<p>I am the parent of a rising junior interested in playing D3 baseball. He plays for his high school, as well as a competitive AAU team. He only has a 3.1 GPA and struggles a bit academically. He has not yet taken a rigorous course load, although he is scheduled to take 2 APs next year. We have no SAT or PSAT scores yet.</p>
<p>We would like a small, nurturing school. I checked out the Headfirst list, but I am afraid they're too much of a reach. DS was thinking local schools like Susquehanna, Elizabethtown, Lebanon Valley etc. Academic reaches would be Ursinus, Juniata and Muhlenberg. He would certainly consider other mid-atlantic schools as well. </p>
<p>Is the process different for regional schools such as those mentioned above? Does he have any chance (assuming they like his baseball skills) at the more academic schools? </p>
<p>What resources can you recommend when starting this process? I need a step-by-step list!;)</p>
<p>Oh - one more question. Is there usually competitiveness within a team during this stage? I understand that it can be every man for himself at this point. Ds's coach is a parent whose loyalties will be his own son. Is there any way to deal with this? Is it common for a recruiter to come watch one kid but ends up liking others even more? Is it common for a coach to play around with positions or statistics, so his own son looks better?</p>
<p>Wow, that is alot of questions. I think your son has a great chance to play in college. Target the schools that would be a fit for him academically. I would try to go to the coaches vs. waiting for them to come to you. Find out from their website if/when their prospect camps are and go to the camps if you can. Also, encourage him to contact the coaches directly via phone or email explaining his interest. Many of the coaches work other camps during the summer (Bucknell, Lehigh etc.) A 3.1 at high-academic D3 schools would be a reach, but let them tell you that. He still has his junior year to pick up the grades. Best of luck to you and your son.</p>
<p>lisabees,</p>
<p>You have time to learn about this process. Most D3 baseball programs will not actively start recruiting your son until he is a rising senior. There are exceptions, but none of the schools you’ve listed fit that category. The bottom line is most D3 programs only have so much money to recruit. So, they spend their money where they can get the most bang for their buck. I would start with :</p>
<p>1) A goal statement between you and your son. What does the ideal school look like to both of you. From that profile, you can start your search by trying to narrow it down.
2) [College</a> Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics](<a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/]College”>College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics) - academic search by many variables
3) [D3baseball</a> : The home for NCAA Division III baseball coverage](<a href=“http://www.d3baseball.com%5DD3baseball”>http://www.d3baseball.com) - a listing of schools by conference and location
4) [NCAA</a> Division III Baseball – Iterative Strength Ratings](<a href=“http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/isr/d3_isr.html]NCAA”>NCAA Division III Baseball -- Iterative Strength Ratings) - listing of D3 schools by strength of schedule. This gives you an idea of the programs strength.
5) [Forums</a> Directory | High School Baseball Web](<a href=“http://community.hsbaseballweb.com/]Forums”>http://community.hsbaseballweb.com/) - everything you ever wanted to know about college baseball and more.</p>
<p>For the schools you’ve mentioned, it would not be a bad idea to have your son reach out to the D3 coaches to ask about recruitment camps and skills camps they will be at this summer. This will help you identify what events these coaches will be at, and where your son may want to spend his time. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you both for the suggestions. I know there were too many questions!</p>
<p>It looks like we have a year to pick up grades and do some learning. Good idea to email coaches regarding this summer’s showcases. And thank you fenwaysouth for the links.</p>
<p>I appreciate your time.</p>
<p>lisabees,</p>
<p>A couple more thoughts as I re-read your post. We gave you some resources to start with but I also think you need a starting point. In almost all cases your son’s ability to get into a D3 school AND play baseball will be contingent upon his past academic accomplishments, academic trending, and class rigor. Your son’s ability to earn a starting position or earn playing time will be directly related to his baseball skills. Those two previous sentences separate D3 from other divisions. </p>
<p>Most D3 baseball programs do some level of recruiting but it can vary dramatically based on their budget, admissions standards, and acceptance rates. In many cases, a coach will not know about his previous summer recruiting efforts until the first day of school when they may have tryouts in some cases. These are the kinds of open questions your son can ask the coach when he starts a dialogue because there can be such a variance between D3 programs. </p>
<p>If you read this passage from the NCAA about D3 atheltics, it should become clearer what D3 is and isn’t: [Info</a> for prospective students-athletes and parents - NCAA.org](<a href=“http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/division+iii/information+for+prospective+students+athletes+and+parents]Info”>http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/division+iii/information+for+prospective+students+athletes+and+parents)</p>
