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.