Facial Hair vs Clean Shave for Recruiting

Nothing screams "I'm through growing" quite like a full beard on a 16 year old.

Because different colleges have different rules as does different college coaches, I think it really all depends on which colleges one is interested in would determine how one's personal look should be.  As with other issues, research is important to determine if any particular college of interest is a good fit or not.

I always told my son to get a fresh haircut and shave- for every event and/or college visit.  No one has any bias against clean cut.  some don't like facial hair- why chance it. 

adbono posted:

Nothing screams "I'm through growing" quite like a full beard on a 16 year old.

Yup, this.  And you may be projecting a degree of negative toward those old school coaches that like their players clean cut.  At the least, there are no positives.  At most, there can be negatives.  These players are attending events for the specific reason to get recognized by and impress schools/coaches.  I never understood what logic could possibly make sense other than showing up clean cut and buttoned up.

SanDiegoRealist posted:

Ok, having a younger 16 year old player who is 5'11 and 160 pounds, we are attending events now in which there are some monstrously large young men playing. Just this summer we have faced a 6'9" pitcher here in California, a slew of 6'2"-6'4" pitchers, and most recently a 6'7" 250 pound pitcher. These kids are huge.

Now back to the question. I am also seeing a ton of players showing up at major tournaments and showcases with full on beards. I was told by a coach a couple of years ago that he liked his players to have short haircuts and clean shaves during events when they will be in front of college coaches and scouts in order to make them look younger and therefore more projectable. Makes sense to me and I subscribe to this.

So I wonder what your opinions and experiences are with regard to this.

1. If you are 5'9, don't let them see you with your son.

2. Shave to look younger, unless you have peach fuzz after a week of not shaving, in which case display the fuzz proudly.

MidAtlanticDad posted:

SanDiegoRealist posted:

Ok, having a younger 16 year old player who is 5'11 and 160 pounds, we are attending events now in which there are some monstrously large young men playing. Just this summer we have faced a 6'9" pitcher here in California, a slew of 6'2"-6'4" pitchers, and most recently a 6'7" 250 pound pitcher. These kids are huge.

Now back to the question. I am also seeing a ton of players showing up at major tournaments and showcases with full on beards. I was told by a coach a couple of years ago that he liked his players to have short haircuts and clean shaves during events when they will be in front of college coaches and scouts in order to make them look younger and therefore more projectable. Makes sense to me and I subscribe to this.

So I wonder what your opinions and experiences are with regard to this.

1. If you are 5'9, don't let them see you with your son.

2. Shave to look younger, unless you have peach fuzz after a week of not shaving, in which case display the fuzz proudly.

1. I hide and send my 6' 10" father-in-law along to showcases.

2. My 2018's nickname on the high school team is "Babyface." He wears it proudly.

My advice for your son would be to shave and present himself like he was going to be in front of a judge in a courtroom.  Also, "yes sir" and "no sir" goes a long way especially with old school head coaches.   

Ryan and I used to have these conversations all the time. 

roothog66 posted:

MidAtlanticDad posted:

SanDiegoRealist posted:

Ok, having a younger 16 year old player who is 5'11 and 160 pounds, we are attending events now in which there are some monstrously large young men playing. Just this summer we have faced a 6'9" pitcher here in California, a slew of 6'2"-6'4" pitchers, and most recently a 6'7" 250 pound pitcher. These kids are huge.

Now back to the question. I am also seeing a ton of players showing up at major tournaments and showcases with full on beards. I was told by a coach a couple of years ago that he liked his players to have short haircuts and clean shaves during events when they will be in front of college coaches and scouts in order to make them look younger and therefore more projectable. Makes sense to me and I subscribe to this.

So I wonder what your opinions and experiences are with regard to this.

1. If you are 5'9, don't let them see you with your son.

2. Shave to look younger, unless you have peach fuzz after a week of not shaving, in which case display the fuzz proudly.

