The Consequences of Cheating

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Everyone has an opinion on steroids and the most famous users (just Google Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds or Alex Rodriguez). But, as Rob Naddelman pointed out in one of his previous posts, the focus should be on education and prevention in our college, high school and youth ranks. There are many illegal performance-enhancing substances out there, with wide-ranging long-term consequences. It’s important for players to know what steroid use can do not only to their career, but to their body and state of mind.

Since September 1986, the NCAA has had a mandatory drug testing program in place for all sports and has maintained testing throughout the academic year. Players sign a consent form at the first team meeting and are pulled from practice and competition without notice and administered tests throughout the fall, regular season and even the postseason. In fact, players on my teams were sometimes pulled right out of the dugout by an envelope-carrying compliance officer.

Over the years, punishments for positive results have increased in severity. When I was coaching, the penalty for “street drugs” (marijuana, cocaine) or any other NCAA banned substance ranged from counseling to being banned from competition. Today, a lot of college athletic departments have a “zero-tolerance” stance towards steroids, and the penalty is severe: immediate suspension for one year, with a second offense resulting in a permanent loss of eligibility. In addition, if a student-athlete transfers to another NCAA institution while disqualified due to a positive test, their ineligibility will follow them to the new school.

Far and above a player’s eligibility is his health, and unfortunately, many young athletes are putting supplements into their bodies without knowing the short and long-term effects of this use. On one end of the “performance-enhancing spectrum,” you have protein shakes, power bars or even Red Bull. On the other, you have your more common steroids, such as HGH and testosterone. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of gray area to cover between these two extremes. Some of these supplements are under the NCAA’s list of banned substances and you wouldn’t even know it! Players simply must know what they’re putting into their bodies, and what the side effects can be, even if bought over-the-counter.

When we go to the pharmacy to get a prescription drug, we are given information such as what the medication is for and what side effects it may cause. In addition, we are advised to call the doctor if we encounter any side effects while taking this prescribed medicine. Athletes who take performance-enhancing drugs usually have NO idea what they’re taking, let alone the side effects or problems that can occur. On top of that, they’re not going to be comfortable talking to anyone about the side effects or problems they’re having because of the obvious repercussions it will have on their reputations. If you haven’t already heard of the Taylor Hooton Foundation, I’d suggest taking some time to read up on the sobering story of this young man. Deciding to take anabolic steroids in order to compete at the high school level, Taylor was eventually caught and consequently removed from his drug regiment. Sadly, a side effect of his use was a withdrawal-related depression, and on July 15, 2003, Taylor took his own life.

The bottom line is that you can be successful by taking care of yourself, working hard and making good decisions. As you continue to move up the ladder in athletics and life, there are always going to be people who are bigger, stronger, faster and smarter. However, there is something to be said for doing things the right way and there is NO substitute for hard work and dedication. After all, when it’s all said and done, it’s not our trophies, accomplishments or money we earned that matter most, but our integrity and satisfaction in knowing that we played the game the right way.


Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. 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.

The Fun is Just Beginning

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges


Congratulations to all of our Exclusive and ACR players that have signed their National Letters of Intent or have been accepted early to schools! I know I speak for everyone at the Baseball Factory when I thank you for the opportunity to work with you and your families. We wish you nothing but they very best and we look forward to following your collegiate careers.

You should be very proud of what you’ve accomplished. To have the opportunity to play college baseball is one thing, but to make the decision early in your senior year is a great achievement. So, order your college sweatshirt, baseball hat and bumper stickers- you’ve earned it! But do you have any idea what lies ahead? As with most things in life after high school, it’s not going to get any easier from here.

Now that you’ve made your decision, you enter a select group of “labeled” senior baseball players. While you won’t have to deal with the pressure to perform in front of college coaches, you have new expectations to deal with. You come into your season with a big “X” on your back that says “committed,” and everyone from teammates to opposing players to parents will be comparing themselves to you. Whether it’s fair or not, that’s the way it is and going to be! Whispered statements like “That’s the kid that committed to Coastal Carolina” carry a lot of assumptions, and whether you’re ready or not, you will be representing that school when you take the field. It is going to be a lot like this when you enter college as a student-athlete, so you better get used to it now!

One thing to keep in mind is that while you’ve consistently been among the best on your teams or in your district, you will be joining a team filled with the best. On top of that, you’re starting at the bottom of the totem pole and have to prove yourself all over again! The accolades you received over the years won’t mean a whole lot when you step on the field at the college level. Instead, your performance during fall workouts will set the course for your freshman campaign and beyond. At the very least, you need to remember that commitments and scholarships are only year-to-year. A commitment during your high school career will get you on campus. But must prove yourself everyday in the classroom and on the field because someone is waiting to take your spot! Remember, you have not accomplished anything yet at the college level!

