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Advice needed--Son H.S. Jr. 6' 2" 175lbs. RHP and OF playing for top knotch 16U summer team--is playing varsity 17-18u this fall--hit .410 over summer, had 2.63 E.R.A. walked only 1 batter in 20 or so innings with I believe 1 k or so per inning--very good control, composed--fastball is low 80s (hoping his maturity and strength training increase that # ). He is an excellent student 4.3 gpa honors and AP classes top 5% class took pre ACT that predicted 31 on ACT. He has gotten a lot of letters inviting him to camps which I believe to be nothing really. He was contacted by e-mail by a nice D1 school which is his 2nd choice in colleges today at 12:30am Sept.1--telling him they are interested in him (he played a tournament over summer there where he pitched a great game and hit well to). I know that his pitching will need to pickup some mph but he is thin and just starting to mature so it is reasonable to think he will. He throws 2-4 seam fb, changeup, curve, and recently a really good slider, and has thrown all consistently for strikes. I am worried without the mph he gets overlooked. PG rated him a 6.5 but that was 1 showcase that they did not play game in and had him throw 10 pitches last winter. Really can't afford these $600 showcases along with travel ball. Anyway is this e-mail considered legit interest or is it sent to hundreds or thousands of kids? (It wasn't sent to other kids on his summer team that played in the tournament). Thanks for any advice or help thru this process.
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quote:
Anyway is this e-mail considered legit interest or is it sent to hundreds or thousands of kids?

Only one person knows the answer to that question and it isn't any of us. Pick up the phone and call the coach and see what he says. If he tells you all kind of details of how impressed he was when he saw him play then you can bet your bottom dollar he is interested. If he hems and haws and says he needs to see him at one of their camps without saying anything specific about your son, well... that is another type of answer. Either way, at least you'll know.
September 1 is an exciting day for juniors! Congratulations on the email.

I think it depends on the player. For us, the schools 2B got emails from on Sept. 1 last year are no longer in the picture. But other folks on this site will tell you differently.

Our experience is that good grades and exposure on a good travel team will get you on some really awesome recruiting lists. Smile But it is different for everyone.

They probably sent a questionnaire along with the email, so definitely have your son complete that and send a note to the head coach (copying the recruiting coordinator) with your son's fall schedule. I would operate is if it was legitimate interest, because it may well be. But try to keep things in perspective - not too high, not too low.

Relax, have fun, enjoy the process. Smile
Sounds like he has all the tools (especially the grades) to be able to go anywhere. You are correct on the velo for a rhp, we just went through what you are going through (although the grades werent quite as good) so I can tell you that 90 mph is the magic number for the Big D-1 programs attention. You may want to start a wish list of schools that your son would like to attend and begin correspondence with them via email or phone. We put together a website and sent it along with a cover letter to 50 schools (some websites are free (wix.com) and some cost money) but it was well worth it. Also, try and get that PG number up, I know their showcases may seem expensive but consider it an investment as recruiters really use this tool. Some of the individual schools have less expensive Fall Camps so I would go on their websites and see whats available. Get him on a top notch Fall and Summer team that plays in these PG events as well. Dont expect much, if any activity from High School, the colleges just dont have the time or money to get there. If he's got the game,which it sounds like he does, and knowing he's got the grades, you are off on a fun adventure....Smile
I agree with TRhit that the timing of the email seems to show some true interest. If he did well in front of the coach and as you describe he seems to have some potential to rise from being under the radar to growing into a real prospect, he is probably on that coach's follow list. Things may be tentative at first but with increased velocity and more success there will be more interest shown by this coach and others. Good Luck!
He is going to start getting tons of emails. You won’t know which ones are serious and which ones are “come to my camp”. You and your son need to make a list of schools he is interested in from the stretch schools to the safe schools. His list should be around 20 plus or minus some. Email the recruiting coach with a one page summary of your son, his references, and what his fall schedule will be. You will then start to get even more emails. Again you won’t know which ones are serious. As you start to get through the HS season and your summer schedule firms up email it again to the coaches on your list.

