Any thoughts on Columbia University's baseball program?
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Newcomer:
I have not checked out the websiteat all because it is not on my son's radar at the moment but I did see a coach [maybe the head coach; I don't know] at bot the PG Southeastern showcase and the PG Academic Showcase at Fort Myers FL. He was there all three days and was going back and forth from game to game and evaluating talent. My conslusion: they are looking for some fair weather talent. I saw a couple of other Ivy league schools there but not as often as the guy from Columbia.
Hope that helps some.
TW344
I have not checked out the websiteat all because it is not on my son's radar at the moment but I did see a coach [maybe the head coach; I don't know] at bot the PG Southeastern showcase and the PG Academic Showcase at Fort Myers FL. He was there all three days and was going back and forth from game to game and evaluating talent. My conslusion: they are looking for some fair weather talent. I saw a couple of other Ivy league schools there but not as often as the guy from Columbia.
Hope that helps some.
TW344
Coach Boretti is just getting things to go his way having just gotten there in 2005
Coach had been very successful at Franklin and Marshall prior to coming to Columbia.
They have been a the bottom half of the league of late but with Coach Boretti I expect to see some exciting things happen
Coach had been very successful at Franklin and Marshall prior to coming to Columbia.
They have been a the bottom half of the league of late but with Coach Boretti I expect to see some exciting things happen
Boretti is at the Stanford Camp this year. I had some slight difficulty finding the baseball website. Admissions requirements completely impossible for my son. But he seems like a pretty good guy so far at the camp.
The school seemed to do ok by Lou Gehrig. 
I know nothing of the coach or his staff. In the 2 years my son has played, Columbia has been the worst team in the Ivy League.
A few observations for anyone being considered by and considering Columbia. They not only have a new baseball coach, they have a new AD. They also have a new Chairperson of the Board of Trustees who was the captain of the last Columbia football team to win an Ivy league title.
Little doubt that you go to Columbia for the great academics and the "exposure" that comes from being in NYC. Those will not change.
On the other hand, with the changes summarized above, and what I understand to be changes in expectations in athletics, if the coach tells you they are changing, that winning is important and you can be a part of it, there may well be a lot of substance to it.
Little doubt that you go to Columbia for the great academics and the "exposure" that comes from being in NYC. Those will not change.
On the other hand, with the changes summarized above, and what I understand to be changes in expectations in athletics, if the coach tells you they are changing, that winning is important and you can be a part of it, there may well be a lot of substance to it.
Paul Fernandes went back to his position as Associate Atheletic Director for Intercollegiate Athletics which gives continuity to the program--he has been the baseball coach in previous years and he is a great guy
For the 2 cents its worth, I've coached against Coach Boretti...very nice individual, his players were always classy...there is no reason why it wouldn't be the same at Columbia, I'm sure they will be doing very well in the near future. He's also an extremely hard worker from what I see!!
Coach Boretti was at Brown for a few years as assistant coach under Marek Drabinsky. He was in charge of recruiting there so he knows the Ivy League ropes.
Look into the Ivy League program for baseball in general - it is unto itself. It is a 24-7 commitment and a player needs to be super passionate about the sport because the season is so short that he spends an inordinate amount of time getting ready for the season rather than playing in it.
By the way, Columbia has one of the toughest and most stringent core curricula in the Ivy League - thus it is probably more difficult to recruit student athletes there (and to have students-atheltes accepted) than perhaps at a Brown where the requirements are so very different and much more lenient. Thus, the player pool is smaller - so perhaps more difficult to have the numbers of excellent players. With Ivy baseball as intense as it is, many players might have difficulty allocating their time with the academics at Columbia and therefore may choose a less academically challenged Ivy.
Look into the Ivy League program for baseball in general - it is unto itself. It is a 24-7 commitment and a player needs to be super passionate about the sport because the season is so short that he spends an inordinate amount of time getting ready for the season rather than playing in it.
