A Field of Dreamers

#7 What A Recruiting Coach Wants

"Now Austin, if you would be so kind to stop eating for a moment, would you please read this card to your family and me?"

Austin stopped chewing and looked around the table. Everyone was looking at him. He blushed, and put his fork down and took a drink of milk. He took the card from Kent and began:

"Woe is the person deemed College Baseball Recruiting Coach.

A college recruiting coach can never make a wrong pick-ever. One wrong pick, and he's likely looking for another program-or another vocation altogether. So to protect his livelihood, the recruiting coach is always on the lookout for THE SURE THING:

-Players who can play the Game.

-Players who demonstrate a commitment to prepare, and perform at an advanced level.

-Players who can perform academically as a student-athlete.

-No players with Bad Makeup.

-No players with Bad Grades.

-No Problem Children.

-No Projects.

So how does a college baseball recruiting coach find THE SURE THING? Well for starters, these coaches know already they can't realistically see every one of the 24,328 high school senior baseball players who want to play college baseball that year - so he has to rely on a network of trusted advisors – baseball people he knows throughout the country who will tell him who can –and can't play the Game.

-High school coaches.

-Travel and club team coaches.

-College coaches who will refer players to other programs when there is no need within their own program.

-Area scouts from clubs or the major league scouting bureau.

In addition to his network of baseball people, he also focuses on players he knows of through the following:

-His existing list of prospects (Players already on the coach's radar he's come to know through past camp and baseball showcase evaluations.)

-Letters of Introduction written by prospective high school players.

-Player Questionnaires submitted to the Program's web site.

College recruiters don't' have the time to evaluate hundreds of players at a showcase: They're there primarily to see the players they already know – and rarely, if ever are they looking at players they don't know about.

So unless a player does something that causes him to stand out on the field of play, everyone else playing at the event will be playing as if they were invisible- because to the recruiting coach, they are invisible.

In summary, always write your letters of introduction, and always fill out the player questionnaire!"

"So how does a coach evaluate a prospective student-athlete?" Kent continued. "By the end of the regular season, the coaching staff has assembled a list of positions they will need to fill – or believe they will need to fill. The recruiting coach will look to the list of prospects already on his list; those who have been referred to him through his network; and those who have personally written a letter of introduction, or filled out the player questionnaire. If he sees a fit, and notices you're attending an event, chances are strong that he may stop by to watch you play- and even speak to your coach about you. Player makeup is real important to the coach – and some of these player qualities include:

-Baseball Tools: Running speed; arm strength; hit for average; hit for power; and fielding.

-Does the player show a willingness to prepare to perform?

-How does the player handle failure?

-Coachability-can the player take instruction?

-Maturity

-Leadership

-Competitiveness

-Intelligence

-Energy

-Confidence

-Passion

-Focus

-Drive

-Determination."

"That's wonderful Austin, and now you know how the recruiting coach approaches recruitment:

-He already knows what positions he's looking for, so he reaches out to his trusted network of other baseball people to see which players are worth following and will likely be a good fit for his program.

-He continues to follow the players already on his list of prospects to see how they're performing and if they may be a good fit for the Program.

-He gets to know the players who have sent in a letter of introduction to see if they may offer a good fit for the open positions they are trying to fill-and if he's interested in how they are performing over their high school years, he may determine the player is worth evaluating, and following.

Now do you understand how important these letters are to your own recruitment success?"

---

We picked up Kent and Ranger early Wednesday morning and less than 12 hours later, arrived at our team hotel. We had about an hour before the Team meeting at 7pm, so we checked in and agreed we would meet in the lobby 10 minutes before the start of the meeting.

The drive was long, but easy, and the boys spent the time asking Kent every possible question about baseball. He never once complained. While we were driving, Kent asked Austin if he brought the tin box, and Austin said yes. He asked Kent if he wanted to do another card and Kent motioned for him to get the box.

"I think we have the opportunity to do several cards on this trip, if you're up for it, Austin."

Austin retrieved the box out of his bag and took the next card out.

"Read the next card to us if you would please, Austin. I think you'll find it very timely to our trip."

Austin began: "Ok. This card is titled: #8: Join a Summer League Team."