August 31, 2011
Lou,
I would just like to take a moment and drop you a quick
note to thank you on behalf of Shirlene, Kaden and I for
all of your help with Kaden’s future and his ambition
to play college baseball. The recruiting process, as confusing
as it is, was made much easier by working with you and
the expertise that you were able to bring to the table.
This being the first time that we went through this could
have been very overwhelming if it was not for your help.
You started out with an evaluation of Kaden’s abilities
and were very upfront and honest with us on his potential
at the next level. Having that third party opinion on
his projectability from someone that does not have an
immediate invested interest in him became one of the most
valuable pieces of advice we could get. As parents sometimes
we look at things through rose colored glasses or do not
give our kids enough credit for their upside. This evaluation
put everything into perspective.
From there, the plan that you laid out for Kaden helped
us start the process. You helping Kaden work through all
of the correspondence with recruiters became the key to
his success in securing a Division 1 scholarship. It was
a new experience for us and one that was made a whole
lot easier with your assistance.
Thank you again for all of your help and we look forward
to letting you know how Kaden makes out at the next level,
Wayne and Shirlene Hepler
March, 2011
Dear Lou,
First of all we want to thank you for taking our son,
Bobby, under your wing. Secondly, we like to thank you
for lending your expertise in the daunting process of
selecting a college. Bobby has committed to a top college
and will major in Criminal Justice and play baseball.
We feel your knowledge was worth tenfold what we paid
and I would recommend your service to any high school
player that wants to play in college.
Being parents we of course thought Bobby was an excellent
baseball player/athlete but we never fully understood
until this past year how his talents were viewed. When
we started getting contacted by colleges from across the
country we were amazed to find out just how many colleges
had interest in our son. Without you and your guidance,
the college coaches would have never known of Bobby and
we would not have know of all the possibilities for him.
Bobby has hit many milestones over this past year, being
inducted into the National Honor Society and selecting
his college to attend and play baseball. You have helped
him in so many ways that this letter feels insignificant
to our level of thanks. We will be eternally grateful
to you for everything that you have done. If you ever
need a recommendation to any parent, please let me know
and I would be more than willing to help with any family
seeking help with their son's recruiting.
Sincerely,
Becky
January 17, 2011
To Whom It May Concern:
As parents of a high school senior, we have invested
much time and energy in finding a college which would
be the "right fit" for our son, Dennis. We knew that his
choices had to meet certain academic criteria and also,
his athletic (baseball) opportunity had to be part of
the decision. Lou Holcomb has given us great guidance
and insight in this area, over the past year.
Before we began working with Lou, we were uninformed
as to exactly how to go about finding the best fit for
our son. We were referred to Lou by other parents, and
he met with Dennis in March to evaluate his skill as a
baseball player and understand his aspirations for playing
in college. Then, over the next months Lou recommended
several colleges for us to consider, based on his knowledge
of their baseball program and coaching staff. We set up
visits with many coaches who knew of Lou's experience
in baseball.
Lou also has helped develop and improve Dennis' hitting
technique, over the course of several private lessons.
Finally, in December, Dennis has made his final choice
and has officially given his acceptance into the college
of his choice. He is very excited and looking forward
to playing college baseball. We appreciate Lou's help
and direction in navigating through this long and sometimes
difficult process of the "college search" and give our
solid recommendation of him to other parents in this journey.
Thanks again Lou.
October 2, 2010
Dear Mr. Holcomb,
I would like to thank you for everything you have done
for me. From evaluating me and sitting down with my parents
to discuss realistic options and design a plan for us
to follow. You never tried to build me up to something
I was not. You stayed honest with how you felt about my
skills and you were always straight forward with my options.
You advised my family on schools that invited me to pursue
application and to attend their camp. I am incredibly
happy with the school and I can not wait to start my college
career. It’s all thanks to you and your hard work. My
family and I could not have done it with out you. Throughout
the entire process you stayed positive and you knew you
could find me a place to play. Before coming to you, I
doubted my ability to play at the next level but with
your reassurance and help you made it happen.
Now my last year of high school will be all about just
playing the game and living it up on the field. I will
not have to worry about where I will be playing next year
and that is one of the best feelings in the world.
Thank you again for all of your help!
