Full Transcript for Episode #75: Kyle Crookes on Recruiting

00:04:04.224 --> 00:04:12.685 You can be a strong physical player that can impact the game, through your work in the weight rooms, through something you can control, and I think that's a big thing. 00:04:13.044 --> 00:04:16.375 That makes you a difference maker because you can impact the game right away. 00:04:16.745 --> 00:04:21.605 We don't have to wait on you to develop physically, even though your skillset may be there. 00:04:21.894 --> 00:04:23.035 'Cause you're playing, at any level. 00:04:23.045 --> 00:04:25.475 when you transition from high school, you're playing at a different level. 00:04:25.475 --> 00:04:29.584 You're playing at a higher level and you're playing against older dudes who don't care that you're 18. 00:04:29.675 --> 00:04:30.875 They just wanna beat you. 00:04:31.175 --> 00:04:31.504 That's right. 00:04:31.504 --> 00:04:33.110 So like you better be physical. 00:04:33.209 --> 00:04:35.040 people talk about slowing the game down a lot. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:38.500 And I think, those definitions probably run the gamut in terms of what that means. 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:45.089 But there's a way to go about playing that I think really lends itself to having success for us immediately. 00:04:45.470 --> 00:04:52.670 And that becomes like the maturity of how you go about doing everything that you do to prepare to play. 00:04:53.750 --> 00:04:55.579 And it shows up when kid's play. 00:04:56.069 --> 00:04:58.560 there's intentional reps versus just reps. 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:00.269 everything's got intentionality. 00:05:00.269 --> 00:05:02.930 And I think that's something that a lot of people just don't know. 00:05:02.980 --> 00:05:04.240 ignorance's not a terrible word. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:06.129 It literally means you just, you're not aware. 00:05:06.129 --> 00:05:06.819 You just don't know. 00:05:06.819 --> 00:05:08.199 You haven't been told, you're not taught. 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:11.980 And I think a lot of people are ignorant in terms of what, an intentionally prepared player looks like. 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:14.259 And those things separate too. 00:05:14.290 --> 00:05:20.199 There's some guys that have an elevated sense of maturity that are more ready to help this program sooner because. 00:05:20.875 --> 00:05:26.045 A lot of the things we're doing are in sync with how they've been thinking since they've been in high school. 00:05:26.045 --> 00:05:28.985 And then there's a lot of guys that they don't know why they're doing what they're doing. 00:05:28.985 --> 00:05:33.754 They're just doing what they're told and they do as little as they need to,'cause they're pretty talented. 00:05:34.144 --> 00:05:35.014 And they move on. 00:05:35.014 --> 00:05:37.264 And then when they get here, it doesn't matter who you are. 00:05:37.264 --> 00:05:39.995 Like, I don't care how physical you are, we're gonna ask you to do these things. 00:05:39.995 --> 00:05:44.464 And if you're not used to intentionally approaching practice in a certain way, it can be a challenge. 00:05:44.464 --> 00:05:46.564 We're investing a whole, there's a lot of emotional and. 00:05:46.745 --> 00:05:51.154 Mental investment in what we're asking you to do, a lot of understanding that we're asking you to do. 00:05:51.154 --> 00:05:54.454 And if you're not used to thinking about the game, you've just been better than everybody your whole life. 00:05:54.454 --> 00:05:55.235 That makes it tough. 00:05:55.714 --> 00:05:59.654 So it's, it's the physical side of it that you can control. 00:05:59.654 --> 00:06:04.660 And then, the understanding of like actual preparation for what we are going to do as a team. 00:06:05.139 --> 00:06:12.860 And some guys like really have a great feel for the game and probably their fathers and or mothers or both. 00:06:13.490 --> 00:06:15.170 Played the game at a relatively high level. 00:06:15.170 --> 00:06:15.230 Yeah. 00:06:15.230 --> 00:06:23.240 So those conversations are, being had at home About how they practice versus or they had an older brother that went through either the program or another program. 00:06:23.649 --> 00:06:26.600 I think, finding people that have that background helps a little bit. 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:32.970 It's a leg up, I think, on on impacting a program right away for that parent that's listening to this. 00:06:33.750 --> 00:06:35.970 Use one of your seniors as an example. 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:38.879 What does that intentional prep look like? 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:44.415 Give an example of what from one of your kids that's been with you for four or five years compared to a freshman walk in the door. 00:06:45.105 --> 00:06:49.464 Vance Tobel, who's our starting left fielder every day has always been pretty physical. 00:06:49.464 --> 00:06:50.845 That's what got him here, I think. 00:06:50.875 --> 00:06:53.305 And he always just had a really good habit of, finding hits. 00:06:53.355 --> 00:06:55.214 We weren't really sure what position he was gonna play. 00:06:55.725 --> 00:06:57.555 And he registered his first year. 00:06:57.904 --> 00:07:00.274 And he continued to work on his body, but that was a strength. 00:07:00.274 --> 00:07:06.394 So I think that was something that he felt good about doing'cause he was good at it, but his intentionality became okay. 00:07:06.394 --> 00:07:08.855 I'm no longer the biggest and the strongest anymore. 00:07:08.855 --> 00:07:13.444 I can see that I need to find a way to be more of a com. 00:07:13.444 --> 00:07:16.745 Like just touching the ball and being stronger doesn't work anymore. 00:07:17.194 --> 00:07:21.035 What do I need to do to be a great player? 00:07:21.394 --> 00:07:22.714 Or, for Central Missouri? 00:07:22.714 --> 00:07:24.245 And first was finding a position. 00:07:25.235 --> 00:07:28.144 So like he was always a hitter, so they just shoved him at third. 00:07:28.144 --> 00:07:29.134 They'd shov him at first. 00:07:29.134 --> 00:07:31.625 I think he pitched some in high school, just all over

