Does anyone have any knowledge of Flordia State University?

Have you made your high school varsity yet? Are you All Inter-Ac (his private school's conference)? I've seen some exceptional All Inter-Ac players not be recruited by the kind of programs you're asking about. The best player from this year is attending Virginia. The best player from GA's USA Top 25 team a few year's ago, went to William & Mary. The top hitter from the Catholic League three years ago is at Temple. The top pitcher from the Suburban League a few years ago is at Nova. These are not FSU, Clemson, Michigan, etc.. We are not in a baseball hotbed.

There is a former Suburban League player at Arkansas. Another would have gone to South Carolina had he not signed. But these are two of thousands of players in the metro area. Just a little perspective.

There are a lot more Big school players then RJM mentions. 1 Bonner and 1 Sun Valley kid play for LaSalle, a Penn Charter kid got drafted but attends Wake Forrest, Christopher Dock boast a Missouri kid, Laffyette has a Malvern guy, Temple has a Penncrest player and these guys all start. There are lots more but these were the first ones I thought off. Not to mention all the boys that play Div. 2 ball for reasons not mentioned. Don't sell this area short. They may not get the exposure to the big schools but there is talent everywhere.

I'm trying to figure out why the question about FSU brought a response that questions the poster's abilities and encourages him to get some perspective. Who's to say he's not well qualified? Sheesh.

Wish I knew something about the school so I could give him a proper answer, but I don't have any info other than to say it has a great campus (been there) and a vibrant student life.

The only thing I can tell you is that they are very strong. They are often ranked in the top 5. Ball park is great and it often holds a full house at around 5000 fans .
Yes you had better be very good to make that team.

They also mostly recruit out of Florida and take advantage of the benefits of the Bright Futures scholarships. Don't know how the current NCAA rules change things, but a top player that was drafted in the 5th round out of high school and whose parents were alumni, was offered "books". They are a very tough nut to crack, but their program is very strong.

quote:

Originally posted by plash3:
There are a lot more Big school players then RJM mentions. 1 Bonner and 1 Sun Valley kid play for LaSalle, a Penn Charter kid got drafted but attends Wake Forrest, Christopher Dock boast a Missouri kid, Laffyette has a Malvern guy, Temple has a Penncrest player and these guys all start. There are lots more but these were the first ones I thought off. Not to mention all the boys that play Div. 2 ball for reasons not mentioned. Don't sell this area short. They may not get the exposure to the big schools but there is talent everywhere.

With all due respect to the programs you mentioned, they are not the premier top ranked programs the poster is asking about. I believe perspective is important.

quote:

Originally posted by quillgirl:
I'm trying to figure out why the question about FSU brought a response that questions the poster's abilities and encourages him to get some perspective. Who's to say he's not well qualified? Sheesh.

Wish I knew something about the school so I could give him a proper answer, but I don't have any info other than to say it has a great campus (been there) and a vibrant student life.

I've been PMing with the poster. I'm trying to help him find a better summer situation than the one he's currently involved.

quillgirl

The OP is, according to his bio and previous posts, about to enter high school. He has in the last week asked about Clemson, Michigan State, and now FSU. So on the one hand, we can admire his advance planning and positive thinking. On the other, I wonder how germane the information he receives will be in 3 or 4 years.

Sometimes,.....it starts with but a dream.
.....The rest can come later.

quote:

Originally posted by puma1:
They also mostly recruit out of Florida and take advantage of the benefits of the Bright Futures scholarships. Don't know how the current NCAA rules change things, but a top player that was drafted in the 5th round out of high school and whose parents were alumni, was offered "books". They are a very tough nut to crack, but their program is very strong.

We might have considered the "Recruited Walk-on" offer more seiously if we had heard that earlier!??

Good thing you didn't know before.
Recruited walk on means they are interested but not enough to shell out any scholarship money. If they were really interested they would tell you. You would have no doubt in your mind that they wanted your son. Go where they want him.

Seems to be that we often think that the bigger the program the bigger the scholarships. NOT TRUE.

Big programs don't have to give out anything, players will come and play for free. They spend their money on pitching staff, top HS prospects and out of state players. Many parents and players get insulted when their players were offered (in the past now that's changed) 5, 10, 15 percent. That is not unusual.

To the poster who began this thread, take a look at the calibur of players on their team, that's what they are looking for but you didn't ask that specific question. There is no problem with you inquiring about programs you are just learning about, my son at your age had no clue or did he care at that point. Good for you. Do your own homework about the programs and degrees offered.

What I like about FSU is their association with the ACC, their location, their facilities and extremely loyal fan attendance. I do know a lot of players who first began their baseball college experience there and got burned. Then there are some who have done extremely well. All coaches make promises, many not often kept. Loyalty goes to who gets the job done, the rest sit the bench, that is college baseball.

If you feel as a player you can keep up with that type of talent, go for it.

Not sure I follow RJM's thoughts here.

First of all, lando is from "Springfield", which may not necessarily be the one in VA. It may even be fictional. Maybe lando is just a "Simpsons" fan having a laugh on us.

