Diamond Notes: College Recruiting 201 By: Parents Who Have Been There-December 24, 2007   The following are some tips and observations based on our experiences with the college recruiting process. There are obviously many other things that parents and players must be concerned with, such as the NCAA Clearinghouse. Our intent is not to cover everything you need to know, but rather to share a few of the things we have learned along the way. Some of the things discussed below deal with the new NCAA rules applicable to Division I recruiting. However, much of it is applicable to college recruiting in general, regardless of division.   1. Marketing Your Son  The term “marketing” brings up images of the over-involved parent trying to live through his/her son. But if your child wants to play college ball that is exactly what you must do. College coaches seldom go to high school games anymore unless they have heard about a specific player.  The question is how to get your son noticed by college recruiters? One way is showcases. Diamond Prospects offers a number of showcases that provide exposure to college scouts. The DP Summer Showcase may have 30-40 scouts in attendance. The South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association also has a Junior Showcase each summer. The price is very reasonable and there are usually 15-20 scouts in attendance. It is a great value for the money. The only problem with the SCBCA showcase is it is only open to rising seniors, which brings us to rule 1A below.  Top-level travel teams also offer good exposure. Second tier teams are often a waste of money. What separates the two is the tournaments in which they play and the number of scouts in attendance. There are many considerations in selecting a travel team, such as fun, competition, teammates, coaching philosophy, etc. But, if your primary goal is exposure to college scouts, and your son’s team is not getting him in front of lots of them on a regular basis, it may be time to find another team.  American Legion baseball has a great tradition in South Carolina. It can be a great experience for kids. But in most cases it does not afford the same exposure to college scouts as a top tier travel team. If your son chooses to play Legion ball, showcases become even more important. College camps can also help with exposure. Your son should probably start attending two or three camps a year starting in the ninth grade. Camps at larger schools generally have instructors from that school and several other smaller schools, thereby exposing your son to several schools at the same time. Smaller camps generally have coaches from the sponsoring school only. How much exposure camps provide depends on the number of kids and coaches in attendance. Sending your son to multiple camps may also help interest him in a wide variety of schools.   1A. Start Early. If your son wants to play college baseball you must start marketing him early. The spring of his senior year is too late. The NCAA has two periods during which National Letters of Intent may be signed, an “early” signing period in November, and the traditional signing period in the spring. Most larger Division I schools have finalized 95 percent of their recruiting classes well before the early signing period in November, before the player ever plays his senior season. In many cases they have finalized their classes in the spring/summer of the player’s junior year. There are always exceptions, such as the senior that comes out of nowhere throwing 90 mph, but in most cases your son needs to catch somebody’s eye in his freshman, sophomore or junior year if he hopes to play at a large DI school.   1B. Do it YOURSELF. You should not rely on your son’s coaches (high school, travel, Legion, or otherwise) to market your son. That is not their job. Some will be helpful. Some will not. You must educate yourself and take the lead in the process.    2. College Baseball is a Business.  We cannot stress this enough. College coaches make business decisions. You should not let their personalities make you forget this. Nor should you take their decisions personally. Every decision they make is dictated by the dollars they have to invest, and the return they hope to get on their investments. They want the best players they can get for the least money. One effect that the new roster limit has had on the business is to make the two-way player, the kid that can pitch and play a position, a more valuable commodity.    3. Grades & SAT’s. Believe it or not, one of the first things that college coaches will ask about is your son’s grades and SAT scores. We have yet to be asked about batting averages and ERA’s. Good grades and high SAT scores may help your son get his shot at the college of his choice. Coaches love kids with good grades and high SAT scores for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is money. (Remember, college baseball is a business). If they know your son is likely to get a lot of academic money, they may be able to get him for little or no athletic money. With only 11.7 (or fewer) scholarships to divide among 35 players, Division I coaches are always looking to stretch their limited funds as far as possible. Unfortunately, good grades and high SAT scores may actually decrease (or eliminate) the amount of athletic money your son is offered. If a recruiting coordinator has two similar kids, one of whom is likely to get substantial academic money, which one will be asked to be a "Non-Scholarship Recruit/Invited Walk-on?” (See No. 6 below).   4. Verbal Commitments. Coaches make verbal offers before (in some cases WELL before) a National Letter of Intent is signed. The school usually, but not always, publicizes the commitment. Publication of the …

