Please Back Me Up!

Parent
Let your son be recruited the way he really is. You may shave him and cut his hair to be recruited and soom or later he will show his real personality and the consecuences later will be worst than early.

Probably nothing you haven't already told him, but I'll share one of Mom's Sayings:

People see better than they think.

Scouts and recruiters are adults. Do adults find unkempt hair and facial hair worthy of uncomplimentary comment? Yes, many do. Why risk that the recruiter who is impressed with his play and needs someone at that position will be one of those adults who is off-put by such grooming? Why are adults off-put? Unkempt appearance is often interpreted as an unkempt attitude --- to his game, his studies, his general organization.

If he hasn't already been, take him to a college game or watch the tournaments currently on television. What do the players look like? Just as in business, dress and present yourself not for where you are today, but where you want to be tomorrow.

My son went to a JuCo, followed by a D1. Both had required grooming standards: hair cut, no facial hair.

He stands a chance of hurting his odds with some (not all) coaches. Guess it depends on how bad he wants to play baseball.

To me this is a classic case of your son not changing his attitude until he wants to.

I think you have come to the right place for advice and encouragement. As others have suggested, your son must assess his committment to the game. If he is truly committed to the game he will know to present himself in such a way that will give him full benefit to progress onward and upward.

I agree with others that his appearance, as you have described, will not provide this benefit. It is a detriment.

If he can come to understand this he will make the appropriate changes. It all hinges on his committment.

I have to hire employees from time to time, which is not too far removed from a coach choosing who will play for him. If I have to choose between two otherwise equally qualified job applicants, one who is clean cut and the other who has the three day beard and uncut hair guess what. Job goes to the clean cut job applicant.

While I think Racab has a good point...I would still say he should shave and get his hair cut...that is if he wants to maximize his chances of playing on. If he really doesn't care...then leave it on and let the chips fall where they may.

It will make a difference to some coaches.

I knew there was a reason why i cut my sweet sideburns after swimming season and i got out on the baseball field. now its nothing but short hair and saving nearly every day for me. your son should grow out of it, plus alot of times older more mature women dig clean cut guys, not that "grunge look".

Parent,

Give this thread a read

http://hsbaseballweb.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8686003481/m/7041023522

I'm a player who keeps the facial hair well trimmed and cleaned up.

But whenever I went to a Showcase I'd always, ALWAYS shave everything off and get a hair cut. Because you never know who is watching and the last thing you want is to lose an opportunity because a recruiter or scout got turned off due to the fact that you have facial hair.

When I went for school visits I always found out prior to the visit what the policy was, if the Coach had a no facial policy, off it went again and I got a hair cut. If the Coach didn't have one I made sure everything was trimmed and had a hair cut.

My son is a junior catcher that wears one of the hockey style masks.

So, his hair gets a scruffy at times and from Thursday to Saturday doesn't shave.

The mask covers it all up.

One of the things I noticed this past weekend in the season series finale, with pro scouts in attendance, was an immaculate hair cut and freshly shaved face each day.....................

Look like a ballplayer.

Racab offers good advice imo ...

Thank you one and all.

I printed out the responses late last night and showed them to my son, who begrudgingly agreed that I could have a point. He'll be getting his hair cut before his first summer tourney.

When his high school coach required a haircut, he had no problem with it. I don't think a college coach's requirements will be a problem for him either. But right now, he's not under anyone's authority except mine and for some ridiculous reason, he thinks he knows more than I do. Complicating the matter is the fact that his girlfriend and her mother like his longer hair.

Again, thanks for your support!

quote:

Originally posted by parent:
Complicating the matter is the fact that his girlfriend and her mother like his longer hair.

B-I-N-G-O! I remember a time when women adored long hair immensely!

quote:

Originally posted by Doc_K:
I'm a player who keeps the facial hair well trimmed and cleaned up.

But whenever I went to a Showcase I'd always, ALWAYS shave everything off and get a hair cut. Because you never know who is watching and the last thing you want is to lose an opportunity because a recruiter or scout got turned off due to the fact that you have facial hair.

I agree.

You're never going to turn someone off if you're clean shaven and well-groomed, but you might if you aren't.

It's not worth the risk IMO.

quote:

by K: a recruiter or scout got turned off due to the fact that you have facial hair.

true, but ... if you're a "bad boy" ya oughta look like a "bad boy"

quote:

Originally posted by Bee>:
true, but ... if you're a "bad boy" ya oughta look like a "bad boy"

True. But he can be a bad boy AFTER he signs. I doubt those guys looked like that when they were getting recruited/scouted.

I think the point most are making is very simple; nobody got overlooked for being clean-cut but some do for looking unkempt.

Bee,



True good point, but what about those players who keep their hair short but have the Goat or the Beard? They aren't truly the 'bad boy' now are they?

Unfortunately, one has to agree with the idea of the clean-cut kid having an advantage in recruiting due to coaches biases. So you gotta do what you gotta do or deal with the consequences. And in the workplace too, unfortunately.

But let me get this straight.

All manner of clean cut baseball players at the MLB level have been arrested or been involved in:
Drugs
Steroids
Drunk Driving (many)
Stalking
Wife beating
Wife swapping
Gambling
Tax fraud
and the list goes on . . .