1. I hide and send my 6' 10" father-in-law along to showcases.

2. My 2018's nickname on the high school team is "Babyface." He wears it proudly.

Root, when your son is already 6'4" or 6'5" and throwing 90+, you could be 5'2" and it wouldn't matter. He's not going to shrink in college. 

I let my 6'4 brother hang around and didn't care if anyone thought he was my 5'11 son's father. I'm 6'0 and shrinking. 

Son grows a fantastic beard.  Went full flow and full beard on the mound as a senior in HS. Great intimidation factor especially when you are breaking the school district's very archaic and outdated rules regarding facial hair and hair length. Lots of bent out of shape folks.  Was kind of humorous to me  

IMO it's a non issue in most cases but pre college comitment guess who got told he was absolutely shaving every morning before leaving the house. 

FWIW I don't think the pro scouts care much about facial hair on college guys so plenty of time for that later. 

fenwaysouth posted:

My advice for your son would be to shave and present himself like he was going to be in front of a judge in a courtroom.  Also, "yes sir" and "no sir" goes a long way especially with old school head coaches.   

SDR,

This.  Also think about it as a job interview.  You need to look your best to make a first impression.   There are lots of college coaches who allow their players to be who they want to be, no limitations. I don't agree.  

Then there are college coaches who want their players to look presentable, aka the NYY look.

But, IMO, you have to get the job first, then prove yourself with the hopes that the boss may lighten up a bit.

FWIW, it's not just about players. Son just moved up to D1 coaching position, he was told the beard had to go. You want the job, you do what the HC prefers.

To TPM's point son's current head coach says no facial hair in the fall.  

Guess when all their media stuff is done, so every promo video and every roster picture not a beard to be found. 

Come spring he doesn't care. The beard is earned so to speak. 

TPM posted:

fenwaysouth posted:

My advice for your son would be to shave and present himself like he was going to be in front of a judge in a courtroom.  Also, "yes sir" and "no sir" goes a long way especially with old school head coaches.   

SDR,

This.  Also think about it as a job interview.  You need to look your best to make a first impression.   There are lots of college coaches who allow their players to be who they want to be, no limitations. I don't agree.  

Then there are college coaches who want their players to look presentable, aka the NYY look.

But, IMO, you have to get the job first, then prove yourself with the hopes that the boss may lighten up a bit.

FWIW, it's not just about players. Son just moved up to D1 coaching position, he was told the beard had to go. You want the job, you do what the HC prefers.

 

Thanks for your input and congrats on your son's promotion, sincerely.

Thank you very much, he is waiting for his start date to announce on twitter.

Clean shaven 100%

If you are a MLB scout & you see full beard on a HS player it is almost impossible to add "projection" to your eval. If you read these reports you see things like "fully developed." Definitely a negative.

Steve A. posted:

If you are a MLB scout & you see full beard on a HS player it is almost impossible to add "projection" to your eval. If you read these reports you see things like "fully developed." Definitely a negative.

Yeah, they don't have what they call the "good face".

I've never heard of anyone having a face for baseball. Only a face for radio.

Clean shaven, stand tall, yes sir, no sir....  in the military all over again.

Gov posted:

Clean shaven, stand tall, yes sir, no sir....  in the military all over again.

Its a little more relaxed now, they just address him as Coach.

TPM posted:

Steve A. posted:

If you are a MLB scout & you see full beard on a HS player it is almost impossible to add "projection" to your eval. If you read these reports you see things like "fully developed." Definitely a negative.

Yeah, they don't have what they call the "good face".

00:17

https://youtu.be/pWgyy_rlmag

MidAtlanticDad posted:

TPM posted:

Steve A. posted:

If you are a MLB scout & you see full beard on a HS player it is almost impossible to add "projection" to your eval. If you read these reports you see things like "fully developed." Definitely a negative.

Yeah, they don't have what they call the "good face".

00:17

https://youtu.be/pWgyy_rlmag

His girlfriend is a 6 at best. What's that mean? No confidence!

LMAO-

"He aint Favio."

"Who's Favio??"

" He is a shortstop. For Seattle."