July 21, 2010
Re: Letter of Recommendation
Lou Holcomb
“One Dad’s Perspective”
Dear Baseball Parents,
If your son is serious about playing baseball at the
next level, whether it’s Division 1, Division 2, Division
3, NAIA, or Junior College, or maybe he’s in college and
needs to transfer to another school, I would highly recommend
you consider employing the talents and services of Lou
Holcomb and Diamond Recruiting. We did for our son. Lou
has been a professional scout for many years. He was also
a professional player (Texas Rangers) and was a local
high school and college (Maryland) standout in the Baltimore-Washington
area before becoming a pro.
Recruiting is frustrating and it has become increasingly
more difficult for players to get an audience in front
of these coaches without attending their baseball camps,
or being in the right place at the right time and seen
at one of the zillions of “showcases” and “tournaments”
that have blossomed all over the country. Not that I am
against showcases and tournaments, but it is just such
a crapshoot sometimes to get seen by the coaches. Then,
what if your son doesn’t perform well at that camp or
at that precise moment at the event when the coach from
XYZ University (where your son has always dreamed of attending)
is there watching...and your son strikes out or makes
a throwing error in the field, or gives up a homerun to
the other team…You know he’s a better player than that,
but the coaches don’t have the time to figure that out
unless he’s throwing in the 90s and doesn’t have control
that day. Lou is very helpful in this regard, too, helping
you to set expectations and coming up with “backup plans”
which are so essential in the recruiting business. He
keeps your feet on the ground and your eyes open to other
possibilities all the time, which I am forever grateful
to him for doing.
This is not an exact science and if you are serious about
playing at the next level, you need help to get through
all of this even if your son is one of the big “stud”
type players who many of the coaches seem pre-disposed
to look for these days. (Yes, there is a great deal of
SIZE DISCRIMINATION out there, like it or not, so get
used to it, but learn to work around it if your son is
not a big kid….my son is about 5’11” 185 lbs, so his body
type is literally a ‘dime a dozen’ when it comes to recruiting,
so he better be able to handle the bat!) There is no one
better suited to provide help and guidance in these areas
than Lou. Your high school coach just is not equipped
to help you in this regard unless he has been a college
coach himself. This is very rare at the high school level.
The average top-level high school player needs help getting
exposure; otherwise he may get overlooked and end up having
to walk-on at a school if he really wants to play and
go to school there.
Lou is well respected on many levels. The college coaches
know and respect Lou’s because he has a tremendous experience
as a former player and coach.
We are very thankful to Lou for all he has done to help
counsel us to the next level. All the best to you and
yours and feel free to contact me if you have any questions
at all about being a parent of a kid going through this
complex process where Lou can be so instrumental.
June 27, 2010
Dear Lou,
On behalf of Gregory and our family we want to thank
you for the time and effort you personally dedicated to
us in finding the right college for Gregory. Not only
on the baseball part but also on the academic area as
well. Since the first day we met for Gregory's workout
you never stop communicating with us to see how things
were going.
Thanks to you we visited more than 20 schools until we
found the one we believe is the right one for Greg. You
never stopped helping us understand the process until
we were satisfied with our selection. We had such a great
experience on this journey that normally is very stressful.
We have to say thanks for your arduous work. We have a
six years old son and I can not wait until he is ready
for college to use your advice and again.
We wish you the best and thanks again.
God bless you!
January 27, 2010
Lou,
I just wanted to get a quick note out to you; first and
foremost I want to thank you for everything you have done
for Bobby. From your evaluation of Bobby’s ability as
a pitcher and getting to know where Bobby would be most
happy as a student and athlete. The experience of going
through the college recruitment process was an exciting
time for us. Last night we did our first unofficial visit
at his first choice school and got to watch the basketball
team beat a rival. Bobby met with all the coaches toured
the campus and the baseball facilities and quite honestly
he fell in love with it all. We left knowing that an offer
would be coming and today Bobby has verbally committed
to playing baseball for them. For Bobby to have the opportunity
to play baseball in college is truly a dream come true.
Again I would like to thank you for helping to make this
happen. Bobby will be calling you soon to personally thank
you, and now I can just sit back and enjoy his last two
seasons of high school baseball.
1/25/10
Coach Lou,
It wasn't long ago that I gave you a call at the end
of my Senior Fall season on the diamond. Despite many
accomplishments that year, I was left without a spot on
a college roster, and I had no direction of what to do
next. Without hesitation, you jumped to give me a great
evaluation that same week. In addition, you were all ears
as I spoke with you about my hopes and desire where to
play at the next level. During our meeting, there was
no doubt in my mind that you could make it happen.
