important that you the parent learn the recruiting ropes, know where the kid's skills fall against their peers and maintain objectivity by getting sound feedback from quality coaches. Cannot stress enough grades. GRADES!!!! I know good baseball players who aren't getting offers because grades are keeping the coaches away, not the skills. So stay on them about being a great student first. Parents carry a lot of water during the recruiting process. Get smart, get active in developing a recruiting plan for your son. Got more $$$ than time? Pay someone to do that, but they will not have skin in the game like you.

cabbagedad posted:

...Welcome to the site and congratulations!  You have found the place that will answer those questions in far more detail, ten times over, some more and some less related to your son's specific and unique set of circumstances.  

No no noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

October of my son’s freshman year, I took him to a UCONN camp.  I was totally ignorant that it was a recruiting tool, thought it was cool just to get him on a college field and get a feel for it.  Coach Penders went up to my son and said “welcome Jack, you’re the youngest kid here by 2 years.  Glad you’re here.”

I agree with all above.  You have time, work hard and enjoy the process.

Agree with Gary and RJM.  GRADES!   The first question the coach asked my son was "What is your GPA?"  If the grades aren't there, it's the end of discussion.  Note - NCAA minimum is a 2.0 GPA.  Some schools have higher standards.  One thing overlooked many times - there are more academic scholarships  out there than athletic scholarships.

On the athletic side what RJM posted is good advice.  Find a good quality travel team that has contacts.  Don't showcase unless the player has skills to show.  Otherwise, it'll just be a waste of $$ and time.

Don't rule out D2, D3, NAIA or even JuCo.  My son played at a D2 JuCo and a D2 University - both were competitive squads.

Go see some college games (any level).

And don't forget to enjoy his HS experience.   Those 4 years will go by quicker than you can imagine.

As mentioned - develop a plan.   It just doesn't happen unless you make it happen.

Just a comment on grades ... The NCAA requirement is 2.0. A coach may be willing to take a risk on a stud, pro prospect with borderline grades. But typically most college coaches are looking for 3.0. There’s an expectation a player’s gpa will be lower in college due to the demands of playing a sport.

Athletes often get a break on high school gpa and sat scores versus a regular applicants. But the schools do have their own minimum acceptance level even for athletes.

Best advice I can give — stay on this site. Ask questions. Smart questions, stupid questions. Don't take the answers personally. Just ask. You will learn so much and your son will benefit.

Iowamom23 posted:

Best advice I can give — stay on this site. Ask questions. Smart questions, stupid questions. Don't take the answers personally. Just ask. You will learn so much and your son will benefit.

I'm a '22 dad and, yeah, what she said.  This site is extremely valuable.

My son is a 2020 and  has ambitions to play D1 baseball in college. You could do some local showcase type events (PBR, etc.) early in high school to get initial measurables and to get him used to the format, but I would hold off on any bigger events until he truly has something to show. My son has done the Stanford camp and HeadFirst Honor Roll and both were great. HeadFirst was exceptional for allowing direct recruiting interaction with coaches and that is not really useful until September 1 of junior year. If your son has good grades - focus on grades! - and will take honors/AP classes, I recommend getting baseline SAT and/or ACT scores at the end of sophomore year or early junior year. My son has found that he has a bit of an edge in conversations with high academic coaches because he already has those scores. In the West, the Fall Classic is a "must" junior year. Get on the most competitive club team that you can find for summer/fall ball. We are only doing on-campus camps with schools where there is mutual interest or my son is highly interested in the school (with or without baseball). Best of luck!

I wanted to say THANKS(!) to everyone for their replies.  And, if anyone else has more to share, please do!

I want to re-read through all the comments and digest them.  I'm sure I will have some follow-up questions!

https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/??...llege-sports_en_US??

link to NCAA site, create an account for your son. Its important to not only have a decent GPA but you have to make sure you take and pass the appropriate core classes. Don't wait until the kid is a Jr. or Sr. to find out he needed a certain math or science class. 

Many people say "don't showcase until you have something to show."  We would have saved money and time if we had known what that means.  It is not about "how well you play," it starts with measurable numbers.  For the most part, the only schools that recruit before the summer after junior year are D1s.  Their interest starts (as relevant to position) with FB, 60-yard-dash, pop time, exit velocity, throwing velocity, and player height, those are what make them pay attention, then they look to see if you can play the game.  If you don't hit those numbers, then you might as well wait until junior year and the summer after for showcases and camps.  You can measure these things on your own (or with the help of high school coaches, instructors, etc.). It would be great if some knowledgable posters could give the numbers that make D1s take notice. 

