| In recent years, watching video of opposing pitchers | | | | which is very easy to use. You import your video to |
| and hitters has become an invaluable tool for major | | | | the program, then you simply copy and paste frames |
| league and college baseball teams. It is also a fantastic | | | | as you need them. At the end, you can even add your |
| way for hitters and pitchers to diagnose flaws in their | | | | own music (keep in mind if you load to YouTube there |
| own mechanics. Now more than ever, video is a huge | | | | are rules about music). A YouTube account is free, |
| part of the recruiting process. With the popularity and | | | | takes about 2 minutes to create, and allows you to |
| affordability of digital video cameras, and the ease of | | | | share your baseball recruiting video with the world. |
| which the formats can be uploaded, edited and | | | | Finally, a radar gun and stopwatch are vital. If you do |
| emailed, video is now a big part of the recruiting | | | | not have one, I recommend borrowing them from your |
| process. Having a recruiting video is not necessarily a | | | | high school coach, or renting one for a day. A JUGS or |
| new concept, but it has come a long way from | | | | STALKER gun are preferred. There is a reason I |
| bringing the bulky camcorder out, recording a VHS | | | | recommend this so strongly. It is quite common for |
| tape and sending out recruiting packs that required a | | | | players, or even high school coaches to overestimate |
| decent amount of postage. There are several ways | | | | the ability of a given player. College baseball coaches |
| to go about creating an effective video, and we can | | | | can 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 be | | | | 85mph. |
| shooting the footage. For those with the means, a | | | | Now, if someone can hold a radar gun in front of the |
| good sports videographer can be hired. The | | | | camera as the pitcher throws showing the reading at |
| advantage of this is that the cameraman will know | | | | 85mph, THAT is something that will excite a coach |
| which camera angles to use, will have all of the | | | | and can separate your video from that of another |
| necessary equipment (which will typically be high | | | | player! 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 is | | | | distance is clearly defined). If you can do this, it is much |
| obviously price. Ive seen anywhere from $200-$600 | | | | to 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 bigger | | | | Finally, once you have a video you are satisfied with, |
| drawback is time. If you are looking to hire a | | | | you need to determine how to distribute it to college |
| videographer, you will usually have one day to work | | | | coaches. 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, you | | | | popular services are NCSA and Perfect Game, but |
| just have to make sure that you get enough good | | | | you often have to attend their showcases in order to |
| footage to put on tape. If a player were to have their | | | | have the video posted on their site. If you are making |
| parents do this, they could accumulate footage over a | | | | your 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 what | | | | by position tutorials on exactly how to make a |
| you will need.o Digital Video Camera and Tape or | | | | recruiting video for a player with sample templates to |
| Memory Cardo Tripod (video can be done without a | | | | follow. When you send the video to a coach, the |
| tripod if you have a steady hand)o Video Editing | | | | proper procedure to follow would be to begin with |
| Softwareo YouTube Accounto Radar Gun and | | | | programs you are interested in (don't send to every |
| Stopwatch | | | | coach 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 equipment | | | | received the video. A good time to do all of this is |
| should come with a USB cord, CD or memory stick | | | | before the player's junior year of high school. |
| that allows you to upload the video file onto your | | | | Remember... don't expect your recruiting video to get |
| computer. Once the video is loaded, you will want to | | | | you a scholarship offer. You are simply attracting a |
| edit it. Coaches prefer baseball recruiting videos to be | | | | coaches attention in hopes that he will come see you |
| about 5 minutes long at a maximum. If you are taping a | | | | at a game or showcase, or invite you to campus for a |
| hitter for example, you will want to move dead time on | | | | workout. That is when the offers will come. Keep a |
| the video, bad swings, etc. Keep a coaches attention | | | | good attitude, improve your game, keep your grades |
| with as much action as possible. Most computers | | | | up, and you will find a place to play ball at the next |
| come with a program called Windows Movie Maker, | | | | level. |