My son recieved a call from a coach on the 1st. what happens from here and should us as parents give the coach a call? He mentioned to my son to feel free to have us call.
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stootbat,
Welcome to HSBBWeb!
Congrats on your son getting a call on July 1. These are very exciting times for both your son and family. Frankly, most of the folks I know had their son handle the recruiting communication with the coach either by phone or email. We saw our son grow up during the recruiting process to handle more and more of the decision making and dialogue. We were always there to coach him when he asked for help. We became much more involved in our son's process when the topic of Financial Aid came up and that was with the Financial Aid office not the coach.
I feel that we had a fairly typical approach (laissez-faire) as I've spoke to to more and more folks about this. Our philosphy was that he is 18 years old. He needs guidance, and we will provide guidance to the best of our abilities, but he will do "ALL the heavy lifiting" to realize his dream.
I'm sure others will chime in with their approach as there is no right or wrong answer. Best of luck to you and your son.
Welcome to HSBBWeb!
Congrats on your son getting a call on July 1. These are very exciting times for both your son and family. Frankly, most of the folks I know had their son handle the recruiting communication with the coach either by phone or email. We saw our son grow up during the recruiting process to handle more and more of the decision making and dialogue. We were always there to coach him when he asked for help. We became much more involved in our son's process when the topic of Financial Aid came up and that was with the Financial Aid office not the coach.
I feel that we had a fairly typical approach (laissez-faire) as I've spoke to to more and more folks about this. Our philosphy was that he is 18 years old. He needs guidance, and we will provide guidance to the best of our abilities, but he will do "ALL the heavy lifiting" to realize his dream.
I'm sure others will chime in with their approach as there is no right or wrong answer. Best of luck to you and your son.
Thanks good advice. I was just not sure how to handle it. He like so many wants to play D1 and now that he actually got a call it's like what do we do.
I've got to agree with fenwaysouth that you should let your son handle the communications with the coach. For many young men, this is the first time they will be expected to interact in a mature manner with someone who will have a lot of control over their lives in the next four or five years. Dealing with different coaches and different personalities, each with a different sales pitch or approach will really help the players learn to weigh decisions and choices in a more grownup manner. If a visit is arrainged with the parents invited, there will probably be an opportunity for the parents to meet the coach and talk to him then after the young man has already done the initial talking. Good luck!
quote:Originally posted by stootbat:
My son recieved a call from a coach on the 1st. what happens from here and should us as parents give the coach a call? He mentioned to my son to feel free to have us call.
Sit back and enjoy some cracker jacks while your son has fun playing more summer ball!
Things will come to light for him very soon.
stootbat,
Have been wondering the same. I have heard thru my son that some of the calls his teamates have received have numbers attached to them as far as scholarship % offers and his have not. I have deduced that those that got a numbers offer were the two way pitcher/position players, so its understandable they need to lock down those kids asap.
Its an interesting period. My son has been told they still want to evaluate him thru the rest of the summer season and will make some determinations then. I think thats a fair and reasonable expecatation since he is a 1B/DH kid.
Have been wondering the same. I have heard thru my son that some of the calls his teamates have received have numbers attached to them as far as scholarship % offers and his have not. I have deduced that those that got a numbers offer were the two way pitcher/position players, so its understandable they need to lock down those kids asap.
Its an interesting period. My son has been told they still want to evaluate him thru the rest of the summer season and will make some determinations then. I think thats a fair and reasonable expecatation since he is a 1B/DH kid.
Eric G,
You have a PM.
You have a PM.
Fenway you have a PM!
The only time I became involved with communicating with the coach was after things turned towards finances. Otherwise my son handled the emails and direct communication with the coach.
As Fenway has stated, my son also grew as a result of taking charge of the recruiting process. I once heard someone put it this way:
You (as the Dad) are not being recruited, it is your son that they are interested in.
As Fenway has stated, my son also grew as a result of taking charge of the recruiting process. I once heard someone put it this way:
You (as the Dad) are not being recruited, it is your son that they are interested in.
do you guys read anything into a kid getting called on July 1 ? Is this an indication of interest level etc ? Asking because my son also was called on July 1 by a school he hadn't heard from before. Thanks for your consideration.
ashbat,
Congrats on your son gettting a July 1 call. I think if a coach is going to call July 1 there has to be some higher level of interest (beyond casual curiousity). Your son's job is to find out what that level of interest is and what are the next steps for both coach and recruit to learn more about each other. Your son should also ask where the coach has seen him play.
