Recruiting Trends in College Sports Pt. 2

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Last week I began my blog with an article from ESPN as a prompt to talk about the two signing periods. I’d like to take this entry to touch on the issues and consequences of getting younger and younger commitments. While I haven’t heard of any 14-year-olds committing to play college baseball, I have seen and heard of many high school juniors committing. In order to keep up with their colleagues and facing increased pressure to succeed on the field, many coaches are having their hands forced and are trying to get commitments earlier and earlier. After all, if they don’t do it, someone else will!

Many players that commit early have never visited the school, let alone stayed overnight on campus! To commit during the junior year, for most players, is to make a dangerous assumption that, in the end, this school is the best choice, fit and opportunity out there. What happens if a player commits early, and then a better opportunity comes along? What happens if the player gets injured or has a bad year on the field or in the classroom?

Coaches, too, face a lot of unnecessary risk by getting commitments from younger players. What happens if their grades take a dive? Players with incomplete transcripts haven’t shown that they can handle a college workload, let along guarantee that they’ll be able to get into the school! What happens if a better player comes along prior to the November signing period?

The earlier the commitment, the bigger the gamble both sides are taking. Leaving so many variables on the table inherently requires significant perseverance, and it can be a lot to ask for from a 16 or 17-year-old. And unfortunately in the baseball world, talking to coaches at other schools after a commitment is a major faux pas. Not only will it get around very quickly and is never well-perceived, but it can have professional ramifications if you decide to continue your career in coaching or professional baseball!

So, what do you take away from this? Bottom line, there is no such thing as too much information. One of my earlier entries focused on “getting it right the first time,” which, as the name implies, focused on all the different criteria that prospective student-athletes must consider in order to ensure a successful college career on and off the field. The Exclusive Program Staff coaches players to treat the entire junior year as a time to research schools, so that when you take advantage of the available visits, both unofficial and official, you will have enough information to make the best decision possible.

As a wrap-up, here are some advantages of both signing periods:

Early/November:
• Injuries or bad senior season won’t have any affect
• More scholarship money available (athletic and academic)
• More favorable admissions
• Process is complete – you get to enjoy the rest of your senior year!

Traditional/April:
• Applications are non-binding
• Schools may have new needs
• More time to develop – get bigger, stronger faster!
• More time to research and visit schools


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.

What Worked/What Didn’t

Julie Thompson – A Baseball Factory Parent’s Perspective

Introduction

Our son, Kyle, joined Baseball Factory’s Exclusive Program three years ago, when he was a junior in high school. We were beginning the college search and Kyle wanted to look at schools outside of the area, particularly ones in the south. Playing baseball at a competitive level was extremely important to him. Realizing a lot of other northern players were thinking the same thing – and suspecting an equal number of southern players weren’t anxious to swap places with boys from the north – we happily accepted Baseball Factory’s invitation to join the Exclusive Program. I’m here to share some of the experiences we had, hoping they might put your search further up the learning curve.

What Worked/What Didn’t

People sometimes roll their eyes when I tell them we actually enjoyed the college search process. Applications, stress…what’s not to love? Admittedly, a few parts of the hunt aged all of us. For the most part, though, it was an opportunity for our son to build a plan balancing both dreams and reality for the next chapter of his life. The plan was complicated by Kyle’s desire to head south. A life-long resident of the north, Kyle sought to trade cold, numb fingers and snow on early spring fields, for warm sunny skies and a long baseball season. We laid out our plan, taking counsel from Baseball Factory – and caught the first plane out of Dodge to get exposure to southern schools.

What We Did Right

(1) We pretty much followed Baseball Factory’s plan. Kyle’s resume and introductory letter helped us focus on who he was and what he’d done, both in academics and baseball. Having those documents also gave coaches a good starting point for conversations – Kyle then could elaborate on his background.

(2) We stayed organized. We put together an alphabetized notebook with tabs separating each school that showed interest. We highlighted the name of each coach, and kept notes of each conversation, so we could find information easily.

(3) Kyle followed Baseball Factory’s workout suggestions. His Personal Recruiting Director provided him with a pretty rigorous strength and conditioning regimen, as well as a set of drills that he worked on without any prodding from us. It was a lot of work. He started out in pretty solid shape, but improved even more – and it told us a lot about his discipline and determination.

(4) Kyle did most of the talking during our school visits. Okay, that one wasn’t easy for me…. Coaches really do want to talk to your son, though, and (sadly!) not us parents. We watched our ‘man of few words’ become downright well-spoken and engaging. You may be surprised at how relaxed, conversant, and intelligent your son turns out to be when he’s talking about his favorite topics!

(5) We chose a school that fit in ways other than baseball. Baseball may be the love of your son’s life – but there may be times when college baseball gets frustrating. He’ll weather those times better if he enjoys other aspects of the school’s college life, and is not there “just for baseball.”

