When you get no response

quote:

I guess we also have to ask ourselves if they did become interested after his junior year, what is this behavior telling us about their approach?

Good post.

I think your questions answer the question. Why would I (you) want to pursue someone who is not interested in me (you)? If a coach were this laisse-faire in recruiting, that seems like a good indicator how they might treat him if he were on the team. You are looking for a "fit" not a problem to solve.

2013 Parent,

I'll come at this from a different angle. How many times has your son talked on the phone to the coach or recruiter? We learned along that way that quite few coaches don't like email...this may be one of those coaches. I wouldn't give up on them, but I would not make them a priority either. We had a number of coaches get back to us on their time table which we learned is not the same as our timetable. I would try the telephone approach and see if that works. You really have nothing to lose. Best of luck.

Agree with all that was said. I think the only time a coach doesnt get back to you asap and you should be concerned is when they originally recruit your son and call you on the July 1 date and THEN he never hears back from them, that is a sign IMO.

This is not unusual to get no responses.

First be cautious with the e-mails and the camps, remember this is a money maker for the programs and the more kids the more money.

If you think there is a real interest then pose the question to the coach.

Is your recruiting roster for the the 2013 season FULL?
Are you still looking for X posistion or is your commitment list full?

First and foremost as hard as it may seem try not to take it personal. I understand the frustration, having gone through it with my youngest son (2012) who just signed his NLI at a D1 school. The process is frustrating and there are many other players/parents who have or are experiencing what you are now dealing with. I hate to say this but this is not the last tim you will feel this way regarding a school's responsiveness. But when it is the right fit you will know. It is hard to read the tea leaves on why and how college coaches conduct their business. However, I honestly believe subject to the NCAA recruiting rules that if the coach and or recruiting coordinator is not calling your son or your son is not receiving personal emails on a fairly consistent basis subject again to the rules then the coach is not seriously interested in your son at this time. This does not mean it will not change but at this particular point he is not on their board so to speak. From my experience they tend to have a list of players based on the colleges need that they spend the majority of time recruiting. If your son is on this list it then depends on where in the pecking order he lands. Best case scenario all things being equal such as having the grades and being number one on their board your son will receive the most interest but college coaches are savy enough to talk to most of the guys on the list whether he be number one or number five for say a SS position because he does not know who will want to sign or be able to sign such as the affects of the draft on a recruit. Most of the players who are on the coaches general email list are not even on the board but such players believes he is being recruited. Again the coaches are savy enough to keep in contact with all of these players because you never know when that player for whatever reason may become the guy bcause of some great performance at say a PG event. The coach can then easily talk to the player because he has established a "relationship" with that player.

Bottom line control what you can control most which is always play hard, conduct yourself in an appropriate manner on and off the field and strive to constantly improve because first and foremost this is a great way to conduct your life beyond baseball but when the opportunity happens your son will be prepared to sieze that opportunity.

Best of luck

All good advice given as responses, especially the one above.

Parents and players need to stop analyzing what happens and what doesn't happen and worry about what they can control, what they can't.

In all of the years I have been here, seems the last few there is a lot of anxiety that is not necessary. Why?

Take the time to begin looking for coaches that will respond to your son's emails (if that is what is important). Junior year is a good time for a showcase to evaluate your player, this will help to set the direction which program may or may not be a good fit, based on his skill level, test scores, grades, etc.

Remember as a 2013, they cannot call your son. I know that you feel that he deserves a response, however, your son's email may be one of many hundreds, they don't have to respond. They will if they are interested.

Best of luck.

Hard to say w/o knowing which program or coach you are refering to, however in general, if they show no current interest I wouldn't waste anymore time/effort on them. You have to take the attitude that its their loss and somebody else's gain.

The reality is, you just don't know what's going on.

A second reality is, e-mailing costs you nothing.

What I would suggest is that your son continue to keep those coaches informed of his interest and his activities. There is no harm in this, and it may well be that they'll come around in due time. It is, after all, still pretty early in the process for a 2013.

The bow you make to reality is not to quit contacting them. It is simply to expect nothing and not put too much hope in these guys. If they were hot for your kid they would've responded by now. That doesn't mean they won't get interested later. But then again, they may never get interested. Be sure not to miss out on your second choice because you are hoping for them in vain.

So, start setting your sites on other colleges of interest, but no reason not to keep pinging away at your first choice.

BTW, college # 2 may ultimately make you forget all about college # 1. Lots of kids find, when they get really into the process, that things at college # 1 aren't all that dreamy after all. So, no reason to get upset, just keep plugging.

