Where Do You Want to Go to School?

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

The above question is one that I, or our Exclusive Program Senior Vice President Kelly Kulina, often pose whenever we get a chance to sit down with a Baseball Factory player at one of our Player Development events. By far the most popular answer that we have received over the past 13 years is, “Anywhere I can play baseball.”

That answer sounds good on paper, but usually it is far from the truth. My response when I hear this answer from a player is usually something like this:

Me: OK, let’s say that the head coach from Minot State in South Dakota really wants you to play for him, are you ready to go to South Dakota for your college experience?

When posed with that circumstance, most of our players say something like this:

Player 1: No way, I would never want to go to a school that small. Or…
Player 2: I want to go play down South where it’s warm. Or…
Player 3: I don’t want to have to get on a plane to go to school. I want to be a car ride away from home. Or even…
Player 4: South Dakota is not far away enough for me. I want to get as far away from my parents as possible. (This one tends to sting a bit for mom and dad who are usually sitting next to their son)

I use these examples to illustrate that there are a lot of factors to consider when making a college decision and very rarely does the decision only come down to, “where I can play baseball.”

As a parent, the key is to try and get your son thinking and see what it is that he likes or doesn’t like about a particular college. I understand that when you are dealing with 16-18 year old young men, it can be difficult to muster up more than a one word answer or a grunt when asked about their future. I have had the following conversation many times as well with our players:

Me: “So, do you want to go to a school in a city?”

Player: “I don’t know.” (As player looks down at the ground and bites his nails).

Me: “Do you like a big campus, or a small campus?”

Player: “Uh, whatever.” (As player shifts in his seat and glances at his cell phone for a text message)

Me: “How far away from home do you want to be?”

Player: “Doesn’t matter.”

I have seen on-looking parents cringe when their sons give responses like the ones I outlined above. Most parents feel the urge to want to jump in and start answering the questions to prove that they are good parents and have not raised a Neanderthal.

Parents need to try and fight this urge and instead, use these examples as an opportunity to get proactive in the college search process. Sometimes the best way to find out what a player likes about a college is to first find out what he doesn’t like. The key is to see as many schools as possible and to start to form opinions. Even if your son is convinced that he wants to go as far away from home as possible (as an aside…usually, our kids talk a good game, but when it comes down to making this decision, they prefer to be closer than further to home), you should still start with the schools that are within a two to three hour radius from your house. Chances are there are many NCAA DI, DII, DIII, Junior Colleges or NAIA programs in that geographic area, so you will see a good cross-section of options. This will help him form opinions on schools with 25,000 people vs. 2,500 people; schools in an urban setting vs. a rural setting; schools with on-campus housing vs. off-campus housing, etc.

Moms and Dads should throw as many questions as possible to their sons when they are on these visits. What do you think of this campus? How do you think you would do with these classroom sizes? One parent can ask the questions, and the other can write down the answers so that nobody forgets the first impression, which is usually the strongest and most accurate. As a family, you can then apply what your son does like about a school that is close to home and compare it to schools outside your geographic area. For instance, if you live in Maryland and your son thinks University of MD, College Park is too big; he probably will feel the same way about UCLA, University of Texas, and the University of Michigan. Even though those schools have great baseball programs, they may not be the right fit for him.

And remember, players at any age are allowed to take as many unofficial visits to colleges as they like. An unofficial visit is when the college program covers no player expenses for travel. The sophomore year in high school is a very good time to start taking these unofficial visits.

So get out there, see some schools, and help your son form some real opinions on what is important to his future. It is hard for them to know what they like until they can see it with their own eyes.

Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Gather Around the Table

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

When I was growing up, my family made a point to sit down and eat dinner together at the table at least five days per week. It was a great way to get caught up with each other to discuss important family issues, and it helped to facilitate a setting where we would communicate with one another quite regularly.

On the surface, it seems that the tradition of sitting down together as a family for dinner has become less common place as the years have passed by. Parents and kids have so much going on in their lives that sometimes it is “easier” to eat on the fly and pass each other in the kitchen, instead of taking the extra time to sit down as a group. In my opinion, this generation of kids is way too overscheduled, and parents and kids are so much more distracted thanks to the Internet, PDAs, iPods, and other technological devices. For more on this topic, read my blogs Breaking the Cell Phone or PDA Addiction Parts I and II.

