When is it panic time?

My 2013 is in a similar situation, although he is MIF. We had a specific conversation with a DII that said they won't even ramp up recruiting until September because they want the DI's to "get out of the way". Reasoning is they don't have a lot of recruiting time/dollars and don't want to waste it on a potential DI. They know if a DI offers, 90% take the DI over any DII...

I was wondering if there is a "slotting" that occurs. What I mean by that is that the much bigger (top 20) DI's recruit hard in July/August because they are in competition, then the mid-majors wait a little so that the "cream" is gone and they have a better shot at the next level of talent.

Reason I say that is because in conversations my 2013 appears to be a #2 choice for 3 ACC schools, and a potential #1 for some mid-majors but the mid-majors aren't offering yet...

There is a big PG Showcase upcoming next weekend and we're hoping that will stir up some more activity and we are making the camp rounds to schools that had expressed interest to his summer coach...

Being told that it is early for mid-majors, they kick-in more in September/October...

Guys, as much as we all want to panic, realize that we are all not alone. Mine is a 2013 also, lefty pitcher hitting low 80's. Nothing firm yet.

I have been hearing the same thing that you guys have been hearing, as far as mid majors waiting. But then you hear about guys verballing to SIUE and Austin Peay, so some mid majors are offering now.

My advise for what its worth. Dont wait for schools to come back at you. My son got one D-1 call on July 1, a school that my son and coaches have been eying each other for about 9 months. They liked him, blah blah blah. Said they wanted to see him again, so late July he went and pitced great at their stadium, but nothing. Son out of nowhere emails coach and they told him they are still looking at pitching and wont make up mind until the end of fall. Same with an upper level D-2. Coach watched him and told me that he would be in touch. He never was in touch. Son texted him and he said it was great hearing from him and he wants him to come up and throw for his pitching coach. Dont sit back and wait for calls. Your son may have to call them.

Also, be patient. This is the advise I am having a hard time following. I am pretty sure there are scholarships left for 2013s.

It's been several years now, but from what I can remember, feel free to panic anytime.

Guys, I went through exactly what you are feeling with a player that was recruited by mid level DI's and solid DII's several years ago and I can tell you that you shouldn't panic. Yall are right about some of those level teams waiting a month or so to let things clear up. Things are in flux right now. If you can catch one more major showcase this month then do it just to keep your son out there and perhaps open new leads. Keep contacting schools and sometimes one will pop out of the blue like ours did. The school that our son signed with (a powerful DII) didn't contact him until September and it all worked out in the end as he was given a verbal offer after a visit.
So don't panic, as your sons all sound like guys that will be grabbed up even if things go a bit longer into the spring. I know it is nerve wracking and most people want to know their options sooner than later. Good luck!

Ready2hangitup and Cballhitball

My two cents....I think threebagger and Mizzoubaseball captured my first thought. It is not time to panic....it is time to reach out to as many schools as your son has had ANY contact with plus some extra new schools for good measure. If those first schools that "promised the world" get back in touch that is fine, but you can't wait for them. Your definition of timely is going to be different from a college coach.

It is very possible that you both had different approaches, and probably different talent levels. But you share one thing in common, and that is you are not gettting the desired results.

I would rethink your strategy and marketing. Hit the phones, emails and begin to expore new possibilities. It may be possible you were targeting the wrong schools. If your son's goal is play college baseball there is still time, but I would start "fishing in a different pond". Good luck.

We talked to an ACC coach who said that they are already half way done with their 2014 recruits. THE MID MAJOR SAID THEY WERE PRETTY MUCH WIDE OPEN but another said they were done.OneIvy we talked to was done and the other has slots. My son was asked to do a couple of D3 overnights so far and personally invited to an Ivy camp.

Our plan is to do a couple of college specific camps this fall. There is also a PG showcase near us coming up but I dont know how much exposure that would bring.

I have no idea where this will end up or when. Academics,baseball,cost. Its a tough balance. It would be nice for him to also play somehwere this fall and just not do showcases/camps but that will be hard to fit in.

All of us who have done the dance understand the anxiety of both the parents and the player. Just keep working your lists and going to some good fall events. Arizona Fall Classic and Academic game are a must IMO, same with Fall Scout teams.
Make sure you have a solid plan B in place and then keep working the various options. A lot of schools will be down to filling slots by now but the reality is that there is lots of activity all the way up to August. I know nobody wants to be in the August scenario - but it happens. My son did not sign until May 1st of his senior year and we were very active even during his HS season.
Number 1 rule is to go where your son feels comfortable and the coach has a plan for him!

