No Excuses

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

March 1st has come and gone and that means baseball season has started in most states for high school players. For some of the states in the West and South the weather is beautiful. In other areas, like the East, North, and Midwest they are dealing with frigid temperatures and record snowfall.

As a parent, it is easy to let adversity trigger excuses. I have heard many parents tell me over the years that their sons got off to a slow start because the weather was so bad that all practices were indoors and the lighting was bad. Or, with no outdoor practice they couldn’t work on taking ground balls off the dirt, so when they finally got outside their son wasn’t accustomed to the hops of a regular field. The examples I could list could go on and on.

I am a proponent of trying to live your life with NO EXCUSES. My family believes in this so much that my daughter’s favorite book is No Excuses by Wayne Dyer. For those with young children, you should check it out.

If you want an inspiration of how to live your life with no excuses, read the story of my college friend, EJ Poplawski, below. EJ was a competitive skier and suffered a terrible accident almost four years ago. If EJ can do what he did, anything is possible. Print this blog off and read this to your children. It should help them dig deep and work harder in baseball and in the classroom.

EJ’s Story. This excerpt was taken from his website: www.ejpoplawski.com

I started competing in the Freeskiing circuit several years ago. March 25, 2006 I was competing in the final round (top 10) of the 10th Annual U.S. Telemark Extreme Freeskiing Championships at Crested Butte). I Stomped my landing almost perfectly but my ski broke when I landed my last cliff drop and caused me to hit a tree. That is the day my life changed forever. They had to amputate my right leg 4.5 inches above my knee. I also tore my right shoulder apart and had to have rotator cuff surgery to repair the injury. I started walking again on July 12, 2006. That was a great day. It took a little while to get the hang of it, but once my residual limb got conditioned to the Prosthetic leg, I could start to keep my leg on all day. I fell a few times learning to walk and re-injured my shoulder and had to have another surgery in September 2006. I had to sit out the 06-07 season. But the winter of 07-08 I was back, and boy was it ever fun. I had my first day back on snow, on Dec 4, 2007 telemarking! I got exactly 100 days on snow for the 07-08 season. Tele, Alpine, Snowboard, and Snowmobiling I split my time between each. Life is different now. But I am determined to not let this set back change my life very much. I am doing everything I did before, Skiing, Snowboarding, Mt. Biking, Dirt Biking, Snowmobiling, Wakeboarding and working as a carpenter/builder. My Business is back and running again. I will not let this stop me. I hope to encourage others with limb loss to not give up. I want to show people everything that is possible!!!

In 2010, EJ competed in the Winter X-Games on ESPN.



Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

Snowy Days

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

For those of us that live in the Baltimore/Washington DC Metropolitan area, it has been a rough winter. Over the past week, we have had nearly four feet of snow fall with drifts that eclipse seven feet! This is the most snow this area has seen since the 1800’s. It has been a lot of shoveling to say the least. Check out a funny photo of me and my youngest daughter.


This will illustrate just how much snow is on the ground.

It is times like this when I remember how baseball players in the North East and Midwest have to be creative to stay in baseball shape. Today is February 12th and college baseball practice has started and high school programs in the west and south have already started practicing (outside). Kids in our geographic area are certainly at a disadvantage, but they can’t use the bad weather as an excuse. Let’s face it, most high school players from our area want to go down south to play where it is warm. So if they want to compete with those players for college roster spots, kids in our geographic area need to do all they can to get their work in and not fall behind.

As parents, you need to encourage your sons to stay motivated for baseball. Once you dig your cars out, try and get to an indoor hitting facility. Get to the gym to get their conditioning and weight training in. If you can get to a gymnasium for them to throw and do defense work, take advantage of that opportunity as well. Keep dreaming of warmer days and hopefully they will be here soon. I am certainly ready for it!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament Powered by Baseball Factory kicks off this weekend

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Let me start off this post with an embarrassing admission. The Baseball Factory is operating its 12th Pre-Season All-America Tournament this weekend in Tucson, Arizona and I will not be in attendance because I injured my ankle (high ankle sprain and torn ligaments). I wish I could say that it was a glamorous injury, something like skiing, snowboarding, or even basketball. Not the case, unfortunately. I just turned my ankle on a trail walk with my wife and kids and have been on crutches the past three weeks. So much for being a former NCAA Division I athlete!

I will be getting updates from the sidelines (back in Maryland) from the Pre-Season Tournament, and I am excited to hear how this group performs. Over 300 players will be in attendance and it will be a great way for them to jump start their 2010 seasons. These players will join a distinguished list of Baseball Factory Pre-Season All-American Alumni that include the following current MLB players: Gavin Floyd (Chicago White Sox), David Wright (New York Mets), Delmon Young (Minnesota Twins), and Bud Norris (Houston Astros). As a parent myself, I know that the parents of the players participating this weekend must be very proud. Best of luck to the participants!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

If Tiger Woods was your son, what advice would you give him right now? (Part 2)

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

OK, so here is my answer to the question above.

Tiger, you are arguably the most recognizable name and face in the sports industry, so you can’t hide behind your website and standard press releases and think that the public, your sponsors, and the media will be satisfied.

You have made some choices that certainly paint a negative picture of your character and your ability to make good decisions. However, the only chance you have to win back some grace and dignity is to stand in front of the camera, make a statement and answer the media’s questions. You need to say that you made some poor decisions, and you are now forced to deal with the ramifications of your decisions. Even if this means that you have done irreparable damage to your marriage and to your sponsor’s business arrangements.

Tell people that even highly successful people, who seemingly have the world at their fingertips, make poor decisions. No one is immune to general human emotions like insecurity. Sometimes people make bad choices, but how we deal with those choices is usually how we are judged the most.

You don’t have to make the statement long and you don’t have to answer the questions for days. Just get out there and be honest and human. Don’t try to be a robot without any emotion.

Hiding isn’t going to solve anything or help you in anyway. At some point, you are going to have to face the music and it is better to get it over with so you can focus on what is really important. That is, repairing your family and image.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

If Tiger Woods was your son, what advice would you give him right now?

