"This is inaccurate; in Florida, unless you are talking about Jacksonville, the Public Schools are much stronger programs than the private schools. (with the exception of a strong program here and there)"
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American Heritage is a private school and they finished Number One in the country in most national polls. Jacksonville's Bishop Kenny finished high in both the national polls and your own state poll too.
Here are others that competed this year. They may not have been as strong as some of the more visible public schools like Sarasota, Dunedin, South Fork or Lake Brantley, but from what we have been able to research, they remain competitive on a more consistent basis year end and year out.
Miami Florida Christian
Miami Monsignor Pace
Tampa Jesuit
Fort Lauderdale St Thomas Aquinas
West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman
Orlando Bishop Moore
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons
Pensacola Catholic
Sarasota Cardinal Mooney
Miami Gulliver Prep
Melbourne Central Catholic
Jacksonville Episcopal
Our high school does not weight GPAs. They must be doing something internally to weight them due to a student's class rank ascending due to course selection. But the kids and parents never see the GPA adjustments.quote:Originally posted by gamefan:
AND - most colleges now are asking schools to send transcripts with an unweighted GPA - no bonus points for honors or AP classes. So - that can take your 3.7 kid down quite few tenths.
quote:Originally posted by RJM:Our high school does not weight GPAs. They must be doing something internally to weight them due to a student's class rank ascending due to course selection. But the kids and parents never see the GPA adjustments.quote:Originally posted by gamefan:
AND - most colleges now are asking schools to send transcripts with an unweighted GPA - no bonus points for honors or AP classes. So - that can take your 3.7 kid down quite few tenths.
I now think parents with kids that play sports and NEED scholarships to help pay for college should take this into consideration. With a kid taking AP courses and having 3 times the homework, it makes it much more difficult to keep a top GPA and do the EXTRA work that it takes to be the best player they can be. Is this really the message we want to send to our kids? Don't we want them to push theirselves academically too? On our High school team, only one full-time starter was in the AP program and he was not one of the 5 Division I signees. One of those 5 got a state academic scholarship. Should he have even been eligible for that honor without being in AP courses? I guess if he was in the toughest classes he was qualified to take, I guess so, but how do we know?
I prefer my son's focus be academics and play D3 ball than not challenge himself academically and play D1. The bottom line is academics are far more important than sports in our house. He will be going pro in something other than baseball, to steal the NCAA catch phrase.
We've been through this once before. My daughter was NHS and plays D1. Or should I say "played." She was awarded an internship in Washington for the spring semester of her junior year. When she asked me what I thought she should do, I asked her why she's in college. She chose the internship over softball.
As far as scholarship money, there's seventeen times more academic money available than athletic money. So using sports over academics to chase college money is the wrong path.
We've been through this once before. My daughter was NHS and plays D1. Or should I say "played." She was awarded an internship in Washington for the spring semester of her junior year. When she asked me what I thought she should do, I asked her why she's in college. She chose the internship over softball.
As far as scholarship money, there's seventeen times more academic money available than athletic money. So using sports over academics to chase college money is the wrong path.
quote:I prefer my son's focus be academics and play D3 ball than not challenge himself academically and play D1.
This is quite laudable if your son is academically-inclined, self-motivated, and disciplined to study when he should be doing so. If not, D1 may be the way to go (if a player has the talent for that level), because D1 programs oftentimes provide more academic support and accountability (tutors, mandatory study halls, etc.) than D3 programs do. Obviously, there are always exceptions to the rule and circumstances may differ in various parts of the country.
quote:I prefer my son's focus be academics and play D3 ball than not challenge himself academically and play D1. The bottom line is academics are far more important than sports in our house.
Those are noble thoughts, but I am somewhat perplexed when someone argues them on a baseball site.
Nonetheless, there are numerous ways to achieve academic goals. There are even ways to correct or enhance past academic decisions. You cannot go back and correct a bad baseball decision however. There are only so many years an athlete is eligible and thus to take playing options off the table might be a big mistake that one might regret down the road.
With respect to academics, this does not always have to be a black and white decision. While at school, I would advise athletes not to take basket-weaving but something economically/socially useful that has a future. I would also advise athletes to mainatain as high of a GPA as possible. If the school they are presently attending or anticipating to attend is not Harvard or Yale or other prestigious institution, perhaps they can follow-up their undergrad degree at an institution like that down the road. Obviously it takes a motivated individual, but there are options.
We have never had a college coach ask us for stats for any of our players
They will though sit and discuss how the ball comes out of the pitchers hand; how the pitcher kept the ball down in the strike zone; how the batter took the ball to right in the proper situation; how the throw hit the cutoff man properly; how the catcher blocks the plate etc
They will though sit and discuss how the ball comes out of the pitchers hand; how the pitcher kept the ball down in the strike zone; how the batter took the ball to right in the proper situation; how the throw hit the cutoff man properly; how the catcher blocks the plate etc
There are a lot of D1 schools with very good academics as well. We looked at some D3 schools they were excellent baseball programs and academics, but the schools were too small for my son. He wants a larger school setting .
