The Right Place at the Right Time - Part 2

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Before getting into this week’s topic, please take a minute to review last week’s entry regarding college camps and their role in the recruiting process. This week, I will be going over the role of college showcases and how you can maximize the benefit of attending one.

The showcase route, while obviously dealing in greater numbers of players and scouts, should no less receive the same type of “quality over quantity” consideration as college camps. For coaches, they are cost-effective and allow them to save money in their recruiting budget by seeing more players at one place. At the same time, they offer good opportunities for players to be seen by a larger number of coaches, compared to camps. However, players have a very limited number of swings, ground balls and playing time in general. With limited playing time comes more pressure to perform.

Too many times, players attend events where they are over matched and melt into the crowd. Another common mistake is that players attend so many events that by the time they make it to a worthwhile event, their feet are heavier, their bat is slower and their arm is fatigued! Some colleges will only have one chance to see you play, so you need to be ready and prepared every time you get in front of them. That being said, I would recommend getting some local showcase experience along the way to prepare for a pressure-filled environment.

We work with our Exclusive Players to plan out their showcase schedule in conjunction with all their planned activities. For instance, it makes no sense to attend a showcase immediately after a family vacation. If it’s been more than a week since you’ve picked up a bat, how can you expect to impress a college scout? You will do yourself a favor by passing on an opportunity rather than trying to labor through a workout. Not only could you reverse any momentum you’ve made in the process, but you also risk the chance of getting hurt.

Just like with individual camps, it’s also important to do some reconnaissance and figure out which schools are going to be represented at the showcase. Are these schools you are interested in attending, and can you play there? More importantly, are you going to be able to distinguish yourself among the other 199 players present? Every event features prospects that are fine players in their own right, but are unfortunately missed because they are not one of the better players at this event.

Some assumptions you CANNOT make when considering showcases:

-Every coach is going to be able to see me and I am going to get my fair share of exposure.
-Showcases are one in the same.
-The more showcases I attend, the better off I’ll be.
-I’m bound to get a phone call and a scholarship offer after this showcase.
-I’ll know exactly where I stand with the colleges who attend this event.
-All the colleges who attended in the past will be there.

The biggest mistake you can make is to write a check every time the mail comes in. With proper research and planning, you can maximize the amount and type of exposure you get with each of these events and create some serious momentum for yourself in the recruiting process. Showcases and college camps are important steps in the recruiting process, but there needs to be a game plan and strategy in place, so you don’t spin your wheels as you empty your pocket book. Doing everything is NOT the answer here. There is such a thing as the right place at the right time!


Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.