Besides the normal - hit homeruns, 60 under 7.0, being 6' tall - how does a player get noticed at a college event with 50 or so players who are ALL good? Hustle on and off the field MORE than the other kids?? Is there anything else??
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As with most things in life, it comes down to attitude, preparation and execution when all things are equal. Coaches are going to go into a camp/showcase with a set of problems that need to solved. If a recruit can identify what the need is and provide an answer so much better for that recruit. Knowing the strengths, weaknesses, tendencies and preference of a program can help get an edge. JMO.
You are placing too much pressure on your son, look in the mirror.
Bob
Given your son is in the middle of go time he has to go with who he is. All he can do is prepare hard for each event and hustle at the event. Always look confident with making the play or not. A player has to have the "I'll get the next one" approach and look when he fails on a play.
You and he can't worry about the uncontrollable. He can only control the effort. All it takes is a moment in time in front of a coach who likes what he sees. Good luck!
Consultant - thank you for the response but you know nothing about me. I only encourage my son and give him the info I feel appropriate. I DO NOT hound him.
I am only trying to get as much info as possible to help him and to help him make an informed decision when and if the time comes.
Because of your response, i will no longer post on this site. Thank you to everyone else who has been there to help me gather info through this process, most of you have been extremely kind and considerate.
Make sure you son does a "self check" before he goes for all the necessary clothing, hat, cleats, etc. Son was at a showcase once and a player forgot a belt. In other words, "look like a baseball player".
Another thing I have noticed about a player on my son's summer team, which taps into what RJM said, is to make sure your player doesn't look like it is the end of the world on a missed play or a strike out. The player on my son's team hangs his head after every strikeout when he walks back to the dugout (and this is a summer collegiate team).
RKBH posted:Consultant - thank you for the response but you know nothing about me. I only encourage my son and give him the info I feel appropriate. I DO NOT hound him.
I am only trying to get as much info as possible to help him and to help him make an informed decision when and if the time comes.
Because of your response, i will no longer post on this site. Thank you to everyone else who has been there to help me gather info through this process, most of you have been extremely kind and considerate.
RKBH, seems a bit of an over reaction for what Consultant actually said. We've all been slammed and we have all gotten good advice. Not everyone will say things that you want to hear, just like not every coach will help your kid. Take in the good and the bad and then release the bad.
RKBH,
I agree with CACO3GIRL. This is a message board and sometimes things come across as very literal. I've been around here a while (3 boys worth) and the great advice I've received has significantly overshadowed any bad advice or advice I didn't understand. So, somebody threw some "chin music" at you. Get up, brush yourself off, and continue your at bat. But don't quit the game. JMO.
Am I missing something here? Is there a history from another thread or something? I feel like the OP asked a pretty innocent question and got a rather unexpected response. Like there are missing pieces to this puzzle...
The first time I got bashed on this site I felt like a child that got sent to his room. And I didn't want to come out. (btw-I got slammed for how I parented/punished my child....sheesh).
Too much good stuff on this site to sign off. Don't let one or two people get under your skin.
I would say don't try to do anything Special. Play hard and hustle but if you try to throw the ball twice as hard or try to hit every ball 600 feet usually nothing good happens.
Just trust your skills that you have practiced and execute.
Wow "you know nothing RKBH" Look up TRhit sometime. Stick around for your son, if you don't it's his loss.
Here is a great article on what college coaches are looking for. This is for the past CWS DIII champion, but you could fill in the name and school with almost any program in the country. Read this very carefully as it should pretty much answer every recruiting question for you.
http://usatodayhss.com/2016/re...-university-baseball
This is why it is so important to understand your son's potential and target the schools he can compete at. I have seen DIII teams that my son's HS team might have beaten and a team like Trinity on a given day could beat almost any team in the country. If he is not one of the top kids in a major tournament don't be targeting SEC/PAC12/ACC programs. Know where he fits and target those schools.
Thank you for the nice responses. I appreciate all of your help. We are targeting smaller schools in the Mid Atlantic region. I certainly understand where he fits in. I am just unsure what the purpose of that post was from that person. But again, I am NOT a baseball person, just trying to be a good parent and gather as much info as possible. Thanks again and I will stay but I certainly will not be posting anymore public questions...will private message if I have a question. I guess I just expected everyone to be nice on this site but that is not what I am finding from a select few. Thanks!!!
2020dad posted:Am I missing something here? Is there a history from another thread or something? I feel like the OP asked a pretty innocent question and got a rather unexpected response. Like there are missing pieces to this puzzle...
I agree - it was very strange. I wish he would explain but he upset me already so the damage is done. To be honest, I do not even understand his reply. "I am putting too much pressure on my son, look in the mirror". What does that even mean? I do think he has me mixed up with someone else. I have never posted any pictures of my son or video. Onward - one stranger is not going to make or break me ...it just puts a damper on the whole experience of posting on this site. Overall it has been a great experience....thanks!!!!