the place. 00:07:31.884 --> 00:07:33.954 Find a position and own that position. 00:07:34.435 --> 00:07:44.004 And it took him a couple years because nobody really likes to talk about defense or how to be great at it, but that's like a number one priority for us when we're shoving guys out on the field. 00:07:44.274 --> 00:07:45.144 So Hey Vance. 00:07:45.725 --> 00:07:46.745 And it took him a while. 00:07:46.745 --> 00:07:50.375 So he was an all American DH for us before he was our left fielder. 00:07:50.745 --> 00:07:52.634 You only get, there's only one DH in the lineup. 00:07:52.634 --> 00:07:55.995 So you're really, you don't wanna put yourself in that pigeon hole in high school, right? 00:07:56.295 --> 00:07:59.985 So find a position, own it, be great at it, at all the details. 00:07:59.985 --> 00:08:01.725 And he has found a way to do that. 00:08:01.725 --> 00:08:03.225 Now, he is our starting left fielder every day. 00:08:03.225 --> 00:08:06.285 And actually the beginning of the year, he had done so well that I started him in center. 00:08:06.764 --> 00:08:11.024 He is, he's a fantastic athlete, but he's really grown himself, defensively. 00:08:11.024 --> 00:08:16.694 And it, honestly, the biggest change he made was how intentional he was when he was a practice defending. 00:08:17.555 --> 00:08:28.384 When you're around a bunch of people that you love, it's really easy to talk and I don't know, just not focus on the details that are right in front of you and you could, I can see it, I could see it in him from the day he made the decision to do it. 00:08:28.805 --> 00:08:34.205 And for the last two to three years, he's been as diligent, a worker as anybody defensively. 00:08:34.205 --> 00:08:35.705 But it took him two years to get there. 00:08:36.095 --> 00:08:38.134 And then offensively he found a routine. 00:08:38.164 --> 00:08:39.424 He's a very gifted hitter. 00:08:39.875 --> 00:08:41.615 That doesn't mean you get to just show up and hit. 00:08:42.125 --> 00:08:51.144 The other guy that's on the mountain is on scholarship too, and he's probably gonna pitch you big, strong guy a certain way, and you better be really good at understanding what that is and how to, and how to combat that, so to speak. 00:08:51.144 --> 00:08:54.835 So he's found himself an incredibly good routine. 00:08:55.325 --> 00:08:57.485 He shows up to the park before everybody else. 00:08:58.024 --> 00:09:01.174 He goes through his t routine, his flip routine is machine routine. 00:09:01.174 --> 00:09:03.924 And the best part about this is he normally drags somebody in with him. 00:09:03.924 --> 00:09:06.914 So they Have to work with him, which is awesome'cause he's paying it forward. 00:09:07.154 --> 00:09:07.605 That's great. 00:09:07.644 --> 00:09:16.995 And so that guy's learning that diligence and he's doing it and he did it before his All American DH year and he hasn't stopped doing it since. 00:09:17.355 --> 00:09:25.394 So that's three years of every day of being the first guy in the building to do what he needs to do to prepare to be ready for practice. 00:09:26.235 --> 00:09:28.184 To then to prepare to be ready for a game. 00:09:28.424 --> 00:09:31.125 And he does it before every practice and before every game. 00:09:31.154 --> 00:09:32.804 And he hasn't changed in three years. 00:09:32.865 --> 00:09:47.835 And that's what, to me, it looks like, to grow up in this program and find a routine and a process that works for you, that pays attention to the details that you learn, that we care about and that you learn are gonna help you have success. 00:09:47.835 --> 00:09:51.034 And I think, it's turned him into the player that he is today. 00:09:51.085 --> 00:09:55.274 Like 3 74 with 19 home runs and 64 rbis Wow. 00:09:56.054 --> 00:09:57.105 That's a hell of a year. 00:09:57.355 --> 00:10:01.044 And it's hitting in the middle of the order and it's playing the outfield every day. 00:10:01.125 --> 00:10:05.404 it's from a place where when he got here, we weren't sure where he was gonna play. 00:10:05.465 --> 00:10:07.085 We weren't sure what he was gonna do. 00:10:07.164 --> 00:10:08.024 And he did it. 00:10:08.485 --> 00:10:11.625 Intentionally and grew himself into being what he is. 00:10:11.674 --> 00:10:12.794 man, can't be more proud. 00:10:12.794 --> 00:10:15.115 And he's a leader because of how he does it. 00:10:15.355 --> 00:10:18.534 He doesn't have to speak about it, he's not any of that. 00:10:18.904 --> 00:10:21.274 But as I said, he drags people early, work with him. 00:10:22.024 --> 00:10:23.764 And they're better because of him. 00:10:24.065 --> 00:10:26.705 And he's teaching them routines and how much it matters. 00:10:26.764 --> 00:10:33.154 And guys that have grown up with him that are the same age as him know how he's transitioned from being. 