These distractions and diversions create a sense of busyness that I feel takes away from solid family communication and quality time spent together in the household. It also contributes to the creation of negative energy that can be palpable at times as a result of un-finished conversations, bitterness from repressed emotions, and frustrations with how the family is prioritized amongst its individual members. Good old fashioned face-to-face conversations at the dinner table can go a long way towards curing those feelings by creating a forum to express yourself and be heard by other family members.

If your family is one that likes to “eat on the fly” or eat in front of the TV, think about slowing down a bit and gathering around the table. Turn off anything electronic and enjoy the company of each other. These dinner conversations will also give you a chance as parents to practice a few other subjects of previous blogs that I have written including: Listen Closely, Say What You Need To Say, and Ask Questions.

As parents, I would be surprised if you don’t see an instant improvement in your family dynamic and communication by just making this one adjustment. While it might be “easier” to just grab food and eat on the run, your family will benefit greatly from taking the time to gather around the table.

Happy Holidays!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Ask Questions

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Have you ever had a conversation with someone where all they do is talk about themself? They never ask you a question about how you are doing or what is going on in your life. Usually you exit that conversation feeling pretty disappointed.

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received from a colleague of mine was very simple: ask questions. If you want to make people feel good about themselves, and you want to be a better conversationalist, the easiest thing to do is engage the other person and ask them how things are going in THEIR life or what THEY are thinking about.

I have found that “asking questions” works very well when trying to communicate with high school baseball players. Young men aged 14-18 don’t always make the best talkers, but if you are genuinely concerned with their well being and you engage them in discussion by asking them thought provoking questions, usually you get a much more productive conversation. This applies a great deal when discussing the college recruiting process and schools they are interested in attending. I tend to ask our Baseball Factory players questions such as:

1. Can you see yourself being happy at that school?

2. What do you think about going to school with classroom sizes of 300+ students?

3. What did you think of the baseball coach and his philosophy? Can you see yourself playing for him?

4. Have you thought about what academic discipline you want to pursue?

5. How do you think you will do being that far away from home?

The list can go on and on. The point is that engaging your counterpoint in a discussion with questions is sure to get their mind thinking and usually makes the person feel special and valued. I think this is a good tactic for all parents to practice, not only with their children, but also in their everyday life with other people they come into contact with.

If you feel yourself approaching every conversation by only talking about yourself, take a step back and remember this blog and ask the person you are speaking with a question instead. I am sure you will see the conversation move in a more positive direction.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

There is Good High School Baseball Talent All Over the Country

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Many parents believe that the best baseball players in the country have to come from warm weather states. Do you agree?

I would agree that the average high school player in the warm weather states (ie: California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, etc) tends to be stronger versus the colder/seasonal climates. This is most likely a result of these players having the distinct advantage of getting to play outside on a year round basis. While the average high school player in these areas may be stronger, I have found over the years at Baseball Factory that there is upper echelon talent all over the country and in places you might not suspect.

Let’s take this past weekend for example. I traveled to Portland, Oregon to run Baseball Factory’s Under Armour National Tryout and Signature College Recruiting Program in Monmouth, Oregon (just outside of Portland). Keep in mind, this event took place in November so we utilized an indoor facility. Baseball Factory hadn’t held an event in Oregon since 1998, but we have had the pleasure of working with many Oregon based players over the years in events that took place in other states. In fact, 25% of the current Oregon State baseball roster are alumni of Baseball Factory or Team One.

Getting back to this weekend, we worked with a total of 45 players. This group was extremely focused, engaged, and serious about baseball. Everyone showed up on time and they had a strong sense of desire and determination. Once the baseball drills and testing started, this group did not disappoint! As a whole, this was one of our most talented sessions to date this year. Keep in mind that Baseball Factory holds 200 events a year in areas all over the country and into Canada. Would you ever suspect that Portland, Oregon would be one of the most talented groups? I am sure the players and parents that were in attendance this weekend would have.