Its been said in this post many times however....

Open your own doors....Son is in same boat as many of the 2013's. Similiar stories...just change the name / school. He put forth an effort to reach out to another set of schools not originally on the list. Once he did that, he started getting invites for visits and workouts from new schools as well as other schools originally had interest in.

Out of the blue gets a call from another school not on the list....

No offers to sign yet but new opportunities and places to see. Phone coversations going from "we will follow" to we need to get you in the system, want to see you, can you visit this date, etc...this re-invigerated son so much he went back downstairs and picked up the weights for a 4th set. This is all just this week.

To paraphrase: "enjoy the ride"....

Dry, hot summer stuck on ride we didn't think was moving, now at least the ride is in motion and the excitement is starting to build.


If the well is dry...dig deeper

No panic! Stay calm and proactive.

I would reach out to other schools to see if they have interest. Do not limit yourself to only a couple of schools.

Our 2012 son verballed early, and it fell through which in the end was a good thing but stressful. By being proactive he has been picked by a very strong D1 program, which is a great fit for him. It took a ton of work, but in the end he landed at a great university.

My son sufferered a knee injury in the first showcase weekend after his junior year of high school. I didn't wait for panic. I went straight for a heart attack. He was cleared to start practicing three weeks before his senior season started. He had to walk on and sit it out a year due to lack of roster space. Somehow it all works out if the kid wants it. An awesome public speaker Randy Pausch once said, "The walls weren't put there to keep us out. The walls are there for us to show how badly we want in."

RJM,

That is actually a very hopeful story . . .I feel badly for your son as I can only imagine the stress. But I impressed he figured out how to make it work . . .and I love the quote.

Our son suffered an knee injury as well and missed his junior season of baseball. He fully recovered and played football and baseball his senior season. And I agree with RJM, it was straight heart attack at first but the doctor was awesome and put us all at ease. God has a plan. Plus ths son is a very driven, goal oriented kid - I just get out of his way.

This thread has been so helpful, our son is in the same boat. I guess misery loves company! All kidding aside, we are trying to put togther the best academic/baseball/financial fit with the options so far. It seems like all schools are asking if he has a deadline, and so far no school has put a deadline to respond. Might seem like a dumb question, but when an offer is formally made , what form is it made in? An email, a phone call, a handshake or face to face?

Lots of good answers . . . and more questions.

2013 has been placing calls but many coaches aren't returning them, or responding to emails. We are assuming they have moved on but just haven't said so.

He's reaching out to others and will be at a PG event in September. May be too late for that, maybe not.

From many of the posts here, though, it seems we are not alone.

Ready ... It's never too late. My son played Legion the summer after his senior year. His focus was rehab. He was healthy and strong by Legion regions. He received two offers in August after his senior year of high school when a couple of coaches in attendance heard his situation. Unfortunately they weren't academic fits. But it all worked out.

While I gave you a "never too late" scenario there's still hope in the fall showcases. Even into winter.

While it wasn't my son, a kid from our area back in 2007 was signed by a high D1 in late August - as in signed to an NLI and enrolled the next day in classes.

Another kid from our area, Devin Pearson, signed his NLI in July of this year to play at Cal this school year.

So bottom line - kids do sign after graduation from HS - it isn't normal but it does happen.

So hang in there

08

I think late signings happen more than we know. Its seems that may coaches clear some dead weight off rosters at times, plus you never know for sure who you may lose to the draft.

One of my son's high school teammates walked on at a Big Ten school. It turned out a catching recruit that came heavily recommended, but sight unseen wasn't what he was claimed to be. The kid left school after three fall practices. That left a roster spot for a catcher. My son's former high school teammate got it walking on.

I have seen the same scenario out here. It was at a Big West School.

quote:

Originally posted by Mizzoubaseball:

Also, be patient. This is the advise I am having a hard time following. I am pretty sure there are scholarships left for 2013s.

Not that you want to wait until the last minute, but keep in mind that there are still opportunities out there up until the last few weeks of school.
I was given some very good advice form a long time member here on the forum that told me schools are always looking for arms, so we might not find the right fit until July even though some colleges start in early August. So by all means keep looking and working toward finding the right fit, but do not panic because my son was one of those who was taken at close to the last minute.
Of course keep the other offers he might not be as interested in at the ready, just in case.

quote:

Ready2hangitup said....2013 has been placing calls but many coaches aren't returning them, or responding to emails. We are assuming they have moved on but just haven't said so.

