Getting It Right the First Time - Part 3

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

This week we will continue our discussion regarding evaluating colleges in order to make an informed decision. In Part 1 and Part 2 of this discussion we covered the criteria that you should consider when reviewing the schools on your target list. The criteria include Academics, Location, Size, College Environment and Cost.

Of course, the other side of the college search process is evaluating the baseball program. It has to start with a realistic look at your ability. Most players spend too much time looking at schools they can’t play at. Here are a few areas to consider when researching and visiting with coaches:

• Opportunity to Play – The first question I ask all of the Exclusive College Recruiting Program players is if they are looking to play as a freshman or are willing to sit, especially for the right program. Most of them say “yes,” which is certainly understandable. However, players need to understand that playing opportunities will vary from level to level. That being said, players that think they won’t mind sitting out need to stop and reflect on this. You are used to playing every inning of every game from Little League through high school and regardless of athletic ability, it will be a tough adjustment to sit on the bench!

• Reputation – While it’s easy to get wrapped up in wins, losses and championships, when I say reputation, I am referring to more than that. Does this program have a reputation for developing players, or do they have more success just through recruiting better players? One way to evaluate this is to research the players that went to college undrafted and came out as a professional. Go and watch the team practice and evaluate how the players and coaching staff communicate. For research purposes, look into player retention rates and try to connect with current players and their families.

We will cover the last two criteria to consider during your college search in Part 4. As you have hopefully realized from Parts 1 – 3, there is a lot to take into account in order to make the right college decision. Do your research and you will be successful!

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.