When to Attend a College Camp

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

When is it a good time to go to a college camp or showcase? More importantly, which ones do you attend? These are the types of questions the Exclusive Program staff answers everyday, and I wanted to give you the Reader’s Digest version of what we cover with our players.

High school baseball players will often mistake camp invites and questionnaires to mean that they are a recruited athlete at that institution. If you check page 77 and 78 of the NCAA’s Division I manual, you’ll read that the following make you a “recruited athlete”:

• Providing the prospective student-athlete with an official visit
• Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete’s parent(s), relatives or legal guardian(s)
• Initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the prospective student-athlete, the prospective student athlete’s relatives or legal guardian(s) on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment
• Issuing a National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of athletically related financial aid to the prospective student-athlete. Issuing a written offer of athletically related financial aid to a prospective student-athlete to attend a summer session prior to full-time enrollment does not cause the prospective student-athlete to become recruited

Notice how there’s no mention of attending a camp or talking to someone after a showcase. Don't get me wrong, camps and showcases are a vital part of the recruiting process for both players and coaches. They give college coaches the important opportunity to watch prospective student-athletes on the field, and players the opportunity to showcase their skills beyond video. However, to get the most out of this part of the process, there needs to be a method to the madness.

When considering a camp or showcase, there are several things that you need to ask yourself:

• Is this a school I’m interested in?
• Is the host school or some of the schools in attendance a good fit for me athletically and academically? If you can’t answer this question, you should consider getting a third party evaluation of your skills, which doesn’t include your parents and high school or travel coaches.
• Have I had contact with someone on the baseball staff? Would they know who I am when I arrive? Have they seen me play before or on video?
• What are their recruiting needs for the upcoming year?
  

The questions in the third bullet point have to do with going to a camp/showcase as a “camper” or as a “prospect.” A camper is someone that simply got the invite, signed up and showed up. A prospect is someone that has already been in touch with a college coach, has been seen in person or on video, and just needs to get in front of the rest of the staff. Naturally, the prospects in attendance will draw much more attention from the coaches than the campers.

So, when you received the camp invite, you should have already responded. If you haven’t previously written to the staff, now would be a good time to introduce yourself and explain why you’re interested in the program (and that you’re considering the camp). Further, if the staff hasn’t seen you play before, this is the time to forward any video you have. Only when you have individual contact (not mass-mailed e-mails) with a college coach should you consider the camp or showcase.

As a wrap-up, here are a few assumptions you CANNOT make when considering a camp or showcase:

• I am automatically a prospect.
• If I don’t attend, they won’t be interested in me.
• I am attending this camp to earn a scholarship or roster spot.
• This is the only opportunity for this school to see me play.
• The more I attend, the better off I’ll be.
• Camps and showcases are one in the same.
• Every coach is going to be able to see me and I’ll get a fair share of exposure.
  

For most prospective college baseball players, camps and showcases are a must; however, taking the shotgun approach will cost a great deal of time and money for your parents, with a smaller chance of return on the investment. Do yourself a favor and take the time to lay the groundwork before jumping in the car or on a plane.


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.

Balancing the College Baseball Budget

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Prior to the beginning of this season, the athletic departments at Northern Iowa and the University of Vermont announced that this would be the final season for their baseball programs. While the last thing any athletic director wants to do is cut programs and staff, priorities have to be made even at the largest state schools. Even worse, the economic recession has exacerbated the funding deficit between revenue and non-revenue sports. Unfortunately for coaches and recruits alike, “America’s Favorite Past Time” is on the wrong end of this deficit.

While colleges and universities across the country have spent the past year making tough financial decisions, their athletic departments have come to grips with the fact that they’re not immune to what is going on with our economy. Even as the NCAA reports an average annual increase of 5% in student-athletes at member institutions, all sports at all levels have been tightening their belts. Sadly, as low as funding for college baseball has been, being a non-revenue sport puts it at the top of the list to come under the “budget microscope.”

The biggest reality I had to face when I was coaching was to understand exactly what it meant to be a “non-revenue” sport. With smaller audiences and a TV deal worth a fraction of the ones that basketball and football have, there are only a handful of Division I baseball programs that actually “make money” for their school. In most cases, baseball programs rely on the success of football, basketball and fundraising to finance their programs. On top of that, 35-man rosters and a 56-game schedule make baseball very expensive relative to other non-revenue sports, such as golf and tennis. So, when it comes budget time, baseball has lots of lines on its budget for an AD to adjust or eliminate altogether.

Even fully-funded programs find that in order to make a push for additional amenities, coaches need to fundraise and bring additional money into their program. Adding advertisements to the outfield wall, baseball programs and booster clubs were all ways I helped ease the budget crunch for the University of Maryland program. Yet, even with additional fundraising efforts, the most successful coaches are also going to be the thriftiest.