Possibly this coach saw your son play in a travel showcase, tournament or high school game. My son's travel coach used to tell the team...."that you never know who is watching". Several times we had personal contact from schools we had not previously reached out to. As it turns out, sometimes coaches come incognito (without radar gun, stopwatch or uniform) and will introduce themselves in a parking lot at a showcase or tournament. It happens. I'm not sure if the NCAA approves but it happens.
Best of luck!
Congrats on your son gettting a July 1 call. I think if a coach is going to call July 1 there has to be some higher level of interest (beyond casual curiousity). Your son's job is to find out what that level of interest is and what are the next steps for both coach and recruit to learn more about each other. Your son should also ask where the coach has seen him play.
Possibly this coach saw your son play in a travel showcase, tournament or high school game. My son's travel coach used to tell the team...."that you never know who is watching". Several times we had personal contact from schools we had not previously reached out to. As it turns out, sometimes coaches come incognito (without radar gun, stopwatch or uniform) and will introduce themselves in a parking lot at a showcase or tournament. It happens. I'm not sure if the NCAA approves but it happens.
Best of luck!
Fenway , thanks for your time pal , i really appreciate it. The coach told my son he saw him at Area Code tryouts. It happened to be one of those events he did well at. The coach said he would see him play next week at the WWBA 17U event. Hopefully he hears more after that.
Fenway, props to you! thanks for the great PM's good stuff!!!
On communicating with coaches: yes the athlete should make the call. But first:
Write down some possible questions the coach may ask, like the ever ambiguous and telling question: tell me about yourself. Have an answer ready - talk about your family, your baseball experience, your other sports and organization experience, what you like to do for fun (like fishing). How is your summer team doing? What positions other than the one he has seen you in do you play?
Then write down some questions you have.
Then practice your introduction and answers with someone, like your mom, dad, little brother or sister, your dog, or the mirror.
Remember, you are NOT the first athlete they have ever talked to. It's ok if you are a little nervous. Thank them for thier interest. SMILE when you talk, it comes through in your voice. Enunciate your words, don't mumble. (This is where the practicing comes in).
Take notes while you talk.
Ask him at the end of the conversation when you can call him again. Write it down and DO IT!
Finally, don't "hope" that you will hear from them again. Call after the event he'll see you at.
I guarantee that you will get rejected by some ( maybe even your dream school, but that's ok), put on a list by some, and if you are lucky, you'll get an offer or two. Unless you are a 95 mile per hour lefty pitcher that is 6'1", that is the reality. You have to put yourself out there.
Good luck!
Write down some possible questions the coach may ask, like the ever ambiguous and telling question: tell me about yourself. Have an answer ready - talk about your family, your baseball experience, your other sports and organization experience, what you like to do for fun (like fishing). How is your summer team doing? What positions other than the one he has seen you in do you play?
Then write down some questions you have.
Then practice your introduction and answers with someone, like your mom, dad, little brother or sister, your dog, or the mirror.
Remember, you are NOT the first athlete they have ever talked to. It's ok if you are a little nervous. Thank them for thier interest. SMILE when you talk, it comes through in your voice. Enunciate your words, don't mumble. (This is where the practicing comes in).
Take notes while you talk.
Ask him at the end of the conversation when you can call him again. Write it down and DO IT!
Finally, don't "hope" that you will hear from them again. Call after the event he'll see you at.
I guarantee that you will get rejected by some ( maybe even your dream school, but that's ok), put on a list by some, and if you are lucky, you'll get an offer or two. Unless you are a 95 mile per hour lefty pitcher that is 6'1", that is the reality. You have to put yourself out there.
Good luck!
My son received calls from 3 D1 colleges on July 1st. He had 3 very different conversations. No actual offers but really positive views on his prospects. His conversations have been very straight forward on his part but we are starting to get a feeling for the schools from that first encounter. Truth be known, we had no idea he would get this kind of attention. This is all very complicated.
