A Field of Dreamers

Epilogue

It's November, 2015, 3 am, and I'm sitting here putting the final touches on the project that Kent urged me to distribute for him 6 years ago.

It's taken a long time to get to this point - certainly longer than Kent may have wished, but only by design: I needed the years to see how our own baseball lives were to play out before I ever released this book about college baseball recruiting into the public domain:

The dreams of too many others are at stake.

While I wrap this up, I'm watching my oldest son's USA national team play Mexico in the semi-finals of the Premier 12 tournament in Japan. Like always, Ranger is quietly sleeping at my feet. The game is streamed live over the Internet, and I'm excited as Austin will be home in just two days for a long-overdue off-season. Back here in the States, he's finished his 4th year of professional ball, and over the next few days, he'll learn more of his professional baseball future. He's gone further than I ever imagined, and know the only reason he's gotten as far as he has is directly attributed to the hard work he's invested in his preparation, and a dogged-determination to make his dreams come true. He is a very lucky-man, indeed.

My middle son is currently a sophomore at the University, where he's majoring in mechanical engineering. His baseball career was derailed by a shoulder injury in his junior year of high school, and with a life out of baseball, when I consider the investment of time each player makes once he earns his scholarship; I think this son's decisions may be the smartest of all. In baseball, you're only as good as your last at bat, your last pitch, your last play. You always have to be advancing your Game, because there's always someone else, watching and waiting to take your place if you're not prepared to perform.

Rarely, if ever, is there a free pass in the game of baseball.

My youngest son chose to follow in his older brother's footsteps – and attempt to be recruited to play college baseball. He too, was one of my lab rats, and used the same recruitment process to earn his own college baseball scholarship. His recruitment was a particularly-interesting one – albeit a short one at that, as he already knew the school he wanted to play for. He did an excellent job on his preparation, but ultimately, all he did was send out the original letter of introduction my oldest son used throughout his recruitment effort; and in less than 24-hours, he was recruited to play at one of the leading JUCO programs in the West.

On many occasions over the years, I've wondered about baseball gods - and if they really exist; but now I am sure they do, for how else could I explain Kent's existence?

He gave our family so much perspective of the process, and the very Game of baseball itself, and as I consider what our son's lives might be without him, I am certain our success in navigating the college recruitment experience – and the futures of each son, would be much different without his guiding hand.

I miss our family's baseball god, and think of him often, still. We all miss him, yet we also know he is out there - somewhere, touching the lives of other deserving players and families - and helping to make their baseball dreams come true, just like ours.

One day we will meet again.

As I scan the pages of my book one last time, I do it now with a confidence that tells me the strategy is proven and ready to distribute through a story that celebrates the wisdom of our long-lost friend, and the steps he shared that created our own recruitment success.

Through all the successful recruitment's I have witnessed over the years, there are constant characteristics I always see that are certain to influence a successful recruitment effort. I truly believe that if you consider incorporating some-or all of these characteristics into your own recruitment effort - your opportunities will increase substantially:

-IT'S ALL UP TO YOU-Your recruitment success is 100% proportional to your own efforts: Be responsible, accountable, and committed to the successes and challenges of your own recruitment effort.

-IF YOU CAN PLAY-YOU CAN PLAY-If you can play the game in high school, and are committed to preparing your game for an advanced level of play, the opportunities to play college baseball are greater than you may ever imagine.

-BE FLEXIBLE TO WHERE YOU SHOULD PLAY-Not every player gets to play D1 Baseball – there's just not enough opening roster spots to meet the demand; but if you remain flexible towards the opportunities that present themselves to play at a level of baseball that aligns with your ability and your needs as a student-athlete, you will always choose the right program - and level of play that is best for you-and never be disappointed with your decision.

-BE PRO-ACTIVE-In everything you do. A high school baseball player's recruitment timeline is finite. Do not waste a moment of time-or wait for anything to come to you. The more time spent in your effort delivers greater opportunity; while the time that is wasted reduces the same opportunities you receive to play college baseball. Don't waste another minute of time: Start your recruitment today.

-EMBRACE FAILURE- In what other vocation do you know of, where if you hit safely in just 1 of 3 at bats (.333 BAVG) over the course of your career, you're likely to be idolized by a nation of fans and find your likeness hanging on a wall in the Baseball Hall of Fame? The Game of Baseball is a game of failure. Embrace your failures as the learning experiences they really are. The knowledge, perspective, and resolve they always bring, allow you to tackle the obstacles that keep you from achieving your goals.

-DON'T BE A FOLLOWER – Every prospective-athlete brings to their recruitment effort the individual goals and objectives they wish to accomplish through that effort. I urge you to protect those goals and objectives, and never allow them to become compromised by following the Pack mentality through the recruitment experience. Educate yourself of how the industry works; how you prepare your game for an advanced level of play; how you determine the level(s) of college baseball you're best suited for; and how you define an effective recruitment strategy. Through this knowledge and perspective, you'll successfully-separate your candidacy – and your play from all the other players competing for the same roster spots as you.

In closing, if it is your dream to play college baseball after high school, I urge you to consider utilizing the recruitment process revealed in my story.

Read my story, and I'll teach you the elements of recruitment:

#1: DEVELOP YOUR WISH LIST

#2: WRITE YOUR LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION

#3: JOIN A TRAVEL TEAM

#4: UNDERSTAND THE LEVELS OF COLLEGE BASEBALL

#5: COLLEGE BASEBALL BY THE NUMBERS

#6: PREPARE TO PERFORM

#7: LEARN WHAT THE RECRUITING COACH WANTS

#8: JOIN A SUMMER LEAGUE TEAM

#9: ATTEND A COLLEGE CAMP

Read my story, and I'll show you how to determine the best level of college baseball for you. I'll show you how to write your letters of introduction; teach you the supply-side and the demand side of college baseball, and how to leverage this knowledge in a manner that allows you to craft your own, unique recruitment strategy that maximizes your recruitment opportunity. I'll show you how to prepare your Game for an advanced level of play, and help you to understand what the recruiting coach is looking for at the schools you're considering for your recruitment.

In the end, the knowledge and perspective you gain from reading my story will always prove to be invaluable if you're prepared to assume the responsibility to do the work: It will always save you time and money; maximize your opportunities; and always allow YOU the opportunity to choose the right college program and school to meet your specific needs as a prospective student-athlete.

You can do this!

Best in baseball,

Lee

Have a question about your college baseball recruitment? Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/A-Field-of-Dreamers-770380963066563/