HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL RECRUITING GUIDE

My name is Frank Dorner. I am the director of Lone Star Athletics based in Houston, Texas. For 20 plus years I have conducted Baseball Tournaments, Teams, Evaluation Camps and Recruiting Seminars.

It is my goal to provide information, tools and advice which will aid a athlete and his parent in their search for a collegiate playing opportunity

I have conducted or attended over a 100 tryout camps and recruiting seminars. Many collegiate coaches and pro scouts attended and took part in these events. Very valuable information was exchanged and now I am going to share it with you.

Our website www.lonestarathletics.net has been created to make your recruiting search easier. You will find a complete list of all College and Universities from across the u.S. along with coaches contact information, a list of collegiate and pro tryout camps, a list of collegiate instructional camps, a list of newspapers and there contact information from all over the U.S., links to other valuable information sources, major and minor league baseball information, baseball history information,instructional video, recruiting seminar video and much more.

In April 2011 Lone Star Athletics added to our website what I believe is the most important aid for High School Athletes. We have a Facebook type source called Lone Star Recruiting. A athlete will be able to post their information, pictures and video on our site. Two important aspects of Lone Star Recruiting is a athlete can update as often as they like and contact the many collegiate coaches who have joined our site.

There are no fees and no upgrade fees to use www.lonestarathletics and Lone Star Recruiting.

The search for a school that is a good fit for your student athlete should begin with an old fashioned family meeting. You need to ask questions and set some parameters for what type of school will best fit your needs.

Some questions that need to be addressed are.

* Does the school offer degrees in your chosen field of study.
* How much money is available for school.
* Are grants and scholarships available.
* Distance from home the parents and student are comfortable with.
* Does the size of the school matter.
* What type of transportation is needed.
* What housing is available.
* What academic qualifications are required.
* Each family will have their own specific questions they will need to discuss.

Athletes will have additional questions they will need to consider.

*Do I have the abilities to play at a certain school.
*Are there several athletes already on campus that play my position.
* What do you know about the coach.
* Are travel schedules conducive to your academic load.
*What means are teams transported to away games.

I urge each athlete not to attend a school just to gain a baseball playing opportunity. After all the main purpose you are attending school is to gain knowledge and earn a degree.

Thank goodness for the internet. Answers to most questions I listed and more can be found by going to each schools website. I have created a website WWW.LONESTARATHLETICS.NET that has a link to all colleges and universities in the United States. This will make your search much easier.

Also you can contact each school and request a catalog. Schools are more than happy to send you their information.There is a lot of competition these days for students.

To gain information about the coach I suggest attending a game. You can observe the coaches behavior during the game. Locate parents who have a son playing at the school and ask questions. Keep a open mind when talking to parents there attitude toward the coach could be clouded by there son's playing time.

Bottom line is to try to be as comfortable with the school your son is to attend as possible. This a life changing event and should be treated with the up most care.

I am going to outline a program that will create name recognition and hopefully a interest by the collegiate coach.

Step # 1
Put together a information package. This will consist of a cover letter introducing yourself and informing the coach you have a interest in his school, an information form, photos, any newspaper articles concerning your athletic or academic accomplishments and video.

Keep the cover letter brief. Some coaches receive a large amount of letters and do not have the time to read lengthy pieces. To set your information package apart from the others use colored paper and large colored envelopes.

There is a information form on my website www.lonestarathletics.net that you can use as a guide.

The photos should be of you in uniform and in action.

I will explain in a later module how to create an effective video.

Video has become one of the most important recruiting tools. If you do not have a video you are seriously limiting your chances of finding a playing opportunity.

Step # 2

Lone Star Athletics has created a website that has a Facebook styled source that you can post your information, pictures and video. The website will enable you to contact collegiate coaches and inform them you have a interest in their schools. They in turn can go to your page and view your information, pictures and video. The real asset of this page is you can constantly update your information. There are no fees to post your information. I will have more information in a later module that will explain how to use the Lone Star Athletics website in your recruiting efforts.

Step # 3

Stay in constant contact with the collegiate coaches using email. You will need to acquire a email address that has your complete name such as frankdorner@sbcglobal.net. When a coach receives a email from you they will know instantly who has sent the email and they are more likely to read your message.

What you will be sending to the coaches is information. This will consist of your accomplishments, your team, your team mates, teams that you compete against and other athletes that a coach might be interested in. In essence you will become a information source for the coaches. This will insure your email will be read. Update often after every game if possible.

Also ask the coach for his information. How is his team doing, will he be conducting instructional or evaluation camps, what tournaments or evaluation camps will he be attending. This will create a interaction and cause the coach to remember you.

Keep in mind most schools do not have a large recruiting budgets. Coaches do not have a lot of time to attend games and view athletes.This is why your information about you and other athletes will be valuable to the coaches..