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:37.850 We don't know a position to being a dh, to being an everyday outfielder for us. 00:10:37.850 --> 00:10:41.899 And they've watched the growth process too, so other people can speak on what he was and what he's grown into. 00:10:41.899 --> 00:10:44.210 And he becomes an example for this program. 00:10:44.644 --> 00:10:46.684 Sounds like the definition of a multiplier to me. 00:10:47.105 --> 00:10:47.404 Yeah. 00:10:47.404 --> 00:10:48.335 That's a great word for him. 00:10:48.335 --> 00:10:51.154 And ain't nobody else you want in your group pushing a sled other than him. 00:10:51.154 --> 00:10:52.174 I can tell you that right now. 00:10:52.174 --> 00:10:52.414 That's great. 00:10:52.715 --> 00:10:56.014 He will bring the wall for everybody and they would do the same for him. 00:10:56.404 --> 00:10:56.855 Love it. 00:10:57.424 --> 00:11:00.154 I'm sure you've seen this movie, but it's one of my favorites, the love of the Game. 00:11:00.274 --> 00:11:00.784 Kev Koon. 00:11:01.264 --> 00:11:01.475 Yeah. 00:11:01.524 --> 00:11:06.144 my favorite part of that movie is when he can step on the mound and go clear the

mechanism. 00:11:06.195 --> 00:11:19.274 And it just sounds like this young man and yours, he gets that he's able to find that funnel that he can get into before a game, before he steps in the plate and he can clear the mechanism. 00:11:19.274 --> 00:11:31.164 And you just see that we talked about Kyle Tucker, before we start, you just see it's all of a sudden it's like they get a bubble around them and they're not gonna let anything affect that routine and that discipline. 00:11:32.365 --> 00:11:32.634 Yep. 00:11:32.845 --> 00:11:35.514 Yeah, you can feel it, it's way harder in a game to do that. 00:11:35.514 --> 00:11:40.524 But what he does is he puts himself in a position to be as white as he can possibly be for every game. 00:11:41.095 --> 00:11:41.394 Love it. 00:11:41.394 --> 00:11:41.409 And he knows it. 00:11:41.605 --> 00:11:46.394 And yeah, man, when he's locked in the box, everybody in the park knows and there's no avoiding it. 00:11:46.845 --> 00:11:47.924 So fun to watch. 00:11:48.044 --> 00:11:51.445 It's, real quick, I wanna go back to lifting and strength training. 00:11:51.715 --> 00:11:52.014 Yeah. 00:11:52.644 --> 00:11:53.934 High school weight rooms. 00:11:53.934 --> 00:11:56.004 Kids' bench, squat, curl. 00:11:57.054 --> 00:12:05.695 are there things that you want a baseball player doing now to keep those core muscles, the bleaks, the adductors, abductor? 00:12:05.745 --> 00:12:06.225 Is it yoga? 00:12:06.884 --> 00:12:07.096 Is it Pilates? 00:12:07.096 --> 00:12:07.784 Is it ball work? 00:12:08.085 --> 00:12:10.365 Are there things that your strength conditioning coach is doing? 00:12:11.294 --> 00:12:12.284 I think there's tiers of this. 00:12:12.284 --> 00:12:14.294 I don't think people lift enough, in high school. 00:12:14.294 --> 00:12:16.245 I just don't think they take the opportunity to do it. 00:12:16.294 --> 00:12:21.184 We have certain KPIs, like key performance indicators that we use and we hand out to the guys that we recruit, right? 00:12:21.184 --> 00:12:25.884 if you don't front squat 400, if you don't bench 2 25, if you don't deadlift. 00:12:26.304 --> 00:12:29.054 I can't remember what it I don't know if it's 3 85 or 4 85. 00:12:29.085 --> 00:12:30.975 Like those are the top performers in our program. 00:12:30.975 --> 00:12:32.085 Like strength means something. 00:12:32.355 --> 00:12:32.804 Yes. 00:12:32.804 --> 00:12:34.815 So like the Olympic lifts matter. 00:12:34.865 --> 00:12:36.455 If you don't want to clean, I get it. 00:12:36.605 --> 00:12:40.904 High pole, but move white and get strong please. 00:12:41.245 --> 00:12:54.075 And if somebody's willing to Pilates and they're willing to yoga and they're willing to, water bag and rotate and, do rotational movements and stability movements and some things that become more, specific to the movements we make as baseball players. 00:12:54.075 --> 00:12:54.615 Awesome. 00:12:54.615 --> 00:13:06.504 But I would encourage people to get under a bar and move heavy weight I'll give the disclaimer, I don't want anybody to hurt themselves, and I'd rather you move the weight Properly, than just breaking yourself to move weight. 00:13:06.784 --> 00:13:07.804 you need to move weight. 00:13:07.804 --> 00:13:09.934 You need to squat, you need to put a bar on your back. 00:13:09.985 --> 00:13:14.595 or on your shoulders and squat, you need to deadlift you need to bench Because they're resilient bodies. 00:13:14.595 --> 00:13:19.995 You're loading your spine and your body becomes more use to handling the stress. 00:13:19.995 --> 00:13:21.345 That heavier lifting. 00:13:21.735 --> 00:13:28.745 Produces whether it's high volume, but I think safely moving into higher weight is a thing. 00:13:28.745 --> 00:13:36.264 And I think we've gotten so far down the rabbit hole of baseball specific training that guys forgot that big leaguers are. 00:13:37.754 --> 00:13:38.044 Huge. 00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:39.379 And they're strong. 00:13:39.649 --> 00:13:43.620 And yes, they move well, they're incredibly good movers and that does come with it. 00:13:43.649 --> 00:13:45.629 And there's something to understanding that. 00:13:45.990 --> 00:13:49.080 But if you're a great mover and you're gumby and you're totally weak. 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:50.970 Who cares. 