January 2010
24 posts
5 tags
College Camps: Then and Now
College baseball camps used to be for fun and a chance to get out on a college field and practice your skills and hopefully learn a few things. Times have change and I mean a lot. Now College camps are used not only to teach skills but they also allow college coaches the chance to see multiple players live and at one time. What makes these such great tools for coaches is the ability to see...
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Proof of the hip rotation with singles hitters
Some people argue that people who hit for power use hip rotation and singles hitters tend to slide forward and be more linear. I disagree completely, I think there is one way to swing a baseball bat that makes people consistently successful. That way as I have stated before comes down to your back hip opening and driving forward after your front heel hits the ground. This is obviously a little...
Playing Catch The Right Way
When you are playing catch the name of the game is catch, not chase or pick up, it is catch. So how do you play catch the right way? First you play often and second you work on throwing the ball to a person. The person who does not have the ball should give the person throwing the ball a target, this helps concentration and focus. You should always throw to something, do not just throw it in a...
Last installment of this series
The truth shall set you free:
As a player you must be honest with yourself in order to give yourself the best opportunity to play at the college level. Let your friends and parents tell you how great you are but you must be informed and truthful with yourself. Why is this so important? You need to know what schools your abilities fit and you need to search the right schools. Chances are...
Recruting Resources
Use your resources:
Ask Coaches and instructors to contact a coach.
A good word from someone the coach knows or trusts can go a long way. Your high school coach, summer coach, and private instructors are good people to ask for help. Talk to them and find out if they would be willing to make a call or send an email on your behalf. Most coaches will do this, the only stipulation they will have...
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Recruting: Summer Baseball
School and Summer baseball:
These are times when coaches can come watch a player play in a live game situation with or without the player knowing they are there. Showcases can also provide live games but the player always knows people are watching and may be nervous. During your school season it is tougher for the coach to actually come watch because they are still playing as well. ...
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Recruting Tapes: Make them simple and quality
Recruiting tapes:
This is very basic and Easy.
Make a recruiting tape of yourself showcasing your tools. In your recruiting tape you want to have footage of your swing from the back, the open side, and the front. You want to include yourself fielding (position specific), throwing and running if possible. At this point in the game you do not have to be outside, you can make this tape at...
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Recruiting Manual Continued: Play In Front Of A...
How to market yourself:
Let your actions do the talking.
Now that you know what schools value your tools, you have to make sure the coach sees your skill set in order to determine if you are a good fit for their program. How do you do this? You have to play, but more importantly you have to play in front of them. Showcases and camps are a great way to do this. You can get information on the...
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Part 5: Questionnaires
Questionnaires:
Personal Information
Some coaches will send you a questionnaire in the mail and others will have you go their site and fill one out electronically. These are helpful for the coach to get a brief overview of a player and will help you make initial contact with a coach if you do not find their email. You can go to a school’s website and fill out a questionnaire without being...
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Recruiting Manual Part 4: Do Your Part
What you can you do to help the recruiting process:
Getting the information you need.
Assuming you possess some of the tools we talked about in the previous chapter you are now going to go to work marketing them. Remember you do not have to possess all five tools, only a small percentage of players in the history of the big leagues possess them. What you have to do is figure out your strengths...
Listen
Listen
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Exposure: Myth and Reality
For this post we are going to assume you are a high school player and you are going to play travel baseball. As you choose your team and go to a tryout listen carefully to what the coaches talk about. One word you will hear a lot is exposure. A lot of coaches will say you should play on our team because we will get you in front of more college coaches or pro scouts. Beware of this because a...
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The Hawk
Congratulations go out to Andre Dawson. Mr. Dawson was finally elected into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Again, Congratulations. Now I am just waiting on Jack Morris to get in and then I will be happy.
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Matt Holliday gets PAID and Randy Johnson...
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Volunteer Assistant
This is my title on the Central Michigan University baseball coaching staff. Questions I have received from some people about this position are:
-What is a volunteer assistant?
-What are your responsibilities?
-Are you actually a coach?
-Do you make any money?
A volunteer assistant is an actual coaching position that most Universities have on staff. A volunteer assistant is basically an...
Recruiting Manual Part 3: Tools
Today’s post is a little more authentic as I accepted an assistant coaching position at Central Michigan University last night. I start on Monday, and I will keep the information coming on here. Have a great day.
What are tools: An overview of the five tools coaches look for.
In baseball there are five physical tools, arm strength, speed, fielding, hitting for power, and hitting for...
Recruiting Manual Part 2: Do not twist his words
How to decipher what a coach says: Just listen, no really listen
A coach’s job is to go out and get the best players available, that means if you are the best shortstop in high school he will want to get you. This is where you must listen carefully and fully understand what the coach is saying. Some coaches will be flat out honest and tell you, “We have a shortstop who is a senior so you will...
Greatest Being On Earth: Baseball
If being the best was easy everyone would be in the hall of fame. Please understand how hard baseball actually is, and if you want to make it, or if you even want to keep your head above water you have to put some time into it and actually understand what baseball is. It is for this reason you have to love this game with every inch of your being, and that is only the start of the journey, you...
Recruiting Manual Part 1
You Can Do It:
There is more competition for college scholarships today than I ever remember in the past. People are willing to pay any amount of money to anyone who can get them into a school. Unfortunately there are people who will take advantage of this situation and charge families huge sums of money for their services. Funny thing is if you have the ability to play at the college level...
Best Compliment You Can Get
As a player you would think the best compliment you can get is you are the best player on your team or you are the best player in the city, state, country, etc. Well you would be wrong, the best compliment you can get as a player is “you make the players around you better”. There are a lot of good players out there and there are a lot of players who help their teams win games or make...
We Can Teach Him How To Hit
I love this phrase when it comes to baseball. You usually hear people say this when they see someone who is extremely fast but cannot hit to save their lives. This player may also be able to play a little defense but hitting is something they cannot do, and that is why scouts say we will teach him how to hit. It is the way they justify taking a shot on someone who is an athlete and not a...