For my own 2022, he’s totally on board with bigger, faster, stronger, better.  His coaches have stressed that to him and he’s bought in, 100%, and made some nice gains there recently.  He’s also understanding the importance of grades now.  But, he will probably never be an honors program/AP, high SAT, kid.  There’s no 4.0 GPA in his future.  My guess is that he will end up in the high 2’s.  (Just being objective.)  So, that’s going to be a hurdle for him.  But, I continue to preach to him that coaches want D1 athletes who are D1 students too.  That said, his future may be D3 no matter how good he gets on the field.  And, he understands it.  He wants to be D1.  But, he also knows there are some great D3 programs out there as well.

The alignment with the right travel program is on my radar.  Currently, the program that he plays with has GREAT coaches/instructors.  These are guys who know their stuff and really care about the kids.  From that respect, it’s been AWESOME and he’s learned, and benefited, A LOT from being with these guys.  However, their teams struggle to compete because they just haven’t been able to recruit enough talent – especially pitchers! – on their rosters.  Therefore, I do have so concerns about how their credibility would be perceived at higher competition levels.  And, while they have some D1 commits in the program, I think it’s more a matter of kids coming to them to train and play, and being committed on their own, rather than the coaches helping the kids get committed. 

So, at what point is it critical that your son plays for a program where the coaches have a proven track record at helping kids get on college teams?  Is it the summer of their sophomore year?  Sooner?  Later?

I figured  that parents carry a lot of the weight in the recruiting process and it’s important to learn the recruiting ropes.  And, that’s my biggest concern now – because I probably don’t know as much as I should know, and have an understanding on the tasks, timing, etc. 

Someone once suggested the following to me – although they said it takes time and effort:  Find out what schools would align with your son’s interest and the likelihood of him attending, and look at the roster of their baseball team.  Look up the kids’ perfect game profiles and see where they played their summer ball before they were in college.  If you see a trend that most of School X’s roster, or a fair chunk of it, all played with Travel Program ABC, then you should be looking to get your kid playing with that program – as they probably have connections with that school which will help your son.

That seems to make sense.  Are there other things/tasks that one should be doing as a parent?  What are they?  And, when should you be doing them?

I've heard mentioned, and believe read it somewhere on this site (but can't find it now); What's the deal with a 3.5GPA? Is that the minimum required for a DI/DII to combine athletic and academic money?

Francis7 posted:

 

The alignment with the right travel program is on my radar.  Currently, the program that he plays with has GREAT coaches/instructors.  These are guys who know their stuff and really care about the kids.  From that respect, it’s been AWESOME and he’s learned, and benefited, A LOT from being with these guys.  However, their teams struggle to compete because they just haven’t been able to recruit enough talent – especially pitchers! – on their rosters.  Therefore, I do have so concerns about how their credibility would be perceived at higher competition levels.  And, while they have some D1 commits in the program, I think it’s more a matter of kids coming to them to train and play, and being committed on their own, rather than the coaches helping the kids get committed. 

 

Sometimes its not about winning (queue those who disagree) when it comes to a quality travel program.  I've put many posts on here about travel programs and our experiences.  We used to regularly play the travel program my kid ended up on in High School.  Used to beat them a lot.  I could not understand why there were considered such a great program.  They are known nationally, not one of the top top programs, but known enough that they regularly showed up on lists of good programs when PGStaff used to post here.  

My kid switched to their program in HS due to some recommendations by numerous folks who understood the recruiting process in our area.  Once we started playing for them I saw the light...They were more concerned about developing the player and showcasing them then they were in winning games.  Yes they wanted to win but they would sacrifice that if it meant getting a kid some reps to work on a hole in his game or getting someone into a game to be seen by a scout or recruiter.  We would primarily play like minded programs in the area with the occasional tourney thrown in.  There were times where we stopped games early because it was too hot and the catchers were becoming dehydrated, or extended games because some college guys requested to see a specific player play in a specific position.  We lent players to the other teams and vice versa to help fill in gaps at times.  The normal substitution rules were thrown out as well.  We would swap kids in and out all game long, bat continuous order, etc.  The only time we played normal baseball rules was during tourneys and then we may have one team on the field day one and a different team on day two.  Kids were not assigned to one of the three teams until the Wednesday before the weekend. This provided the program with the opportunity to adjust teams based on getting kids in front of the proper recruiters.  

