How important are they Thx.

Fun, enjoyable, and educational for the recruits & their parents. Past that, most attendees are just part of the PR program for the baseball program.

3B1B - Welcome to the board!

Jr. Day/Unofficial visits are usually as good as you make them. They give you an opportunity to talk briefly with the coaches; tour the school and see inside dorms and classrooms, etc.; and ask whatever questions you have about admissions and their baseball program. Some can be made up of large groups of recruits and others are smaller and more personal.

Are they important in the overall recruiting ... No, players will be recruited by a school regardless of whether they have attended junior day. Going accomplishes 2 things: Shows the school you are interested in them; and Allow you see more of the school so you can finalize the list of colleges you are really interested in. Both of these things can be accomplished in other ways. But, IMO, if it is possible to attend Jr. Days at the colleges you are interested in, GO.

Junior Days are great ideas and are neat PR moves by the programs to show some "interest" in a kid. Neat for mom and dad to have a son invited.

The reality...We went to a Junior Day affair, complete with football tickets, tours, etc. Prominent midwestern school. Toured the campus with 5 other recruits. None are going to the school. To my knowledge, none were even "offered" anything to attend...even the high profile pitchers!

I don't fully understand the Jr Visit days. Because my son is a sophomore and this school year is almost over, it's probably something we should become more familiar with. What is the difference between official and unofficial. Is unofficial when you just show up unannounced? Will you get a letter that asks you to come to a Jr Day visit? Or are they scheduled on their website and you ask to be invited? I am really confused.

A visit is "official" when the college pays for it. This cannot happen until they start school in the Fall term of your son's senior year in HS. All other visits where you drive/fly yourself there for a game or to meet with coaches or to tour a campus are "unofficial." It doesn't matter if they're "announced" or not.

Our son was never invited to any "Junior Days." But he was recruited by everyone he wanted to be recruited by and more.

My son took several unofficial visits during his junior year. He did this to actually see the campuses and to meet some of the coaches and to see facilities.

Since we are far removed from major universities this helped to give some preparation for the senior year recruiting.

I will say, that for us...all schools he visited unofficially did offer...

and we did take official visits last in senior year...during fall...

all were productive...gives a person insight early on....

Unofficial Visits/Junior Days are great ways for both parents and players to get their feet wet in the recruiting process--since it is unofficial all parties concerned at are ease and get the feel of what it is all about

If you get an invite accept it-- it is nothing but a POSITIVE !!!!

If your son is invited to a Junior Day and cannot attend, write a brief letter of thank you and explaination of why you cannot attend to the Coach.

Son received invite from recruting coordinator but it's on a school day Mon-Sat will take your advice and have son email The C/Staff at the school Thank You all for your reponces

3B

You have a PM

Try these links to articles:

http://www.hsbaseballweb.com/junior_day_visit.htm

http://www.hsbaseballweb.com/recruiting_visits.htm