Choosing The Right School

Everyone wants to make the right decision when choosing where to Play College Baseball. A lot of times, players and parents are only thinking about the best fit athletically. I challenge you to take the Tommy John Test before you commit Here are 18questions to evaluate an Athletic Program and School beyond your playing time.

Many players and parents out there are “chasing the logo” during the recruiting process. There is much more to Playing College Baseball then what logo you wear during your College Baseball journey. I see a lot of players get caught up in what level they want to play at, or the amount of money being offered during the recruiting process. What I encourage you to understand is there is SO MUCH MORE involved, and more times then not, they are overlooked.

What is the Tommy John Test?

You have worked your whole life to get to the point of playing college baseball, and your dream has finally come true. Your committed to (insert College/University), and you have started to train during the fall in the weight room and on the field. You make your first throw across the diamond or off the mound in the first intrasquad of the year, and you hear the dreaded POP of your elbow. You see a doctor and you are told you have a torn UCL and will need to undergo Tommy John Surgery.

The Tommy John Test is this scenario happening to you…if the unthinkable injury happens to you, ask yourself “did I still make the right decision in choosing (insert College/University)?

Here are 18 questions to ask yourself when taking the Tommy John Test. HINT: The answers to all these questions should be “YES!”

1. Does the College/University have my intended area of study? If you’re undecided, does the College/University offer a variety of majors you’re interested in potentially studying?
2. Does the College/University have a support staff that will help you determine and achieve your career goals? (advisors, mentors, etc.)
3. Does the College/University have academic support systems for me to be successful? (Tutors, study centers, class sizes, student to faculty Ratio)
4. Is the College/University the right size for me? (From total enrollment to class sizes)
5. Does the College/University have the right surrounding environment for me to feel comfortable? (city, suburbs, rural, urban, etc.)
6. Does the College/University have the right social atmosphere for me to be successful?
7. Is the College/University the right distance from home?
8. Will my current GPA and Test Scores get me accepted at this College/University?
9. If the College/University requires you to live on campus, are the dorms/apartments a place you can enjoy living?
10. Will I feel safe walking around campus? (Consider all times of the day)
11. Does the College/University fit my financial needs?
12. Is the weather climate of the College/University a climate you will enjoy being in year-round?
13. If you are not offered an athletic scholarship, do they have ways of earning other grants and scholarships?
14. Will I be able to get around the area if I can’t have a car on campus?
15. If I must have a meal plan, does the meal plans fit my needs?
16. Will the coaching staff challenge me to be the best version of me not only on the field, but off?
17. Does my personality and character fit well with the other players on the team?
18. Can you see yourself being happy at this College/University?

Injuries do happen, and you need to be prepared for the worst at all times but hope for the best. If you are not prepared for the worst, when the worst happens, you can be in a situation where you are not comfortable and feel out of place. Before you commit, I encourage you to consider these 18 questions and use them as research points when looking into the College/University you are considering playing at.

There 6 reasons you should consider the #JucoRoute when considering college baseball. You need to consider these 6 things before you rule the NJCAA out of your potential colleges. The Juco Route. More Scholarships. More Development. More Chances to Play Right Away. More Opportunities. More Draft Eligibility.

1. More Scholarships

Lets be real here for a second….everyone wants the opportunity to earn a scholarship. Did you know your best odds are with Junior Colleges? That’s Right. Junior Colleges can offer more scholarships than D1, D2 & D3 COMBINED!

Division 1 – 11.7

Division 2 – 9

Division 3 – No Athletic Scholarships

Junior College – 24

Since most programs carry 35 student-athletes there is more money to go around at the Junior College level than NCAA. Your chances for a scholarship are even better just based on the number of scholarships that can be offered. I like your odds already!

• Development

Through my years of being a recruiting coordinator, I have seen a lot of kids that I KNOW can play college baseball, but they’re just missing one tool or attribute. That could be anything from size/weight to needing more time to grow and develop some of their skills. The Junior College route is PERFECT for personal growth and development on the field. There are less rules in junior Colleges, so you can practice every day in the fall (For the most part), and play games in the fall which translates to becoming a better player. It takes 10,000 hours to perfect a craft and going the Juco Route you will certainly be on your way to growing and developing. The NCAA and NAIA have 4-1 periods and roughly 6 weeks in the fall they are allotted for practice time. While you get your work in, the juco Route gets more work in during the off-season with their respective coaching Staff.

• The Chance to Play Right Away

At the Juco level there are only 2 classes of students on campus (sometimes there are a few 3 year guys if they redshirt), which means the opportunity to play right away. At most 4 years you will be competing as a freshman against players who have been in the program and STARTING for 2-3-4 years. Seniority plays a role with some coaches and they know what they are going to get out of their upperclassmen that have shown they can do it. At the Junior College level, you can come in and play right away and only be competing against the freshman you come in with and the sophomores that were freshman just a year ago. Going the Juco Route and playing right away is better than sitting on the bench for a year or two behind some upperclassmen right?

• Social Life & Academic Life

Consider who you are socially and academically. You may be a home body that does well in a comfortable environment close to home. There are a lot of Junior Colleges in the country and most of them are very close to where you live now. Freshman year is a huge transition year both socially and academically. You, as a student-athlete, have never been on your own before and there are a lot of distractions with the freedom that comes with being a college student and college athlete. Are you someone that thrives in a comfortable environment? Are you a good enough student to be away from home and still thrive academically? Your teachers won’t be asking you to submit homework assignments, it is expected. Junior College classes are also a good transition to taking classes at 4 year schools and learning the ropes of how to mangage your time wisely. Sometimes being closer to home helps with the transition into college because there is a lot of familiarity when you have the chance to play closer to home.

• Future Opportunities

You can open up more opportunities for yourself to earn a scholarship at a 4 year school or bigger university than you did out of high school. Players all mature and peak at different times. Some need more reps and some are naturally gifted. Maybe you aren’t as naturally gifted as the guy next to you (that was me in high school), but you know you have what it takes, just the looks aren’t coming. With 11.7/9 scholarships to offer, coaches can’t miss on players. So, they may not want to take a chance on a player they are unsure of. If you can play junior college baseball and put up good numbers and prove you can play at that level it will open up more opportunities for those 4 year schools to come back after you finish at your Junior College. Coaches trust the Juco Route because they know it takes a grind to survive at that level. If you can have a successful year or two, 4 year coaches will come knocking, I can promise you that. Also, it is the Juco Coaches job to help you find a 4 year and they have more connections sometimes than high school coaches do.

I had 2 offers out of High School – D2 Palm Beach Atlantic & D2 Rollins College. After 1 year of Junior College I had offers from Florida, Florida State, Mississippi State, Georgia State, Maryland, Tampa (D2) and a host of other small colleges as well. I never would’ve thought a good year at the juco level would open so many doors.

• MLB Draft

You may be a high level player that has Power 5 offers and a chance of getting drafted out of high school by the time your senior year comes….you should still consider a Junior College if this is where you are. Why? Because if you don’t get drafted and go to a 4 year school you have to wait until after your Junior Season (unless you turn 21 before that) to be drafted. If you go the Juco Route, you can be drafted immediately following your freshman year and again after your sophomore year if you return or are undrafted after your first year. If you are getting draft interest out of high school and you go the Juco Route, you will be eligible for the draft every year in college! You are always eligible for the draft in junior college and if you are undrafted after your two years of Junior College, you will be a junior, and draft eligible, at the 4 year school you continue to play at.