How to Use Video in the College Baseball Recruiting Process

In recent years, watching video of opposing pitcherswhich is very easy to use. You import your video to
and hitters has become an invaluable tool for majorthe program, then you simply copy and paste frames
league and college baseball teams. It is also a fantasticas you need them. At the end, you can even add your
way for hitters and pitchers to diagnose flaws in theirown music (keep in mind if you load to YouTube there
own mechanics. Now more than ever, video is a hugeare rules about music). A YouTube account is free,
part of the recruiting process. With the popularity andtakes about 2 minutes to create, and allows you to
affordability of digital video cameras, and the ease ofshare your baseball recruiting video with the world.
which the formats can be uploaded, edited andFinally, a radar gun and stopwatch are vital. If you do
emailed, video is now a big part of the recruitingnot have one, I recommend borrowing them from your
process. Having a recruiting video is not necessarily ahigh school coach, or renting one for a day. A JUGS or
new concept, but it has come a long way fromSTALKER gun are preferred. There is a reason I
bringing the bulky camcorder out, recording a VHSrecommend this so strongly. It is quite common for
tape and sending out recruiting packs that required aplayers, or even high school coaches to overestimate
decent amount of postage. There are several waysthe ability of a given player. College baseball coaches
to go about creating an effective video, and we cancan be very apprehensive about this. It is one thing for
review a few in this article.a pitcher to email a coach and say that he throws
First off, a player needs to decide who will actually be85mph.
shooting the footage. For those with the means, aNow, if someone can hold a radar gun in front of the
good sports videographer can be hired. Thecamera as the pitcher throws showing the reading at
advantage of this is that the cameraman will know85mph, THAT is something that will excite a coach
which camera angles to use, will have all of theand can separate your video from that of another
necessary equipment (which will typically be highplayer! By the same token, a stopwatch can be used
quality), and they will normally provide the editing,to show a player run from home to first, or a 60 yard
conversion to DVD and add music or other effects.dash (do this on a football field or somewhere that the
However, there are a couple of downsides. One isdistance is clearly defined). If you can do this, it is much
obviously price. Ive seen anywhere from $200-$600to closer to what it is like for a coach to see you at a
for this service.showcase.
You can shop around in your area. To me, the biggerFinally, once you have a video you are satisfied with,
drawback is time. If you are looking to hire ayou need to determine how to distribute it to college
videographer, you will usually have one day to workcoaches. There are many recruiting services that can
with them. You may even be limited to a few hours.assist with this that have different functions. Two
This is fine if you are using workout footage only, youpopular services are NCSA and Perfect Game, but
just have to make sure that you get enough goodyou often have to attend their showcases in order to
footage to put on tape. If a player were to have theirhave the video posted on their site. If you are making
parents do this, they could accumulate footage over ayour own video, Baseball Recruits Online provides a
much longer period of time.cheap way to email video to coaches and has position
If you decide to create your own video, here is whatby position tutorials on exactly how to make a
you will need.o Digital Video Camera and Tape orrecruiting video for a player with sample templates to
Memory Cardo Tripod (video can be done without afollow. When you send the video to a coach, the
tripod if you have a steady hand)o Video Editingproper procedure to follow would be to begin with
Softwareo YouTube Accounto Radar Gun andprograms you are interested in (don't send to every
Stopwatchcoach in America!), and then have the player (not
Just to walk you through the necessary components,parent) make a follow up call to verify that the coach
the camera and tape are obvious. Your equipmentreceived the video. A good time to do all of this is
should come with a USB cord, CD or memory stickbefore the player's junior year of high school.
that allows you to upload the video file onto yourRemember... don't expect your recruiting video to get
computer. Once the video is loaded, you will want toyou a scholarship offer. You are simply attracting a
edit it. Coaches prefer baseball recruiting videos to becoaches attention in hopes that he will come see you
about 5 minutes long at a maximum. If you are taping aat a game or showcase, or invite you to campus for a
hitter for example, you will want to move dead time onworkout. That is when the offers will come. Keep a
the video, bad swings, etc. Keep a coaches attentiongood attitude, improve your game, keep your grades
with as much action as possible. Most computersup, and you will find a place to play ball at the next
come with a program called Windows Movie Maker,level.