11/21/08
My son Michael attended the Crab Claw Classic this past
summer. It was the best show case of all the ones we attended.
Michael is a pitcher and his goal was to get an athletic
scholarship to a choice division 1 baseball college.
Thanks to the exposure he get at the Crab Claw Classic
he achieved that goal. We are from NY and the Crab Claw
Classic afforded Michael an opportunity to be seen. He
got phone calls from at least 10 different schools interested
in him pitching for them. This week my son signed his
NLI, National Letter of Intent, with Towson University.
This might have never come to be without the opportunity
to show case at the Crab Claw Classic and Lou Holcomb's
help.
Thanks again
Ruth Volpe Carmel, New York
Michael Volpe, RHP, Carmel High School, 2009
signed to play baseball at Towson University
11-11-08
Lou:
Terri, Evan and I would like to personally thank you
for your expertise and valuable advice that you shared
with us during the roller coaster ride that is college
baseball recruiting. Your professionalism, communication
skills, and thoughtfulness during the entire process are
to be commended. The attention to detail with regards
to our son’s athletic and academic pursuits was impeccable.
At our first meeting, at the conclusion of the hitting
session you provided an honest and refreshing assessment
of where you thought Evan would fit in at the D-1, DII,
and D-III levels. Your talent evaluation was very accurate,
Evan ultimately chose the type of school that the two
of you discussed during the workouts at your facility.
Within a very short time of deciding to go with your service,
we received a tremendous amount of letters and e-mails
from colleges of all levels and from all different parts
of the country. It was nice to see that you had the ability
to reach out to so many schools and coaches in such a
short amount of time. College coaches hold you in high
regard, they trust your judgment. They know that if you
recommend a player to them, chances are the player can
help their program. You were readily available to answer
any questions that we may have had and your opinions were
always welcome.
I greatly appreciated the e-mails that you would send
regarding Evan’s play after several Calvert Hall games
that you attended. It showed us that you were not only
concerned about the college choice, but you were willing
to take the time to draft a note and share some advice
that would help him improve as a ball player. One thing
that became perfectly clear during this recruiting endeavor
is that there are a lot of talented baseball players looking
for the right college fit. Getting Evan’s profile out
to the coaches along with game and team information proved
to be a valuable tool in becoming a familiar face and
name to the many college coaches searching for players.
During the college visit process you were very proactive
when it came to communicating with the coaches. The coaches
had a good feel for Evan and his athletic and academic
abilities before we arrived. It is very important that
they hear this information from you and not the parents.
The Crab Claw Classic provided a chance for quality exposure.
As advertised, many schools attended the event. The Classic
was well organized and every player was showcased.
Three pieces of advice that you gave us stick out in
my mind. The first was to make sure that you are aggressive
in getting out to quality camps and showcases during the
summer between junior and senior year. Your guided us
in the direction of the better venues steering away from
the money making cattle call type of events. You need
to get in front of the coaches. You need to be assertive
and let them know that you have an interest in their school.
The second piece of advice, make a highlight DVD. It proved
to be invaluable. It’s never too early to start. Commit
to it, get it done, it’s a necessity. The third piece
of advice and the one thing that I dwell on when I talk
to people about college recruiting is that you want to
go to a school that wants you! It’s a two way street,
player’s want a school that wants them, and coaches want
players that want to attend their school. The right fit
is out there and with your help Lou, I believe Evan made
a great choice. He will attend East Stroudsburg University
next fall. The academics, athletics, social environment,
and proximity all appear to be right. Thank you again
for all of your help. I highly recommend your service
and Diamond Recruiting to any parent helping their son
to get to the next level.
Dennis and Terri Cain
Parents of Evan Cain, Calvert Hall ‘09
Attending East Stroudsburg University
If anyone would like to discuss the process and hear
our opinion please pass along our phone numbers.
H 410 583-0626
C 410 733-6444
July 29, 2008
Lou,
On Behalf of Nick and my wife, Victoria, I would like
to thank you for all of your help in getting Nick situated
in college at George Washington University. I know that
this assignment was a challenge for you but you continued
to press throughout the process.
When we initially met, we had a few ideas about schools
that would fit, but nothing solid. Your honest opinion
on his pitching skills and where he could fit in college
baseball certainly brought the search in line with his
potential. Soon after we committed to your program our
phone began to ring off the hook. Within one week we has
10-12 schools calling Nick. The calls and conversations
continued until he finally committed to GW. He has a great
opportunity there from a baseball and, most importantly,
academic standpoint.
We would, again, like to thank you for your effort and
professionalism. If anyone is contemplating using your
service; feel free to have them call me anytime.
Carl Franceski (father of Nick Franceski, RHP, attending
George Washington University, 2009)
Office: 301-424-0900 Cell: 301-536-1100
Email: carlfranceski@mris.com
June 23, 2008
Dear Lou,
I wanted to take this chance to thank you for all your
help in supporting Chad. We were thrilled when his St.
Paul's high school coach Paul Bernstorf recommended you
to Chad when Chad expressed interest in playing major
college baseball. Your contacts in the college coaching
community combined with the exposure Chad gained by playing
in front of many scouts and coaches at your "Crab Claw
Classic" (Mid-Atlantic HS Baseball Classic) baseball event
was an outstanding introduction to many relationships
that turned into real opportunities. Thanks to you Chad
was recruited by several quality division one programs.
Your experience with the University of Maryland baseball
program was certainly a very helpful factor as the coaches
began to take a hard look at Chad with your encouragement.
Chad had a great baseball and educational experience at
Maryland. He graduated this May with a Finance degree,
and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles this past June.
Chad is now playing his first season for the Aberdeen
Ironbirds and was the starting catcher for their home
opener in front of six thousand exuberant fans.
