Some of the biggest: waiting too long to start, sending generic emails, not researching your target schools, and assuming game play alone will get you noticed. Also, overlooking academics — especially for top academic programs — can limit your options more than you think.
For more detail on some of the most commonly made mistakes in recruiting (and how to avoid them), take a look at our recorded webinar on "The Dos & Don'ts of Recruiting" - https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/dos-and-donts-baseball/
It depends on the division and academic level. For many high-academic D1 programs, serious conversations pick up junior year and into summer before senior year. D3, Ivy League, and NESCAC timelines often run later — with academic review playing a big role in the process.
For more detailed info about timing of the high-academic recruiting process, take a look at these posts from our blog:
Approaching Your Recruiting Process (webinar recording): https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/approaching-your-recruiting/
"Is now the right time?" Grad-Year Specific Timing in Your Recruiting: https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/grad-year-specific-timing/
Recruiting Tips & Timelines for High-Academic Players: https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/recruiting-tips/
A lot — especially at high-academic schools like those that attend Headfirst. Strong grades and challenging coursework don’t just help with admissions — they often determine whether a coach can recruit you at all. A strong transcript opens doors that talent alone can’t.
Use it to support your emails and outreach. Post clips, training updates, and academic updates (e.g. updated test scores) — and keep your bio professional and informative. It’s a great way to stay on a coach’s radar between events or seasons.
Post content consistently, tag coaches and programs when appropriate, and make sure your profile includes key info like grad year, position, GPA, and video. Include a link to your profile(s) on any recruiting profiles you maintain, as well as in emails that you send to college coaches.
They do, although not as much as they use Twitter. Instagram can be useful for short video clips and to learn more about a player’s personality and interests. Keep your posts clean, focused, and relevant to your athletic and academic journey.
Yes, many coaches use Twitter to scout players, watch video, and learn more about prospects. It’s not the only tool they use — but it’s a good one to have in your recruiting strategy if you use it the right way. It especially can help you cast a broad net with any video that you post.
It usually means they’ve noticed you — which is a great sign. But a follow isn’t a guarantee. Take it as a cue to reach out directly via email or DM to introduce yourself and keep the conversation going.
Social media can be a great way to stay visible to coaches — especially between events, or during times of year when college coaches can't get out to see you in person (whether that's because of the NCAA recruiting calendar or because they're in-season). Use it to post highlights, workouts, and academic updates. Keep your profile clean and informative so coaches can quickly get a sense of who you are, and maintain a dedicated profile just for your recruiting process so that it's not cluttered up with non-recruiting posts.
We've had two conversations with college coaches about how to effectively use social media in recruiting that you can check out below:
Coaches' Corner: Edwin Thompson (Head Coach, Georgetown) - https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/coaches-corner-edwin-thompson/
Conversation with Chris Wojick (Recruiting Coordinator, Yale) - https://youtu.be/uQzK9tLm--A
Start with the basics: your name, grad year, position, GPA, and test scores if you have them. Then explain why you’re interested in their program, and include a link to your highlight video or recruiting profile. Keep it short, proofread it, and always include your contact info.
Be prepared, be vocal, and be engaged. Hustle on every rep, communicate with your teammates, and take feedback from coaches. Show your tools — but also show your character, focus, and coachability. That’s what college programs are really watching.
You can dive deeper on what college coaches are looking for and advice on how to stand out at an event like Headfirst on some of our blog posts below:
"What do college coaches look for in a student-athlete?" - https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/what-do-college-coaches-look-for-in-a-student-athlete-3/
How to Stand Out to College Coaches at Camp - https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/baseball-pre-camp-part-2/
Ask Headfirst: Advice for Athletes On-Site at Camp - https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/ask-headfirst-episode-9-advice-for-athletes-on-site-at-camp/
Ask Headfirst: What are coaches looking for at camp? - https://www.headfirstshowcase.com/ask-headfirst-episode-6-what-are-coaches-looking-for-at-camp/
The top showcases offer access to college coaches who are actually recruiting — and align with your target schools. Look for events like Headfirst where high-academic programs are coaching and engaging with players, not just watching, and where the format supports meaningful interaction and evaluation.