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

How things have changed for Tiger Woods after Thanksgiving 2009. The man that sat on top of the sports world has had everything come crashing down with a personal scandal.

I thought this question might spark some interest from our readers. If Tiger was your son, what advice would you give him right now? Would you tell him to stay in hiding? Would you tell him to keep making posts on his website as his form of public communication? Would you tell him to hold a press conference to have people hear directly from him? Would you tell him to give up golf and focus on repairing his family?

I would like to hear from our readers by posting comments below with your advice. Next week I will come back and post a follow up entry to let you know what my advice would be.

Happy Holidays!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

Fact or Fiction

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

One of the best pieces of advice I can give a family that is going through the college recruiting process for baseball is to focus on the facts and try hard to ignore the fiction. The college recruiting process is filled with its ups and downs. At certain points, players may receive emails from coaches, camp invitations, invitations for unofficial or official visits, or phone calls. For other players, that process may take longer to develop and they may not receive as much initial interest or feedback. Whether your family is experiencing an “up” or a “down” in the process, my same advice applies…focus on the facts and try hard to ignore the fiction.

Let me give you two examples. While these examples are not 100% based on specific case studies, I have participated in these types of conversations hundreds of times over the past 15 years.

Parent 1: Johnny just received a phone call from XYZ University. Since the call was received on July 3rd (and July 1st was the first day that Johnny could be called by a college) this must mean that he is going to receive a scholarship offer. This would be great because XYZ University is Johnny’s first choice!

Parent 2: It is August 15th and my son hasn’t received any phone calls or emails from college coaches. He is getting very frustrated because he has been told that if you are not contacted quickly after the July 1st date, that must mean he is not a recruitable player and at best he will need to walk on. Maybe we have been kidding ourselves this entire time since we were convinced he could play in college.

Let’s focus on the facts in each example.

For Parent 1: The fact is that their son got a call from a school on July 3rd and July 1st was the first time they could call. This is certainly encouraging. The fiction is that he will get a scholarship offer because he received this call. Let’s keep things in perspective, be excited and enthusiastic about the phone call, but don’t put the cart before the horse. Johnny may still need to visit the school, conduct a meeting with the coaching staff, do an overnight visit, possibly retake a standardized test, etc. Many things may still need to fall in line before a scholarship is discussed.

For Parent 2: The fact is that their son hasn’t received any interest so far from a college coach. This doesn’t mean he won’t play college baseball and it doesn’t mean that he won’t eventually receive some interest. Many players sign in the Spring signing period, and a good number of those players may not have started to be recruited until later in the game. This family just needs to continue to be proactive and step up their efforts to educate coaches about their son and his potential. Always stay positive!

Keeping your eye on the facts and staying away from the stories or fiction will help keep your family balanced during this college recruiting process, which at times, can feel like an emotional roller coaster!

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

Kelly Kulina: Eulogy

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

While today is certainly a very sad day as we mourn the loss of a family member, dear friend, and trusted colleague I am here this morning to speak about the wonderful man that Kelly Kulina was and to celebrate everything he stood for. As the President of Baseball Factory and someone that helped to bring Kelly into our Company, it was an honor to have been able to work with a man day in and day out that exemplified so many wonderful qualities. Kelly was loyal, honorable, incredibly hard working, dedicated, sympathetic, and had such integrity. He will be dearly missed by everyone that was blessed to know him.

Back in 2001, when Kelly decided to work full time with us, it was such a tremendous turning point in our history. He was so well respected and connected in the college baseball community and his addition to our team really helped to put us on the map. To use a sports analogy, it was like a middle market MLB franchise that landed a big time free agent in the offseason. It totally changed the face of our Company and Kelly’s impact and legacy continues to live on today and will be indelible into the future. I knew he would do a remarkable job when he told me during his interview that he always wanted to help players that tried out for the Univ. of MD baseball team while he was the coach, that weren’t quite ACC caliber players, but had a chance to play somewhere in college if they had more direction and knowledge of the college recruiting process. With that conversation as a backdrop, Steve Sclafani and I knew we had found the right man for the job.

If we fast forward to today… through his work at our Company, Kelly has made the dream of playing college baseball a reality for thousands of players across the nation. What a tremendous gift he was able to provide for these families that will last for a lifetime.

I will miss Kelly dearly. More than a co-worker he was a true friend and confidant. Over the 8+ years we worked together, I think we traveled almost 40 times on various business trips, many of which we flew, roomed, ate, and drove around together in our rental car. Our routine on these trips was to get up early and workout. Kelly would always scout out a gym that was close to a smoothie place. We would grab a smoothie and head out. Kelly and I were a dangerous combination in a rental car because neither one of us were blessed with a strong sense of direction. Almost every trip we took we were bound to get lost at least once as we were trying to find a baseball field. Thankfully GPS came out a few years ago to give us a better chance of finding our way. We would always laugh about how before GPS we had to use “the force” to find out where we were going.

He was such an incredible communicator, but he was an even better listener. For all the years I knew him, I don’t think he ever interrupted someone even once. He always gave you his full attention, and made you feel special. We all can learn a valuable lesson from Kelly. He was a great example of living in the present moment. On our trips, we often spoke to large groups of Baseball Factory players and their parents about the college recruiting process and I always enjoyed having to keep Kelly on track because everyone that knew him knew that he loved to talk, and if you weren’t careful we could have been there all night. We had a system where I would give him a sign and he would quickly wrap up from telling one of his “quick” stories that we all enjoyed listening to so much.

I think many people dream of having a fulfilling career where they can honestly look themselves in the mirror each day and say they went to work at a place they loved, for a mission they were passionate about, and doing work that truly made a difference in the lives of the people they touched. We all can have some peace knowing that this was the case for Kelly. Coupled with the loving support of his wonderful family (Le Ann, Kell, Lavin, and Josh) he truly lived a remarkable life.