Step # 4

A very effective way to create interest is to attend a game. Let the coach know via email you and your family will be in attendance. Be sure and wear your school hat so that the coach can identify you. Keep in mind the coach will be busy and may not be able to spend time with you. I guarantee he will be appreciative of you and your family making the effort to view a game.

Step # 5

Several schools have a information form on their website that you can fill out and send online. This a another opportunity for you to get your name and accomplishments in front of a coach.

Step # 6

Send information to your local and area newspapers concerning you and your team. If they publish your information send it along to your list of coaches. Print media is highly regarded by coaches.

Our website www.lonestarathletics.net has a list of 100's of newspapers and their contact information.

You may ask why am I doing all this. The reason is you will be creating name recognition and a higher interest level from the coaches. If you participate in a tournament or camp the coach is in attendance he will want to see you perform. This creates a advantage you have over all the other athletes the coach has no clue who they are.

Keep in mind it is not a good idea to phone collegiate coaches. As i mentioned earlier most coaches do not have a lot of time. Also it is usually difficult to get through to a coach. Do not be put off if a coach does not return your call. There are time spans when a coach can not call a recruiting prospect.

It is completely up to each individual as to how many schools you want to stay in contact with.

Be careful not to say things like coach your school is # 1 on my list to attend and send this bit of information to several coaches. Coaches network with each other. and your comment may be mentioned to another coach who received the same information.

Bottom line is be very honest in all information that you send to coaches. Inflated stats, 60 yard dash times you have not achieved, honors and awards you have not earned, erroneous height and weight will all be found out and could cost you a playing opportunity.

Tryout camps are the most important avenue a athlete has to be seen by a collegiate coach.

Many more schools are now conducting tryout camps than in years past. Ncaa Division 1 schools who typically did not conduct tryout camps are now doing so. They have found by charging a fee and adding a showcase or tryout camp to their instructional camp schedule has benefited them greatly.

Also many Junior College and small colleges are charging fees and inviting Freshmen through graduated seniors to their camps. In prior years schools only invited graduated seniors to their camps. I feel this is a improvement that offers a collegiate coach the opportunity to see many more athletes and build a follow list.

You can find tryout camp information by going to each schools website. Usually the coaches will start posting their information in early May. You can find a list of Collegiate and Professional tryout camps on my website www.lonestarathletics.net..

What you will be evaluated on are your baseball skills. Speed, throwing accuracy, throwing strength, bat speed, bat control and your baseball intelligence.

Tips on how to make your tryout camp more productive.

Make sure you are prepared for a long slow day both mentally and physically. Depending on how many athletes are in attendance you may be at the camp several hours. You actually will not be active but a very short time of the total time you are there. You will need to learn to be ready when your turn comes to perform. I suggest you attend camps when you are younger so you can learn how to handle the day.

Never go to a camp if your not healthy or injured.

Take a light snack, plenty of water and sun screen. Keep all this in your vehicle do not take it to the field.

Wear a bright shirt with your name on it. Preferably a shirt that will set you apart from the other athletes. Goldenrod is a very bright yellow that you do not see many athletes wear and is easy to see.

Make sure you are dressed in full baseball attire. No cut off pants, sleeveless shirts or sunshades.Make sure your hat is on properly never turned around.

Always locate the coach who you have been sending information to and introduce yourself. Thank him for the opportunity to showcase your talents.

Keep your bat bag zipped and secure at all times. Do not set your bag directly against another bag. Do not take items such as watches, rings, cellphones and sunshades to the field.

The coaches will align you by a position numbering system 101 pitchers 201 catchers 301 3 rd base and so on. Always try to be first in line. When you have several athletes trying out a coach or evaluator will tend to loose their attention span the longer the day goes.

If you make a error or look bad on a pitch do not dwell on it. Coaches are there to find a reason for you to play for them. Typically a misstep does not register with the coaches. Now if you continually mess up that is a problem. Go home and work on your game and try another day.

Get to know the other athletes in attendance this will help the time pass quickly. Also they might know of a event you haven't heard of that will be beneficial.

If a coach needs someone to do something (pickup balls, move screens etc.) you be the first to help. This makes a great impression.

When you arrive back home send the coach a email thanking him again for the opportunity to showcase your talents.

What are coaches looking for by position.

Pitcher

Arm strength is and always will be the most important asset a pitcher can demonstrate. Throwing accuracy and type of pitches you throw are important . A collegiate coach can teach you how to be more accurate and show you how to throw different type of pitches but he can't teach arm strength.

Catcher

You need to be able throw at least a 2.00 pop time or better with accuracy . College baseball changed this year due to the new bat. Speed and defense are now more important than ever. A good catch and throw catcher is a valuable asset to a team. Catchers need to demonstrate a take charge attitude and be a leader.

Infield

A infielder needs to demonstrate quickness and athleticism. Arm strength and accuracy are very important. A infielder needs to demonstrate a sound understanding of how to play the game. There is no time for indecision on the collegiate level.

