7 Tips for Better Recruiting Videos

You would be absolutely amazed at how many recruiting videos are sent to college baseball coaches everyday.  And the larger the school, the more videos they're going to receive.  So, if part of your recruiting plan is sending videos to coaches (and it should be!) I want to give you a few tips about making videos that coaches will enjoy watching.

First, let me say that a good video doesn't guarantee that you're a good fit for a particular school, and a poor video doesn't mean that you won't have the opportunity to play college baseball.  These are just tips coming from a college baseball coach about what we like to see, and some things we don't.  These are just my opinions, but I know a lot of other coaches feel the same way that I do!

1.  Send a DVD or link to YouTube?
I think that every coach would rather have a PSA (prospective student-athlete) send them a link to a video hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, or a recruiting service rather than send them a physical copy of a DVD.  The reason for this is because it's quicker for us to click on a link and then watch the video as opposed to inserting a DVD into our disc drive, waiting for it to load, and then watching the video.  You may be thinking "It may only take 30 seconds for a coach to load a DVD, what's the big deal?" Well, imagine a coach is getting a dozen DVDs in the mail everyday...they may spend 10 minutes just taking DVDs in and out of the player.  It's much more convenient to just click a link and immediately see the video.

Also, it's a lot easier to find that video again just by searching for the prospects name in my inbox than it is sorting through a stack of DVDs.  So, if I like your video and want to pull it up again to show one of the other coaches I can just forward them the email that you sent me instead of giving them the only copy of the DVD that I have.

This one is a no-brainer...coaches want video emailed to them.

2.  Include all your crucial information in the video.
Let's say I like your video and it sparks some interest.  The next thing I'm going to ask myself is "What are his grades like?  What is his coach's contact information?  What year in school is he (you would be surprised, but this is left out A LOT)?  What summer ball team does he play for?"

All of this info should be in the intro/exit to the video.  Include anything you think is important that a coach might need to continue recruiting you.  Here are a few examples of info that MUST be included:

Name
Age
NCAA ID#
School
Grades/Test Scores
Height/Weight
Position
Email
Phone #
Coach's Contact Info
60 Yard Dash Time

Don't have all that info scroll for the first minute of your video!  Put it up there briefly (10 seconds or so) just so the coach knows it's there and can reference it if he needs to.

3.  How long should the video be?
I've received videos that are as short as 1:30, and some that are as long as 10:00.  You have to remember that college coaches are busy and receive a lot of videos.  I said earlier that we might receive a dozen videos a day.  If they're all 10 minutes long do you really think that we have 2 hours every day to devote to watching videos emailed to us?  No, we don't!  We watch every video that crosses our desks, but can't spend all day doing it!

I'd recommend keeping the videos to 3 or 4 minutes maximum.  If the coach isn't interested after watching 3 minutes of video that YOU SELECTED he may not be interested in you.

4.  Use a Tripod.
It's much easier to evaluate a player when the camera is stabilized and not bouncing all over the place, and ultimately that's what you want!  An inexpensive tripod can be bought at Wal-Mart or Target for about $20.

Sometimes when Mom is videoing a game and you crush a ball in the gap she will jump up and down and scream right next to the microphone.  That doesn't make good footage, and it brings me to my next point...

5.  Know what audio is in the video.
Using the same example, I know that Mom is excited that you just hit a double, but we don't want to hear her screaming.  Sorry Mom!

I have also been sent videos where whoever is recording was having a conversation with another parent about the coach...that's going to get your video immediately turned off and deleted!  Listen to the video before you post it online or send it out.  If there are any derogatory comments about the coach put the video on mute and add a song to the background music.

Here is another tip about adding a song in the background...believe it or not, it doesn't have to be an AC/DC song!  I actually like AC/DC, but it seems like half of the videos I receive either have Back in Black, or Thunderstruck in them.  Be sure to choose a song that has clean lyrics and gives off the right message about you.

6.  Game vs. Practice footage.
This is one that could create some debate.  I prefer receiving practice footage over game footage, but all coaches won't agree with me.  The pros of practice footage is that you get more "bang for your buck" from a time standpoint.  I can see you throw a 20 pitch bullpen in 2 minutes.  For me to watch you throw 20 pitches in a game situation it might take 10 minutes.  Or, if you're a hitter, I don't want to see your entire 12-pitch AB...I just want to see your best swings.

However, a lot of coaches want to see game footage to know that you can do it in a real game.

My suggestion is to have both.  If you're a hitter show 10-15 swings in the cage or at practice, and then show a video of you blasting a HR in a game.

