Hi,

New here and not sure this is the right forum to post this question, but here it goes.

We are knew to this high school baseball thing and we feel our son has huge potential for college. He is a freshman this year.

He has played since 5 and some select teams over the years. Great second baseman and shortstop.

We have found two camps - TCU and UT in Arlington Texas.

We wonder if these camps are really good for them to better their skills and start getting noticed or is it just another baseball camp to make money for the coaches.

We do not mean any disrespect, but they are expensive and would mean we would have to travel. We don't mind spending the money if in the long run it pays off.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Texasbaseball4life,
First I’d like to welcome you to the HSBBW. This is a great place to get information about what needs to be done so your son can have a great baseball “career”. You asked about baseball camps? You’re right; the primary goal of a camp is to earn money for the college baseball program. It can be beneficial to a young player in a couple of ways though. A camp allows him to see the college facilities and to “rub shoulders” with the college players and the coaches. It also allows you to compare your son to the other campers that are in attendance. As far as getting exposure to college coaches, a camp is not a good investment UNLESS your son is targeting that particular college. Most camps try to emulate a showcase but even though the format may be similar, the exposure to college coaches is very limited. I would doubt if the University of Texas coach would attend a camp put on by Rice. On the other hand a well organized showcase would draw large numbers of college coaches and professional scouts and would cost you about the same $$.
The name of the game is EXPOSURE. My son started with a small showcase the fall after his freshman year and worked into a real effort to get as much exposure the summer after his junior year. So where do you start? You might look into a baseball academy or a baseball instructor for your son. This is a great way to start the ball rolling toward a summer team and getting some “local” information on what’s available. High school baseball, while it is exciting and part of the overall process, doesn’t provide a lot of opportunities for exposure to college coaches. You have to be proactive and stay involved in your son's baseball. Be prepared to put some time and miles into what I’m sure will be very rewarding for your son and the family.
Good Luck,
Fungo

txbaseball4life,

Welcome! One of the best pieces of advice I can give you as a member of the HSBBW is to listen carefully to whatever Fungo says (I mean that seriously)! Fungo...You da man!

I think in general, if its instruction you are looking for, then ask around your town/area and find the best baseball instructor around and hook your son up with him. And just in my opinion, as a freshman, that is what you should be looking for the most right now...good instruction. Exposure can come later.

BUT...I started taking my son to college baseball games very regularly when he was about your son's age and letting him "see" the dream that was out there. I think it helped a great deal to encourage and inspire him. I would put going to a college camp in the same category...let him "taste" the atmosphere of a big-time college program. I think he will love it and start to try and "grab" it. That cannot be a bad thing.

Best of luck!

I'm attending a college's camp i'm interested in i'm only a freshman i realize they cant contact me, but what are somethings i need to put in an e-mail letting them know i'm comming and am interested in there college in the future?

airwatz

You just said it---let them know you are going to be attending the camp and that you a great interest in their school and baseball program

Short and sweet--nice and simple

Exposure before learning! It should be "learning before exposure"

My impression of camps is to learn how to play the game. Questions to ask.
1. Who are the instructors?
2. What is the background of all coaches?
3. Is there a track coach involved?
4. Will they teach me to "read the bat"?
5. Will they teach me to "read the pitcher"?
6. What will I learn in one day?
7. Is the Head Coach active in teaching?
8. How many hours on defense?
9. Will they teach visualization, focusing?
10. Will they teach "sensing"?

Ask questions, do research, prepare to learn and you will learn.

Bob Williams

I'd like to add one thing to Bob's post. If you do ask the questions he outlines, you most surely will have let them know who you are, since almost nobody goes to this length to decide if a camp is right or not.

I think you'd make a very positive impression with most coaches if you took this approach.

My son enjoyed attending the South Carolina Camp, pitcher/catcher. They allow the parents, and there are a lot, to follow the kids around, take notes, and talk to the coaches and players. I find that going has helped me as much if not more than what he has learned.

Listening to the current players is as important to him as any of the drills they are teaching. He picks up little things that he has installed into his practice sessions and pregame warm up sessions.

I talked to one of the pitchers working the camp last year and asked him what he did to get recruited by SC. He said that playing in showcases and a top team and attending a camp can be helpful. He said that he knew for a fact that the pitching coach walks around with a clipboard and makes notes on the pitchers he sees and likes. He said that he does make inquiries on those guys as they reach their junior and senior seasons.

Also at the SC pitcher/catcher camp, there are up to a dozen other college and JUCO coaches around. You see most of them hanging around the radar gun in the bull pen sessions, so you know they are there for a reason.

All that said, I'd say that a kid of average to slight above average talent, will not be noticed at any camp and a top tier kid may still not be noticed as a 14 year-old or younger. There is just to much growth to take place. Go to learn at those ages but don't expect them to remember you.

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for this information! GREAT ADVICE!!!!!

I will be contacting the college today to find out more about it now that you have helped me not look so green. lol! TCU is a great college and close enough to home, so it could be that by allowing Eric to attend he could also get a feeling for the school and we could kill to birds with one stone, so to speak.

Thanks again. I am sure I will have more questions, but trying to read the forums so I don't ask a question some else has.

You guys are so helpful!

obrady,
Accurate post.
I got a pm from a parent here whose son went to CU camp and my son was leading his group. From the impression I got, the players and parents enjoy hearing about what it takes to be a player and what is expected from them.
Not only are you going there for instruction but to learn about their program.
They are expensive, and you need to decide what the purpose of attending is for.
My son attended only one camp, as a junior late fall. Purpose was to see how interested coaches were in recruiting him, I don't think he learned much at that point. He was placed in an older group and pitched in front of the Head Coach, while the younger ones did not. However a friend of mine's son, at 15 attended the same camp and got a lot from it.

I haven't really read the responses of the other guys but your best bet is sending him to a college camp. That is where the most knowledge is recieved.

A lot of great advise. Justbaseball's advice about an instructor is great. My son's team at an early age had the head pitching scout for the Jays. It was the foundation of good mechanics. It cost $25 dollars a lesson.
TRHit's short and to the point is excellent on the e-mail. Insert a couple of action shots so that when the coach opens the e-mail it shows him what you look like. Good mechanics If you are a position player show him you know how to set up fielding a ball, swing a bat etc. An experienced coach will know what he is looking at.
We went to a college showcase at 15 and he had lots of compliments but did not go to another one until he was ready to go to college. His summer teams were very organized and had worked out right through the fall and winter in a large s***r dome. Pro scouts there instructing until they left for spring training. We also had minor league players working out as well and instructing.