From spending time with him and Le Ann, it was evident to all that they had a special marriage built on mutual respect, love, and affection. We would talk frequently in the office about how excited he was for their date nights and their quality time spent together. He was a committed father and loved his three children dearly.

It is amazing and inspiring to see the number of quality friendships that Kelly had in his life. Looking around this room today, and reading the numerous emotional and touching memorial blog posts that have poured in, his relationships were everlasting from his childhood, baseball playing career, his coaching years, and time spent providing professional service to families across the country. What a great legacy he has left during his gracious lifetime.

I know I speak for everyone at Baseball Factory when I say…Kelly, you will never be replaced, and you were truly one of a kind. Rest in peace my friend, and may God bless you and your family.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

In Memory of Kelly Kulina...

An important message from our President and CEO about Kelly Kulina…

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the tragic and sudden passing of Kelly Kulina, Senior Vice President of the Exclusive Program. Kelly has been a member of the Baseball Factory team since 2001. He was incredibly dedicated to providing only the best customer service and advice to each and every player he worked with in the Exclusive Program. He helped hundreds of players reach their dreams of playing college or professional baseball. He was an outstanding leader and somebody that will be forever missed. He was a huge part of what made the Baseball Factory the Company it has become today.


Right now our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Eulogy by Rob Naddelman [read]

Photo Album of Kelly [view]

Watch the Tribute Video:

Kelly Kulina touched the lives of thousands of people through his community, coaching career, and with the Baseball Factory. He was instrumental to help a multitude of aspiring baseball players achieve their dream of playing college baseball. Many people have expressed a desire to help his family during this difficult time, and as a result, a college fund has been set up for his children. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, please make any donations payable to the “Kulina Children's Educational Fund” and mailed to:

“Kulina Children's Educational Fund"
SunTrust Bank
8200 Snowden River Parkway
Columbia, MD 21045

OR

Taken to any SunTrust Bank

This is our chance to give back and reciprocate for all the college success stories that Kelly helped to make come true. Please help to give his own children that very same gift and opportunity.

Sincerely,

Rob Naddelman and Steve Sclafani

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Milton Bradley’s Mom should let Milton do the Talking

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

In September, the General Manager of the Chicago Cubs (Jim Hendry) decided that he had enough of Milton Bradley and sent him home for the remainder of the season due to “conduct that was detrimental to the team.” The decision was made towards the end of the season after Milton made some disparaging comments about the Chicago Cubs franchise and their fans.

This has been a disappointing year for Milton Bradley and the Chicago Cubs. After the 2008 regular season, the Cubs were the heavy favorite to win the NL Pennant only to be eliminated in the first round of the MLB playoffs. During the offseason, the Cubs tried to address what they considered to be a big weakness in their lineup, which was a lack of power from their left handed hitters. As such, they made a big push to sign Milton Bradley, the talented outfielder with a checkered past of anger issues and bouncing around between multiple franchises. Bradley was fresh off a huge 2008 campaign with the Texas Rangers making the All Star Team when he hit .321 and has an OPS of .999. The Cubs signed him to a multi-million dollar three year deal which had many baseball fans and executives scratching their heads. Nobody can question Bradley’s on field talents, but after having anger management issues and other off the field distractions, many wondered if he would fit in with the Cubs.

Bradley’s 2009 stats are a far cry from the 2008 numbers he put up. His average is .257 and his OPS is .775 while only appearing in 124 games. After Bradley was sent packing for the remainder of the season, on Sept 23rd ESPN.com ran a story that based upon the subject matter really surprised me. Milton Bradley’s mother came out in the media and tried to defend her son’s actions.

As a parent, I know it is hard to draw boundaries at times when it comes to your children. All parents want to defend their children, no matter what they do, because we love them unconditionally. However, as a professional athlete that is being paid a substantial amount of money, isn’t it time to step back and allow your son to do the talking to explain his actions? At Baseball Factory, we encourage our high school players to address confrontation head on with their coaches or teammates and advise parents to step into the background. At some point, the students need to learn to interact with authority figures and deal with these situations. As a Major Leaguer, isn’t Milton ready to step up and be accountable for what he says and does? I imagine that his mother felt she was trying to do right by Milton, but it just isn’t appropriate in my mind for her to do this. If she was questioned by the media, the simple answer could have been to say that it is more appropriate for Milton to answer these questions.

Even though as parents we are well intentioned, sometimes we do more harm than good when we try to help our kids. While it is in our nature to step up and help our kids when they are in need, sometimes no action is the best course of action.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

Bryce Harper - an unbelievable talent with extraordinary expectations

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Next to Stephen Strasburg, the #1 pick of the Washington Nationals in the 2009 MLB First Year Player Draft, the most recognizable name in amateur baseball right now is most likely Bryce Harper. The incredible thing is that Bryce is only 16 years old and just completed his sophomore year in high school this past June.

The legend of Bryce Harper began to grow in the amateur baseball community before Bryce ever competed in a high school baseball game. Back in February 2008, Baseball Factory held an Under Armour National Tryout in Las Vegas. Bryce was a participant in the event and the video of his performance can be seen by clicking on this link: http://baseballfactory.com/video/?vid=1097

I distinctly remember the reaction of Jim Gemler and Justin Roswell, two of Baseball Factory’s senior directors, after they got a chance to see Bryce perform at the Under Armour Tryout in Las Vegas. When they returned from Las Vegas, they insisted that our staff watch the video of his performance, because they felt that he could be the best player in the country and he was only a freshman. That type of recognition for a freshman is just unheard of in the amateur baseball industry. Bryce continued to impress throughout his freshman and sophomore years, as he put up mystical performances at different showcase and tournament events throughout the country. His strong sophomore year led our staff to select him as the #1 HS Prospect in the country for the Baseball Factory Top 100 this year. This is just an incredible feat for a sophomore.

As many people reading this blog saw earlier this spring in Sports Illustrated, Tom Verducci wrote a feature story about Bryce and his picture was featured on the cover. Sports Illustrated called him “The Chosen One” and compared him to baseball’s version of LeBron James.

