I know hockey is coming up, but come on fellow canucks. Hehe.

Nice Title Mr3000, I hope this satisfies your request of changing my original post LOL!

Doc_K_Kid,

I'm not from Canada, but I grew up in northern Minnesota and I've been to Canada on canoe trips.

Congratulations to you for accomplishing something that other Canadian HS baseball players on these forums would like to do. Perhaps you could share your story. How did a player from Canada manage to be seen by US coaches or recruiters and end up playing college baseball here in the U.S.?

MN-Mom,

I'd be more then happy to share my story...

BUT I'm not quite sure that everyone would want to hear or believe everything that I've endured, As always there is that one person or group of people who don't belive what you say, and I'm tired of seeing it on the HSBBW, people have in the past shot down my stories of what I've went through and I don't quite appreciate their comments.

I'm more then willing to privatley tell people my story and help fellow aspiring ball players out. But as far as publicly I'm not so sure... maybe I will if I see there's enough intrest for it.

Doc,

I can understand that. Please share what you feel comfortable sharing in public, and I appreciate your willingness to offer some advice and help privately to other players who may need to assistance.

MN-Mom, Here's my story.

I'm 19 years old and am a RHP and started attending Urbana University in the American Mideast Conference of the N.A.I.A. in January of 2005.

I've always wanted to play professional baseball my entire life, but being in Canada there deffinately isn't enough knowledge and teams as in the States, so I knew about 1/4 of what all you guys knew and now I'd say I'm roughly 1/2-2/3 in the same amount of knowledge of all the ins and outs in College baseball.

As a kid I was always known as a kid in my area who threw harder then most and had god ofspeed pitches and control (all acredited to my father teaching me how to pitch in our backyard over the years). I've racked up my share of awards and had great seasons, I thought I was off to great things.

I really didn't grasp or have my eyes opened up about college baseball in the States until January of 2004, I stumbled upon this website and got involved somewhat feeling my way out until I met Fungo who greatly helped me in the area of College showcases. I always thought that College baseball was the same as up here no one really cared all that much pretty much an early season getting you ready for the summer season. Boy oh Boy how that thought has changed. Like we're talking I didn't even know I had to write SATs or ACTs or register with Clearinghouse!

Fungo 'intruduced' me to a representative from Perfect Game who then gave me online forms to fill out and asked a few questions to get a feeling about me, the next thing I knew I was receivin invatations for 4 Perfect Game events, one of which was a ID Showcase that I attended in March of 2004.

Now all the while I was playing my summer baseball some years competitive other years house league (this all depended upon whether we had the rights in our area to play cometitive) I started trying out for Frontier League teams the first of which was the London Werewolves at the age of 15, a local Sports Broadcaster got me started on this, little did I know you had to be at least 16 to actually play on those teams, so I went to a Workout and Draft in Kalamazoo when I was 16 threw well for myself (80s mph) then when I was 17 I went to Kalamazoo for a workout with just Kalamazoo threw alright for not throwing much before attending (68 mph), but didn't feel good. Also when I was 17 I went to a workout for the Canadian Baseball League (our attempt for a Professional League- this only lasted half a season).

I attended my ID showcase going in with no idea what to expect, completely out of shape, hadn't thrown all winter-(For we do not have Highschool Baseball), and in my eyes I was absolutely horrible (78 mph). My eyes got opened up even wider to this compared to how much they got opened when attending the FL workouts. I started to wonder if I would be able to cut it playing College when these kids where younger then me and in my eyes heck of a lot better then me. I decided to work harder and hopefully improve.

I later received an invite for the Top Unsigned Senior Showcase in Fort Myers FL. I decided that this would deffinately be my last attempt to go on off to College in the States. I went and threw 4 innings for them (65 mph) but not nearly as hard as I was throwing back home (mid-upper 80s) I figured it was the heat and humidity not an arm problem but that would change. I got a few schools contact numbers from this showcase and started talking and sending my recruitment forms off to schools. So at this point in time school's over and it's the summer, I haven't applied anywhere back home or in the states. I had just begun to talk to schools, Deffinately too late to attend in the Fall semester of any school both Stateside and up here.

