What is the Quiet Period?

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

During one of the busiest times of the year for most families, the Exclusive Program and Baseball Factory Staff regularly receive questions about why recruiting seems to hit a snag during this time span. For coaches, the holidays and semester break present a chance to catch their breath and spend time with families. In addition, having just completed the fall season and the early signing period, it’s time for coaches to re-group and size up their remaining needs. Since we’re about a month removed from the November signing period, I think now would be a great time to go over what the Dead and Quiet periods mean, and what you can do to help yourself in the recruiting process.

The Dead Period is when coaches are prohibited from making “face-to-face” contact with players or evaluate them on or off campus. It is commonly thought that the Dead Period was proposed out of respect for the players and parents. During the signing period, the dead period allows players and parents to sort through offers and opportunities without too much pressure. Besides falling on the two signing periods in November and April, you’ll notice that there are Dead Periods around different school openings in the fall and after winter break. After all, with school getting back in session, it is important to get re-focused on school without too many distractions. The remaining academic year will include two more Dead Periods, taking place January 2nd to January 6th and again April 6th through the 9th.

By definition, the Quiet Period is when a coach is prohibited from making contact in-person with players away from campus. So, a college coach cannot meet with you and your family at your home. In addition, he can’t visit you at school and watch you play or practice. However, coaches CAN work a college camp or showcase off-campus during the Quiet Period. They’re also allowed to call you or write you during this time. For in-person contacts, you and your parents can visit coaches on campus. This year, the Quiet Period runs from November 14th to February 28th

For most of my coaching career, there was no Quiet Period! Up until recently, there was very little downtime and college coaches, with the exception of the Dead Period, recruited off-campus year-round. So, as a coach, there was always significant pressure to be on the road recruiting! I believe this rule was put in place to get college coaches off the road for a little bit without completely shutting down the recruiting process.

So, what does this mean for the unsigned baseball player? If you haven’t read “Time to Re-Evaluate, Revise and Regroup!” yet, please take a few minutes to read this, print it out and stick it on your refrigerator. The Quiet Period underscores the fact that these winter months are your opportunity to make serious gains in the recruiting process! You can’t expect to succeed in this process without spending a significant amount of time on “behind-the-scenes” work. E-mailing college coaches with your Baseball Factory Player Page, following up on your letters to coaches and making unofficial visits to campus will provide you with serious momentum going into your spring season.

Not only are these methods proven to give you an edge, they very well could be considered the minimum. After all, most college coaches will not come to see you play during your junior or senior season without preexisting interest. The Quiet Period is a chance for you to make a good impression on a coach in person and over the phone, and to give him a preview of what to expect in the spring. Without taking these steps to recruit college coaches, you can’t expect to be recruited in return.

As always, our staff welcomes your questions and looks forward to assisting you in your endeavors!

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.

Time to Re-Evaluate, Revise and Regroup!

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

So, you’re not signing your National Letter of Intent this week. Sit down. Take a deep breath and relax. It’s ok; most players don’t make their decision in the early period. Now, making the most of the time you have is the KEY!

Players that sign early are the ones that have been proactive in the recruiting process and on the coaches’ radar for months (and years!). Yes, it’s a payoff for hard work, determination and baseball skill, but I think it’s a poor measure of “success” for most prospective student-athletes. The reality is that for someone to sign early, several things have to fall into place. Players that sign early have had many conversations with coaches, have been seen in person and have spent the night on several campuses. You can’t expect to sign early without having these things happen, and to try to rush through them would be a mistake!

The bottom line is that you can’t beat yourself up over not signing early, or even worse, shut down the process. Let’s look at the positives:

• You have more time to research and look at schools. Chances are you never had a chance to visit the campus of many of the schools on your list and meet with a coach while there. Now you’ve got time to do that!
• Additional time to get your grades and College Board scores up.
• You have more time to get bigger, stronger and faster. This is a great time to take your game to a higher level. If you take advantage of the off season, you will be prepared and ready to open some eyes this spring!
• You don’t have to rush applications, which will be non-binding. Signing or committing early could mean that you’d have to apply with a binding application.
• Schools may have new recruiting needs, and not all coaches make their decisions early!
• You’ll have a much better idea of what your financial aid package looks like before you make your decision. In addition, more time to research grants, scholarships and loans available.

So, where to go from here? After the dust settles, it will be time to evaluate where you’re at with schools on your list.

• What have you heard from coaches? Have you received personal phone calls, or just camp information? Check out my series of blog entries, “What’s in a Letter” for more information on interpreting what you’re hearing.
• Which schools have you visited? Campus tours and information sessions are great, but how many coaches have you met with on campus? This is a great chance to show your interest, but you have to make it happen! Be proactive with coaches over e-mail and phones, and usually they can accommodate you.
• Have a plan in place and execute it! You can’t rely on coaches coming out to come see you play- be active in the process! The winter is a great time to market yourself to coaches using your Personal Player Page to separate yourself from other players. Remember, with video, there is no dead period!