If you can assume that uniforms and equipment, travel and field operations are all fixed costs, the first cutback will always be recruiting. Coaches cannot afford to go to as many events, and if anything, have to budget for the events they do go to very carefully. When I was on the road, I would often share rooms with other coaches or stay with friends and family just to help my bottom line! One of the first things we share with players in our Exclusive College Recruiting Program is that the college baseball recruit has to be prepared to recruit coaches before they come see you play.

Writing and calling coaches, making unofficial visits and having a video all dramatically increase your chances of being seen by coaches this summer and fall. When I went to games, tournaments or showcases, I already knew ahead of time who I was going to see. I couldn’t afford not to do my homework on players beforehand! Players, too, cannot afford to take the “shotgun approach” to their summer schedule. Pick your spots carefully. Who is going to be at a showcase? Who do you have consistent contact with? That’s how coaches with short budgets look at their summer.

There’s no doubt in my mind that college baseball’s popularity is on the rise even with casual fans. The College World Series has really taken off the last few years and the game is reaching more viewers through increased TV coverage. Let’s hope that we’re seeing the end of “making do,” and instead push to make college baseball successful at every institution!

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 is the Quiet Period?

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.

There is Good High School Baseball Talent All Over the Country

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Many parents believe that the best baseball players in the country have to come from warm weather states. Do you agree?

I would agree that the average high school player in the warm weather states (ie: California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, etc) tends to be stronger versus the colder/seasonal climates. This is most likely a result of these players having the distinct advantage of getting to play outside on a year round basis. While the average high school player in these areas may be stronger, I have found over the years at Baseball Factory that there is upper echelon talent all over the country and in places you might not suspect.

Let’s take this past weekend for example. I traveled to Portland, Oregon to run Baseball Factory’s Under Armour National Tryout and Signature College Recruiting Program in Monmouth, Oregon (just outside of Portland). Keep in mind, this event took place in November so we utilized an indoor facility. Baseball Factory hadn’t held an event in Oregon since 1998, but we have had the pleasure of working with many Oregon based players over the years in events that took place in other states. In fact, 25% of the current Oregon State baseball roster are alumni of Baseball Factory or Team One.

Getting back to this weekend, we worked with a total of 45 players. This group was extremely focused, engaged, and serious about baseball. Everyone showed up on time and they had a strong sense of desire and determination. Once the baseball drills and testing started, this group did not disappoint! As a whole, this was one of our most talented sessions to date this year. Keep in mind that Baseball Factory holds 200 events a year in areas all over the country and into Canada. Would you ever suspect that Portland, Oregon would be one of the most talented groups? I am sure the players and parents that were in attendance this weekend would have.

So if you live in a state that is not known for producing top high school baseball talent or is in a seasonal climate, don’t let it get you down. All it means is that you might need to be a little more creative. Seek out alternate ways for your sons to train like using indoor facilities in the colder months. Just use it as motivation to help your sons work harder!

If anyone from our Oregon session is reading this blog, thanks for a great weekend. It was a pleasure meeting the parents and working with this talented group of players. Baseball Factory will certainly not be waiting another 10 years before we come back to Oregon. Most likely it will be closer to 10 months.

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.

Time to Re-Evaluate, Revise and Regroup!

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Power of Video

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

The video component of recruiting has come a long way in the last 20 years. Football coaches were way ahead their time with the use of film and video when it came to recruiting, scouting, and teaching of the game. Historically, college football coaches would request video of their prospective recruits from their high school coaches to assess the players overall athletic ability and skill. The player’s ability level and, subsequently, the coaches’ interest would determine the next steps in the process. Today, video footage is an absolute must for sports like baseball, and it has become a serious disadvantage to ignore this component!

Somewhere in the country on a daily basis, there is baseball being played. Even with the advancement of modern technology and communications today, players are still being overlooked because of coaching staff limitations, time and budgets. Smaller D-III schools notwithstanding, even the larger schools do not have the resources to attend every camp, showcase or tournament in the country. This is where video can start to fill the gap!

I can still remember getting several mail crates of VHS tapes daily at the University of Maryland and having stacks of VHS tapes all over the office. I would review what I could in the office, but found myself having to take them home and on the road trips just to keep up! Regrettably, because of volume and inconvenience, I’m sure there were a lot we never got to. Fortunately, today it is much easier now and a lot more convenient with online video available. There is nothing better for a coach than having the opportunity to recruit and evaluate players on the computer at his desk!