00:13:51.210 --> 00:13:53.600 unless you're Chris sale, I don't know that it matters. 00:13:53.929 --> 00:13:57.490 And most of the people we're dealing with aren't that, so you gotta get strong. 00:13:57.539 --> 00:13:58.730 And you can do that. 00:13:58.730 --> 00:14:03.409 It takes zero skill to get under a bar and squat. 00:14:03.965 --> 00:14:09.184 Do it repeatedly three times a week for four years in high school and watch what happens. 00:14:09.365 --> 00:14:10.865 You're the best looking dude in a uniform. 00:14:10.894 --> 00:14:12.304 You feel pretty good about yourself. 00:14:12.424 --> 00:14:13.325 You're pretty strong. 00:14:13.504 --> 00:14:15.815 And when you make contact, the ball's probably gonna go. 00:14:16.125 --> 00:14:18.914 Or if you throw the ball's probably gonna go faster or whatever. 00:14:18.914 --> 00:14:19.934 You're gonna be a better runner. 00:14:19.934 --> 00:14:21.674 You're gonna be a better everything because of it. 00:14:21.735 --> 00:14:27.684 And I see guys go to trainers and facilities and stuff all the time, and these facilities are like. 00:14:28.809 --> 00:14:29.200 Cool. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:30.909 You're shaking a water bag on one leg. 00:14:30.940 --> 00:14:36.809 Like I get it, but I'm sure there's a need for that, but does the 14-year-old need to do that, or does he just need to get strong? 00:14:37.070 --> 00:14:43.220 Let's get him strong and let's see what he can do, after he achieves a certain amount of skill and then you can make him shake a water bag. 00:14:43.340 --> 00:14:43.759 Cool. 00:14:43.909 --> 00:14:44.149 But. 00:14:44.475 --> 00:14:46.274 What all that does for injury prevention. 00:14:46.325 -->

00:14:51.815 it's volumes of how a kid's gonna stay healthy throughout his career playing 40, 50, 60 games in a season. 00:14:51.995 --> 00:14:54.365 If you're not strong, your body's gonna break down your joint. 00:14:54.705 --> 00:14:55.634 we lift during our season. 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:57.168 We lift three times a week during our season. 00:14:57.168 --> 00:14:59.028 We lift four times a week in the off season. 00:14:59.078 --> 00:15:02.168 'cause what's the point of lifting four times a week if you're not gonna lift during the season anyway? 00:15:02.198 --> 00:15:02.739 Yeah, we do. 00:15:02.739 --> 00:15:07.698 And we lift heavy weight in the season and we do a bunch of ply stuff and our strength guy does a really good job. 00:15:07.828 --> 00:15:08.369 But it matters. 00:15:08.369 --> 00:15:10.109 And this is about being recruited too, like Yeah. 00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:11.639 What do you look like in a uniform? 00:15:11.908 --> 00:15:12.144 That's right. 00:15:12.663 --> 00:15:12.783 I. 00:15:13.788 --> 00:15:18.139 That's, and again, this is things that I didn't know and I didn't do well enough as a player in high school. 00:15:18.198 --> 00:15:18.499 I did. 00:15:18.504 --> 00:15:18.644 Me too. 00:15:19.129 --> 00:15:19.339 Me too. 00:15:19.548 --> 00:15:21.739 I'm telling other people because I think it's valuable. 00:15:21.948 --> 00:15:22.249 Yeah. 00:15:22.548 --> 00:15:22.849 Yep. 00:15:23.178 --> 00:15:32.599 I didn't get it till I saw a story on Michael Jordan bench pressing 45 minutes before playing a basketball game, and I'm like, oh my God, he just bench pressed 400 pounds before I went and played a basketball game. 00:15:33.109 --> 00:15:33.469 Yeah. 00:15:33.469 --> 00:15:34.849 And then, made six threes. 00:15:35.479 --> 00:15:36.979 I want to talk to families about this. 00:15:37.158 --> 00:15:38.869 So there's a lot of parents that don't get this. 00:15:38.869 --> 00:15:45.889 The numbers you throw out for bench and your squat and what you're looking for, that's 18 to 24 months of work. 00:15:46.188 --> 00:15:48.658 If you haven't done a lot of that it's a development. 00:15:48.658 --> 00:15:51.869 So if you're 14, man, you might only be benching 60 pounds. 00:15:51.869 --> 00:15:53.668 80, 80 pounds, but yeah, whatever. 00:15:53.673 --> 00:15:57.639 It's, every two, three weeks, can you add five pounds to that, and do it right. 00:15:57.639 --> 00:16:00.668 If you're gonna work with a trainer, find somebody that's gonna teach you how to do it, right? 00:16:00.668 --> 00:16:01.568 So I love that coach. 00:16:02.114 --> 00:16:05.354 I'd rather them spend time in the weight room with a trainer than with a hitting coach at that point. 00:16:05.354 --> 00:16:08.484 Like'cause one, like figure out the skill once you're strong enough to do it. 00:16:08.813 --> 00:16:09.144 Yep. 00:16:09.683 --> 00:16:09.953 All right. 00:16:09.953 --> 00:16:19.994 When you're talking to a recruit what singles to you that the kid is actually coachable and you talked about parents nod their head and not just saying the right things. 00:16:19.994 --> 00:16:24.644 Is there things that you hear and see in a recruit that tell you, this kid's ready to be coached? 00:16:25.928 --> 00:16:27.519 Man, I wish I had that answer. 00:16:27.619 --> 00:16:29.448 And maybe there's a red flag for you. 00:16:29.668 --> 00:16:33.129 so I guess I go to that and this is directed at the parents. 00:16:33.178 --> 00:16:39.649 Parents become the red flags if the parents are speaking for the child, the 18-year-old man at this point in time, or 17-year-old boy or whatever. 00:16:40.038 --> 00:16:42.979 If they're doing most of the talking, that's problematic for me. 00:16:43.219 --> 00:16:44.869 'cause yes, we're recruiting the whole thing. 