Worried about my PG USA Rating

BHL 15,

 

I don't know who you are, but I sure hear a lot of desire in your message.  It is impressive that you aren't blaming anyone except yourself.  It is normal to  be nervous and yes it sure can have a negative effect on performance. There is a current Major League outfielder that we once graded a 6.  He never let that stop him, he went out and took charge of his future.  

 

When Hall of Famer Willie Mays was first called up to the Big Leagues he was so nervous he struggled badly.  He told his manager he wasn't good enough to play at that level.  The manager (Leo Durocher) didn't listen to him.  Finally he hit a home run off of another future hall of famer (Warren Spahn) and then from there he never looked back.

 

Our job is to try and find the most talented players.  We miss some, probably some due to nerves.  A player needs to be comfortable to perform his best.  In time you will be able to use your nervousness to your advantage.  That is easier said than done, but those guys playing the 7th game of the World Series are a bit nervous.

 

Work hard and things will work out.  If you give it your best effort and that's not enough, you have done everything you can. Just don't cheat yourself!

 

Do you play travel or legion baseball?  I suggest you email staff@perfectgame.org and mention everything you have posted here.  

I agree that it is great that you are not blaming anyone else, and that you have listed things that you can do better.  I would say you need to just get back on the horse.  Work hard all winter and het to another showcase.

Please, please do not let this get you down. Our 2014 son was graded a 7.0 during his first PG showcase, in part due to nerves. He worked hard and returned the next year where he was graded a 9.0. He is now committed to a D1 school. You sound like you have a good grasp of the fundamentals of the game. Trust yourself, work hard in school and on the field and don't give up. And as far as confidence goes, trying acting confident first even if you don't yet feel it. It's funny how sometimes this can really work.

Work hard and look at things realistically.  what are your chances to play at smaller colleges. Find some locally you like and begin to go to their camps and begin communicating w their coaches. Still time to improve, work on nerves and play at next level. Be honest with yourself and your skill level. Do u need to work on hitting or OF velocity?  Your number is just a starting point. Good luck

BHL 15,

 

Alright, let's look at this positively.  Think of all the HS ballplayers in the country.  You were rated between "Potential College Prospect" and "College Prospect" as a 6.5.  Percentage wise, you probably one of the top players on your team and one of the few thousand that will more than likely play college ball.

Take a deep breath, continue working hard, and have confidence in your abilities.  Stay hungry and your work will pay off.

BHL 15,

 

You still have time to improve. You need to work hard on the bad things that you stated came back. PG showcases are only a rating for that event and your potential based on what they saw. You can change that with hard work.

My son never performed to his potential at a couple of PG events, scored an 8 both times. That did not stop him, it motivated him. He beat the odds and is now on scholarship at a DI school.

Work hard, get in front of RC at schools you want to attend. It sounds like you have the desire and you know what needs improvement. 

To all,

 

I want to personally thank you all for your replies. It is comforting to know that this has happened to others and I'm not just a lone soul. I appreciate the positive feedback and suggestions.

 

I am working hard this fall/winter and am preparing to play my first Varsity season. I've seen some MAJOR improvements since my PG Showcase in terms of arm strength (we've been on a long toss program since early Sept.), hitting for power (weight room does you wonders, baby!), and my overall approach to the game.

 

I am also trying to get it done this year in the classroom. 

 

However, I am really struggling in the recruiting process. I realize that the saying "If you're good they'll find you" is 100% false disregarding a few exceptions. However, I do not even know where to begin. All the tips say "Target colleges of interest" and "Make contact with those programs' coaches". The problem is, at this point, every single college in the USA that has a baseball team would fit this category. I have garnered absolutely 0 interest from any colleges. My head is just spinning in concerning what I, a 17 year old athlete, can do to help myself realize my dream of playing baseball at the next level.

 

Once again, I appreciate the replies.

-Ben

We just had a Sr. Sign to a very good local small college and he had no interest from anyone until about a month ago. he attended unsigned showcases. Look for those in your area when you are a sr. Next school yr if there is still no interest.  

if you don't make it to a college team see if your school has club baseball. Know kids who play that who were HS players and they have a great time. -they get uniforms and travel to other schools. 

Good luck

Don't worry about it. Just keep working, and do your best.

Hi Ben,

Really glad you've posted here!

I have a 2012 playing in college and a 2016 who wants to.  It takes a lot of time and effort to play at the next level, and that's just the stuff off the field!!!

You reference struggling with the recruiting process.  We did as well.  Probably 99% of the families on here too.

The thing that helped us get moving in the right direction was the recruiting timeline that you'll find on this site. 

As part of that, compiling a list (maybe 25 - 50) of colleges where you might be both an academic and a baseball fit.  Not every college in America is a fit for you and vice versa.  That's not the same as "colleges of interest".  And it's not just whether you feel you're a fit...get some 3rd party advice (e.g., guidance counselors, local baseball scouts and coaches, et.al.).  

Once you have a list of schools that most closely matches your baseball and academic skills, you contact them.  We did 50 schools...it was a wide net.  But you never know for sure whether your academic and athletic skills match what they are looking for.  You market yourself to them.  You get yourself in front of where their coaches are, e.g., college camps, showcases, tournaments.  You focus on being seen by the schools on your list.  You focus on your SAT or ACT scores.  You keep your GPA up.

The better you do with the SAT/ACT and your GPA, the more schools become accessible to you academically.  The more you work on your strength, speed, baseball skills, etc., the more schools become accessible to you athletically.

You don't know about academic or athletic money right now, nor financial aid, so don't let those become a barrier at this time for what schools make your list.  Keep an open mind to all divisions (e.g., D1, D2, D3) or JuCo or NAIA schools.  Think beyond Alabama...there's a lot of great schools throughout this great country!

Good luck!  And PM me if I can be of any help.  Just one of hundreds of posters here who've been through it at least once.

Exactly.