When it comes to selecting the right travel team its not about winning.  They are many programs out there built around that.  You really need to be looking for a program that has deep contacts with the college recruiters, works to develop the player, understands what level the player should be playing at and works to get the players in a position to be seen by the right folks.

Francis, if it looks like your son's GPA will be around high 2s or so, you could also look into SAT/ACT tutoring.  A good test score can compensate for GPA.  We did a tutoring program for my son and it helped him a ton - roughly, increased his ACT composite score by 3 or 4 points which makes a big difference.  It was a lot of work for him, and at the time I was hesitant due to the cost, but as it turns out the return on that investment will be huge and I am so glad he did it.  It also helps with recruiting b/c the HC knows he will be admitted and receive academic aid.  As I am sure you know, there is not a lot of athletic money for baseball so coaches have to put packages together that combine athletic, academic and need based aid.

One other point to consider is patience - everyone's recruiting path is unique.  Just as an example, my son is a Senior (2019) and is still undecided - still getting looks from all Divisions and trying to make the best decision.  A common perception is that if you are not "committed" by Senior year, it is too late for DI or DII.  That is not true as many programs leave a few spots for late bloomers, rostered players transfer or quit, get hurt,  etc.  Of course we did not expect my son to be uncommitted and undecided at this relatively late point, but that is his journey.  Don't plan for that, but be open to the reality that it can be a long journey with some twists and turns!

Best of luck!!

nycdad posted:

I've heard mentioned, and believe read it somewhere on this site (but can't find it now); What's the deal with a 3.5GPA? Is that the minimum required for a DI/DII to combine athletic and academic money?

As with all things NCAA, it's more complicated than that, but this is the section of the D1 manual:

15.5.3.2.4.1 Academic Honor Awards—Based on High School Record. Academic honor
awards that are part of an institution’s normal arrangements for academic scholarships, based solely
on the recipient’s high school record and awarded independently of athletics interests and in amounts
consistent with the pattern of all such awards made by institutions, are exempt from an institution’s
equivalency computation, provided the recipient was ranked in the upper 10 percent of the high school
graduating class or achieved a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.500 (based on a maximum
of 4.000) or a minimum ACT sum score of 105 or a minimum SAT score of 1200 (critical reading and
math) for SAT tests taken before March 1, 2016; or a minimum SAT score of 1270 (critical reading
and math) for tests taken on or after March 1, 2016, based on the concordance determined by the College
Board. (Adopted: 1/12/99 effective 8/1/99, Revised: 1/14/08 effective 8/1/08, 1/16/10 effective 8/1/10,
2/2/16)

Google "NCAA Manuals" for the completed set of manuals. The pdf versions are free.

thank you for that. My 2020 is right under 3.5, basically needs maintain close to a 4.0 rest of jr year to be there, but he just took the SAT blind, with no prep to see where he was and to map out a test prep strategy, should be able to hit about 1270 second time through.

Francis7,

Make grades a bigger priority!  2.something HS GPA will have a big impact on most kids chances of getting recruited and scholarship money...  Start prepping for SAT/ACT as well.  Unless your son is a top 1% recruit, grades will impact his opporunities.  When a player gets noticed the first questions RC’s will ask is about grades and test scores.  

Any HS student without a mental disorder can get 3.0 plus with some extra effort.  

I'm going to differ with Qhead here on one of his points. I cannot think of a single school who would deliberately "leave a few spots for late bloomers." That is pretty risky recruiting strategy. They may happen upon a late bloomer, but as a strategy it seems dicey.

They are looking for the best players available, period. If they have a guy who they think is going to meet their needs, they sign him. If nobody is out there, the spot is waiting for "Mr. Right" to come into the picture, or eventually may be offered to "Mr. May-be-good-enough". Some years, they may not fill it. Also, the later into the recruiting cycle you go, the less athletic scholarship dollars that will generally be available (if any are at all). Yes, there are offers that come during the "regular signing period" and some of them are with very good programs (and offer athletic $$$), but they become less and less as the clock ticks. They become available for a variety of reasons, so you always want to be communicating with those schools who have shown interest to ensure they know you are available.