You helped me make a list of criteria and from this list,
I told you what was important to me, and you continued
provide great advice to me. After a week or two, we had
an entire list of schools that had given me opportunities.
However, I wanted something different, so you listened
and helped.
A month later I narrowed the search down to two schools,
and you continued to help and give advice. Without your
help, I would've never had either of these options.
Moreover, I wanted to personally thank you for helping
me in my recruiting process. You took my dream of playing
a high level of collegiate baseball and ran with it. You
and your program are one of a kind. Keep up the good work
and I hope to see you at a game!
December 3, 2009
Mr. Lou Holcomb
Diamond Recruiting
Dear Lou:
Thanks to your guidance and direction, our son Austin,
just signed his commitment letter to play baseball in
college.
As most parents blessed with a son who loves sports,
we watched Austin progress from a young child who loved
to play baseball into a young man who wants to continue
to pursue the sport as a foundation for a future career.
Also as most parents in this situation, we really didn’t
have a clue as to how to assist him in achieving that
goal while also ensuring that he also prepares himself
for the future academically. Challenging questions were
in front of us such as – “Does he really have the talent?”
(We are PARENTS after all!); “Can he play baseball, yet
still receive a good education?” and of course, “What
steps do we need to take to make this happen?”
As my husband and I both work in the computer field,
we looked to the Internet to help answer our questions.
We found Diamond Recruiting on the WEB and reviewed the
voluminous testimonials where other parents in the same
situation appeared to have found the answer to the dilemma
that we were currently facing.
In our initial meeting with you, we were convinced that
we had taken a positive step forward! You took the time
to evaluate Austin’s fundamental baseball abilities, but
perhaps more importantly, to also discuss his academic
abilities and aspirations. As you had promised in our
initial communications, you were candid in your assessment
– Austin could play Division 1 if he worked hard. During
that conversation, you emphasized to Austin the importance
of academics as well as continued hard work as an athlete.
As parents, we had obtained the valued opinion of someone
who had not only “been there”, but who was also experienced
at evaluating numerous other potential athletes in this
same situation. We were much more assured that Austin
did indeed have the athletic talent to pursue college
baseball.
Thanks to your guidance, Austin begins his college career
in the fall of 2010 majoring in Sports Management and
on the baseball roster! He received substantial academic
scholarship monies from the University as well.
With the support of Lou Holcomb, we received great advice
and expertise.
There is no doubt, Lou's experience and reputation established
incredible opportunities for Zach. We are so excited to
see Zach find a perfect home away from home for the next
4 years. We are so grateful for his advice.
October 30, 2009
Dear Lou,
I am writing to thank you for all you have done in counseling
us concerning Bradley's baseball talents.
We appreciate your help in mapping out the best course
for Bradley as he started receiving phone calls and subsequent
offers from great colleges! Every college head coach with
whom we met not only knew you, but they made it a point
to let us know that they highly regarded you.
I know that Bradley has talent, but there are a lot
of kids out there with talent who don't get a chance to
display their baseball skills. Your counseling and advice
with your great reputation made that possible for Bradley.
I have and will continue to tell other baseball parents
how thrilled we are that we signed on with you and encourage
them to do the same. Thanks, again.
October 5, 2009
Dear Coach,
Just wanted to e-mail you and thank you again for letting
me play in this summer's game. I basically owe my college
career to you and your operation because after how I played
in the game I was later contacted and offered. I have
made the commitment to play and again just wanted to thank
you for all your help because without the Crab Claw Classic
the college process would have been a little harder.
Thanks.
10/3/09
Dear Lou,
I would like to personally thank you for all of your
efforts in helping our son, Will, through the recruiting
process and ultimately committing to attend school and
play baseball. Will had just come off an exciting freshman
year as they won the MD 4A State Championship and he had
been called up from the JV to start 3 playoff games that
season and we were unsure what to do.
You laid out a terrific game plan for how to attack the
upcoming recruiting process and what would be necessary
on our part as well as Will's in regards to commitment
both on and off the field.
When September 1 came around the deluge of opportunities
increased with questionnaires, camp offers and media guides
which at that time seemed almost overwhelming. Schools
from the SEC, ACC, USA, Big East, Atlantic 10, Big South
and Southern conferences were all represented. You helped
us focus on a few of our top choices and weed out the
serious interest from the not so serious.