I had a really good season that summer with some gaudy numbers, but my velocity still wasn't there, I got by as a pitcher and not as a thrower. I attended a MLB workout camp during the season figuring hey what do I have to loose and again my velocity was not present (75 mph), but the scouts could only find one thing wrong outside of the low velo. Mind you I did go and throw a complete game shutout 2 days before hand. And was later rewarded for my season by being the runner-up for Senior Pitcher of the Year in all of Ontario.

I heard back from all the schools I sent forms or emails or tapes off to but everything was still at a stand still, so I decided to get a job and hopefully here from a school later on in the year. Well in I decided to do a little more looknig online at schools and I started off with DIII schools and then went up to DII and sent my recruitment forms off to a few DI schools. When I looked at schools I looked at the number of seniors on the squad in my position (Pitcher) then the programs offered at the school, If it had my program (biology) then I'd look further into the baseball program, if there wasn't a very big senior class I didn't bother to go past that school. For me classes don't matter, if you've got my program great I'll succeed in any school setting I'm put in, I've been very fortunate that way. I'd get email address of AD's (Athletic Directors), admitting offices, coaches, phone numbers of offices there and just talk to people and get an idea as to what I needed to do and I showed interest in every school I talked to and tried not to burn any bridges if at all possible.

Right off the bat this time I heard back from Central in Iowa a DIII school, they showed alot of interest but when I found out I couldn't get an athletic scholarship I told them I wasn't interested because I couldn't get a deffinate amount from them of how much financial aid I'd be receiving. Schools expensive enough let alone figuring in the exchange rate expecially for a family that is as fincially strapped as we are.

Then I got on the good ol'HSBBW again just checking things out posting a few forums and replies here and there and then out of nowhere a former Coach started talking to me and got all my info and sent it off to a school he was good friends with the coach and he figured that I would be a good fit for the school.

The next week I received a phone call from our Asst. Coach recruiting me, the next week I got a call from Coach himself, we set up a visit date beginning of October 2004, so my father and I drove down to Ohio to spend the weekend, the visit was great I got to see all aspects of the team the school and the campus. I worked out with the team during the Saturday, not just throwing a bullpen but doing the entire practise with the team, that right there was huge, any other visit I'd been to all I did was throw a bullpen and sit and watch the rest of the practise, I actually got a great feel for the team's abilities and what everyone was like and I started to feel apart of the team. When I went for my visit I hadn't thrown in roughly a month so Coach told me flat out he didn't care about velocity he just wanted to see arm angle and action, he didn't even want me thrwing my curve unless I felt comfortable and loose and warm enough to throw it, he was very impressed and he didn't even bring out the GUN-that's a true sign of a Coach who didn't care about the velo. Everywhere you go they all tell you that they don't care about Velo yet what d othey do turn the **** thing on as soon as you step up on the bump.

Coach made me a very good offer, and I told him during dinner that I decided that I'd attend there, Myself thinking I'd have the rest of the year to get everything in order-THEN Coach made the proposal of me attending in January of that school year, he got me all the contact nubmers I'd need to see if it was possible and I was on my way.

I returned home with a scholly, that was the easy part, I roughly had 8 weeks to get my Student Visa, SATs wrote, passed and good enough to get acepted into the school, my Highschool transcript sent to the school and any letters of reference that I could get and the reaminder of my education to pay for that I didn't have in the bank. Along with getting into shape for when I went to Urbana in January! Talk about alot to do in little time.

I wrote my SATs in Dec and got 1020, not bad for a kid who barely prepped for it and struggled alot in math allthrough Highschool. My visa was late delaying my return to Urbana. I worked 2 jobs and was also fortunate to receive a large scholarship from a local organization like the Shriners in town and worked out in the gym everyday and only threw maybe once or twice a week if I was lucky because there's no indoor facilities for that in my town, my Dad's boss was kind enough to let me throw in his mechanic shop after hours when there was enough space to throw.

A Note- Somethings to keep in mind that you might not know:

Loans, Scholly's, Busaries---- Cancuks keep in mind Banks will not let you get student loans at least in Ontario if you are attending a school outside of Canada. OSAP will only give you aid if your school is recognized by OSAP. Banks in the States will not let you get a loan unless you have an American Cosigner. Chek out what Other schollys you're eligible for at the school, Urbana will not let Athletes stack your scholarships, be sure to check this out don't bank on your marks getting you more money.

OHIP--- Private insurance companies are great they will help you out, but make sure you have Extended OHIP- go to the Ontario Health Office and inquire about this, I'm not sure what the other Provinces are like.