Secondly, anyone who says Virginia is not a baseball hotbed -- them's fightin' words. Year after year, VA has more than its share of top 100 players in anyone's rankings. There re VA-based travel teams that are perennially among the nation's best, most prospect-laden.

That's not to say the strength of competition is uniform throughout the state -- it isn't -- but you're talking about a state that has produced David Wright, John Main, Ryan Zimmerman, the two Upton brothers, Sean Marshall, Justin Verlander, Cla Meredith, and a lot of other MLB talent in just the last 5-7 years. In our area it is not at all unusual to see a high school game where both pitchers are hitting or topping 90 mph. And hitters learn to hit them!

Sometimes players choose a particular school for reasons other than just going to a program that is already at the top. Academics play a BIG role in that decision. Personal preferences, campus atmosphere, girlfriends, parents who are alumni, rapport felt with the coaches are some other prominent factors. Some folks even like the idea of being at a program that isn't already at the top, but where they might have a chance to help a team reach the top. There are players in our area who were heavily recruited (got offers) at places like UNC, Miami, Fl. State, Texas, and any other top program you might care to name, but for their own personal reasons they willingly chose to decline those offers and head elsewhere. So, you can't conclude from the fact that someone chose UVA over Miami that Miami wasn't interested. In that particular player's case, I can assure you Miami would have been mighty pleased to have him, but UVA beat them out! (Not to mention, UVA is a top national program in my book.)

Recently one of the top DC players chose to take a pro offer out of high school, forsaking his deal at UNC to do so. And oh yeah, a Virginia player is on scholarship to FSU as part of next year's freshman class, in case you forgot.

How you can review that record and say we're not in a hotbed, I can't fathom. We may not be Florida just yet, and we don't have the poplation of California or Texas, but per capita we are on par with them. I can assure you of this, because I've seen their players and they are no better than what you have right in your own backyard.

All of which means this to a guy like lando: If you can start for your high school team in one of the state's stronger districts, there is a college program somewhere for you. If you shine in high school, in all likelihood there is a D-1 deal out there for you somewhere. If you are considered a top player in your area, the sky is the limit. So keep working hard and see how high you can go. Hopefully you will have choices and then you can decide if FSU is, or is not, right for you.

quote:

Originally posted by Midlo Dad:
First of all, lando is from "Springfield", which may not necessarily be the one in VA. It may even be fictional. Maybe lando is just a "Simpsons" fan having a laugh on us.

Midlo, I'm pretty sure lando is for real. In another thread, he states that he is a rising freshman at the Haverford School, which is located just west of Philadelphia. There is a town of Springfield located about 4 miles from Haverford. RJM has stated that he lives near Philadelphia, and has commented frequently about colleges, and even traffic patterns near there.
So likely RJM has a basis to form his opinion of the level of local baseball. It certainly wasn't a comment on Virginia baseball.

MD,
In defense of RJM, I was under the impression that the hotbed comment was regarding his area, not Virginia's.

BTW, congrats to UVA's David Adams on being drafted, also a Margate, FL resident and played with son on LL for many many years. Really nice kid and family.

UVA recruits very much like Clemson and some other ACC schools, about half in state and out of state and typical ACC teams where they rely heavily on pitching and defense. UM and FSU try to keep it mostly instate and often rely more heavily on offense. JMO.

quote:

Originally posted by floridafan:

quote:

Originally posted by puma1:
They also mostly recruit out of Florida and take advantage of the benefits of the Bright Futures scholarships. Don't know how the current NCAA rules change things, but a top player that was drafted in the 5th round out of high school and whose parents were alumni, was offered "books". They are a very tough nut to crack, but their program is very strong.

We might have considered the "Recruited Walk-on" offer more seiously if we had heard that earlier!??

Big time program. Brings, well brought, in a bunch of good players every year(a few I've known), a few stuck and the rest ended up juco, then tranfered to 4 year schools, usually attending three schools in three years.

The method of mass fall tryouts is quickly disappearing with the roster limits, at least I think it is.

They tell anybody who listens they only recruit at their $1000 camps, then go to every showcase in the southeast and sign kids who never went.

RJM,

My apologies, then, I thought you were assailing the Commonwealth -- or should I say, MY Commonwealth?

BTW, I didn't mean that lando wasn't for real, just that "Springfield" could be in inside joke. But I guess I was over thinking it.

Son was decently recruited by FSU for a "preferred walk-on" spot. Mostly above-board feeling during the process. Coach mentioned that, in the past, would have no problem giving anything from books to up to 10-15%...but with the new rules, Bright Futures, etc...no baseball money for him. Also mentioned the "having to be more discerning" in the PFO guys because of the new limitations, which led us to belive he was a decent "want". Never seems to be any "over-recruiting", but the history of "next big stud" moving others out is there...that, along with a very good opportunity elsewhere (academic/leadership/playing time probabilities) almost certainly weighed heavily in his decision to accept the other option.

(I feel the "next big stud" issue is not unique to the Noles, though )

Daddybo and floridafan you both seem to have the same recruiting stories.
Wonder how many more are similar.

I have heard the same as Dad04 posts.

The new D1 transfer rules makes it more difficult to really understnad many coaches intentions.