I am not sure if your team is going, but I would try to get to the PG National in Arizona or the Arizona Fall Jr Classic. Stay on a high visibility travel team and get to the National events, forget the local ones. He is a prospect for the Stanford Camp, but personally I would save your money and go a couple of the camps at the schools your son is focused on. Jupiter next year is a must.

Between now and next summer focus on getting bigger and stronger but all of his activities must focus on speed. Bat speed, arm speed, foot speed. These are the things the college recruiters are looking for.

Good luck!
Good points all...BOF is right. I also have a 2012 and it's really hard to sort out or gauge true interest. I would say only time will tell if those that showed interest early will stay for the long term. It also depends on how they (colleges) perceive your interest as well. It always takes 2 to Tango so to speak. You have to stay proactive , play competitive ball in the right venues ( PG Nationals and AZ Fall Classics), and go to right camps (Stanford if feasible and Select college camps of your TOP 5 schools).

Have to consider Cleveland Dad's advise as well if there are any questions on how interested a college is especially if they are in your top 5 or 10.

We are just grateful that RR23Jr sparked some interest with what we have done so far at this point and continues his journey by taking care of his grades,prepare for PSAT/ACT/SAT, staying out of trouble, playing competitive ball, get stronger and faster, keep the communication lines open, and lastly still have fun doing it.

In addition to what BOF has said, I would also like to add that if possible try-out for a respected scout team since it would be another source of exposure. ( We also got word he made his scout team yesterday)

I would also like to hear stories from my fellow 2012 parents what type of experience September 1st, 2010 brought into their lives.

For us, it was a great day to start this marathon.

Good Luck to your son BBDad46. Have fun in your journey with him.

Thanks for all your inputs and suggestions.

RR23
Last edited by Ryanrod23
Son got some emails and there were letters in the mail today. The emails didn't seem any more personal than the emails he'd gotten earlier. Two of the programs he heard from are terrific but grades-wise I believe out of his league. (He has a 3.2 and has to work really hard for those B+s)

In the overall scheme of things, how important is it to fill out those questionnaires?
LHPMom2012,

I would say from what I've read, heard from our fellow HSBBWebbers is to fill out questionaires in a timely fashion if there is even a hint/chance that LHPmom2012Jr may consider going to that college.

I think that if a college would like him to fill out a questionaire that there is some interest in your son.

Case in point, RR23JR got a prospect questionaire from the mail that he filled out from a DI college right after the State Playoffs last June. This particular college does not even have an on-line questionaire that you can fill out. Fast Forward to September 1,2010 email came at 1201 AM.


Some questionaires may require your HS coach's input so may be a good idea to touch base with your HS coach if he would be willing to do it. Most of the time it won't be a problem and even be a testament that he will have a future college prospect under his watch. I feel that if I am a HS coach, I would be proud to have quality players coming out of my program and playing at the next level.

"In the overall scheme of things, how important is it to fill out those questionnaires?"...I think very important.
RR23
Last edited by Ryanrod23
Keep in mind that we are talking questionnaires for 2012 grads.

The colleges at this early stage for the 2012 player are in the process of setting up their selection list after the studs (there are not as many studs as you think). Knowing this you want to return every questionnaire that you receive because you never know where it will lead.

When you do not return the questionnaire the school takes that as a lack of interest and they take you off their recruiting list.

In all the years I have been involved in the recruiting process I have seen many kids end up at colleges they never expected to be at, including my own son.

SEND BACK EVERYTHING THAT IS REQUESTED !!!!
quote:
Originally posted by fanofgame:
quote:
In all the years I have been involved in the recruiting process I have seen many kids end up at colleges they never expected to be at, including my own son.

SEND BACK EVERYTHING THAT IS REQUESTED !!!!



GREAT ADVICE Coaches talk to one another as well.You don't want to appear uninterested in anybody.



Totally agree! My motto was, "We'll talk to anyone but a s****r coach."
TR - Great advice. I was surprised at the schools my 2012 heard from and even more surprised at the schools he DIDN'T hear from.

His favorite has yet to contact but several other interesting schools have emerged.