SAT vs ACT- Now I recommend writing you ACT because the SAT now requires you to write an essay, no one likes to write essays during normal exams, this exam has even more pressure for you so write your ACT. Both SAT and ACT are multiple choice, keep that in mind if your not good at multiple choice questions. I have a book that I'll recommend for anyone who wants it for the SAT.

***NEWLY ADDED WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR SAT TEST YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE A COURSE PRIOR TO WRITING THE TEST NOW AS WELL********

Grades-- As much as I hate to say it but the old addage of the Americans are Dumb is true at least for those of us in Ontario, there was a study taken that prooved that the States Highschool system didn't match Ontario's, the only State to equal us was NYS, all the other's lack in comparison to Ontario's Highschool education, so you might find yourself bored in classes. To keep a scholly you need a 2.0 I think and to stay eligible for ball it's 1.5 I think, I could be wrong, but nevertheless you stil lshould aim for at least a 3.0 GPA remember you're also there to get an education and your Coaches don't want t owaste money on you if you can't play because your marks aren't good enough.

I was finally there in January 2005, my goal had been reached, and college had just begun, it was great. I was clocked only once the entire time I was there and that was roughly 4 weeks into beng there the gun read 65 but there was something wrong with the gun the coaches figured I was low 70s. My college season saw me in 7 varsity games and I started all of our JV games on the side. I still wasn't up to speed as all the other guys on the staff. I didn't do too bad for a kid adjusting to everything and being thrown into a heavy ball presence comming from an area that hardley knew anything about ball. We had a horrible season going 7-43, this was hard to handle considering in the summer we only lost 4 games and won our Championship.

From that I received an invatation to play in the WMBL that's a whole other story, this league claims to be the Canadian version of the Cape but we'll talk about this later if anyone wishes.

I finished up there and looked forward to going back to Urbana when my Dad's health took a turn for the worse and I decided to stay back this semester at least to make sure everythings going ok before I leave. So as I've been at home one day in early Sept I thought I should go get my shoulder and arm looked at just for curosity sake, like I'm home I got the time to do it mgiht as well. Well now I'm sitting here with a Rotator Cuff Problem and 4 theories as to what it is, and am now waiting for a MRI (the wait is 3-12 months thanks to our wonderful universal health care!) if it takes a long time to get my MRI then if I need surgery and then to rehab after the surgery College baseball could be out the window now I'm stuck at another road as to what do I do for college, for baseball and with everything going on with my father. I haven;t picked up a ball in over a month it's absolutely killing me

As you can see currently I'm not throwing hard at all anywheres from 65-75 on any given day Heck I'm sure I've thrown games in the low 60's , but I am known for throwing hard (mid-upper80s) [I'm sure this helped]. I do throw a very above average curve and circle change that was getting better and better along with a two-seam fastball with adequate movement. Yet I still received a scholarship, so as far as the theory of you have to throw hard, YOU DON'T. Yes It helps a lot, and makes you more desirable by many BUT everyone needs to forget about the Gun, it all comes down to can you be effective, get outs and get your team back into the dugout to hit. If you can pitch and hit your spots and have good command of at least 2 pitches Coaches will like what they see along with good mechanics.

I think this is enough for now I'll be more then happy to answer anyone questions about anything they have.

Doc_K_Kid,

That is really an amazing story, very interesting to read. I hope that some other players from Canada learn from your description of how you researched college opportunities, attended a US showcase, got some help from a few people on these forums, etc.

I hope that your shoulder problems work out and that you can get back to playing college baseball!

MN-Mon,

Thanks for taking the time to read my reply and post a comment.

I know it was very lengthy, and I still left a fair amount out.

I hope that this starts to help kids out (In Canada or even people who aren't from Canada who happen to view this forum, though I doubt that'll happen due to the title of the Forum.) for what all to do to get college attention. I'm more then happy to take the time to help out anyone who is serious in advancing towrds college baseball.

quote:

That is really an amazing story, very interesting to read. I hope that some other players from Canada learn from your description of how you researched college opportunities, attended a US showcase

I think the reason why I'm not anywhere right now is because I had no knowledge whatsoever about how to get a scholarship, and things like that until it was too late. I did attend a community college that had a team, the league was a wood-bat league too so it was really fun, and it did open my eyes to play with wood to so just where I'm really at, and what I need to work on. I only have a couple years till it's too late to be signed or drafted. I'm attending a college right now, doesn't have a team unfortuanetly, to get my marks up so I can attend a local university that has a team, one guy played there and got signed by the Marlins a couple years ago.
I'm also gonna try and get into a league nearby that is really challening (wood bat, some ex-major leaguers) which is also the league that the Marlins guy played in before he got signed. So now I gotta bust my butt if I have any chance at playing pro ball.