Francis7 posted:

So, at what point is it critical that your son plays for a program where the coaches have a proven track record at helping kids get on college teams?  Is it the summer of their sophomore year?  Sooner?  Later?

 

I would recommend fall season of Sophomore year. Let him get his feet wet so he's seen the better pitching and the faster game. When summer rolls around he will already be used to it and it won't come as anything new. It will also help tremendously when it comes to varsity tryouts for high school. If you can't find a top team with college connections, have him play for a more local or regional team with an age group or two older than he is.

For us we played normal travel until high school (town travel, local team). Had him play up a year for a statewide team his freshman summer/and soph year. This got him acquainted with some of the bigger tournaments. Then national team looking to win the biggest tournaments his junior year

He should be focusing on getting good grades regardless if he is wants to play in college or not. He can have the best grades in his state and if he doesn't have the ability to play in college no college coach is going to recruit him.

If he wants to play in college? He has yet to play in HS. What should the goal be? What's the goal today? What's the goal right now? What can he do about that today? He should be focused on becoming the best player he can be today before he goes to bed. Wake up tomorrow with that same plan. Establish himself in his program. Become the best HS player he can be. Be so good that playing in college is an option. If he still wants to play in college in two years - going into this summer after his Soph year then lets talk about a game plan for being seen by the decision makers.

Get bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic. Working on the actual game skills. Arm, speed, hitting, fielding etc. What I am trying to say is your focusing on college baseball but you haven't even proven you can play HS baseball. You haven't established yourself on the HS field yet. You haven't proven your good enough to get that opportunity yet. Shouldn't you and your son be focused on that goal first? There is plenty of time once that happens for you to turn that attention to the next level. 

I am not trying to be an as s. I am trying to give a different perspective. There are a ton of kids who excel prior to HS baseball that never excel at HS baseball. There are many distractions and reasons for this. There are going to be things coming into his life that will challenge him and his ability to stay focused and willingness to stay focused. One step at a time. JMHO - By the way good luck. Welcome to the site. And my opinion is just that. 

⇑   boom...mike drop

GaryMe posted:

I'm going to differ with Qhead here on one of his points. I cannot think of a single school who would deliberately "leave a few spots for late bloomers." That is pretty risky recruiting strategy. They may happen upon a late bloomer, but as a strategy it seems dicey.

They are looking for the best players available, period. If they have a guy who they think is going to meet their needs, they sign him. If nobody is out there, the spot is waiting for "Mr. Right" to come into the picture, or eventually may be offered to "Mr. May-be-good-enough". Some years, they may not fill it. Also, the later into the recruiting cycle you go, the less athletic scholarship dollars that will generally be available (if any are at all). Yes, there are offers that come during the "regular signing period" and some of them are with very good programs (and offer athletic $$$), but they become less and less as the clock ticks. They become available for a variety of reasons, so you always want to be communicating with those schools who have shown interest to ensure they know you are available.

I can only speak from my admittedly limited experience.  We were just at a Big East school camp last month and the Head Coach specifically told the assembled parents and players aloud that he leaves an opening or two for Seniors that may develop later in the process.

That is anecdotal and only 1 HC.  And he may have been lying or stretching the truth, I suppose.  But my overall point is that -- as surprising as it has been to me -- it is not too late, even for Seniors.  Just this week my son visited a very established and successful perennial DII playoff program and the HC specifically told him that they have a grand total of ONE 2019 commit to date.  And believe me, they do not lack for want of interested players.  The travel organization that my son plays for gets Seniors committed to DI programs this time of year and later, with some regularity.  A couple players committed to lower level DIs just a few weeks ago.  There was just an article on PBR titled "November is Coming - Uncomitted Can Be Good".  I do not advocate or recommend waiting until the Fall of Senior year.  Believe me, it is nerve wracking and unsettling and difficult on the player and parents.  And yes, the longer it takes the less athletic money there is.

I just thought that it would be helpful to let parents of younger players know that each PSA's recruiting journey may be different, and even into the Fall there are opportunities at the DI and DII levels at least in our experience.  When I first came to this Board, I would not have thought that, but experience has taught me otherwise.