He got several emails at 12:04AM, but I'm figuring everyone knows how to configure Outlook to send emails in the future and there could be several thousand emails all sending at the same time.

He's returned them all and received responses back.

Let the games begin...
Coach sends out a bunch of emails to every player they have on their list.

Coach continues contact with those that respond. Coach stops contact with those that do not respond.

I was sitting in the players lounge at a local college a few years back while working a camp. The HC asks one of his assistants if a certain player had responded to their contact yet. "I have not heard back from him yet coach." The HC responds "Forget it don't send him anything else. Any kid that doesnt have the common courtesy to respond back we dont need to pursue any longer."

Initial contact many times is a simple email , questionaire , basically seeing who responds. Getting contact information etc. Then it works from there. Camp invites to those that respond. Coaches checking sources on players that respond. Getting feedback from those they trust on those that respond. Knowing who to look for at certain tourneys. Knowing where to look to see those players. Talking to the coaches listed on the information listed as well as other information listed as well.

By not responding what are you saying? I am not interested in your program. By responding what are you saying? I am interested or I could be interested in your program.

You have no way of knowing how much they already know about your player when you respond. Maybe the first thing they do is look at Perfect Game Crosschecker to see if your son has a PG rating? Maybe they call your sons HS coach and ask about him? Maybe they contact the scouts that you list that have seen your son play? Maybe they know someone in your area they trust for an evaluation? Maybe you show up at their camp and they can evaluate your son? Maybe they are working someone else's camp your son shows up at? The list goes on and on.

I always felt if a coach took the time to send my kid or one of my players an email or a questionaire it was only the right thing to do to respond in kind. Maybe that school he is at right now is a school you would never consider. But maybe he moves to another school during your sons recruiting time line that you would be interested in? Maybe coming out of HS your son would not consider that school. But maybe he wants to transfer down the road and you have built a relationship with this coach and he is at a school you would now like to consider?

What in your gut tells you is the right thing to do? Then do that. That usually takes you in the right direction. Good luck
Coach_May:
Where I was brought up, this was called "common courtesy". When somebody reaches out to you, there's a moral obligation to reply.

It's no different if that person is asking for help or offering help, you should do your part to supply the appropriate response. It might be "thanks", it might be, "I'll be there as soon as I can".

Kids today need to live through some hard times to understand this perspective. Even though we're in tough economic times right now, it hasn't resonated with the younger generation just yet and they all seem to be asking, "what's in this for me", instead of "what can I do for us".

But I digress
Yep. How many times have we heard the stories about how the coach didnt call back? How the coach all of a sudden stopped contacting the player?

I can tell you this when my son was being recruited we responded to every single email. We sent back every single questionaire. It did not matter who it came from. Every single camp invite. "Thanks coach for inviting me to your camp. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me and invite me. I am sorry that I will not be able to attend. Please stay in touch with me and I appreciate you taking the time."

And I can tell you that if we did not get a response back from a coach we remembered that as well. If a coach said he was going to call at a certain time on a certain day and he didnt call. If a coach didnt respond to an email. Those things were red flags just like you not responding is a red flag.

Just because you have no interest right now in that school does not mean you wont down the road. Just because you dont have interest in that school does not mean that coaching staff will not be at a school you might have interest in down the road.

Remember that girl in HS you treated like s**t? You had no interest in her because she was not very attractive? Or you had a girl friend already you thought was a better "fit" for you?" Then a few years down the road your in the grocery store and you see this freaking knock out and about that time you realize its her? Yeah. And by the way your old girlfriend turned out to be a total loser. Could have , should have , would have.

Do the right thing and you will be just fine.
Thanks for the input, guys. I didn't think the schools were tracking these emails all that closely because in another thread on the Maryland board, "Bear" got the same email my son got, and he's a little old to be a 2012 grad, or even 2011. When he posted that, I thought, "This whole 'You're one of the top prospects in the area' must be a phrase that's tossed around lightly."

And those questionnaires are lengthy. The poster whose son has already filled them out and sent them back... good for him!
Many schools cast a wide net and send them out to many people. And sometimes even old folks like me. What they do track is who sends them back.