A few weeks later, SI reported that Bryce would take the G.E.D and forgo his junior and senior years of high school to enroll in the College of Southern Nevada, a strong Junior College baseball program, this month. This will help accelerate his baseball development and potentially make him eligible for the 2010 draft where many baseball experts feel he is a lock to be the #1 overall pick.

The decision to accelerate Bryce’s adolescence and forgo the rest of high school is one that many parents are debating across the country. Many people believe that this is the right move, including Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated. I tend to disagree. If it were my son, I think I would keep him in high school. If Bryce walked every single at bat of his junior and senior year he would almost assuredly be the 1st pick of the MLB First Year Player Draft in 2011. What happens if he struggles against the older players in junior college? What if the pressure of being on the cover of SI and being considered the Chosen One becomes too much to bear? Is the potential reward of being the 2010 #1 Draft Pick enough to outweigh the near sure thing of being the 2011 #1 Draft Pick? To me there is more potential downside in accelerating the process this much, not to mention the social and emotional risks of putting a 16 year old in college.

I was speaking to a very high profile individual in the professional baseball community this summer and he said that he felt a little bad for Bryce based on the monumental amount of hype he has received. Can he ever live up to the expectations that have now been placed on him? Is it really fair to do that to a 16 year old that has never played in a professional baseball game? I have not met Bryce personally, but from hearing our staff that got a chance to work with him, he sounds like a terrific young man. I wish him the best of luck and hope that he can live up to the enormous expectations that have now been placed on his shoulders.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

Put Your Blinders On!

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Blinders are used as a popular training tactic in horse racing. Wikipedia defines “Blinders” to mean the following: Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that restrict the horse's vision to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood. Many racehorse trainers believe this keeps the horse focused on what is in front of him, encouraging him to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions, such as crowds. (this bold/italic sentence is most appropriate for the message contained in this week’s blog)

It would be very helpful for some parents that are going through the recruiting process to put their own blinders on! So many families get wrapped up in what other teammates and players in their county are doing for recruiting. Many Baseball Factory parents have complained to me that other players are hearing from coaches, receiving letters, and moving forward in the process so why aren’t things moving more quickly for us? When I hear parents express this type of frustration I usually give the following advice:

1. Most parents overstate the level of interest their sons are receiving from college coaches. Receiving a camp invitation in the mail does not necessarily mean that the college coach is recruiting you. Most of the time parents get excited for their sons and harmlessly stretch the truth about what is really happening. For two great blogs on how to gauge a college coach’s recruiting interest, make sure to check out Kelly Kulina’s entries entitled: What’s In a Letter-Part 1 and Part 2.

2. Each college coach has a different set of recruiting needs. Not all Division I schools are created equal. The same is true for Division II, Division III, NAIA, or Junior College programs. Each school has a different ability level, number of scholarships, and positional needs for their incoming freshman class. Just because another player hears from a Division I school, and you believe your son is a better all around player, it doesn’t mean he is a better fit for that particular school.

3. The college search process is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to show patience in this process and understand that building a recruiting class takes a lot of time for a college program. You need to be respectfully aggressive with your marketing approach, but don’t put unrealistic time frames on the process that only create more stress and frustration.

Remember that every family is on their own path. What is good for one player as far as college is concerned may not be good for another. Stay focused on what is the best course of action for your son, and don’t worry about what is going on around you. “Keeping your blinders on” will help you gain perspective, stay on track for the race, and not be distracted by what is going on around you….remember the Wikipedia definition from above?

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

An Important Lesson to Learn from Brett Favre

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

There is no debating that Brett Favre will go down as possibly the best quarterback in the history of football. The statistics don’t lie. Going into the 2009 season, Favre owns the NFL career record for Passing Attempts, Pass Completions, Passing Yards, Most Seasons with 3,000 Passing Yards, and Passing Touchdowns. Brett Favre is a tremendous athlete and a fierce competitor. There is no debating that.

The trouble I have with Brett Favre is that his credibility off the field is now non-existent. Take a look at the following snippets from two ESPN.com articles that were written over a three week period. These statements were made directly from Brett Favre when he was asked about his possible comeback to the Vikings in 2009. Keep in mind that this is after he told the world he was retiring in 2008, only to come back with the New York Jets.

From ESPN.com on July 29, 2009 ----- After nearly three months of what he described as intense and often emotional soul-searching, Brett Favre decided to remain retired from the NFL rather than become the Minnesota Vikings' starting quarterback. Favre told ESPN's Ed Werder that the decision not to play for the Vikings was incredibly difficult, and in the process he indicated that he is unlikely to ever consider playing again in the NFL."It was the hardest decision I've ever made," Favre said. "I didn't feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable. I would like to thank everyone, including the Packers, Jets and Vikings -- but, most importantly, the fans."

Fast forward about three weeks later…

From ESPN.com on Aug 19, 2009 --- Brett Favre is coming back for more. The 39-year-old quarterback turned his back on retirement for the second time in as many years, agreeing Tuesday to play for the Minnesota Vikings. "I felt I did everything I possibly could do to get where I need to be," Favre said at his introductory news conference Tuesday. "You're 39, your arm may not feel like it did at 21. But the pieces are in place that you don't have to do that much and I agree with that."If they were willing to take that chance, I was, too."

It is clear that his word can’t be taken at face value anymore. I certainly can understand how hard it must be to retire from a professional sport. It must be a gut wrenching decision and one that is not made lightly. Back in July, why couldn’t he just say something like this: “Obviously, after what happened in 2008, I would like to take a lot of time and only speak to the media after I have made a firm decision on my continued retirement. Until then, I will refrain from making any speculative comments that would put myself, my family, and the Vikings franchise in a precarious situation.” If he would have said something like that, than he would have had so much more credibility when he came out in August and said he wanted to play again.

As a public figure with the presence of Favre, your word has to mean something. If you’re not sure what to say, just say nothing.

I wonder what his new Vikings teammates think of these circumstances. Can he still have credibility in the huddle? Are his teammates upset that he missed a ton of practice time which would have helped them get to know each other?