The purpose of having a video is not necessarily to get an offer from a college coach. However, using video to promote yourself to coaches can definitely make a difference and vault you onto his staff’s radar. Just as with football coaches, baseball coaches can use video to assess and determine the next steps to take with a prospect. “Does he have the ability to play at this level?” “Should we contact him, his coach and/or scouts in area? “Do we need to see him play in person, and if so, when?” Writing a letter or an e-mail to a coach is a step in the right direction, but without having the opportunity to evaluate your ability and skills on the field, there is not much else working in your favor. Providing video increases the chance that someone on the coaching staff will respond favorably.

So, what is the most effective way to deliver video footage? Personally, I’m a big fan of presenting footage prior to an unofficial visit, or as follow-up to that visit. Having an idea of what the coach thinks of you as a player prior to your visit can save you a trip or help you prioritize your visits to certain schools. I’ve even seen players bring up their video during the visit, so that they can get in-person feedback from the coach they are meeting with! Regardless of the situation, you should include a proper cover letter addressed to the coach. You need to introduce yourself, why you’re interested in the program and make reference to the video provided. Don’t expect a coach to watch your video without a proper introduction!

Please remember that this isn’t an audition tape- coaches need to use this for evaluation first and foremost. Anything above a display of your athleticism and baseball skills can lead to unwanted distraction of a coach’s attention and can be a turnoff. Leave the duty of first impressions to in-person visits to campus. The following should be avoided in athletic footage:
• Music
• Interviews
• Play-by-play from Mom and Dad!
• Any other unwanted noise(s).

It’s no longer considered far-sighted to have video available for review; rather, it’s now essential. Baseball plays more games than any other intercollegiate sport, players train every day while on campus, and the coaches are on the road recruiting when they’re not playing or training. Many times, you have to go above and beyond to reach these coaches throughout the year, whether they are on the field, in their office or on the road. However, more coaches are beginning to make full use of the technology today. Remember, there is no “dead period” in the recruiting process if you have a video, so take full advantage while you can!

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.

10 College Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid, Part 2

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Last week, I started a discussion on common mistakes that players and parents make in the college recruiting process. All of these “pitfalls” can lead to a major limitation of your opportunities come decision time, and should be avoided at all costs. I’d like to continue that discussion in this week’s entry.

#4) Never Getting a Professional Edited Video and Evaluation

As I mentioned in last week’s entry, college coaches are not able to get out to many games, tournaments or showcase in order to see you play. Instead, many coaches rely on receiving a professionally edited video and a detailed professional scout evaluation from Baseball Factory in order to learn about players and begin recruiting them. From the comfort of their office, they can view video footage of a player and read an evaluation from a source they trust. This is a great way for them to narrow down their recruiting list before spending money to travel and see their top recruits in person.

In addition, the difference between a homemade family video and a professionally edited video is huge. Coaches have very hectic schedules, so they don’t have time to watch an hour-long unedited video of you performing in a game. They want short, quick clips of you defensively, on the mound, or at the plate. Most homemade family videos that are sent to coaches end up in the trash.

Not getting an unbiased professional evaluation can also hurt your college recruiting efforts. Keep in mind that in a college coach’s mind, your parents are biased and your high school coach is biased. Providing a college coach with an evaluation from a professional scout gives him an unbiased opinion that he can trust.

#5) Waiting Until Your Senior Year to Begin Marketing Yourself to Colleges

We suggest that players begin marketing themselves to college coaches the summer before their Sophomore year in high school. Start writing letters to college coaches to let them know of your interest in their program. While they probably won’t be out to see you play or even begin recruiting you heavily, they will start a file on you for their records and will keep up with your high school career on and off the field.

Players who wait until their Senior year to begin the recruiting process are at a major disadvantage, as coaches don’t have nearly as much time to recruit the player. There are fewer times to see the player in person, gather information from other coaches and scouts, and make a true assessment of the players ability and work ethic. It is hard to tell if the player has improved through high school, which is important for a college coach in determining if the player will work hard and improve during his college career.

If you are a Senior and are just now getting started: don’t panic! It is certainly not too late, but you will have to work harder over a shorter span of time. The lesson is, start early and be proactive.

#6) Not Sending Back College Questionnaires in a Timely Manner

If you contact a coach and he sends you a general questionnaire to fill out, make sure to get it back to him as soon as possible. Many players get offended by receiving a general questionnaire from a coach. “Why didn’t he write something personal? Does he not want to recruit me?” The truth is that the coach wants to get more information on you before he starts recruiting you.

College coaches use general questionnaires to gauge a player’s interest and begin a file on a player. If you take your time sending it back, or don’t send it back at all, the coach is going to assume that you aren’t interested in his program. In addition, make sure to send back questionnaires to colleges, even if they aren’t from a school you are pursuing. The more schools that are interested in you, the more leverage you have in the recruiting process. Keep all options open until you are ready to make a final decision.

By now, you should start to see an underlying pattern behind all of these common mistakes. Waiting to be discovered and leaving everything up to chance is the surest way to put a quiet end to your playing career- It is up to you to get the recruiting process started!