What happens after the call(s)? First off, Congratulations on receiving a call or calls on 7/1...but understand that for the majority of kids, this is the beginning of a very long process that can become stressful if you let it! My advice would be to Relax, take a deep breath, and Enjoy it! The fact that a coach has interest in your son is flattering and is an indicator that they feel there's a possibility that he could play in their program. Your son should be handling the majority of the leg work from here on out, with minimal help from Mom & Dad. The coaches realize that kids are going to be nervous during the initial phone conversations, and are pretty good about making the kids feel comfortable. Besides, the majority of the conversation is centered around baseball, your son's grades in school, and his summer baseball program.
My son received several calls on 7/1 last year. Three were from schools he had already been talking to, and two other's that had not been on the radar. I had my son text/email coaches his summer schedule and keep them updated on any changes as needed. I have to admit, my wife and I were very excited anytime a coach would call and talk to our son. The process seemed to take forever, we sat back as a number of my son's friends were giving verbal commitments to various colleges, and our son had yet to receive an offer. It was stressful, but all I could tell my son was to go out and play the game hard. He's a 2-way RHP/OF, and some schools wanted him as an outfielder and other's wanted him as a pitcher only. My son made it clear to the schools recruiting him that he wanted the opportunity to come in as a two-way player. By the time summer ended and Fall Baseball began, most of the coaches were still communicating with my son. I was getting to the point where I wanted to talk to the coaches myself, and ask them point blank....Do you want my son to play for you or not!!?? In fact, I formed a friendship with fanofgame via numerous PM's regarding one of the school's that was recruiting my son. My kid (I've said "my son" enough!) continued to play through Fall Ball and sent his schedule via emails/texts to the coaches that had been communicating with him, and several more to coaches that hadn't seen him play. In October his hard work Finally came to fruition! He had a very good showing at the Senior Fall Classic in Arizona on the mound and at the plate. There were four schools that called his cell phone on the drive back home to So Cal, and we had three visits the following week. We had one more visit scheduled for a school in Northern California, but my son (kid
) decided that he knew where he wanted to attend college and play ball, and he called the coach the following day and gave his verbal commitment. He signed his NLI in November and we were very proud...and Yes, Relieved!
The lesson we learned was that obviously the Blue Chip player's will receive most of the early offers, that was to be expected. But there were some Very Good ballplayers that didn't receive offers in the early signing period for one reason or another? If you do receive an early offer (July/August), please make sure that it's going to be a good fit athletically, academically, and financially for your son and family...Heck, you should be doing that whenever he's close to committing! Also, keep asking questions on this site. There's a wealth of information and a ton of people that want to help...Best of Luck on your son's Recruiting Trail!
My son received several calls on 7/1 last year. Three were from schools he had already been talking to, and two other's that had not been on the radar. I had my son text/email coaches his summer schedule and keep them updated on any changes as needed. I have to admit, my wife and I were very excited anytime a coach would call and talk to our son. The process seemed to take forever, we sat back as a number of my son's friends were giving verbal commitments to various colleges, and our son had yet to receive an offer. It was stressful, but all I could tell my son was to go out and play the game hard. He's a 2-way RHP/OF, and some schools wanted him as an outfielder and other's wanted him as a pitcher only. My son made it clear to the schools recruiting him that he wanted the opportunity to come in as a two-way player. By the time summer ended and Fall Baseball began, most of the coaches were still communicating with my son. I was getting to the point where I wanted to talk to the coaches myself, and ask them point blank....Do you want my son to play for you or not!!?? In fact, I formed a friendship with fanofgame via numerous PM's regarding one of the school's that was recruiting my son. My kid (I've said "my son" enough!) continued to play through Fall Ball and sent his schedule via emails/texts to the coaches that had been communicating with him, and several more to coaches that hadn't seen him play. In October his hard work Finally came to fruition! He had a very good showing at the Senior Fall Classic in Arizona on the mound and at the plate. There were four schools that called his cell phone on the drive back home to So Cal, and we had three visits the following week. We had one more visit scheduled for a school in Northern California, but my son (kid
) decided that he knew where he wanted to attend college and play ball, and he called the coach the following day and gave his verbal commitment. He signed his NLI in November and we were very proud...and Yes, Relieved! The lesson we learned was that obviously the Blue Chip player's will receive most of the early offers, that was to be expected. But there were some Very Good ballplayers that didn't receive offers in the early signing period for one reason or another? If you do receive an early offer (July/August), please make sure that it's going to be a good fit athletically, academically, and financially for your son and family...Heck, you should be doing that whenever he's close to committing! Also, keep asking questions on this site. There's a wealth of information and a ton of people that want to help...Best of Luck on your son's Recruiting Trail!