So if you live in a state that is not known for producing top high school baseball talent or is in a seasonal climate, don’t let it get you down. All it means is that you might need to be a little more creative. Seek out alternate ways for your sons to train like using indoor facilities in the colder months. Just use it as motivation to help your sons work harder!

If anyone from our Oregon session is reading this blog, thanks for a great weekend. It was a pleasure meeting the parents and working with this talented group of players. Baseball Factory will certainly not be waiting another 10 years before we come back to Oregon. Most likely it will be closer to 10 months.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

One Way to Keep NCAA DI Athletes from Leaving School Early to Turn Pro

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

This blog is a little off topic from my usual posts, but this is an idea I have had for long time. I wanted to get it out and see what people think.

A big dilemma in college sports (especially in NCAA Division I football and basketball) is how to keep more underclass players in college and have them resist the temptation to turn professional. When underclass players leave school early it causes recruiting turmoil for the college programs because the coach needs to shift gears and replace a highly talented player before they were slated to graduate. It makes the overall recruiting strategy much more difficult to manage because every year the coach needs to project who might have a big year and may elect to turn pro instead of finishing school.

The college programs have a lot of potential revenue to lose when these types of athletes leave school early. Bowl games in football and NCAA Final Four games generate millions of dollars for the college program. If they lose their best players to the draft before they graduate, it could cause the program to regress, and miss out on these national events with high revenue streams.

For the player, the decision to leave early is a juggling act of risk versus reward. One side of the argument is that you never know when injury will strike (especially in football) and if you have the chance to leave and turn pro, you should because it may not be there down the road. The flip side of the argument is that if you leave early without a college degree, and your pro career doesn’t pan out as planned, you may be unprepared to navigate the greater world at large.

So what could the NCAA do to try and keep more kids in school and make it easier on all three constituents (players, coaches, and school programs)? Here is my idea. It may sound off the wall at first, but if you really think about it, I think you might agree that it makes sense. The idea is to put the players on a vesting schedule that pays them a share of the individual sports program’s revenue from TV, licensing, ticket sales, etc AFTER they have graduated from the program.

So here is how it would work: if you are making satisfactory progress towards graduation after one year in school, you are fully vested for a ¼ share. By the end of 4 years you would have a maximum of 1 full share (ie: ¼ share x 4 years). The NCAA would calculate the revenue generated from the program over that 4 year period and pay the graduate out pro-rata for their 1 share. How much this equals would vary year to year depending upon the success of the program, but the number could be pretty significant when you consider how much money the head coaches of these top level programs are paid. I would also suggest that they enter into a licensing agreement as part of the indivdual’s vesting schedule so as to allow college athlete names to be sold on the backs of basketball and football jerseys. Again, this money would only be paid to the athlete in a pro rata fashion if they were vested, and if they graduated. How much more money could the college programs generate with this type of licensing deal? Think about what fans would have paid to have a Reggie Bush named jersey from USC or a Vince Young named jersey from Texas?

To me, this provides the type of incentive that is needed to keep athletes in school and give them a chance to earn money at least in the neighborhood of what they might earn if they turned professional. It also wouldn’t jeopardize their amateur status because they would not earn the money unless they graduated and were vested.

This is just one person’s opinion and you may not agree, but I have yet to hear a better suggestion. In the end, there would be more college graduates and the players would have additional incentive to play their hearts out for a chance to be compensated down the road.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Breaking the cell phone and PDA addiction Part II

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I heard from a number of parents after my last blog (Breaking the cell phone and PDA addiction) that their cell phone and PDA use doesn’t come close to how much time their high school students spend texting, calling their friends, checking emails, or using the other applications available on their devices. The cell phone and PDA addiction is certainly not generational, as everyone from middle school students to grandparents seem to have become hooked by the technology and the ability to be constantly connected. While it is not realistic to expect that your teenage children will not spend time on their phone or mobile devices, it is very reasonable to put some practical rules in place to help your family manage the situation.