7.  What to include in your video?
Position Players:
We want to see you hitting, fielding, throwing, and running.

Hitting: Practice swings or game swings (read above).
Fielding: Taking ground balls/fly balls so that we can see your mechanics.
Throwing: Place the camera where we can watch the flight of the ball.  That is how we're going to measure your arm strength (if a radar gun isn't available).
Running: If you have video of the 60 dash that's great, if not include yourself running to 1B.  Coaches will put the stopwatch on you just like if they were at the game so use a clip that shows you hitting the ball and touching first base.

I hope these 7 tips help you create better recruiting videos and to also understand what coaches are looking for in your video!


Pitchers:
We want to see you throw all of your pitches.  FB, CB, SL, CH, whatever you've got, show it to us in the video.  Be sure to throw them out of the windup and the stretch!

It's not a bad idea to show it from a few different angles too.  Have some video of the camera behind the mound (so we can watch the flight of the ball), and some video of you from your open side (camera at 3B for a right handed pitcher) so that we can really watch your mechanics.

What do your Social Media profiles say about you?

The Internet has changed over the past 5 or 6 years and is now primarily dominated by social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.  I'd be willing to be that the majority of people reading this found out about it through Facebook or Twitter!  On my social media pages I try to share catching tips, general baseball knowledge, motivation, and updates about myself and the ETSU baseball program.  Here is the question though, what are you sharing on yours?

I'm not exactly referring to the coaches or parents who follow me, but really I'm talking about the players.  There is a lot of competition among players to earn athletic scholarships or sign professional baseball contracts.  How do you think coaches/scouts decide which players they want in their program or organization?  There are two main things that coaches look at: 1) The players athletic ability and skill/talent level and, 2) The player's make up.

The talent is easy to evaluate.  Anyone who earns their living by coaching or scouting baseball can go to a game and pretty quickly tell you who the best player on the field is.  What is more difficult is trying to determine if the player is going to work hard, stay out of trouble, act in the manner that you want him to act, and basically be an "ideal" student-athlete.

Coaches will try to determine the player's make up through telephone calls, emails, talking to references, and campus visits, but it can still be hard to know if the player is really being sincere or just on his best behavior while around a coach/scout.  However, it is very easy to click on a player's Facebook or Twitter page and see how they act when they're not around you!

For example, I follow a lot of players that I'm recruiting on Twitter and I can learn a lot about them by doing so.  You would be surprised how many players regularly post inappropriate photos, dirty jokes, and write words that wouldn't make their mother proud!  What do you think that tells me about them?  Does that make me want to continue recruiting them, or move on to the next player who has similar skill set?

So, from now on, you aren't allowed to make the excuse that "I didn't know coach was reading what I was posting" or "Why would he be looking at my Instagram photos?"  Coaches are looking at how you act...all the time!  Once your baseball days are over your future employers will be doing the same thing so please make wise decisions!  It is so easy pull up a person's history on the Internet now that you have to be really careful about how you project yourself.

If you think people aren't paying attention to what you're saying online you're wrong!  Watch what you say or write and think if what you're communicating reflects positively or negatively on you as a person!

In case you haven't seen my social media profiles here is a link to each of them:

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

What's the scariest part about being a catcher?

If you haven't caught before you may not know exactly what can be the scariest part about the position.  It seems obvious that it would be getting hit by a swinging bat or getting run over on a tag play at home plate.  If you ask me though, neither of those are remotely close to as scary as having an uneasy feeling about which pitch the pitcher is throwing.

Every pitching staff seems to have at least one pitcher who crosses up the catcher on a consistent basis.  Sometimes it's because he forgets to wear his contacts and doesn't want to tell anyone, he can't remember the signals with a runner on second base, or just plain "can't see at night."  As a catcher, it's very unsettling when he is on the mound and you aren't 100% sure which pitch he is going to throw.  When we're expecting an off-speed pitch to be thrown and the pitcher throws a fastball it is scary and can do serious damage to a catcher!

If you've read my book, Catching-101: The Complete Guide for Baseball Catchers, you would know that there are a few things that I have recommended to catchers that can help the pitcher have an easier time seeing the signals.  Some of these are putting chalk on your fingers, using athletic tape between the knuckles, or even using white out on the catcher's fingernails.  Until now, my favorite has been using white out.  The problem with white out is that it can be a real pain to try to get off of your hand and sometimes takes days to fully remove all of it!

There is a new product available called Game Signs (www.dontgetcrossedup.com) that now seems to be the best solution.  Game Signs are stickers that come in 3 different colors (white, safety yellow, safety orange) that are placed on the catcher's fingernails.  From my experience with them they seem to work really well.