Now go to your local LL, Pony, Babe Ruth, USSSA, AAU, Dixie and HS games and you’ll see all sorts of clean cut kids being kicked out of games (or not) for throwing helmets, swearing at umpires, swearing at their coaches, and youth hockey is even worse.

Locally, the HS players’ off-field antics include beating up people at a drunken bash, robbery, malicious destruction of property, and those are just the kids that got caught. Clean cut youths all, glowing writeups in the papers on their high school football, wrestling and baseball exploits and their college selections. By the way, how’d that nice clean-cut Allison kid make out?

And yet, knowing nothing about a player, you’ll make a character judgement on a kid with long hair or sideburns. That’s rich.

No wonder baseball had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the integrated era.

quote:

by Beeze: But he can be a bad boy AFTER he signs. I doubt those guys looked like that when they were getting recruited/scouted

maybe, tho I saw only 1 of those guys as a youngster
OSU's Swisher (large pic) has cleaned up a bit

If a kid can play,his hair/beard will have no bearing in my book---you can make the change once he is playing in your organization---I am more concerned with how he respects the game


Find me a kid who hits like Manny and ask me if I care about his hair? And on the other side of the coin is Jeter---both great players with their own look

quote:

Originally posted by dad10:
No wonder baseball had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the integrated era.

Along with the rest of the country unfortunately.

We have made great progress over the last half century don't you think?

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
We have made great progress over the last half century don't you think?

Yes we have. And yet here we're dealing with a topic where the length of a kid's hair is an issue. Sometimes it's like the 1950s all over again.

Coaches like TR have a good approach. See what the kid can do and take it from there. Unfortunately it seems not everyone can take the blinders off.

dad10

Our philosophy is to find the "players"---after that we can deal with the "problems"---we have a number of kids who are succeeding despite past indiscretions or long hair---I also believe that most teens want to have an authority figure tell them what they need to do--they like to push the envelope as far as they can---and in most cases it isnt the parent they react to---my own son was best buddies with his HS Athletic Director---he knew things I didnt know--thankfully the AD talked with me

Dad10, sounds like you have some issues. The question was about the impact of grooming on the recruiting process. As few of our members are college recruiters, our personal opinions have no power; as many of us have had our sons signed, our personal experience can be helpful.

Recruiters have to see a player, be interested by his play, and judge how he might fit into his program. Keep in mind that that last component is complicated, involving everything from academics to finances to team chemistry to needs at that position/can he be converted to a position we do need. Keep in mind these decisions are made in woefully limited time and across a whole lotta players. Any little thing a player can do to improve his chances can mean the difference between playing in college or not, or playing at the dream school or not.

Of course being clean cut doesn't make anybody a good person/ballplayer. Of course choosing an individual style doesn't make anyone a bad person/ballplayer. And of course a college recruiter doesn't have the time to delve deeply into many players he looks at, so appearances (as in, from the stands) will weigh heavily.

Had the question been running out to your position every time or starting the game with a clean uni (other 'surface' components), would you have included the comparisons to wife beating and swearing at umpires?

The thing is, there are many quality players. And none of them are owed a shot at a team, be it hs, travel, college, or pro.

quote:

Originally posted by dad10:
Yes we have. And yet here we're dealing with a topic where the length of a kid's hair is an issue. Sometimes it's like the 1950s all over again.

Coaches like TR have a good approach. See what the kid can do and take it from there. Unfortunately it seems not everyone can take the blinders off.

dad10 - I think you and others are starting to veer off course so let me support my comment. The original question (summed up) was "Will my son's longer hair be an issue with recruiters?" It didn't say anything about expressing thier individuality, or it's effect on their skill level.

My son has spells where he prefers longer hair. I'm thinking Bee even may have met him with longer hair. I think he looks good that way too and don't care too much about it....it's HIS hair.

BUT, having said that, I believe that a clean cut look is preferable when being recruited (just like when interviewing for a job).

I have issues now?

Jeez . . . . . I AGREED with the prevailing opinion as relates to the original poster's question, which is why I prefaced my comments by saying in essence that YES, appearance DOES matter so you gotta do what you have to to do to get what you want and have your best chance at success. That doesn't divert from what anyone else said really.

I went on to make a point about the tenuous nature of making rash characterizations based on appearance alone and sited axamples, because, you know, I'm not going to go make a broad generalization without some backup. Sorry I strayed so far afield from the topic for some of you. I thought that was the idea of a forum, to explore ideas. Silly me. Is this the only topic here that has not strictly adhered to the original post?

So now I have issues. I better go see a shrink.

You might be able to talk Tony Soprano out of one of his appointments with Dr.Jennifer Melfi. She's usually booked solid. Good luck!

Nah, then I'd owe him something and that can't end well. Poor me.

quote:

Originally posted by dad10:
I went on to make a point about the tenuous nature of making rash characterizations based on appearance alone and sited axamples, because, you know, I'm not going to go make a broad generalization without some backup. Sorry I strayed so far afield from the topic for some of you. I thought that was the idea of a forum, to explore ideas. Silly me. Is this the only topic here that has not strictly adhered to the original post?

So now I have issues. I better go see a shrink.

I was typing when Orlando posted. I was simply trying to steer back to the original topic...but DO agree with you (looks shouldn't matter). But unfortunately, they do.

You're right...it might not end well...ask the one in the middle about that!

(we need a special smiley just for Woodrow)