As parents, I think the lesson to learn is this…Integrity is important. Teach your children to have integrity in everything they do. Your word is important. You are accountable for your actions and you need to stand by your decisions. Favre has played the game with a great deal of integrity on the field, but he is failing miserably off the field.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

Listen Closely

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Are you a good listener? Are you distracted when you are talking to your children? Are you thinking about something else, or are you living in the present moment?

Being a good listener is a wonderful character trait to possess. I work very hard each day on trying to be a respectful listener. A close friend of mine says that she tries to listen to her colleagues “with her entire body,” which I think is an accurate way to describe a good listener. I constantly have to fight the urge to cut someone off mid sentence and interject my viewpoint during a discussion. In the end, this type of behavior is disrespectful and the person on the other end feels not validated.

Do you really listen to your kids? Do you try and help them understand their feelings or do you constantly put your feelings and thoughts on them? I think so many arguments and inter-family conflicts could be avoided if people really listened to one another and respected the other person’s position.

Being a good listener will come into play many times in the college recruiting process and the baseball development timeline. Make sure you show your child some respect and really hear what he has to say when he expresses his opinion. You many not always agree, but it will go a long way to creating a healthy relationship with your son.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

The Two or Three Sport Athlete Dilemma

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

As a part of our Player Development events at Baseball Factory we usually try to include a parent/player seminar on the college recruiting process. During the seminar we cover key topics to be mindful of as the recruiting process begins to unfold, and we open up the forum for parents and players to ask questions. A lot of good questions are raised by the parents in attendance, but one that came up in particular sparked a lot of discussion. The question was how I felt about players competing in multiple sports, and what the general consensus was from college baseball coaches on the topic.

This topic is a highly debated one in our field. I could easily defend both sides of the argument on whether it is more beneficial for an aspiring college baseball player to strictly focus on baseball or to play other high school sports. To be completely honest with you, there is no right answer to this question, and there is not an overwhelming consensus on it from college coaches. However, I can give you some good guidelines to consider as it relates to your son and what he should think about before making a decision.

1. Does he really love playing the other sports? It seems like a simple question, but not all families look at it from this point of view. If your son really doesn’t enjoy the other sports that much and is just playing them because “that is what he has always done since he has been little,” then I think it could be time to give them up and focus on baseball.

2. Who is he satisfying by playing the other sports? If as a parent you played football/basketball/soccer, etc. and your influences are getting in the way of this decision, take a step back and let your son speak on the matter and what he wants to do. Also, is he playing football because the football coach is “pressuring” him to do so? Or does he feel like he doesn’t want to let the team down if he doesn’t come back for his senior year? In my opinion, these are not good reasons to continue playing a sport if his dream is to play college baseball.

3. Is he a contributing member of the other sports teams to the same degree he contributes to the baseball team? If your son excels in baseball, but is just a secondary player in the other sports, it may not be in his best interest to keep up with the other sports.

4. Are you overwhelmingly concerned about injuries? This is a really good one to consider, especially for pitchers. Are you willing to take the risk of playing football, even if it means hurting your pitching arm? Pitchers in particular really have to think hard about playing football where their shoulder can be exposed to serious injury.

My personal opinion is that baseball players do learn a lot from playing other sports as it relates to the mental side of the game and developing key athletic skill sets as well. Football players learn a “never say die attitude” and they usually are mentally tough baseball players. Basketball players are well conditioned athletes and that usually bodes well on the baseball field. Soccer players usually show good lateral mobility and agility which also is a big part of baseball. So the benefits can be quite substantial, not to mention that it also helps to prevent burnout from focusing only on baseball.

As a high school athlete, I played baseball, basketball, and ran cross country so I saw first-hand some of the benefits from playing more than one sport. There are a good percentage of college coaches that like to recruit multiple sport baseball players because they think it creates well-rounded athletes with a variety of skill sets and competitive instincts. Try using the four questions above as a guideline and attempt to make the best decision for the player when considering these options. If you decide to stick with more than one sport, just don’t abandon baseball completely during the fall or winter seasons so you are not starting from square one once the baseball season kicks off again in the spring.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

Flowers by the Side of the Road

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Let me start off by saying that this blog has nothing to do with baseball. However, it does deal with some universal feelings that we have as human beings, and specifically as parents. This blog is very important to me and one that I hope everyone will take the time to read.

The title, “Flowers by the Side of the Road”, refers to the make-shift memorials we often see as we drive along interstates and back-roads that unfortunately were the site of a motorist fatality. If you are like me, than most of the time, you probably pass by those flowers without giving them a significant amount of attention or thought. For me, they tended to blend in with their surroundings.

After a deadly accident on June 26, 2009, there are now flowers by the side of the road not far from my house. The night of June 26th was a bizarre one in the suburbs of Washington DC. A micro storm blew through the area for a 15 minute period producing strong winds and freakish rains. That evening, the community pool for our neighborhood was hosting a swim meet. Many children we know are members of the Swim Team. One family in particular, The Murrays, has six girls and the four older ones were fixtures for the team. As the rains started to increase that night, the parents started to furiously clean up from the post meet pasta party and corral their kids to make a safe exit. Kelly Murray quickly gathered 5 of her children; their oldest had already left 20 minutes earlier, and took 2 other friends as well and piled into their minivan to head home. The total drive from the pool to their home was no longer than 10 minutes.

The winds began to pick up, and as Kelly Murray idled in her minivan waiting her turn to pass through a busy intersection less than a mile from her home, a tree fell on her car. The outcome was horrifying as it crushed Kelly and her 7 year old daughter Sloane, killing them both. The other children escaped with minor injuries.

My wife and I have known the Murrays for close to 8 years. Our oldest daughter was classmates with one of their daughters in Nursery School for two years. We spent many New Year’s Eves with their family and saw them frequently socially. Kelly was truly a “Super Mom.” A PhD tenured professor, a published author, a military officer, founder of a self esteem building camp for girls, the mother of 6, and an avid community activist. Not many people had the bandwidth that Kelly had for multi-tasking. She was an inspiration to all that knew her and a wonderful friend. Her daughter, Sloane, was a free spirited young girl with an energetic personality. She had a unique magnetism that drew children and adults in. She exhibited a delicate balance between ingenuity, mischief, and endearment. What a tremendous shame to lose her at such a young age with her whole life in front of her.