As far as the questionaires make a copy of everyone you fill out. It makes it much easier to fill out the next one. And if your asked to send in another one to the same school you don't have to worry about errors etc.
quote:
Originally posted by JMoff:
Where I was brought up, this was called "common courtesy". When somebody reaches out to you, there's a moral obligation to reply.

Sure, if somebody writes a personal individualized letter or email, there is a moral obligation to respond. But.....

My 2011 son got lots of emails. Many came to his email address, or our residence, and he usually responded to those. An unreasonable number came to my email address, and were absolutely generic. I believe that some of those come from lists compiled when he 13 or 14 (he had the good fortune to play on a couple of pretty high profile teams). I don't think he has any obligation to respond to generic emails sent to his dad's email. If they had any interest specific to him which was generated in the previous 2 years or so, the emails would have come to his address, and not mine.

On the other hand, anytime a coach shows an interest in a player (as opposed to a name on a list) then I think he has a moral obligation to respond--and a practical reason, too. That kind of interest can be shown by a call to a high school or travel coach, by an obviously personalized letter/email (no matter how delivered), or in the case of a service academy, by a phone call from the coach (they have special recruiting rules).

If a player gets individual interest, its fine to send back the questionnaire, but he should get on the phone and call the coach (if necessary leave a message), or write a personalized response back to the coach. We found that returned questionnaires mostly engendered camp invitations, or more generic promotional material. In two instances, it became obvious during phone conversations that the recruiting coach had no idea that their questionnaire had been returned, nor did he care.

With the benefit of experience, it is now clear to me that a very good way to get interest from a college is to 1) have a perceived level of talent that fits their program, and 2) show them interest. One way to do this is by attending one of their camps.

Two colleges that my son expected/hoped would show interest didn't. Once he had some interest from other schools, he sent these two schools an email with the subject line "Is abcd University interested in 3FGson?". Both schools immediately replied "very interested". One of the schools really meant that (and soon offered), and the other didn't actually have substantive interest. I believe that the school which did offer would not have done so without an initial show of interest from 3FGson, because it is a long distance from home.
Last edited by 3FingeredGlove
3Finger: Thanks for your post.

I'm new to this and although the schools who've contacted JMoff Jr were relatively few, they're all very well known.

When the number is "6" it's not hard to answer them all. Of course most of them are private schools that with even a 50% scholarship would bankrupt yours truely...

The pro-scout season opens Sunday morning and I half expect to see his #1 school there with a radar guy. He's a 6'4", 215' LHP hitting high 80's and even a rumor of 90 lately.

We're just several days into a long journey and I realize that. I'm viewing all of this as practice for my 14U daughter who's throwing low 50's as an incoming freshman...

Thank heaven for little girls.
BBDad 46,

You've already received very good advice thus far. The September 1 date is just the beginning and an exciting time for your son. Congratulations on the interest your son has received, especially coming from one of his top choices. My son (2011) is a year ahead of your son in this process, as he received the Sept 1 emails last year. I'll admit it was exciting for him, and for his mom and dad. The same adrenaline rush and excitement/disappointment occurs on July 1 of incoming senior year too. When September rolls around, it's difficult to determine the true interest a school is showing. How Big is the net that was cast out to your son and the other recruits from the initial email? Who knows? There is a very good chance that you'll see many changes over the next twelve months...schools that are currently on your son's "wish list" will change with it.

I would recommend that your son try and get on a local scout team (if it's not too late?) this Fall, or a high profile travel team in your area. You stated that your son participated in a PG Showcase, however it wasn't in a game? I assume it was a winter indoor showcase? I know showcasing can be tough on the pocket-book, but if your son is a pitcher, it's imperative that he is seen in a game situation, especially if he lacks eye popping velocity. Besides velocity and movement, college coaches want to see how our kids compete. They want to see how our kids accept success and failure on the mound, and IMO the best way to achieve this is a high profile showcase event, and there's nobody better than PG. If I'm not mistaken, they'll allow you to break your payments up to make it easier to attend their events. You may want to contact them, or possibly PGStaff will answer that if you send him a PM.

