Google docs.

 

Youtube for videos.

 

BOF - thanks for the reply. 

I'll do more research on Google docs - i didn't know others could have access to them!  

I haven't used them before.

 

 

Interesting question -- because I've never really thought about ballplayers even having "resumes."

 

I'm assuming the resume would include things like:

 

- "Selected to All Tournament Team, 15U PG WWBA 2013" ... or

- "Named All District, Texas 5A, 2013" ... etc??

 

If that's right, I think you'll be wasting your time, ilovebaseball. Others with more experience may disagree, but I think whatever you might describe on your resume, you will have an opportunity to talk about IF and WHEN you're sitting with a college recruiter or pro scout, and they ASK ... but I honestly don't think it will even come up.

 

Video? Absolutely.

Recommendations from respected baseball guys? Hell yes!

 

But a resume? I just don't see it.

 

That said, you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT about not paying ANYONE who promises to help you get recruited. Spend the money on the right stuff: College camps, PG showcases and tournaments, etc.

 

There are many ways to get coaches this information. Ours made up a player profile which I guess you would call his resume. Personal info, stats, awards, references, etc. He attached it to the bottom of every email he sent. He did the same with his schedule and video highlights once he had them.

First I would make it easy on a coach and just make up a bio in word and make a pdf and send it with the email. Videos provide a link bios send. Here is a cleared one we did for my son. You can use this as a format the more information you provide the better. If you don't have SAT scores then leave it blank and put TBD. Just keep updating it each year. Sorry the formatting is all messed up in the transfer but make a clean easy sheet where a coach can glance at it and think OK I want to take a look at this kid. Yes you are selling the player, but make sure you have independent scout and coaches on the list. My son played for multiple summer/fall teams so put in all of those coaches. 

 

Name - 2011 - P/OF

XXX California

 

I. PERSONAL INFORMATION

 

Name

Home Phone: xxx

Mobile Phone:xxx

 

Email Address:

Birth Date:

Graduation

 

II. ACADEMIC INFORMATION

 

Highshool address

 

Guidance Counselor:

Phone (805) xxxx

NCAA Clearinghouse number: xxxxx

SAT Score: TBD

ACT Score:  TBD

High School Core GPA: xxx un-weighted, xxx weighted

Class Rank: xx out of xxx

Anticipated College Major: Sxxxxx

 

III. BASEBALL INFORMATION

 

Height: xx” Weight xxx lbs

Bats - x  Throws -x

Primary Position:  Pitcher

Current Pitching Velocity: xxxx MPH (Stalker)

Secondary Position: OF

60 yd: xxxxsecs

 

High School Baseball Honors Received

 

Varsity teams number 2 pitcher in xxxx. (behind a senior) Lead team in BA and OPS while hitting in the 4 spot, starting LF when not pitching. Lead team in OF put outs. Picked up first collegiate win as a high school sophomore pitching in relief for the XXX in xxxx. Summer team placed 4^th out of 72 teams at USA Baseball’s 16U championships. Named to all league team, BLA BLA BLA

 

Other High School Sports Played: xxxx

Baseball References

 

Summer Team: xxxx

Coach: xxxx

Home Phone: xxxx

Mbl Phone: xxx

email address

 

High School Coach: xxx

Team Website Address: xxx

School Phone: (805) xxx

Mbl. Phone: (805)  xxx

email address

 

 Pitching Coach

name

Mbl Phone: (xxxx

 

Professional Scouts

 

xxx

Organization: xxx

Mbl Phone: xxx

Email

 

XXXX

Organization: XXX

Mbl Phone (XXX

Email

 

XXXX

Organization: XXX

Mbl Phone (XXX

Email

 

More if you have them

 

All of this stuff seems bizarre to me.  If I were a college coach a resume would concern me as a bit anal retentive.  I want a ballplayer not an accountant. 

 

Coaches want to see you in person not on a video.  I just don't get this part, either.Bum, Jr. used mass-emailing to great effect.  But it was baseball-focused with mention of his superb academics.  Not one of those coaches asked Bum, Jr. to send him a video. 

www.fieldlevel.com

You can use this site for free, or you can pay a fee. Free users seem to get a very good deal on this site. I have used this site for players on my HS team, and it has been very helpful.....and none of them have paid for the "premium services."

