I’ve been working for College Athlete Advantage for over two years.

Our mission is two-fold:

• Help players maximize their options for playing college baseball

• Help players narrow those options to find their best overall fit

We have a specific process for achieving this mission.

The player I work with who is getting the most attention is NOT the most talented player, but he IS the player who best follows our process:

• He started with a LARGE list of “favorite” schools based on our evaluation AND his values (the factors most important to HIM).

• He sent introductory messages to the coaches at ALL those schools.

• He responded diligently to coaches who replied to his introductory messages.

• He followed up with coaches who DIDN’T reply to his introductory messages, giving them a second chance to reply.

• He asked me to contact coaches on his behalf.

• He attended camps and showcases that made the most sense for HIM.

• He visited the campuses of the schools that showed the most interest.

• He used my expertise to help determine which program is the best fit.

I know players much less talented who have less than half the options of this player because they haven’t worked the process effectively.

If you’re not getting attention from college coaches, there are a number of possible reasons.

You’re Focusing on Too High of a Level

High school players generally believe they are at least one level better than they actually are. Craig Noto, head baseball coach at D1 Wagner University in New York, says it best:

If you’re reaching out and/or playing in front of D2 coaches but not getting calls/texts from coaches, D2 is likely not your best fit.

Can you find a D2 program that will take you? Possibly, but D2 is still likely not your best fit.

At College Athlete Advantage, we evaluate each player we work with on a 1-8 scale, where 1 equals the lowest level of college baseball and 8 equals the highest level of college baseball.

If we evaluate you as a “5” prospect (high D3/mid D2/mid NAIA/mid JC), here’s the reality:

• You WILL LIKELY NOT receive interest from programs equal to a “6” or higher on our scale.

• You MIGHT receive interest from SOME programs equal to a “5” on our scale.

• You WILL LIKELY receive interest from programs equal to a “4” on our scale.

• You WILL DEFINITELY receive interest from programs equal to a “3” or below on our scale.

In this scenario, it’s best to put AT LEAST 20 college programs on your “favorites” list from EACH level equal to or below a “5” on our scale.

Your Timing is Wrong

The recruiting cycle is different for each level of college baseball. Here’s a general overview:

NCAA D1

D1 coaches can’t contact high school players until August 1, before the players’ junior year of high school, but they DO scout high school freshmen and sophomores to determine who they want to contact.

If you reach out to D1 coaches before your junior year, the coaches can’t reply except to send a camp invitation.

If you’re a D1 prospect, it makes sense to go to D1 camps during your freshman and sophomore years of high school to connect with the coaches.

If you’re not a D1 prospect, attending D1 camps isn’t worth your time and money (unless you’re attending for a reason other than exposure).

NCAA D2

D2 coaches typically don’t start contacting recruits until halfway through their junior year of high school. A few start earlier and quite a few wait until after the recruits’ junior year.

If you’re contacting D2 schools before January of your junior year, don’t expect a big response.

NCAA D3/NAIA/JC

D3/NAIA/JC coaches typically start contacting recruits during the summer after the junior year.

If you’re contacting coaches at these levels before May of your junior year, don’t expect a big response.

Your List is Too Small

Here’s an important concept:

• Players don’t pick colleges, college coaches pick players.

If you create a “Top Ten List” of colleges at the beginning of your process, you’re making a mistake.

What if the schools on your list aren’t interested in you? Then you’ve wasted your time and neglected reaching out to coaches who may be interested.

It’s critical to cast a wide net at the beginning of your process.

I encourage players to pick AT LEAST 20 schools from EACH LEVEL at the beginning of the process (at least 100 schools).

You’re Not Communicating Skillfully

When a college coach needs to fill a position, he will reach out to 10 or more recruits at that position. He has to because he knows most players will say “no.”

What can you do to differentiate yourself?

The most important answer: COMMUNICATE SKILLFULLY!

Here are some tips:

• Respond to all communication from the coaching staff within 48 hours.

• Provide updates (metrics/video/academics) once a month (or more often if the coaches ask for it).

• When you respond to a coach, always ask a question to put the ball back in his court to respond back (ask questions to move the recruiting process along).

• Write messages in a conversational tone with good grammar.

• Be prepared for phone calls and campus visits. Be ready to talk about yourself and ask thoughtful questions).

• If a coach doesn’t respond, wait a week and try again (after three contact attempts without a response, either move on or wait a few months and try again).

You’re Not Attending the Right Events

You could attend a camp, showcase, and or tournament every weekend all year long if you want.

Some of these event attract a lot of college coaches, but most do not.

You can save A LOT of time and money by attending only the RIGHT events for YOU!

Here are some tips:

• Attend camps only at schools at which you have the ability to play (don’t go to D1 camps if you’re not a D1 prospect).

• Go to showcases that attract a lot of coaches.

• If you pick the RIGHT showcases, there’s no need to go to more than 1-2 per year.

• Only attend showcases if your metrics will likely be better than previous showcases.

• Only attend showcases if you’re in good baseball shape.

• Attend tournaments that draw a lot of college coaches from multiple levels.

I hope this helps!

Feel free to reply/comment with any questions and/or insights.

All the best!

- Matt

P.S. If you'd like to schedule a free consultation with me to discuss your specific recruiting process, reply to this email or sent me a text at 319-883-0242.