RKBH posted:Thank you for the nice responses. I appreciate all of your help. We are targeting smaller schools in the Mid Atlantic region. I certainly understand where he fits in. I am just unsure what the purpose of that post was from that person. But again, I am NOT a baseball person, just trying to be a good parent and gather as much info as possible. Thanks again and I will stay but I certainly will not be posting anymore public questions...will private message if I have a question. I guess I just expected everyone to be nice on this site but that is not what I am finding from a select few. Thanks!!!
You said" How do you stand out, besides the normal - hit homeruns, 60 under 7.0, being 6' tall".
Do you think it could have been taken that your kid already hits homeruns, runs a 60 under 7.0 and is 6 feet tall but THAT ALL isn't good enough for you?
Did you know the Consultant has been in baseball since before you were born and he's seen parent after parent drilling and grilling kids before a showcase?
Just some things to consider...I'm not in his head but I hope you see how it could have been taken that way.
I did not look at it that way - I meant to say my son DOES NOT hit homeruns, run under a 7.0 - 60 and is NOT 6' tall...I did tell him that he was 5' 9" - thanks for the interesting take on this...I hope that is the case. If my son had all of these attributes, I would not be asking any questions...but I guess there are people whose kids have all of these things and ask similar questions.
Caco... No it can't be taken that way. And how many years baseball experience someone has is irrelevant to reading a post properly and giving a polite answer instead of unjustly being judgemental. Again unless there is some background here from another thread or something this insult was completely uncalled for. And you and I came on here about the same time and both received our share of unwarranted attacks. I choose to remember that and pop up to defend those unjustly criticized. I would NOT call this an attack, believe me RK it can get much much worse. In fact this was fairly tame. But we simply don't need any of it. A person innocently asked a legitimate question and deserves legitimate answers. For the record RK I have no other input for you as my son has not yet showcased or I would gladly give it. Just the same thing I tell my son constantly "someone is always watching".
RKBH posted:I did not look at it that way - I meant to say my son DOES NOT hit homeruns, run under a 7.0 - 60 and is NOT 6' tall...I did tell him that he was 5' 9" - thanks for the interesting take on this...I hope that is the case. If my son had all of these attributes, I would not be asking any questions...but I guess there are people whose kids have all of these things and ask similar questions.
Two years ago I saw a 2016 D1 commit working out at a field with his dad. He was a Junior with multiple D1 offers.
I heard the dad yell with disgust in his voice "How did you even get a scholarship your swing is crap, you should just give up baseball and take up lacrosse!"...and then the dad walked off and up to the parking lot.
Yes, there are parents out there that NOTHING is good enough or will EVER be good enough. I'd wager Consultant has seen more than a few.
Unfortunately for the OP, this thread has veered off course. There have been some similar posts where the initial response has been deemed "too harsh" (My kid is 10 yo, how hard should he be throwing? ...remember that one). I think the consensus a few month back was to give the OP a little rope and try to determine whether the OP is crazy or not. If deemed crazy, then gloves off. This OP wanted to know how a kid stands out in a college camp. Someone should have politely pointed him towards the wealth of info on this site and stress that simply showing up the day of the camp will likely not pay dividends, rather there needs to be lots of advance work. I say someone should have done that if the goal is to help out folks. Seems like this happens every few months where some new poster gets blindsided and the discussion then turns toward how the members should respond. I like some of the spirited discussions and some of the pointed comments, but not sure this OP deserved what he got. I know it's not the end of the world, but not much to gain by being mean on this thread - wait for that dad to come back around asking whether his 11 yo is throwing hard enough and then let loose.
You should also constantly remind him how much you're paying for this.
Seriously, though, talent stands out. A exceptionally bad attitude may also stand out, but other than that, it will come down to talent. It's also not a competition, so it's not necessarily about looking better than the other players on the field. I've been to showcases where no one on the field was talented enough to help themselves and I've been to showcases where everybody on the field was talented.
Tell your son to be himself, do his best, and have fun. The rest will happen or not based on easy disqualifiers for his position.
RKBH - I asked a very similar question when I first joined the board, so you are not alone. I still ask a lot of process and procedure questions. All of my interactions with Consultant have been quite positive. As I've learned over the years, sometimes how you word things or how you read things can be very different than intended. I try to give the benefit of the doubt.
My son has been to a couple showcases now. He is not a really big kid, doesn't throw really hard or hit bombs. There is nothing he can do about that other than keep working to get better. The one thing he does do is listen when the coaches are talking or instructing. He caught a coach's attention this weekend because he was really engaged in the pitching mechanics clinic the coach was leading. He listened, asked questions and tried to do what the coach was asking. In his feedback meeting, that is something this coach specifically mentioned liking about my son. Now, the coach is keeping an eye on my son (class of 2018).
Good luck to your son. And please stick around. There is so much to be learned from the people on this site. Sometimes, you have to weed through the negative stuff, but the majority of people and advice on here is spot on.
