Hi,
A target school for my son (located in our area) asked for his Varsity schedule. In the hopes that local college scouts may come watch one or more games, how do you respond to this request if you are a pitcher and really don't know much in advance which games and when you will be pitching.
Send the general schedule, and then follow up for each game that you have advance notice you will (or may) be pitching? I expect most times the advance notice may only be 24-48 hours in advance.
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Is he a starter or reliever?
Have him have a respectful talk with his HS coach and let him know that a scout would like to come out and see him play. Get specific dates based on his HS schedule they would be available or put the two together and let them work out the details if necessary. Very few HS coaches would not accommodate a request like this.
Agree with BOF. Our son has normally known far enough in advance when he is starting.
I think your proposed approach is about the only way to go about it.
Son was scheduled to pitch one game and that changed about three hours before the game. With the handy dandy smartphone a quick text or email can be fired off by the player to give the coach a heads up in that case.
My son never knows until the night before then he sends out a text to schools and pro scouts who have ask. we have a very unorganized coach.
Essentially, this is what my son and I did while he was in HS. Then we simply gave scouts and college coaches the web address that they could check out at their convenience. It was quite inexpensive and worked out very well for us.
All helpful suggestions; thank you very much. I'll let you know what we go with and how it ultimately works out.
If the College guy doesn't already have a relationship with the coach then its a great time to try and have them develop one. Texting or emailing updates/reminders a couple days in advance has always seemed to work for us.
Bumping this thread in case anyone else has other thoughts or ideas on this for a pitcher. My son is a 2020 (HS junior) LHP at one of the biggest, most successful public high schools in one of the biggest states... and while he has had some recent amount of mid-major type D1 and HA interest, I am not certain at all when he will even pitch as a starter or reliever or even if on varsity or JV this spring season (could be both, who knows)... I realize this seems a little unusual since most HS pitchers with this interest are on varsity and probably have more predictability to their schedule, but son is at a deeply talented, competitive HS that often advances to state at the highest classification, has a couple notable MLB'ers as alums, etc., so I'm unsure how to have him respond to schedule requests.
When will he find out if he is on JV or Varsity? I would have him send out both team schedules and his HS coaches contact info. I would also suggest that he ask the HS coach if he would be willing to notify the schools that requested the schedule when he knows that your son will be pitching on a certain day/game. It would help the coach build a relationship with the college coach as well that may be good in the future. Your son could always send a text to the college once he knows he will be pitching and then follow up with how he did etc even if college isnt there to see it. I told my son that these types of contacts are touch points and the more of them you have with a coach, the better.
I have also wondered if a coach can make a certain game but your son might not be pitching that game, if that might be a good time to throw a bullpen and the college coach just happens to be there at the time... Would also suggest getting good video when he does pitch that your son can send over as well. Good luck!
Good advice from Fred. To add...
Most college RC's will not expect you to know your rotation schedule up front and most will try to connect with the HS coach if they want to see the player pitch in a game. So, don't sweat it until things settle in a bit more as far as which squad and what role he may fill. Once there is some direction there (and maybe when a college expresses this specific interest), it may make sense to have that conversation with the HS coach. Just be very respectful of the HS coach and mindful that his primary focus is the success of the HS team and not trying to coordinate pitching appearances to appease recruiting efforts. Most will do what they can to help and accommodate IF the situation allows. It is also important to them that they help their players with these efforts. If the conversation is handled properly, most HS coaches will be an ally for you. And in a program such as the one you describe, the coach will most likely know the routine.
Side note - if a P is a regular rotation starter or THE closer, then regular season games are feasible. If the P is one of the next few guys, sometimes the Holiday tournaments are when the best opportunity presents itself. If he is lower than that on the depth chart, this becomes a very difficult/unlikely proposition.
I cannot imagine a college coach coming to watch a JV game. But if they ask, I would send it. Usually a Varsity coach can tell a kid when he is starting but if he is relieving, it is a tossup.
we sent what my son did each week to coaches who were recruiting him and the schedule for the next week and when he was pitching.
It's always important to keep in mind that the college coach in season is always having to consider his considerable responsibilities to his own team's needs as he considers breaking away long enough to take in a high school appearance. It's a constant juggling act for them; one that sometimes requires that they postpone seeing and evaluating a player until the summer tournament/showcase circuit begins.
PitchingFan posted:I cannot imagine a college coach coming to watch a JV game. But if they ask, I would send it. Usually a Varsity coach can tell a kid when he is starting but if he is relieving, it is a tossup.
we sent what my son did each week to coaches who were recruiting him and the schedule for the next week and when he was pitching.
Seconding this. But to be honest, I would not send the JV schedule. It sends the message that you're unsure you will make the varsity team. Not a good sign.
College coaches aren't at varsity games all that often. It would have to take a stud freshman in a very deep program to get a college coach to a JV game. A D1 coach is not going to come watch a junior on JV, they can head to the varsity game and recruit those guys. Especially when they're in season.
I wish you luck, but I think making varsity should be more of a priority than getting recruited. If he ends up on the team, perhaps put the varsity coach in contact with the college coach.
Thanks for all the replies. HSBBW still the place to be!
Making varsity is obviously the priority. A D1 HC saw my son at some point and asked him for a schedule. I am surprised any college coach at any level watches many HS games during their season, JV or varsity, but I'd like my son to be honest about his situation with a potential future coach.
Son has a strict HS-only focus in season regardless of squad. I do think he begins this spring on JV (in a few more weeks!), though kids including those at this school already committed have moved between squads mid-season. This HS had a freshman only pitch like 4 innings last spring for the soph team (not even JV) and still committed to P5 D1(!) after. Yes, it's that kind of school where there is too much talent and too few HS innings, so I am less concerned about what message is sent along with a JV schedule in this particular situation.
Thanks again everyone... helps to talk these things through. I spent years lurking here mostly but the discussions are really valuable, so to other lurkers... participate!
There are schools like that, I agree. My son moved between JV and Varsity his sophomore year while coaches from top 10 P5 teams were calling his coach each week. He sat the bench most of his time on varsity last year. The talent at some schools is deep. I would send the schedule but say he never knows for sure when he is pitching, and include his hs coaches number. If he’s gonna make the trip, he will call first.
I will agree on the deep part and some kids are just in the wrong place in the order behind some great players in big programs. i would have definite conversations with HS HC because he needs to know what is going on. If he is a good one, he will let your son know when he is pitching and will also communicate with college coach. Our HS HC had constant conversations with college coaches and scouts last season about when my son was pitching. He has already had conversations with scouts about plans for my son this year and has told them he will notify them of his starts. That is what a good HS coach does, IMO.