When I first heard about the product I thought it was a good idea, but I was curious how they would actually hold up in a game situation.  My biggest concern was if they would come off when a catcher is taking his batting gloves on/off.  From my experience, they seem to stick really well and they shouldn't come off unintentionally.

Each sticker is in the shape of a fingernail and is about .5" wide by .25" tall.  They will probably be a perfect fit on youth players fingernails and take up about half of the fingernail on college/professional players.  My first thought was that I wished they were slightly larger and took up the entire fingernail, but after testing they're actually a good size that is easily visible by the pitcher.

I'm a fan of Game Signs because I know how frustrating it can be to have a pitcher on the mound that crosses you up time and time again.  This is a great product that I'm going to require my catchers to use...there is no reason not to use them because they only costs about $.50/game!  Check out Game Signs at DontGetCrossedUp.com.

Send me Catching-101 and I'll sign it for you!

My book, Catching-101: The Complete Guide for Baseball Catchers, has seen great success since it's release a few months ago.  It has been named to two different Best Sellers lists: Amazon (under the category of baseball coaching books), and AuthorHouse (my publisher).  While those are great honors, the most satisfying thing so far has been the emails that I've received from parents about how much their catcher has enjoyed the book and how much they have learned.  That's the real reason that I wrote it, so that catchers all over the country can take advantage of the things that I've learned.

A lot of these people have asked that I would sign their copy and I'm more than happy to do so!  If you have purchased my book and would like for me to sign it please send it, with return postage, to:

Xan Barksdale Baseball, LLC

P.O. Box 5546

Johnson City, TN 37602

If you would like me to personalize it just include a short note of who I should make it out to.

Thanks to everyone who has read it and made it as popular as it is!

Coach Barksdale's Top 10 Holiday Gifts!

For those of you who were signed up for my email newsletter last year you may remember my holiday gift guide.  I got a lot of positive feedback from parents and players about that newsletter so I thought I'd do it again this year.  In this blog post I'll list my Top 10 Holiday Gifts for Catchers in 2011.  The gifts will range from about $5 to around $300 so there will be something for everyone.

Happy Holidays!

10.  Hitting Jack-It: $19.95 and Up

The first item on my list is the Hitting Jack-It.  Although this isn't related to catching this is a piece of equipment that I think every player can benefit from.  I've always been a big advocate of swinging a weighted bat because I feel like that played an important role in my development as a baseball player.  The nice thing about these bat weights is that you're able to hit balls off a tee or short toss with the weight on your bat.  Some of the bulkier bat weights don't allow players to do this.  As far as offensive products go, this is my favorite hitting accessory on the market!

9.  RightView Pro - Video Analysis Software: $250 - $3000

If you have heard me speak before, or read my book, you will know that I am a big time believer in video analysis systems...and this is the king of them all!  This may not be in everyone's price range this holiday season, but if you're looking for a video system this is the one you want.  These are most commonly used to study video footage of hitters and pitchers, but there is no reason that catchers can't be filmed receiving, blocking, or throwing.  There are a lot of other video systems out there that may seem more cost effective, but I would urge you to spend a little more money and get RightView Pro if you're looking for video analysis software.  Put simply, it's the best there is!

8.  For Love of the Game DVD: $5.49

This is one of the best baseball movies of all time!  While the main character is a pitcher, you can get an inside look at the relationship between a pitcher and his catcher.  This is one of those movies that baseball guys can watch 50 times and not get tired of it!  You can't call yourself a baseball player if you don't own this movie on DVD.  There is no reason not to own it because it's only $5.49 on Amazon.  This is a great stocking stuffer!

7.  Oakley Flak Jacket: $90-140

Every baseball player needs a good pair of sunglasses, and nobody makes them better than Oakley.  These are stylish glasses, but the main reason that I like them is because they're not too big and bulky and can easily be worn underneath the facemask.  Some of the larger sunglasses seem to be too cumbersome to wear during a game, but these don't ever cause a problem.  Pick out a color scheme to match your team colors!  These can also be found on Amazon.com.

6.  EvoShield Spartan Wristguard: $21.99

This has become a very popular item among all baseball players, but it's especially useful for catchers.  Sure, it's stylish and there are a lot of colors to choose from, but what I really like about this wristguard is how much protection it offers.  All catchers know that one of the most painful get hit is in the wrist.  There isn't a whole lot of "meat on the bones" around the wrist and this area is exposed when blocking balls.  Plus, the neoprene design helps keep sweat off of your hands during those hot summer games.  For only $22 this is something that every catcher should have...for protection, and for style!