Regardless of the reasons, continue to call and follow up with an email. Many schools will have prospect camps this Fall. You should be able to find a few that are interested.

Last time I looked there were 301 D1, and 368 D3 schools not to mention numerous D2, NAIA, and JUCO.


Recruited = skill + passion + exposure + persistence + luck.

Incredibly helpful posts. My son is a rising senior. Fall of his junior year he was being recruited by some of the top baseball and academic schools in the country. Then, it stopped. I am not going to go into details of fear of retribution. But, whatever you do, make sure that you are in the loop on who contacts your son and who college coaches can contact. Do not allow his summer coach to be the only point of contact for college coaches, and make sure you do your own networking and showcases outside of your summer team. Some of the major summer team coaches have significant influence on college coaches, SIGNIFICANT. It is actually to the point where college coaches are referring kids to certain programs to be evaluated. Not sure if its a financial arrangement or not. For the most part if your son is good enough he will be recruited. But, there are circumstances whether it be injury, personality clashes, a bad slump or whatever, where a summer coach can and will pass negative information on to a college recruiter. I know, I know I can hear it "maybe your son isn't good enough". That is not the point. I think it is important that people realize that some of these summer programs are extensions of the colleges themselves. Just go to some of the summer team web sites and see where the kids are going. Each team shows a trend of schools in which the kids commit. Don't get me wrong a good summer team can be a great way to be seen. But keep in mind that baseball is a game of failure and streaks. For whatever reason, your son may not perform to his potential at some point during the summer. You need to make sure that he is being evaluated by someone other than the summer coach.

As far as panicking goes. I did panic at first because everything was coming so easily and then it stopped. But once we took control of the situation and my son started doing his own showcases and networking, schools of have been contacting him. Great academic schools and good baseball schools; and visa versa. It is Sooo hard to be patient. It is comforting to read that kids get calls up through senior year. I know most of us want to get it over with and have things settled but Spring.

quote:

For the most part if your son is good enough he will be recruited.

I see this all the time. But it's only partly true.

And it's terrible advice.

You may end up at the grade B school, when you could have been at the grade A school, if you worked at it.

It's like getting a date for the Dance. Sure you might get a date, but not with the Homecoming Queen.


/ my apologies if this is your date

quote:

Originally posted by SultanofSwat:

quote:

For the most part if your son is good enough he will be recruited.

I see this all the time. But it's only partly true.

And it's terrible advice.

You may end up at the grade B school, when you could have been at the grade A school, if you worked at it.

It's like getting a date for the Dance. Sure you might get a date, but not with the Homecoming Queen.


/ my apologies if this is your date

Who knew? She looked like this on match.com.

quote:

quote:
For the most part if your son is good enough he will be recruited.

I see this all the time. But it's only partly true.

And it's terrible advice.

SultanofSwat,

I agree 100%. I've seen really, really good players settle because they did not want to do the work to see what is possible. It came to them, and it was way too easy because they had talent or projectability. They got offers, but never went beyond what was possible.

On the flip side, I've seen not as talented players get opportunties they never thought possible because they worked very hard at the recruiting process. These are the guys I root for, and the guys I want to hire.

BTW...Love the prom queen analogy. It is so true. PM me and let me know how things are going.

quote:

Originally posted by fenwaysouth:

quote:

quote:
For the most part if your son is good enough he will be recruited.

I see this all the time. But it's only partly true.

And it's terrible advice.

SultanofSwat,

I agree 100%. I've seen really, really good players settle because they did not want to do the work to see what is possible. It came to them, and it was way too easy because they had talent or projectability. They got offers, but never went beyond what was possible.

On the flip side, I've seen not as talented players get opportunties they never thought possible because they worked very hard at the recruiting process. These are the guys I root for, and the guys I want to hire.

BTW...Love the prom queen analogy. It is so true. PM me and let me know how things are going.

This might be true to an extent, but it is never good if you have to sell yourself too hard to a school. What happens is that the player arrives, discovers there was a reason he wasn't recruited (he really was not quite good enough) and it ends poorly.

I do believe in creating opportunities, but it is more important to go where they want you and, especially, to go where you can compete on a talent level.

Here is the theme song for this past week:


[URL=<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uMyCa35_mOg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>]

The Waiting is the Hardest Part[/URL]



(not sure I did that 'imbed link' correctly but you get the idea ....)