There is nothing magic about July 1st phone calls.
My son received two.
The first call came at breakfast time, and the coach was eager to have my son visit his campus on his way home from the tournament he was then playing. Boy, were we excited! A July first call before nine in the morning! This must be the start of something really big! Not really.
We drove to the college, took the tour, talked to the coach, and found out my son was one of two players he would consider if the athletic department gave him permission to add another player to his roster. He wanted us to stay in touch through the summer and fall to see how things shook out with his budget and the other player. ("So, I guess you're probably not looking at him as a weekend starter, huh, Coach?") It was instructive to us that a coach whose actual interest was so tentative could convey so much enthusiasm and urgency over the phone.
The second call was from my son's "dream school." My son affirmed his interest in playing there. The coach checked back every week, but never hinted that an offer might be forthcoming and never suggested a visit. After a month or so, the coach broke off communication, presumably after he had obtained commitments from more highly rated prospects.
I offer these stories because it is important to understand that recruiting activity is a reflection of the coach's desire to get the best players for the least scholarship money and to give himself the most options as he puts his signing class together. To maintain that flexibility, he needs to keep a lot of kids excited about his program even if it's unlikely they will ever be offered scholarships.
When a coach knows he wants a player, he will move decisively and unambiguously to build a relationship and gain a commitment. Therefore, if you find yourself reading tea leaves and re-reading emails and replaying telephone conversations in your head to figure out what it all means, you can be pretty sure your son is still part of a contingency plan.
My son received two.
The first call came at breakfast time, and the coach was eager to have my son visit his campus on his way home from the tournament he was then playing. Boy, were we excited! A July first call before nine in the morning! This must be the start of something really big! Not really.
We drove to the college, took the tour, talked to the coach, and found out my son was one of two players he would consider if the athletic department gave him permission to add another player to his roster. He wanted us to stay in touch through the summer and fall to see how things shook out with his budget and the other player. ("So, I guess you're probably not looking at him as a weekend starter, huh, Coach?") It was instructive to us that a coach whose actual interest was so tentative could convey so much enthusiasm and urgency over the phone.
The second call was from my son's "dream school." My son affirmed his interest in playing there. The coach checked back every week, but never hinted that an offer might be forthcoming and never suggested a visit. After a month or so, the coach broke off communication, presumably after he had obtained commitments from more highly rated prospects.
I offer these stories because it is important to understand that recruiting activity is a reflection of the coach's desire to get the best players for the least scholarship money and to give himself the most options as he puts his signing class together. To maintain that flexibility, he needs to keep a lot of kids excited about his program even if it's unlikely they will ever be offered scholarships.
When a coach knows he wants a player, he will move decisively and unambiguously to build a relationship and gain a commitment. Therefore, if you find yourself reading tea leaves and re-reading emails and replaying telephone conversations in your head to figure out what it all means, you can be pretty sure your son is still part of a contingency plan.
quote:Originally posted by Swampboy:
I offer these stories because it is important to understand that recruiting activity is a reflection of the coach's desire to get the best players for the least scholarship money and to give himself the most options as he puts his signing class together. To maintain that flexibility, he needs to keep a lot of kids excited about his program even if it's unlikely they will ever be offered scholarships.
When a coach knows he wants a player, he will move decisively and unambiguously to build a relationship and gain a commitment. Therefore, if you find yourself reading tea leaves and re-reading emails and replaying telephone conversations in your head to figure out what it all means, you can be pretty sure your son is still part of a contingency plan.
Excellent points Swampboy, I couldn't agree more!
#1 son got a call 2 days ago. Nice 10 minute conversation. Coach said he would call back in a week or two to setup a day for him to visit in August.
My son is excited but keeping it all in perspective.
My son is excited but keeping it all in perspective.
Well said Swampboy! I recall son not getting any calls on the 1st, I was disappointed considering all the events he was invited to and the "letters". In our case it all worked out fine thus far. He is going into his junior year now.