Thanks again for all your help and please free to use
my name to those that may be interested in your services.
Chuck Durakis
Chad Durakis, St. Paul's High School, 2004 Graduate
University of Maryland College Park
Baltimore Orioles Draftee, 39th round
Catcher,
Aberdeen Ironbirds
May, 2008
Lou,
Matthew, Marty, and I all would like to thank you for
the all the work you did helping to place Matt at Northeastern
University where he will still have an opportunity to
continue to play baseball. You and Diamond Recruiting
were recommended to us by other Calvert Hall families
and we are so thankful to have followed their recommendation.
Your resilience and knowledge provided Matthew with so
many choices and opportunities. From the moment we had
you look at Matt for baseball possibilities in college,
the whirlwind started. We had emails and letters from
college coaches everywhere. You got us started with looking
at the different schools, going to camps and showcases,
meeting all the coaches who were interested in Matt. We
were so overwhelmed at the large response from different
coaches once you sent the word out about our son. The
one thing that stood out in our son’s mind was when not
one, but all of the coaches that Matt met told him that
Mr. Holcomb always sent quality ball players their way.
They all knew you and respected your recommendation.
Marty and I were equally impressed at how easy you were
to work with. You answered all of our questions so promptly.
You directed us on what we needed to do every step of
the way. You helped us to narrow our list and guided us
on how and when to respond to all the coaches. Even down
to this last month, Matt had interest from DI, DII and
DIII schools of which all had major interest and you helped
us through it all.
Through the whole process, you encouraged us to allow
for Matt to find his idea of the kind of school he wanted
to go to and where he would be most comfortable. You believed
that the college decision was not just about baseball
but also about where Matt’s life would be after college.
Your never ending commitment to Matt in the college process
has been astounding and we are forever grateful of your
hard work and commitment.
We really enjoyed working with you this past year. We
highly recommend you and your services to other families
that would like to further their son’s baseball opportunities
into college.
Best wishes in the future! The experience was rewarding
and fun!
Marty and Janet Fairbank
Matthew Fairbank, Calvert Hall College High School, Graduate
2008
attending Northeastern University, MA.
April 18, 2008
Dear Lou,
Brooks, Glenn and I would like to “Thank you” for all
your help you provided us in our college recruiting process.
As many other families, we were overwhelmed with everything
involved with this journey. You stood by us step by step
and made it as easy and less stressful as possible.
Every college coach that we spoke with had nothing but
commendable things to say about you and your experience
in baseball. The “Battle on the Ship” was a great opportunity
for exposure for Brooks. Brooks received a lot of interest
from Division I, II, and III along with a Military school,
but in the end he decided on Div I, Mount St. Mary’s University
which offered everything that he was looking for. He had
a great four years at Calvert Hall College High School
but is now looking forward to the future and what it holds.
Thank you again for your time, patience and knowledgeable
answers to all of our questions that we had along the
way. We would certainly recommend Diamond Recruiting to
others in the future. Also, we would like to wish you
continued success since we have another prospect coming
your way in a few years.
Sincerely,
Brooks, Glenn and Vickie Rothschild
Brooks Rothschild, Calvert Halls HS, 2008
Mount Saint Mary’s University
January 28, 2009
Dear Coach Holcomb,
Denise and I would like to express our appreciation for
your guidance in helping our son find his way to the College
of the Holy Cross. While the entire college athelete process
can be overwhelming, you were undoubtedly the force that
lead Chris to this excellent school. Of all the options
and hurdles we faced we feel this is the perfect school
for Chris. More importantly Chris feels that way. We never
would have identified Holy Cross as a prospect if it were
not for you. Thanks for all your efforts and good advice
along the way.
Very truly yours,
Chris and Denise Sintetos Chris Sintetos,
Gonzaga HS, Washington, DC
Mercersburg Academy, Pennsylvania, 2008
attending College of the Holy Cross
January 11, 2008
As parents of a talented high school baseball player
we are the first to admit that we did not have a clue
where to begin the college search process with our son.
As one might expect, our concern was finding a quality
college that would offer an opportunity for our son to
continue with reputable baseball at the next level. At
the beginning of his junior year of high school we were
uncertain when the search process should begin. Our choice
to work with Lou Holcomb through his Diamond Recruiting
was a tremendous help getting our search moving in the
right direction and at the appropriate time. And so began
a yearlong journey.
Lou immediately provided a critical evaluation of our
son's talents both athletically and academically which,
looking back, is where a family should begin this process.
Lou's credentials in the world of baseball and his business
background gave us an immediate feeling that we entrusted
our son's college/baseball search to capable hands. Lou
was able to guide our son's efforts identifying likely
colleges that would be of interest. As important as a
quality baseball program was to our desired outcome, Lou
always emphasized to our son the importance of academics
with the schools that he recommended. In addition to identifying
schools, Lou provided a high profile showcase opportunity
through the Battle of the 'Ship, as well as guidance regarding
baseball camps to attend and those camps to avoid. Letters
of interest began to fill the mailbox and after the July
1 contact date the phone began to ring.
We were fortunate to be exposed to a wide variety of
schools and coaches. We were contacted by Ivy Leagues,
Private and Public colleges, and even Military Schools.
We logged several thousand miles as we visited campuses
up and down the east coast. We toured facilities, locker
rooms, asked hundreds of questions and shook many hands.
Each college visit had the added benefit of a personal
recommendation by Lou, which elevated our son's status
as a qualified prospect for the coaches with whom we met.
We are pleased to report that by the fall of senior year
our son was able to secure a roster spot commitment from
a Division 1 baseball program from a school that likely
would not have been discovered without Lou's extensive
contacts. Ohio University has turned out to be the 'fit'
that our son was seeking and his number one choice.