Their father, Sean Murray, is a good friend of mine and is now left with the incredulous task of raising 5 young girls on his own. He does have a tremendous amount of support from his family and our community, but his entire life has been turned upside down and only time and faith will help to repair that.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are about 43,000 people killed in fatal car accidents each year in the United States. That equates to roughly 5 fatal car accidents across the country every hour. If you figure that each accident affects the lives of roughly 1,000 people (family, friends, colleagues, etc) than every day, 120,000+ people across the country are grieving and placing flowers by the side of the road to honor their fallen loved ones. At the funeral of Kelly and Sloane Murray, over 800 people attended in person, not to mention those that paid their respects from a-far.

My message here is two-fold. First and foremost, it is so important that we maximize our time on earth to the fullest. Specifically, to hold our children and loved ones near and dear and never take anything for granted. Incidents like this tend to challenge your faith (whatever specific faith that is) and question why something like this would happen. Even for those of us who believe that there is a plan or reason to everything that happens, none of us know that plan upfront. We are spectators to some extent and it is imperative that we enjoy the ride, as we don’t always know what life has in store for us around the corner.

In addition, it is important for us to pay our respects for those flowers we see by the roadside, or when we get held up in traffic when fatal accidents happen. How many of us have felt extreme frustration to be held up for an hour in our car as we wait to navigate around a car crash? How many of us have let that aggravation spill out into other areas of our lives? What about the families and friends that are grieving the terrible loss that resulted from the accident? Maybe we should spend our energy paying our respects to those that are suffering and keep our own aggravations in perspective. This may help to create a more compassionate place here on earth and a heightened awareness for the well being of others.

Thanks for reading this blog and please keep the Murray family in your thoughts and prayers. If anyone is interested in contributing to some noble causes that have surfaced for their family, please feel free to comment below and I will pass along the information.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

My College Baseball Story

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

At many Baseball Factory events over the past 15 years, I have told my personal story to many families when we have discussed issues such as playing time and position changes. I have been encouraged to share this story as a blog by many parents who have heard it because they thought it would be valuable for other families. So here goes...

As an incoming freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, I was the last INF to make the team. There were only two INF slots open my freshman year because almost all of the INF from the previous year were returning. So a Lefty 1B and I were the only freshman INF to make the club. As such, I was the 3rd SS on the roster and was behind two upperclassmen. One in particular was a starter for the past two years and was only a junior.

Back then, not everyone was able to travel on our Spring Trip to Florida which was the kick off to the season. So initially, as the 3rd SS, I was not on the list to travel. My plan was to go home to NJ for Spring Break. At the last minute, I got a call that our Captain (who was the starting 3B) had to have an emergency appendectomy, so a spot opened up for me. I had no idea what to expect, but was just happy to be taking part in the trip.

For the first few games, I did not play at all. About 4 games into the trip, my coach decided to give me a start as SS. In the game I went 2 for 2 with a HBP (on the helmet by the way!). He then gave me another start, and then another start, and before I knew it, I had earned the starting shortstop job when we returned from Florida. I went on to start almost every game at SS the rest of the year.

The next year, I thought I was a shoe in to stay at SS, but we had a junior college transfer come in from Miami Dade that played SS and a top recruit from HS that played 3B. As such, I started the year behind both of these guys. Tough pill to swallow after starting at SS for my freshman year. On our Spring Trip to Florida, our top freshman recruit hurt his arm so I got a chance to play 3B. I hadn't played 3B since I was 9 years old. I took it as a challenge and worked hard and wound up starting the rest of the year and earned 1st Team All Ivy Honors as a 3B. This was very rewarding for me because to earn that distinction you need to have the most votes from the other Ivy League coaches.

The following year (Junior Year), I thought my days of "proving myself" were over. However, in the fall, we learned that our coach had recruited a top HS football and baseball prospect. He played football in the fall so nobody really knew him, but come Spring time he made his presence and ability known. He was Mark DeRosa, current 3B for the Cleveland Indians. He quickly became the 3B and I was out of a position again. Instead of getting upset, I took it as a challenge again and became the full time DH. Our team did very well that year and finished as the runner up for the Ivy League Championship. I broke my hand towards the end of the year, but if I hadn't, I probably would have been an All Conference player again.

My senior year rolled around the next fall and I thought I was a shoe in to be captain. I was a 3 year starter and clearly a team player. I wound up being passed up for the spot and my college roommate (the top pitcher on our team) was given the distinction. Usually there were 2 captains, but this year they only went with one. It hurt at first, but in the end I realized that you can be a leader no matter what your title is. That year, we had our best year as a team. Part of the reason was that we had DeRosa at SS (the Miami Dade transfer graduated) and one of our juniors was a 3rd Team NCAA DI All American. We had a Senior-Laden pitching staff that dominated most opponents. In addition, we had another top freshman recruit that played 2B. His addition to the team moved the current 2B to 3B, so here I was again out of a position. I realized this was probably my last year to play baseball and more than anything I wanted to be a part of a good team. So I swallowed my pride again and stayed in the DH role for most of the year and earned 2nd Team All Ivy honors. Towards the end of the year, we had a lot of good players all clicking at the same time, so I was platooning at DH. We won the Ivy League Championship and then had to beat Rider to go to the Regionals of the College World Series. I did not start the final game (the series was tied 1-1) but came off the bench to get the pinch hit single and RBI that sent us to a victory and a berth in the College World Series Midwest Regional in Oklahoma. It was the last time Penn has earned a trip to the big dance.

So the point is this. Never get down and don't let any of these circumstances define you as a player. Keep doing what you do, and keep your head held high. In the end, the right attitude and the hard work always pays off. Just stay focused and good things will happen. For all the parents, don't get too bent our of shape if you son is going through similar challenges. Just continue to encourage him and help him keep a good perspective.

