When do you start looking

Slow down big guy and make the high school team first. It's good that you want to make sure you're not late to the party but it always helps to make the high school team before you start thinking college. If all the seniors ended up playing college ball then you want to make this high school team due to the nature of talent on it (assuming this wasn't a one year fluke).

Your son (and you) will need to do the majority of the work to get picked up by a college. In order to do this your son needs to be on competitive teams - mainly very good summer teams that get out to East Cobb, Jupiter and attend PG Events just to name a few. Recruiting is done in the summer time due to colleges playing at the same time as high school and it's nearly impossible to get out and see players. Being on a very good high school team will draw coaches out but the summer is where it's at.

I advise that he attends college camps of schools he would like to attend. Get in front of the coaches he wants to impress early on - probably start this summer going into sophomore year - and attend every year. Also, attend showcases that his choice of schools will be at as well. Make sure your son is contacting these coaches to let them know he will be attending these events and then introduce himself before the event. This will help them remember him and if they like what they see they will get in touch with him.

The thing is there really isn't an instructional book to recruiting. Every person has their own story as to how it went down but the common things are - have the talent / grades and get seen by them somehow.

I will give some friendly advice - slow down and enjoy where your son is because it will pass way too fast. The odds of playing college baseball are pretty slim but it can be done. But don't hurry high school years along because they can be very special and you and your son both need to enjoy them.

quote:

Originally posted by gindog:
Thanks Coach I hope he makes the team also next year.We have three HS that has us to come play with them.(good thing we rent) I did not know when we was going to have to start working on it.

Jimmy03 what did I do this time

Sounds like your son is at a good percentile for velocity.

The advice here is right though. Not much is going to happen at this point. Find the best coaching possible and make sure they're not overworking him.
Make the HS team when the time comes and play on the best travel team possible. In a year or so, have him start working on his body - usually a good program will set him up with that.

I was in the same place you were two years ago. This past winter we got involved with a fairly high level 12-month-a-year travel program. Son trained as a 15U with 34 16U/17U pitchers. During the winter saw a 14U pitcher that was really humbling: 6'3" and very lean; gunned 84 (Stalker) in the spring; reportedly hit 85/86 in the summer; wristbones just below mid-thigh; father played some pro... You dont need a gun to see that this kid is faster than the rest - even at two years up - you can see it. The focus is not on the schools and scouts for this guy - it's on the mechanics; the work; and the body.

It has been a good thing for my son to see. This summer he has knocked 1200 calories out of his diet; and run the trail; is on an every other day throwing schedule; gone to the gym; ridden the bike; canoed the river. He has seen the genetic marvel in the flesh and knows that it wasn't the kid's dad that was holding the radar gun.

My guy starts his sophomore year in a few weeks. They have decided to move HS baseball to the fall here. In his first semester, he is writing a PSAT; trying to get 4.0's in both Math and English; will play HS Volleyball and Baseball concurrent followed by Basketball in the late fall. On top of that he will travel one hour each way and work out with his travel baseball team on W,S,S each week all the way. There will be Wednesday nights where he will get home to begin homework at 11:00 and finish at 1:00 with a 7:00 a.m. school practice the following morning.

A couple of years back,I was cautioned by folks on this site just like Coach 2709 "slow down and enjoy where your son is because it will pass way too fast." All good advice. It's different now - that time is over and can't be reclaimed. It's not a bad thing now either - he is now taking charge and forging his way. Next June, he will get on Highway Coaches and be gone for weeks, and we wont get to see him play all that often. Trampoline bats, Cooperstown Dreams Park, and a time when plastic trophies meant something are gone. I dont get to stand behind an L-screen anymore because he's become a pitcher-only.

We are two years removed from you and, as predicted - a LOT has changed.

Get him to 90 as soon as you can. This will save you lots of money, travel and headaches.

YOU JUST DON'T GET TO 90

quote:

Originally posted by gindog:
My son just turn 14 and is 5'8" and he throws his fastball 75-77, change-up, curve, slider. He is going in to 8th grade this year. When do we need to start looking at college and talk to them? I know we have another year of USSSA ball before school ball come into play. He will be going to a 7a school and I understand that all the Sr. this year all got pick up by a college. I not sure if I (we) have to do the legwork for looking for him a school or if his school coaches will do our talking for us as we look for a school. Could anyone give me some understanding on this please.

He doesn't need a curve and a slider at 14. I suggest lay off of the slider for now to avoid injury later on. I can't imagine a 14 year old throwing a true slider.

You have a long way to go, just relax and grow up, work on the most important pitch, the FB, then the change up as it is more difficult to pick up later on.

I wouldn't waste money on college camps unless you feel the need for good instruction. Actually, I wouldn't waste money on anything at this point in time, it doesn't grow on trees and you will need much $$$ later to pay for college. Wait until your son hits varsity, work hard in the classroom and develop good study habits and have fun playing the game. Find a good team to play with next summer. If you can, attend college games next spring. Coach gives good suggestions, but all of this cost lots of money and most people don't have it, spend it wisely when the time is right.

What does 7a school mean?

