Making it to “The Show” Part 1

I often refer to the well known, well attended college showcase tournaments as “The Show” for obvious reasons. Getting there is only half the battle, however. Knowing what to do when you arrive may be the key to your success.

I recently received phone calls from two of our 14 year old pitchers who have been invited to compete at The Rising Stars Fall Showcase on October 26 to 29 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  Rising Stars has historically been a well run, well attended event where many high quality gold level and showcase teams compete for the attention of college coaches.  Needless to say, these two young athletes, not to mention their parents, were extremely excited.

“Help us get ready, Coach Phil.  We need work on our curve balls, our drops, our rise balls.” This was the essence of the conversations and, while a skills tune-up is certainly valuable, it may be a relatively unimportant component of their preparation for this type of showcase atmosphere.

Allow me to explain.  Perhaps the most crucial bit of wisdom, which I attempted to impart upon these two players during their tune-up, had nothing whatsoever to do with any of their athletic skills.  The one thing any attending college coach will know, almost for certain, before even seeing a player perform, is:  If you are good enough to be invited to participate in such a tournament, you know how to play.  So if they are not just interested in how far you can hit a ball or how fast you can pitch one, what are they looking at?

Any player who a college coach is interested in recruiting is someone who they will have to “live” with for up to four years.  Sure your skill level  is a major consideration, but of equal or perhaps even greater importance is your maturity, attitude, demeanor and coachability.  You may never notice the majority of coaches at one of these events but, rest assured, they are there and they are watching.

In next week’s post, I will discuss some of the most important modes of conduct and behavior, not just for players but for their parents as well;  Yes Mom and Dad, you are also being closely scrutinized.  These behavioral protocols will not help you run faster, hit farther, or pitch better, but they will certainly eliminate obstacles in a coaches’ mind which may lead to doubt as to whether or not to show interest in a potential recruit. Your conduct before, during and after your games will definitely be considered in totality. There are a lot of athletes out there with great skills, but character builds winning teams.