Freshman Getting Ready for next year

Welcome BigH's Mom! You've got a lot of great questions. You might want to do some searching in the various threads because you'll most likely find answers to each of your questions. But most likely with various opinions. Good luck and enjoy!

Welcome to the HSBBW! You've come to a very good resource to find answers to your many questions. I also found this site when our son was a freshmen and I am much more educated now than I was then, thanks in part to those who regularly share information here whose son's have been through the process already.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH'sMom:
Hi:

I am new to the board and the recruiting process.
My son is a freshman in HS and is 6'3" (and still growing)and has been playing travel baseball for several years. I understand that his 10th & 11th grade years will be critical for recruiting and my husband and I are looking for suggestions on how best to prepare him for what is to come.

We want to help him establish some short term and long term goals. He is a pitcher, but also plays 1B, catcher and outfield. Since he is so big, he tends to attract attention and I want to make the most of that. His fastball is now in the 70-75 mph range. My questions are: how fast should he be by this time next year and the following year?

Assuming you're asking about velocity (when you ask how fast he should be?) there are probably many different opinions out there. It will really depend on his workout regimen (long toss, throwing program, resistance training etc.) as to what he may be able to expect in the next year or two. Many players also may see an increase in velocity simply by working with a "good" pitching instructor to ensure fluid mechanics.

When should he attend showcases?

Again, expect differing opinions on this! Some don't believe in them too much and others think they may be able to open a lot of doors. Personally, I might recommend starting out slow (1 for the freshmen year) and maybe slowly increase the frequency as he continues to age and develop. Realize that in most cases, showcases are different from college camps. College camps can also prove to be worthwhile as a lot of the emphasis is often placed on learning or fine tuning of skills.

Does he need a "sports resume"?

Not this early! However, if he has some BIG accomplishments already, it wouldn't hurt to at least document them somewhere for later. Most coaches probably wouldn't be that interested in things that occurred early on (Freshman) in the high school career.

Where would we find the best summer camps in the NJ area?

Google. I believe TRHit can provide a link for you that may be of interest. Also check the PG web-site for upcoming events www.perfectgame.org

What should we NOT do? (We want to avoid "rookie" mistakes).

Don't rush the process! Don't overlook schools at various levels! Don't dig way deep into the Savings to attend a showcase every weekend. Don't push son so much that the game isn't fun anymore. Get him involved in the decisionmaking process.

How do coaches measure the intangibles (leadership;also he is a clutch pitcher & hitter)?

Coaches know what they want/need. To be considered a clutch hitter/pitcher, one would need to see evidence of this. This is usually accomplished by watching the player during summer/fall games or at a showcase/camp setting. There are also those few players who have "It."

Is it ok to mention that he plays football and basketball too?

Absolutely! Some believe this may be an indication that a player is an "athlete." Personally, I know a lot of very good baseball players who pretty much play baseball year round, or as close as possible.

I guess I don't know what I don't know! All input is greatly appreciated!

The above statements are based on my personal feelings/findings and experience.

An old coaching legend told me with rare exception you can't tell how good a kid may be until they are 16-17 years old, and that no amount of instruction can make up for lack of athletic ability. Lots of practice is good, but all it can do is maximize existing talent, not create talent. The best thing to do is remain active in all sports of interest and see what happens.

Many kids who were leaders as freshman in our program are no longer even playing, and kids who were marginal as freshman have D1 scholarships.

KBAT is right. Let the game come to him.

Hi BigH'sMom, and welcome to this site. As with most goals there are different paths to get there. many previous threads on this topic as pointed out by Beezer and they are worth searching through and reading. But you have to pick and choose what you think will work for you and what won't.

I believe the first thing to consider is how far away from NJ your son wants to go college. The high profile showcases may be worth the cost if you want to go to the west coast or down south to play ball. When my son was a freshman we made a list of colleges (D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JuCo) and then ordered them from top pick down and mixed the level up for good measure. Then we started visiting them to get to know the schools, coaches and so forth. I believe you need to pursue the college you "know" you can play at as much as you want to coaches to pursue your son. Going to a showcase helps you learn what level you can play at because you get an unbiased opinion of talent and abilities from someone else like scouts and coaches.

When you get your list of colleges together start attending their camps. If you lay out a time line you really only have three winter camps you can attend before the summer between your junior and senior. Don't waste any of that time. My son had an college offers by January of his junior year. That will get here fast.

Others should chime in on the different showcases to attend and they should be part of your plan all moving toward getting that invitation to PG's national showcase for rising seniors. If you get there you can start thinking about draft options at that point, but I recommend not worrying about that. Draft aspects seem to take its own coarse and your sons talent will dictate that.

Enough for now, and others will add to this, but don't sit back and wait. Be proactive and start your planning now.

Good Luck!

Welcome. You have already received the best advice. Look through this site in detail and do searches in the various threads as most of the information you seek is already here. My advice would be to relax - you have plenty of time.

First and foremost make sure he is getting good grades. Without them he will severely limit his options.

My son is one year ahead of yours and is almost an exact profile as yours. He is 6’3” and a pitcher, 1st/.3rd/OF and was throwing pretty much the same velocity as yours as a freshman. Until he is able to differentiate himself against top line Varsity players we won’t consider a combine or camp. Why waste the time and money?

We are taking a targeted approach vs. the shotgun approach. He is starting to figure out what he wants to take as a major in college. He is starting to develop a list of schools he is interested in, and we are developing an priority A,B,C list academically and baseball wise. As others have advised here once he gets to his Jr. year his grades and baseball skills will direct him in the proper direction. We will go to his top B school camp this summer (incoming Jr year) and his top A school camp in his Jr year.

TRhit has perfect advice in these cases. Wait until he is on Varsity and see how he really competes against top line Varsity players. This will tell the direction to go be it D1, D2, ect, baseball wise. By then you will know where he fits academically and you can put the puzzle together. By all means plan and think about what, where, how but relax and don't over schedule him right now.

Most importantly enjoy the HS experience!

Mom,my son plays here in the Shore Conference with him entering his JR. year. We have been thru alot of what you may be looking from showcase teams to instructors so if you need anything more specific about NJ please just ask, there is alot of money and time that can be wasted out there but this website has been a godsend!

BHMom,
Welcome. You've come to the right place for advice. Their are many knowledgeable people on this site that can and will provide great advice. I am learning new things everyday here.
All I want to say is that there are many very good baseball programs and academies in NJ. If you are interested in summer teams you will have a few high level organizations in NJ to choose from. I could recommend a few depending upon what part of the state you live.
If you can figure out how to Private Message (PM) send me one and I can make some suggestions.
(It took me a few tries to get it right with the PMs.)

BHMom

Drop me an email with all the particulars and I will get back to you , probably after we return from Jupiter

Tom Rizzi
College Select Baseball
TRhit@msn.com

quote:

Originally posted by BigH'sMom:
Hi:

I am new to the board and the recruiting process.
My son is a freshman in HS and is 6'3" (and still growing)and has been playing travel baseball for several years.

You have been given some good advice. Here's some more. Your son is in high school now. No one will care how long he's been playing travel. The only interest in his travel experience will be last year's experience by next year's travel coach. It's no longer about where the player has been. It's about where he is, where he's headed (potential) and how he carries himself getting there.

What great advice! Thanks to all - I hope someday to return the favor!