Doc, what are you gonna do if you cant' play anymore?


Me, once the pro dream is gone, I think I'd like to be a coach. I been spending a lot of time recently reading books and internet sites on baseball skills, and studying games on TV. I think I have plenty of knowledge to pass on to other ppl who wanna go pro.

Mr3000

As for me if ball doesn't pan out, I'm gonna get as degree andget a decent job, but I'll still be involved in baseball somewhat.

I was a pitching coach in 2004 and I think I'd enjoy doing that on a more regualr basis once ball's over for me, I'm currently in the process of opening and running a Pither's only clinic for this spring/summer for players aged 13-21.

What Province are you in, cause the league your talking about sounds like one my buddy played in this summer in Soutwestern Ontario, but it also too sounds like the WMBL.

I've figured out that if I hadn't come across this site and met the right people on here I too would of been in the same baot you're in.

I wish there was something for Canadian kids to find out how to go on and get the exposure and college attention. That just might be something I'll persue more once my ball is over with.

What team did your buddy play for? I mgiht be able to find his bio on one of the team sites.

Here's the link to ther league site

http://www.icbaseball.com/

What's the WMBL?

Doc K Kid...
"I hope that this starts to help kids out (In Canada or even people who aren't from Canada who happen to view this forum, though I doubt that'll happen due to the title of the Forum.) for what all to do to get college attention. I'm more then happy to take the time to help out anyone who is serious in advancing towrds college baseball."

I'm from Texas and I am reading this post ....very interesting, and I've found that all information is valuable. Knowledge is power. Thanks for sharing.

I have spent a considerable amount of time in Canada - I love it. Great country with great people. I have had the pleasure of working with a Canadian artist and I know the issues Canadians face with living/working/studying in the U.S. You guys are definately handicapped in that respect, and things are going to get even tougher with the new legislation here in the US requiring passports for visitors on both sides of the boarder(s).

Keep your chin up and continue to work hard towards your gaols, whatever they ultimately pan out to be.

Please tell us more about ICBaseball and WMBL.

Mr3000,

My buddy didn't play in the IBL, he played in the Senior Can-Am league that had a lot of former guys who had been drafted,one kid by seattle whoose helping him play for the Edmonton Firecats or something like that that's in the Northern League and Managed by Terry Bevington and has Stubby Clapp playing it currently amongst other guys.

I'm very familiar with the IBL, I had an offer to play for the London Majors this summer, but decided to play in the WMBL.

The WMBL is the Western Major Baseball League (http://www.wmbl.ca) it's played in Saskatchewan and Alberta only. It claims key word claims to be the Canadian Cape and the same level as Single A and the best wood bat league in all of Canada.

If might of just been the team I was on with their 'management' and 'coaching' staffs but it was far from anything being professional let alone an elite summer team. (The talent on the team was there to be classified as an elite college summer league). The Coach didn't coach he sat there on the bench majority of the time absent minded of what was going on, putting pitchers into games with not warming up at all, or he'd warm a guy up and then sit him for an innging or two and then expect him to hop right up on the mound and pitch. Heck we had a bench brawl and he acted as if that never happened, no lecture during the game, after the game or the next day, it was as if it never happened. We had a total of myabe 3 practises in the entire month and a half I was there before getting released for no real reason, I got 3 differnt answers and my father got 2 different answers when we talked to the Coach about me being released, yes my last outing I had struggled but I hadn't had enough bad outings to play myself out of the pen, as we know everyone has a bad outing here adn there. Yes I'm still a little bitter about this but oh well it just fuels me more to succeed even more then before.

I'm sure if I was on a different team out there that my experience would of went alot better.

What team are you looking to tryout for in the IBL and what position are you Mr3000?

itsagreatgame,

The Intercounty Baseball League is a league much like an independant league that you guys have down there, the only leauges I know of is the Frontier League or the Northern League or the league that Rickey Henderson has been playing in for the past few years,I'm not sure if it'd be the same level as the leagues in Mexico for I don't know what those are like.