00:16:45.619 --> 00:16:54.168 The kid is going to be going to school here and if he can't communicate with me because the parents are too busy doing everything, that's a red flag. 00:16:55.038 --> 00:17:00.708 How the kid interacts with his parents, good and or bad is a red flag too. 00:17:01.168 --> 00:17:04.828 So if they don't treat their parents well, I have an issue with that. 00:17:04.858 --> 00:17:09.088 If they speak to their mother, their father in a certain way that I would consider disrespectful. 00:17:09.088 --> 00:17:11.269 And it's hard for me to be specific, but I've heard it. 00:17:11.269 --> 00:17:16.509 Like when somebody says something that makes me cringe, I'm like, no way my dad would hit me if I said that exactly. 00:17:17.078 --> 00:17:23.503 But, so those two things become red flags, eye contact, body language, facial expressions are all things that we'd like to see. 00:17:23.773 --> 00:17:28.584 I'd like to engage the player in and of himself and ask his opinion on a couple things. 00:17:28.644 --> 00:17:30.163 And if he can respond. 00:17:30.163 --> 00:17:43.679 And there, it's not always easy, but if he can respond in a clear, concise answers or he has, there's been a bunch of kids, honestly, that we've recruited that have had really good conversations about what their processes are and we haven't signed a bunch of'em or they've gone other places. 00:17:43.679 --> 00:17:49.138 But those are kids I think that are gonna end up having a decent amount of success because they understand already. 00:17:49.844 --> 00:17:53.844 Hey this is my process and we may adapt it or we may, hone it or refine it a little bit. 00:17:53.844 --> 00:17:59.983 But having a process for how they succeed now is a pretty good indicator of them being willing and open to doing that later. 00:18:00.084 --> 00:18:08.763 I think red flags are probably more what we look for because what we're doing is we're watching a kid play and he's shown us he can play at a level that we think will help us two or three times. 00:18:09.034 --> 00:18:16.413 So now it's about, okay, are there things that stand out once we get a chance to meet him and his family that would deter us from recruiting

him any further? 00:18:16.594 --> 00:18:21.044 and for all my kids out there that I coach and work with on your recruiting, you just heard it from Coach. 00:18:21.044 --> 00:18:28.824 So you wonder why we work on your process so much and why you do what you do and what drives you and why you work the way you work. 00:18:28.874 --> 00:18:31.898 that's why we do it because coaches wanna understand, Did we just catch you on a good day? 00:18:31.898 --> 00:18:33.659 if that's the case, then we got our one. 00:18:33.659 --> 00:18:35.798 That's probably, we're gonna need more than that. 00:18:36.148 --> 00:18:38.288 So if you can repeat what you did, that's a big part of it. 00:18:38.288 --> 00:18:39.669 And our job is to help you with that too. 00:18:39.669 --> 00:18:43.209 But man, if you already have an idea as to what that is, boy, that's huge. 00:18:43.449 --> 00:18:43.898 Love it. 00:18:44.679 --> 00:18:48.459 Is there a common reason why you stop recruiting a kid with a ton of talent? 00:18:48.459 --> 00:18:56.568 Kid that's throwing 93 mile an hour, a kid that's already in the weight room already doing, bating four 50 and killing. 00:18:56.969 --> 00:18:57.239 Is there a reason? 00:18:57.239 --> 00:18:58.378 he told us he's not coming. 00:18:58.378 --> 00:19:03.659 Probably that's, that would be, oh, he is going to Angelo State or Tampa, or he is gonna go to Mizzou or ku. 00:19:03.868 --> 00:19:05.578 but why would you pull away from a kid? 00:19:05.854 --> 00:19:07.804 Why would you stop recruiting a kid with that talent? 00:19:08.074 --> 00:19:14.433 watching him play and realizing what the talent is, but then he acted in a way that was really not in line with what our values are. 00:19:14.534 --> 00:19:15.554 He's a selfish teammate. 00:19:15.604 --> 00:19:18.784 I think Tim Corbin did a really good job of taking the lid off this a long time ago. 00:19:18.784 --> 00:19:20.284 How does he interact with his teammates? 00:19:20.334 --> 00:19:22.044 how does he handle success? 00:19:22.163 --> 00:19:23.364 How does he handle failure? 00:19:23.614 --> 00:19:25.054 How does he handle the umpires? 00:19:25.054 --> 00:19:28.644 What is he doing in between innings, is he engaged with his mom in between innings? 00:19:28.644 --> 00:19:29.273 That's a problem. 00:19:29.273 --> 00:19:29.993 I don't want that. 00:19:30.413 --> 00:19:32.243 Some of those things I think they'd be egregious. 00:19:32.243 --> 00:19:35.183 I think most people would probably see those things and say the same thing. 00:19:35.183 --> 00:19:37.713 And then, honestly, on your recruiting trip, who are you? 00:19:37.923 --> 00:19:43.703 If you're doing us a favor by being on this trip, then sorry, that's not what this is. 00:19:43.784 --> 00:19:50.294 That's probably gonna be, what it is a feel for whether, God's gift has, made himself available for us to recruit him. 00:19:50.294 --> 00:19:51.874 And if that's what it is sorry. 00:19:51.878 --> 00:19:53.949 I'll take the blue collar kid that's still got work to do. 00:19:53.999 --> 00:19:54.628 I'm laughing coach. 00:19:54.628 --> 00:19:56.669 'cause you're answering three questions for everyone I ask. 00:19:56.669 --> 00:19:57.118 It's awesome. 