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We are excited to welcome Coach Darren Siler to the podcast. Coach Siler is the head baseball coach at John Carroll School in Bel Air, Maryland where he has led his alma mater’s baseball program since 2016. The 2018 John Steadman High School Baseball Coach of the Year and Maryland State Association Baseball Coaches Coach of the Year brings a wealth of baseball knowledge and experience to the podcast. Coach Siler has played and coached baseball all over the world. He has coached extensively in Europe, where he served as a Portuguese National Team Assistant Coach and Academy Development Coach. While in Europe he also coached several club teams to European Cup Qualifiers and international tournaments in Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Spain, Germany and Italy. Most recently, he traveled to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Japan, and Italy for coaching stints. Stay tuned as we pick his brain about sending players to the college level, how his international baseball experience influences running a title contending program, and tell some funny international baseball stories. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

Episode 2 of our new season of the KPB Podcast is a conversation with Alec Smith, who has a long track record of coaching baseball at all different levels in the Sacramento Area. Smith is the founder of Best Speed Baseball Academy, co-founder of Adi-Speed National Team, a three-time varsity head coach, and also spent 4 years as a junior college assistant coach with Cosumnes River College. Countless players from Smith's programs have gone on to play at all college levels and have success, which opens the door  to an insightful conversation where we pick his brain about leading players and families through the recruiting process and what recruiting looks like from his unique perspective. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

This episode kicks off a new season of KPB Podcast episodes where we sit down with coaches most familiar with the recruiting process. We are excited to kick the season off with Jim Maciejeski, athletic director and head baseball coach of the Mauldin Mavs in Mauldin, SC. Coach “Mach” has been coaching for 17 years, including the last 12 as a head coach. He is also in his 3rd year as athletic director at Mauldin High. In addition to his high school coaching, Maciejewski has spent 5 summers with USA Baseball as a member of their scouting Task Force, and most recently working with the 13/14 year-old Athlete Development Program and 15U National Team Trials. He’s sent numerous players on to the college ranks and has a number of former players playing professionally, as well. Above all else, Coach Mach is a student of the game and runs an outstanding program for his players. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

A targeted email to a program of interest remains one of the best ways to get recruited. Yet, many recruits mess up this valuable opportunity to create a meaningful connection. Why? Most players don’t have the patience or do the prep work required to knock the email out of the park.  If you have the patience to listen to this short episode, you'll learn how to email college coaches the right way. In just 8 minutes, you'll walk away with the blueprint for writing an email that will lead to your recruitment. Have a listen, follow up with the links below, and give yourself the best chance at getting recruited from your intro emails! Additional Articles and Resources: Contacting College Coaches: How to Write an Intro Email This Podcast Episode in Thread Format How to Create A Successful DIY Recruiting Video You May Also Be Interested in:  How to Use Social Media to Get Recruited --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this episode, are excited to be joined on today’s podcast by Colorado Rockies Data and Game Planning Coordinator and former Big League infielder, Doug Bernier. A California native, Bernier’s baseball career included success at every single level. After college baseball stops at Cuesta College and Oral Roberts University, Bernier started an incredible 16-year professional baseball career, which included 4 seasons in the Majors and over 1500 professional games. Bernier and his wife, Sarah, generously give back to the game through Pro Baseball Insider (probaseballinsider.com), an organization providing free instruction for aspiring ballplayers given directly from professional players. In addition to talking with Doug about how he maintained consistency and focus during the ups and downs of the better part of 2 decades in professional baseball, we pick his brain about his days as a professional scout and now a coach with the Rockies Big League squad. You won't want to miss this one! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

We've been sensing a great deal of panic among recruits and parents who have become fixated on the recruiting shutdown and D1 baseball's prolonged dead period due to COVID-19. In this episode, we try to put those fears to rest and explain why now is the time to plan and prepare, not panic. This episode follows a round-table discussion put on by our friends at the 3-2 Count Foundation exploring this new age of recruiting from multiple vantage points. We strongly suggest you check out the video here after listening to this episode!  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

We are excited to be joined by Sacramento area native and Philadelphia Phillies Catcher Andrew Knapp on the KPB Podcast for this fun episode. A former standout for the California Golden Bears, Knapp quickly rose through the minor league ranks, making his Big League debut on April 6, 2017. Knapp comes from a baseball family as his father Mike played 10 years of professional baseball and his younger brother, Aaron, is currently playing in the minors. This will be Knapp’s fourth season with the Phillies, and he comes back to Philadelphia after a strong second half where he hit .271 with a .346 OBP. More importantly, he is one of the truly good guys in baseball. Knapp has been a huge supporter of KPB and uses his platform to give back and do good for his communities. In addition to talking about his path to the Big Leagues, we talk about his time in college, his routines and preparation, as well as some light-hearted questions like, what would you change if you were commissioner? And, what three teammates would you bring with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?  You won't want to miss this great conversation, which comes with yelling children in the background (podcasting is hard when quarantining with kids!) and plenty of gems to get you better! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

In light of disruptions to normal academic schedules, the NCAA Eligibility Center has modified initial eligibility requirements for D1 and D2 bound players. Among the changes we discuss in this podcast are: No standardized test requirements for 2020 graduates Implications for PASS/FAIL grading implemented this spring and summer Importance of a 2.3 GPA (D1) or 2.2 GPA (D2) in 10 core courses (7 math/english/science) prior to start of senior year Listen in for more information of check out the NCAA article directly HERE. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

