Parents of Committed Players?

Not only the message, but how it was written ...flowery I tell ya. He's the master

 

Thanks TBR

First let me say thank you to all the regular posters and TBR for your help in my son's recruiting process. When my son was a sophomore and we were very much in the dark about recruiting, I overheard some players from another school talking about getting a letter for a showcase. I researched it on the Internet and quietly signed up my son. It happened to be an Impact ID camp. It was an eye opener, but a good one. Since my son attended a small HS not known for its baseball tradition everything about recruiting and playing at the next level was foreign to us. I did some more research and found TBR. The information and links that was posted at that time was invaluable.
The summer before and fall of his junior year, he attend another Impact ID and did very well, a Blue-Gray showcase and several college weekend camps. He e-mailed the coaches before he attended and sent his stats, GPA and class rank. Since he was #1 in his class, this seemed to catch the coach's attention. By attending these camps, he got some interest from mid to lower level D1 schools. He also made the State Games, ran well, had a very good time, and played very well. After the State Games, he received some interest from “major” schools.
He did not play on a big name showcase team, he did not travel the country going to showcases, he did not even leave the state (except to Coastal Carolina which only an hour and 15 minutes from us), he did not attend a powerhouse 4-A school and nobody outside of our conference ever heard of him. Only one college scout, that we know of, ever attended a HS game of his before he signed.
He did make a list of the academic colleges and a list of the baseball schools he wanted to attend. When his first choice for baseball made him an offer, he took it, because this was also his second choice for academics. He did realize that all aspects of his attitude and love for the game were being scrutinized at at all times. He did not let up his senior year even though he had signed. He recognized that academics would help him achieve his dream. He did join a showcase team after he had signed. We did visit a few schools on unofficial visits and made arrangements to meet with the coach before we went. We did familiarize ourselves with the NCAA regulations. Thanks again for this information TBR.
My best advice is to do what it takes to make the State Games team AND play well there. Go to camps where you know the school you want to attend will be there and e-mail them to let them know you are going. Keep up the grades!!
I also want to put in a plug for playing multiple sports in HS. My son played 4 sports for 3 years and played 5 his senior year. (yes, he was good in all, making all conference in 3 sports his Jr. and Sr. years and it was a small HS) Most college coaches were impressed by this and his dedication. He once played football on Friday night (starting QB, DB and K) and we drove 5 hours afterwards to ASU for a camp on Saturday and Sunday. This did seem to make a impression on all who were there.
Thanks TBR for all your help. I still read and lurk daily and have passed this site onto others in our area.
I am very proud of my son and I pray that as he begins his college experiences he will realize all his dreams.
Practice officially begins tomorrow!!

 

That is exactly right. One piece of advice we recieved over and over, but which my son just never really got around to doing, was writing a list of his top 5 school choices. I mean..he had his DREAM No. 1, but he never really wrote down a list. Perhaps that was wrong of him, but he was open-minded and realized that creating a top five list didn't necessarily mean he was going to be offered by any of them. What he did was create a list that was tailored around the schools that DID have an interest in him. He responded to all schools that contacted him and was always cognizant of the fact that he needed to be grateful to any and all contact that came his way! In the end, a school that he truly had interest in, but one that sort of came late to the game, was the one he chose. As many MANY people have said and which I now KNOW is true...when it's the right fit, your kid just gets that "feeling" and you just know it's the right place for him. When they can "see" themselves within a program, that usually speaks volumes. Guide them, but the decision has to ultimately be your sons. His gut will know...and it has to come from HIS gut, not yours.

 

Congratulations! Another success story...

 

All great advice. My experience is a little different. My son loves baseball, had a really good career pitching for Greenville Rose the last two years, had a couple of D1 offers, and a few D2's but he choose being a student at the University of North Carolina where he always had a desire to attend instead of playing baseball and going to college somewhere else. As a baseball dad I was not ready to have my baseball viewing days end but I had to respect his decision not to play college baseball. Knowing the way he loves the game, I totally admire his maturity in making the decision and it was his decision to make. So basically I guess I am trying to say just be respectful of your son's decision, even if it is not exactly what you envision happening.

I went up to visit him this past Saturday and I must say, he is as happy as I have ever seen him (except for maybe when he won the clinching game against Kell in 2008 4A state champ. game). Of course, it doesn't hurt that his dorm overlooks Carolina's baseball field....lol!

 

that hurts...

 

Blue Heaven!

 

It's good to read that a parent has accepted their childs decision and is supporting them. Kids seem to be seasoned to play little league, AAU, middle school, high school and showcase baseball. For a lot of players, their dream is to continue on to play baseball in college or even a higher level if given that opportunity. What a wonderful opportunity for them, but sometimes, if asked, a few may be ready to call it quits and focus on something else. Parents, just remember, to always be open and listen to your child and what they really want.

 

This reminds me of the best post I ever read on TBR:

By ECU78

After visiting this site for awhile, I saw this thread and just had to add my special memory. My son liked to play baseball but was never great at it. He wasn't talented enough to play high school ball but he played summer ball whether it was Little League or Babe Ruth, He never made any all star teams or such. He was just good enough to start. Most of all, he liked to play Babe Ruth ball with his friends. The boys just had a good time even though success was hard to find. During a Senior Babe Ruth game one night, my son was playing first and a fly ball was hit behind first into short right field. He turned and hustled to make an over the head catch that Willie Mays would have been proud of. I just stood there not believing what I just saw. I was in awe. Before I could make my way out of the dugout (I was on scorebook duty) to congratulate him, he had already returned the ball to the pitcher and was in stance for the next defensive play. With the next pitch, a ball was hit to second and he dropped a perfect throw at first. I told him when he came in how pretty the fly ball catch was and then asked him what happened on the throw from second. I can remember how fast his smile changed into a lowered head. To this day, I regret not making a bigger deal out of the great catch. And now I can't. My son was killed almost two years ago, months after making that catch. I responded to this thread so I could tell the dads out there to make sure you appreciate the memories you have and ones to come. Make sure your son has a smile on his face after the game. More importantly, make sure you do to. Always be positive and somehow forget the "bad". Believe me, winning or losing a baseball game just isn't that important anymore. I would give anything to see that smile again

 

great thread