Only the blue chippers have it made when it comes to recruiting.
Only the blue chippers have it made when it comes to recruiting.
Swampboy, nice writeup and very helpful.
I'm bumping this to see if any of the posters have any updates now that we are in November.
quote:Originally posted by Pop Up Hitter dad:
Well said Swampboy! I recall son not getting any calls on the 1st, I was disappointed considering all the events he was invited to and the "letters". In our case it all worked out fine thus far. He is going into his junior year now.
I am still learning, but I thought phone calls were allowed July 1 BETWEEN Junior and Senior year?
Keewart,
Pop Up Hitter Dad's son is a junior in college, not high school. His sit-by-the-phone July 1st was in 2008.
Pop Up Hitter Dad's son is a junior in college, not high school. His sit-by-the-phone July 1st was in 2008.
Swampboy, thanks for the clarification. Fairly new to the site so I don't know all the posters here. It is hard enough to keep all the rules and regs straight!
So glad to search this board . . . we actually said these exact words in our house yesterday.
The coach who called 2013 yesterday is from a school in his preferred conference and we knew he had been to showcase events where 2013 performed well. They had never had much e-mail contact but 2013 had completed the recruit questionnaire and sent his summer schedule, etc.
An interesting note: this particular school has been sending admissions information 2-3 times per week for the past year.
The coach who called 2013 yesterday is from a school in his preferred conference and we knew he had been to showcase events where 2013 performed well. They had never had much e-mail contact but 2013 had completed the recruit questionnaire and sent his summer schedule, etc.
An interesting note: this particular school has been sending admissions information 2-3 times per week for the past year.
Thanks for reviving this thread!!! I hadn't seen it before, and my 2013 got a call from a D1 last night. It was a school that we didn't send any info to but saw him play last weekend. We had done some rehearsal conversations of our own on Saturday night, but are keeping it all in perspective. The most important thing to us is that a mid-high D1 school called and that affirms for us that the schools we have been targeting (mid-majors) are probably right for him...
Lots of prayers and deep breaths... thanks to all for your contributions on this site. I found it in the fall and it has been a huge, huge help for us.
Lots of prayers and deep breaths... thanks to all for your contributions on this site. I found it in the fall and it has been a huge, huge help for us.
quote:The most important thing to us is that a mid-high D1 school called and that affirms for us that the schools we have been targeting (mid-majors) are probably right for him...
Lots of prayers and deep breaths... thanks to all for your contributions on this site. I found it in the fall and it has been a huge, huge help for us.
Ditto! We told 2013 that the most important thing this does is confirm that we are looking at the right types of schools/programs and the "objective opinions" about his skills and projectability were dead on.
Rehearsal was key for 2013 also and we weren't around him when he took the call. From his account he did very well and remembered almost everything he was supposed so say/ask/reply. He was so excited he didn't get the coach's name
, but the website has helped us narrow down which one actually called him.
My son had a tournament this weekend and lost hi phone Friday after the game he pitched. After tearing his bags and the car apart, we deemed it gone forever. About halfway home heH freaks out and realizes coaches can call him on Sunday. As luck would have it, we still had an old android that we had the number transferred to. Still lost his contacts and photos.
Well, he did get one call yesterday, so I guess it was good we got him a replacement. It was from his second choice so he was excited. The good thing was that he has talked to this coach so he was comfortable on the phone. I don't know what the call means, but we are keeping it in perspective. I told him not to expect an offer on the phone and not to expect one now. Never know what will happen and who else they are targeting.
Well, he did get one call yesterday, so I guess it was good we got him a replacement. It was from his second choice so he was excited. The good thing was that he has talked to this coach so he was comfortable on the phone. I don't know what the call means, but we are keeping it in perspective. I told him not to expect an offer on the phone and not to expect one now. Never know what will happen and who else they are targeting.
quote:Mizzoubaseball said...The good thing was that he has talked to this coach so he was comfortable on the phone. I don't know what the call means, but we are keeping it in perspective.
Mizzoubaseball - You hit the nail on the head IMHO. Most July 1 calls are not going to lead to offers & acceptance. One of the best things that can come out of it (July 1 phone calls) is that your son learns how to handle himself in dealing with adult situations. This is such an important skill. As your son does more and more phone calls he will get much better at it and much more comfortable. In a few weeks, he'll be handling these calls like a Pro.