The best thing I did with my son this past baseball season was attend several college games. Now that your boy is a junior, schools can leave complimentary tickets to your son if he is on their recruiting list. We live in Southern California and we took full advantage of the opportunity! We watched a couple D2 games, a D3, and many D1 games. It was very important for me to not only attend the games for the simple pleasure of watching good baseball, but to gauge my son's ability with the players out on the field. My son is a two-way player, as I believe your son is? I tried to always arrive in time to watch a little BP, and the pregame infield/outfield. Again, we did this so we could measure his arm strength, footwork, etc... versus the college players on the field. I try and do my best to take the "Daddy Goggles" off, and give him the best advice I possibly can as it pertains to what level he can play with the tools that he has been given.

As others already stated, make sure that your son returns all emails and questionnaires. If he's invited to a camp, and he can't attend, make sure he still contacts the coach and thanks him for the invite. Also, probably the best advice I can give you is don't sit back and wait! As I said earlier, my son was/is on a few recruiting lists. We figured that attending games and saying hello to the coaches was enough? It's not. We felt that he would ultimately receive an offer from one of the schools that appeared to be quite interested in the last year. Never...not once, did we ever send emails to other schools that didn't show initial interest, figuring it was their loss...not ours! Boy was that stupid, and he's/we're learning a lesson from it. Fortunately, I had him send out an email last week with his Fall schedule to a number of colleges that he is interested in. He received replies from about forty percent of the schools, a few that weren't on the radar and a few that were. A few of the top schools on his list didn't reply, and a few schools that he's never communicated with replied and asked for his transcripts. He received a call from one of his top schools today that we thought had given up on him, apparently not...so you never know?

The lesson our family learned as of the July 1st date...unless your son is one of the "Elite" (PG 9.5/10) players, he's going to have to sell himself, just like the colleges have to sell themselves to our kids. So don't be afraid to allow him to send out his own "Large Net" to colleges. AND try your best to go watch some college games in your area with your son this upcoming season. Besides checking out the talent, it's good Father/Son time for you! Good Luck and Enjoy the Journey!
Last edited by bsbl247
First thing, congratulations to you son for receiving an email on September 1st. This time last year we were in the same boat that you are in now. It is a very exciting time for you and for your kid. The timing of the email does generally show more interest than a generic email but please take this whole early period with cautious optimism.
One thing that was said to me last July/August seemed unbelievable, but now has come to fruition. USUALLY, the early schools will not even be on the radar when the time comes for commitment.

As an example, I remember when the first emails and then the first letters came. My son neglected to check the mail that my daughters had brought into the house and there was a letter from a very nice D1 in Florida. He was elated, and read every word of the letter to us. He completed their information sheet that night (1am), AND completed their online profile. He received a few followup responses as well. The assistant coach even turned up in Jupiter at one of his games. Suddenly the emails and letters stopped. The assistant coach took a head JC job. The rest of the staff wouldn't even return an email. Sucks.

There was a good mix of D1 and D2 during this time. I can honestly say that NONE of the early schools were around this summer. During the process I received a fair share of emails to my account as well, somehow. I think when he was in 9th grade and brought up to varsity, he may have been put onto a list and my email was used. It amazes me how much the Purdue, Creighton and Virginia staff wants to see him at a camp, still to this day!

What we did was take the advice of the many members here. There are too many to mention but Coach Merc and the guy with College Select and the Cleveland guy are a few that come to mind.

My son found schools that he had an interest in and contacted them also. He did the requisite PG events and got his rating. He was persistent in his emails and follow-ups as well as playing for teams that were at well attended events. He was able to get the schools that he was interested in to come and watch him play. The school that he was most interested in (major D1) didn't work out for him. It was probably a combination of his size, (6-1 160), age (Oct 1993 birthday) and ability. A school that he, my wife, and myself had a great interest in for other reasons (low level D1), worked out VERY well, and it was all a string of good luck. The stars lined up perfectly.

