THE RECRUITING TIMELINE

CAREER STATS


G          AB         R          H           HR          SO         AVG.          OBP.         SLG

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​   1596     5941     957     1713        284        414        .288           .348         .482

​"BASEBALL IS NINETY PERCENT MENTAL AND THE OTHER HALF IS PHYSICAL"        - YOGI BERRA

​click on any box to find out what COULD BE IN STORE FOR YOUR CHILD!


Our players from this years 16U and 17U Indiana Trailblazers are receiving notice and feedback from college coaches! Players are attending camps and having on campus visits and have expressed that the recruiting timeline has helped them significantly in getting them in the position to excel in high school and further their careers into college.


​Criteria for Selecting a College:     
· Location 
· Size of School
· Cost to Attend
· Social Life
· Academic Reputation
· Areas of Study


                                                      





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QUESTIONS/ANSWERS

1.  WHAT DO COLLEGE COACHES LOOK FOR WHEN THEY ARE RECRUITING PLAYERS? 


FIRST THE PLAYER HAS TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL.  IF YOU DON'T MEET THE SCHOOLS MINIMUM ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION, DON'T EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THOSE SCHOOLS.  ALSO, CAN YOU PLAY AT THEIR LEVEL OF COMPETITION. 

 2.  What are the usual steps in the recruiting process? 


During the junior year, register with the NCAA Clearinghouse for initial-eligibility approval to play NCAA Division I and II sports.  Colleges are permitted to write letters to prospects after September 1 during his junior year.  Personal contact may take place after July 1 following his junior year, and once-per-week phone calls are also permitted then.

3.  DOES PLAYING AT A TOP 25 SCHOOL INCREASE MY CHANCES OF GETTING DRAFTED?  


SCOUTS ARE LOOKING FOR PLAYERS WITH MAJOR LEAGUE TOOLS; IT CAN BE A SMALL DIVISION III SCHOOL OR A NATIONALLY RANKED DIVISION I SCHOOL.  BUT, ATTENDING A TOP FLIGHT BASEBALL PROGRAM WILL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF BEING SCOUTED BECAUSE YOU ARE PLAYING MANY TEAMS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY DRAFTED PLAYERS ON THEIR ROSTER.

 4.  HOW MANY OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL VISITS CAN MY SON MAKE? 


 PLAYERS CAN MAKE ONE OFFICIAL PAID VISIT TO NO MORE THAN FIVE NCAA INSTITUTIONS.  PLAYERS MAY MAKE AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL (UNPAID) VISITS.  OFFICIAL VISITS MAY ONLY BE MADE DURING THE PLAYERS SENIOR YEAR.  UNOFFICIAL VISITS MAY BE MADE ANYTIME.

 5.  DOES LETTERS OR PHONE CALLS FROM COLLEGES MEAN THEY ARE GOING TO OFFER ME A SCHOLARSHIP?  


NO.  MANY SCHOOLS MAY SEND OUT HUNDREDS OF LETTERS TO POTENTIAL RECRUITS.   SOME MAY ACTUALLY BE IN A FORM LETTER OR A PRESS RELEASE. UNTIL YOU SEE A SCHOLARSHIP OFFER FROM THE SCHOOL, DON'T GET TOO EXCITED.

 6.  CAN A SCHOLARSHIP BE TAKEN AWAY IF HE'S INJURED OR NOT SATISFIED WITH HIS PLAYING ABILITY?  


SCHOLARSHIPS ARE RENEWABLE EVERY YEAR.  COACHES CAN CUT YOUR SCHOLARSHIP MONEY INCREASE IT OR DECIDE NOT TO RENEW YOUR SCHOLARSHIP AT THE END OF SEASON.  MOST COACHES, IF YOU ARE INJURED, WILL RENEW YOUR SCHOLARSHIP, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO.

 7.  WHAT IS A GOOD SCHOLARSHIP OFFER?  


DIVISION I BASEBALL SCHOOLS ARE ALLOWED A MAXIMUM OF 11.7, DIVISION II SCHOOLS HAVE 9.0 FULL SCHOLARSHIPS.  THEY ARE USUALLY SPILT UP OVER 25 PLAYERS WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE GOING TO PITCHERS, THEN CATCHER AND SHORTSTOPS.  ANYTHING OVER 50% IS A GREAT OFFER AND REMEMBER, THEY CAN INCREASE THEIR SCHOLARSHIP OFFER, WHICH FREQUENTLY HAPPENS IF THE PLAYER GETS DRAFTED HIGH IN THE AMATEUR DRAFT.

 8.  WHAT PERCENTAGE OF SCHOLARSHIP MONEY IS SPOKEN FOR IN THE EARLY SIGNING PERIOD?  


MORE THAN 1/2 OF THE NCAA INSTITUTIONAL ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP MONEY IS ALLOCATED IN THE EARLY SIGNING PERIOD.

 9.  IF MY SON DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS BEFORE OR DURING THE NOVEMBER SIGNING PERIOD, SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?  


DON'T PANIC, SOME PLAYERS DO BECOME HEAVILY RECOGNIZED DURING THE SPRING AND SOME COACHES SAVE SOME SCHOLARSHIP MONEY JUST IN CASE A PLAYER POPS UP OUT OF NOWHERE.  HOWEVER, REALISM WOULD INDICATE THAT DIVISION I AND MOST DIVISION II SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE A SINCERE INTEREST.

10.  WILL SENDING A DVD/VIDEOTAPE OF ME IMPROVE MY CHANCES OF BEING RECRUITED?  


IT CAN DEFINITELY HELP, BUT KEEP THE TAPE TO ABOUT THREE MINUTES.  BE CERTAIN TO SHOW YOU'RE THROWING DURING INFIELD/OUTFIELD PRACTICE BEFORE A GAME AND SEVERAL OF YOUR AT BATS DURING GAME COMPETITION, PLUS INCLUDE SOME RUNNING FROM HOME TO FIRST ON A HIT. PITCHERS SHOULD SHOW ABOUT ONE INNING OR ABOUT 15 PITCHES. 

11.  DO COLLEGE RECRUITERS PAY ATTENTION TO RECRUITING SERVICES?   


NON-DIVISION I SCHOOLS CONSISTENTLY USE THESE SERVICES.  DO NOT ALLOW THE RECRUITING SERVICES TO OVERSELL THE PLAYER'S ABILITY.   THE GOOD RECRUITING SERVICES DO MORE THAN JUST SEND OUT MASS MAILINGS TO COLLEGES THAT PLAY BASEBALL.  PREMIER SERVICES OFFER A VARIETY OF PERSONAL SERVICES.  MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE SERVICES PROVIDED BEFORE SPENDING MONEY WITH THESE SERVICE COMPANIES. 

 12.  IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO ATTEND A COLLEGE BASEBALL CAMP?  


IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A PARTICULAR COLLEGE IT IS SMART TO ATTEND THEIR SUMMER BASEBALL CAMP.  YOU WILL GET A CHANCE TO SEE THEIR CAMPUS PLUS DEMONSTRATE YOUR BASEBALL SKILLS IN FRONT OF THEIR COACHING STAFF.  MANY COLLEGES USE THESE CAMPS TO RAISE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THEIR PROGRAM.