Finding the Right School

Lets start with a little background


Do you play with a travel team?
Have you been to any showcases?
Have you played anywhere in events that other schools have seen you?

I play on a Legion team and also play in a local fall league. Ive been to a few showcases but they have all been through schools. (havent gone to PG or recruiting places like that) Ive also played in a number of tournaments through legion ball. See my problem is, ive been able to talk to other coaches, but all of them have told me that i might not be able to play at their level because of my speed. This school that i had been talking to was the only one that would give me a chance. However, this school just had a kid get another year of eligability, so they wont be needing a 2nd baseman for this recruiting class. Ive also sent out letters to coaches, but havent really heard anything back.

What is your footspeed?

Really slow. 7.9 60 yd. 4.9 home to first. But hitting is a definate strenght that makes up for it and i am a good fielder, just not the greatest range. The WIU coach was willing to take a chance that i would keep on developing and get a little faster like i have been.

Why not ask him if he knows any schools who can use a player like you?

He might be able to help you since he cannot use you


Perhaps he would make a call or two for you

Thanks for the tips.

quote:

Why not ask him if he knows any schools who can use a player like you?

He might be able to help you since he cannot use you


Perhaps he would make a call or two for you

Great idea, TRhit. Brezdog59, you might ask the coach if he knows of any good JUCO programs that feed into his school and others. Best wishes as continue your search!

If you have good hands are you open to moving to third? How's your quickness/reactions? There's also D2 and D3. The important thing is to get an education and aenjoy playing the game.

There are coaches and clinics that can help you improve your speed. I would suspect that you'll have trouble getting serious interest if you are intent on playing 2B or SS with 7.9 speed. Even 3B is a stretch. Heck, even 1B is a stretch. Catchers and pitchers are sometimes that slow, but it can be a deal breaker at the other 7 positions.

I don't know what's near you, but in our area we have a fellow who is an excellent speed coach for hire, and another company that specializes in videotaping and analyzing your stride mechanics, coaching you to improve, and then giving you the right exercises to maximize your improvement. I know players who have knocked several tenths off their 60 speed this way. Not everyone is born a potential track star, but to me 7.9 indicates there is more going on than just not being born with Carl Lewis' genes.

Also, in all candor, do you consider yourself to be in shape? Just getting in shape, if you're not, could knock some time off. If you're not in shape, pointing to the objective indicator (60 speed) may be the coach's way of pointing out your issue to you without risking giving offense.

And I'll apologize if I'm being too blunt, but you're right about one thing, you don't have a lot of time left to fritter away wringing your hands. There are still opportunities out there, but you've basically been told the area where you have to improve to reach your goal, and thus far, you haven't done it. You need to ask yourself why that is and give yourself a proverbial swift kick in the rear.

I would suggest spending the next two months getting cracking with a speed and/or conditioning coach, and then see about hitting one of the PG January events and then trying to follow up on any leads you can develop. Then continue with the speed/conditioning program through the spring and see just how much better you can get. I do know of kids who landed deals in May, June, and even over the summer after graduating. And don't rule out other options, like D-III schools, either. Most of them don't recruit all that early, so they would be looking at you most closely when you play this spring.

You have 5-6 months to make sure they see you at your best when the time comes. If you're serious about your goal, you'll start after school Monday.

I have gotten in alot better shape since last summer. At the end of last high school season in the spring, i was 5'8 and about 190 lbs. I was really out of shape. Over the summer i dedicated myself to getting stronger and faster and and through working out and playing HS football, im now 5'9 165 lbs. I also dropped .3 off of my 60 just this summer. Im a big health person now, i eat healthy and workout all the time, but i dont have time to go to a running coach or anything because i play basketball too. Im currently still lifting weights 4 days a week and going to basketball practice 6 times a week (so im getting lots of running in). I also hit a couple times a week and go through a hitting clinic type thing every sunday. Im also from a small school where we have never had a D1 baseball player. Ive developed alot since last year and am still growing and trying to get better and faster. I appriciate the help and criticism, but im not sure whatelse i can do to get quicker while im playing basketball.