After being persistent in returning all emails and information sheets, he was able to get a few coaches to his games. At a few games we were worried because I didn't see who I wanted to see at the games. After those games my son would receive an email detailing his performance. ????? later in the summer an offer came for an unofficial visit where the scholarship offer came. It turns out that the assistant coach at this particular school knows practically every umpire in the state of North Carolina. During 2 tournaments in North Carolina, he received a detailed report of my son's performance for the games when he wasn't in attendance. That is what sealed the deal for my son, in the coach's eyes. It wasn't just the PG rating, it wasn't just his East Cobb performance or his BCS performance. It wasn't his high school performance, because he never saw a HS game. It was a combination of factors. They found someone who they wanted on their team.

We ended up with a school that is an outstanding fit academically, socially, and athletically. They are crazy about him, he is in love with them, and its a 1 1/2 hr plane ticket away. I couldn't have asked for a better fit.

So, my advice after being so long-winded?

Respond to EVERY email or letter
Pursue the schools that your son would want to attend if baseball wasn't in the picture
Be prepared for schools to enter your son's life next summer who you never heard of on Sept 1st.
NEVER argue with or show up an umpire, he may be your ticket to a scholarship

Late next summer, when your son continues to get "camp" emails, I have a solution. Return the email by asking them if they want to be put on the list of schools for unofficial visits. Inform them that you are winding down your selection process and want to see if there is interest in a visit or if its simply a camp invitation. Ask if they have seen your son play. All emails should come from your son, not from you. Right away you will know if they want to see him or if they want your $395. If they see that he is visiting other schools, it might give them a stimulus to find information on him so that they don't miss out on what the others schools are seeing.

And thank you to Coach Merc and the other oldtimers here who have given such valuable advice. I am now returning the favor to other parents in my area. I direct them here and also post my experiences on the local NY website, www.calledstrikethree.com.
Last edited by nyparent
nyparent...WOW, are you sure you don't have my son...LOL, pretty much same situation here. 1B son has done all the questionairres and emails and as of today, it is a whole new slew of colleges that are showing interest and some will be making offers in the next week or two. He did 2 PG events (09) and one in (10), plus East Cobb. His dream school hasn't shown interest so we move on.
One other thing if a coach calls personally to attend a camp, definitely go..my son did and for less than a hundred dollars, this coach is working on an offer...Good Luck to all the players and really this board is a wealth of information.

"Luck is when perseverence meets opportunity."
quote:
Originally posted by nyparent:

PHASE 1
Respond to EVERY email or letter
Pursue the schools that your son would want to attend if baseball wasn't in the picture
Be prepared for schools to enter your son's life next summer who you never heard of on Sept 1st.
NEVER argue with or show up an umpire, he may be your ticket to a scholarship

PHASE 2
Late next summer, when your son continues to get "camp" emails, I have a solution. Return the email by asking them if they want to be put on the list of schools for unofficial visits. Inform them that you are winding down your selection process and want to see if there is interest in a visit or if its simply a camp invitation. Ask if they have seen your son play. All emails should come from your son, not from you. Right away you will know if they want to see him or if they want your $395. If they see that he is visiting other schools, it might give them a stimulus to find information on him so that they don't miss out on what the others schools are seeing.


NY Parent,

Very good advise. We had followed PHASE 1 thus far and continue to look into more possible schools as what you said that those who had initial interest may fade. We are still continuing to be active in Fall and will participate in the PG Nationals and AZ Senior/Junior Fall Classic. One good thing that happened to RR23Jr is something clicked in his mind and started studying really hard. Getting Good Grades and preparing for SAT/ACT is a priority as well before his spring season gets underway. From advice here, Good grades and ability will open more doors.

PHASE 2 will be next Summer.

Good luck to all my fellow 2012 parents and thanks to all 2011 parents and beyond for all advice.

Let's remember Midlo Dad and Coach Merc for Jupiter next year! I was thinking of going in late October but it coincides with the Junior Classic. When RR23JR is a Sr then he will be more ready to explore Jupiter.


