Coach_RISO

If I could go back and do my college baseball recruiting all over again, I’d do just about everything differently. The only reason I even got a chance to play college baseball was because there happened to be a professional scout at a random high school game. Why was he there? Because his buddy was the coach of the opposing team. That’s it. It was completely random. And I was incredibly LUCKY. That scout eventually helped open a door for me to play junior college baseball, which ultimately led to a Division I scholarship. But think about that for a second. My entire college baseball career might not have happened if some guy hadn’t decided to go watch his buddy coach a high school baseball game. Knowing what I know now, here’s what I’d do differently. 1. I’d figure out where I actually stood as a player. I’d get my metrics tested, have honest conversations with people who understood college baseball, and figure out what level of baseball I was realistically capable of playing. 2. I’d build a list of 50–100 schools. Not just schools I’d heard of. I’d research programs at every level that fit me academically, financially, geographically, and athletically. 3. I’d contact every single one of them. I’d introduce myself, share my video and metrics, and explain why I was interested in their program. And I’d follow up. A lot. 4. I’d spend less money trying to get discovered. I’d only attend camps and showcases where coaches from schools I was genuinely interested in were going to be. And I’d make sure those coaches knew I was coming. 5. I’d build a development plan around my weaknesses. I’d figure out the 2–3 things keeping me from playing at the next level and get to work improving them. 6. I’d track EVERYTHING. Every school, every email, every conversation, every response. I’d treat recruiting like a process instead of a bunch of random events. 7. Most importantly, I’d take ownership of my recruiting. I wouldn’t wait for my high school coach, summer coach, or some random professional scout to create an opportunity for me. I’d go create those opportunities myself. I wouldn’t trade my college baseball experience for anything. Junior college was one of the best things that ever happened to me. But I got lucky. And the more I learn about college recruiting, the more I realize just how lucky I was. If I could do it all over again, I’d still work my ass off to become a better baseball player. I’d just work equally hard to make sure college coaches knew who I was.