 

Bum,

not to disagree with you since you are way ahead of me on this, but isn't the point of the video to cast a wide net in the hopes of getting a coach to come see you in person?  This seems like a useful tool to me.

Coaches get dozens of this videos.  How can you measure bat speed, or pitching velocity with a video?  Or, if the hitting or pitching mechanics look good, so what if there's no velocity? 

 

I doubt these coaches have the time or inclination to look at look at these videos unless they solicit them themselves or if the player is a known quantity. 

 

I'm not against videos, but I would contact the coach first and mention that a video can be sent if he's interested.  Let the coach ask!

i just don't think good players need any of this. Earn your spot on your high school team and build a reputation, play on a competitive travel team that plays against tough competition and choose a couple of reputable showcases. If you are good, it will work out. If not, it won't. The on-line resume stuff -- paid or unpaid -- I know there are exceptions to everything, but I just don't think it will make that much of a difference.

 

(Disclaimer: I had one for all three of my sons, along with a subscription to a video service. I don't think any of that made any difference at all in where they ended up (two played D1baseball and the third became a regular student -- just like his dad) In the end, only two things matter -- talent and desire, and talent trumps everything else.

In my limited experience, showcases and word of mouth, not websites and resumes, attract the initial interest.

 

However, after they are interested, they may see something on your YouTube or website that differentiates you.  Most of LittleSultan's schools googled him.

 

Showing a bunch of boring stuff is pointless.  YouTube a homerun, or a strikeout of a big prospect or top ranked team, or a great defensive play.  List things that make you great.  They think you're good based on the showcase, but they won't know you had 25 HRs, or 100 strikeouts, or 10 wins, or whatever.

 

Coaches told us they saw XX or XX on YouTube/website.

 

 

I don't think a recruiting service is necessary unless you don't have the time or energy, then the right organization might be worth the investment. 

We used "Fieldlevel" and "Berecruited".  Both were good but received an offer from Fieldlevel.  My best advice is to be realistic about your son's ability.  Don't waste time/energy on LSU and Stanford if your kid is DIII/NAIA at best.  Targeting schools that fit his skillsets/academics/"this campus feels right" will likely lead to an offer.  The best way to garner interest is to get in front of the coaches at one of their camps/tryouts. 

Good Luck

BOF has the right idea. But I believe its excessive. Provide contact information, class, high school, travel team, GPA, class rank, height, weight, sixty time and velocity.

 

High school awards are relative to the competition. References can be provided upon request or more likely when filling out the online recruiting form. If you do an info dump on a program you lose reasons to make further contact. I believe video can help for D2 and D3 where recruiting budgets are not extravagant. Video should be of mechanics not a highlight film.

 

Ask what showcases and camps are available to get in front of the coaching staff. This helps map the showcase plan. Then contact the staff prior to arriving if you choose to get in front of them.

Glad this thread got to where it did, for the most part. I'd sum it up like this:

 

- You are what you are on the field, not on paper.

- You have to be seen.

- Video should be provided (via a link) only when asked for.

- Avoid recruiting agencies

 

13LHPdad -- you say your son "received an offer from Fieldlevel." How does that happen??

The school became interested from reviewing my son's profile (an upgrade shows the activity).  That led to e-mails, phone calls, then a tryout.  After the tryout, he was offered.  Another JUCO offered but they were out of state.  Again, the activity upgrade gives the name of schools interested. 

 

There was one school that my son really liked that looked at his profile repeatedly so we contacted the coach.  That led to phone calls but we cancelled the workout after he committed to his current school.  We did the same for another school that showed multiple "views" and he also offered my son. 

 

Now, when I say offer, I mean offered a roster spot but no money.  Only his current school offered money.

There's some pretty good info floating around here.  

 

I'd like to drop in my 2 cents.  Keep in mind that Play In School IS NOT a "recruiting service.  We make recruiting videos.  Big difference.

 

- To the OP, ilovebaseball, you can get through this process without spending lots of money.  But sometimes finding a partner that has been through the process hundreds of times might be worth your money.  I can do my own taxes.  But I choose to partner with a guy that is much more experienced in this.  My CPA is worth every penny he charges me. And he loves how many clients I have sent him.  Likewise, my clients love the service I provide for them despite the fee.  And even though I do not "market" players, I have a network that is strong.  Thats beneficial to the process.