By the way, Columbia has one of the toughest and most stringent core curricula in the Ivy League - thus it is probably more difficult to recruit student athletes there (and to have students-atheltes accepted) than perhaps at a Brown where the requirements are so very different and much more lenient. Thus, the player pool is smaller - so perhaps more difficult to have the numbers of excellent players. With Ivy baseball as intense as it is, many players might have difficulty allocating their time with the academics at Columbia and therefore may choose a less academically challenged Ivy.
NYMOM
Good to see you posting again
How is Chris doing?
Good to see you posting again
How is Chris doing?
Hi Tom,
Thanks for asking. He will be finishing his third year of law school this year and is working for a law firm this summer. He seems to love his experiences so far...I think it's so great to have experienced a true passion (be it baseball, music or stamp collecting) - I see from my kids that their intense experiences with baseball, figure skating and tennis translate elsewhere wonderfully as they get older.
Thanks for asking. He will be finishing his third year of law school this year and is working for a law firm this summer. He seems to love his experiences so far...I think it's so great to have experienced a true passion (be it baseball, music or stamp collecting) - I see from my kids that their intense experiences with baseball, figure skating and tennis translate elsewhere wonderfully as they get older.
NY MOM---
with Tom's sentiments...and equally great to hear about your son's "life after baseball!" 
Thanks, Pa Mom. Forgot to mention that life after college baseball does include playing shortstop on baseball team in Manhattan's beautiful Central Park - and mom and dad (and sisters and sisters' husband and boyfriend) are still invited to watch!...the love of playing doesn't seem to go away - but the need to play 24/7 has given way to other endeavors.
This is great stuff. My step son is getting alot of attention in football from the Ivy's. I just got the head baseball job at his school and he will play for me in his senior year.
He has been offered by Navy and Air Force, but is not interested in the service academies at this time. Yale, Brown and Princeton have showed the most interest in him though he like Harvard because he knows Boston due to his sister having graduated from Boston College.
He has been offered by Navy and Air Force, but is not interested in the service academies at this time. Yale, Brown and Princeton have showed the most interest in him though he like Harvard because he knows Boston due to his sister having graduated from Boston College.
Currently have two children at Columbia University. My third child chose to distinguish himself from his siblings by producing a less than stellar GPA so even with baseball he won't qualify, though his standardized test scores are within their mid 50 acceptance range.
The coaches are great. Just attended a showcase and met two of them. Had very candid conversation with one who's evaluation of my son was very helpful.
Ya'll need to know about "packaging" with the Ivies, and maybe other schools as well who have high acceptance standards. There may be an ball player they want that the coaches know will be an impact player...ok a pitcher, but his GAP and Test scores suck, in an Ivy league standard way. What they try to do is package that player with another one who might not be as highly regarded, but who has a high enough ACT or SAT score to offset the impact player's. The high achiever may not play much but he sure makes the admissions office happy.
Also, know that because the Ivies offer no merit or athletic scholarships, once they are there players are not committed to play, they have nothing to lose but pride and integrity. Most, though are grateful for the opportunity.
The coaches are great. Just attended a showcase and met two of them. Had very candid conversation with one who's evaluation of my son was very helpful.
Ya'll need to know about "packaging" with the Ivies, and maybe other schools as well who have high acceptance standards. There may be an ball player they want that the coaches know will be an impact player...ok a pitcher, but his GAP and Test scores suck, in an Ivy league standard way. What they try to do is package that player with another one who might not be as highly regarded, but who has a high enough ACT or SAT score to offset the impact player's. The high achiever may not play much but he sure makes the admissions office happy.
Also, know that because the Ivies offer no merit or athletic scholarships, once they are there players are not committed to play, they have nothing to lose but pride and integrity. Most, though are grateful for the opportunity.
So good to hear from you, NYMom...and get the update on Chris...a Winner from a Winning Family!
Prepster,
I think NYMom's post is over a year old. Too bad because I miss her posts. She had a lot of insight into how things are done in the Ivies.
I think NYMom's post is over a year old. Too bad because I miss her posts. She had a lot of insight into how things are done in the Ivies.
In addition to the stringent academic requirements, something to take into consideration is that the baseball field is literally 100 blocks north of the campus. It takes half an hour or so to get back and forth if you aren't taking the subway. That's alot of commuting time that needs to be built into the daily schedule.
