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The American Dream for boys and girls that play high school varsity baseball in towns and cities throughout the United States is always the same. It is built around tiresome daily practices, competitive hard-fought games and costly equipment purchases that deplete family budgets, all for the singular purpose of attracting the attention of a college coach and getting a chance to play baseball for a great university. But, competition is fierce. The aspiring athlete has to know “how to get recruited for college baseball.”
High school baseball players that get recruited are generally rewarded with a partial or full athletic scholarship that eliminates the high cost of college and saves the student and his parents tens of thousands of dollars.
However, very few high school athletes playing baseball at a NCAA-member college or university are actually benefitting from a scholarship that pays for their education. Fortunately, there is a proven path to earning an athletic “all expenses paid college education.” Here is what you have to do …
8-steps Plan Can Improve Your Chances Of Getting Recruited
It’s true. If you know how to attract attention to yourself you have a much better chance of getting recruited. And recruitment almost always results in a scholarship. That should be your goal and this is how you can achieve it.
Step 1: Choose The Right Curriculum In High School
Via: w3prxyd01.sjcd.edu
Building a path to recruitment needs to start in your freshman year in high school, a year or two before you receive a college catalog or view your first recruitment video. That’s when you should begin familiarizing yourself with NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) standards and select classes that you’ll need to fulfill NCAA Core Course requirements.
It can prove helpful to meet with a high school Guidance Counselor before the start of each school year to make sure that your academic schedule is in line with the approved list of core courses.
Step 2: Register With The NCAA
Via: rawlings.com
You need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (once known as the NCAA Clearing House) in order to validate your status as an amateur athlete. When accomplished, it proves that you are not “playing for pay” as a professional athlete. Registration will cost you a one-time fee of $50 and you will also have to produce your social security number to complete the process. It is a good idea to register with the NCAA by your junior year in high school.
Step 3: Create a List Of “Preferred” Colleges Or Universities
You need to establish “targets” or “goals” of the schools where you’d like to play varsity baseball and receive your education. Many high school athletes draw up a single list. The better idea may be to create three lists. List number one can include your “dream schools.”
The second list can include schools that present realistic opportunities for enrollment and List number three can be “fallback” institutes of higher learning, schools that you find acceptable if you fail to gain acceptance to any of the schools on the first two lists.
It is probably a good idea to include the names of twelve to fifteen schools on each of the three lists.
Step 4: Produce a Video Of Your Athletic Achievements And Highlights
Via: foxsports.com
College baseball coaches rely on video highlights to evaluate a player’s ability. The responsibility rests with the player, of course, to produce a video that includes 12-15 plays in which he excelled or performed at a very high level.
Video quality matters and some high school athletes invest in a professional videographer to help them produce a simple, but effective, “highlight reel.” If you opt to produce your own video, keep is simple, short and to the point, avoiding the kind of loud soundtrack that tends to annoy coaches.
Step 5: Spend Time Researching Your Favorite Schools
Via: usnews.com
Use the internet to get lots of useful recruiting information about the schools that interest you. In fact, you can visit a school’s website to find the best coaches or school officials to contact.
Then, you can send them an e-mail or letter about yourself and include your highlight reel. You can also speak with current or former players (if you know them) to learn about the school before you send your personal information.
Step 6: Initiate Your First Contact
Via: thebalance.com
Begin contacting college coaches before the start of your sophomore year in high school. As noted earlier, send an e-mail or letter along with your personal highlight reel. Include such information as your athletic stats, any honors you’ve received and relevant academic details.
You should also include contact information for your high school coaches. Importantly, keep your e-mail or letter short and to-the-point. College coaches are busy people.
Step 7: Attend A University Camp To “Improve Your Game” And Increase Your Exposure
Sports camps provide you with an opportunity to get better and get noticed. If you attend a camp sponsored by a university, you have the added chance of being spotted – and evaluated – by a coach. However, there is no guarantee that will happen.
Step 8: Think Carefully About Your Final Choice
Via: usnews.com
It is likely that, by your senior year in high school, you will have received a few offers from colleges. Your decision should not be made quickly. There is a lot to ponder. For instance, you may have to consider selecting a university that offers a great financial package or one that provides you with a better chance to be a starter by your sophomore year.
The best choice for you should be the college or university that offers you the very best environment for academic, athletic and personal development.
Choose wisely and your decision will have a positive and lasting impact on your life during your scholastic career and in all the years that follow.
If You Have A Question That Needs An Answer, I Can Help
Contact me today with any questions you may have and I’ll respond with an answer quickly. What’s more, I welcome your comments. Feel free to write about school recruitment or any other subject. I look forward to hearing from you.