<p>I also suggest you go to the NCCA Eligibility Center [NCAA</a> Eligibility Center](<a href=“http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp]NCAA”>http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp) and read the 2013 NCAA Guide for the Student Athlete <a href=“http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/CBSA.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/CBSA.pdf</a> to become more familiar with the recruiting lingo and terms.</p>
<p>fenwaysouth - I certainly appreciate your follow-up. And thank you for the NCAA links. That should clear up a lot of things for me. So much to learn.</p>
<p>DS will likely end the year with an improved GPA. It has been a year of growth for him and we’re very proud. For me, academics and fit are priorities. To find a baseball team that he can enjoy would really be icing on the cake.</p>
<p>A couple of things you stated confuse me a bit. Sorry - I’m slow.</p>
<p>“Those two previous sentences separate D3 from other divisions.” Hmmm. Don’t grades and skills qualify you to play at a D1 school? If I understand correctly, D3 schools are academically focused and D1 schools are very much sport focused. Is this what you mean?</p>
<p>“These are the kinds of open questions your son can ask the coach when he starts a dialogue because there can be such a variance between D3 programs.” Not catching on - what kinds of open questions should we be asking? How much pull the coach has with admissions? </p>
<p>Thank you again for guiding me through this process. What a different ride than the one I had with my oldest, who is currently a college freshman. I thought finding the right academic and social fit was difficult enough!</p>
<p>
Yes, in general terms that is it. You will see the importance of D1 athlete/student mix vary among sports, conferences and schools. I personally know many top D1 college baseball players at some very prestigious D1 schools who would not get into prestigious D3 schools. That is my point.</p>
<p>
Sure, that could be one question. But I think most baseball coaches will say he doesn’t influence admissions, and admissions makes the final decision. There are always exceptions.</p>
<p>IMHO, I think questions about the time balance between academics and athletics is good starting point since that will be a HUGE factor in your son’s life for 4 or more years. What are the in-season vs off-season demands of the baseball team? Is there time flexibility with labs during the season? Historically, what majors have been most difficult for baseball players? What other non-academic challenges do baseball players have at your school? How is playing time awarded? What are the goals of the program over the next 4 years? Is the baseball program self funded or funded by a combination of donors and the school? What can I do to increase my chances of being admitted? If I’m accepted at the school, do I have to tryout in the Fall or will I have a roster spot? </p>
<p>
No problem. Like you, I was also getting started a bunch of years ago and folks here and elsewhere pointed me in the right direction. I’ve been through it twice, and there is a good chance it will be third time in the next 18-24 months. It is a lot of work, and a lot of reading to learn about the details. If you add in the athletic recruiting dynamic it becomes 10x harder to find the fit. For baseball, it can be even harder for position players than for pitchers. Alot depends on the school, and what they are looking for and what they need. On top of all of this, you also have to try to figure out when he will see the field and when he could possibly earn a starting position. I’m going to tell you straight up…it is not easy at any college level to win a starting position…this isn’t high school. Playing time was a huge factor in our decision. My son did not want to invest the time unless he was going to see the field by his sophomore year. His major is very demanding, and that was a big part of our selection. But, your son gets to pick what is important to him. That is the beauty of this process, it is about what is most important to you. </p>
<p>In my first reply back to you I mentioned a goal statement. I can’t emphasize how important that discussion with your son is. It is alot easier going through this process if you know that “destination” looks like.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you again! I have read your posts to ds. I want him to know all of the factors going into his decision to play college ball. He prefers (and would do best at) a smaller school with business as an option. The business major throws me off, as it is not common in LACs, especially those that accept his GPA. But, I think it is a major in which he can succeed. Who knows? Maybe in the next year, he will find an academic passion. He just visited his first schools, so he’s getting a feel for the different environments. Susquehanna is a fabulous fit for him. College of Wooster is a little too serious. His older brother attends Oberlin and it is definitely not a fit for him, socially or academically. So, to me, your suggested goal statement seems to be what we are doing. Finding the fit first, then wondering if he can play ball.</p>
<p>I cannot express my gratitude enough for the list of questions! I have done a search on this forum and you and others have given such wonderful advice. It will serve me well in the upcoming years.</p>
