| What is the first thing that a college coach looks | | | | will tell you to work "elbows to fingertips". The |
| at it when evaluating a prospective high school | | | | elbows to fingertips area is where you will find the |
| baseball player? | | | | muscle groups that will help you swing the bat |
| First and foremost, when a college coach is | | | | faster and stronger. |
| attending a show case or other exhibition game | | | | Another example would be the high school |
| and he is watching players he has never seen | | | | baseball player who runs 8 miles a day. That kind |
| before and of who he knows nothing about, he is | | | | of running is unnecessary because it works on |
| going to be watching for size and athleticism. Just | | | | endurance. The high school player should be |
| look at the professional players of today. They | | | | working on building up his leg speed rather then |
| are bigger, faster and stronger then they have | | | | endurance. The 60 yard dash is what matters, |
| ever been in the past. A similar situation can be | | | | not the long run. |
| found on college baseball teams today. When a | | | | That being said, coming in a close second to |
| high school player is being watched on the field | | | | athletic ability is the character of the student. |
| the college coach may know nothing about the | | | | You hear many people toss around the term |
| player's grades, reputation, work ethic. So, pure | | | | "character". But what is it and how will a student's |
| athleticism and size are the two most important | | | | character affect his chances of being recruited |
| factors that coaches will look at initially in a | | | | and given a scholarship for college baseball? |
| prospect. | | | | In some ways the character of a prospective |
| How should a high school baseball player approach | | | | college baseball player will be more important than |
| physical conditioning so as to improve his chances | | | | his actual playing ability. Character, for our |
| of being recruited? You mentioned size, is that the | | | | purposes, is defined as how a student athlete |
| most important physical factor? | | | | conducts himself off field. It would include all of his |
| Speed, power and size are the most important | | | | personality attributes that define him as a person |
| physical conditioning factors that a prospective | | | | in the community. The character is comprised of |
| college baseball player should possess. But, these | | | | tangible elements such as school academic |
| attributes must be baseball specific. In other | | | | performance and intangible elements such as |
| words, if a player can bench press 400lbs but | | | | attitude and work ethic. Remember, when |
| can't make it around the bases quickly that will | | | | coaches are recruiting players they have a larger |
| hurt his performance at game time. I see too | | | | vision in mind. They are not just concerned with |
| many high students spending too much time in | | | | recruiting the players with the athletic abilities but |
| the gym working out muscle groups that will have | | | | they are equally interested in finding the players |
| little impact on their success in the game. For | | | | that will make the team stronger both on an off |
| example, you may have heard of the expression, | | | | the field. The new recruit that is a freshman |
| "curls for the girls". Well the curl is a weight lifting | | | | today will soon become a senior and important |
| exercise that works out the bicep and high school | | | | player who will have strong influence on the |
| baseball players like this exercise because it adds | | | | freshman of tomorrow. College coaches know |
| volume to the bicep muscle. A pro baseball fitness | | | | from experience that they need to find high |
| trainer will tell you that curls are not that | | | | quality people and high quality athletes. |
| important in the game of baseball. A pro trainer | | | | |