What is Sports Zone Baseball Academy the “Next Level” - A new college baseball exposure program designed by professional baseball instructors and staff to help any high school baseball player get to the next level after high school.  Our program is designed to help high school baseball players with graduation years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and tailor their needs to the appropriate level of college, whether its D1, D11, D111, NAIA or JUCO.  Our job is to get your name and video in front of the baseball coaches of the schools “you” have an interest in attending and having those schools see you in a showcase that we host.   The biggest mistake players make is using the hope and pray method of finding a college and waiting too long to start the recruiting process for baseball.  You will have more success if you go after the school of your choice instead of waiting for that school to find you or to wait for someone else to do it for you.   With a combination of video, showcase and internet we will work with you to get your name out to the coaches of the colleges you wish to attend.  We will not send out your video or information on a mass email/mail/text list and hope for the best.  We will help you develop a plan and recommend what you will need to do to get to the “Next Level”.

Who we have helped - We have helped 100’s of players obtain their goal of playing at the “Next Level”.   Please click on this link to view the partial list of players we have helped.

Sports Zone Alumni

What do you get when you commit to the “Next Level” program:

• College Recruiting Seminar - you and your family will be invited to Sports Zone to hear talks about the college recruiting process and other valuable information from a college baseball compliance officer, a college baseball coach and a professional baseball scout.  This will be video taped so you can view again or you can view it at Sports Zone if you miss the seminar or if you just want a refresher on what was spoken about.

• College Video #1 – the first video will be done in February 2010 before high school baseball starts.  After the first video we will analyze and breakdown the video for you and recommend what you should do to improve before the showcase and the next video in July.  We will then upload the video to our new website (www.sportszone@lockerdome.com) so you can contact college coaches to view your video along with your statistical data.   This is the first big step to getting in front of a college baseball coach.  We will help you organize your college search and recommend contacting college coaches based on your ability and academic standing.

• College Showcase #1 – you will be invited to attend the Syracuse Sports Zone Invitational Showcase on Wednesday, July 27, 2010.  Last years events hosted 42 scouts from all over the northeast.  This will be a perfect opportunity for you to showcase your baseball skills in front of college and professional scouts.  Last years event had 105 players participate.

• College Video #2 – In June/July, we will again video you so we can update your video on the web for college scouts to view so they can see a progression of your baseball ability. 

• Skills evaluation - After the college showcase #1 and college video #2 we will provide you with a full evaluation of your skills and what level we think you can play at the “next level”.  We will set up a meeting with you and your family to discuss and go over the evaluation.

• College Showcase #2 – you will be invited to attend the Sports Zone pitcher, catcher and hitting showcase on November 7, 2010.  This will be another opportunity to showcase your skills in front of college coaches that you have been sending correspondence with all year.

• College Video #3 – At showcase #2 in November, we will again video you so we can update your video on the web for college scouts to view and see the progress you have made over the year.  This video will give the college scouts you have been in contact with a chance to see how you have improved over a 10 month period. 

• LockerDome – This is our new web tool (www.sportszone@lockerdome.com) designed to host your college video’s, pictures, statistical data from your high school and summer baseball teams.   You will have access to this site to upload and update your video and statistical needs throughout the entire year.  You can send college coaches the link to your section in the Lockerdome for viewing at anytime.   This is designed to get the coach interested in you and your ability so they will come to see you at a showcase or a game.

Why we are different from other college services:

• We do not send to mass colleges nor do we recommend it. 
• We are a baseball exposure program not a generic college recruiting service.
• We are baseball people trying to help baseball players only.
• We try to guide you to send information to schools that will put in you a position to succeed athletically and academically.
• We will follow up with you to make sure you actually send links and contacts to college coaches at the schools that fit your needs. 
• We personally know most of the college coaches that you may want to attend.

Our Cost vs. other costs:

Next Level Program cost: $1,195 ($995 if pay by Jan 31, 2010)

if you do not play on SZ Travel Baseball Team.

$945 ($745 if pay by Jan 31, 2010) if you currently play on a SZ Travel Baseball Team.

• Average cost for a college showcase - $250 plus hotel fees and transportation
• Average cost for a college video to upload on a website - $350
• Average cost for a college recruiting seminar - $150
• Professional evaluation and video analysis - $150
• Travel Expenses to out of town events - $1,000+

Our program is not a guarantee that you will get any kind of college baseball scholarship or that you will start on the college baseball team of your choice.  The “Next Level” is an inexpensive way to get your name and yourself in front of college coaches so they can actually see you play and evaluate you.  Very few college scouts will go to High School, local Babe Ruth, local American Legion or local Connie Mack games to scout players.  They rely on seeing mass amounts of talented players via top level travel baseball programs/tournaments, college showcases and college video tapes/internet uploads.  We will do our best, in the most professional way possible to help you in this process. 

Please call us @ 315-399-5449 with any questions.