E-mail inviting son to fill out prospect questionnaire: Routine or Something to get Excited About?

SluggerDad,

Have your son fill out the questionnaire and send back all the info requested.After your son submits the questionnaire have him email all the coaches to let them know.At the same time, your son can include an athletic and academic update,links to any video he has,summer team and schedule(include his coach's name.... so many coaches here in California know each other),and showcase schedule.

Do the Dirtbags have real interest in your son ? Maybe.Maybe not.It only takes a few minutes to submit the questionnaire.and you can use the update email for multiple schools that are on your son's list.Nothing ventured nothing gained

I would encourage your son to include schools outside the state of California in his search.Also,have him look at schools in all the divisions(D1,D2,D3,NAIA,JUCO). You never know what's going to happen in this crazy and unpredictable process !

Hope this helps.

I have a 2016.For the past 6 months or so using an average over that time he has somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5 of these a week.He also received one from Oregon last fall.With my guy being a year younger my feeling (With mine) is that the schools are getting their ducks in a row with his class(2016).  Someone has been given the task of sending these kids a "we are having a good season.Hope you are too.Looking forward to possibly seeing you this summer.If not please fill out our questioner email"Yes I am sure there is some type of list involved.The questioneers that come here are typically sent by one of the aast. coaches.I could very well be completely wrong on this but I think its someone other than the coaching staff sending these out.They are sent in coaches name.Nothing wrong with that.Everybody contributes in different ways.At least our kids are on a list.How the list is built is probably a handful of ways.Someone saw them play,Possibly your summer team recomemded,HS coach,Theres more than just a couple of ways.As far as blanket unless they are asking you to come to their camp and spend money I don't think so.They are blanket in way that that I'm sure they go thru a 100 kids or better to find ones that will play for them.Now if 2015 went to their camp and stuck out in a positive way and then after a period of time received a questioner.I would look at that in a very positive way.Remember its a process.They saw 2015 up close and now they want to know more.Thats a good thing.For the grades if 2015 like to make his own decisions instead of others making them for him he should study up and get the best possible score on his SAT.Then refocus and buckle down on the grades.If not I'm sure he won't want to hear we loved to have you but we don't feel you are "student material for our school.Keep the grades up and 2015 can make a lot of the decisions himself.Have they asked for his summer schedule?If not I would attach it down past the SAT section where you can put videos or what ever.I'm sure some of the parents that have been thru the process will add some ideas.With it being a Friday nite and state tourneys getting going most people are not on the computer tonite.Wish 2015 the best of luck and hope he ends up going someplace that wants him. 

Hi SluggerDad,

  One thing I regret is listening to my son's travel ball coach. The first letter my son received was in October of his sophomore year in high school, and was from Pat bailey at Oregon State. A two page letter, first page explained their interest in my son, and went on to tell all the needed information about their school, the  baseball team, coaches and academics. I thought it was very impressive and was very excited for my son. I showed it to his coach, who explained to me that 1000's of these were sent out and to disregard it. I knew nothing, and he was only a sophomore at the time so it made sense I guess. I still have the letter and regret not filling it out. My son is a senior this year, he was then, and still is a 4.0 student. I have been so naïve and realized I have done so many things wrong by listening to this coach. My son is the starting catcher on his team, he has been invited to many high profile events that we disregarded on the opinion of his coach. He will be starting college soon, but I've learned a lot since then, and a lot just in the last 2 weeks or so, and boy did we blow it.

   How important is it? I can't really answer that, but you'll never know if you don't fill it out. Lesson learned: From that point on I made sure my son replied back promptly and courteously to every single e-mail and phone call that was addressed to him personally.

  Good luck to your son with his baseball future. 

SluggerDad:

I will never argue against good grades, but I guarantee you that with the exception of Stanford and Cal, if your son is a good enough player, he is a good enough student for any team in the Pac 12. (But he better be damn good). Fill out the form and celebrate that he got it it. I hope nothing but great things come his way. Anyone who suggests these forms are simply routine and go to anyone is giving really bad advice. I also will add that any letter from Pat Bailey at Oregon State is a letter to take very seriously. What a stand up coach and great recruiter for an amazing program. Just the chance to get to know the guy is a great opportunity.