This CDP Lays It On The Line

The rap against what many call travel teams and what we more appropriately call College Development Programs(CDP's) is that any parent can buy his son on any team.

Honestly, we have known programs like that and it's sad that a program coordinator would put their own financial greed ahead of what is really good for the young player...and that is the truth. These shady travel programs are no different than Ponzi Scheme cons or greedy mortgage brokers that have brought down our economy...they would do anything and say anything for money.

If a player is not a prospect at any level, then he should be told that...In the end, it hurts everyone involved to lead them on and give them false hope. It hurts the families wallet, the players self esteem and WILL ruin the reputation of Elite baseball as a whole.

One such CDP that tells it like it is and publishes those words on their web site is NORCAL. Here's a paragraph that we pasted from the front page of their site....

"Many players and families approach our club for the wrong reasons. They are looking for an easy way to succeed. We are looking for players that are willing to work hard on and off the field and will be as committed to us as we are to them. The greatest compliment you can give a player is that he is a great teammate. Does that fit you? If so, you might be a good fit for our program."

Folks, there is no easy way to succeed. There are no shortcuts, guarantees, or favors. A player/prospect has to earn every ounce of success he expects to get out of this game.

Playing baseball at the next level is not an entitlement. Colleges are looking for players that have a passion for the game. They demand an unbridled work ethic. It's not just about playing everyday...although that helps...it's about being a student of the game and learning something new every time a player straps on those cleats.

Playing at the next level is about being a teammate, a leader either by example or by actual managing skills a young player may have. It's about being committed to a players own stated goals and the goals of the team.

But above all, it's about a player being honest with himself. Before any player embarks on a baseball journey, make sure that it really is their dream and not the parents. Too many times, a player goes through the motions and exerts false energy towards a goal that is not his.

The NORCAL club has the guts to explain all of this up front. And they have the resume of players to back it up. Not everyone makes it in their program, but a larger percentage of their players do and it's all because they can identify who has the passion and who does not.