We cannot thank Lou enough for taking the time to really
get to know our son both on and off the field. He shared
his love of the game with our son and acknowledged and
understood how important baseball is in our son's life.
Lou had a tremendous amount of patience with us. By guiding
us through the process he added a little more polish to
make our son shine that much more. Lou has given us as
parents the comfort of knowing we did our homework. And
to our son, Coach Lou is yet another example of what the
great game of baseball can produce.
Doug and Anne Dillon
parents of Michael Dillon
Calvert Hall College High School, Class of 2008
December 11, 2007
Dear Lou:
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the service
you provided as we waded through the college recruiting
process. Our son signed during the early signing period
and received a scholarship to the University of Tennessee-Martin,
where we believe he will thrive academically as well as
athletically.
We, as are many parents of talented athletes, did not
have a full grasp of the recruiting process. We received
advice from many, most of which differed from person to
person. What we learned through our interaction with Diamond
Recruiting, is that there are many facets to the process.
Without your professional guidance, knowledge and support,
it is very possible we could have taken a wrong turn at
any time.
Prior to our first introduction, we were unsure if hiring
a recruiter was the way to go. After meeting you, watching
you interact with our son and engaging in conversations
about what we realistically could and should not expect,
we were confident in our decision to hire you. We immediately
began to see the results, schools began to contact us
and we were able to begin narrowing down our choices.
Some may choose to spend money on numerous showcase events,
hoping to be seen by an unknown list of colleges on a
given day. Our experience has shown however, that unless
you are highly recruited, being “discovered” at an event
with 100 other talented athletes is unlikely. The difference
in hiring a recruiter is this…colleges you are interested
in are proactively contacting you.
Once we received inquiries from colleges, you encouraged
us to schedule visits, to meet the coaches, to attend
their camps, ensuring a “right fit.” Ultimately, one school
and one coach stood out above the rest. If it were not
for your involvement, it is highly unlikely that we would
have had contact with many of the schools that contacted
us.
My son received what he was seeking, Division I baseball
in the south, on a team building toward a strong future
and where he has the ability to make an immediate impact.
Our decision to go the recruiter route paid off both emotionally
and financially. Thanks again Lou, for your professional
service. We highly recommend you to anyone seeking the
extra edge in the recruiting process.
Sincerely,
Ken and Amy Lozupone
Brendan Lozupone (DeMatha ’08)
Open Letter to Parents of High School Baseball
Players interested in College Baseball:
June 6, 2006
Lou,
I wanted to thank for your efforts in helping Tommy locate the right college and baseball opportunity for next year. With your help, Tommy was able to establish a dialog and interest from many Division I, II, and III programs throughout the country. He was able to visit and learn about many more programs than I believe would have been possible without your contacts. By having a large group to learn about and sample from, Tommy was better able to make a selection that matched his desires both academically and athletically.
Although your help brought him interest from around the country, it was a school close to home that ultimately became the right fit. I think Tommy will be in position to contribute immediately in the baseball program next year at Catholic University . More importantly, we feel that the educational opportunities that await him will be tremendous. We are very happy with his selection.
Tommy, Liza, and I would like to thank you for helping him with this opportunity.
Sincerely,
Don Bowles, father of Tommy Bowles
Mount Saint Joseph's High School, 2007
(Catholic University)
May 2007
Lou,
We wish to thank you for all of your help over the past couple of months in helping our son, Dimitri, decide on where he will attend college and to get a chance to continue to play baseball. Following the Mid-Atlantic High School Baseball Classic, “Battle On The Ship”, game last August, where Dimitri was picked as the “MVP”, the contacts from schools were immediate. In the first 2-3 weeks following the game he received 10-12 letters and calls from various DI, II & III schools. After going the next step, which was dealing with you directly, it was impressive to see the number of schools you could contact and get serious feedback from. Not only were the coaches from these schools concerned with our son’s ability to play ball, but they all seemed to display a general interest in him personally. It was also nice to hear all of the coaches we contacted, speak highly of you and you having recommended our son to them. Our eyes were definitely opened to a number of DI, II & III schools we would not otherwise considered, or certainly not have had the wherewithal to have contacted in the first place.
Dimitri for years has always told us he wanted to go to college in the south and play baseball. After all of these last weeks of going through the work and process of evaluating all of the information we had gathered, Dimitri has decided to attend Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers , Florida this fall, and he has signed a DI National Letter of Intent to play ball in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Thank you for all of your help in seeing this process full circle, and our association with you from last August has proved invaluable. We certainly would recommend your services to any one who has a son playing ball.
Sincerely,
Bill and Olga Deoudes
301-921-9377
Parents of Dimitri Deoudes
St. John’s College High School, Washington D.C. Class of 2007
April 2007
Dear Lou,
It was a pleasure to work with you during the past months to assist in assessing the right college for our son, Kyle. Your experience in knowing the landscape for potential college "fits" and setting proper expectations was instrumental in helping us settle on Shenandoah University.
It is also a testament to you that you are so highly regarded by the college coaches. Every college we spoke to had positive things to say about you and the work that you do. We would certainly recommend your service to other families.
Thank you and best regards for continued success.
Sincerely,
Mark Scallion
(Father of Kyle, Scallion, 2007, Bishop O'Connell High School, Virginia)
March 2007
Dear Lou,
I appreciate your assistance in Tommy's recruiting journey. It was extremely helpful to have someone who has been through the process ready and willing to handle our questions. Though Tommy received great interest from other colleges to which you recommended him, I am pleased that he has landed at this number one choice, Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Again, I appreciate your recommendation and referral to Coach Welling and Coach Scannell at Trinity.