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by fenwaysouth:


For the most part if your son is good enough he will be recruited.

I see this all the time. But it's only partly true.

And it's terrible advice.


SultanofSwat,

I agree 100%. I've seen really, really good players settle because they did not want to do the work to see what is possible. It came to them, and it was way too easy because they had talent or projectability. They got offers, but never went beyond what was possible.

On the flip side, I've seen not as talented players get opportunties they never thought possible because they worked very hard at the recruiting process. These are the guys I root for, and the guys I want to hire.

BTW...Love the prom queen analogy. It is so true. PM me and let me know how things are going.

quote:

Jemaz said....This might be true to an extent, but it is never good if you have to sell yourself too hard to a school. What happens is that the player arrives, discovers there was a reason he wasn't recruited (he really was not quite good enough) and it ends poorly.

I do believe in creating opportunities, but it is more important to go where they want you and, especially, to go where you can compete on a talent level.

Jemaz,

My reference is not limited to baseball.

quote:

Originally posted by fenwaysouth:

quote:

Jemaz said....This might be true to an extent, but it is never good if you have to sell yourself too hard to a school. What happens is that the player arrives, discovers there was a reason he wasn't recruited (he really was not quite good enough) and it ends poorly.

I do believe in creating opportunities, but it is more important to go where they want you and, especially, to go where you can compete on a talent level.

Jemaz,

My reference is NOT limited to baseball.

My mistake, then. I thought it was baseball we were discussing. If your point is that baseball can get a kid into a school that might not otherwise have accepted him, I totally agree. But, if it is baseball the kid wants to play and the baseball is not a fit, it probably, then, will not work out.

But at this point, I really have no idea what we are talking about.

quote:

Originally posted by BK35:
We talked to an ACC coach who said that they are already half way done with their 2014 recruits. THE MID MAJOR SAID THEY WERE PRETTY MUCH WIDE OPEN but another said they were done.OneIvy we talked to was done and the other has slots. My son was asked to do a couple of D3 overnights so far and personally invited to an Ivy camp.

Our plan is to do a couple of college specific camps this fall. There is also a PG showcase near us coming up but I dont know how much exposure that would bring.

I completely understand what you and

I have no idea where this will end up or when. Academics,baseball,cost. Its a tough balance. It would be nice for him to also play somehwere this fall and just not do showcases/camps but that will be hard to fit in.

The experience with my son was very similar to your situation. We kept plugging right through the fall of his senior year by going the same route you are taking. Our hard work paid off as my son will be starting at a highly competitive D-3 this week. He is very excited to be playing as well as the rest of our family as you would expect.

= = = = Edited by Moderator - Removed link to website. MN-Mom = = = =

Good luck with your son. Continue your aggressive marketing approach and I'm sure you will be successful.

quote:

Originally posted by BK35:
We talked to an ACC coach who said that they are already half way done with their 2014 recruits. THE MID MAJOR SAID THEY WERE PRETTY MUCH WIDE OPEN but another said they were done.OneIvy we talked to was done and the other has slots. My son was asked to do a couple of D3 overnights so far and personally invited to an Ivy camp.

Our plan is to do a couple of college specific camps this fall. There is also a PG showcase near us coming up but I dont know how much exposure that would bring.

I have no idea where this will end up or when. Academics,baseball,cost. Its a tough balance. It would be nice for him to also play somehwere this fall and just not do showcases/camps but that will be hard to fit in.

I would agree that most top conference schools have commitments for 2013.
I do beleive that in reality most of your sons probably are in the same situation as many many players still are. Keep in mind that the REGULAR signing period for 2013 is April and the early signing for commitment is 4 months away. A lot can happen within that time period. But nothing is going to happen if you sit around waiting for the phone to ring.

Make sure that your sons have plans this fall to get in front of those programs that are good fits for him. This might be camps, showcases and tournies. Talking to top 25 programs isn't worth anyone's time if your son is not a to 25 prospect.

DON'T BE DISCOURAGED!

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Otis:
My experiences with this lenghty process lead me to develop a college baseball placement service called "College Baseball Placement Services" www.collegebaseballplacement.com

You might want to contact the site administrator for advertising.

Sultan of Swat I do agree that you have to put your name out there and put yourself on some radar screens. I guess my comment is fairly relative to what your ability is. But I am confident that if you are a true D-1 player the coaches, not only will find you, but they already know who you are. They start looking at true prospects their sophomore year. They ALL talk to each other and they all network with summer coaches.