What We Could Have Done Better

(1) If possible, meet with as many members of the coaching staff as you can – that includes the JV coach, if your son is going to be on a school’s JV team. The head coach is not the only person your son will interact with as he participates in the program, and you and your son will see how he fits with other members of the staff.

(2) Do a fairly thorough exploration of several schools that fit your criteria. Kyle’s first choice came through fairly early senior year, so we cut a couple of other situations short. Anything can happen – changes in the program, changes in the coaching staff that can impact how your son fits in the program as the year progresses. In retrospect, if it hadn’t worked out, we would have had limited our future options.

My parting thought – Communicate your goals and thoughts to your representatives at Baseball Factory. Trust them. They know what they’re talking about, and care about what you think and want. Together, you can make your son’s college baseball experience a happy and successful one.

What’s working and what’s not on your search?



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.

The Keys to an Effective Visit

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Players in the Exclusive Program recently took part in our 2008 Junior Visit Days, held at various schools around the country. Just to highlight some of our visits:

• At the University of Virginia, our players had the opportunity to meet with Coach Eddie Smith and discuss the Cavalier’s program and recruiting in general as well as meet with an Admissions Officer.
  

• While our visit to Salisbury University was mostly rained out, including a chance to watch the postseason-bound Sea Gulls play an intersquad game, our players were still able to meet with ABCA South Region Coach of the Year Doug Fleetwood.
  

• At the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, our Exclusive Players had a chance to go on a campus tour as well as meet with Coach Bob Mumma before watching the Golden Retrievers take on the University at Albany.
  

• On the west coast, our players had a chance to meet with Coach Chad Addison and see the University of California – San Diego play CSU Monterey Bay.

These were great opportunities set up by Justin Roswell and Woody Wingfield, but players shouldn’t wait to be invited to campus! There are many ways to get on campus beyond attending a college camp, just as long as you are proactive and plan ahead. Therefore, I’d like to take this week’s entry to discuss several opportunities to learn more about schools you are interested in.

Just FYI, high school players are allowed to take as many unofficial visits as they want. An unofficial visit is any visit to a college campus during which time the college or coach pays for none of your expenses including hotel, transportation, food, or even a bag of sunflower seeds. If the coach or another member of the university pays for anything, the visit will be considered an official visit.

Unofficial visits should be treated as fact-finding missions. On this visit, you should tour the campus and facilities, meet with someone from the admissions office (if the institution conducts interviews) and meet with someone from the baseball program. Typically, schools will have set times for campus tours and information sessions and display them on the Admissions Office web page. The school may also include an Information Session along with the tour; depending on your schedule, this may suffice over an individual meeting with an Admissions officer.

When trying to visit with someone from the baseball staff, do not show up to the coach’s door and expect him to have 30 minutes, or even 10 minutes, to sit down with you. If you set up a meeting with the baseball staff ahead of time, they will usually set aside time to answer your questions and discuss their program. Please realize that you must set up this meeting, not the coach nor your parents. Generally, this can be accomplished via e-mail with one of the assistant coaches. However, sometimes the admissions office can assist you in scheduling a meeting if you mention that you are a prospective student-athlete.

Come prepared with questions. Use this visit to learn as much as you can about the school, program, and coaching staff. Dress appropriately to talk in-person with admissions officers and coaches. Make sure you have questions ready to help you fill in the blanks in regards to what you already know about the school and program. Be honest and up front with the coach as he is gauging your personality and interest throughout the interview. Be tactful and make sure that you – not your parents – are initiating the conversation and developing the relationship. It is your future at stake, so take an active role!

Here is a laundry list of what you should try to accomplish on a visit:

• Take a campus tour (You can usually arrange one with the admissions office. At some schools they run hourly, but try to call ahead to make sure).
  


• Meet with a member of the admissions office or take part in an Admissions Information Session.
  


• Meet with a member of the coaching staff.
  


• Tour the athletic facility, including the baseball field.
  


• Meet with a player from the team.
  


• Sit in on a class (only during the school year).
  


• Go see a baseball practice or game (during the fall/spring season).

It’s never too early to begin visiting colleges to get a feel for the different campuses and baseball programs that are out there. Just taking a drive through a campus in your travels will be time well-spent in the long run. In the perfect world, you should start early and see as many schools as you can. This will greatly assist you throughout the college search process. You need to know what you’re looking for in a school and baseball program before any decisions are made and unfortunately, you can’t do this from your home!


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.

Breaking Down the Major League Draft

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

I would like to take a moment to congratulate the following Exclusive Program Alumni on their recent selection in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft:

-Michael McKenna (Rays, 14^th Round)
-Patrick Kantakevich (Orioles, 22^nd Round)
-Evan Bronson (Brewers, 36^th Round)
-Josh Hungerman (Colorado, 50^th Round)

I know I speak for everyone at the Baseball Factory when I wish you the very best of luck as you take on a career in professional baseball!