I will keep you advised of Tommy's progress at Trinity. We are looking forward to a successful senior year at Loyola High School.
Best personal regards,
Thomas J. Cullen, Jr.
father of Tommy Cullen, 2007
Loyola Blakefield High School
March 2007
Lou,
Cindy and I wanted to express our appreciation for your help and guidance through the college placement process for our son, Reid Chenworth. You certainly met our expectations and we are extremely pleased with the end result of him having the opportunity to play baseball for the University of Maryland as a scholarship athlete.
Your persistence and creditability played a significant role in this process. You were able to create an awareness of Reid within a long list of Division I college programs including the University of Richmond, Duke, Georgia Southern, NC State and Notre Dame, among others. Before the end of the early signing period, Reid was able to fulfill his dream, signing a NLI to play in his hometown and compete in the ACC. As parents, we are especially excited by the opportunity we will have to watch him play baseball locally.
Lou, we enjoyed working with you through this entire college recruitment process and we would highly recommend you to others who may consider your services.
Please do not hesitate to offer my contact information to anyone who would like to better understand our experience while working with you.
We look forward to seeing you during the upcoming baseball season.
Kind Regards,
Larry & Cindy Chenworth
Parents of Reid Chenworth
Calvert Hall Class of 2007
Phone (410)459-4910
larchenjr@aol.com
January 2007
Lou,
I thought it appropriate to write you a personal letter expressing our appreciation for your efforts and guidance in helping our son Mike identify a variety of college opportunities. More importantly, by relying on your experience you were able to assist us in narrowing down the list of prospective colleges to those that would best fit Mike’s strengths both athletically and academically. Any family that has been through the college placement process would surely attest to how stressful and overwhelming the entire experience can be. Without your support through this process we are convinced the outcome would not have been as successful as it has been.
Lou, in providing Mike the opportunity to communicate with over twenty schools at the D1, D2 and D3 level up and down the east coast proved to be invaluable. It gave us a sound base of knowledge and allowed us to more effectively evaluate each school. In the end, it made this very important decision much less difficult and one that could be made with an extreme level of confidence. Mike is very excited with his final decision to attend Rider University and has just signed his NLI during the recent early signing period. His goals have been achieved both academically and athletically. Mike can now enjoy the rest of his high school senior year knowing that his college decision is behind him. An added benefit for our family is that he will only be two hours from home and we look forward to being able to see him compete at the college level over the next four years.
Lou, I would not hesitate to recommend Diamond Recruiting and the services that you provide to any family with a student athlete that is serious about continuing his higher education and has the desire, work ethic and ability to take baseball to the next level.
Thanks again for your assistance and we look forward to working with you during the off season.
David Thomas
Father of Mike Thomas, LHP
Fallston High School 2007
December 21, 2006
Dear Lou,
Thank you for all that you have done with assisting us in our search and finding such a great college for Kevin. In a very short amount of time you identified several schools that we had a never considered. Not only were these good baseball programs, but the schools were a great fit for Kevin’s academic desires.
The Tusculum College coaches made a great impression on Kevin and the professionalism of their program makes us feel good about his decision.
Your reputation among the college coaches is held in high regard. As we have discovered through the process, this is such an important part of the recruiting and networking that takes place. Your knowledge of the process gave us valuable insight, helping us navigate our way.
Thank you so much for your contributions to Kevin’s future.
Sincerely,
Frank, Ellen and Kevin Murphy
Kevin Murphy, 2007, Middletown High School
Attending Tusculum College, Tennessee
December 11, 2006
Dear Coach Holcomb:
I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work you did for my son, Ryan in finding such an excellent college as St. Joseph 's University.
When Ryan and I initially spoke with you it was very late in the recruiting process and we had spoken to a few colleges but none that Ryan was really excited about attending. You had given us many contacts that were very interested in Ryan but none that were as perfect as St. Joseph 's, both academically and athletically. It is the perfect extension of Ryan's high school education at Mt. St. Joseph 's with an outstanding program of study in his chosen major of business.
Ryan had decided he wanted to attend and play baseball at a Division I college and with your help he has been able to attain his goal. I don't think it would have happened without your help.
Ryan and I would just like to thank you again for all you help and hard work in making this a reality for him.
Again, many thanks .
Sincerely,
Debbie and Ryan McDonald
(Ryan, Mt. St. Joseph High School, 2006)
November 30, 2006
Dear Lou,
It is with much gratitude and appreciation that I write this brief letter of recommendation. As a parent, there is no better feeling than watching one your children fulfill a dream. For my son, Jeff, that dream was a chance to play college baseball. Jeff's dream has come true with his recent signing with Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY . Hofstra, a Division I school that plays in the Colonial Athletic Association, will provide Jeff with an excellent opportunity to continue his education with its' outstanding Business school. Additionally, Hofstra will provide Jeff with the opportunity to continue his baseball career in a very competitive league.
From our very first meeting with you in January of 2006, our family had a comfort level with your ability to assist Jeff in finding a college where he could play baseball. I was impressed with your ability to initiate an immediate rapport with Jeff. I mention your relationship with Jeff as I feel this was very important throughout this “process”. Jeff, through his hitting and planning sessions with you, developed a respect for your recruiting and teaching abilities. You have always been very honest with Jeff about his abilities and encouraged him to work hard in the classroom, as well as, on and off the baseball field. Your positive and upbeat approach has gone a long way in developing Jeff's confidence level. I still remember the smile Jeff had on his face when I told him that we (my wife and I) decided to take advantage of the services provided by Diamond Recruiting. I truly feel that this decision alone boosted Jeff's confidence as he saw our decision as a vote of our confidence in his ability to play college baseball. As we have discussed, confidence plays a major role in athletic success. I strongly believe that one of reasons Jeff had such a successful JR year at Calvert Hall was his confidence was boosted two to three times per week when he would receive a letter of interest from a prospective college. Overall, during the months of February through April, he received over 30 letters from schools that you identified in our early meetings.