When you are sitting at home all day, every day, it's easy to get discouraged or get into a funk. Even with limited resources, you can still use your time in self-quarantine to get better and stay on track to play college baseball! In this podcast, we discuss 6 areas where you can continue to improve that will help you with your dreams of playing at the next level. Listen in to learn about improving in the following areas: Academics Strength & Conditioning Skill Development Mental Game Recruiting Strategic Planning  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

The D1 Council ruling just came out and it's good news for college baseball players, particularly seniors. We discuss: 1. The D1 Council giving every college baseball player from this year an additional year of eligibility 2. The ability for seniors to have their scholarship renewed for the additional year (at the discretion of the school, who may also reduce or eliminate the scholarship for the returning player) 3. The elimination of D1 baseball roster limits and the ability for programs to exceed 11.7 total scholarships as a result of only senior scholarship renewals for the 2021 season Plus what it means for current players and recruits! Listen in now! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this short episode, we discuss the impact the Corona Virus is having on college baseball and the recruiting process, including NCAA and NAIA updates on eligibility. Want to know what you can do right now to give yourself the best shot at making it to the next level in spite of what will be the most competition for roster spots and scholarship money ever? We discuss. Listen in! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

Daily KPB In this episode, we follow the lead of our popular written article about the risks and rewards of walking on. You can read the written article here.  Listen in to learn about: 1. Different types of walk-on opportunities 2. Questions to ask when offered a walk-on opportunity 3. Risks and rewards that come with walk-on opportunities --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

The most comprehensive and important #KPBpodcast episode on parents' role in the recruiting process is here! Following the same format as our Parents' Role in the Recruiting Process mini-series, we break down everything a parent needs to know to understand their role in the recruiting process and successfully help their son find a college baseball fit. In this episode, we break down: 1) An overview of parents' role in the recruiting process and how to how to appropriately be involved in the process 2) What parents can do during each of the 10 steps of the recruiting process  to help their son 3) The 5 most important responsibilities and roles of parents throughout the entire process You won't want to miss it. Click play now and follow up on the additional parent resources we mention by reading the articles on the site! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

In this episode, we discuss what it takes to plan out your return to throwing and competitive action in a safe and effective way. We discuss terminology, like "on-ramping", that you are likely to hear and what it means. Most importantly, we encourage you to plan your return to baseball activity now so the holidays and poor weather don't slow your progress. Listen in now! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

In our annual college coaches survey, coaches routinely rank non-baseball related recruit attributes as being more important than physical ability and baseball skills. Why? Having a baseline level of athletic or baseball ability is the only way that a coach will continue to completely evaluate a player. So among players who meet that threshold, it is often stuff other than on-field skill that separates them from other recruits. Want to learn more about this? Listen in to this episode!  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

A successful recruiting process is one where the player finds a lasting college baseball fit. It's a situation where the player puts themselves in a position to achieve their college goals and enjoy their time doing it. Why, then, do so many people get caught up in chasing the highest level? The D1 experience, even when it doesn't fit what they want in a college experience? Sometimes it's hard to pass on shiny things. In this episode, we explain why it's important to keep program fit at the forefront of your college baseball search and not get tricked by level designation or the pursuit of D1 baseball. Listen in to find out more! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

Daily KPB This is the podcast version of the written article by the same title on the KPB website. Many college players that we talk to reflect back on campus visits as one of their best memories of the recruiting process. Think of it like the MTV Cribs of college baseball. Coaches open up the doors and peel back the curtains to their program and provide you with an opportunity to see what your life could look like if you end up at their program.  Campus visits are a two-way interview. You have the opportunity to ask questions and evaluate whether the program is a fit for you and coaches have an opportunity to get to know you better and evaluate if you are a fit for their program. When done correctly, the visit should allow you the chance to get all the information that you need from coaches to make an educated decision on program fit. If the sound of getting to explore your college baseball opportunities in person doesn’t excite you, you may want to evaluate whether college baseball is right for you. While campus visits should be fun and informative, they are also a big stepping stone in the recruiting process. We’ve lived through and heard plenty of stories of campus visits that go poorly. There’s nothing wrong with getting to campus and realizing that a school isn’t a fit for you, in fact that’s great! You don’t, however, want to ruin your chances with a school that interests you because of silly mistakes. In order to help you avoid making preventable mistakes, here’s a list of 7 ways that campus visits often go wrong and advice for not letting that happen to you. After listening to this and our How to Ace a Campus Visit article, you’ll be prepared to dominate your time on campus and can focus on just being the best version of yourself! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

Congratulations to everyone who is making their commitments official today or sometime during the signing period! In this quick episode, we have words of advice for signees and those who haven't yet found their program. Check it out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

Daily KPB This is the podcast version of our written article by the same title, which can be read here. With the signing period starting in just a few days, there will likely be a wave of commitments in the coming weeks. If you are one of the recruits making a commitment or that will be you at some point, this podcast is for you! In this episode, we will address the way to handle your commitment the right way. The baseball world is small and the last thing you want to do during what is supposed to be a happy time is burn any bridges or have a bunch of college coaches angry with you. To stay in the good graces of everyone you have interacted with during your commitment, follow the 5 steps discussed! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support

Daily KPB Want to know what college coaches are looking for in recruits? Than you've come to the right place! In this episode, we read quotes and provide insight directly from college coaches about the skills and qualities they are wanting to see out of recruits. All you have to do is listen up and get to work building these desired skill sets! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/keep-playing-baseball/support