Showcase tips- Assuming you go through a pro-style workout and then some type of games.
Be aggressive on fastballs in the strike zone. Hustle, be audible in the field and play with a smile on your face. Maintain good body language, run to your position between innings and be quick to slap hands with a teammate for a great play. Show enthusiasm. Throw the ball a crisply as you can under control. Swing to drive the ball, not just hit it. Get dirty, lay out for a ball or two if the opportunity presents itself. Play loose and have some fun. Keep your shirt tucked in, have some pride in the way you present yourself. Unless you throw 90 plus, don't wear your cap sideways and even if you do throw 90, don't. Bring your own water, banish parents to the stands. Don't complain about the mound being soft. Hard 90..even on a swinging bunt to the pitcher. Try to stretch to the double into a triple. Get good leads.
At any showcase there will be outliers, good and bad but most of the kids are going to fall into the pretty good category. If most everyone there is pretty good, you just don't want to be a knucklehead and give a scout/recruiter an easy reason not to like you. The harder you make their decision to not like you, the better off you'll be.
2017LHP, I am back buddy, and that boy is now 10.4333 years old, clocked in the 50 to 53.5 range. I will be here for a while, love this site...
Look up TRhit sometime
They named a cigar after him ... Blunt
RKBH posted:Thank you for the nice responses. I appreciate all of your help. We are targeting smaller schools in the Mid Atlantic region. I certainly understand where he fits in. I am just unsure what the purpose of that post was from that person. But again, I am NOT a baseball person, just trying to be a good parent and gather as much info as possible. Thanks again and I will stay but I certainly will not be posting anymore public questions...will private message if I have a question. I guess I just expected everyone to be nice on this site but that is not what I am finding from a select few. Thanks!!!
As someone commented an Internet post can come off as very direct. Online comments lack inflection. I do recommend you look at Consultant's profile. It's not as if the advice came from an amateur psychologist. It came from a guy who has seen as much baseball as anyone on this site.
I am posting for a third time, gasp, because Consultant usually is spot on. Maybe he had a rough morning.
Could his "look in the mirror" possibly mean to literally look in the mirror....is mom and dad tall or short? stocky? what is the upside for growth (height/weight) of the player? Genes play a factor. That is why coaches want to meet the parents!
One thing that hasn't been mentioned in this particular thread... execution of proper pre-event tasks...
-contact coaches that will be there from schools of particular interest in a courteous, enthusiastic, personalized and effective manner so that you are likely to get a good look once you are there.
-have trip and gear properly planned so there are no unnecessary stress points.
-once there, all you can do is be respectful, play hard and have fun.
RKBH, please PM me.
RKBH posted:I did not look at it that way - I meant to say my son DOES NOT hit homeruns, run under a 7.0 - 60 and is NOT 6' tall...I did tell him that he was 5' 9" - thanks for the interesting take on this...I hope that is the case. If my son had all of these attributes, I would not be asking any questions...but I guess there are people whose kids have all of these things and ask similar questions.
RKBH, no, you may not be asking these questions but you would be asking other ones if your son was doing all these attributes. We all ask questions no matter what stage our son is. They are just different ones. Read and try to learn the topics/posts that pertain to you and ignore the rest. Then 6/12/18/24/36 months from now, as your situation changes, go read them again and the ones you skip over. I learn things everytime I re-read something because my experiences (and my son's) have changed.
CAGO3 Girl;
Your are correct. When "BB Scout" Doug managed our Giants Area Code team during our AC tryout, a young man 5'8 was recognized by the scouts with his style of play. The players name - Dustin Pedroia. "one of Doug's favorite players.
At another tryout in Los Angeles over 140 college coaches and pro scouts evaluated the players selected by pro scouts and my network. Arron Hill from our International Goodwill Series made the Royals team with Albert.
Another player, who the scouts wanted in the AC games was age 13 and the S-California parents complained because he would replace their son's opportunity for the AC team.
Before the games, his father said my son "bad mouth me". I called the player and said I can keep you out of games unless you apologize to your father NOW! He did and the rest is history. Del had a 15 year MLB career.
Tryouts, showcases and AC games place pressure on the families. Players have internal pressure to succeed. It is in the athlete's code to compete.
A one day or 2 day tryout is very difficult for any player. For 17 years, I operated over 200 AC tryouts and MLSB tryouts.
If you desire to learn, ask the camp or showcase organizer his or her expectations and format.
Bob
PS: the Japanese HS players use the mirror to teach hitting and pitching and coaches use it to practice facial expressions.
Consultant is the man. He has offered great advice to me personally and many others here. Don't read too much into his tone.
Even if he is the best player in his town, it's nerve wracking to have to go play against all the other best players in their respective towns. Don't feed into the nerves.
Just tell your player to go be a stud. Confident and a little cocky, and of course talent, shows well.