Basically to play in these types of leagues you have to have at least played college baseball or been drafted or be very good enough to get the attention of the scouts and coaches in the league.

It too is a league very similar to Single A depending where you play.

In the ICBL there is many former MLB players in it such as Paul Spoljaric and Brett Butler who both play on the Toronto team for example.

Now one thing to point out about the ICBL is that there are some Highschool aged kids in it, I know the London Majors have played with kids on the London Badgers Senior Midget team (ages 16-18), the Stratford team has alot of Highschool aged players playing on it, they've never really been a contender so I'm not sure if they just can't draw the talent right now or are trying a new approach.

I hope this sheds some light on these leagues

I was gonna try to get on the Hamilton Thunderbirds team, the new owner of the teams owns the Canadian Thunderbirds team in the CEBC and they 'expanded' so that the guys over 18 have a place to play elite ball as there aren't really any Cape leagues around except this one. Hamilton is also the closest team to where I live, about 45 minutes away.
I think my chances are good because I played on an elite 18u wooden bat team, and played college ball which was also wood bat. Two guys I played with in college play in the ICB league, and don't mean to brag or anything, but they weren't even one of the better players on the team, they were more in the middle of our college team's talent, and our college team was brutal, one played for Toronto Maple Leafs which must be a hard team to play on as they're the best team in the league exepcially with 3 ex-major leaguers, the other guy played for Guelph. So I'm pretty confident in my chances of playing for a team. Plus the one guy I mentioned ealier got signed by the Marlins, so that just gives me hope as well. I would like to play centrefield as it's my best position. If I can't play there, then as long as I play anywhere in the outfield and get to hit, run, I'll be happy. I was thinking of trying out for the Toronto team since my old college was in Toronto at the time, but I'd much rather face the toughest guys than play with them against the worse guys. It would be more of a challenge and would increase my skills.

Doc, the coach you described in th WMBL sounds like the coaches we have around here for the 'bum league teams', they just show up, make the lineup and that's it. I'm hoping the ICB has at least some kind of instruction, or coaches who develop relationships with the players, or some kind of team chemistry effect.

Thanks for the information and insight. Very interesting.

Mr3000,

Yes Trust me in the regards to the ICBL the Coaches there are very involved and have a very good structure and they do develop good reports with players, the ICBL is a much better league to play for in that sense. As far as talent goes, it's pretty much equal, only the WMBL doesn't have as many former MLB players.

Yea the coach we had was deffinately a bum, I think he's just too old and has lost his coaching abilities and his knowledge for the game, (this man played against Satchel Paige when he used to come up that way on his barnstorming tours!!!) and needs to step down in the coaching aspect of the game.

I'm not sure as to how hard it is to make the Toronto Maple Leafs, yes they are the top team in the league and have been for many years, but as far as making it who knows, as you said about the guy on your college team who played for them you said he was only middle of the pact talent wise on a brutal college team, alot of it has to do with recuriting the right guys for both on field and in the dugout and clubhouse.

I think I'm going to contact the Majors late winter/early spring to see if I can get back in with them for the upcomming season.

Are you currently working out somewhere to stay in shape or what are you doing so that you don't loose your edge? I'm going nuts not being able to throw right now and only am going to the gym and lifting and working out from my abs/obliques down.

Goodluck to you in your tryouts in the Hammer

Mr3000,

Is there a way to change the name of this Forum so that it draws more attention for kids to read the info posted here, since you started this forum I though tyou might be able to change the title of the forum to help out more kids

Just a thought!

Doc_K_Kid, I really learned some things in your story that I was not aware of. My son 2007 RHP/OF has just left this morning for the PG WWBA tournament in Fort Myers Florida and he plays for Team Ontario. He has received letters from 5 different schools in the US and been talked to by a Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves scout. The Minnesota Twins scout also told him not to let coaches tell him to throw his fastest which he has been clocked at 92 but averaging 85-89. He told him to not overdo it and use his offspeed pitches etc. I think how will my son my a decision on what college or university to attend if possible as we are in the same financial situation as your family. What I really learned from you is about OSAP and the Banks and OHIP. I did not know this. Also my sons grades are not very good, averaging 60, I keep telling him that he has to improve those grades because he has to write the SAT or ACT. So you think the ACT is better for him to take? Any other information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks