When John told me one of his goals was to play college baseball I was conflicted in the best way to help him achieve that result. I had always known my son was an outstanding student and a good ball player but I assumed athletics would take away from his academic experience. NCSA helped us solve this problem. They were an integral part of guiding us through the recruiting process. It all started with the first call we had, you really listened to our wishes and then proceeded to help John. We had more interest than even I would have dreamed of. The next thing I was amazed at was the quality of the schools that we were exposed to. John was able to find his fit based on the huge selection he had. He narrowed his list to a dozen schools which we visited during the summer between his junior and senior year. At this point I was no longer concerned with the quality of education he would receive because you guys had absolutely covered that base for me. John narrowed his list of 12 to 6 schools; he visited these schools for a 2nd time in the fall of his senior year to get a feel of the campus while students were present. We continued talking to admission departments of each school and John kept in touch with the coaches of each of the prospective teams.
John chose a school 3 hours away from home. In the end he was able to choose the school and program that fits him. He will graduate and be able to play the sport he loves. NCSA allowed us to have these choices. We had never heard of most of the school in John’s top 12, however, they are truly great schools in wonderful, safe communities.
To all youngsters looking to play at the next level, keep an open mind, know yourself, for you will only succeed if you are happy and you will only be happy if the decision you make is right for you.
To parents of perspective student-athletes, give your kids the tools and freedom to determine their life's destiny. It is their decision to make. John could have chosen to go to school literally anywhere in the United States, he had that many choices. With the guidance of the folks at NCSA and his family, John made his decision. This for me was the hardest, most challenging part of the process. He ended up choosing a school where I can still go watch him play every weekend and he can get that chemical engineering degree he told me about the beginning of his junior year in high school. That turns into a win for everyone.