There are a lot of things as talked about countless times on this board that make it a right fit for a player.No one place is better if its not a good fit. Academics are very important, but social and other things are important to some boys.
There are a lot of things as talked about countless times on this board that make it a right fit for a player.No one place is better if its not a good fit. Academics are very important, but social and other things are important to some boys.
From a pitcher's parent perspective, the only stats I have found were meaningful in the recruiting process were radar gun readings, GPA, SAT score, and strikeouts. None of these numbers can be faked.
Hey Bum,
Here's a HS stat I think is meaningful: 21Ks in a game.
Here's a HS stat I think is meaningful: 21Ks in a game.
stats do not always reflect the quality of the opposition
quote:Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
Nonetheless, there are numerous ways to achieve academic goals. There are even ways to correct or enhance past academic decisions. You cannot go back and correct a bad baseball decision however. There are only so many years an athlete is eligible and thus to take playing options off the table might be a big mistake that one might regret down the road.
Thanks ClevelandDad. This is exactly what I've been trying to say, but couldn't do so quite as well as you have.
People often look at me like I'm crazy when I say I support 1Bsons decision to go wherever he can to play baseball. My reasoning is...he'll get his degree, it may be later and take longer, but he'll get it.
Let em play for as long as they want. Who wouldn't like to go back to those years and try it all over???
quote:Originally posted by 1BDad:quote:Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
Nonetheless, there are numerous ways to achieve academic goals. There are even ways to correct or enhance past academic decisions. You cannot go back and correct a bad baseball decision however. There are only so many years an athlete is eligible and thus to take playing options off the table might be a big mistake that one might regret down the road.
Thanks ClevelandDad. This is exactly what I've been trying to say, but couldn't do so quite as well as you have.
People often look at me like I'm crazy when I say I support 1Bsons decision to go wherever he can to play baseball. My reasoning is...he'll get his degree, it may be later and take longer, but he'll get it.
Let em play for as long as they want. Who wouldn't like to go back to those years and try it all over???
1BDad - thank you for your kind words and you are not crazy
Look, not everyone agrees with my view but I am not trying to get people to see things my way. Our kids, who play a college sport will be able to put something on their resumes that non-athletes at the most prestigious institutions will not. It will say something about them (e.g., discipline, multi-tasking) to a prospective employer that will have its own unique appeal outside pure academia.
Scott Boras the multi-millionaire sports agent said after he graduated from law school that he interviewed with a dozen of the top law firms in the country. On his resume, he had fine academic credentials but there was one thing prospective partners wanted to talk to him about - his experiences as a D1 college baseball player! He said he was surprised that these people seemed most interested in his baseball experience.
Actually it’s like the chicken or the egg.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to a college coach about a player and heard… “Yes, he is very good, but he doesn’t have the grades!”
Some colleges attend events and before watching players, they check off all the players who have the academic requirements needed for their school. Example of this would be a Harvard, or other IVY League program.
Most colleges attend events looking first for talent! Once they see the talent, the most important “Stats” involve academics.
For the most part, in every case, Talent! Comes before anything else.
Getting academic money is great, but you don’t have to be a baseball player to get it. However, academic money at some schools seems to be more available to those who bring something else to the table. ie. Athletic talent. Other grants seem to be more available also, at times.
Stats are important to an extent. They can help bring more awareness of the player. They can create interest. If I hear some HS hitter has hit 20 HRs or a pitcher is leading the nation in strike outs, I’m going to check into that. However those stats, by them self, won’t get a player a scholarship or a draft spot.
So in regards to college baseball, here is how it works in most situations. IMO
1. Talent
2. Academics
3. Make up
Professional baseball
1. Talent
2. Make up
3. The rest all revolves around leverage and signability and that often includes academics as well.
Regarding an earlier question… I don’t think the NCAA has many set rules (how unusual) regarding academic requirements, standards or methods used by the individual schools.
One thing that is my personal pet peeve involves the NCAA governing kids before they become college students.
Example… Helping a high school kid that is financially unable to do certain things have the same opportunities as everyone else. The NCAA makes it nearly impossible to help. In fact, the rules (NCAA) say the extremely rich must be treated equally to the extremely poor. If you help the poor kid, without giving the rich kid the exact same thing, the poor kid stands to lose eligibility.
If a young kid doesn’t have the financial ability to get the same opportunities as others, he loses in every way. He might not ever be a college student and he might not be able to get in front of many pro scouts, either.