At Headfirst, you can expect a mix of measurable testing (like 60-yard dash, exit velocity, overhand throwing velocity, etc.), defensive and offensive showcase portions, live gameplay, and dedicated coach meet-and-greet periods. The best showcases also give you face time with coaches — both on the field and off — so they can get to know you beyond the numbers.
A showcase is an event where student-athletes perform in front of college coaches through drills, metrics, and gameplay. Coaches use these events to scout talent, identify fits for their program, and start or continue recruiting conversations. It’s your chance to be seen and evaluated in person.
At a Headfirst Showcase, this means 360-degree exposure that includes showcase reps, live gameplay, metrics, video, and direct interaction with college coaches. Unlike tournaments, coaches recruiting at a showcase have the chance to see you perform in multiple contexts, and also have the opportunity to interact with you directly.
Day 1
7:00am – Camp Arrival & Check-In
7:40am – All-Camp Meeting
8:30am – Student-Athlete Warm-Up, Parent Meeting and Q&A
9:00am – Defensive Showcase & Objective Measurements
11:00am – Offensive Showcase & Objective Measurements
12:30pm – All-Camp Meeting & Coach Introductions
1:00pm – Game Slot 1 (7-inning games for all odd-numbered teams)
3:15pm – Player-Coach Meet-and-Greet
4:00pm – Game Slot 2 (7-inning games for all even-numbered teams)
7:00pm – End of Day 1
Day 2
7:00am – Early Team Arrival & Warm-Up
7:05am – Recruiting Panel and Q&A for Early Team Parents
7:30am – Game Slot 1 (7-inning games for all odd-numbered teams)
9:15am – Second-Wave Team Arrival & Warm-Up
9:20am – Recruiting Panel and Q&A for Second-Wave Team Parents
9:45am – Game Slot 2 (7-inning games for all even-numbered teams)
12:00pm – Player-Coach Meet-and-Greet
12:45pm – Game Slot 3 (7-inning games for early teams)
3:00pm – Game Slot 4 (7-inning games for second-wave teams)
5:15pm – End of Day 2
Note: the schedule above represents our typical two-day programming - exact times and details will be communicated before camp and on-site and may change
The best showcases offer direct access to college coaches, high-level competition, and opportunities to be evaluated and recruited. Make sure the schools attending match your academic and athletic goals — and that coaches are truly engaged in the event. Headfirst is built to check all those boxes for high-academic student-athletes.
Yes, several events feature Ivy League coaches — but not all provide real access or interaction. At Headfirst, Ivy coaches are actively coaching, evaluating, and recruiting. It’s more than just a logo on a website — it’s face time, feedback, and follow-up.
If you're a player who is targeting a specific Ivy League program, you should also take a look to see if they host their own on-campus prospect camps.
Yes — and they’re designed for student-athletes who want to play at top colleges where academics matter just as much as athletics. Our showcases at Headfirst bring together high-academic coaches from Ivies, NESCACs, and other top-tier schools and create real opportunities for engagement and evaluation. Headfirst is designed for the high-academic player, and for more than 25 years has helped student-athletes target a high concentration of high-academic college programs at a single location to deliver timesaving efficiency in the recruiting process.
Start with a search by location, but don’t forget to consider the quality of exposure, coach access, and academic alignment. Many top programs travel to national showcases — so the best fit might be worth a short trip. Headfirst hosts camps in key regions — including Southern California, New York, Chicago, and Florida — with coaches from top academic schools across the country.
One of the unique parts of the way that Headfirst runs our Showcase Camps is the opportunity for interaction directly between ballplayers and college coaches. During each game slot, college coaches are on the fields and in the dugouts coaching and evaluating. The camp schedule and coach rotation is built to maximize the number of unique college coaches that ballplayers are able to play in front of. During each game slot, some coaches are “working”– that is, assigned to fields and dugouts – while others are “roaming”, meaning that they are unassigned and free to scout players across the complex. After the conclusion of Day 1, the coaches’ schedule flips, so coaches who were “working” during a team’s game slot on Day 1 are now “roaming” on Day 2. This allows each coach the opportunity to effectively scout and evaluate all players.
The best time for a ballplayer to approach a college coach is in the dugout or around the facility between games. Because of the nature of the schedule and coach rotation, there are numerous opportunities for this kind of interaction.