RR23
Wow great advice! Looks like I asked the right people for advice. I am printing out a couple of them and handing out to my sons teammates on his summer team. I cannot thank you all enough the response I have recieved is some of the best advice I have recieved in my life .This is why this site is invaluable in helping not only in baseball but in life. To all who have helped myself and many others with taking time outof there day to help
Last edited by Baseball Dad 46
We found the Boyd's World website very helpful. It has links to Div. I, II and III's team sites. You can quickly find rosters, schedules and contact information there.
It was a great tool for gathering information, especially for the D II and III schools. We used the site for reference when we compiled our first list of 50 or so schools to send e-mails too. We made a video of lefty and attached the link to You Tube in the emails. It seemed to work pretty well and I'd say 75% either replied or sent quesstionaires.
As many have said on here before, you recruit the school...be proactive... and keep all your options open.
quote:
Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
quote:
Originally posted by nyparent:
First thing, congratulations to you son for receiving an email on September 1st. This time last year we were in the same boat that you are in now. It is a very exciting time for you and for your kid. The timing of the email does generally show more interest than a generic email but please take this whole early period with cautious optimism.
One thing that was said to me last July/August seemed unbelievable, but now has come to fruition. USUALLY, the early schools will not even be on the radar when the time comes for commitment.

As an example, I remember when the first emails and then the first letters came. My son neglected to check the mail that my daughters had brought into the house and there was a letter from a very nice D1 in Florida. He was elated, and read every word of the letter to us. He completed their information sheet that night (1am), AND completed their online profile. He received a few followup responses as well. The assistant coach even turned up in Jupiter at one of his games. Suddenly the emails and letters stopped. The assistant coach took a head JC job. The rest of the staff wouldn't even return an email. Sucks.

There was a good mix of D1 and D2 during this time. I can honestly say that NONE of the early schools were around this summer. During the process I received a fair share of emails to my account as well, somehow. I think when he was in 9th grade and brought up to varsity, he may have been put onto a list and my email was used. It amazes me how much the Purdue, Creighton and Virginia staff wants to see him at a camp, still to this day!

What we did was take the advice of the many members here. There are too many to mention but Coach Merc and the guy with College Select and the Cleveland guy are a few that come to mind.

My son found schools that he had an interest in and contacted them also. He did the requisite PG events and got his rating. He was persistent in his emails and follow-ups as well as playing for teams that were at well attended events. He was able to get the schools that he was interested in to come and watch him play. The school that he was most interested in (major D1) didn't work out for him. It was probably a combination of his size, (6-1 160), age (Oct 1993 birthday) and ability. A school that he, my wife, and myself had a great interest in for other reasons (low level D1), worked out VERY well, and it was all a string of good luck. The stars lined up perfectly.

After being persistent in returning all emails and information sheets, he was able to get a few coaches to his games. At a few games we were worried because I didn't see who I wanted to see at the games. After those games my son would receive an email detailing his performance. ????? later in the summer an offer came for an unofficial visit where the scholarship offer came. It turns out that the assistant coach at this particular school knows practically every umpire in the state of North Carolina. During 2 tournaments in North Carolina, he received a detailed report of my son's performance for the games when he wasn't in attendance. That is what sealed the deal for my son, in the coach's eyes. It wasn't just the PG rating, it wasn't just his East Cobb performance or his BCS performance. It wasn't his high school performance, because he never saw a HS game. It was a combination of factors. They found someone who they wanted on their team.

We ended up with a school that is an outstanding fit academically, socially, and athletically. They are crazy about him, he is in love with them, and its a 1 1/2 hr plane ticket away. I couldn't have asked for a better fit.

So, my advice after being so long-winded?

Respond to EVERY email or letter
Pursue the schools that your son would want to attend if baseball wasn't in the picture
Be prepared for schools to enter your son's life next summer who you never heard of on Sept 1st.
NEVER argue with or show up an umpire, he may be your ticket to a scholarship

Late next summer, when your son continues to get "camp" emails, I have a solution. Return the email by asking them if they want to be put on the list of schools for unofficial visits. Inform them that you are winding down your selection process and want to see if there is interest in a visit or if its simply a camp invitation. Ask if they have seen your son play. All emails should come from your son, not from you. Right away you will know if they want to see him or if they want your $395. If they see that he is visiting other schools, it might give them a stimulus to find information on him so that they don't miss out on what the others schools are seeing.