Over the next seven months, through many e-mails, phone calls and letters to you and prospective coaches, we were able to select a group of schools that may be a good fit for Jeff. You then encouraged Jeff and I to “ do you due diligence” by getting on the road and visit these schools. If available, you suggested that Jeff attend a prospect camp at these potential schools. Therefore, between the end of August and the end of October, we hit the road and visited seven schools. Jeff participated in six different prospect camps. During our “road trips”, your contact with the respective coaches was key. Jeff definitely had an advantage over many of the players that attended these camps, as the baseball coach knew who Jeff was through his contact with you.
Fortunately, at the end of his journey, three schools recruited Jeff. After several long family discussions and your input, Jeff decided Hofsta University was the best fit for him. I can honestly say we could not have taken this journey without you. I initially thought I could generate enough interest in Jeff's baseball ability myself. I soon found that the majority of my efforts ended in futility. Initially, when considering the services provided by Diamond Recruiting, I was a bit reluctant due to the financial commitment. However, I took the approach that the money spent for your services was an investment in Jeff's future. Obviously, I can now say that our investment paid off in a big way as the scholarship money Jeff has received greatly outweighs my initial expense.
I realize there are many recruiting services available today, however, I do not think any offer the personal service of Diamond Recruiting. I will definitely recommend Lou Holcomb to any family that is looking to fulfill the dream of a son to play college baseball. Thanks again, Lou.
Regards,
Bill Guthridge
Father of Jeff Guthridge, Calvert Hall College High School ‘07
March 23, 2006
Dear Coach Holcomb,
Thank you for finding such an excellent college
match for Drew. We expected you to identify a terrific
baseball program but we couldn't have anticipated
that you would introduce us to such a respected
college as Bradley University. It is the perfect
extension of Drew's college preparatory education
with an outstanding program of study in his chosen
major.
We had done a lot of research on colleges with
Drew's major and Division 1 baseball programs yet
you surprised us with a recommendation for a school
we had never considered. The Bradley coaches made
a personal connection with Drew from the very beginning
and well, when it's right you just know it. They
helped him meet representatives of both academic
and athletic programs so Drew could explore everything
about being a college athlete at Bradley.
You have helped us in so many ways these last
two years; evaluating and coaching Drew, giving
him opportunities to play in the Mid-Atlantic Classic
and being available when George, Drew or I had
questions. Among your most valuable attributes
has been your effective networking on behalf of
Drew. We feel very fortunate to have had your guidance
and advocacy.
Thank you so much for your contributions to Drew's
future.
Sincerely,
Dianne, George and Drew Black
(Drew, Friends School of Baltimore, 2006)
January 4, 2006
Lou,
I am writing this letter to thank you for your
assistance in recommending the best college choices
for Chris. Because of your efforts Chris received
letters from more than thirty colleges during his
junior year at Catonsville High School. Many of
the colleges were in the Mid-Atlantic region and
some were even as far away as California. In addition
to playing baseball in college, you knew how important
it was that Chris consider schools that match his
academic achievements.
All of the schools we visited had great academic
and athletic programs. I was very impressed to hear
time and time again how coaches would tell us that
“Lou Holcomb contacted us about Chris so I know
I am not wasting my time hear.” Your name has credibility
with many college programs and it is a great conduit
to exposure talented athletes who aspire to play
at the next level.
The other component that was vital was your ability
to communicate the strengths and weakness that Chris
needed to address in order to continue to excel
in baseball. Your knowledge of the skills and your
ability to coach and train were very influential
in Chris’s development and desire to play college
baseball. As parents, we become blinded by our child’s
achievements and at times fail to see areas of improvements.
When a person of your experience and ability is
to evaluate talent and potential it creates a level
of professionalism to your process.
After careful consideration and many college visits
and phone calls, Chris decided to attend Washington
College in Chestertown, MD. They are a highly respected
academic institution and have an outstanding athletic
program.
My wife and I are extremely pleased with Chris’
decision and the guidance and assistance you put
forth to help with this decision. I would recommend
Diamond Recruiting to any one who has the desire,
ability and commitment to compete at the college
level.
Sincerely,
David & Maria Smith
December 18, 2005
Mr. Lou Holcomb
Diamond Recruiting
5 Longlea Court
Kingsville, MD 21087
Lou,
Both Devin and I want to thank you for all your
help in finding the “right fit” school for Devin
to play college baseball. Devin is extremely happy
with his choice to play at Lamar University in Beaumont,
Texas. Lamar has a rich history of excellent baseball
led by a very experienced and nationally respected
head coach that has a track record of turning out
professional players. Lamar builds their baseball
teams relying heavily on local talent. It speaks
highly of your reputation in placing a Maryland
player at a highly competitive Texas school.
We have always heard that the best college baseball
is in the south. It was Devin’s goal from the start
of the recruiting process to play baseball in the
south. Again, it speaks highly of your reputation,
and contacts that you maintain, that you are able
to influence the recruiting process when dealing
with southern schools. You were able to solicit
interest in Devin from a number of southern schools
that Devin was considering. As you know, scholarships
are almost always limited to pitchers and certain
position players. Devin was able to secure a sizable
scholarship with Lamar based on several factors
including your reputation on identifying good players.
As our family looks ahead towards Devin’s college
years we face several challenges. First, Mom has
to accept her number two son is going to school
further away than her number one son (Georgia).