Hopefully this story help!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

The Delicate Balance

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

How hard do you push to motivate your children? When is it better to back off and let them be the one to show the effort? When are you doing more harm than good by trying to encourage your child to work hard and achieve success?

It seems like every parent goes through the mental exercise of evaluating this delicate balance. How much is too much when trying to motivate your child? This analysis can feel like an emotional tug of war in your heart and mind. Parents are supposed to guide, direct, advise, and advocate for their kids, but do we do more harm than good at times? How do we know when to take our foot off the accelerator and apply it to the brake as it relates to encouraging our kids to achieve success?

Over the last few months, I have started to navigate this delicate balance with my oldest daughter, who will turn six this month. She is a very independent young child with a strong sense of self awareness. She is fairly coordinated and athletic and has taken up gymnastics, dancing, and swimming. When things come easily to her, she has no problem jumping in and giving a strong effort. However, when she tries something new, or when she doesn’t get it “right” on the first try, she has a tendency to want to give up and she gets pretty frustrated.

In response to her frustration, I have tried a few different tactics to “help” her that have had varying levels of success. When I push too hard or tell her that she has to do something, I am usually met with resistance. What I have found to be the most successful approach is to listen to her, understand where the frustration is coming from, encourage her, and provide positive reinforcement. I also try to help her achieve success in small doses so that her confidence builds. In the end, it is important that I let her have a voice in the process and resist the temptation to apply the “daddy knows best” philosophy.

We see this dynamic play out hundreds of times a year with Baseball Factory parents and players. Some of our kids appear to only play baseball because their dad wants them to. Some look like they play to try and make their mom happy. Some really love the game and want to play at the next level. As parents, the key is to really listen to your child and resist the temptation to let your ego dominate the interaction. Playing baseball is supposed to be fun. If it isn’t a whole lot of fun for your child (or for you), maybe it is time to change your approach and recalibrate this delicate balance. Sometimes the best motivation for your child can be for them to know that their will to improve needs to be cultivated from within, and not from persistent prodding from mom or dad.


I would be happy to answer any questions directly from parents that want to talk further about this topic. Feel free to post a comment by clicking on the link below.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

Control...Are you in or out of control?

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Controlling your surroundings, relationships, and even your children is a tough challenge for all parents. Even with my little ones, I hear all the time, “I want to do it myself daddy,” when I overstep my bounds and try to do small things for my girls. As they get older and I want to insert myself into their college or job search, I am sure it will be even more of a challenge to strike the necessary balance.

What I am starting to learn is that every day, and every situation is an opportunity to empower my children to handle themselves with self esteem and pride, versus stepping in and doing everything for them. In the end, it may make it easier for me to just handle it, but what am I teaching them in the long run?

Parents of young men that are going through the college search process have a great opportunity to help educate, guide, and empower their children to make good decisions. Don’t do all the research yourself. Resist the temptation to write his cover letters and resumes for him. Ask your son good questions. Get his mind thinking. Try as hard as you can to get him to speak about what he is interested in. Help him understand how courses of study in college translate into real jobs. Educate him on the power of networking and how attending college gives you a network and resources you can tap into for a lifetime. My partner at Baseball Factory is Steve Sclafani, my former teammate at the University of Pennsylvania. I probably continue to tap into my large Penn network at least once a week. It is a powerful tool.

Keep encouraging your child even when he is struggling to find the answers to his future. Hold back on your urge to control the situation for him and help him to seek out what is in his heart and his dreams. Take him to college campuses, watch college baseball games with him on ESPNU or CSTV, go on the Internet with him to research classroom sizes and academic disciplines. Encourage him to follow his intuition and give him the space to explore different options. Balance out what you think is best versus what truly makes him happy. That trust will go a long way towards his self confidence.

When you start to get the urge to take over and control his future, step back and ask yourself these questions, “Who am I satisfying here? Who’s best interest am I serving? Is this more about me then my child?” If your ego is in control, check it at the door and allow your child to stand on his own. It is one of the best gifts you can give as a parent.


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.

Why Player Development is Necessary for your Son’s Baseball Future

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Did you know that there are over 470,000 kids playing high school baseball throughout the United States?

Did you also know that there are only 7,000 college roster spots per year for incoming freshmen? So how do you make sure your son gets one of those 7,000 college roster spots?

Our 15 years of experience in helping players get over $500 million in college scholarships has told us that college coaches want players who are experienced and polished. The bottom line is that your son needs to get the most out of his ability and really needs to FOCUS ON PLAYER DEVELOPMENT (national tournaments or skill development) as he starts promoting himself to colleges aggressively.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you determine the next steps towards playing college baseball:

Many people think they can skip the player development step and just promote themselves to colleges. Why promote all of your son’s areas of weaknesses for all the coaches and scouts to see? This is not a formula for success. One Baseball Factory parent put it very eloquently when he said “Showcases can give your son exposure or they can expose your son’s weaknesses.” With college tuition being anywhere from $60K to well over a $100K for a four-year degree, making an investment in player development BEFORE a college coach makes a decision on whether he wants to offer your son a scholarship or a roster spot will pay long term dividends.

In these tough economic times, what is truly important and necessary for your son’s future? College baseball coaches still have baseball money available for players who are good students, polished players, and have National Team experience. Building this well rounded player is a big part of “The Baseball Factory Way” of development. College coaches trust our ability to evaluate your son in an unbiased manner and use our program as a resource to build championship programs that end up in the College World Series (1 out of every 4 players in the 2008 College World Series were Baseball Factory Alums).

As a parent of a high school baseball player in these times, no matter what, you will still need to pay for college. How do you fulfill your son’s dream of playing college baseball and at the same time help to defray your son's cost to attend college? The answer is PLAYER DEVELOPMENT!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

Should I Walk-On?

