Being Proactive

Anyone who finds this site will get the value of GPA and SATs beat into their head. If a player joins a travel program experienced in placing players in college ball the coaches will tell them. The kids need to find out entering 9th grade. A good high school coach will tell them in a fall welcome meeting. One of the first thing my son's high school coach asked was how many wanted to play college baseball. He proceeded to tell them to start with the best grades possible. 

At my son's high school, the guidance counselors did not help in any way targeting schools (to play baseball or otherwise) or emphasizing SAT or GPA scores.

 

Early on, he heard about doing well in school as a 10 year old at a college overnight baseball camp. He heard it again from his travel coaches.  As a 9th grader, he saw where players were getting recruited from his HS and local travel teams.  Of course, he heard it from mom and dad all along, but hearing it from coaches is the best. Seeing where your teammates are going to play in college is the eye opener.

 

His most recent travel coaches require players to submit their GPA and PSAT/SAT scores to them before you even try out!

The Guidance Counselors at my sons school do absolutely nothing, unless a coach goes to them directly and asks for help.  What I have noticed, with the other kids on my sons team, is lack of effort to gain knowledge on the current recruiting process.  I to was a little late, but I found this site while researching and trying to educate myself on the process.  It it was tremendously helpfull.  I tried sharing what I was learning with the other parents and players on my sons team, but it seemed that they just didn't want to believe how much things have changed.  Some of them are starting to panic now because they have ZERO interest being shown, and all I can tell them is, I tried to help you guys.  I am still trying to help, but they aren't receptive.  I guess you can only do so much.  I think that a lot of the HS coaches could use tutoring on today's recruiting process, my son's V HC has done absolutely nothing to place a single SR on his team at a school.

 

Mitch, there may be a spin off business opportunity for you , or someone, to go on a speaking tour on the high school circuit about sports recruiting. 

 

Grades r defin import in baseball due to fact that these programs have little money for scholarships compared to other sports. They want the players to get academic money as well. Frustrating when u see basketball players getting full ride then they have academic issues. The good ones r one and done. There r exceptions to rule but have seen it happen a lot. Since they bring in the money it is acceptable.
HS counselors did little for my child who did not play sports but had great grades. Window of opport is small so be your childs advocate .
Guide them through process but dont do everything for them. This board has helped us greatly.

I know HS coaches are under a small budget usually and there are some summer programs that do a great job helping to get the word out to their kids. Guess it depends on the programs kids are enrolled in. I recommend to parents that they do their research before joining summer teams and see how proactive the coaches are for the athletes prior to paying the large summer team expenses. 

We actually put on events where we bring in collegiate coaches, compliance personnel, and pro athletes to talk with kids and parents about the requirements and steps they should be taking. We know there is a serious need for this and we have events planned in Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Florida so far. Next year we will be looking to put these on in many more states as well. It is just too big of an issue to overlook, and with our resources, we are helping as much as we can. 

My kids attended a high school that places many kids in college sports from D1 to D3. A lot of kids go D3. But they don't know that when they are freshman. There are guidance counselors knowledgeable of the recruiting process. My kids were asked freshman year if college sports is a goal. I remember my daughter (the oldest) coming home with a great piece of literature on the differences between D1 and D3. One the things we were most appreciative was the baseball and softball coaches staying out of the way knowing the travel coaches were leading the way.