In the end we feel Will selected the "best fit" school
on both an academic basis as well as a baseball prospective.
Thank you again for all the work you did on Will's behalf
we are truly grateful, please feel free to share this
letter with other prospective families.
September 2009
It has just been a month since my son Brandon settled
in at college, but the journey to get there began in the
winter months of 2008, Brandon’s junior year of high school.
We were fortunate enough to meet Lou Holcomb.
Brandon has played baseball since he could swing a bat,
and throughout the years focused on pitching. There was
no question that he “wanted” to play competitive ball
in college, but there were two other important questions.
Did he truly have the talent to play ball in college and
did a college exist that would also provide the academic
knowledge that Brandon was seeking - which was somewhat
unusual, “Construction Management”.
After hours and hours of consuming my time with self-research
of colleges and baseball, I realized it was beyond my
capabilities. I mentioned the difficulty I was having
to a friend of mine whose son had played ball with Brandon.
He suggested I call Lou Holcomb. One phone call truly
did change our lives.
We visited Lou one morning for Brandon’s evaluation.
Not only did Lou thoroughly evaluate Brandon’s skills
and abilities regarding baseball, but he also dug in deep
to find out what Brandon was interested in as far as what
he expected out of college and what Brandon thought was
in his future. While it was obvious that Lou knew every
possible aspect of baseball, he focused on the importance
of education stating that playing baseball in college
would provide an added opportunity, but realistically
speaking, the academic part is truly the important part
for Brandon’s future. While we all have hopes of the possibility
of our sons becoming professional ballplayers as Lou did,
he put things in perspective reiterating the importance
of a college education and “anything beyond college would
be icing on the cake”.
Lou was very enthusiastic about assisting Brandon to
find his academic desire in Construction Management and
considered him a possible D1 candidate.
During this time while Lou continued his counseling and
advice, he provided invaluable pitching instruction to
Brandon during several private sessions.
Brandon is currently preparing to play fall baseball
and is anxiously looking forward to competitive baseball
in the spring.
I am extremely grateful to Lou Holcomb and appreciate
all his time, efforts and the knowledge he shared with
my son Brandon and his assistance in starting Brandon
down the right path in his young life. I would welcome
the opportunity to speak to any player or family about
this process and experience.
5/27/09
Out of this process, one we will never forget, we have
learned more about the way the world of college baseball
recruiting works, and my son learned how he, as a baseball
prospect and college student, should be engaged in the
process.
Thinking of the recruiting process has reminded me of
a spin on an old quote; Talent, like genius, is 1% inspiration,
and 99% perspiration. Lou has helped by his guidance and
great advice for Bobby realize this dream.
We welcome the opportunity to speak with any players
or families regarding our positive experience.
April 20, 2009
After almost three decades as a newspaper sportswriter,
I thought I knew the sports world. But when my son Wick
expressed an interest in playing college baseball, I discovered
I was out of my league. I had few contacts, little knowledge,
and major concerns about how to proceed.
I was directed to Diamond Recruiting, and Lou Holcomb
became a key figure in Wick’s college search. We were
in good hands. Lou understood that academics were by far
Wick’s top priority but that the baseball “fit” also needed
to make sense. He helped get us map out a game plan and
build a list of numerous schools of all sizes, some of
which we never would have thought to contact. When it
was time to visit schools and decide between several exciting
options, Lou offered important advice about what factors
to consider. Wick eventually selected a school where he
believes he will experience his desired blend of challenging
academics and competitive baseball.
Lou was professional, prompt, enthusiastic, and effective
throughout Wick’s yearlong search. The college recruiting
process can appear daunting, and I would be happy to discuss
Lou’s impact on our experience.
1/28/09
The process of selecting the right college for our son
presented itself to be a time consuming and complex task
that simply left us feeling overwhelmed. Lou Holcomb of
Diamond Recruiting simplified this journey by offering
his invaluable insight into the college recruitment process.
Coupling his guidance in developing a student-athlete
profile with his extensive network of contacts,
Throughout this journey, Lou focused on not only the
athletic capabilities of our son, but also his academic
potential. His personal attention to our son's Student-Athlete
needs was of paramount importance to us. We are extremely
pleased with Lou and would personally recommend Diamond
Recruiting for any parent about to undertake the college
selection process.
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. 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
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 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.
I greatly appreciated the e-mails that you would send
regarding Evan’s play after several 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.
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. 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.