Second, Devin has a big challenge ahead of him getting
prepared to play in a very competitive conference
that includes the University of Texas – San Antonio,
University of Texas – Arlington, Texas State University,
and the University of Louisiana - Monroe. Not to
mention a non-conference schedule that includes
Rice, Oklahoma, Long Beach State, and Michigan State.
Devin will have a busy summer ahead of him getting
prepared for such a challenge and is extremely excited
and up for the challenge.
Finally, I would like to talk about lessons I’ve
learned with Devin and my oldest son during the
recruiting process. One, a reputable recruiting
service is a must. We did not use a recruiting service
for my oldest son, although he is playing baseball
at a very competitive Division II school in Georgia.
If we had used a reputable recruiting service he
would probably be playing at a Division I school.
Two, wisely choose the showcases you attend. I have
found that showcases that limit attendance to only
the truly talented and qualified players, and showcases
that are run by schools that you are interested
in attending should be the only showcases you attend.
So the benefit of this experience now goes to my
youngest son, if he decides to play baseball over
football.
In closing, an excellent job in getting Devin placed
in a “right fit” school.
Sincerely,
Thomas H. Rivers
(father of Devin Rivers, 2006 DeMatha Catholic High
School
Thomas H. Rivers, 8822 Herons Flight, Laurel, MD)
September 16, 2005
Mr. Lou Holcomb
Diamond Recruiting
I am writing this letter to thank you for your
assistance in narrowing down the maze of college
choices for my son Michael. With your help, Mike
received over 40 letters from a variety of colleges
starting in the summer after his junior year at
Calvert Hall. The letters were mostly from small
to mid-size schools (1,000 to 10,000 students),
about half of which were NCAA Divisions I &
II schools and the other half were NCAA Division
III schools.
I appreciated the way you were always direct in
your assessment of Mike’s strengths and weaknesses.
After multiple emails and several discussions with
you, we narrowed the list down to three schools
that would be a good fit for Mike, and where he
would have the best opportunities to get significant
playing time. Those schools were St. Joseph’s University
(PA), Marietta College (OH), and Salisbury University
(MD). After visiting the schools and meeting with
the head baseball coaches and some of the players,
we decided on Salisbury University.
SU has a nationally ranked baseball program with
a tradition of winning. They have reached the NCAA
Division III South Regional Tournament in each of
the last six years 2000 through 2005, winning the
region twice and making it to the College World
Series in 2001 and 2004. Like the championship and
record-setting season he enjoyed with his Calvert
Hall Cardinal teammates in 2005, Mike is looking
forward to helping SU achieve its goal of winning
a national title.
Your experience was invaluable to us as we tried
to decide which college was the best choice for
Mike. But perhaps as important as your experience
matching high school baseball players with the right
colleges, was the credibility you brought to the
table that few others could match. As Mike’s father,
I couldn’t objectively tout his abilities, nor could
his high school coaches, who might be viewed skeptically
as well. But as a respected scout and impartial
observer of baseball talent, you provided credibility
to the whole process.
We couldn’t be happier with Mike’s choice of SU.
Had we made this journey without your assistance,
Mike still might have ended up there because of
SU’s proximity to home, but I’m certain he wouldn’t
have been exposed to as many schools along the way.
Thanks again for your help.
Tim Dougherty, father of
Mike Dougherty, Calvert Hall 2005
July 28, 2005
Dear Coach Holcomb,
I would like to express my appreciation for your
guidance in helping Ross to find a school that would
be a good match for him athletically and academically
as well as a good match for our family by enabling
us to better enjoy being a part of his college baseball
experience.
Ross had received interest from a few schools,
mostly many hours away, which would have prohibited
us from getting to many of his games. After we met
with you, the phone began ringing with calls from
many schools within a two-hour radius. Ross selected
Salisbury University and the more we think about
it the better we feel about all aspects of his decision.
We called you because you showed us so much sincerity
and interest in Ross after you had seen him play
and were undeterred and supportive after learning
of his injury in his high school junior season.
Your Soft handed but confident approach made us
feel very comfortable working with you and I hope
we can resume what has become more of a friendship
than a business relationship. Good luck with Mid-Atlantic
and we hope to see you at a Sea Gull game next spring.
Sincerely,
Jay Taranto
Father of Ross Taranto, RHP
WT Woodson HS, Virginia
April 22, 2005
To any parent of a college baseball prospect,
My son, Joe, has recently been accepted to Salisbury
University. He will play for a nationally ranked
team as well as receive an excellent education.
Joe and our family couldn't be happier. This opportunity
is the result of a long and sometimes daunting process
that can seem overwhelming at times. A student who
wants to play baseball at the college level will
obviously need the scholastic qualifications, athletic
abilities, and competitive desire necessary to be
considered as a college prospect. While these traits
are essential they are not enough on their own to
get your son into the college that will ultimately
be the best fit for him. Lou provided us with the
guidance of someone who has "been there".
He gave us a realistic assessment of Joe's abilities,
a clear picture of what we could expect during the
recruitment process, and most importantly, the exposure
to college coaches that is vital to any prospect.
College coaches are busy and not able to see all
the prospects they would like to.
When Lou calls a college coach to recommend a prospect
that coach listens in a way that he wouldn't with
a parent. The coach knows Lou is giving him an objective,
professional assessment of the prospect both academically
and athletically; one that will result in a good
fit for the student and the school. Lou has assisted
many prospects with recruitment to schools ranging
from top 25 D-1 to JUCO; always with the goal of
finding the best situation for the student given
his abilities. After signing with Lou we received
dozens of letters from schools that expressed a
legitimate interest in Joe. This alleviated the
stress we as parents were feeling and boosted Joe's
confidence by giving him a choice of schools that
wanted him. We narrowed our list of schools and
when Joe finally decided upon Salisbury he was able
to do so with the conviction that he had made the
best choice.