From my experience with a committed 2019 catcher...schools will vary in terms of what they value depending on the coach...in our case he valued speed, high obp, arm strength, base running ability, line drive contact, framing, blocking and managing pitchers over raw power and the overrated, in my opinion, exit velocity metric..all strengths in our case..other coaches feel differently...they are still recruiting slow, thick and heavy legged catchers with big bats and are fine with sacrificing athleticism at the position...find the programs that value your son's strengths and don't waste time with the ones who feel differently.. go to their camps and email the coach to get their list of what showcases they will be attending... every program values good grades..and finally, pray that your son doesn't get D1 itis...if he can't compete on that level then he will be cut in October and humiliated back at home ducking and dodging his high school classmates and wishing he could have listened to that inner voice of reason that was telling him it was a mistake to go D1.....play to your ability wherever that is...

Frances7, reading your last post it seems you are getting a good grasp as to what is needed and a plan of action.  Keep in mind that you are in for many sleepless nights trying to take the correct path for your son.  Do your research, homework, and ask many questions as you are doing.  If it is overwhelming to you imagine how your son may feel.  My son (13/14 at the time) & I looked into this top notch travel team program in our area.  He played in a few tournaments, practices, etc. and was one of their top players.  However, I sensed something was amiss. Turns out even though it was in his best interest to stay with this program, he didn't enjoy it, he missed his old travel team where they had less pressure, played for fun, and it wasn't all business.  We stuck with his old travel team in the end.  Did it hurt his chances of getting recruited to a P5?  Maybe....  At that stage college baseball scholarship was on a back burner, he would go to college for an education.  Point is, no matter what path you take it is because at that moment in time you and son decided that was for the best, even in hindsight it may not have been.  Your son may be the best high school player in the country but in 3-4 years things might change, with baseball not even being an option.  Enjoy these times, things will work out if meant to be.

Lots of good avice here.  My 2020 just committed and I learned a number of things just by reading this board, so you're on the right track.  The only thing I might add is that while there are certain truisms that apply to most any kid trying to make this move, beware of the parent who thinks they have all of the answers.  They don't.  Nobody does.  Each situation is completely different, from talent level, to grades, to ability to gain exposure, to maturity of the kid, to the energy the kid wants to put in to finding a home, to family resources, to coaches, to travel team, and on and on and on.

The best thing you can do is read all the various forms of feedback you can and take what's relevant for your son and apply it the best way you can.  And even with all of that you'll probably muck something up.  But probably not too badly.  My son committed earlier than many would have recommended given it was a mid-level D1 school and everyone around him was telling him to wait until next summer to get a "bigger" offer.  But in part because of this board, we had a good lay of the land and a strong grasp on what was important to my son, and he found what he was looking for, so he made the move and we supported him.  Who knows if it will be the right call, but I feel good about it and my son is walking around like a thousand pound bag has been lifted from his shoulders.

Best of luck on the journey.  Unless you're really lucky, expect good days and bad.  We all share that common bond.

Qhead posted:

I can only speak from my admittedly limited experience.  We were just at a Big East school camp last month and the Head Coach specifically told the assembled parents and players aloud that he leaves an opening or two for Seniors that may develop later in the process.

My son ran into similar cases with Big East, Patriot, and A10 schools. One interpretation is that these guys are holding a slot or two because they are waiting to hear from the kids who are holding out hope for "better" offers right up until NLI day. They'll ask the 2nd tier guys to wait until the last minute. These are schools who are not in the habit of over-recruiting.

And those 2nd tier recruits will most likely be the first to be cut..be careful.

CatcherDadNY posted:

And those 2nd tier recruits will most likely be the first to be cut..be careful.

Many of those schools don't typically cut freshmen, but it certainly doesn't make a guy feel loved, which is part of the reason my son ended up at a very competitive D3 baseball program.

real green posted:

Francis7,

Any HS student without a mental disorder can get 3.0 plus with some extra effort.  

Depends on the coursework.  The kid who gets 4.0 in remedial type studies could be the same kid who gets a 3.0 in a mix of average and hard courses, and is the same kid who gets a 2.7 in mostly challenging courses.  I guess it depends on your goal?  Get great grades or get a good education and push yourself?

Francis7 posted:

For my own 2022, he’s totally on board with bigger, faster, stronger, better.  His coaches have stressed that to him and he’s bought in, 100%, and made some nice gains there recently.  He’s also understanding the importance of grades now.  But, he will probably never be an honors program/AP, high SAT, kid.  There’s no 4.0 GPA in his future.  My guess is that he will end up in the high 2’s.  (Just being objective.)  So, that’s going to be a hurdle for him.  But, I continue to preach to him that coaches want D1 athletes who are D1 students too.  That said, his future may be D3 no matter how good he gets on the field.  And, he understands it.  He wants to be D1.  But, he also knows there are some great D3 programs out there as well.