I agree with jemaz. If you have to sell yourself too hard, its not a fit. Make an introduction, fill out the recruiting questionnaire, send the pre-requisits like grades, SATs etc.. Follow up with a call or e-mail. If there is no response move on.

I listened to kids at a recent Headfirst Showcase approach coaches and this is how it sounded "coach hi I'm Jimmy Jones, did you get my e-mail?" the coach then replied "Hi Jimmy, gee I have no idea, I get like 50 a day"

quote:

Originally posted by BK35:
Keep in mind that the REGULAR signing period for 2013 is April and the early signing for commitment is 4 months away. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED!

I think this is really good advice. It's very easy for all of us (at least in our house) to get caught up on the number of kids who are committing and feel like our kid is the only one still out there.

I am the father of a 2013 RHP who throws in the mid to high 80's (84-86)has a CH and CB also throws a slider at 82-83. He has received very little attention despite being Pitcher of the Year in his conference as a Junior, earning a position on the NC amateur state games for Region 3 and being selected to play in the Central Carolina Scholastic Summer League All-Star game. Was told by one DI coach just a few weeks ago that the only thing keeping him from pulling the trigger on an offer was 2 MPH of velocity.I don't even know how to quantify that comment. All he has done is outperform his peers each time he takes the mound. He played a game early in the summer at the DAP in Durham NC against APDB which is the top of the food chain in eastern NC with nearly every roster spot already committed to an SEC school or an ACC school. he pitched the first 4 innings giving up one run on 1 hit (a homerun) and left the game with 38 pitches thrown with 6 or 7 k's and a 4-1 lead. We have had the emails and my son has made the phone calls all with high level DI and Mid Majors telling him they would be following his progress through the summer and that they liked what they see. But not a single phone call from any coach. I know that if he were throwing 88--90 the scenario would most likely be different but isn't there a place for this kid (who has tons of character and good grades in a challenging school)to play? He just doesn't know what else he needs to be doing. Any info would be helpful, Thanx

quote:

Originally posted by fapatriot:
I am the father of a 2013 RHP who throws in the mid to high 80's (84-86)has a CH and CB also throws a slider at 82-83. He has received very little attention despite being Pitcher of the Year in his conference as a Junior, earning a position on the NC amateur state games for Region 3 and being selected to play in the Central Carolina Scholastic Summer League All-Star game. Was told by one DI coach just a few weeks ago that the only thing keeping him from pulling the trigger on an offer was 2 MPH of velocity.I don't even know how to quantify that comment. All he has done is outperform his peers each time he takes the mound. He played a game early in the summer at the DAP in Durham NC against APDB which is the top of the food chain in eastern NC with nearly every roster spot already committed to an SEC school or an ACC school. he pitched the first 4 innings giving up one run on 1 hit (a homerun) and left the game with 38 pitches thrown with 6 or 7 k's and a 4-1 lead. We have had the emails and my son has made the phone calls all with high level DI and Mid Majors telling him they would be following his progress through the summer and that they liked what they see. But not a single phone call from any coach. I know that if he were throwing 88--90 the scenario would most likely be different but isn't there a place for this kid (who has tons of character and good grades in a challenging school)to play? He just doesn't know what else he needs to be doing. Any info would be helpful, Thanx

Dont take this the wrong way but 84-86 is a dime a dozen.If your kid can sit 88-90 for 4 to 5 innings thats what they want to see MINIMALLY.We have a kid that throws 86 and sits there for 7 innings he is 5 foot 8 and the d1 coach scout that happened to be at the game told me he was too small.the other thing they look at is projection and how he handles himself when he gets in trouble.You have to get active with the recruiting..send hios videos and schedules to d 3 schools or naia and get pro active

quote:

SEC school or an ACC school

You can throw 90, and not get a call from these schools.

No hurt feelings here, he knows who he is and right now his velocity has not separated him from the pack. He does have project-able size at 6'2" 195lbs. and is a workhorse chewing up innings actually getting stronger and touches 87-88 after the 4th.inning but not many scouts stick around long enough to witness that. He has sent info/videos etc. to several smaller DIII and DII schools as well as his summer schedule. He is now about to send out his Fall schedule. He never shows any emotion on the mound

quote:

Originally posted by SultanofSwat:

quote:

SEC school or an ACC school

You can throw 90, and not get a call from these schools.

And then there's left handed pitchers who have shelf value until three years after their death certificate is filed.