As you could probably tell, I’d like to spend this week’s entry discussing the Major League Draft. It’s an exciting time of the year, not only for players under consideration, but for fans of the game as well. Journalists across the US spend hours lauding the long-shot success storiescondemning the big busts. For players selected by a major league club, it represents the culmination of years of hard work, practice and determination. However, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget a few of the realities of the game we love.

Anybody who plays the game, no matter what they say, has a goal of making it to the Show. Just having the opportunity to be selected to play professional baseball is an honor and a privilege. But just how long of a shot is it? Check out this NCAA publication. Just to highlight:

-9.4%, or less than one in ten of NCAA baseball players will get drafted by a Major League Baseball team.
-0.45%, less than one in 200 of high school senior baseball players will be drafted.

Considering that less than 5% of all drafted players make it to the big leagues, those are incredible odds!

One reality that even baseball purists must recognize is that professional baseball is, first and foremost, a business. Players are considered investments and First-Year selections are made based on projections of those potential returns. How is this reflected in the draft?

Looking back at the last few years of the draft, there are a few noticeable trends I’d like you all to think about. In the first five rounds of the MLB draft in 2004-2008, 63% of players selected came from a college baseball background. Even in later rounds, this only dropped to 57%. So, a few thoughts to take from this:

-Professional baseball will spend the majority of its draft money on college players, especially in the earlier rounds.
-Professional clubs tend to view college players as better investments overall, judging from the fact that even in the later rounds, college players still comprise the majority of selections.
-Even if they are better players, high school prospects still tend to rank behind college players because they lack the track record of a college career.
-Major league scouts and clubs are more willing to invest in a college player based on their career in college. If they can find success at the college level, they are more likely to be taken in the draft over a raw high school player.
-Check back next week when I discuss the decision to go to college over taking on the life of a professional baseball player.


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 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.

Glenn Gray – Occidental University

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Glenn Gray (San Diego, CA) was recently named to the 2008 Second Team All-SCIAC for the Occidental University Tigers. Glenn finished the season for the Tigers with a .373 batting average, four homeruns, .449 on-base percentage, and 28 RBI’s.

For the second consecutive year Gray, a sophomore left fielder, earned this honor. During SCIAC play Gray batted .375 with 21 hits (fourth on the team) including a pair of triples and homeruns. Additionally, Gray drew a team high seven walks. He drove in 12 runs (fourth on the team) while scoring 13 runs (second on the team) as he finished SCIAC competition with 34 total bases. His .607 conference slugging percentage also led the Tigers as he accumulated a .438 on base percentage. Gray was responsible for 27 putouts with one assist and no errors in the outfield.

Four years ago was the first time that we had the privilege of watching Glenn Gray workout for our organization. In May of 2004, we held a National Tryout at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. Players that day tried out for various Baseball Factory events. I was glancing through the scout cards while the players were stretching, and noticed a player who had written Scripps Ranch High School, which is my alma mater. It was Glenn Gray, an outfielder with above average speed, a good glove, and a smooth swing from the left side.

Our scouts that day enjoyed watching Gray perform and invited him to attend our Dodgertown World Series, which was being held at Dodgertown, Spring Training Home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gray happily accepted the opportunity and was looking forward to stepping on the same field as some of the Dodger greats, even though he was a San Diego Padre fan at heart.

At the Dodgertown World Series, Gray performed very well during the workouts and tournament play. Because of his outstanding performance, we invited Glenn to attend the 2005 and 2006 Baseball Factory Pre-Season All American Tournament (now the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament) that was being held at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

In addition to his participation at the Dodgertown World Series, Gray represented Baseball Factory at the Best of the West Hawaii Tournament, participated at the Mac Seibert Training Camp, and our Exclusive College Recruiting Program.

Gray will head up to the Northwest to play for the Moses Lake (WA) Pirates of the competitive West Coast Collegiate Baseball League (WCCBL).

Occidental finished the season with a 15-24 overall record and a 7-14 mark in SCIAC play.

We would also like to acknowledge several other players who have participated in Baseball Factory events.

Best of luck to those outstanding student-athletes as they continue their baseball careers at Oxy.

Ross Pomerantz, Freshman, LHP, 5’11”, 165, L/L, Marin Academy, Kentfield, CA

Spencer Woolwine, Junior, Util/RHP, 5’10”, 180, R/R, Middle Park HS, Winder Park, CO

Nicholas Smallman, Freshman, RHP, 6’0”, 175, R/R, Carson HS, Carson City, NV

Check out the team roster and overall stats.


Justin Roswell joined the Baseball Factory in 2001 serving in the scouting, event coordination, and player development departments. In 2007 he became the Senior Director for Team One Baseball, the showcase division of Baseball Factory. As Senior Director, he leads the player identification process for all Team One Regional Showcases. Justin also runs the Under Armour Tournament Division. Justin graduated from California State University - Fullerton, where he received his degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis on management.