1. D1 or Bust

Misconception:

Sure, if you want to play at the next level past college, would it help to play in the ACC or SEC?  Yea!  However, you know what doesn’t help those chances?  Going to one of those schools and either performing poorly or never getting an opportunity to play. 

Solution:

Make the choice of the school that will be the best fit for you to develop!  Why?  Whelp if you were pro material right now, then you would have been drafted, so the chances that you need to get better are probably pretty good.  You have three years to try and become the best possible version of yourself you can, make sure the school you choose can help you do so!

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2. Freshman Starter!!!

Misconception:

There is a better chance of you not getting significant playing time in year one than the latter.  Most of the time, the guys with significant scholarships are going to get the early opportunities and continue to get chances even if they have blunders, as the coaches initially saw something in them that they really felt would impact the organization right away!  Does that mean you can’t???  Of course not!  But, understand that it makes your opportunities all that more pressure built as you will likely get fewer if you were not one of the high recruits from that year.  

Solution:

Take a different approach and realize this is a huge opportunity to get significant time to get better and grow as a young college athlete.  You are afforded significant time around a ball field and opportunities to train.  You have likely never had this much mandated time in or around the game of baseball before in your life - instead of sulking - use it to your advantage.

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3. My New Coach Loves Me, I’ll Be Good

Misconception:

The guy who recruited you had his salesman hat on during that time period - I promise you.  Remember, it’s their job on the line!  If they feel like you can be a great fit, they will likely say and do anything to get you to their school.  I’m not implying that they were dishonest but letting you know that they are buying in on the guy they believe you can be - if you don’t live up to that…Whelp, good luck feeling that same love!  Oh and if you were on scholarship, here is a reminder that those can get redistributed at any point.  Yes, taken away!

Solution:

Understand that when you left high school baseball, that was the last time you played a “game”. You are now accepting a job role, and that is to be a key member of this organization. Make no mistake; you have to perform, or you will get fired. No amount of love and memories of you playing great will keep any coach happy if you’re not performing the way they believe you can.  This is a job - performance evaluations are a real thing!

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4. I Can’t Wait To Party

Misconception:

Look, take it from someone who had to learn this the hard way—while college can be a blast, think again if you think you will be able to party hard, train hard, play at a high level, or ensure that your academics are staying in line! Remember, for those coaches, this is their job! If you don’t perform or you get in the way, they will cut you from the program with ease!

Solution:

Remind yourself that college is an investment in your future—and a hefty one! You must always keep your goals at the forefront of your mind and ensure that your actions always feed your goals. I am not saying don’t have fun, but ensure that you are always taking steps towards accomplishing what you set out to do.

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5. The Pressure - What Pressure?

Misconception:

Reminder, you are now in a job role that has more evaluation periods than likely anything you have ever dealt with before in your life!  Every time you step on the mound, you are being graded, and a new predictive scenario of you is being formulated.  This is not like in high school, where you can have a bad outing and not be worried about losing your starting role.  Understand that everyone on your squad is likely as good, if not better than you are.  While they may be your boys, they are waiting to fill your spot if you can’t handle the pressure and perform.

Solution:

Develop routines and a process that you feel will consistently exude success for you!  Adhere to this routine even when things are going great and especially when things are going wrong!  When we trust the process, we are much more able to understand that momentary hiccups in our performance define who we are they are merely moments to learn from and adapt our process to ensure that we correct our path.