How I Got Recruited Q&A: Insights from a Former High School Baseball Player
How a Former Player Found His Way From the High School Dugout to the Collegiate Diamond
Today I’m going to introduce you to Sam Schner, who I had the absolute pleasure of coaching during his senior year of high school (Spanish River, 2020).I only had Sam for about 5 games before COVID ended our year together.
We’re going to dive into his recruiting process out of high school and gain some valuable insights from his perspective. Sam currently plays baseball for Florida Institute of Technology (NCAA Division 2). Sam was our starting center fielder and middle infielder, lead off hitter and occasional closer at River. In addition to being a gifted athlete on the diamond and basketball court he was also a leader and a relentless hard worker for the brief season I had him as a player. Sam was and continues to be a guy that any coach would be grateful to have on their field and in their locker room.
Let’s get in to the nitty-gritty!
High School
Height/Weight: 6’2”/165lb (190lb currently, Junior year of college)
60 Yard Time: 7.0 (high school) 6.6 (College)
Position(s): Middle Infield (High School)/ Centerfield (College)
Other Sports: Basketball
GPA: 3.4
SAT/ACT Score: 1200
Summer Travel Team: FTB Rockets
College: Florida Tech (NCAA Division 2)
1. What Inspired you to pursue a college baseball career, and how did you initiate the recruiting process?
I love the game of baseball and knew I wanted to play at the next level instantly. I just always really loved the grind and always finding a way to get better everyday. I started my recruiting process during summer baseball with my travel team and had the chance to play in front of some great schools due to the talent level of our team.
2. What were the most important factors you considered when choosing a school to continue your education and baseball career?
I wanted to find a place where I would have the opportunity to compete for a starting spot right away and win the job. I was undersized and overlooked by a lot of schools. I realized it wasn’t about announcing it on social media so all my friends could see that I’m going to a big school. But simply understanding that I wanted to put myself in the best position possible to get on the field somewhere right away and make an impact. Whether it was D1,D2,D3, JUCO or NAIA. It’s college ball…everyone is talented!
3. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the recruiting progress, and how did you overcome them?
Some of the biggest challenges I had to face during this recruiting process was getting overlooked by schools and being told no. A number of schools told me that I was talented enough but that my size wasn’t where it needed to be. Some schools just told me I wasn’t talented enough for their program, that stung. But I used those rejections as motivation, it was very hard to overcome. Seeing all of my friends go to these big schools. I just tried to stay the course and let everything fall into place.
4. What role did your high school and travel coach play in your recruiting process, and how did they help you navigate it?
Honestly, my high school coaches didn’t play a huge role into it. For me personally, it was more my summer coach. Yes, my high school coaches had some connections and promoted me well, but most of my looks came from summer ball.
5. What advice would you give to high school players who are just beginning the recruiting process?
Some advice that I would give to high school kids is just realizing that everything will fall into place. All the stress and worrying about finding a school or worrying or saying “I have to perform because this school is coming to see me” You don’t have to! They already knitwear you are a good player, they just want to see you play the game the right way and see your attitude and how you carry yourself on and off the field. So trust the process, it’s long, it’s frustrating, but in the long run everything will fall into place.
6. How did you balance your academic and athletic commitments during high school, and how did that impact your recruiting process?
I was definitely difficult to balance academics and athletics. Especially since I also played basketball in high school. I just did my best to not procrastinate and really lock in when I had homework and always be ahead of the game in the classroom and on the field.
7. How important were showcases, camps, and other events in your recruiting process and how did you prepare for them?
Showcases and camps were always fun but I was never really the type to do the Perfect Game showcases or the other stuff. Yes, there were some camps that I attended because I was interested in that particular school but I didn’t attend many of those. When I did I just prepared myself by working hard on the field and when I got to the camp I just trusted my preparation and that’s all anyone can do.
8. How did you handle rejection or disappointment during the recruiting process, and what kept you motivated to continue pursuing your college baseball dreams?
The rejection and disappointment during the recruiting process was always tough. This had happened a couple times where I went to some camps, performed well, and the coaches would call saying “you are a stud, we want to offer you, we’ll see what we have and get back to you.” Next thing you know, days would go by, I’d call to check in and they’d never answer. Sometimes they just completely rejected the call. It was a terrible feeling at first, but as I said earlier I used it as motivation. I knew what type of player I was and believed in myself. So I decided I’m going to prove them wrong and show them what I can do and what they missed out on.
9. What do you think are the most important qualities college coaches look for in prospective players?
The most important qualities coaches look for is
1. Character. The type of person you are and how you treat others. Are you a likable guy on the team? Do you make good decisions on and off the field?
Emotion. Yes, play the game with emotion, it shows that you care but also how you deal with adversity. Do you bounce back from it? Or do you let it beat you?
Fluidity. Coaches want to see smoothness in your physical actions while also having a feel and understanding for whatever situation the game is in.
10. Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently during your recruiting process, and what advice would you give to others based on that experience?
I kind of wish that I went to more camps and got my name out there more. Yes I was on a really good summer team but you never know who’s watching at any given time to it would’ve been a good idea to get in front of more people. I wish I would have gotten in the weight room a little bit more and little bit earlier when I was in high school. I was physically a late bloomer. Overall, it worked out and everything fell into place. I’m really grateful I stuck with it.
Closing it out…
I hope Sam’s journey was insightful to you. Sam’s journey is unique in a lot of ways but he had to do what the majority of many hopeful recruits have to do, stay patient and consistently work hard. Please feel free to leave us any feedback. If you liked this post, let us know by smashing that like button.
Keep it gritty!
Brad