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I can’t tell you how many of our Baseball Factory parents and players have asked this question over the past 15 years. For anyone not familiar with the term “Walk On,” it is in reference to a player that decides to attend a college and earn a spot on the baseball roster without having a scholarship commitment, and in some instances, without even being recruited. It certainly is a very tough decision and there is no blanket answer to the above question. Each family and each baseball program is a unique circumstance.

The New York Times had a great article recently entitled, “For College Walk-Ons, a Road Less Traveled Makes All the Difference.” It detailed the stories of Brett Gardner (current CF for the NY Yankees), Ryan Howard (former MVP for the Philadelphia Phillies), and Eric Karros (former 1B for the LA Dodgers). All three of these players walked on to their college baseball programs and then turned into Major Leaguers. While these stories are very inspirational and are a testament to their hard work, it doesn’t mean that “walking on” is the right decision for each family. For every Brett Gardner success story, there are hundreds of players that get cut from their college program and never have a chance to pursue college baseball.

Kelly Kulina, our Senior Vice President of the Exclusive Program, has told me time and time again that when he was the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of Maryland, they had 75-100 players each year that would try to walk on. The program might keep one or two of the players and the rest never had a chance to play college baseball. Kelly believes that the majority of these players could have been college baseball players, just not players at the University of Maryland. They were a better fit for smaller programs and not the right match for the rigors of playing Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) baseball. Most of these players probably didn’t market themselves to a variety of college programs or did not have any other college baseball coaches showing interest. With no other baseball options to consider, they most likely chose University of Maryland for academic or social reasons.

My advice to Baseball Factory families on this topic has always been consistent. Have as many options as possible before making a decision to walk-on. Your son may decide that he wants to try and walk-on, because in the end, there are just too many things about that particular school that he loves and can’t pass up. However, I would want that player to have to say “no thank you” to a number of other schools that have shown interest in him for baseball.

In my mind, if you explore all your options, and can make an informed decision one way or another, you can’t go wrong. It is only when you make a desperate move, or when you haven’t given the process 100% effort that regrets seem to set in.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.

Follow Your Thoughts

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Have you ever paid close attention to your thoughts? Try it sometime. You might be surprised by how much time you spend subconsciously on certain topics. While you are conducting this little experiment on yourself, take notice of how many thoughts come into your brain that are negative or fearful in nature.

Why is it that we spend so much time thinking about negative things? Unfortunately, I have found it to be quite common that people prefer to focus on negative and mentally taxing thoughts versus those that are emotionally gratifying. Wouldn’t we be better served spending our “mental energy” on things that were positive? I know that many people believe that they cannot stop their mind from racing down a certain path, but I would have to disagree. I think each of us has the ability to control their thoughts and direct them in a manner for their most positive benefit.

As parents, I think it is important to share this concept with your children. We all want our kids to be successful and confident in everything they choose to do. Our kids are growing up in a world with intense pressures and ever evolving emotional stimuli, which at times can be negative. If they too are filling their mind with negative thoughts and fearful patterns it could certainly begin to manifest itself in negative behaviors. We want our children to be confident, self assured beings. It all starts with their own self image and self esteem, which is somewhat comprised from their own thoughts. By helping your children understand that they can control their thoughts and maintain a positive attitude, it should only help them produce positive results in their lives, including their performance in the classroom and on the baseball field.

Spend a few days practicing this exercise. If you can keep your mind focused for its greatest good and most positive outlook, I think you will be shocked by how much more emotionally content you can be.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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 14 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.

Position Changes…How to Deal With Them as a Parent

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I think the idea of a player being asked to change positions and play somewhere new on the field can be more traumatizing for the parent of the player then the player himself. I just got back from the Baseball Factory’s Omaha Training and Tournament and met with a number of parents where the topic of position changes came up. When a particular player was asked to play a different position on the field (versus his normal primary or secondary position), I heard the following comments:

Parent 1: Why would he be asked to play anywhere other than shortstop? He is the best shortstop on the team.
Parent 2: He has never played the other positions, so it is really unfair to ask him to play somewhere he is not comfortable.
Parent 3: Why would you put a player in a brand new position and one that he is not used to?

One of our philosophies at Baseball Factory is to try and use our events to help prepare players for their college experience. College programs very often recruit center fielders and shortstops and then place them all around the field in certain spots depending upon how their tools play. For the recruited high school shortstops, the best hands and feet usually go to Short and Second (with the better arm playing short). The guy with the most power and limited defensive skills goes to first and the one with less range and strong hitting skills may go to third.

This happened to me in college when I played at the University of Pennsylvania. As a freshman, I started mostly every game at shortstop after having played SS my entire career. As a sophomore, I got moved to third base because we had a transfer student come in with exceptional defensive skills that played short. After a First Team All-Ivy season as a Sophomore at 3B, for my junior year, I was used primarily as a designated hitter, because we had a pretty good freshman infielder come in that year. You may recognize his name since he is the current second baseman for the Chicago Cubs (Mark Derosa). As a Senior, I split time between 3B and DH because we had another exceptional middle infielder added to our club as a freshman that made first team All-Ivy that year. I still wound up earning 2nd Team All Ivy Honors as a Senior.
Players need to be prepared to be moved around the field for a variety of reasons. Maybe your son is a primary pitcher that also plays shortstop in high school. In college, you will never see a RHP/SS. All two-way players that pitch wind up playing another secondary position like OF, 1B, or DH to help save their arm. Maybe his baseball tools have him better served to be a corner infielder than a middle infielder. Maybe someone on his team got injured and in order to get his bat in the lineup, the manager needs to use him in a different spot on the field. Be flexible and he will have a chance to gain more playing time.

For parents, as your son advances up the ranks past high school baseball and into college, start to understand that things may change, including his postion. Try not to get all bent out of shape and understand that as the game speeds up, his tools may play better at another spot on the field. From my personal experience, keeping an open mind and living up to the challenge of playing a new spot on the field was a great learning exercise for me. I enjoyed playing 3B and DH-ing much more than I would have enjoyed sitting on the bench and watching someone else play shortstop!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. 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.