How Travel Teams Try to SCARE You. 
Focus on results and long term improvement and everything
will take care of itself. Ha! You never hear that from the slick sales coaches.
Our mission at Team Fastball and Fastball USA Academy is un-disputed long term development. We don't promise quick fixes and we don't go around recruiting teenage players building their ego's telling them how good they are. We don't LIE to them telling them if you don't play for us...then you can't play at the next level. What a joke!
Coach Ryan Calls B.S. on the college recruiting process...
Ever see that stat that says the % of high school players that go on to college is so small? It's small only because a small certain amount of players choose to play college ball. Don't let them scare you. If you want to...you will.
You have been set up!
Instead, we know you will be on a college team if you want to for the most part. Your talent, ability, mindset, and grades will help determine what exactly the next level really means.
Each year in our program we have a few players decide that college baseball is NOT the right choice for them. Key words...the players decide.
Our focus is on undisputed development. Objectively measuring each players progress from the first day they walk into the door until the day they stop playing. A huge emphasis is on both arm velocity and batted ball exit velocity.
Part Of That System -
Power Development
Mindset Development
Skill Development
Here is a hint:
If you want to get recruited....Step # 1
You better be really good.
If you want to be recruited....Step # 2
You better stand out...in a good way.
The organizations that try to scare players into thinking that only a small percentage of people go on to play college baseball are killing our game.
The truth is many college rosters have 40-45 and even more players. Now more than ever organizations have both varsity and JV teams. I have seen rosters as high as 63 players.
No matter what anyone tells you, now you have more opportunities to play college baseball than ever. If the goal is to "get recruited" you are more than likely already chasing the wrong rabbit.
The goal should be constant never ending improvement. Why? Because if you're good enough you will play college baseball.
But... Playing college baseball and being on a college team are two different things. Be careful what you wish for.
Our organization knows the B.S. that most are selling. They (Elite Travel Teams -wink-wink) recruit teenage players telling them how THEY will get them to the next level.
Each summer the teenage player feels like a FREE AGENT at the end of the season. These slime ball coaches make these kids feel great. Then they scare the kid and the parents. GREAT TACTIC.
They tell you that you will NOT get to the NEXT level unless you play for them.  You see... Playing for them is the real secret.
The reality is you will get to the next level with or without them. The real key is when you get there, will you actually play? Once again, be careful what you wish for.
For those who believe they are Division 1 players, you will not miss your opportunity because of exposure. You will miss your opportunity because you just were not good enough at the right time.
Some get passed by simply because they were not good enough at the right time.
Now more than ever players who are sophomores and juniors are committing to D1 schools. Even some freshman! If you throw 88mph as a sophomore you are something special. If you throw 81mph as a sophomore, then 85mph as a junior and then 88mph as a senior...you get passed up by D1 schools. Why? Timing. They have already chased the early developers. This will ultimately come back to haunt the college coaches. They will miss out on some of the best players because as you know....the best players at age 15 are not always the best players at age 18. It's one thing if they are already an absolute stud. Coaches are feeling the pressure of recruiting. It only takes 1 coach in the conference to jump at a sophomore or freshman. Then the rest follow.
Speed Does Matter - These players getting recruited young
have something special about them that relates to speed. They throw faster than 90-95% of others in their age group, or runs faster, or hits harder. That is what it takes to get recruited to D1 schools.
What about Exposure?
Exposure works both ways. When a college see's you throw a 78mph fastball, and run a 7.5 60 time, and record a ball exit velocity of 77mph than you get exposed. Exposure is not your issue. It's ability.
The reality in 2017 is a player with these numbers can still be on a college baseball team. The difference might be he will be on the JV team, not the varsity team, maybe ever.
So you want to be on a college baseball team? Done.
I guarantee it can happen with very little help from anyone.
Yes, even without a travel team. I run travel teams and I can tell you that you don't need any travel team.