The number one thing you can do is communicate with your children as to when it is inappropriate to be on their phone or mobile device. I have seen many Baseball Factory players texting their friends while their parents are speaking to our staff during an individual player performance meeting. This is obviously very disrespectful to the parents and to anyone else who is participating in the meeting. Rules need to be defined up front, and when it is inappropriate to be texting, their phone needs to be turned off. Don’t assume that this should be common knowledge. Phones and mobile devices have not been around that long and people use them so frequently to communicate that the “rules” are still evolving.

Here are some other suggestions for how to keep your kids from racking up huge bills and wasting away with their faces and fingers pinned to their mobile devices:

1. Stay away from unlimited plans. If there are no limits, there are no boundaries to stay within and abuse of what would be considered “normal” results.
2. Have the teenager contribute towards their calling/texting plan. Once they need to start paying, their use will go down.
3. Set boundaries and rules within your family dynamic for when the phone or mobile device (for parent and teenager) needs to be turned off. For instance, at the dinner table, during family time, etc.

It is important for families to set rules and communicate on this topic because as the technology continues to evolve, it will only get more difficult. As more devices offer TV, movies, and other time consuming applications, the urge to be absorbed in these devices will become even more compelling. Help your teenage children break their addiction and assist them to re-engage with the people physically around them. It will certainly help in their continued emotional development.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Breaking the Cell Phone and PDA Addiction

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I don’t know how many times I have heard the following words come out of my wife’s mouth, “would you please put your BlackBerry down!” She has a high tolerance for the use of my PDA but when it gets excessive I am sure to hear that familiar plea until I relent and put it down or turn it off.

If you take a moment to step back and be objective, our society has become obsessively distracted all the time. Just walk down the street of a major city and I bet it is hard to find a person that is not listening to an ipod, talking on their mobile phone, or frantically checking their PDA for text messages, emails, stock quotes, news updates, or sports scores.

In the effort to become more connected with the outside world we have become too insular and “checked out” from our families, friends, and colleagues as it relates to face to face communication. Think about it. How hard is it for you as a parent to really focus on a conversation with your spouse, children, or colleagues and not give into the urge to send a text message or email, check something on line, or talk on the phone? PDAs and cell phones have probably done more to regress our society from an emotional point of view than anything I can remember in the past 20 years.

I can remember back when we started Baseball Factory almost 15 years ago, the only way to communicate with colleagues and partners was through a good old fashioned land line phone. There were no mobile phones, no email accounts, and no internet. Somehow we still got things done and maybe we even had a little better balance outside the office.

Take some time and do an inventory of how much time you spend wasting on your mobile phone or PDA when you could be engaging with your kids, spouse, or friends. Are your high school children mimicking your phone behavior by sending endless text messages? Does that behavior bother you as a parent? How do you think your children feel when they see you doing the same thing with your PDA? Before you reach to answer an email, think twice about whether the issue is really that important or if it can wait. How much more valuable would be it to spend that time engaging and being “present” with the ones you love?

This is probably the biggest thing I need to work on in my personal life. I want to be accessible to our employees, clients, and partners via my BlackBerry, but when do I overdo it to a fault?

As parents, try hard to create a better balance and kick some of your cell phone or PDA addiction. I am sure it will pay emotional dividends for your family.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Baseball Factory Launches Youth Skills Challenge

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Baseball Factory just got a little younger!

This weekend marks the launch of our Youth Skills Challenge program. The Youth Skills Challenge initiative has been in the works for quite some time for Baseball Factory. We are very excited about the opportunity to work with 12 and 13 year old players and introduce them to The Baseball Factory Way of development and training.

The Youth Skills Challenge will include instruction, evaluation, and competition. Twelve and Thirteen year old baseball players will get a chance to see how they stack up against nationwide competition through www.baseballfactory.com where top player performances will be posted for foot speed, arm strength, hitting, and pitching. Players will also receive professional instruction and learn how to take their game to the next level.

The first challenge takes place in Baltimore, MD at the University of MD – Baltimore County on October 18, 2008. Additional challenges will be added nationally throughout the year so make sure to check www.baseballfactory.com for updates.

