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I've spent many hours over the course of Son's HS baseball career helping him working/worrying with recruiting- videos, social media, showcases, coach communications, etc... He was committed to an SEC school going into his junior year, so of course recruiting stopped at that point. Long story short he got sick prior to Junior season, lost a bunch of weight and was out for the beginning of the season, came back too soon without enough functional strength to throw 90+ anymore, velo was down to low 80s and he was experiencing some pain. There was no actual injury, just didn't take the time off to get strong and get his mechanics back to where they needed to be. He felt the need to compete at Jupiter and the wheels came off, SEC school caught wind and pulled their offer. Son shut down completely to rehab, of course no schools were interested anymore so he committed to the local JUCO.

After working his ass off rehabbing this winter and early spring, he came back throwing harder than ever (topping at 92, sitting 88-89) so I took video of his first start and threw it up on Twitter. THAT SAME DAY he had college coaches calling him and his summer coach and less than a month later he signed an NLI to a Big East school that had been following him last year. He'll be going this fall.

All the work put in to worrying about his recruiting for years and it came to a worthless verbal. Hard work,  a great performance and a tweet and he's going to play baseball for a great school that will fit him better than the SEC ever could have.

Not sure I have a point here other than everything happens for a reason and the adage of "Doesn't Matter, Get Better" is about the truest thing I've ever heard.

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Kilroyj,

So glad to read things worked out in the end for your son & family.   Your point was not lost on me!  ;-)   Lots of lessons in your post for those getting ready to start their recruiting journey.   I believe it was RJM who said that "a verbal offer is only as good as the paper it is written on"...or something like that.  

My son had a former travel teammate who went through exactly what your son went through.   It was an SEC school that pulled their offer because he had a bad travel season at the plate.  He had his eyes checked and corrected.   He became a stud 4- year starter at a Big-10 school in Ann Arbor that was a far better fit in the long run.

Best of luck going forward!

Congrats on the offer and continuing on for something he loves.  I have always believed there is a reason for things that happen.  It might not be apparent right now but in the future it all works out for the best.  My son's entire career has  been filled with ups and downs, accolades and despair, head held up high or buried in the sand.  If baseball career ended prematurely or through the normal course, it was time to move on to the next phase.  Trust in the Process, Trust in Him....

As summer after junior year started we figured the offers were about to pour in. My son was using baseball to advance to the top of the academic ladder. The first weekend he tore his MCL and PCL. All the contact stopped. Fellow posters talked me off the ledge.

Early in the fall my son fell while rehabbing and separated his shoulder. When he had his first post surgery appointment I learned something about my son. The doctor told him he wouldn’t be playing in the spring. He wouldn’t be able to begin to throw until May.

My son looked the doctor in the eyes and snapped, “I’m going to be in the opening day lineup. And you’re going to help.” Given the ortho worked with pro athletes he understood some people have a different mental make up.,

The short version of the rest of the story is he was in the lineup as DH two weeks after tossing the sling. The four top academic colleges were out of the picture. He went to a next tier down, very good college and played ball. It was a great experience. He’s right where he would be as a young professional businessman had he attended a top academic.

What I learned is if a kid wants to play college ball nothing is going to get in his way. It just may take extra effort and a “can’t stop me” attitude.

Last edited by RJM

Don't miss CabbageDad's comment "to this point."  My son has had a great HS career and has signed the LOI for a good upcoming SEC school with a great pitching coach.  But that is just a part of the journey.  It really begins on July 8th when he shows up for summer school and begins to earn a spot.  All of the high school accolades and records mean nothing when you step on that college campus.  It is starting over.  Good luck and all of us have a plan and a journey in the recruiting life.  I don't believe there is a cookie cutter plan for recruiting and getting where you are supposed to be.

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