00:19:57.124 --> 00:19:58.834 You're knocking down everything on my list. 00:19:59.253 --> 00:20:06.933 For recruits hoping to play at a top tier D two, like UCM, what's the one thing they should be doing right now that most aren't? 00:20:45.953 --> 00:20:46.913 Depends on how old they are. 00:20:46.913 --> 00:20:47.903 I mentioned the weight room. 00:20:47.973 --> 00:20:49.503 I think you need to care about catch play. 00:20:49.503 --> 00:20:51.003 If you're a position player, that's awesome. 00:20:51.033 --> 00:20:52.023 You gotta be able to hit. 00:20:52.023 --> 00:20:55.273 That's a tool that's really difficult, to teach and to be successful with. 00:20:55.423 --> 00:21:00.223 So saying there are eight positions on the field to play as a hitter, and. 00:21:00.868 --> 00:21:06.148 being really good at defending in one of those positions is probably your best way to get to us. 00:21:06.528 --> 00:21:08.538 Athleticism makes a huge difference. 00:21:08.538 --> 00:21:10.198 Your ability to make outs. 00:21:10.228 --> 00:21:11.488 That's the name of the game. 00:21:11.538 --> 00:21:13.038 we talked about the lifting side of it. 00:21:13.038 --> 00:21:15.078 I think that lends itself to the speed side of it. 00:21:15.128 --> 00:21:20.388 And care about the entire part of the game, not just the hitting side of it. 00:21:20.748 --> 00:21:23.328 Hitting's the most fun, it's the least successful. 00:21:23.578 --> 00:21:24.298 So I get it. 00:21:24.298 --> 00:21:27.078 when you have a bad game, what do you go to the cages and you go Cool. 00:21:27.288 --> 00:21:27.588 But. 00:21:29.133 --> 00:21:30.983 If you can't defend, what am I gonna do? 00:21:31.023 --> 00:21:33.023 There's only one spot in the dh, role. 00:21:33.023 --> 00:21:36.173 So again, like catch plays a huge deal. 00:21:36.223 --> 00:21:38.203 Your ability to handle the glove, handle the ball. 00:21:38.513 --> 00:21:41.723 We play in the Midwest, there's wind everywhere, all over the place. 00:21:41.723 --> 00:21:45.233 If you can't throw into a 30 mile an hour headwind, you can't play the infield for us. 00:21:45.633 --> 00:21:47.163 Or for anybody probably. 00:21:47.163 --> 00:21:49.593 But those are things that I don't know that high school kids are aware of. 00:21:49.983 --> 00:21:51.723 And so you better value the baseball. 00:21:51.723 --> 00:21:54.873 You better make outs and balls that look like they shouldn't be outs into outs. 00:21:54.973 --> 00:21:56.263 And you better learn how to dive. 00:21:56.323 --> 00:21:57.463 You better learn how to give effort. 00:21:57.493 --> 00:22:03.193 You better learn that's something that matters to me and matters to us and make it matter to you. 00:22:03.353 --> 00:22:03.573 Because. 00:22:04.818 --> 00:22:06.828 It's gonna

be the difference in the game more than likely. 00:22:07.248 --> 00:22:12.918 And we feel if you possess the ability, to hit a little bit, but you can really defend and we got a spot for you. 00:22:13.218 --> 00:22:17.658 But like I said, I think the weight room and the value of the entire game, not just. 00:22:18.103 --> 00:22:20.903 Not just the, I can hit part of it. 00:22:21.333 --> 00:22:25.353 'Cause what if I go watch a play two, two times you get eight at bats and you go oh, for eight. 00:22:25.383 --> 00:22:28.773 But then your next four at bats, you're four for four. 00:22:29.083 --> 00:22:32.323 You're four for 12 at that point in time, and you're hitting 3 33, which is good. 00:22:32.323 --> 00:22:33.163 And we all know that. 00:22:33.163 --> 00:22:34.894 But if you didn't defend at all. 00:22:35.418 --> 00:22:36.528 After you're Oh, for eight. 00:22:36.528 --> 00:22:38.858 I'm like yeah, I didn't really do anything else either, yep. 00:22:39.108 --> 00:22:39.918 What do I go do? 00:22:40.308 --> 00:22:40.368 Yeah. 00:22:40.878 --> 00:22:42.558 You're always defending, you're doing that. 00:22:42.618 --> 00:22:44.628 You know the game's three hours long, you're at bats. 00:22:44.628 --> 00:22:46.728 Take two minutes a minute. 00:22:47.358 --> 00:22:47.418 Yeah. 00:22:47.418 --> 00:22:49.308 Where you doing for the other two hours and 50 minutes? 00:22:49.308 --> 00:22:51.408 You better be defending and playing catch at a high level. 00:22:52.144 --> 00:22:53.943 Yeah, go look at the Boston Red Sox. 00:22:53.943 --> 00:23:02.763 They had a world class, 200,$300 million, third baseman, and he didn't feel very well last year and they just went and signed another guy to come in and play third and moved him to dh. 00:23:03.093 --> 00:23:04.743 That translates all the way up the board. 00:23:05.013 --> 00:23:05.313 Yeah. 00:23:05.433 --> 00:23:06.093 Sorry, Mafi. 00:23:06.183 --> 00:23:06.423 Yeah. 00:23:07.083 --> 00:23:10.533 Last question, coach you, you've been great and I so appreciate your time. 00:23:10.894 --> 00:23:11.013 Sure. 00:23:11.113 --> 00:23:12.373 I'm gonna give you a little hypothetical. 00:23:13.753 --> 00:23:17.773 I'm a small town kid, town of 2000 people in Northern Illinois. 00:23:18.163 --> 00:23:18.463 Okay. 00:23:19.243 --> 00:23:20.023 I'm a catcher. 00:23:20.353 --> 00:23:21.523 I about four 20. 00:23:21.943 --> 00:23:24.523 I got a 1.8 pop time. 00:23:24.983 --> 00:23:27.743 The leader of my team, I have great grades. 00:23:27.983 --> 00:23:29.543 I'm a high character kid. 00:23:29.663 --> 00:23:35.003 I play three sports, but I'm in a town of 2000 people and nobody knows I even exist. 00:23:36.293 --> 00:23:39.503 How do I get you to recruit me? 00:23:40.013 --> 00:23:41.633 Because you're not coming to Northern Illinois. 00:23:41.843 --> 00:23:43.883 You're not coming to my tiny little conference. 00:23:44.153 --> 00:23:45.623 How do I get you to recruit me? 00:23:46.203 --> 00:23:48.093 You send me an email

