A recent change in NCAA regulations will have a drastic impact on the college recruiting process for college coaches and aspiring players alike.

NCAA officials have implemented a college recruiting calendar for Division I college baseball programs which will limit the amount of time that college coaches are permitted to recruit off-campus. The newly instituted quiet period will prevent college coaches from recruiting prospective players off-campus between November 14 and February 29.

Coaches will be limited to the following dates for all off-campus recruiting:

September 12 through November 9
March 1 through April 12, 2004
April 15 through August 31, 2004

“The rule will make it harder for coaches to see players perform and to do their own evaluations,” said Baseball Factory’s Buddy Custer, Personal Recruiting Director and former college coach.

Coaches and recruiting coordinators who typically take advantage of pre-season showcases and tournaments will have to find other ways to discover talent as many of these events fall within the newly restricted timeframe.

In this regard, Custer noted that the rule will level the playing field a bit. “Some programs have a greater ability to go to showcases and get out to see players because of their budgets,” said Custer. “Now coaches will have to find another way to see the kids.”

Players who had hoped to have coaches at their games this winter will have to adopt a more proactive approach to marketing their abilities.

Aggressive letter writing, campus visits, videotapes and professional evaluations will become even more vital tools for high school baseball players who wish to play at the next level.

“Once a college coach has a videotape and he likes what he sees, players should attend a camp at the college,” said Custer. “The players can kill two birds with one stone by visiting the campus and having the coach see them play.”

Players with the dream to play college baseball should not be intimidated by the recent rule change and its seemingly overwhelming implications. Instead, players should be vigilant in taking the necessary steps to get their name in front of college coaches.

Coaches have already shown an increased demand for videotapes and evaluations and will continue to turn to Baseball Factory in order to receive credible assessments of athletes. Baseball Factory, the largest and most established college recruiting service in the nation, is in the best position to provide players and college coaches with the highest quality videotapes, CD-ROMs and professional scout evaluations as well as added guidance through the college search process. Our unmatched staff is dedicated towards increasing our commitment to the high school and college communities.

Baseball Factory will be adding 8-12 B.A.T.S Video Scouting Sessions to our fall and winter schedule to provide prospective players with more opportunities to gain exposure. Check back for new B.A.T.S. dates and locations.

To learn more about the NCAA rule change and find out how Baseball Factory can help, contact 800.641.4487 and speak with a representative.