It's important to remember that coaches who know they want a certain player before July 1st will never wait until July 1st to make contact. They will make contact via email or an intermediary and do everything they can to secure a verbal commitment right away.
Therefore, the primary significance of July 1st to a coach is that it becomes easier to communicate with players to whom he is not ready to make an offer. That's why FenwaySouth's post is correct.
About this time last year, I posted my son's July 1st experience. Several people found it helpful, so I am copying it here:
--------------------------------------
There is nothing magic about July 1st phone calls.
My son received two.
The first call came at breakfast time, and the coach was eager to have my son visit his campus on his way home from the tournament he was then playing. Boy, were we excited! A July first call before nine in the morning! This must be the start of something really big! Not really.
We drove to the college, took the tour, talked to the coach, and found out my son was one of two players he would consider if the athletic department gave him permission to add another player to his roster. He wanted us to stay in touch through the summer and fall to see how things shook out with his budget and the other player. ("So, I guess you're probably not looking at him as a weekend starter, huh, Coach?") It was instructive to us that a coach whose actual interest was so tentative could convey so much enthusiasm and urgency over the phone.
The second call was from my son's "dream school." My son affirmed his interest in playing there. The coach checked back every week, but never hinted that an offer might be forthcoming and never suggested a visit. After a month or so, the coach broke off communication, presumably after he had obtained commitments from more highly rated prospects.
I offer these stories because it is important to understand that recruiting activity is a reflection of the coach's desire to get the best players for the least scholarship money and to give himself the most options as he puts his signing class together. To maintain that flexibility, he needs to keep a lot of kids excited about his program even if it's unlikely they will ever be offered scholarships.
When a coach knows he wants a player, he will move decisively and unambiguously to build a relationship and gain a commitment. Therefore, if you find yourself reading tea leaves and re-reading emails and replaying telephone conversations in your head to figure out what it all means, you can be pretty sure your son is still part of a contingency plan.
----------------------------
Best wishes to all who are going through that senior summer now.
Therefore, the primary significance of July 1st to a coach is that it becomes easier to communicate with players to whom he is not ready to make an offer. That's why FenwaySouth's post is correct.
About this time last year, I posted my son's July 1st experience. Several people found it helpful, so I am copying it here:
--------------------------------------
There is nothing magic about July 1st phone calls.
My son received two.
The first call came at breakfast time, and the coach was eager to have my son visit his campus on his way home from the tournament he was then playing. Boy, were we excited! A July first call before nine in the morning! This must be the start of something really big! Not really.
We drove to the college, took the tour, talked to the coach, and found out my son was one of two players he would consider if the athletic department gave him permission to add another player to his roster. He wanted us to stay in touch through the summer and fall to see how things shook out with his budget and the other player. ("So, I guess you're probably not looking at him as a weekend starter, huh, Coach?") It was instructive to us that a coach whose actual interest was so tentative could convey so much enthusiasm and urgency over the phone.
The second call was from my son's "dream school." My son affirmed his interest in playing there. The coach checked back every week, but never hinted that an offer might be forthcoming and never suggested a visit. After a month or so, the coach broke off communication, presumably after he had obtained commitments from more highly rated prospects.
I offer these stories because it is important to understand that recruiting activity is a reflection of the coach's desire to get the best players for the least scholarship money and to give himself the most options as he puts his signing class together. To maintain that flexibility, he needs to keep a lot of kids excited about his program even if it's unlikely they will ever be offered scholarships.
When a coach knows he wants a player, he will move decisively and unambiguously to build a relationship and gain a commitment. Therefore, if you find yourself reading tea leaves and re-reading emails and replaying telephone conversations in your head to figure out what it all means, you can be pretty sure your son is still part of a contingency plan.
----------------------------
Best wishes to all who are going through that senior summer now.
quote:Originally posted by Swampboy:
It's important to remember that coaches who know they want a certain player before July 1st will never wait until July 1st to make contact. They will make contact via email or an intermediary and do everything they can to secure a verbal commitment right away.
