12 Reasons Worthy Players Get Over Looked by College Recruiters

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/highscho...rs-get-over-looked-by-college-recruiters.html

Article written by Nate Trosky; special to ESPNRISE.com and posted on February 10, 2009 2:50 PM

 

Number 12 is the only one that matters to me. I see this all the time. College coaches think they will find players with no flaws so they pass on kids that could help them win. The hilarious thing about this attitude is that the player with no flaws coming out of HS ain't going to your little DII program.

 

Although there are some good points made, I didn't read very much that was enlightening. In fact, the statement about recruiting coordinators will rile up those guys.

But he did make a point that is not stressed nearly enough:

4. Bad bodies, bad dress, and sloppiness: turn coaches off immediately. Players forget that the goal isn't to impress their peers but rather to impress the recruiting coordinators.

There is no excuse for sloppiness. Yet, I see it all of the time. There is a recent example of a player that was being touted to a coach. The coach went to the HS's website to get a look at the player physically. The photo showed the player with his hat sideways and his pants were baggy and worn too low. The coach said, "forget it" and moved on.

Now, I know this kid. He is a very hard worker and sincerely has a passion for the game. But his disrespect for the way to dress and look "like a player" has left him with less opportunities then he would have. It's a shame that his dress caused him to give the wrong impression....but if one goes to an interview dressed in T-Shirt and blue jeans, you will probably not get the offer.

 

Nice article

Hmmm.... got the wheels turning a bit. I like the article. perceptive comments, and real ones. I agree with Braves. Nothing extremely enlightening, but all the same, informative. Especially to people just getting started with the process. I like the one about recruiters playing a specific position. Not mentioned was the fact that they are probably the positional coach of the position that they played as well. So they are obviously looking for that first. The best recruiters, like the best scouts, see talent, and game savvy. They recruit that first.

C'mon, why does someone immediately have to attack DII. What about small division I. There was nothing in this article about DII and DI. No one posted it, so why bring it up. I guess DII just has inferior people running their program.

 

I agree Braves. I thought this article was dumb. I think by and large, most kids that want to play ball at the college level know the right things to do to get there. If they don't, then they are likely not as passionate about the game. As for the kid you know, I blame the adults around him for not stressing the importance of "looking the part." It's unfortunate, but it is what it is. It even bothers me when I see shaggy hair, but...to each his own, I guess.

 

So right, Braves. (I hate it when we agree!)

The corollary to your point is that many recruiting coordinators are friends of one another, and they talk to each other all the time about individual players. After all, they can't take everyone, and they're frequently full at a particular roster spot. As a result, it's not unusual for them to pass along names of impressive players to their peers when they know it'd be in the player's best interest to go where there's a greater need elsewhere at his position.

We once had a friend who was the recruiting coordinator at a Florida DI program tell us about a time when a highly touted player he'd been looking forward to seeing dogged it throughout the workout he'd watched. Afterwards, he asked the team's coach what was up with the player, and the coach said, "Unfortunately, "Joe" is so focused on Florida State that he doesn't always give us his best in workouts unless someone from FSU is present." "Oh yes he was," the DI recruiter replied. The FSU recruiting coordinator and I were college roommates and teammates. I talk with him all the time."

The wise player practices and plays as though someone of significance is watching him at all times.

 

This is NC, where all parents believe D2 is a club sport and 'lil Jonnie won't be able to play at the next level if he attends. Where the coaches are lazy and there are schools that couldn't beat HS's. No wonder many programs go outside this state to recruit.

I heard a comment, recently, by an ex-college coach that pretty much sums up many beliefs. He was complaining that a D2 coach was working his players too hard. His comment to the current coach was, "these are not D1 players, you don't have to work them as hard"....needless to say, the author of that quote was a fired D2 coach.

I know baseballman and I know his comment was not meant to be disparaging to a particular division of baseball, but that thought is one held statewide by many. Shoot, many families in this state look down upon mid-major college programs thinking it would hold their son back from making it to the pro's.

It just amazes me with that thinking because if that is their #1 reason for picking their school, then their first thought should be what school gives me the best opportunity to play. No matter how good you think you are, you will be noticed by no one while your riding the bench.

 

C'mon, why does someone immediately have to attack DII. What about small division I. There was nothing in this article about DII and DI. No one posted it, so why bring it up. I guess DII just has inferior people running their program.[/quote]

My comment was very program specific. I once knew a kid who put up these number his junior year of HS for the #3 4A team in the state:

9-1, 76 IP 126 Ks, .099 ERA Only loss in the Eastern finals against state champ

Here is the good part. The head coach of the LOCAL DII program, when asked about whether he would recruit this kid, stated that he didn't throw hard enough to play in his program. True story.

 

I just found it amusing that in #4, it is expected that our young teenage men look the part of a baseball player....(which I do agree with)

Solution: Take pride in your physically shape. Participate in a weekly training program getting fit and strong. Look like a baseball player, look professional,

However in #7 the writer wants us to understand that recruiting coordinators are young (I am hoping they are older than the guys they are recruiting) and yet they should be excused....

Solution: Be persistent and try not to get frustrated with there lack of professionalism.

looks like a double standard to me....

 

No, the good part is he found a school that was a perfect fit that realized he was a pitcher and not a thrower....and so happened to be a D1 school.

The biased shown towards pitchers that are not velocity vipers is seen at every level...including some traditionally strong HS programs.

It's called the "Margin of Error" philosophy. The belief is the less velocity the greater the margin of error; and there is some truth to that. But it's been my experience that the pitchers whom have been successful with less velocity are better pitchers and reduce that margin. But the key word is successful.

And keep in mind it is somewhat easier for a recruiting coordinator to justify his opinion of a player that throws high 80's, but fails at the next level then a kid that throws low 80's and faces the same failures. Coordinators get to keep their jobs a little longer.