Looking back I'm convinced that we could not have
achieved the same result without Lou's help. I would
highly recommend his services to any prospect's
parents who want to make sure they've done everything
possible to get their son into best college possible.
Please don't hesitate to contact me should you want
to.
Yours truly,
John Pohlman
Linthicum, Maryland
(father of Joseph Polman, RHP/SS, North County High
School)
March 25, 2005
Mr. Lou Holcomb,
We wanted to thank you for your guidance in our
search for the right college and baseball program
for Joe. Choosing the right college is a major step
in itself and finding a solid baseball program made
the process twice as daunting a task. When we first
started this endeavor I must admit we were lost.
But after talking with you several times we felt
confident with the approach you outlined. We started
hearing from colleges shortly after signing with
you and have continued to do so to this day.
As you stated there would be a lot of interest
in Joe and there was. As of this writing 25 colleges
have shown an interest in him including NCAA Division
I, Division II, Division III and JUCO. We live in
Maryland and have heard from schools in eight different
states, from Connecticut to Alabama.
After seeing Joe pitch at your Mid Atlantic High
School Baseball Classic Combine and then in the
Baseball Classic game itself, several colleges expressed
an interest in him, but several others that contacted
us were interested in Joe from just your recommendation
alone, site unseen. When colleges were calling to
recruit Joe site unseen, it was totally amazing
to us and speaks volumes of the reputation you must
have in the College Baseball community.
We never realized how important it was to have
an advocate such as you on our side, but you more
than proved yourself. All through the process you
continually gave us feedback, answering any and
all questions in a timely manner and have continued
to do so to this day.
We visited several colleges during this process
and after a lot of interesting offers Joe has decided
to attend and play for Delaware Tech, and is doing
so on full scholarship. Having his college search
completed before his senior baseball season will
take a lot of pressure off Joe and us, and will
allow us to relax and watch him play.
I highly recommend Lou Holcomb and his Diamond
Recruiting Service to any parents of high school
baseball players that have the aspirations of playing
college baseball. This dream is possible and if
anyone is capable of making it happen for your son
it is Lou Holcomb. The process of recruiting is
extremely complicated and requires a lot of work
and effort. You need someone such as Lou, who knows
the ins and outs of the process. He dedicated the
time necessary for this to happen. He always kept
us informed and made the process considerably easier
and much less expensive than it would have been.
Joe and DianeKlein
Son Joe Klein
Patuxent HS
St. Leonard, Maryland
March 8, 2005
Mr. Lou Holcomb,
I wanted to thank you for all of your help in our
search for a college baseball program for our son
Jason. Selecting the right college is difficult
enough and adding a search for a baseball program
that would fit Jason's talents became really monumental.
After talking with you in July, I felt comfortable
with your realistic approach and that you could
take some of the guesswork out of the process. You
proved yourself very early on as we started to hear
from colleges in a very short time after our initial
discussions. As you warned us, there would be a
great number of schools that would show interest
in Jason and I believe this was primarily due to
having your name and recommendation applied as a
reference for Jason. In addition, many of the schools
were interested in Jason for secondary infield/outfield
positions.
All through the process you continually gave us
realistic feedback for each school and where you
perceived Jason could fit in to each school's program.
Since Jason is not the prototypical Division I size
pitcher that most colleges are looking for, you
were able to suggest the schools that did not strictly
use the size criteria. We do not get insight like
this when we call the coaches directly. Most coaches
will not be very forthcoming with information unless
they get a recommendation from a scout such as yourself.
Most coaches don't have the time to come out and
see prospects and the camps we have attended never
seemed to display Jason's talent as a pitcher due
to the limited amount of real game pitching they
see. You were able to cut through a lot of the time
and money we normally would have expended to visit
schools, send letters or go to camps. With your
upfront phone calls and information you received
from the college coaches we were able to quickly
narrow our search to several Division I, II and
III schools where Jason would be a good fit for
the school's baseball program in the upcoming years.
This real time information was critical in our decision
making process.
As the summer moved on Jason was able to visit
the four colleges that expressed interest in Jason
and met our requirements. Through your contacts
with coach Brewer at Marietta College in Ohio and
the Mid Atlantic High School Baseball Classic showcase
camp you ran in August, coach Brewer was able to
see Jason pitch in a game situation and extended
a visit to the campus for Jason. By the end of the
fall season Jason had made the decision to attend
Marietta. Jason will get the opportunity to pitch
for a Division III college team that has won three
national baseball championships and has seven runners
up national finishes at the Division III College
World Series. Having our college search completed
before Jason's senior baseball season will take
a lot of pressure off him and us, and we can sit
back and enjoy watching him play.
Thanks again for your help.
Dave Baumler
1282 Dorothy Rd.
Crownsville, MD 21032
My son, Kevin, was fortunate enough to attend Lou
Holcomb's High School Mid-Atlantic Classic in the
summer of 2003 after Kevin's junior year in high
school. Kevin was honored with Lou's Best Pitcher
Award and was the starting pitcher in the North
vs. South game the following Monday evening. Kevin
pitched in front of many college scouts. This exposure
was helpful and so was Lou when we signed up with
his Diamond Recruiting Service. Lou's contacts with
college coaches is amazing. When looking into potential
colleges, Lou always looks for the best fit both
academically and athletically. Not only did he open
the door to new college coaches for Kevin, he kept
us informed of the progress and helped us with the
strategy to close the deal.