Therefore, the primary significance of July 1st to a coach is that it becomes easier to communicate with players to whom he is not ready to make an offer. That's why FenwaySouth's post is correct.
About this time last year, I posted my son's July 1st experience. Several people found it helpful, so I am copying it here:
--------------------------------------
There is nothing magic about July 1st phone calls.
My son received two.
The first call came at breakfast time, and the coach was eager to have my son visit his campus on his way home from the tournament he was then playing. Boy, were we excited! A July first call before nine in the morning! This must be the start of something really big! Not really.
We drove to the college, took the tour, talked to the coach, and found out my son was one of two players he would consider if the athletic department gave him permission to add another player to his roster. He wanted us to stay in touch through the summer and fall to see how things shook out with his budget and the other player. ("So, I guess you're probably not looking at him as a weekend starter, huh, Coach?") It was instructive to us that a coach whose actual interest was so tentative could convey so much enthusiasm and urgency over the phone.
The second call was from my son's "dream school." My son affirmed his interest in playing there. The coach checked back every week, but never hinted that an offer might be forthcoming and never suggested a visit. After a month or so, the coach broke off communication, presumably after he had obtained commitments from more highly rated prospects.
I offer these stories because it is important to understand that recruiting activity is a reflection of the coach's desire to get the best players for the least scholarship money and to give himself the most options as he puts his signing class together. To maintain that flexibility, he needs to keep a lot of kids excited about his program even if it's unlikely they will ever be offered scholarships.
When a coach knows he wants a player, he will move decisively and unambiguously to build a relationship and gain a commitment. Therefore, if you find yourself reading tea leaves and re-reading emails and replaying telephone conversations in your head to figure out what it all means, you can be pretty sure your son is still part of a contingency plan.
----------------------------
Best wishes to all who are going through that senior summer now.
Thanks very much, Swampboy. I have read your post several times in the past couple of weeks. Where did your son land?
One particularly frustrating thing for our family is receiving two pieces of correspondence on July 2 from coaches who have seen 2013 and had expressed interest previously in personal correspondence. Both sent form messages that said "it's difficult for our program to carefully evaluate every player at these showcases, so we'd like you to come [pay $400] to a camp on our campus."
It's not difficult to read between those lines.
2013:
These camp invitations that come now can be very important. There are many schools that will put on a small camp for a relatively small number (30 or fewer) of players and then make decisions on who to offer. If your son has a strong interest in the school, I would send him to the camp.
Best of luck.
These camp invitations that come now can be very important. There are many schools that will put on a small camp for a relatively small number (30 or fewer) of players and then make decisions on who to offer. If your son has a strong interest in the school, I would send him to the camp.
Best of luck.
quote:Originally posted by jemaz:
2013:
These camp invitations that come now can be very important. There are many schools that will put on a small camp for a relatively small number (30 or fewer) of players and then make decisions on who to offer. If your son has a strong interest in the school, I would send him to the camp.
Best of luck.
Unfortunately, in both of these cases it was an invitation to attend the three-day camp for anyone in high school (one of which 2013 has already attended in a previous year), so it's not exclusive by any means.
We will certainly watch for anything that does appear to be small and specific. Thanks for the tip.
2013 Parent,
My two cents.....Sorry if this comes across the wrong way, but I come from the "leave no stone unturned" mindset.
You may want your son to call those "$400" schools to ask if they are "recruiting camps" or "instructional camps". There are many schools that send a recruiter to these national and regional showcases. The recruiters are looking at hundereds of kids, and comparing them to their "shopping list". A team may divide their recruiters into East Coast and West coast showcases. The recruiters job is to make a list, and possibly invite some of those recruits to their campus so the whole baseball staff can see the kids and make a determination. My son's school did this a few years ago, and there were about 50 kids that had come across the country because they knew it was a recruiting camp, and one of the recruiting coaches had previously seen them at a showcase. However, it wasn't even close to $400 to attend. For example...the recruiter may be a hitting coach, but he wants the pitching coach to see some prospects at their camp. With everything that has been said, you'll need to make a determination if the college is a place your son is truly interested in, and is it a good fit academically, athletically and financially. This may be the best way for him to be seen by a dream school.
I would make the phone call, and let them tell your son why he should be at the camp. This is showing the school that he is taking the initiative, he is interested but he doesn;t have to committ to the $400. You have nothing to lose.