 

- Written "resumes" are a waste.  Every college baseball player was all met, all district, little league all-star, etc, etc.  Coaches need to SEE 2 things to get the ball rolling…. Grades (to ensure they can get in) & Skill Set (from video… to see if they are worth going to see in person).  Note:  Video is not about getting kids signed.  Its meant to start the conversation.

 

- Jemaz - kind of weird that you had film, etc for all 3 kids but you said they didn't "need" it.  I'll repeat it again, film doesn't get kids signed.  But it helps coaches really bare down on kids.  It can help a coach figure out if a kid is worth driving 7 hours to go see.  Or if they've seen a kid at a tourney w/ 1,000 other players film can be a helpful reminder of what that kid looks like.  So it doesn't shock me that no coaches call and said "we want to offer your kid because of his film."  Doesn't work like that.

 

- I always talk about the recruiting process like a job search.  Networking is key.  But you still provide a resume for the guy in your network to put on the desk of the decision maker don't you?  Why not have your film ready to go to provide for coaches at the front end of the process?

 

I just had this film put together.  Kind of reiterates some of the above points.  You are the first people to see it. Not even on my website yet.

 

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

 

 

Nice video.

I agree that videos and resumes don't seal the deal, but if you are going to send one out, then do so from a reliable source that makes your player look his/her best.  The video/resume is the preview to initiate interest and yes keep in mind that most HC's delegate that job to their assistants.

 

Have seen some amateur videos and as a coach I would toss most of them. They are horrible.

 

JMO

TPM - 

 

Thanks.  And I agree.  

 

The day I speed up a bat or arm is the day I put myself out of business.  My reputation is the most important part of my business.  I'm not in the business of "selling" players.  I'm in the business of creating a tool that "shows" what players look like.  Good.  Bad.  Whatever.

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

That's the way it should be.

PIS:

My oldest son played at Virginia Tech, where I graduated. He was recruited from Arizona first on the recommendation of the father of an older Little League teammate from Alexandria who was two years ahead of him at VT. VT expressed interest based on that recommendation, his high school program and the summer team for which he played. He went to a regular VT camp where he was outstanding and that sealed the deal.

 

My youngest son played at Arizona State. He was actively recruited by four other Pac 10 programs. He played for a top high school program, a top summer program, played for the Arizona team in the Sun Belt games, played for a team in Jupiter, played for the Reds team in the Area Code Games and went to one PG showcase and one Team One showcase (he did not play particularly well in either). He also played for the Rays Scout Team in the fall here in AZ (as did my other two sons). ASU's interest was driven mostly by his high school performance, his performance with his summer team (which faced some of the best competition to be found in the U.S.) and his performance in the fall scout league, which included the AZ Senior and Junior Classic. He also played extremely well in a late fall camp at ASU, which at the time was known as the Select 60.

 

He had video done at the PG event and by a top local service. It was excellent video but did not factor into his recruitment at all, as far as I know.

 

All that said, if my sons were going through this again, I would again have the video as well as an on-line resume because of the uncertainty inherent in much of the recruiting process. But I still don't think it does much and possibly could be a disservice. What I mean, once again, is that the most important factor is talent -- especially talent that fits a particular program. If a player is good enough, he will be recruited on his own merits and without a lot of extra stuff. If he manages to market himself to a program that is at a higher level than his actual skills, the experience will most likely be disappointing. (This is what I believe is most often described here as fit). If he gets the attention of a lower level program simply looking for players, the risk of a bad fit is also there. Nothing matches an in-person evaluation (especially if the coach gets to watch the player play under pressure against high level competition). This is why I don't favor showcases. I think they are too artificial. They are convenient and they bring together lots of players of similar ability, but I would choose Jupiter  or the high level Connie Mack events first. I also like college camps where coaches get an extended look at a player in all kinds of situations, but it needs to be a camp where lots of other real prospects are present.

 

My nephew plays at Oberlin where he has had a remarkable career. He got the opportunity after attending a Headfirst Showcase, which was ideal in his particular situation. (He also was a great fit academically for this ultra competitive school). It is fun to watch all of these guys play. They play hard and put everything they have into it. If nearly any of them had managed an opportunity at the Pac 12 level, it probably would not have worked out nearly so well.