Be sure to check back next week when I wrap up my list of recruiting pitfalls.

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.

10 College Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#3) Expecting College Coaches to Come See You Play

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

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

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

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

Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.

The Right Place at the Right Time - Part 1

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

With warmer weather, the months of June, July and August promise to bring an abundance of summer baseball camps and showcases. As I discussed in my last entry, camps and showcases play an important role in the recruiting process. There is simply no substitute for being seen in person by a college coach, and prospective college baseball players cannot expect to rely on their high school or legion season for exposure. What I’d like to discuss in this blog is how players can maximize the benefits of going to both camps and showcases.

Individual college camps can be a great way to get significant time in front of a program’s coaching staff. Not only will players have the chance to get to know the coaching staffs and get a better feel for their coaching style, but coaches will have a very good opportunity to see the player as the complete package: both physical ability and the intangibles. Many college camps also offer plenty of opportunities to spend time on campus. However, players need to define the reason they’re going to the college camp. Is it instruction, or is it for recruiting? Are you going as a camper or as a prospect?

A camper is a player that receives information in the mail. He will be given a lot of great, hands-on instruction and will take a lot away from the camp. A prospect is a player that comes to camp after having regular correspondence with a coach and enough mutual interest to warrant being seen in person, possibly even a personal invite. During the freshman and sophomore year, it’s OK to be a camper. You will definitely want to take every advantage of the outstanding coaching/instruction that’s available. By the junior year, however, there needs to be more of a focus on finding camps that have prospect opportunities.

At this time, you should have an idea of what levels of college baseball you should be looking at. Being evaluated by professional baseball people who give you an unbiased assessment of your ability would be strongly recommended. If you’ve never had this done, check out our Signature College Recruiting Program. This will save you a lot of time, energy and money in the long run, not only to determine what college camps you should attend, but more importantly to assist you in the college search process. We’ve talked a lot about being realistic in the process, and that needs to be in play here. Can you see yourself playing at this school? Is there a need? Can you get into the school? Do your homework and take a look at the program’s depth chart and roster. If the team features a lot of young players at your position, it does you no good to attend regardless of how well you perform.

Some dangerous assumptions when considering camps:

• I am a prospect.


• If I don’t attend their camp, they won’t recruit me.


• Most players on their roster attended their camp.

Check in next week when I discuss the benefits of attending a college showcase, and its role in the recruiting process.

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.

Matthew Colantonio – Brown University

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Matthew Colantonio (Garden City, NY), current true freshman for Brown University was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the second time this season. After 35 games with the Bears, Matt is hitting .384 with 21 RBI’s and leads the team with a .493 on-base percentage.

Prior to Matt’s collegiate career, he was an outstanding student-athlete in high school. He participated at several Baseball Factory and Team One Baseball Showcases. His very first event was the Baseball Factory B.A.T.S. (Baseball and Academic Targeting Service) Program—now the Signature College Recruiting Program. His performance at the B.A.T.S. event propelled him to earn a spot on the Baseball Factory USA Junior Olympic Tournament team.

He continued to train, condition, and work on his game and was asked to represent Baseball Factory at Dodgertown and train with former National Cross-checker Mac Seibert. Mac selected Matt to attend the 2006 All American Tournament and the Team One East Showcase. Matt performed very well at Team One East and was honored as one of the top ten participants at that event, eventually leading the coaching staff at Brown to offer Matt an opportunity to earn a spot on their 2008 roster.

We would like to acknowledge Matt on his academic and athletic achievements at Brown.

Check out Matt’s bio and current 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.

Brett Jackson - California Golden Bears

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Brett Jackson, former Baseball Factory and Team One standout, is shining at the next level. Brett is currently in his second varsity season for the Cal Bears who compete in the Pac-10 Conference. He is one of their top outfielders, hitting .331 with 22 RBI’s, and 9 stolen bases in 34 games.

Prior to Brett’s collegiate career, he was an exceptional high school athlete. In addition to his high school accolades, he attended several Baseball Factory events and Team One Showcases. As a matter of fact, he started out as a participant in the Baseball Factory B.A.T.S. (Baseball and Academic Targeting Service) Program—now the Signature College Recruiting Program. His outstanding performance at that event led our on-field staff to select him for the 2005 and 2006 Baseball Factory All-American Tournaments.

At the All-American event he performed very well and our scouting staff selected Brett for both the 2005 Team One West and Team One National Showcases. Those events gave the coaching staff at Berkeley the opportunity to see Brett perform. Eventually the Cal coaches recruited Brett to play for the Bears and offered him a baseball scholarship.

We would like to acknowledge Brett and his tremendous accomplishments as a student-athlete.

Check out Brett’s bio and current 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.