The alignment with the right travel program is on my radar.  Currently, the program that he plays with has GREAT coaches/instructors.  These are guys who know their stuff and really care about the kids.  From that respect, it’s been AWESOME and he’s learned, and benefited, A LOT from being with these guys.  However, their teams struggle to compete because they just haven’t been able to recruit enough talent – especially pitchers! – on their rosters.  Therefore, I do have so concerns about how their credibility would be perceived at higher competition levels.  And, while they have some D1 commits in the program, I think it’s more a matter of kids coming to them to train and play, and being committed on their own, rather than the coaches helping the kids get committed. 

So, at what point is it critical that your son plays for a program where the coaches have a proven track record at helping kids get on college teams?  Is it the summer of their sophomore year?  Sooner?  Later?

I figured  that parents carry a lot of the weight in the recruiting process and it’s important to learn the recruiting ropes.  And, that’s my biggest concern now – because I probably don’t know as much as I should know, and have an understanding on the tasks, timing, etc. 

Someone once suggested the following to me – although they said it takes time and effort:  Find out what schools would align with your son’s interest and the likelihood of him attending, and look at the roster of their baseball team.  Look up the kids’ perfect game profiles and see where they played their summer ball before they were in college.  If you see a trend that most of School X’s roster, or a fair chunk of it, all played with Travel Program ABC, then you should be looking to get your kid playing with that program – as they probably have connections with that school which will help your son.

That seems to make sense.  Are there other things/tasks that one should be doing as a parent?  What are they?  And, when should you be doing them?

Being aware he may not be D1 material shows some objectivity. But don’t lock in before he grows and develops. UltimTely, what you’re looking for is a quality collegiate baseball and academic experience regardless of the level. A friend’s son was on a D3 national champion. The dogpile looked just as fun as the one at the CWS.

Unless your son is a P5, similar (Coastal, Fullerton) or top mid major chances are it’s going to be all about post junior year summer. But post soph summer can be used to get on college programs radar screen and maybe get an offer.

If your son is talented and has been playing in the right travel tournaments in your area chances are the right level travel program will approach him. But don’t wait for it to happen.

Keep in mind being on the 15u and/or 16u team does not mean you will be on the 17u prospect team. In my son’s age group of the players on the 13u Arsenal A team only four were on the 17u A team.

I guess that I should add, in case it helps anyone form advice, that I zero expectations with regard to an athletic scholarship.  (Financial aid?  Maybe!  And, please and thank you!!)  I know the deal with 11.7 (D1) and 9.0 (D2).  And, I sort of chuckle at many of the dads who I have met over the last 9 years who think their kid is getting a baseball scholarship.  Unless your kid is Top 1%, it's not a realistic expectation.   So, more so, in terms of helping my son with guidance, my focus is more on aligning him with a chance to go to a school that's going to be a good experience and is something where he will enjoy his time there.

Qhead posted:

GaryMe posted:

I'm going to differ with Qhead here on one of his points. I cannot think of a single school who would deliberately "leave a few spots for late bloomers." That is pretty risky recruiting strategy. They may happen upon a late bloomer, but as a strategy it seems dicey.

They are looking for the best players available, period. If they have a guy who they think is going to meet their needs, they sign him. If nobody is out there, the spot is waiting for "Mr. Right" to come into the picture, or eventually may be offered to "Mr. May-be-good-enough". Some years, they may not fill it. Also, the later into the recruiting cycle you go, the less athletic scholarship dollars that will generally be available (if any are at all). Yes, there are offers that come during the "regular signing period" and some of them are with very good programs (and offer athletic $$$), but they become less and less as the clock ticks. They become available for a variety of reasons, so you always want to be communicating with those schools who have shown interest to ensure they know you are available.

I can only speak from my admittedly limited experience.  We were just at a Big East school camp last month and the Head Coach specifically told the assembled parents and players aloud that he leaves an opening or two for Seniors that may develop later in the process.

