Change Happens…The Decision to Transfer

Julie Thompson – A Baseball Factory Parent’s Perspective

Sometimes Plan A doesn’t work out. When that happens, your son may want to get a fresh start by transferring to a new school. The work begins again, but rest assured, the world doesn’t end when the original plan doesn’t go as expected.

The first thing to do is determine why things didn’t work, and give your son some reassurance about himself and his ability. What can you take from this experience so history doesn’t repeat itself? Maybe the size of the school wasn’t right; maybe the location was wrong.

Baseball can be a little harder to clarify, though. Your son may personalize the difficulties with the program or the coach. Now more than ever, your son needs to know he’s talented and able. Let him know there are many factors that comprise a program’s fit. The program itself may have turned out to be less competitive than he originally thought. Perhaps the work-outs were more rigorous than he expected, or the schedule too demanding for him to succeed academically. The coach that he thought would be a great fit may have over-recruited, or preferred a style of skills that upon closer examination, didn’t match your son’s. Whatever the case, the fact that it didn’t work doesn’t mean your son failed—it means the program wasn’t a fit. And that’s all it means.

Brian, a friend of Kyle’s, recently found himself interested in transferring. Brian loved the school he attended, but didn’t find the opportunity he believed he would have in baseball. He began a new college search in the fall, hoping to transfer for second semester. Brian hoped to find a school that met all his expectations. First and foremost, though, he wanted the opportunity for a successful baseball experience.

Brian began his research in October, but didn’t really get started sending out letters until around Thanksgiving. He sent out 15-20 emails to coaches, basing his selections on his own research and Baseball Factory’s recommendations. He received about 12 responses back. Those who wrote back did so promptly—some took a couple of days, but several came, literally, in minutes. Brian’s letter said that he was writing to introduce himself, explaining that baseball at his current school had not worked out and he was exploring new situations. It was short, sweet and to the point. Brian provided a link to his Baseball Factory player page, and attached both his resume and a waiver from his current college.

The calls began and the next steps happened fast. Brian quickly learned that despite disappointment at his original college choice, a lot of other doors were open to him. The trick would be to find the best fit—and the eternal question, ‘What trade-offs am I willing to make to play baseball?’ once again lurked silently in every conversation and decision. Some fits were better than others. Brian can play several positions, and a few coaches were interested in him for what Brian considers his secondary position. Others had interest in Brian for the following fall, rather than the upcoming spring. As always, trying to evaluate the amount of quality playing time he might get was paramount.

College visits tended to differ from those that took place in Brian’s senior year of high school. For Brian, there was less time for visits. His college academic schedule was demanding and he couldn’t take time away from school. There also seemed to be less firsthand information. Several visits took place on long week-ends, or even after school had closed for breaks. As a result, Brian had less of a chance to meet other players or other students—or sometimes even to check out classrooms and dorms. Much of his decision became based on his belief in the coach and program, the connection he felt with the coach, Baseball Factory’s input and the academic reputation of the school. He traded off many factors that had drawn him to his original college choice – such as location and campus atmosphere – weighting the transfer decision more heavily on potential baseball opportunity.

Transferring mid-year also prompted a few unique questions because the school year was well underway. Brian encountered two distinct situations. The admissions office of one school contacted him before he had made a decision, letting him know they had academic counselors available to help him select classes. They even had scheduled a date for him to meet with the counselors. The other school waited for him to make a decision, leaving scheduling for orientation. As you might guess, housing and classes were pretty well spoken for by current students by the time orientation rolled around. Brian received no assistance from the school once he was in-the-door. In fact, he had a hard time finding classes that were open that coordinated with his baseball schedule. As a transfer, you might want to ensure you won’t get the ‘bottom-of-the-barrel’ in housing and classes, because that’s often all that’s left.

The decision to transfer can be one filled with new beginnings. It’s not without unknowns, however, or the likelihood that your son will be leaving at least a few things he likes about his old school. Guide him and help him adopt a forward focus. His ability to be flexible, confident and realistic, combined with your ability to support his new choice, are key factors for his success. Finally, as always, let the decision be his. He is the one who will be living with the decision each day. Make peace with the past and then, let the new journey begin.

This blog is dedicated to Kelly Kulina. Kelly – we are so grateful for all the support, guidance and friendship you gave us. What a blessing to have known you! We miss you and will remember you always.

You are indeed, Heaven’s Prize Recruit.


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.