Over nearly twenty years of conversations with college coaches, we have heard repeatedly that it is far more effective if the players (rather than parents) introduce themselves to a coach.
Ballplayers should feel free to ask the college coaches questions about their school and program. On our blog, we have a post about some of the best things that student-athletes can do before and at camp to stand out to college coaches, including how to introduce yourself to a college coach — see the full post here.
Day 1
7:00am – Camp Arrival & Check-In
7:40am – All-Camp Meeting
8:30am – Student-Athlete Warm-Up, Parent Meeting and Q&A
9:00am – Defensive Showcase & Objective Measurements
11:00am – Offensive Showcase & Objective Measurements
12:30pm – All-Camp Meeting & Coach Introductions
1:00pm – Game Slot 1 (7-inning games for all odd-numbered teams)
3:15pm – Player-Coach Meet-and-Greet
4:00pm – Game Slot 2 (7-inning games for all even-numbered teams)
7:00pm – End of Day 1
Day 2
7:00am – Early Team Arrival & Warm-Up
7:05am – Recruiting Panel and Q&A for Early Team Parents
7:30am – Game Slot 1 (7-inning games for all odd-numbered teams)
9:15am – Second-Wave Team Arrival & Warm-Up
9:20am – Recruiting Panel and Q&A for Second-Wave Team Parents
9:45am – Game Slot 2 (7-inning games for all even-numbered teams)
12:00pm – Player-Coach Meet-and-Greet
12:45pm – Game Slot 3 (7-inning games for early teams)
3:00pm – Game Slot 4 (7-inning games for second-wave teams)
5:15pm – End of Day 2
Note: the schedule above represents our typical two-day programming - exact times and details will be communicated before camp and on-site and may change
Players should arrive between 7:00 and 7:30am on Day 1 for check-in, and camp will begin promptly at 7:40am. We will provide additional arrival details (such as facility location and parking information) during our pre-camp webinars (which we host approximately 10 days before your scheduled camp) and through email in advance of the event.
If weather impacts the start time of any individual camp, we will notify all families via email and through our on-site app, which will be shared in email communications.
Players at the Headfirst Showcase Camps may use either BBCOR-certified metal bats or wooden bats.
Yes — absolutely. Many ballplayers join us more than once during their high school career as our camps are designed to positively impact athletes at all points in the recruiting process. Whether just starting to explore the prospects of college athletics or nearing the end of your search, Headfirst Honor Roll Camps will aid you with the next leg of your journey.
Additionally, we also have a significant group of players who attend multiple events with us each summer. We firmly believe that Headfirst Honor Roll Camps are the best investment of time and resources that academic ballplayers can make — and replacing dozens of other events with a couple of ours has helped countless student-athletes move through their process efficiently with the schools that they are targeting to find a home at the college level.
Team assignments and game times will be announced via our on-site app (shared before camp as well as on-site) during the early afternoon of Day 1. This information will include team assignments, game times and pitching rotations.
On Day 2, each ballplayer will play in two games, and exact report times will be communicated at the end of Day 1 (for planning purposes, early teams will report on Day 2 around 7:00am and late teams will report around 9:00am).
We will do everything we can, including extending the camp hours when appropriate, to complete all camp activities in the safest manner possible.
In the event of inclement weather, we may adjust programming, such as the game and showcase schedule, to get in as many camp activities as possible. All changes to programming will be directed to ensure the maximum amount and quality of programming in all cases.
If we lose blocks of time during one camp day, some games may have to be shortened. We will do everything in our power, however, to make up for this lost game time by extending the day – or during the following day (if applicable).
Regardless of how rain impacts our schedule, camp will never be extended an extra day.
Regardless of how rain impacts our schedule, there will be no refunds or credits given adjustments to the schedule.
Upon registering for an event, you will receive a confirmation email. In this email (on the right side) there is a hyperlink to your online with the title “Manage Your Online Account”. You can then log in and update information (such as test scores, GPA, and other academic and athletic information).
Please keep in mind that we will print hard copies of this for the coaches at the event. All changes to profiles must be in 72 hours before the start of the event to ensure they are included in the roster information we give to coaches.
Headfirst will have an athletic trainer on hand throughout the duration of the camp.