That is anecdotal and only 1 HC.  And he may have been lying or stretching the truth, I suppose.  But my overall point is that -- as surprising as it has been to me -- it is not too late, even for Seniors.  Just this week my son visited a very established and successful perennial DII playoff program and the HC specifically told him that they have a grand total of ONE 2019 commit to date.  And believe me, they do not lack for want of interested players.  The travel organization that my son plays for gets Seniors committed to DI programs this time of year and later, with some regularity.  A couple players committed to lower level DIs just a few weeks ago.  There was just an article on PBR titled "November is Coming - Uncomitted Can Be Good".  I do not advocate or recommend waiting until the Fall of Senior year.  Believe me, it is nerve wracking and unsettling and difficult on the player and parents.  And yes, the longer it takes the less athletic money there is.

I just thought that it would be helpful to let parents of younger players know that each PSA's recruiting journey may be different, and even into the Fall there are opportunities at the DI and DII levels at least in our experience.  When I first came to this Board, I would not have thought that, but experience has taught me otherwise.

Cold weather D1’s sometimes make a late offers to kids who come to the late realization the ACC and the SEC aren’t interested. But the money is typically gone. And it may take the roster over 35 meaning someone isn’t going to make the team in the fall. 

A player doesn’t want to be on the tail end of the roster. They may not get a legit opportunity to prove themselves. Then they’re competing with an entirely new set of recruits next year in a fight to remain on the team. 

A lot of players just ask for a chance. All chances are not created equal. 

Francis7 posted:

I guess that I should add, in case it helps anyone form advice, that I zero expectations with regard to an athletic scholarship.  (Financial aid?  Maybe!  And, please and thank you!!)  I know the deal with 11.7 (D1) and 9.0 (D2).  And, I sort of chuckle at many of the dads who I have met over the last 9 years who think their kid is getting a baseball scholarship.  Unless your kid is Top 1%, it's not a realistic expectation.   So, more so, in terms of helping my son with guidance, my focus is more on aligning him with a chance to go to a school that's going to be a good experience and is something where he will enjoy his time there.

Correct and, to take it a step further if you don't already know, that 11.7 and 9.0 are rarely 11.7 and 9.0.  Most schools are under-funded and/or under-supported and don't have the full number of scholy's to offer.

You do seem to have a great grasp compared to most at this stage as well as some other good resources you have managed to make good use of.  Still, this place will be helpful to you.  I read your profile and wonder if you are facing any additional hurdles based on geographical location.

It’s difficult to do but enjoy where you are now and try not to get caught up in the future.  I’ve been there as most on here offering insight. As he continues to work as his craft you’ll see where the road takes him. TBH, I was totally focused on son making varsity in HS and while college was a goal, I felt his smaller size would limit him and he may not get the chance. 

HS flew by, especially when things started falling into place and schools showed interest. Clemson was the 3 fastest years of my life. 

I’ll often wax poetic about the past with my wife or my baseball friends....I’m a sucker for looking back at gold and bad times.

Enjoy every moment, the Ups and the Downs....record it and make moments, it’ll be gone before you know it.

best of luck to your son.

Francis7 posted:

real green posted:

Francis7,

Any HS student without a mental disorder can get 3.0 plus with some extra effort.  

Depends on the coursework.  The kid who gets 4.0 in remedial type studies could be the same kid who gets a 3.0 in a mix of average and hard courses, and is the same kid who gets a 2.7 in mostly challenging courses.  I guess it depends on your goal?  Get great grades or get a good education and push yourself?

You have already stated he is not an honors/ap type of student.  I assume he will be taking the standard course track to meet college standard acceptance.  Don't accept a sub 3.0 gpa from your son.  It will GREATLY limit his options post HS.  Grades should be as big if not a bigger priority than improving his game.  

Think of it this way. 

The last time he struggled with baseball how much effort did YOU put in helping him get better?  Did you get him private lessons, breakdown video, and throw him extra bp?

What about school?  The last time he struggled (getting a C or less)  in a class, did you get him a tutor, breakdown his homework or test, have him spend extra time studying at home?  

There are a handful of C students that could play mid level D1 ball in our circle that are losing interest due to grades.  They are JC bound.  From what I have seen in older classes, a high percentage of those players that go JC with D1 talent but poor grades don't all of sudden turn into good students in Junior College.  They end up bagging groceries at the local market after dropping out of school.  

Trust me.  I'm there to support his baseball goals.  But, he has both me and my wife to support his academic efforts.  He gets double attention there.  And, maybe he will end up with a GPA of 3 or better?  But, being objective, I know it will not come easy or natural to him.  That said, I would understand if it ended up like a 2.8 instead.