And remember, your son is a 2013. You still have 11 months before the EARLY signing period. So don't expect too much just yet. If he's talented, things will start to pop a bit more when summer rolls around.

I'm curious...What Big 10 program are you referring to?

There are four kinds of responses:

1) No response

2) We would love you to think we're interested. Come spend some money at a camp to help finance our spring trip.

3) We're interested response.

4) We want you reponse.

If this is a dream school do you live close enough to make a visit at your own expense? Make the baseball program aware you will be visiting the school. Do it by phoning the baseball office. Then follow up (before visit)with an email stating your abilities and possibly references.

How they deal with this via phone and email, along with how they greet you (or don't) when you visit will indicate their level of interest or lack of interest.

Typically no response is not good. But you never know. To what level to you want to go to find out?

Here's some advice I received when my son was in high school. I was watching the second best college team from a state play against the local college. I was chatting with the dad of a freshman starter. I asked if the stud program from their state recruited his son. He said Stud U expressed interest. This program showed love and pursued him. Go where you're loved. You'll get on the field faster.

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But

Is your son a legit d1 prospect? has he had any other looks from d1? the most important thing you can do for your son and your pocketbook is to get him an ACT prep course,,A GOOD ONE...because if your son is not a "scholarship"player this is the best bullet you will have.

quote:

Originally posted by 2013 Parent:
Son has never received a response. Never. Not a thank-you, not a keep working hard, not a thanks-but-no-thanks, nothing.

While you have received some sound advice, let me just throw this in as a possible reason he has not heard back. Before writing off a school assuming they have no interest because of no replies to emails, make sure the email is valid and the coach is getting them.

My son had emails from a coach who wanted all the typical info after seeing him. He said he needed further info so they could put together a financial package offer. After my son did everything that was requested, all he heard was crickets from the coach. He was patient, but the lack of even a response made him think the coach lost interest.
As it turns out that coach left for another school and never received any of my sons follow up emails asking what was going on. When he finally checked with the head coach months later, he thought we had chosen another school because he had never heard another word since the recruiting coach had left.

So while the this example differs from yours, make sure to call or email another coach just to make sure it is not a communication problem.

Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by Vector:

quote:

Originally posted by 2013 Parent:
Son has never received a response. Never. Not a thank-you, not a keep working hard, not a thanks-but-no-thanks, nothing.

While you have received some sound advice, let me just throw this in as a possible reason he has not heard back. Before writing off a school assuming they have no interest because of no replies to emails, make sure the email is valid and the coach is getting them.

My son had emails from a coach who wanted all the typical info after seeing him. He said he needed further info so they could put together a financial package offer. After my son did everything that was requested, all he heard was crickets from the coach. He was patient, but the lack of even a response made him think the coach lost interest.
As it turns out that coach left for another school and never received any of my sons follow up emails asking what was going on. When he finally checked with the head coach months later, he thought we had chosen another school because he had never heard another word since the recruiting coach had left.

So while the this example differs from yours, make sure to call or email another coach just to make sure it is not a communication problem.

Good luck

Why didn't your son do a follow up after sending what was asked?
Coaches may not take recruiting contacts from one school to another or let recruits know they have gone somewhere else, but the do. I am going to assume that their email is rerouted to another contact for review.

In other words, most likely the emails have been read, maybe not the right time for the coach to return them at this time. Coaches are busy, break is coming, why not just sit tight until after the new year.

quote:

he thought we had chosen another school because he had never heard another word since the recruiting coach had left.

My son heard that line a couple of times, my translation is "we liked you but then we saw a better player to pursue in the meantime".

Thank so much to everyone for the responses! It's very helpful to hear from those of you who have been through the process. To answer a few of the general questions:

To be fair, no, 2013 has never called. When he has emailed he has sent messages to the HC, AC, and RC - all three are current email addresses. Yes, a phone call should be the next step and see if he can keep trying until he reaches someone since they can't return his call yet.

Local pro scouts and former minor league players put him in the low-DI category. He has gotten some interest from low and mid-DI in our state . . . actual conversations with valid assessments of him telling him where he stands, etc.

We feel this school is probably a stretch. I know this is a business, but we were surprised that there was zero acknowledgement to several emails.

We'll have 2013 call and see if he can reach the RC and try to determine if he's anywhere on their radar.

The best news (that he doesn't even realize yet) is that the schools that have indicated they do have him on their short list are honestly a better fit for the overall experience.