My son just attended the Perfect Game Unsigned Prospect Showcase.

While we were extremely pleased with his performance and we were pleased with the way the showcase was run, we're not really sure about his exposure. He was the only player from our state at this event and I don't have a good feeling that anyone locally (especially JUCOs) saw him.

There is a local Perfect Game ID showcase coming up in a couple of weeks. Would it be a good idea to for him to attend this ID event just to give the local guys a chance to see.

I guess what I'm really asking is what happens now? I know the evaluations will be up in about a month, but for an Unsigned 2004, that is waiting an awfully long time. Do that many coaches really call PG that they might be mentioning his name right away.

He did send most of the local schools a letter a month ago mentioning that he was attending the event.

He also emailed PG to see if he could get a list of some of the schools that were represented at the showcase so he could research the schools and contacted the coaches.

Any ideas??

Thanks

A couple of things...

* Use the phone! At this late date, shouldn't he be calling the local colleges and JCs rather than writing them? They're on the road a lot now and seeing his letters may take a long time.

* Again with the phone...call PG and ask them about the ID showcase...who will be there, whether its worth his time, etc... Call the schools he's interested in and find out where they're going to be.

Seems like its boiling down to how much longer you want to go with this. Showcases can be expensive. Is he already headed to a certain college? Can he walk on? Have you talked with those coaches?

Thanks for the info. I know he should be getting on the phone, but that is like pulling teeth. I also know that I can't call myself. I guess I'll just have to tie him down with a phone in his hand and a script or it's not going to happen.

No, he does not have a particular school in mind just yet. Pretty much all but a couple of the JUCOs around here have the AS he wants for transfer. He really does want to go to a Junior College, so the actual school application is not a big deal, he's just having a hard time getting to talk to coaches.

Four coaches called after those letters.

One said he would come see him play locally, but didn't.

He went to two tryouts and hasn't heard anything back.

The fourth called back and said he was no longer the coach there and cancelled the tryout.

So that's where he is at right now. All he's really looking for is a walk on. At this late date I'd be really surprised to see any scholarship offers.

Kungaloosh,
I agree with justbaseball. I might add that while we would all like our sons to take charge of their own recruitment, sometimes we have to help out a little. There is no protocol that says you can’t pick up the phone and call a coach to find out if he has any interest in your son...(I did). Coaches are not looking for communications majors; they’re looking for ball players. Secondly, judging whether or not your son has had sufficient exposure is a difficult task. I think we will all agree that most parents spend too much money on showcases because we want to make sure their sons get enough exposure. All I can suggest, if you’re unsure if your son has had sufficient exposure, do a little more if you can afford it.
Best of Luck,
Fungo

Oh, I've been helping out a lot. I've been digging through the web, writing the letters, (he just signs them), sending emails from his email account, etc. I have printed scads of stuff off the internet and made him read and he has said yay or nay, but no self-initiative there.

My only hesitation about calling myself is that the two tryouts he did attend, the coaches specifically said that if they needed anything to call and they needed to call themselves, they didn't want to hear from daddy and momma.

I remember how difficult it was to convince my son to return calls and to make calls. I listed the basic parts of his main purpose for calling...had him rehearse it with me and had him dial the phone...

he was so nervous as I think he thought those college coaches were "super human" and he was intimidated by them at first...

I agree about calling ...it will solve so much and with time on the line...you will mark off some and move on.

One college my son really had on the list was "seemingly stalling"...I attributed it to the fact that they were also recruiting some guys who were higher on the list than my son and they had not given their answer...as we knew they had visited, etc...

Although that phone call hurt at the time...as it turned out they didn't offer him a scholly...he knew that night to mark that school off (it's really fine now as that pitching coach is gone and that's who my son liked)...anyway it moved us ahead...so we didn't get stuck wondering about the "what if"...part of it.

If the pocket book can handle the local showcase I say, go for it...as time is pressing on...

good luck....