We look forward to working with this new age group and their parents to educate and guide them through their baseball development process!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Inside the Mind of a Former MLB General Manager

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Steve Sclafani and I had a chance to sit down recently and speak with a former MLB General Manager. The discussion centered around a myriad of topics including ways to further enhance Baseball Factory Player Development Events, philosophies on scouting, and theories on college recruiting trends in baseball. The conversation was very enlightening and provided a great backdrop for how General Managers evaluate high school and college players when considering them for the draft and professional baseball.

Probably the most interesting point that was made during the discussion by the former GM was in reference to what he thought was the most successful method to evaluate a player’s personality and mental makeup. Many MLB teams use sophisticated psychological profiles created by acclaimed academics to try and predict how players will handle pressure, how they will interact with their peers and authority figures on and off the field, and how they will handle the inevitable failures that present themselves on a consistent basis in baseball. It may be shocking to hear, but this GM believed that the most accurate way to predict how a player would handle himself in these situations was to study their parents!

It was an obvious comment to make, but one that I was completely taken back by. With every resource in the world at his disposal to make a psychological assessment, this GM felt that the mental makeup of the parents, their habits off the field, their temperament, and the way they spoke to their family members were the best indicators for predicting the player’s off field and on field mental approach. Many times they passed on players because they did not have a good feeling about the player’s mental makeup and family history.

This is a valuable lesson for parents to learn. Not only are your sons being evaluated everyday by baseball professionals, but you are as well. Do your best to keep your emotions in check and keep a level head on your shoulders when watching your son’s games or communicating with college coaches or professional scouts. It could be the final difference maker for him getting a baseball opportunity or not.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Say What You Need to Say

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

The contemporary rock singer and song writer John Mayer has a popular song entitled “Say” where he encourages people to “Say What You Need to Say.” The lyrics are in reference to eliminating words unsaid or unfinished conversations. As the song continues, John Mayer professes “you know that in the end, it’s better to say too much, then never to say what you need to say.”

I think this is good advice for families in terms of their communication with one another, and especially in their feelings about the college search process. Over the last 13 years, many of our Baseball Factory players have told me that they really didn’t want to attend a college that their mom or dad wanted them to attend, but they did not feel comfortable saying anything at the time. In the end, many of these players wound up transferring. I also have heard parents say that they didn’t have a good gut feeling about a certain school, but they hid their doubts and uncertainties because they didn’t want to disappoint their son.

As painful as it might be to have these types of discussions, I always think it is better to talk it through then to leave these thoughts unsaid. It also is better to be open, direct, and thoughtful with your communication instead of being passive aggressive and elusive. In the end, it may create some interesting discussion around the dinner table, but you will be happy that you effectively got what you needed to say off your chest.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

A Tribute to Jim Spooner

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

It has been a sad week here at Baseball Factory as we mourn the loss of a dear friend and colleague, Jim Spooner. Jim passed away on Saturday after a long battle with leukemia.

Jim had an amazing baseball mind and was one of the most successful coaches in college baseball history. During his tenure as the Head Coach of the University of West Florida, he amassed 688 victories, which is good for 3rd all time at the NCAA Division II level. He was inducted into the Pensacola Sports Association Hall of Fame in 2006 and earlier this summer the University of West Florida dedicated their baseball field in his name. He has touched the lives of hundreds of players, coaches, and their families.

Jim became involved with Baseball Factory back in 2005 in a variety of roles. He assisted many of our Underclass Exclusive Program players with the college recruiting process, he coached a number of our Under Armour National Tournament Teams, and he served as an instructor at our Team One Showcases. He also was a regular in our booth at the ABCA convention each January.

The thing I will miss most about Jim is his friendship and his remarkable amount of positive energy. I am not sure if I have ever met a person with a more positive attitude and a more enthusiastic approach to how he lived his life. Jim would always give you 100% of his attention and he was genuinely concerned with each and every person he came in contact with. He always made you feel important and would give you an endless amount of time to catch up and learn what was going on in your life. He truly was a remarkable person and a role model for us all.

I will be in attendance at his funeral on Friday with a couple other people from Baseball Factory and I am sure his life will be celebrated by the many, many people he has touched over the years. He will be dearly missed by us all.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

When Do We Start Marketing Ourselves to Colleges?