And thank you to Coach Merc and the other oldtimers here who have given such valuable advice. I am now returning the favor to other parents in my area. I direct them here and also post my experiences on the local NY website, www.calledstrikethree.com.

One of the very best posts I have ever, ever seen here at the hsbbweb

If you were referring to me as the "Cleveland guy" then thank you for the compliment.

Why was your post so good?

You've laid out the blueprint for what we stand for here at the hsbbweb. Many come here and whine when their phones are not ringing and you did exactly what my son and I did - we recruited them. No silver spoons here. No that is beneath us. Sheer determination. Mind over matter. Having a dream, coming up with a plan, and relentlessly executing it until the dream comes true. Like someone said, the best dreams are those that happen when your eyes are wide open.

Your post alone makes this a golden thread and I so nominate it. Thanks for taking the time and welcome to the hsbbweb!!!!!!


Yes, it was you. I didn't remember your exact screen name when I was writing but I did remember many informative postings in the past.

Thank you again.
quote:
Originally posted by Momof1B:
nyparent...WOW, are you sure you don't have my son...LOL, pretty much same situation here. 1B son has done all the questionairres and emails and as of today, it is a whole new slew of colleges that are showing interest and some will be making offers in the next week or two. He did 2 PG events (09) and one in (10), plus East Cobb. His dream school hasn't shown interest so we move on.
One other thing if a coach calls personally to attend a camp, definitely go..my son did and for less than a hundred dollars, this coach is working on an offer...Good Luck to all the players and really this board is a wealth of information.

"Luck is when perseverence meets opportunity."


I agree with you regarding taking a camp more seriously if a coach calls a kid.

I wouldn't pay as much attention to a handwritten note to a kid regarding a camp. Quite a few schools that I wouldn't mention by name have their secretaries write a few comments on the bottom of the camp letters. "It will be great to see you", etc. It looks the part but its still an inducement to get more bodies into camp.
quote:
Originally posted by nyparent:

We ended up with a school that is an outstanding fit academically, socially, and athletically. They are crazy about him, he is in love with them, and its a 1 1/2 hr plane ticket away. I couldn't have asked for a better fit.

So, my advice after being so long-winded?

Respond to EVERY email or letter
Pursue the schools that your son would want to attend if baseball wasn't in the picture
Be prepared for schools to enter your son's life next summer who you never heard of on Sept 1st.
NEVER argue with or show up an umpire, he may be your ticket to a scholarship

Late next summer, when your son continues to get "camp" emails, I have a solution. Return the email by asking them if they want to be put on the list of schools for unofficial visits. Inform them that you are winding down your selection process and want to see if there is interest in a visit or if its simply a camp invitation. Ask if they have seen your son play. All emails should come from your son, not from you. Right away you will know if they want to see him or if they want your $395. If they see that he is visiting other schools, it might give them a stimulus to find information on him so that they don't miss out on what the others schools are seeing.
www.calledstrikethree.com.


Great post, I enjoyed your advice and I'm certain that other parents will take note. Congrats to your son on finding a great fit, and a school that he loves...that's hard to beat! AND congratulations to you for guiding him through the process...Good Stuff!
The baseball community is small and they talk. We always responded to the letters, after he committed, we would send a email to the coaches who he talked to and let them know he appreciated the interest and he had committed.

You never know what is going to happen and you may want to keep your options open if it does not work out.

Some coaches may respond with congratulations, some not at all, and some may come back at you and let you know what a big mistake it is to go to XYZ, and others may throw at you the first time they see you in the box! jk
I saw this thread months ago and went searching for it again today. There is great advice here, for certain.

As we approach the important September 1 date for 2013 I would be interested in an update from Baseball46 and/or others who received those emails/letters in early September 2010 and have now gotten beyond July 1 with their rising seniors.

Thanks!

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