Finally, one of the hardest transitions any college student has to make is to learn time management. Trust me, it’s tough to have to choose between hanging out with your friends and concentrating on what has to get done. Unfortunately, how fast you learn to focus on the “needs” rather than the “wants” will have an impact on your success as a student-athlete. Being the best you can be on the field and in the classroom is a big time commitment- there are no shortcuts! So, there’s no better time than now to prepare yourself for your season and your future. This is a great opportunity to “plan to work” and “work your plan” before you have to deal with the increased distractions and peer pressure of a college environment.

It’s so easy to fall behind and near impossible to stay ahead. The next few months will be a critical time for you and can have major implications for your collegiate career. Being on your own, dealing with the ups and downs and playing more games than any other sport in college athletics will be one of the toughest transitions you will ever have to make, and you have to be prepared. Again, don’t forget to enjoy the moment! But get ready to work harder than you ever have. And don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. 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.

The Road to Omaha…and Appleton

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

This is the time of year that college baseball turns it attention to the post-season. Teams hope to make runs through Conference Tournaments, Regionals, Super Regionals and ultimately the World Series. There is nothing better in the game of baseball than playing for a team that wins a Championship. Being the only team left standing (or dog-piling as the case may be) at the end of a long season is a feeling of accomplishment that very few get to experience.

When most fans think of the College World Series, they think of Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha and the games that have been televised for years on ESPN. The players who join us for our Omaha Pro Weekly Training and Tournament get to attend some of these games and I must confess that the atmosphere at Rosenblatt Stadium is unbelievable. This is the highest profile World Series for college baseball, but it is certainly not the only World Series for college players. In fact, Omaha is only one of seven college-level World Series that will be played over the next month.

The Junior College Division III Championship is hosted in Tyler, TX while the top teams at the JC DII level play in Millington, TN. The Junior College Division I World Series is a great event held in Grand Junction, CO where Chipola College won last year’s event before a crowd of 10,000 plus at the final game. The NAIA hosts its National Championship in Lewiston, Idaho where host Lewis and Clark won last year’s final before a crowd of 5,400 fans. The NCAA Division II World Series is played in Sauget, IL where the University of Tampa under Coach Joe Urso will try for their third Championship in a row this year. And finally, local Baltimore powerhouse Johns Hopkins, where eight Baseball Factory alums contribute, will try to bring home the NCAA Division III title from Appleton, Wisconsin.

The bottom line is that all of these National Championships provide top-level competition in great atmospheres. Players who participate in any of these World Series will leave with memories for a lifetime and some may even leave with a National Championship Trophy for their school and a ring for their finger.

When you choose a school, make sure that you approach the selection process with an open mind. Division I baseball offers many great opportunities, but they are not the only opportunities—and for some they are not the best opportunities. My guess is that the players who won last year’s Division III National Championship at Kean University wouldn’t trade places with anyone. They’ll tell you that Appelton is a pretty cool place to be this time of year.

Bernhardt played for five years in the Colorado Rockies organization. As Executive VP of Baseball Operations at Baseball Factory, he oversees all events and instruction. Bernhardt currently serves as an Associate Scout with the Colorado Rockies. He received his B.S. from the University of Richmond where he was an All-Conference player.

Getting It Right the First Time - Part 4

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

If you are just checking out the blog, take a look at Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this discussion. Let’s jump right back in and cover the last two criteria players should consider when evaluating the baseball program at colleges on your target list.

• Academic Support & Graduation Rates – Baseball players at the collegiate level play more games and spend more time on the road than any other student athlete. Without a doubt, 56 games a year adds up to a lot of time spent on the road and in hotels and not in the library and the computer labs. If you don’t have the grades, you will end up watching from the stands! When looking at schools you are interested in, it is important to evaluate the structure of academic support the Athletic Department provides for the team. Staffing and resources can make a big difference in the academic career of any baseball player.
  
  
• Conditioning and Athletic Training – Back when I was the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of Maryland, when my players signed their Letter of Intent the first thing our staff sent them was our strength and conditioning program, which they were to begin immediately. Players need to look into the type and amount of training the baseball program requires of its players, as this can be a major jump from your own regiment. You are playing at a much higher level, and you will need to get bigger, stronger and faster. Training and medical facilities are also an important component to consider, as bruises and injuries are a part of our game. Does the school provide you with the means to get yourself back on the field when the injury bug hits? To evaluate this criterion, players should look at the size of the training staff, and whether or not they work across multiple sports.
  

One out of every 250,000 amateur baseball players eventually makes it to the Major Leagues. For the 249,999 other players, the degree they receive in college will assist them in being successful in life after baseball. Some of the best advice I can give prospective athletes is to set baseball aside for a moment; at the end of the day, your overall happiness is most important. This alone shows how important it is to evaluate a college as a total package. Most college athletes will be professionals in something other than sports. Plan and prepare yourself today to be successful tomorrow.

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.