What makes a good recruit?
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Excellent grades + talent = recruit prospect.
Coachability
This might go along with YoungGunDad's "Coachability, but we all have seen the very talented athlete who lacked the "desire". So I would add desire.
Yes, desire should have been added to my equation.
While we are on this subject, I'm looking to see if parents of the successful kids, playing after college saw that "spark" early on, that almost obsession with baseball. I'm betting these boys were among this group of what I'll call a type "A" baseball personality. There was a good book out about Ted Williams, his youth. He had two hobbies, baseball and fishing. Not much hanging with friends, much about working hard on his baseball early on.
Fungo, I recall your son being among the ones going on after school.
While we are on this subject, I'm looking to see if parents of the successful kids, playing after college saw that "spark" early on, that almost obsession with baseball. I'm betting these boys were among this group of what I'll call a type "A" baseball personality. There was a good book out about Ted Williams, his youth. He had two hobbies, baseball and fishing. Not much hanging with friends, much about working hard on his baseball early on.
Fungo, I recall your son being among the ones going on after school.
PUHD,
As a little boy, my son just loved the game and couldn't get enough watching and playing. I don't consider that an obsession, just the usual love for the game passed down by his dad to his young son.
I don't talk much about my husband here but as son entered HS I think he wanted my son to live and breathe the game 24/7. That just wasn't my kids style, he had many other interests, he was a smart kid who knew what he wanted and he understood how to get there, he had to work hard on the field and in the classroom (that's where mom came in). I'll be the first to admit I sometimes wondered if he worked as hard as he should. In HS my son was always coming up with ways to make some money, although he didn't need it, he worked through HS and he enjoyed the independence it brought him not to ask mom or dad for allowance every week. I think that was an integral part in wanting to succeed, the freedom to be your own man and not depend on others. No matter which way you slice it, baseball is a business and someone told me that many pro players succeed because they approach it that way, not sure if that is true or not.
I think that NOT being obsessive made him a good recruit, I think that most coaches that were serious with him liked the fact that he was well rounded had outside interests but when it came to the game, completely focused. He learned early that when the game was over good or bad, it was over until the next game, something very important IMO. If it was bad, he reveiwed what needed to be worked on, if good he enjoyed it for a day, or two than it was over. You cannot get ahead obsessing over what you did yesterday, that's how he was, is and always will be. But that worked for our player, some here may say you must be obsessed to get ahead.
I think he actually is more obsessive over football and basketball than baseball.
Right now baseball is his job, not his life. He takes it seriously, as we all should in our jobs, but not obsessive about it. That works for him.
Coachable, a word I heard often when being recruited. That is very important, no coach wants a player to be above the game that he can't take suggestions, learn and put it to good use. There are many players out there that are good, very good, but not coachable. I think a coach would take a not as talented player over one that is more coachable. Attitude, and most of all competitive nature and being a good teammate. There are some really good players out there that don't make good teammates, that's important in the college game, becomes less important in pro ball.
As a little boy, my son just loved the game and couldn't get enough watching and playing. I don't consider that an obsession, just the usual love for the game passed down by his dad to his young son.
I don't talk much about my husband here but as son entered HS I think he wanted my son to live and breathe the game 24/7. That just wasn't my kids style, he had many other interests, he was a smart kid who knew what he wanted and he understood how to get there, he had to work hard on the field and in the classroom (that's where mom came in). I'll be the first to admit I sometimes wondered if he worked as hard as he should. In HS my son was always coming up with ways to make some money, although he didn't need it, he worked through HS and he enjoyed the independence it brought him not to ask mom or dad for allowance every week. I think that was an integral part in wanting to succeed, the freedom to be your own man and not depend on others. No matter which way you slice it, baseball is a business and someone told me that many pro players succeed because they approach it that way, not sure if that is true or not.
I think that NOT being obsessive made him a good recruit, I think that most coaches that were serious with him liked the fact that he was well rounded had outside interests but when it came to the game, completely focused. He learned early that when the game was over good or bad, it was over until the next game, something very important IMO. If it was bad, he reveiwed what needed to be worked on, if good he enjoyed it for a day, or two than it was over. You cannot get ahead obsessing over what you did yesterday, that's how he was, is and always will be. But that worked for our player, some here may say you must be obsessed to get ahead.
I think he actually is more obsessive over football and basketball than baseball.
Right now baseball is his job, not his life. He takes it seriously, as we all should in our jobs, but not obsessive about it. That works for him.
Coachable, a word I heard often when being recruited. That is very important, no coach wants a player to be above the game that he can't take suggestions, learn and put it to good use. There are many players out there that are good, very good, but not coachable. I think a coach would take a not as talented player over one that is more coachable. Attitude, and most of all competitive nature and being a good teammate. There are some really good players out there that don't make good teammates, that's important in the college game, becomes less important in pro ball.
TPM, very good post, you have a very well rounded son. I was very impressed with his getting jobs on his own. In many respects our two sons are alike except in the job category.
Six weeks of basic training!