Do's and Don'ts of a College Visit

Going on college visits can be very nerve racking. You feel as though you are being watched and judged by every movement you make. While this is true, it is very important that you relax. If you were invited on a visit it is because the coaches like you as a player already and they are thinking of giving you an offer. Coaches just want to let you see the school so they can make their pitch for you to choose them and they want to get to know you more as a person. As long as you act professionally and respectfully everything will be fine. If you can follow the advice I provide below, you will have nothing to worry about when it comes to your college visits.

1. Wear something professional. You don't need to wear a suit or a tie, but you should wear a button down or polo with khakis. Do not wear anything from another college unless it is your JUCO. Parents, you too, no other schools attire, I don't care if that is where you went to school.

2. Look your coach in the eye. Eye contact=confidence and there is nothing more attractive to a coach than confidence. If you are constantly looking down or away from him when he is talking to you, it does not make a good impression.

3. Give a firm handshake. This does not mean crushing his hand, (you know who you are and you aren't impressing anyone), just go in strong and get a clean grip. NO LIMP FISH HANDSHAKES. This will probably result in a reduction of scholarship money and future playing time. Just kidding, but not really.

4. Speak with confidence. Speak loud enough for them to hear you and be confident with your answers. Below is a list of questions they might ask you.

---Tell me about yourself-Give a quick overview as to why you want to play college baseball. Explain the path you took to get to where you are in you baseball career.

---What is your biggest strength as a player? What part of your is the most developed/what part of your game do you take the most pride in?

---What part of your game is your biggest weakness? Be honest here, everyone has a weak area in this game and it is okay to admit it. No one will believe you if you say all 5 tools are equally as strong. Not even Mike Trout can say that.

---What are you looking for in a school? You should want to go somewhere where you think you will get a good opportunity to play, has good academics, and somewhere that plays good competition. Tell them this and explain why their school fits this description.

• 5. Treat everyone you interact with with respect. A big mistake kids make is being disrespectful to their parents. Hold the door for them and speak to them with respect. Nothing will be a bigger turnoff to a coach than a kid who is disrespectful to his parents. It shows immaturity and a disrespect for authority, which are at the top of the list of things coaches are looking for in a kids make-up.

I know how scary these visits can be, but in reality they are simple. If you have confidence and act respectfully the coaches will like what they see. The hard part is over, they like you as a player, showing them that you can act like a professional adult should be easy. Follow the tips above, calm down, relax and enjoy the experience. Unless you act like a complete jerk, you are not going to affect a whole lot with regards to you offer or opportunity based on how a visit goes.