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14 replies

College try-out?

PopTimePopTime500+ posts
Here's one. My son got an email from a DIII coach in the mid-Atlantic region responding to my son's "Letter of Interest". He explained a little about the school and the program, the kind of kids they're looking for (character, ect..) and went on to explain that DIII's don't give athletic scholarships but have great financial aid packages blah blah blah. Then he said something that got me a little curious: "All I can guarantee you is a tryout during our fall ball season which is in September". Am I to assume that this is the extent of their recruiting process? Are things really so tight in some schools that they are limited to hoping they get good players to come to the fall tryout? AND, do you think he meant having my son tryout THIS coming September while still a senior in High School or getting accepted to the school first then rolling the dice big time in the September of his college Freshman year? Of course my son will email back and ask these things, but I was wondering what everyone thought.
Creative Thought Matters
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M mmac100+ posts
My son applied to a Div. 3 school and contacted the coach and sent letters, videos etc. He got into the college and the coach called and came down over the summer and watched him pitch in Legion. The coach then told him that he could definitely use him on the team and was extremely positive but stressed that he had to tryout with all the other players in the Fall. He did make the team and played this Spring. Gave my son a big boost though to have the coach watch him. Maybe you can get the coach to watch your son over the summer.
PopTimePopTime500+ posts
mmac, I'm glad things worked out for your son. I think I would just rather have a commitment from the coach PRIOR to enrolling in the school. Did your son enroll in classes before he knew he had made the team? Seems kind of risky. My son has placed baseball as a top priority for any school he enrolls at. I don't think he wants to commit to classes at a school AND THEN have to try out. Is this unreasonable? He'd love to sign somewhere in November so he doesn't have it weighing on him his whole senior year. If it happens great. If not, he'll keep plugging.

TR - Glad to hear they don't all work that way. I guess this one particular school must have good enough luck doing it their way, I just think that if I was a college recruiter, especially at a small DIII, I'd want to follow up on as many "leads" as possible.
LadyNmomLadyNmom1,000+ posts
Agree with mmac.....if your son is particuarly interested in a D3....then anyway you can get the Coach to see him play....would be helpful....excluding, as TR said...."tryouts". Additionally, references from tournament or legion coaches might help too.....ask them to phone or email the college coach.....

Check out camps and tournaments that would be in the college area....then let the Coach know son will be attending.....

Most D3 schools don't have the recruiting budget so you have to go the extra mile to get their attention.....once you do get that attention.....you can better judge if the Coach has a sincere interest in your son becoming a part of the team......and even with an NLI....there are never any guarantees.....you need to show up in the Fall and play hard......every Fall is tryout time.....at every level......
Last edited by LadyNmom
M mmac100+ posts
My son did enroll in classes before baseball tryouts but with Div 3 that's the way it goes. He was heavily "recruited" by div. 3 schools in the northeast and was seen by a few coaches from these schools. Yes, he did go to showcases and did get recommendations from his legion and HS coaches as well. As LadyNmom says you really have to gauge how good your son is, how good the baseball program is and how badly the coach wants you. However, first and foremost you have to like the college, the degrees that are available and whether it was a good fit. In the end that is how we chose the school, we were lucky with the baseball. PopTime, I see you are from New England, if you want to chat about my son's program and school give me a PM.
PopTimePopTime500+ posts
I hope no one got the wrong idea. My son is a junior and still has a very large list of target schools. He's not targeting this one school as the be-all and end-all. I just found it sort of curious that this was the only option the baseball coach offered in his email, i.e. "Enroll in the school and try out in September". Period. No mention of camps or showcases, no requests for more video, no "Gimme a call and we'll chat",like he's gotten from other schools. It's no big deal really. My son's gonna play somewhere, I'm sure it will all start to shake out eventually.
infielddadinfielddad10,000+ posts
PopTime,
I think you will find a wide array of approaches on DIII recruiting. I was talking with my son's former college coach. Heads a DIII program annually ranked in the top 25. Even though they have a limited budget, they make every effort to travel and watch potential recruits, go to area codes and other showcases, and to attend college camps such as the one offered at Stanford. He is a very strong believer that hands on recruiting is the life blood of his program. He has the results to prove his point.
20dad20dad1,000+ posts
poptime.
if i am reading your letter correctly,your son sent him the first letter?so the coach wasn't actually recruiting your son?i think that is the big difference here.in my opinion the coach has to respond in the way he did.that being said,if he liked the video he'll come looking.but as i'm sure you know this is his big summer to be seen.showcases etc.and your right he will play someplace,for the coach that wants him.don't judge them all by this one.

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