This is an obvious case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Let us not help those who need the most help, is that the right way to do things in America? Why give the poor a chance? This stuff makes me sick and I wish someone within the NCAA would be humane enough to address it!
Sorry for the off topic, but it just isn’t right!
Sure they have financial aid and ways of helping kids who lack financial ability get an education. Now why not give them an "equal" opportunity to draw some interest from those who recruit players. I don't think it will bother many of the rich people out there. Then again maybe it would and that's the reason for this ****.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to a college coach about a player and heard… “Yes, he is very good, but he doesn’t have the grades!”
Some colleges attend events and before watching players, they check off all the players who have the academic requirements needed for their school. Example of this would be a Harvard, or other IVY League program.
Most colleges attend events looking first for talent! Once they see the talent, the most important “Stats” involve academics.
For the most part, in every case, Talent! Comes before anything else.
Getting academic money is great, but you don’t have to be a baseball player to get it. However, academic money at some schools seems to be more available to those who bring something else to the table. ie. Athletic talent. Other grants seem to be more available also, at times.
Stats are important to an extent. They can help bring more awareness of the player. They can create interest. If I hear some HS hitter has hit 20 HRs or a pitcher is leading the nation in strike outs, I’m going to check into that. However those stats, by them self, won’t get a player a scholarship or a draft spot.
So in regards to college baseball, here is how it works in most situations. IMO
1. Talent
2. Academics
3. Make up
Professional baseball
1. Talent
2. Make up
3. The rest all revolves around leverage and signability and that often includes academics as well.
Regarding an earlier question… I don’t think the NCAA has many set rules (how unusual) regarding academic requirements, standards or methods used by the individual schools.
One thing that is my personal pet peeve involves the NCAA governing kids before they become college students.
Example… Helping a high school kid that is financially unable to do certain things have the same opportunities as everyone else. The NCAA makes it nearly impossible to help. In fact, the rules (NCAA) say the extremely rich must be treated equally to the extremely poor. If you help the poor kid, without giving the rich kid the exact same thing, the poor kid stands to lose eligibility.
If a young kid doesn’t have the financial ability to get the same opportunities as others, he loses in every way. He might not ever be a college student and he might not be able to get in front of many pro scouts, either.
This is an obvious case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Let us not help those who need the most help, is that the right way to do things in America? Why give the poor a chance? This stuff makes me sick and I wish someone within the NCAA would be humane enough to address it!
Sorry for the off topic, but it just isn’t right!
Sure they have financial aid and ways of helping kids who lack financial ability get an education. Now why not give them an "equal" opportunity to draw some interest from those who recruit players. I don't think it will bother many of the rich people out there. Then again maybe it would and that's the reason for this ****.
Maybe I should have copied the comment from the post just above mine for clarity. The poster commented about taking and studying for hard courses in high school versus the workouts and training required to play college baseball at the D1 level.quote:Originally posted by ClevelandDad:quote:I prefer my son's focus be academics and play D3 ball than not challenge himself academically and play D1. The bottom line is academics are far more important than sports in our house.
Those are noble thoughts, but I am somewhat perplexed when someone argues them on a baseball site.
Nonetheless, there are numerous ways to achieve academic goals. There are even ways to correct or enhance past academic decisions. You cannot go back and correct a bad baseball decision however. There are only so many years an athlete is eligible and thus to take playing options off the table might be a big mistake that one might regret down the road.
With respect to academics, this does not always have to be a black and white decision. While at school, I would advise athletes not to take basket-weaving but something economically/socially useful that has a future. I would also advise athletes to mainatain as high of a GPA as possible. If the school they are presently attending or anticipating to attend is not Harvard or Yale or other prestigious institution, perhaps they can follow-up their undergrad degree at an institution like that down the road. Obviously it takes a motivated individual, but there are options.
My son will not be compromising classes and studying to train to be a baseball player. It's not that important in our family. I expect he'll play college baseball at some level. When college baseball is over it will be time to hit the real world. His education will be far more important than whether he played D1 or D3 baseball.
I played D1. His sister played D1 softball. His goal is to play D1. His time is very occupied balancing academics and sports. He's lettering in three sports in high school. So far it's worked. But if he doesn't play D1 because he had to spend more time studying than training to be an athlete, or because he doesn't want to give up one of the other sports, it's not earth shattering. No one in our family has any delusions of him becoming a pro baseball player.
quote:Those are noble thoughts, but I am somewhat perplexed when someone argues them on a baseball site.
Why? This is a board targeted at high school players and these are decisions that high school players have to make or come to tems with that thry're done playing as they get closer to graduation.
quote:GPA, SAT score
Agreed. These are the numbers that count.
Since I went to every game, it was fun to keep a book, another parent did as well. It was fun to see how different ours were from the "official book" often kept by kids