I-5 College Recruiting
How we can Help
Recruiting – The one key point every parent talks about but nobody ever gets a straight answer. Why? Simply speaking if you have never gone through the process from start to finish you really have no idea what it entails. I-5 has a staff in place that has more experience at this than anyone else in the SCV.
The first part of recruiting is to identify how talented your son/daughter is, and can be. This process is not complicated but it can get distorted when you are getting input from many people.
Priority Positions:
Baseball and Softball: For colleges pitching is the main priority and scholarships will be given first to these players. Next are shortstops, catchers, and center field. This does not mean that if your son/daughter does not play these positions he/she cannot get recruited. This means the bat becomes a huge priority; they must hit. Today College coaches’ jobs are not as secure as they used to be, and they cannot take as many chances in recruiting. Each player a college coach brings in is a risk, because you have no idea how they will fit into the program, will they fit in with the group you have, and truly you don’t know the character of that player until their first day on campus.
Pitchers:
Baseball: Friday night starters are the number one guy! The average fastball needs to be from 88-91 MPH if you are a RHP and 87-90 MPH if you’re a LHP. This is the velocity that most schools want to get. Obviously the more nationally recognizable the program the easier it is to get that type of pitcher.
Softball: Game 1 starters are the #1 girl!. The average fastball needs to be in the mid 60’s MPH range. This is the velocity that most schools want to get. Obviously the more nationally recognizable the program the easier it is to get that type of pitcher.
Other Positions:
Baseball and Softball: Each position has a guideline as to what is expected. If you choose to go to a nationally recognized baseball/softball school and your son/daughter does not improve, please understand that school will find someone to replace your son or daughter. This is a cut throat business.
Academic Fit:
Baseball and Softball: This is obviously the most important in choosing a school. How well will your son or daughter handle school and the social process with school work and baseball/softball. SAT scores and grades tell you a lot about study habits, a 3.0 and an 1850 usually means they are smart but lazy! The 4.2 and a 1550 usually means they work hard and over achieve. Choosing a college based on Baseball or Softball Only or School Only is not wise. You must evaluate both because there is no guarantee that the Coach will be there the next year. Choosing your degree or possible degree is as important to this process as the coach! You will probably spend more time in the academic arena than in a baseball or softball uniform so THINK before you choose. Parents remember you are not going to school, your son or daughter is. As much as you want to “steer” your child in the right direction this choice should be the players not the parents.
Baseball / Softball Fit:
Parents should always look at the roster of the current players and find out where they came from – high school or junior colleges. Knowing this information allows you to make an informed decision if that school is for your son. Some programs like to recruit high school kids and others prefer junior college kids. When picking a school always research the roster and find out what grade, status of player, success of players at that position, and graduating year of players at that position. All of these factors should weigh into your decision in picking a school and be questions to ask while in communication with that university. The biggest factor should honestly be a personality fit with the coaches and your son or daughter. REGARDLESS of who is in front of your son or daughter, they must want to be at the University and want to play for the coaches there. Either way your son or daughter will have to compete to earn a spot regardless of your choice, but when you like your coaches and school the player will work harder to stay there. But please remember just because your son or daughter is recruited by the Coach at that time it does not mean he or she will be there 4 years later.
I-5 Baseball / Softball Role in Recruiting:
We will always try to help get our players into school by finding a good fit academically as well as athletically. There are a number of factors that go into choosing a school and we try to find a school that supports both the student and the athlete. For each athlete who plays in our program for at least two years we will work with that family and help them in the recruiting process if needed. Understand that I-5 can only give a fair evaluation if we truly know that player. We need to know them as a person and athlete, and our recommendation to a college coach can only come if we know what the college coach is looking for.
What we Look for in an I-5 Player:
First and foremost hard work and desire to compete. This tells us the athlete is interested in a future in baseball or softball.
Going out of State is OK: Players and parents need to understand how difficult it is to play for a school in Southern CA. Unless you are a draft type player out of high school, there are a limited number of athletes who will be able to play in a Southern CA D1 baseball (Softball is a much different beast but not totally opposite). The number of baseball/softball players in the country is enormous, so make sure you give yourself the best opportunity to play by widening your search. At times I-5 will find a great fit for a player, but may not be the big school they want to attend and could possibly miss that opportunity waiting for an offer that may never come. D1 is good but certainly not the only way to go. In baseball if you are good enough they will find you regardless of the Division you play. There are an enormous amount of colleges in and out of California that have great baseball/sodtball programs so do not be afraid to leave the state. Always make sure you are looking wide, not just at the top ten schools in the country. Be patient, open your mind to the process and you can and will find the right University academically and athletically!