Kevin ended up with 22 colleges to pick from Division
I, II, III and NAIA. He was offered to sign early
(November) but due to the increased interest by
many college coaches, Kevin elected to sign in the
spring. Lou's advice helped Kevin and my wife and
I make the best informed decision. Diamond Recruiting
gave us more choices, and Kevin and our family appreciate
Lou's hard work.
Kevin signed with Indiana University of Pennsylvania,
a Division II university, about 1 ½ hours
from our home in Pittsburgh. Kevin received an academic
and athletic scholarship from IUP. We look forward
to watching Kevin pitch through the next four years.
My recommendation to parents of high school baseball
players that dream of playing college baseball is
to seek the professional advice of Lou Holcomb so
that your family can make an informed decision on
what school to attend. The process of recruiting
is extremely complicated and requires lots of work
and effort. Lou dedicated the time for us and always
kept us informed. Our family recommends Lou Holcomb
Diamond Recruiting Service.
Ken MacIntyre, Pittsburgh, PA
C. A. Durakis, Jr:
Dear Lou,
We want to thank you very, very much for your
help. Chad was thrilled to receive an athletic scholarship
from the University of Maryland, and have an opportunity
to play in the ACC, the best baseball conference
in the country. You were a huge factor in making
this happen and we appreciate all that you have
done on Chad's behalf.
High school student-athletes that aspire to play
college baseball will soon learn what a daunting
task it is to find the right place to play ball
and get a college education. Being a motivated and
helpful parent clearly wasn't enough to maximize
our son's chances of finding a great program. We
sent demo tapes and called coaches, but since they
didn't know us, we were rarely successful getting
them on the phone. Even when speaking to a coach,
they didn't know us, were really didn't have the
credibility to objectively describe why our son
was a great player for his program. Your deep network
of head coaches and assistant head coaches (heads
of recruiting) was invaluable and provided incredible
exposure for Chad. We received several comments
from coaches of "if Lou recommends someone
to me, I will definitely take a look because I know
the kid can play." You brought credibility
to the process that was so essential.
It is also important to mention that there are more
showcases around than ever before, with lots of
scouts and coaches in attendance. Showcases are
expensive, and unless a player has an attribute
that clearly differentiates him they are a waste
of time and money. We attended a few showcases and
came away feeling like Chad's best skills were not
showcased at all. We needed to communicate Chad's
ability in the clutch, his work ethic, ability (catcher)
to handle pitcher, not to mention his character.
You took the time to know Chad's strengths, weaknesses,
and interests, and became his advocate.
Your communication with us was always timely and
accurate. You constructed a plan, executed it to
perfection, and the result was not only a great
offer for Chad from Maryland, but also a selection
of other excellent offers from great schools from
which he could choose as well. Please feel free
to use this letter as the highest endorsement we
can provide to Diamond Recruiting!
Sincerely,
Chuck & Renee Durakis
August 31, 2004
Open Letter to Parents and Players from
Hugh Curd, father, Nate Curd, St. Paul's High School:
At the end of my son's sophomore season in high
school I began to worry about where he would go
to college. He has played baseball for so long and
spent so much time at it, that I knew it was going
to be challenging to find a place where hopefully,
he could spend the next four years of his life,
playing ball, growing into an adult, and receiving
a quality education. I figured with his talent,
people would be lined up to take their shot at him.
He plays at one the upper level high school programs
in Maryland and has contributed heavily on the mound
in both his sophomore and junior years. Midway through
his junior year I was becoming minimally concerned
that he had not received a lot of mail. I fortunately
was prepared for this eventuality, because of my
relationship with Lou Holcomb. He explained that
the college season, which runs concurrently with
the high school season is a slow recruiting period.
Lou watched my kid throw a couple of times and
we came to the determination, that he was a top
tier d2- d3 prospect, who was on the bubble in d1.
We were then able to target certain schools {email,
letters, phone calls}. This began to pay off near
the end of my son's junior year. Coaches contacted
me before the July 1st open season for recruiting
{because Lou had contacted them first}. This past
summer has included a half dozen one on ones with
head coaches that Lou, myself, and my son targeted.
As we approach my son's senior year his choices
for college are varied and impressive. I feel confident
that my son will be committed to a program before
Halloween, and that he will stay in that school
even if his arm falls off.
With Lou's guidance and coordination, I took as
much control of the recruiting process as is possible.
We kept our goals reasonable and got over the fact
that my son is not going to get a d1 full ride.
What he will get is the opportunity to enroll in
a d3 institution he would not have been able to
attend as a non-athlete. He will be a larger fish
in a smaller pond and will probably be able to pitch
as a freshman if he works hard. He will get four
years of working with a group striving to win a
national title and if he picks up 5 more mph who
knows {if you are good enough the pros will find
you anywhere}? My wife, my son, and myself have
been on the same page for six months now, because
of our relationship with Lou. We stuck to the plan
he formulated. He has coached at a top high school
program in the area. He was a four-year varsity
pitcher at the university of Maryland and captain
of the team. He currently scouts for the Baltimore
Orioles. More impressive is the rolodex in his head
with not only the numbers of the college coaches,
but their recruiting tendencies, program needs,
and personal relationships built over the last two
decades. It's all about networking and I was out
of the loop. Lou gives an unbiased view of your
kid. He won't waste your time or money if he feels
your kid cant play college ball. He will also possibly
save you some money through his knowledge of which
camps are worth attending and which are not {most
of them}. I'm glad I signed on with Lou Holcomb
and Diamond Recruiting. It was well worth the investment.
Hugh Curd
18 Montauk Court
Baltimore, MD 21234
Charlene & Steve
Hessler
Rick Steirer
Butch & Teresa King
John Vincent, Sr.