 

So what I think I am saying, use every tool to gain the opportunity, but in the end if your talent level does not determine what that opportunity is, it probably does not work out. If your talent is good enough, schools will find you. If it is not, you are likely to find out in a way that might not be so pleasant. This is part of the reason I am very happy my middle son went the more conventional route through college -- that of a regular student. Today, he is a graduate of the ASU Barrett Honors College and a graduate of the University of San Diego Law School and on Friday learned that he passed the California Bar Exam. Baseball is not for everyone. If fact at higher levels, it is for a select few. Just because a kid likes baseball a lot and works hard to play does not guarantee a real opportunity will ever exist.

Good stuff.

 

Performance & projectability are paramount.  That is what coaches want.  But deciding who to go bare down on often happens prior to events.  It happens during all of those conversations with travel & HS coaches.  Video is an easy tool to the colleges SEE kids and decide which are worth seeing in person.   

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

This is a good discussion.

 

jemaz - IMO typically Pac10 and SEC type players will be seen and sought out by a number of colleges. Mostly for those kids this stuff is not needed.Get out play and be seen where those coaches are like you said.  However for all the others I believe you need to show a coach or program that you have interest in them, and you have to show them (quickly and easily) that you could help their program. A short profile and a link to a video enables that. They need to know that there are not other risk factors, like grades, etc. They will come to you if they think there is potential.

 

In my son's case he had "potential" and was performing well enough to warrant a look by colleges. The fact that he was 6'4", had decent velo (not enough at the time to get an offer on the spot) and was a two way and hit the cra p out of the ball kept them intrigued until he developed enough to warrant an offer. (which came late relative to many kids) But they had all the information on him at their fingertips, they could call his HS coach, Travel coach, and/or a scout. They did not have to do anything but look at his profile and call, and in fact many did. 

 

The other thing he did was send out his fall and summer schedule, again if there was interest he made it easy for them to see him. In the end he had enough talent to get some offers from middle of the road Big West teams as well as a few mid major programs in the east. Yes he had enough talent in the end, but he sure made their job a lot easier to determine if they would have interest.

 

Now how about for all of those other kids out there that may be undersized, young or not developed as well? Again all that they can do to make it easier for a program to see him and determine if he will fit.

 

I am not talking about over the top flyers, pictures, many emails, etc. Videos with "eye of the tiger" LOL Frankly fact most of the programs now have players fill out profiles in their system in their desired format so you don't need to attach them very often. But at least knowing that you need all of this stuff and have it organized in one place sure makes it easier. 

 

 

 

 

BOF -- I don't disagree with anything you say. Be responsive, reach out to schools and coaches, provide information (especially schedules, etc)... What I am saying (although perhaps not very well) is do what you can to get yourself in front of the coach either through your schedule or going to a camp at the school. I also understand this is not always possible.

 

I just don't see all that much the video adds. I am reasonably educated at baseball and I can recognize a good swing, good arm action and other baseball movements, etc... But what I cannot see in these videos (nor do I believe they can convey) is the speed of the game. They are just too static. Maybe they pique interest, and if they do, that is a very good thing, but ultimately (regardless of the level) the player will have to play, compete and win the opportunity. I get more out of knowing the level at which a player competed and from seeing if he got chances to get on the field in competitive situations.

Wait, is "Eye of the Tiger" not supposed to be on recruiting videos?!

 

 

Jemaz - In todays competitive environment there are way too many players to see in person.  Coaches jobs are on the line.  They need to have a plan BEFORE leaving their office.  Film, along with conversation with trusted sources helps coaches get to the events of the right kids.  

 

Nobody is saying film is the end all be all.

 

In other words, Fortune 500 company has a job opening for an entry level position.  Hundreds, perhaps thousands of qualified candidates want that 1 position.  How in the world do they narrow the field down to just the 25 people to interview?  Somebody sifts through resumes.  Those 25 will get the chance to interview, test, etc.  Field gets narrowed to 5.  More interviews & tests.  1 candidate gets hired.  The resume did not get that person hired.  Their skills did.  The resume was a part of the process.

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

Rich:

 

For lots of reasons, I am sure you provide important value for many players with your service. I wish you luck and success. I say this sincerely despite the reservations I have expressed. Most players don't know where they stand or what is the right level for their talent. I do think it is most important to be seen in person, but, as I said, anything that generates interest has the possibility of creating good results. Just go in with eyes wide open. And, no doubt, for anything submitted to do much good it needs to be high quality. I also am very impressed with the college tours you have mentioned here in the past and that are included in your impressive video posted earlier in this thread.

Thanks.