5.  Catcher's Thumb: $35

This product has been able to help thousands of players not lose innings behind the plate due to nagging thumb injuries.  Most people wait to order one until they have suffered a hyper-extended or broken thumb, but it's great for preventative reasons as well.  The off season is a great time to start using one so that you don't get hurt during spring training and set yourself back.  If you order a backup Catcher's Thumb they're on sale 2 for $60.

4.  Catcher's Performance Summary iPhone/iPad App: $12.99

The CPS app works on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.  It was released just before last baseball season and is being used by some of the top college baseball programs.  It allows you to capture the most detailed defensive statistics available for catchers and immediately email them after the game is over.  This helps catchers by making them aware of exactly how many balls they are blocking and blocking, their pop times, Catcher's Earned Run Average, and a ton of other useful statistics.  If you've got an iPhone you need this app!

3.  Baseball Express Gift Certificate
The perfect gift for the baseball player that already has everything!  Baseball Express is the #1 place on the Internet for baseball equipment and clothing so I'm sure he'll be able to find something there!

2.  All-Star CM3000SBT Catcher's Mitt: $299.99

If you follow me on twitter or facebook you've probably heard me say a number of times that my favorite catching gear is made by All-Star.  I believe that they make the highest quality catching equipment that you can find and their mitts are no exception.  This is the mitt that I used my last few years with the Braves and I would recommend it to anyone.  There are a few different sizes to choose from, but my personal preference was the "SBT"...that's the smaller size.  Getting a mitt for the holidays gives the player plenty of time to break it in before the season starts!

1.  Catching-101: The Complete Guide for Baseball Catchers: $24.99
My book has already made my publisher's "Best Sellers" list and I have gotten a ton of nice comments from parents, coaches, and players about how much they have learned from it.  If your catcher doesn't own it yet this is a perfect time of year to get it for them!  Even though it may be too cold to get outside and practice this book will help your catcher have a better understanding of the position so that when spring practice starts he'll be a step ahead!

Do you know the NCAA recruiting rules that coaches have to follow?

As a recruiter, I run across a lot of players and parents that aren't aware of the recruiting rules coaches have to follow based on the NCAA rules.  That's really no surprise because the manual that coaches have to follow looks like a phone book!  Some of the rules that I'm referring to are things like: when can a coach call you on the phone; when can a coach email you; can a coach text message you; why didn't that coach speak to you at the tournament last weekend when you walked right by him?  These are just a few situations that come up quite often, but there are plenty of others that you might have questions about too.

If you really want to learn the rules you should go right to the source, the NCAA DI Coaches Manual.  There is a lot more info in there than you will probably need, but it's a good resource to have if you have any questions.  In particular, chapter 13 (Recruiting), is where you will need to look for most of the issues that deal with PSAs (Prospective Student Athletes).

The best part is that it's free to download!  I think it's a good idea for players, parents, and summer ball/HS coaches to be familiar with the rules.  I would recommend downloading it and saving it for a later date because you may not have any questions now, but they will more than likely arise as you get deeper into the recruiting process.

I hope you find this useful and that it helps you better understand the rules that coaches must follow throughout the recruiting process!

Follow this link to the NCAA DI Coaches Manual 2011-2012.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  Partly because I love the turkey, dressing, pecan pie, and all of the other great food, but mainly because I get to spend time with my family.  For a college baseball coach, Thanksgiving is one of 2 or 3 times a year that I get an opportunity to go home and spend a few days at my parent's house.  I love college baseball, and I love coaching, but I really LOVE getting to come home and spend time with my mom, dad, brother, 2 nieces, and all of my old friends that I only get to see a few times a year.

I'm thankful that I'm able to make a living doing what I love (coaching baseball), but it is an extremely time consuming occupation.  The majority of a coach's time is spent practicing, recruiting, playing games, and being on the road.  This doesn't leave a whole lot of time for other things and thats OK with me because I wouldn't want to be doing anything other than coaching.  But, when I'm able to get home for a few days and spend time with my family I realize what I'm most thankful for!

I'm thankful for all of our military, past and present, who have sacrificed so that we're able to live in the greatest nation on earth.

Readers of this blog are usually split into one of three categories - players, coaches, or parents of players.  To all of the players out there I hope that you're thankful to be able to play the great game of baseball.  Thankful for your coaches spending time with you, thankful for your parents giving you rides to and from the ballpark, thankful that you have a glove to put on your hand to play catch, and thankful for your health which allows you to play baseball.

Thanksgiving is an excellent time to remind ourselves how lucky each one of us actually are...and to load up on turkey and dressing too!  Happy Thanksgiving!