My two cents.....Sorry if this comes across the wrong way, but I come from the "leave no stone unturned" mindset.
You may want your son to call those "$400" schools to ask if they are "recruiting camps" or "instructional camps". There are many schools that send a recruiter to these national and regional showcases. The recruiters are looking at hundereds of kids, and comparing them to their "shopping list". A team may divide their recruiters into East Coast and West coast showcases. The recruiters job is to make a list, and possibly invite some of those recruits to their campus so the whole baseball staff can see the kids and make a determination. My son's school did this a few years ago, and there were about 50 kids that had come across the country because they knew it was a recruiting camp, and one of the recruiting coaches had previously seen them at a showcase. However, it wasn't even close to $400 to attend. For example...the recruiter may be a hitting coach, but he wants the pitching coach to see some prospects at their camp. With everything that has been said, you'll need to make a determination if the college is a place your son is truly interested in, and is it a good fit academically, athletically and financially. This may be the best way for him to be seen by a dream school.
I would make the phone call, and let them tell your son why he should be at the camp. This is showing the school that he is taking the initiative, he is interested but he doesn;t have to committ to the $400. You have nothing to lose.
quote:Originally posted by fenwaysouth:
2013 Parent,
My two cents.....Sorry if this comes across the wrong way, but I come from the "leave no stone unturned" mindset.
You may want your son to call those "$400" schools to ask if they are "recruiting camps" or "instructional camps". There are many schools that send a recruiter to these national and regional showcases. The recruiters are looking at hundereds of kids, and comparing them to his "shopping list". The recruiters job is to make a list, and possibly invite some of those recruits to their campus so the whole baseball staff can see the kids and make a determination. For example...the recruiter may be a hitting coach, but he wants the pitching coach to see some prospects. Now, with that said, you'll need to make a determination if the college is a place your son is truly interested in, and is it a good fit academically, athletically and financially. This may be the best way for him to be seen by a dream school or not. I would make the phone call, and let them tell your son why he should be at the camp. This is showing the school that he is taking the initiative, he is interested but he doesn;t have to committ to the $400. You have nothing to lose.
Fenwaysouth, I'll give you 50 cents for that advice. We were pondering exactly that: is this a good opportunity for 2013 to reach out to these coaches who have seen him before and have expressed at least polite interest in him before. Yeah, they might give him the sales pitch, but he can ask what notes they have about his performance at these last events and what thoughts they have on him fitting any of their needs for his class and what they'd like to see more about him at an event.
Fenwaysouth, you have a PM.
In one case, our son made a call like that and was offered an official visit on the phone. Not because he was calling but because he couldn't come to camp.
Our 2013 has also had email conversations with a D1 coach who encouraged our kid to attend their camp because he is "on their short list" and they want to get to "know him personally".
Another D1 coach wanted to know if our midwest kid would be playing down South anytime soon. We tried to schedule a showcase that the pitching coach was attending only 9 hours away, but the coach indicated they may not be able to attend after all and then sent us an invite to their showcase in late summer. After we talked it over with some we trust, it was highly recommended we take the risk that our son is plan B and make the 900 mile trip.
We were told that some budgets are so tight at schools that they really want kids to come to them so that athletic departments are spending less in recruiting and signing a kid. They want to get kids as cheaply as they can.
My advice, better safe than sorry...go to the camps.
Another D1 coach wanted to know if our midwest kid would be playing down South anytime soon. We tried to schedule a showcase that the pitching coach was attending only 9 hours away, but the coach indicated they may not be able to attend after all and then sent us an invite to their showcase in late summer. After we talked it over with some we trust, it was highly recommended we take the risk that our son is plan B and make the 900 mile trip.
We were told that some budgets are so tight at schools that they really want kids to come to them so that athletic departments are spending less in recruiting and signing a kid. They want to get kids as cheaply as they can.
My advice, better safe than sorry...go to the camps.
Bleacherdad, make that coach put his money where his mouth is and express interest by asking him to waive the "camp fee". Going to these camps are expensive with travel and lodging costs thrown in.
Bet you'll know for sure what "list" he really is on.
Good luck, you'll need it.
Bet you'll know for sure what "list" he really is on.
Good luck, you'll need it.