Now is not the time to panic or resort to knee-jerk reactions. You’re not going on vacation, college will be your home for the next four or five years! Take inventory of what you’ve done up until this point- what you’ve seen and heard and where you’re at with schools on your list. What do you need to do to put yourself in a better position? You have plenty of time to find a place to play baseball and study if you’re willing to take the appropriate steps NOW. Remember, more mistakes are made in Early Period by college coaches and players! Take advantage of the time you have today to reap the benefits of tomorrow!

Striking a Balance

Julie Thompson – A Baseball Factory Parent’s Perspective

Introduction

Like most things in life, finding the best college for your son usually means striking a balance. Sometimes a school meets every one of the criteria on the student’s wish list, but most often there are a few trade-offs in the picture. The role the player expects to have on the school’s baseball team may become the deciding factor. At the risk of lightning striking me, though, there’s more to life than baseball – and when baseball gets frustrating, it’s the rest of college life that helps your son keep a healthy perspective.

The college search was a good way for Kyle to define who he really was, and what he truly wanted out of the next four years of his life. First, we created a profile, which was reflected on his baseball resume. Then came the wish list: a four-year school with solid to strong academics, competitive baseball – defined as the highest level at which Kyle could expect to play (and okay, in reality, baseball came at the top of Kyle’s wish list…), a climate where baseball could be played outside as many months as possible, and an urban, or at least busy, college setting.

There weren’t a lot of schools that fit this list – in actuality, there was only one Kyle wanted. He never lost sight of the list, but talked to every coach who called, responded to every email, and visited as many schools as he could. Kyle thought about ideas that were out-of-his-box – and, although he may have been less enthusiastic with some situations, he never closed a door. He surprised all of us one night after a conversation with a coach from a junior college in a cold climate. The coach’s presentation and ability to connect had made Kyle realize there were a lot of different ways to approach the college years.

In the end, Kyle went to his “wish list” school – with one caveat. He chose to be a part of a large, outstanding baseball program where he was “one of the group,” instead of an impact player. That decision has its own set of trade-offs. The talent pool was deep, and the playing time, limited. To someone who lives for baseball, the work-outs were ‘rigorous’ – to those less dedicated, they were ‘grueling.’ It was a lot work and a heavy time commitment for what many players would consider too little a return.

Kyle’s friends that chose to be impact players at lesser known, but still solid programs freely admitted they wouldn’t have had the patience or personality to be a part of Kyle’s situation. Kyle kept a positive attitude however, accepted the trade-offs, and improved substantially as a player. And on those days when baseball got frustrating – and it did – Kyle reveled in the rest of his life. He loved so many things about the school – the climate, the surroundings, the type of student the school attracted – his life there, in general. He thrived academically. Others may have chosen a different balance, but Kyle set his priorities, resolving to accept the trade-offs – and even when baseball dealt Kyle some disappointment, life in general was still pretty darn good.



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.

10 College Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

I know we’ve spent a lot of time talking about things players can do to help themselves in the college recruiting process. One thing I haven’t spent a lot of time on is the many different ways players can hurt themselves in the process. Unfortunately, these common “pitfalls” will always leave a player with fewer opportunities to play college baseball. As we go through and discuss these restrictive attitudes and actions (or lack thereof), I’d like you to find ways to integrate our advice into your own college search routine. I guarantee that you will find yourself with more opportunities to choose from by the time you make your decision!

#1) Dedicating More Time to Your On-Field Activities than to Your Schoolwork

The first question that every coach asks our recruiting staff at Baseball Factory is, “What are his grades?” If a player doesn’t have good enough grades, there is no reason for the coach to begin recruiting him. Therefore, it is important that you spend as much time possible studying and improving your grades as you do improving your game. Showing a coach that you are not an academic liability will give you more options you will have at the college level.

In addition, the NCAA has recently announced a rule change that will require players to maintain their eligibility through the entire year. In the past, players were only required to be academically eligible in the fall in order to compete in the spring. Starting in 2008, players will need to be eligible during both semesters in order to be allowed to play on their team. Adding this to the APR (Academic Progress Rate) makes it that much harder for coaches to risk recruiting a player who may struggle academically and lose eligibility. So, if grades weren’t already incredible important to you, they have to be now. Study hard!

#2) Limiting Your Search to Only Division-I Schools

This is a problem that we come across every day with players and parents. There is a mentality out there amongst high school baseball players and many parents, which we call DI-itis, that if you aren’t going to be able to play baseball at a Division I program, you shouldn’t play at all. Getting stuck in that mindset will limit the options you have at the next level.

The truth is that there are many Division-II and Division-III programs across the nation that can compete with Division I programs. There are over 1,600 college baseball programs and less than 300 of them are Division I. More importantly, you have to find the best fit for you. Limiting your options to the Division-I level will make the job that much harder! Keep the goal of playing college baseball at the forefront, not playing Division-I college baseball.

#3) Expecting College Coaches to Come See You Play

College baseball is not a revenue-generating sport like college football and basketball. As such, college coaches have very limited recruiting budgets, not to mention hectic schedules trying to manage their teams while recruiting for the future. While it is smart to send college coaches your spring, summer and fall baseball schedule, don’t expect them to come see you play.

