Christopher Walker - Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Most of my work was geared towards baseball. As a pitcher, I would do a lot of running, shoulder strengthening, and work to improve my pitches. As far as the recruiting process, I sent out letters to coaches, and stayed on top of their responses. I attended a few showcases such as Blue-Grey and Top 96, but found the college camps to be more effective.
The most challenging part by far was staying positive. If I didn't hear from a coach of a school that I was really interested, it would be easy to get down on myself. It's most important to find a school that fits for you academically, socially, and athletically.
The best part of the recruiting process was getting calls from coaches. I liked to hear that they were interested and impressed with my ability. Their comments on what I needed to improve on, as well as their input on the type of work that is required to play at the college level made me determined to work hard and make the best of my ability.
NCSA made my video and profile available to coaches that if NCSA wasn't helping me, might not have given me a legitimate look. I received more interest from coaches in the 6 months I worked with NCSA then i did in two years doing it on my own.
My only advice is to work as hard as you can and have no regrets. If one school falls through the cracks, and they are no longer interested, stay positive. There is a perfect fit school for everyone, and its your job to explore all your opportunities and make the best choice for you.
Being a college athlete is much more of a commitment than that of being a high school athlete. I am required to dedicate 4-5 hours a day to baseball. With that, along with school, time management is very important. On the other hand, it is very rewarding; you immediately become friends with all the guys on the team.
