How Do I Get Noticed?
by: Bob Howdeshell
High School Baseball Web
One of the most commonly asked questions on the message board
is "How Do I Get Noticed? The first step in that process has been
taken care of -- You found the High School Baseball Web. The next steps
are not as easy. It's time to get to work!
If a player or his family believes the old tired saying "If you are
good enough "they" will find you." Then you might just be ending your
player's baseball career at the high school level
If a player is one of the Top 100 high school players in the country
"they" will find you. If a player is a 6'-4" 200 pound left-handed
pitcher throwing 85+ mph, "they" will find you.
If a player is a member of one of the elite high school programs in the
country "they" may find you. The same is true if he plays on one of the
best summer travel teams in the country. But what if he is a good player
-- but not one of the stars on those teams? Then he would have to have
a "career day" when "they" are in the stands watching another player.
The first thing that a student-athlete desiring to play college baseball must do is "Read." I know this may be foreign to many players -- but unfortunately I have not developed a Play Station game for all this information yet.
I would suggest starting with the "Recruiting Timeline" and then moving into the "Recruiting Tips" section ... especially the
Player & Parent
section.
Next I would read each of the interviews by the College Coaches to find out what kind of things they look for.
Then I would move to the interviews with the Professional Scouts, find out what they look for -- many times it is similar to what the college coaches look for in a player.
You need to develop a plan of action. As the saying goes -- Anything worth having is worth fighting for!"
- Read and Print Out the "Recruiting Time Line"
- Read the information in the Recruiting Tips - Players and Parents section
- Send letters of introduction to college coaches
- Ask your high school and summer team coach to send letters for you
- Send high school, summer and fall season schedules to college coaches
- Play on the best summer baseball team that you can find -- even it that means traveling to a neighboring town
- Attend the free professional try-out days in your area (held each summer -- watch your local paper and the HSBBWeb for dates -- Read about these in the
Pro Try-Out Section of the HSBBWeb
- Attend a college summer baseball camp -- one during the Christmas holidays too if affordable to your family
- Attend a quality high school baseball talent showcase -- see our listings and dates in the
Showcase Table
- Take the standardized college tests (ACT / SAT) -- most students need to take these more than once
- Get with your high school's guidance counselor and register with the NCAA Clearinghouse
There is a "bunch" of work involved in the college search -- Then when you add in the element of playing a sport the amount of work more than doubles!
A player, his coaches, and his family need to be "pro-active" in the recruiting hunt. If you wait you may be forced to start your slow-pitch softball career earlier than you should have.
Also read the second installment of this article
Getting Noticed - Part #2
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