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

The title of this blog is a common question I am asked by parents when I am attending a Baseball Factory Player Development event. To start, there are a lot of factors to consider, but the main ones to focus on are the player’s academic achievement to date, his current baseball aptitude, and his physical maturity. Assuming that all three of these items are not considered to be a limiting factor in any way, then my best advice is for players to start marketing themselves to colleges as a rising sophomore in high school.

Now some parents may say that is way too young. I have heard comments like, “he just got through his first year of high school and college is almost three plus years away. Our son is focused on just making his high school team and we can’t even think about college yet.” While it may be a few years away, the reality is that the time flies by very quickly. Plus, most parents that I speak with in our program that elect to start this process when their son is a rising senior say “gosh, I wish we would have known this information sooner and started marketing him to college a few years ago.” So, with time on your side, it pays to start getting active early in this process.

In my mind, the main benefits are the following:

1. Education – starting the marketing process at this point in his career will get your son (and you as parents) familiar with the college search process and different baseball programs earlier in the timeline, which will be valuable downstream.
2. Exposure – college coaches will begin a file on your son and can track his development over the next three years.
3. Communication – your family will begin to discuss what is important to your son in the college selection process and that will foster communication amongst your family which will create good dialogue and points to consider.

To effectively market yourself to a college, you need three things:

1. An edited video of your son performing. 2. An unbiased evaluation of his baseball skills. 3. A well written cover letter.

At Baseball Factory, we provide a video and evaluation within a personal player webpage for each participant so they can email a link to the webpage and a nice cover letter directly to the coach. This will serve as a good introduction to the coaching staff.

Starting the marketing process this early will give you a leg up on your competition in the long run. However, as you start this journey, remember to keep your expectations intact. A sophomore will not get the same recruiting attention from college coaches as a rising senior. However, since college coaches are now starting their recruiting process earlier and earlier to gain an edge, it pays for your son to get his name out there!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Back to School

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

September is back to school month here in MD. The start of a new academic year is a chance for each student to recommit himself in the classroom. It is also a chance to set some academic goals and strive for strong performance.

As parents, it is a really good time to sit down and develop an academic game-plan with your son. List your child’s classes on a piece of paper and have him write down the grade he thinks he can get if he gives it a 100% effort. At the end of the semester/marking period, pull out the goals and see how he performed. Try to hold him to this high standard of excellence he has set for himself.

Here are a few key points to consider as you are building an academic game-plan and considering NCAA eligibility rules:

1. Core Courses – NCAA Division I requires 16 core courses as of Aug 1, 2008. NCAA Division II requires 14 core courses as of Aug 1, 2008. Division II will require 16 core courses as of Aug 1, 2013.

For Division I you will need 4 years of English, 3 years of math (Algebra I or higher), 2 years of natural science/physical science (one must be a lab science), 1 year of additional English, Math, or Science, 2 years of social studies, 4 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy)

For Division II you will need 3 years of English, 2 years of math (Algebra I or higher), 2 years of natural science/physical science (one must be a lab science), 2 year of additional English, Math, or Science, 2 years of social studies, 3 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy)

Please note that electives do not count towards your NCAA GPA eligibility!

2. Test Scores:

Division I has a sliding scale for test score and grade-point average. The higher the SAT/ACT score, the lower the GPA can be.

Division II has a minimum SAT score requirement of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.

The SAT score used for NCAA purposes includes only the critical reading and math sections. The writing section of the SAT is not used.

The ACT score used for NCAA purposes is a sum of the four sections on the ACT: English, mathematics, reading and science.

All SAT and ACT scores must be reported directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center by the testing agency. Test scores that appear on transcripts will not be used. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the Eligibility Center code of 9999 to make sure the score is reported to the Eligibility Center.

3. Grade-Point Average:
As stated above, only core courses are used in the calculation of the grade-point average.

Be sure to look at your high school’s list of NCAA-approved core courses on the Eligibility Center's Web site to make certain that courses being taken have been approved as core courses. The Web site is http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/.

Division I grade-point-average requirements start as low as 2.0 but require SAT scores as high as 1010 (Math/Critical Reading).