Outfield

Arm strength is very important. Speed and a clear understanding of correct paths to fly balls is needed. If you can't stand in middle deep right field and throw on the fly to 3 rd base you need to work on your arm strength.

Hitting

The new bat has changed collegiate baseball. The big slugger who is not a good defensive player is not being recruited as heavily as they once were. Coaches are looking for athletes who can hit to all fields, bunt and execute the hit and run. You need to demonstrate these abilities at the tryout camp. If you try to hit one out of the park every swing coaches will not be interested in you.

Professional Tryout Camps

Try to attend as many Pro Camps as you can because collegiate coaches attend these tryouts, Major League scouts and collegiate coaches network with one another and they are free.

You can start attending pro camps when you are 16.

There are not as many pro camps as there once was because there are so many more events a scout can attend.

You can find information about pro camps on www.mlb.com or check my website www.lonestarathletics.net.

After your senior year in high school if you have not signed to play at a school it is still not to late to find a collegiate playing opportunity. You will need to attend as many tryout camps as possible. A lot of the camps are scheduled during the week which enables you to play for a team on the weekends.Some coaches will conduct a individual tryout. You would need to contact the coach and see if they would be agreeable to do so.

Over the years I have seen many fine athletes ruin their chances of playing collegiate baseball because of their attitude and conduct.

The following are things to avoid.

Arguing with umpires.

Admonishing your team mates.

Foul language on the field.

Second guessing your coach.

Showboating.

Another area that young athletes seem not to understand is Social Media. Your comments, pictures and videos can be viewed by anyone. This opens up the possibility that comments you make, pictures and video may be viewed by a collegiate coach or worse yet someone who doesn't have your best interest in mind. Numerous athletes have lost their scholarships and removed from school due to comments they made on social media platforms.

Youtube is a concern because someone may unknown to you upload a video of you that is not showing you in a positive mode. A young man asked me to view a video of him in action. Unknown to him there also was a video showing him passed out from drinking to much. I suggest entering your name in a search on Youtube to see if there is any damaging film of you and have it removed.

Parents need to be careful also.

If you sit in the stands and criticize and second guess your high school coach you may be heard by the wrong person. If a collegiate coach receives word of your actions do you think he wants to have that attitude and conduct at his school.

Collegiate coaches have to be careful about who they recruit. They spend quite a bit more time with the athletes than high school coaches. Plus they travel and stay over night. If the Athlete tends to be a problem and you can't trust them that is a headache a collegiate coach will not put up with. All collegiate baseball scholarships are 1 year renewable. If you have been a problem for the coach your scholarship will not be renewed and good luck trying to find another place to play.

Quite simply if you are not a good student your chances of playing collegiate baseball are slim. Coaches are reluctant to invest scholarship money on someone who may not be able to play for them.

Each school and Ncaa has entrant requirements. Low grades and test scores limit you on schools you can attend.

Most Junior Colleges have low or no entrance requirements. You still have to pass courses to stay in school. It is easier to find a place to play than to stay in school. So don't fool yourself thinking if you can't get into a 4 year school you can always attend a junior college. The JC coaches still take academics in consideration when recruiting a prospect.

So work as hard in the classroom as you do on the field.

A new tool coaches are using is video that has been uploaded to Youtube and different recruiting sites. A coach can now sit at a computer and view many athletes in a short period of time.

This is a valuable tool for the athlete as well. You can upload a video and email a coach and let him know where he can find your video. This offers you a opportunity to be exposed to many more coaches.

Lone Star Athletics has added a Facebook type format to our website that enables you to upload a video and message coaches from our site. This will make contacting coaches much easier. Also I will not allow video on my site that is not baseball oriented. This means your safety will be guarded.

I have a video on my website that instructs you on how to upload a video to Youtube and imbed your video on the Lone Star Athletics site.

Keep in mind a coach wants to see as much as possible in a short period of time. So do not send game footage. You will want to film your pregame warmup and batting practice. Try to get as much a frontal view as possible.

As mentioned earlier there are no fees to use the Lone Star Athletics resources.
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Recently I became aware of Collegiate Club Baseball. I was under the wrong impression that this was part of a schools intramural program.

Club baseball schools form teams, plays other schools, travel to games, furnish uniforms and coaches.

Club baseball conducts a world series event in Florida each year. It is very competitive baseball.

Most importantly club baseball offers a opportunity for an athlete to stay involved in baseball.

For more information go the National Club Baseball Association website www.clubbaseball.org.

I wish you luck in your search for a collegiate playing opportunity.

I was fortunate to have a son that played collegiate and professional ball. It was the greatest of times watching him play at such a high level. I wish all parents would have this opportunity it is very fulfilling.

If you have a question or need advice please email me at frankdorner@sbcglobal.net. Lone Star Athletics is here to help.