Many players expect coaches to see them in one of their high school games and begin recruiting them because of that performance. The truth of recruiting is that a coach normally won’t attend a game unless they already have interest in a player that is performing. There is also the chance that the day a coach does show up at one of your games, you aren’t playing or have a poor performance. You need to take additional steps to make yourself stand out above the other 200 players that coach is recruiting.

Write the coach a letter, e-mail him or call him to set up a meeting at his school to ask questions about his program. Get a professionally edited video tape made for the coach to review. Take the initiative yourself and you will open many more doors. The more interest you can generate by being proactive, the more likely it is that a coach will see you play at some point.

Check back next week when I continue to discuss more common mistakes in the college recruiting process.

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.

Bring Your Own Bottle...(Of POWERade or Water)

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

This is a big one for parents (especially moms). With two young children of my own (see picture on the right), I know keeping your children hydrated is a major concern for parents. My wife is constantly reminding me to bring sippy cups wherever I go so that our little girls are never thirsty. But at some point, as your children get older, the responsibility of bringing your own liquids needs to shift from mom (or dad) to the kid.

A major no-no for college coaches or pro scouts is to be at a game watching high school prospects and see a mom walk over to the dugout, open the door, and throw bottles of liquid to their sons. At our Baseball Factory Player Development Events, I have seen moms perform acrobatic stunts in an effort to reach their arms over chain linked fences to ensure that their son is properly hydrated. For a funny video, click below to watch Rick Sofield, Baseball Factory Special Advisor, and current head coach of University South Carolina-Beaufort speak about this exact topic.

Moms and Dads, this is a major red flag for on watching baseball professionals. What is going to happen when the player gets to college? Is he going to remember to bring his own liquids, uniform, or equipment when mom and dad are not around? It creates question marks in a coach’s mind as it relates to the player’s responsibility and maturity level.

Here are a few suggestions for how to eliminate this issue in the future:

1. Go to Target and buy a small cooler
2. Prior to the game, load the cooler with ice
3. Put bottles of POWERade or water in the cooler
4. Have the player carry the cooler with his baseball equipment into the dugout

There we go! That wasn’t that hard now was it? The player is sure to not dehydrate on the field and he looks responsible in the eyes of the coach. This also eliminates the need for moms and dads to run around like lunatics at the field looking for the nearest convenience store and missing out on the chance to watch the game.

As a parting comment, if you are a Yankee fan like me, you will see Derek Jeter’s mom and dad in attendance at almost every home game. Just like you, they are loyal parents who are dedicated to their son’s baseball endeavors. I am certain that Derek’s mom has never reached over the Home Dugout at Yankee Stadium to flip him a bottle of liquid. Start taking the same approach with your own son and it will only help him in the long run.

Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Who Makes The Call?

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

“The Call” in the title refers to calling college coaches. The “Who” refers to mom, dad, or the player. I have spoken to many moms, dads, and players over the years and I have gotten many different responses to this question. Here is a sample conversation I have had with our families on this topic:

(I am sitting at a Baseball Factory Player Development Event at Dodgertown with a mom, dad, and player. For the sake of this exercise, we will call the player Johnny):

Me: So Johnny, which schools have you contacted for your college search?
Mom: (Doesn’t allow Johnny to answer)… I have sent Johnny’s resume to 15 schools and then I made follow up calls to each of the schools reviewing Johnny’s statistics.
Me: Johnny, have you sent any follow up emails to these schools?
Dad: (Doesn’t allow Johnny to answer)… Actually, I sent the follow up emails from my work account to make sure the coaches received the information.

This discussion is the classic quintessential example (unfortunately) of how you should not approach the communication process with college coaches. Unfortunately, I have had this type of discussion about 150 times over the past 10+ years.

I know this is a really tough one for parents. Parents are used to jumping in and “taking control” for their kids. However, you have to take a step back from the situation and realize that the coaches are recruiting the player, and not the parent. They want to see how a player handles himself on the phone and via email. By doing so, it helps to gauge the player’s genuine interest in the college program, and the coach gets to learn a little bit about the player’s make up. A coach will not learn anything about a player’s makeup from speaking to their parent. Coaches usually have their own children and know that a mom or dad can never be 100% objective about their son. It also throws up a red flag for a coach when they see this type of dynamic, because they start to question how the player will handle the responsibility of college academics and balancing their social life when mom and dad are not around.

So, the answer to the question of “Who Makes the Call” in the title of this blog...the player. There may be specific times when a coach needs to speak to mom or dad (ie; scholarship talk or setting details for a college visit), but the primary point of contact needs to be the player. Mom and dad, I know it is tough to sit on the sidelines here and allow your son (who may not be 100% comfortable representing himself on the phone) to be pushed to the forefront. Parents should view themselves as the “coaching staff” in this exercise. Your role is to help your son research the college programs, read his cover letter before he emails it to a college coach, help to organize him with folders and phone logs for correspondence from each school, and to do mock phone calls with the coach to help get him prepared.

Letting the player make the call will go a long way towards establishing the player as a responsible adult in the eyes of a college coach. It also helps to build his self esteem and self confidence. In the end, this approach will help give him a leg up in the recruiting process!

Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.