This may sound like a real dumb question but at 5-8 and that slow why are you even playing basketball-most 5-8 hoopsters I know are whippets on the court--if baseball is what you want you should be working on that---you are already behind the 8-ball as it is

quote:

Originally posted by Brezdog59:
I have gotten in alot better shape since last summer. At the end of last high school season in the spring, i was 5'8 and about 190 lbs. I was really out of shape. Over the summer i dedicated myself to getting stronger and faster and and through working out and playing HS football, im now 5'9 165 lbs. I also dropped .3 off of my 60 just this summer. Im a big health person now, i eat healthy and workout all the time, but i dont have time to go to a running coach or anything because i play basketball too. Im currently still lifting weights 4 days a week and going to basketball practice 6 times a week (so im getting lots of running in). I also hit a couple times a week and go through a hitting clinic type thing every sunday. Im also from a small school where we have never had a D1 baseball player. Ive developed alot since last year and am still growing and trying to get better and faster. I appriciate the help and criticism, but im not sure whatelse i can do to get quicker while im playing basketball.

You say hitting is your strength, so why not take some of the time you spend at the hitting clinic each Sunday and go to a speed coach instead? Even doing something like that every other week would likely clean up some mechanical flaws. And they would also probably be able to give you some stuff to do on your own in order to improve your speed. I don't think it'll hurt you to take some time off from hitting as long as you hit enough to stay sharp. If it truly is your speed that is holding you back, you have to make some sacrifices in order to improve your speed. "Speed practice" certainly won't be as fun as hitting, but if that's what you need to do then get it done!

Brezdog59,

quote:

summer i dedicated myself to getting stronger and faster

quote:

Im a big health person now, i eat healthy and workout all the time, but i dont have time to go to a running coach or anything because i play basketball too. Im currently still lifting weights 4 days a week and going to basketball practice 6 times a week

I applaud you for taking the intiative to keep your health a priority. Sounds like you are improving and that is to be commended!

quote:

Ive developed alot since last year and am still growing and trying to get better and faster.

I admire your dedication,.....keep up the hard work and remember you have to work doubley hard on the areas that need improvement. Not always the most fun, but well worth the rewards in the long run!
Keep at it kid!

I may be off-base here, but I think this young man needs to work on his strengths and accept his limitations in other areas. Here is my thinking - If you spend half your time on speed and you improve from a 7.9 to a 7.5, you will still be put into the category of "slow runner" by those evaluating you. I do believe being in top shape is worth the time though, since coaches often interpret good conditioning as a sign of a hard worker. Moreover, this is not to say that you should not work on speed at all, just remember, you are probably not going to move the ball very far in terms of running times.

On the other hand, you can probably become an even better hitter than you already are with more practice, practice, practice. The better you hit, the more coaches will forget about your footspeed limitations.

Remember - there are opportunities out there and the most important thing is not giving up. Keep working hard and best of luck to you.

My guess is that a lot of people evaluated you 25 lbs. ago. Get back in front of them now. Losing 25 lbs. is a big deal and to me it shows you are working very hard. Whether you're a great hoops player or not, the daily workout basketball provides is likely to tone you up even more.

My guess is you'll pop open some eyes when they see the player you have become. A 5'8", 190 lbs. guy is chubby. A 5'8", 165 guy is wiry. Big difference in how you're perceived, and also most likely in how you move and perform.

My guess is that by the time basketball is over, your 60 time will have dropped even lower, and your lateral movement will have improved a great deal -- very important in evaluating MIF's. You need to get where people can see the new you.

A little update, we tested today in P.E. for the first time this year. Last spring my fastest 40 time was 5.5 and my shuttle run time was 4.9. Today I was able to run the 40 at 5.3 and shuttle was 4.6 so i guess i am improving some. I also was able to make contact with another school (DII) and hopefully things work out with this one. Thanks to everyone that posted tips and stuff.