Is is common for a college coach to ask a recently committed kid to go play for a national team over the team he's been on for a few years (assuming the player isn't already on a national team)?
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I don't know that it's common, but it's not unheard of. Recommendations of this nature are not necessarily for "national teams;" they may just be for teams that will assure that the player is getting solid instruction and facing tough competition that will test him and make him progress.
Over the last 5 +/- years, we've seen a substantial increase in the player who sticks with a particular program because the coach is his dad or a friend of his family, or because he wants to stick with his longtime friends. Many of these teams have 1 or 2 very good players but are otherwise playing poorly, receiving poor instruction/development, or playing soft schedules. In years past, a player who developed into the stud of such a team would be expected to make a move to a higher level travel program, but for whatever reason more and more of these guys are not making that sort of move any more.
It not only hinders the player's development, it makes it harder on the college coach who's trying to follow his incoming recruits. He'd rather see one strong team (featuring his recruit(s) and some other prospects he can consider) instead of having to travel to a lower level event to see games involving only one player he's even remotely interested in.
We had a college visit yesterday. The Coach does recommend this for incoming players. At least ones in a situation like our Son. It is based on the level of pitching that they see he said. He wants him to see higher level of pitching before the fall than what his current team offers. It is definitely something for us to consider. We had decided for him to just enjoy his last Summer before getting into the grind. If he decides to commit there then we will have to have some discussions for sure. Maybe there will be a way to do a hybrid of sorts. Not sure.
@Sue54 posted:We had a college visit yesterday. The Coach does recommend this for incoming players. At least ones in a situation like our Son. It is based on the level of pitching that they see he said. He wants him to see higher level of pitching before the fall than what his current team offers. It is definitely something for us to consider. We had decided for him to just enjoy his last Summer before getting into the grind. If he decides to commit there then we will have to have some discussions for sure. Maybe there will be a way to do a hybrid of sorts. Not sure.
Unless a recruit is a lock sure, stud, starter, potential draft pick I recommend doing what the coach suggests without questioning it. Otherwise, the kid enters the program with questions in the coach’s mind regarding how coachable is he? Accepting an offer and signing an NLI is just step one. Once on campus the player has to prove he belongs. About half of recruits fail at proving they belong and transfer.
We were recommended but it was more to play with other recruits. At the time 7 guys had committed to play together on that team. Seemed like a good way to get to know the other boys.
This topic sparks the thought that yesterday I watched a video stream of the visiting Ontario Blue Jays playing an exhibition game against my son's DI team. At one point, one of the commentators mentioned that this very fine Canadian team of high school-aged players was playing 26 games in 32 days against American college teams while they made their way down to Jupiter to play in the WWBC.
What a tremendous experience for these very talented scholastic players to play that many games against the very level of competition that they'll face once they graduate from high school. It can only help them develop, while giving them exposure to recruiters at each stop along the way.
@Sue54 posted:We had a college visit yesterday. The Coach does recommend this for incoming players. At least ones in a situation like our Son. It is based on the level of pitching that they see he said. He wants him to see higher level of pitching before the fall than what his current team offers. It is definitely something for us to consider. We had decided for him to just enjoy his last Summer before getting into the grind. If he decides to commit there then we will have to have some discussions for sure. Maybe there will be a way to do a hybrid of sorts. Not sure.
At some point kids have to make decisions that may not be easy (or popular) if they want to make the grade. At competitive D1& D2 programs college baseball is a full time job. Using that analogy the college HC is the boss of his players. If the guy that’s gonna be your boss suggests that you play for a certain travel team you best do it, if at all possible. If you get into the doghouse with some coaches you never get out. Would be a shame to start a college career that way.
Prepster
as you know we have sent similar teams to Japan, Korea, China and Australia the competition provide the players to realize that the game can “humble” the best player. Tonight I am watching Bo Bischette play. He was 12 years old when he traveled with out teams to Australia.
Bob
Exactly, Bob. In fact, watching the Canadian kids play last night brought back memories of our trip to Japan in 2002. Great competition teaches a great deal about the game, and the international element makes it all the more interesting and fulfilling.
If you communicate well with both programs there is a way to play “local” and “national”. My son did so last summer. We weren’t willing to give up our local team, because they are the ones that got him to the point to be able to play on the national scene, and we believe they are solid coaches and mentors. If you give up the local team, where do you train all of the off-season? Just rely on individual paid lessons?
Our son was not asked to play with a particular team but his college coaches were interested in who he was playing with because they wanted to make sure he was playing against the highest level of competition possible and they wanted to be able to come see him play. This was probably more important pre-COVID when video was not as available but I imagine it still matters as most coaches want to lay eyes on their recruits. At one point, my son was considering 3 teams and his college coaches said that all the teams were fine but out of the 3, one was less desirable.
In my opinion, who you play with in the summer is particularly important for early commits because the original offer is based on projection and coaches want to see players continue to develop. From a players perspective, once you commit, you should think of how you train, where you play, and how you play through the lens of "is this preparing me to compete at the next level." The exception is the HS season (also IMHO). You HS season should be about the goals of the team.