yourself. 00:23:48.093 --> 00:23:51.383 I don't, to no offense, no NCSA or any of the other stuff. 00:23:51.653 --> 00:23:53.243 No, you're with, you're speaking my language. 00:23:53.293 --> 00:23:54.283 Send me an email. 00:23:54.358 --> 00:23:56.878 I really don't care about stats myself personally. 00:23:56.908 --> 00:23:57.448 I don't. 00:23:57.658 --> 00:23:58.528 I would care. 00:23:58.678 --> 00:24:04.078 And part of it is because God loved the managers and the coaches or whoever that are putting those stats together, but none of'em are accurate. 00:24:04.078 --> 00:24:06.173 So it doesn't matter. 00:24:06.443 --> 00:24:13.863 So corresponding video, please let me see what you are and then let me say, okay, I see. 00:24:13.863 --> 00:24:15.093 Like we can tell how you move. 00:24:15.093 --> 00:24:16.053 We can tell how you throw a ball. 00:24:16.053 --> 00:24:18.003 We can tell how your swing works to some degree. 00:24:18.003 --> 00:24:21.653 I can't tell you exact everything, but then we have a decent idea. 00:24:22.073 --> 00:24:23.783 And then we can say, okay, come to camp. 00:24:23.993 --> 00:24:24.833 Will you come to camp? 00:24:24.833 --> 00:24:32.693 Are you interested enough to make the six and a half, seven hour drive from Edwardsville, Illinois to our camp and come camp with us? 00:24:32.693 --> 00:24:37.973 Where you'll showcase all your tools and talents and on metrics, and then you'll play in a game. 00:24:38.323 --> 00:24:44.773 And we'll get a chance to watch you compete and we'll see how you engage in other people that are somewhat strangers, which is what college is gonna be. 00:24:44.773 --> 00:24:49.033 We'll see how your skills apply to the field in game and outta game. 00:24:49.343 --> 00:24:54.923 You'll interact with us as coaches and we will be the genuine versions of ourselves, and hopefully you are too. 00:24:55.283 --> 00:24:57.503 And then we'll probably have a conversation afterwards. 00:24:57.503 --> 00:25:01.733 And if we like what we see and we're hunting that position, then you know, you just got yourself recruited. 00:25:02.243 --> 00:25:03.503 And that happens to us a lot. 00:25:03.503 --> 00:25:08.653 And people, I think scoff at camps because they, I can see like they're, money makers for a bunch of places. 00:25:08.653 --> 00:25:11.473 But for us, I think we have 16 or 17 guys on our roster from camp. 00:25:11.473 --> 00:25:14.593 We invite people to camp that we wanna see that we can't see during the spring. 00:25:14.894 --> 00:25:16.394 'cause guess what we're doing during the spring? 00:25:17.053 --> 00:25:17.473 We're playing. 00:25:17.523 --> 00:25:21.933 So if you can't drive to Illinois when you're playing high school baseball in the spring, like it's not gonna happen. 00:25:22.383 --> 00:25:26.553 And in the summer, unless you're coming to KC or say, if you're playing in a tournament in St. 00:25:26.553 --> 00:25:30.843 Louis, like there's probably gonna need to be another reason why I'm there to see you. 00:25:30.843 --> 00:25:32.343 But you'll be one of the many. 00:25:32.493 --> 00:25:34.053 And if it works out that way, great. 00:25:34.053 --> 00:25:37.113 But if you wanna leave it the chance, then that's what you're doing. 00:25:37.293 --> 00:25:39.423 Or you can communicate with us directly. 00:25:39.423 --> 00:25:40.713 Come to camp, tell us you care. 00:25:40.713 --> 00:25:41.523 Show us you care. 00:25:42.288 --> 00:25:43.158 Let us see. 00:25:43.338 --> 00:25:49.488 And that's a guaranteed way of getting in front of us for us to say, yes, no, maybe this is what you would have to do. 00:25:49.488 --> 00:25:53.188 If it's maybe, and I think it's like an unofficial visit. 00:25:53.218 --> 00:25:54.808 You get a chance to see the facilities. 00:25:54.838 --> 00:25:56.998 Everything else you get a chance to learn us. 00:25:57.058 --> 00:26:05.308 The whole thing, I just, I could not be a bigger proponent of camps when they are set, at least for us as a program and for players. 00:26:06.028 --> 00:26:07.918 And that's what they, I got a 16-year-old son. 00:26:07.918 --> 00:26:08.878 That's what I tell'em to do. 00:26:09.908 --> 00:26:16.458 You're, if you wanna go play, go show up to the places that you think you wanna play at, and go to one of their camps and make an impression. 00:26:16.668 --> 00:26:19.158 And, then you'll know, and maybe you'll come back and say, I hate that place. 00:26:19.158 --> 00:26:19.908 I don't wanna go there. 00:26:20.148 --> 00:26:22.308 Or maybe you'll come back and say, I wasn't good enough. 00:26:22.308 --> 00:26:28.388 They don't want me, whatever the case, but at least, whereas, if you don't, you just hope, then I don't think that's a strategy. 00:26:28.958 --> 00:26:33.068 Yeah, you're probably getting 200 of those emails a week, I would imagine, somewhere in that world, right? 00:26:33.338 --> 00:26:35.258 We get, yeah it's in the hundreds for sure. 00:26:35.308 --> 00:26:40.538 If I can delineate that it's from an individual specifically, not from an organization, massive. 00:26:40.538 --> 00:26:42.519 You want it from the mass organization, then I'll read'em all. 00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:44.848 If they have video closed I'll watch. 00:26:45.343 --> 00:26:52.763 And then if it's video that I find intriguing and I can gather enough info on, just watching them move, then I'll invite'em to camp. 00:26:52.913 --> 00:26:54.144 And I do it myself. 00:26:54.144 --> 00:26:55.193 I don't have anybody else doing it. 00:26:55.193 --> 00:26:57.383 It's me, coach Backas, coach McFadden. 00:26:57.383 --> 00:26:57.923 Come to camp. 00:26:57.923 --> 00:26:59.733 And, let's check it out and see. 00:26:59.783 --> 00:27:03.238 I just got one from, a left-handed yesterday, and I like, I wanna see him. 00:27:03.238 --> 00:27:04.138 The video looked good. 00:27:04.258 --> 00:27:05.128 a hundred feet away. 00:27:05.158 --> 00:27:05.548 Oh yeah. 00:27:05.548 --> 00:27:06.148 It's terrible. 00:27:06.218 -->