The Division II grade-point-average requirement is a minimum of 2.000.

For more info on these topics, visit http://www.ncaa.org/

Good luck to all the students starting a fresh academic year. Remember, college coaches are recruiting Students First and Athletes Second. It is never too late for students to commit themselves in the classroom!

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Smith Family Update

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

After my previous blog was posted (Gaining Perspective on What Really is Important), I have received a number of requests from readers to let them know how Gianna Smith was progressing and how people could contribute to the Smith Family Cause.

I am proud to report that Gianna has made great progress since my last entry. She responded extremely well to the steroid treatments and her lungs are functioning much better. Ryan was even able to hold her for the first time last week, which is wonderful news!

If anyone is interesting in contributing to the memory of Graden Smith, you can make a contribution to the organization Athletes in Action. Athletes in Action will be using the proceeds to aid in the construction of their baseball stadium in Xenia, Ohio. The stadium will be named: Graden 'Grady' Smith Memorial Field. Please send donations to:

Athletes in Action (for Grady’s Field)
651 Taylor Drive
Xenia, OH 45385
Phone – 937-352-1234
Contact – Matt Richter

At Baseball Factory, we have a close knit group of staff that is very much like an extended family. Even though Ryan is only a part time employee for us, he embodies all the characteristics of a full time staff member and has always given his heart and soul to our organization. Based upon our relationship with Ryan, we are happy to announce that Baseball Factory will be contributing $5,000 to the ‘Grady’ Smith Memorial Field Fund. We hope you will join us in making a contribution to help honor his life and preserve his memory in the new stadium.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Gaining Perspective on What Really is Important

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

A colleague of mine at Baseball Factory, Ryan Smith, and his wife Katrina are in the midst of a struggle that can rock you to your core. Ryan is a part time scout for Baseball Factory and helps to run/operate/scout numerous events for us across the country. He does a fantastic job and is a huge asset to our organization. Ryan and Katrina had been expecting twins (their first two children) towards the end of July. As a parent myself of two girls, I understand completely the joy these two must have been feeling. What started out as the happiest time in their lives slowly has turned into a scary nightmare.

At only 27 weeks, the twins were birthed through an emergency C-section due to problems in utero. On July 23, Ryan and Katrina gave birth to Gianna and Graden (boy/girl fraternal twins). Based upon the complications, after delivery, Ryan and Katrina knew that Gianna and Graden would be in a fight for their lives in the intensive care unit. Both babies were born quite pre-mature and weighed only 2 to 2.5 lbs.

The next few days were overwhelming for the Smith’s and turned into every parent’s worst fear. Three days after birth, Graden passed away due to severe lung deficiencies. He was only on earth for a few days but will be remembered for a lifetime. Gianna is presently still in a struggle for her life as she has been rushed to a specialist unit in Pittsburgh for a collapsed lung. She is currently on steroid treatments and appears to be making good progress. The situation is still quite fragile.

For all you parents out there reading this, I hope this unfortunate situation helps you to gain perspective on what is really important in life. As parents we run so hard every day and place an excessive amount of importance on things that really are quite trivial. How many at-bats did my son get at the last tournament, why didn’t he get a chance to play more innings at Short Stop, why aren’t more schools recruiting my son? The list can go on and on. The truth is that your child’s well being and health are the most important things in the world, and the gift of raising a healthy child should be celebrated every day. We shouldn’t have to wait for a tragedy to recognize this miracle.

I continue to pray every day for Gianna (and Ryan and Katrina). I hope you will join me in my positive thoughts and prayers for this family. This family needs our support!

If anyone is interested in contributing to a cause to support the Smith family and to honor Graden Smith, we will be releasing information on how you can contribute in the near future.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Wrigley Field Here We Come!

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

On Sunday August 17th, The Baseball Factory is powering the Under Armour All America Game at Wrigley Field. It is the first time that a high school game has been played at Wrigley Field. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU, with the honorary first pitch coming from Mr. Cub (Ernie Banks) at 1:20 PM CST.