Most college coaches can't even contact you yet and really not too intersted in 8th or 9th graders unless phenoms. I suggest that you don't try to hunt them down on the phone at this time, they are very polite, very busy and as much as you think they enjoy the conversation, they usually don't.
JMO.

with TPM

7A is the HS division. It is the largest student population division in Fl. They adjusted divisions this year, going from 7A to A. Most all would agree with TPM on this. Eighth grade is a fun year. If you are on a good USSSA team in Fl, getting good instruction, stay right there. Great competition is all around, and you can still play Elite 32 at Disney, the best tournament series our son ever played in prior to HS. There really is no reason to leave the state, unless possibly to play a qualifying tournament for Elite. Our summer has been expensive (junior year), but we spent money wisely and I don't think have gotten too carried away. The summer after 9th grade was his first year to play some PG tournaments with a 16u team. He didn't go to Esat Cobb because he really wanted his last summer at the Elite 32, and much easier on the pocketbook. This was his first year playing at East Cobb and other tournaments on a u17 team. Colleges have been receptive now, but I rally don't see the value of starting too young. Good luck to your son.

Thanks for all the good info! We are going to kick back and have fun. I just didn't want to do what I did with my daughter as we started to late and she had to walk on to a team.
We almost went to that Elite 32 at Disney this year. But went to Global Worlds in Gulf Shores Al with his 14 team as he play up. We are on one of the best tournament teams we can fine here. His coach is one of the coaches of the showcase team I talk about up top (first post)with all the kids beening pickup by collages. I dont know anything about the Esat Cobb I have to look that up. I know he love the game as so miney other kids do.I also know some will make it and some will not.

Great advice on this thread, but I want to highlight something.

Grades, grades, grades. My son is a rising junior who has played baseball with many kids who are now seniors. It is unfortunate to see some of their options limited because they didn't focus on their grades the first two years of high school.

.

"THE KIDS TODAY DO NOT GET TO 90 EASILY ENOUGH !!!!!"

.

I think gindog might have multiple personalities. The above OP gindog seems much more articulate than this other one...

quote:

Originally posted by gindog (ref: "Unwritten Rules"):
...
I seen this statement and was think Why Are or Are Not these unwritten rules not in print. If the opposing team gives up and doesn't put forth the effort why should another team let up on their behalf? We had a kid on three base that stole home when the pitcher was walking back to home with his head down And we was told by ump that was sorry of us. Seen a kid take off his helmet just be for he run thru home and was call out on a homerun hit and had one call on us for a kid taking off helmet at 1 base to get his hair back out running.
...

You're catching on.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
YOU JUST DON'T GET TO 90

Some do. Seriously, going to showcases and camps won't improve your velocity.

quote:

Originally posted by wraggArm:
I think gindog might have multiple personalities. The above OP gindog seems much more articulate than this other one...

quote:

Originally posted by gindog (ref: "Unwritten Rules"):
...
I seen this statement and was think Why Are or Are Not these unwritten rules not in print. If the opposing team gives up and doesn't put forth the effort why should another team let up on their behalf? We had a kid on three base that stole home when the pitcher was walking back to home with his head down And we was told by ump that was sorry of us. Seen a kid take off his helmet just be for he run thru home and was call out on a homerun hit and had one call on us for a kid taking off helmet at 1 base to get his hair back out running.
...

If it wasn't a good topic I wouldn't have bothered, I did notice the improvement!

I told you'll some days are better then other. I try to keep my typeing to the days when I am doing better. I wish they was as good as today been.

maybe the quality of the typing depends on the amount of gin?

I would start doing a few showcases of sorts Sophomore Year of high school. Until then it is all fluff and 99% of the players projectibility is just too far out.

I went to a few my sophomore year and although I struggled I started to get comfortable at these types of events and started to see what I needed to work on. By summer of junior year I was extremely comfortable at showcases and "strong", having cleaned up most of my weaknesses that were apparent from previous outings.

At this point I think it is fine to start emailing coaches, however please note all most coaches will do at this point is file your name away. I am not a coach but having spoken to my college coach when I played, with so many players out there they 95% of the time focus on the juniors who they can actively recruit... so it is up to the player to be ready to be recruited, meaning perhaps a few showcases/ emails starting sophomore year is a good idea.

Ken Jacobi

Author of “Going with the Pitch: Adjusting to Baseball, School, and Life as a Division I College Athlete”

He is 14. He is 5'8 and throws 77 mph. What are you going to tell a college coach? What are you going to email him about? Don't you think you need to put the focus on actually working to become a good hs player first? How is going to a showcase going to help a player who is 5'8 14 and throwing 77? What are you showcasing?

I am not trying to put anyone down in this post. The player could develop into an absolute stud in a couple of years. But no amount of showcasing and no amount of emails is going to change the facts. A lot of hard work and growing up can do that.

Coach I completely agree with you that he needs to get better overall. My thinking in going to a showcase early isn't to be seen but to see where he needs to try and end up. As a 14 or 15 year old I think it's good to go against those guys in showing off skills. At his age 77 is probably good in the leagues he plays in but when he's on the mound throwing that next to the 17 / 18 year old senior who's touching 90. That can be used as a "a-ha" moment of I need to get better.

I think you'll agree with me in that what you see on TV and even from the stands doesn't really click in the head until your on the field with it. I've sent younger guys to showcases before and they have always came back talking about how impressive the older guys were. Almost always they start working at it. Some don't but those typically are the kids who just don't want it.

You could save a lot of showcase money, by just telling jr he has to get to 90. So, less pimpin' and more workin'.