<p>I appreciate your reminder about play time, but how did you get the guarantee that your son will see field time by sophomore year? In D3, a coach can go back on his word, since there are no contracts, right? How do you balance that knowledge and faith in one school and one coach? How often does a D3 kid not even make the team after tryouts, even when the coach seemed on board?</p>
<p>“I appreciate your reminder about play time, but how did you get the guarantee that your son will see field time by sophomore year?”</p>
<p>Lisabees,</p>
<p>There is absolutely no guarantees in college baseball. Your son must earn his spot. Any coach that guarantees playing time is either lying or not worth a lick. My best advice would be to get an honest assessment of his skills, and watch some of his potential future college games. So you’ll need to do a blatantly honest assessment of his skills relative to the school, and the players at the school. You can get assessment information from showcases like Perfect Game, HeadFirst or a local baseball academy. Some high school & travel baseball coaches can tell you as well if you trust their opinion.</p>
<p>There will be some unknowns (such as who will be coming into the program) and how many positions they can play as well as the current depth at the school. The bottom line is the Coach is going to select the starting players that give his team the best chance to win. In most cases that means the position players that can hit and the pitchers that get people out.</p>
<p>Lisa,
A really quick start list for athletes:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What do you want out of college? This is the most important step. There are a number of factors that come into play, beyond athletics and your major: Division, Private/Public, Academics, Size, Location, Reputation, Spirit, Religious affiliation, Majors, Programs, Feel and Athletics. With my children we made a list and ranked which were most important to them, and then used that in our search.</p></li>
<li><p>Do your legwork on the search. There are some great college search tools out there. Use these tools to build your target list and narrow down where you would like to target. Make sure when you search, you find schools where you would like to be if sports does not work out ;).</p></li>
<li><p>Check on their Sports Teams. Now that you have narrowed down your list, make sure all the schools have a sponsored athletic team for your sport. This can be done through a School / Sport search or the NCAA Sponsorship List.</p></li>
<li><p>Build out your target list. You can use a spreadsheet or a piece of paper to build a Target List Sheet . Build out your list, and narrow it down to about 20 target schools.</p></li>
<li><p>Gather coach information. Now that you have the list, find the coach for your schools by looking through Athletic Directory links. Gather coach information for your specific sport or position.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Once you get all this in place, you can start on a contact plan.</p>
<p>fenway - Thanks for the additional info. My son is a pitcher and a good hitter. We’ll see how far that gets him. To clarify, would you suggest Perfect Game/Headfirst this year (before junior year) or next year (before senior year)? Or should we stick with more local skills camps etc?</p>
<p>reach2play - love your checklists! Just fabulous. I will forward them to my son.</p>
<p>lisabees,</p>
<p>If your son is only considering D3 schools, it has been my experience that HeadFirst and PG Academic showcase make the most sense before his senior year <a href=“next%20summer”>b</a>**. D3 coaches will be focused on players that they can recruit now (rising seniors). HeadFirst was a great experience for my son 4 years ago. Without a doubt, it opened the most doors based upon his goals. I’ve heard mixed reviews on the PG Academic, but I can’t say for sure as we did not attend.</p>
<p>It would not be a bad idea to have your son evaluated this summer by a third party at a camp, combine, baseball academy or smaller local showcase that doesn’t cost as much money as HeadFirst or Perfect Game Academic. IMHO it is essential that you (and he) understand where he fits talent-wise. You don’t want to waste time or money in the future chasing after something that is a bad fit. In other words, you need to know what pond to be fishing in.</p>
<p>When your son is looking at college programs or talking to coaches, he may want to look into pitcher’s hitting for themselves . Most of the D1/Ivy/D3 schools that recruited my son would not allow their pitchers to hit. My son was also a very good high school hitter, but he isn’t allowed to swing a bat in a college game today. It is a funny topic because most college pitchers think they can hit better than most position players, and most position players think they can pitch better than most pitchers. Every program is different, so that is a question he may want to ask at the right time. Again, this is another reason to get a third party evaluation as a baseline. I hope that makes sense.</p>
<p>“It is a funny topic because most college pitchers think they can hit better than most position players, and most position players think they can pitch better than most pitchers.”</p>
<p>Makes perfect sense, fenway. Exactly what I needed to know. And I completely understand the importance in finding out the level of talent ds has - I certainly don’t want to go down this path for nothing! That will be our goal for this summer.</p>
<p>I have compiled a list of “fenway” questions to ask when the time is right. I will be sure to add one about “pitchers hitting for themselves”. </p>
<p>Thanks again. I’ll keep you updated.</p>