Meeting With Coaches

Julie Thompson – A Baseball Factory Parent’s Perspective

Meeting and talking with coaches has always been my favorite part of the college search process – their backgrounds, their methods of motivating and developing their players, the details of the programs, themselves – so many interesting things to find out. The tough part has been trying to stay in the background. Having a Type A personality, I’m prone to communicating; as a writer, I tend to interview…and as a mom knowing the effect this person may have on my son…let’s just say I have to work hard at stepping back and letting Kyle take charge.

So, Rule #1 – When you’re looking at schools, let your son do most of the talking! Conversations dominated by parent and coach may reveal you’re a great fit with the program, but probably will leave your son and the coach second-guessing their own relationship.

Rule #2 – When your son is in a program – let him still do the talking! He certainly needs you for guidance, but the reality is that your son is the one who knows both the written and unwritten rules of the program, as well as the personalities involved. The right conversations foster mutual respect and connection between your son and his coach. And the flipside can’t be ruled out…as a friend of mine was cautioned by her son, “I don’t care what the coach tells you or how nice he is to you…believe me, anything you say will be taken out on me.” Better they live with the consequences of their actions, not yours.

Rule #3 – Make sure you know the role of the person with whom you are meeting, as well as the person with whom you should be meeting. Seems simple…but some schools have developmental or JV programs. You and your son should meet with the appropriate coach. If your son will be on the JV team, make sure you meet with the JV coach. Don’t limit your conversation to the Varsity Coach, no matter how much influence you may believe he will have on developing your son (and moving him off JV). Find out the relationship of the JV program with the Varsity program, and if possible, the relationship between the JV and Varsity coaches. Are players freely exchanged between the JV and Varsity programs, or is your son likely to stay on JV for four years? The JV coach may be looking for a different type of player than the Varsity coach, or may have recruited his own players, to whom he might have a greater commitment.

While the primary conversation/relationship should be between the player and his coach, we as parents have both a right and a responsibility in this process. We need to get to know something about the person who potentially will have a significant impact on our son’s life, as well as the expectations of the program he may be entering. A little homework – a coach’s experience should be available on the school’s athletic website – and some general instinct on personal connection should help you start the process. The details will follow. Usually, the coach realizes it’s in everyone’s best interest to be knowledgeable, so much of the information you want and need probably will flow into conversations. Some topics you may want to make sure are covered include:


Baseball
1). What are the program’s current and future needs for the position my son plays?
2). How many players are you recruiting for that position?
3). What is the likelihood of playing time, next season? (With the understanding there are no guarantees on that one)
4). What do you think are my son’s strengths, at this time? What should he be working on?
5). Will your game schedule be the same as it has been in the past?
6). Where do you go for spring training (if applicable)? What schools do you expect to play while you’re there? How is the trip funded?
7). What is your practice schedule for fall ball and the spring? What is your work-out schedule and expectations for off-season?
8). Do you place your players in summer leagues? If not, will you help my son get placed for summer ball?
9). Have any of your players gone on to play at the next level? What can you do to help my son move to the next level?
10). Do you expect to remain at the school for the next few years? (So, maybe you phrase that one a bit more delicately!)
11). Do you communicate with your players regarding how they’re doing and how they can improve?
12). What’s the process for cutting players? How much notice and what kind of communication do they get?

Academics
1). What are the academic eligibility requirements for the team?
2). What is the team’s average GPA?
3). Is there academic support for the players, and if so, what is it? (Mandatory study halls? Tutors?)
4). How do players ensure their academic schedules won’t conflict with games or practice?
5). How many classes do players tend to miss because of games or practices?
6). How sensitive is the administration to players balancing academics with baseball?
7). Do you personally monitor the players’ academic performance?

General
1). What is the overall relationship of the players with each other?
2). Do the players tend to hang around together outside of baseball?
3). Do the players live together?

I’ll close with Rule #4 – Be realistic – to the best of your ability – and know your priorities. We all have hopes and dreams…and should. But we also know life isn’t perfect. Know the trade-offs of the decisions you make. Does your son want a highly competitive/prestigious program if playing time is limited and the risk of being cut is greater? Would he trade off the other amenities of a school or location to be an impact player at a school where overall, he may not be as happy? Only he knows the answer – and even he may not know the answer until he faces the situation.

I guess that brings me to Rule #5 – if any of that happens, let your son do the talking.


Julie Thompson is a parent of a former Baseball Factory Exclusive Program player. She has volunteered to share her opinions, observations and general thoughts regarding the college recruiting and player development process. She will share what worked and what didn’t for her son, in the hope that other parents and players may benefit from her experience.