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The World Series and Memories of a Better Time? By: Al Hudson-December 19, 2007   Being a baseball man, the World Series is a special time for me and millions of other sports fans across the nation. For most little boys, the first competitive sports action for us was Little League baseball. Going to the field with our Dads for the first time was one of our most precious memories. The 1950’s, when I played Little League ball, was a time of family. Dad’s first obligation after work was to play catch in the backyard. Most fathers had played the game with their Dads and there was an obligation to pass the game on to the next generation. Mom understood the importance of baseball. Everything from meals to vacation was planned around their son’s baseball games and practices. Parents did not miss a game or a practice, because this was their responsibility as a parent. Sadly, times have changed. Most parents are split as to their obligations. Some families still embrace the opportunity to be a positive influence in their son’s, and now daughter’s, life in athletics. If you go to any ball field, you will find Moms and Dads coaching, working the concession stand and helping with field maintenance. However, the vast majority of us don’t understand the importance of this mission. Too many kids are dropped off at the field for practice and games, only to have the parents return two hours later to pick up their children. Little do they understand the absolute joy of seeing their children with a chance to compete in a positive learning experience. Can you imagine the time a player gets their first hit, and there is no one from the family there to share it with. While on the subject, how about sponsors for sports programs within the community? I noticed several sponsors for the World Series that are prominent in our area. How about getting involved locally? I am not going to mention names of companies, but all local businesses should be involved in youth activities. Baseball, football, volleyball, soccer, basketball or any other sport that involves young people should be supported. We have all heard the phrase “The children are our future”. Step up and be counted. Parents, grandparents, businesses and former players are all needed to help mold the future of our children. I must admit the joy of seeing Carl Yastrzemski and his teammates from 1967 brought back happy memories of a time before Woodstock, disco, free love and the disintegration of the American family. The loss of Dad to the family has caused most of the situations that are prevalent in our society today. In too many cases, Dad isn’t home after work to play catch in the yard. In addition, I reflect to the passing of Jim Mitchell. As a young black man, growing up in Shelbyville, TN, Mitchell was subjected to a segregated education and athletic experience. Do we want to return to those times? Mitchell, an exceptional athlete, survived and went on to become an NFL star with the Atlanta Falcons. But how many young black athletes missed their opportunity because of their “situation”. Happier times, yes. Less troubled times, yes. But we live in a much better environment now. Education levels are far advanced from the 1950’s. Equal opportunity has provided a more well-rounded society capable of greater achievement. Negro Leagues Baseball: Along that vein, how do you feel about Buck O’Neil and the baseball Hall of Fame? O’Neil was an outstanding contributor to the game of baseball. A player in the Negro Leagues before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. O’Neil, too old to capitalize on the opportunity, was an ambassador to baseball until his passing at age 95. The first black coach in Major League baseball, he taught the game to both black and white without prejudice. He continued to speak to numerous groups about the benefits of youth participation in baseball until his death. The Hall of Fame recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement award posthumously to O’Neil, will erect a statue inside the museum and rename the award the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award. Congratulations to the Hall of Fame. But why now? Before his passing, he failed by two votes of being inducted. Shame on you for not recognizing him before he died. However, in true O’Neil style, he was quoted as saying “ As much as I would have loved to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, the players that I may have helped along the way are the greatest award a man can have”. Question: What was the price of a box seat for Game 7 of the World Series if played in Boston? Would you believe that you could have purchased those tickets on a popular “non scalping” web site for only $20,589.00 per ticket. No, that is not a misprint, $20,589.00 per ticket. Most youth sports programs could run their entire operation on $20,000.00 and let the kids play for free. I hope this column makes you think. Send questions and comments to: [email protected] .