00:27:06.938 It doesn't mean no good. 00:27:06.938 --> 00:27:11.708 And I get it, we're not supposed to all be videographers and everything, but I gotta be able to see what I need to see. 00:27:12.048 --> 00:27:15.708 But he, it was like, okay, this is pretty intriguing and there's something we need to look at. 00:27:15.708 --> 00:27:15.769 Yeah. 00:27:15.818 --> 00:27:17.108 Please, Wesley, come to camp. 00:27:17.133 --> 00:27:17.673 Come to camp. 00:27:18.033 --> 00:27:18.213 Yeah. 00:27:18.753 --> 00:27:21.448 If you're a lefty pitcher, I gotta give you an extra look. 00:27:21.448 --> 00:27:22.238 I just gotta, yeah. 00:27:22.258 --> 00:27:23.263 And the arm works good. 00:27:23.263 --> 00:27:24.283 He's a pretty decent athlete. 00:27:24.283 --> 00:27:25.243 He took a good swing. 00:27:25.243 --> 00:27:26.623 It he moves, right? 00:27:26.708 --> 00:27:27.698 There's something to grow with. 00:27:27.698 --> 00:27:32.163 And what's fascinating about, the added part of this is what other people say about you? 00:27:32.718 --> 00:27:36.738 And there's another kid that played against him that happens to be on our team, and he's man, he's a really humble kid. 00:27:36.978 --> 00:27:39.148 And it's a, it's a small enough world where. 00:27:39.513 --> 00:27:42.663 Your actions are gonna speak to enough people where it'll get back around. 00:27:42.973 --> 00:27:45.913 I couldn't tell you how much I enjoy hearing that somebody's a humble kid. 00:27:45.963 --> 00:27:46.773 That's a good player. 00:27:46.833 --> 00:27:47.223 Love it. 00:27:47.403 --> 00:27:47.793 I'm with you. 00:27:47.793 --> 00:27:49.533 Good person, good boyfriend, good son. 00:27:49.533 --> 00:27:50.193 Whatever it is. 00:27:50.193 --> 00:27:59.623 It's way easier to go on that than it is to, something that's not, It's always great to hear when somebody can say, I don't know what we're gonna do without him, or man, I don't wanna stop coaching or teaching this kid. 00:27:59.623 --> 00:28:00.703 I don't want this kid to leave. 00:28:00.703 --> 00:28:02.144 That says volumes, doesn't it? 00:28:02.563 --> 00:28:02.833 It does. 00:28:02.863 --> 00:28:03.193 Yeah. 00:28:03.253 --> 00:28:03.463 Yeah. 00:28:03.463 --> 00:28:03.973 No question. 00:28:03.973 --> 00:28:05.303 He makes us better, he does. 00:28:05.394 --> 00:28:05.693 Yeah. 00:28:05.743 --> 00:28:08.233 what a great teammate, man, is there a better compliment than that? 00:28:08.443 --> 00:28:09.793 Coach, it was fantastic. 00:28:09.803 --> 00:28:10.853 I love talking to you. 00:28:10.903 --> 00:28:11.833 I love your perspective. 00:28:11.833 --> 00:28:15.073 Thank you so much for the advice you've given to parents and these kids. 00:28:15.583 --> 00:28:31.753 The more they understand the reality that you're a human being, you're empathetic, you have compassion, but you're running a program, it's a big business you're in charge of, and you got a lot of people you're responsible of and who you bring into that school, that organization, that culture is so important to you. 00:28:32.458 --> 00:28:34.798 So thank you for sharing those things. 00:28:34.798 --> 00:28:38.338 I don't think families can hear it enough what you shared today. 00:28:38.338 --> 00:28:39.808 Those conversations need to be had. 00:28:40.028 --> 00:28:42.519 Between children and parents and coaches and everybody else. 00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:45.338 the more of those they have and the less they avoid, I think the better for everybody. 00:28:46.058 --> 00:28:48.668 Thank you for everything, coach, and again, good luck the rest of the way. 00:28:48.668 --> 00:28:51.918 We'll be cheering for you and the guys, and, we know great things are coming. 00:28:52.308 --> 00:28:52.908 Thanks so much. 00:28:52.908 --> 00:28:53.838 Appreciate your time. 00:28:54.977 --> 00:28:58.577 And that's a wrap for this bonus episode with Coach Kyle Crooks. 00:28:58.817 --> 00:29:06.617 Whether you're a player, parent, or coach, I hope you're walking away with clarity on what it really takes to get recruited at the high level. 00:29:06.617 --> 00:29:09.767 Thanks, coach Crooks for sharing all those great insights. 00:29:10.277 --> 00:29:14.267 If you found this episode helpful, make sure to subscribe and leave a review. 00:29:14.492 --> 00:29:26.432 And head over to coach Matt rogers.com to explore all the tools available, including my five star rated book, significant recruiting, and the chance to schedule a free strategy session to map out your next steps. 00:29:26.582 --> 00:29:31.527 I'd love to work with you and your family and at least get you started on this journey the right way. 00:29:32.397 --> 00:29:33.237 Thanks for listening. 00:29:33.237 --> 00:29:34.973 And remember, you don't need hype. 00:29:35.153 --> 00:29:38.394 You need a plan that removes mere chance from your equation. 00:29:38.663 --> 00:29:42.173 Make your recruitment journey a significant one, and we'll see you next time.