Parents - The travel teams, the tournaments, the showcases, all want you to believe you need them. If your kid is good enough, any college coach would want him if he can help them win. They won't care if he played travel ball, or kick ball, if he can throw a baseball 90mph or hit 400 foot bombs.
Do you want to play college baseball? Different story. That will take talent and ability no matter what level you play.
Do you want to play Division 1 College Baseball?
The real truth is now more than ever these coaches are recruiting players younger than ever. This means players who are studs at age 15-16 are getting opportunities. Players who are late bloomers miss these D1 opportunities but can still find their way to a D1 program through Junior College. IF not, they will play and play a lot for what ever level they choose. What most miss badly is baseball at the D2,NAIA, Juco, and D3 levels can be incredible.
You see, if a player is pretty good as a sophomore, but a stud when he is a senior he is often getting passed up by D1 schools. Why? The new recruiting process encourages early commits. This blocks the guys who are real D1 players when it actually counts.
Yes the truth is their are many non D1 players who have obvious D1 talent. If you're a player who blooms later, most opportunities have gone unless you go the JUCO route.
So the real question goes back to....are you in a program that has systemized never ending improvement? Is your program focusing on development or all about showcasing? Just because you throw 72mph as a sophomore doesn't mean you can't throw 88mph as a senior. The current system gives all the hoopla to the 15 year old.
I say don't let that distract you or discourage you. Baseball is a game of survival. Those who dominate now don't always dominate later.
Development to us means undisputed improvement. It is not just getting you to look a certain way. Looking pretty doens't mean you were developed.
Are you so worried about getting recruited that at the same time your talent is standing still? This happens to a ton of players. They get caught in the recruiting trap, and in the process don't continue to improve overall ability. They become a showcase and tournament RAT. They jump from team to team hoping for more exposure. They spend thousands on exposure. These are the ones that really need to use sun block. 
The question the college coach might want to ask.......Does this kid really love to play the game or is this college baseball dream been forced? I wonder how a kid choosing a school as a freshman or sophomore can really understand what he wants to do with his life. Especially when it comes to education.
Key questions any player should ask himself....
Do you want to be ON a college team or PLAY college baseball?
Big Difference.
Players are getting drafted all over MLB, from schools you and I have never even heard of. It is common Juco, D3, D2, NAIA, and even high school players are getting drafted. Most scouts will not know the back up players at most schools. The key is actually playing the game. Not just being on the team.
Team Fastball is a constant never ending improvement environment. We have created a culture of achievement. We have created a culture of work ethic and an elite mindset for athletes.
Our players know you can't trick the scouts. You are what you are today. What you are today, almost doesn't even matter, because it's not where we will be tomorrow.
All Team Fastball members take part of our systematic development program referred to as TBP. Total Baseball Power.
Position players and pitchers both benefit from the TBP program.
TBP is quite literally the video games of power development. 10 different levels of TBP. It's long term power improvement.
Have we lost the importance of TEAM?
At Team Fastball, we still emphasize TEAM. Yes, I know that sounds crazy in the ME world that has been created thanks to the travel team craze.
We are quite a bit different in our approach to training and playing.
We believe the X factors are just as important as the ability of an athlete. Hustle, attitude, Energy, Body Language, fundamentals, and TEAM first, is our culture.
We don't actively recruit teenage kids. We have a life. We let like minded players, and like minded families come to us. It's a great concept. Players who share similiar beliefs with incredible work habits. Then our players refer other like minded players.
Players who are dedicated.
Players who live and breath improvement.
Our facility, our Team, our culture is so very uncommon.
In the winter our development process covers
strength, quickness, throwing velocity, hitting velocity,
mindset, Skill Work, arm health, arm care, and overall explosiveness.
If you want results, and getting better is your # 1 goal then Team Fastball is a good choice.
If all you care about is EXPOSURE, then I suggest Sun Block.
We will be busy getting better while you recover from being exposed.
Coach Ryan
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