College Placement Program
College Placement Program
Wes Long heads our College Placement Program. Wes and his coaching staff have a nationwide network to help our players find the right fit at the collegiate level. Wes has helped place almost 200 players over the last decade at all levels of Collegiate Baseball.
Here is a short breakdown by Wes of how the College Placement Program works.
"Helping players continue their baseball career is extremely rewarding for me. Playing collegiate athletics changed my life, and I cherish the opportunity to help our players reach their goals. My coaches and I have developed a nationwide network over the years to help our players have as many options as possible for their collegiate careers.
Each player is very different when it comes to recruiting and their college placement path. I do a couple club-wide seminars each year and also meet with each player when their recruiting window is approaching. Some players are popping on the radar as early as their Freshman year, but the bulk of our players are prepping for the next step in the summer of their Sophomore year or throughout their Junior year. I'm in contact with collegiate coaches all over the country and am always up to date with changes in NCAA regulations and recruiting timelines.
When talking to a player/family, I use these pillars to get the ball rolling...... Where does the player fit athletically? What are they looking for on the academic side? Geographically, which region do they want to go to school? What are they looking for on the social/non athletic side? What schools are in their financial wheelhouse?
Once I understand a player's long term goal, I use my experience on the player evaluation side and my knowledge on the financial/scholarship side to help formulate a list of potential schools.
Our goal is to throw darts at a dart board, rather than just throw darts!
Once we have created our list, my coaches and I are able to provide professional and honest advice on which schools are realistic and help come up with a game plan for how to target and develop skills necessary to play at these schools.
When a player has become a "recruitable player" at any of his target schools, we help the player with contacting and being seen by these schools. This is done by me directly texting/calling/emailing the school, player calls/emails, and social media. I also advise the player on which tournaments, camps, and showcases to attend in order to maximize their time and gain timely exposure.
I have been honest with coaches over the last decade, and coaches/recruiters trust my evaluation of players. They are generally upfront with me about what they are looking for in their recruiting classes. This is very helpful in shrinking down a player list to a few potential college fits.
Once offers start to come in and a decision is looming for a player, I help them go through all their options and pick the best overall fit.
Even after a player has committed, I continue to prep the player. Playing at the collegiate level is a big jump for any high school player. I advise on how to prep as a player and student and how to maximize their time. I continue to mentor players long after their time at City.....I'm constantly on the phone with our current college players, mentoring them throughout their baseball journey!
This is a small snapshot of how I do it. It's a long process for every player......but a great ride!"