The game features the 36 best high school players in the nation. The players in attendance were either seen at a Baseball Factory or Team One Event, or were highly recommended by our network of professional scouts. These players should all go on to have fine college or professional careers.

As a parent, I can’t imagine the joy and pride I would feel if my child was selected for such a prestigious honor. To be recognized as one of the best 36 players in the nation is truly remarkable. With 450,000 kids playing high school baseball in the United States, these 36 players represent the top .01% of our nation’s high school crop of baseball players.

Good luck to all the players in attendance. I would be lying to you if I said that I wasn’t very excited for the festivities and to see the players perform. I also want to thank Under Armour and the Chicago Cubs for their support of the event. It has been a great collaborative effort between our three organizations to put on this program.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

The Two or Three Sport Athlete Dilemma

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I am currently on an airplane flying back to Baltimore from Baseball Factory’s Under Armour Southwest Tournament in Peoria, Arizona. As a sidebar, wow is it hot in Arizona at this time of the year (our in-car thermometer read 133 degrees at one point during the week)! I decided to write this blog while still on the plane because the topic of playing multiple sports was brought up during this trip and I wanted to comment on what transpired during the discussion while it was still fresh in my mind.

As a part of our Player Development events at Baseball Factory we usually try to include a parent/player seminar on the college recruiting process. During the seminar we cover key topics to be mindful of as the recruiting process begins to unfold, and we open up the forum for parents and players to ask questions. In Arizona, the seminar was run by me and our Senior Vice President of College Recruiting, Kelly Kulina. A lot of good questions were raised by the parents in attendance, but one that came up in particular sparked a lot of discussion. The question was how Kelly and I felt about players competing in multiple sports, and what the general consensus was from college baseball coaches on the topic.

This topic is a highly debated one in our field. I could easily defend both sides of the argument on whether it is more beneficial for an aspiring college baseball player to strictly focus on baseball or to play other high school sports. To be completely honest with you, there is no right answer to this question, and there is not an overwhelming consensus on it from college coaches. However, I can give you some good guidelines to consider as it relates to your son and what he should think about before making a decision.

1. Does he really love playing the other sports? It seems like a simple question, but not all families look at it from this point of view. If your son really doesn’t enjoy the other sports that much and is just playing them because “that is what he has always done since he has been little,” then I think it could be time to give them up and focus on baseball.

2. Who is he satisfying by playing the other sports? If as a parent you played football/basketball/soccer, etc. and your influences are getting in the way of this decision, take a step back and let your son speak on the matter and what he wants to do. Also, is he playing football because the football coach is “pressuring” him to do so? Or does he feel like he doesn’t want to let the team down if he doesn’t come back for his senior year? In my opinion, these are not good reasons to continue playing a sport if his dream is to play college baseball.

3. Is he a contributing member of the other sports teams to the same degree he contributes to the baseball team? If your son excels in baseball, but is just a secondary player in the other sports, it may not be in his best interest to keep up with the other sports.

4. Are you overwhelmingly concerned about injuries? This is a really good one to consider, especially for pitchers. Are you willing to take the risk of playing football, even if it means hurting your pitching arm? Pitchers in particular really have to think hard about playing football where their shoulder can be exposed to serious injury.

My personal opinion is that baseball players do learn a lot from playing other sports as it relates to the mental side of the game and developing key athletic skill sets as well. Football players learn a “never say die attitude” and they usually are mentally tough baseball players. Basketball players are well conditioned athletes and that usually bodes well on the baseball field. Soccer players usually show good lateral mobility and agility which also is a big part of baseball. So the benefits can be quite substantial, not to mention that it also helps to prevent burnout from focusing only on baseball.

As a high school athlete, I played baseball, basketball, and ran cross country so I saw first-hand some of the benefits from playing more than one sport. There are a good percentage of college coaches that like to recruit multiple sport baseball players because they think it creates well-rounded athletes with a variety of skill sets and competitive instincts. Try using the four questions above as a guideline and attempt to make the best decision for the player when considering these options. If you decide to stick with more than one sport, just don’t abandon baseball completely during the fall or winter seasons so you are not starting from square one once the baseball season kicks off again in the spring.


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.