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. I know that this assignment was a challenge
for you but your guidanca was key 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.
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.
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 high
school coach recommended you to Chad when Chad expressed
interest in playing major college baseball. Your event
allowed Chad to gain great exposure by playing in front
of many scouts and coaches at your "Crab Claw Classic"
(Mid-Atlantic HS Baseball Classic) baseball event. It
was an outstanding introduction to many relationships
that turned into real opportunities. Thanks to you Chad
was recruited by several quality division one programs.
Chad 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.
May, 2008
Lou,
Matthew, Marty, and I all would like to thank you for
the all the work you did helping to place Matt where he
will have an opportunity to continue to play baseball.
You and Diamond Recruiting were recommended to us by other
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. You got us started with a game
plan. We started looking at the different schools, going
to camps and showcases, meeting all the coaches who were
interested in Matt.
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!
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.
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.
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 right
college for him. 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 this school as a prospect if it
were not for you. Thanks for all your efforts and good
advice along the way.
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 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, Michael was selected to play in Lou's high profile
showcase through the Crab Claw Classic, 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.
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 guidance.
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.
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 a school 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thanks again Lou, for your professional advice. We highly
recommend you to anyone seeking the extra edge in the
recruiting process.
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. With
your guidance, 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.
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.
Tommy will be in position to contribute immediately
in the baseball program next year at his first choice
school. 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.
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.
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 college in
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.
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 the right school
for Kyle.
We would certainly recommend your service to other families.
Thank you and best regards for continued success.
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.
I am pleased that he has landed at this number one choice.
I will keep you advised of Tommy's progress. We are looking
forward to a successful senior year in high school.
Best personal regards.
March 2007
Lou,
Cindy and I wanted to express our appreciation for your
help and guidance through the college placement process
for our son. You certainly met our expectations and we
are extremely pleased with the end result of him having
the opportunity to play baseball in college as a scholarship
athlete.
Your persistence and creditability played a significant
role in this process. Our son had a long list of
Division I college programs. Before the end of the early
signing period, he was able to fulfill his dream, signing
a NLI to play in his hometown. As parents, we are
especially excited by the opportunity we will have to
watch him play.
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.
We look forward to seeing you during the upcoming baseball
season.
Kind Regards.
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 for Mike both athletically and academically.
Any family that has been through the college 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 you 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 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 you 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.
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 to pursue his academic desires.
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, thank you.
December 11, 2006
Dear Coach Holcomb:
I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work you
did for my son, Ryan. With your guidance he selected an
excellent 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. He chose a school that is both academically
and athletically a perfect extension of his high school
education.
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 guidance.
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.
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 college signing. The school will provide Jeff
with an excellent opportunity to continue his education
with an outstanding Business School. Additionally, 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 your guidance. 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.
Fortunately, at the end of his journey, three schools
recruited Jeff. After several long family discussions
and your input, Jeff decided on a school that is 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.
I realize there are many recruiting services available
today, however, I do not think any offer the personal
service of that you do. 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.
March 23, 2006
Dear Coach Holcomb,
Thank you for your guidance. It helped us find an excellent
college fit for our son, Drew. From your game plan, we
were able to select a fine school. 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. The 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.
We feel very fortunate to have had your guidance.
Thank you so much for your contributions to Drew's
future.
Sincerely,
January 4, 2006
Lou,
I am writing this letter to thank you for your professionalism
and guidance.
All of the schools we visited had great academic and
athletic programs.
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.
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 you to any one who
has the desire, ability and commitment to compete at the
college level.
Sincerely.
December 18, 2005
Mr. Lou Holcomb
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 college baseball. He chose a school that 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.
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.
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. Second, Devin has a big challenge ahead
of him getting prepared to play in a very competitive
conference. Devin will have a busy summer ahead of him
getting prepared for such a challenge and is extremely
excited and up for the challenge.
In closing, an excellent job in helping Devin with the
“right fit” school.
Sincerely.
September 16, 2005
Mr. Lou Holcomb
I am writing this letter to thank you for your assistance
in narrowing down the maze of college choices for my son
Michael.
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.
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. Thanks again
for your help.
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.
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.
Sincerely.
April 22, 2005
To any parent of a college baseball prospect,
My son willl 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.
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.
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.
We set up our visits to several colleges during this
process and after a lot of interesting offers. 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 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.
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.
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.
As the summer moved on Jason was able to visit the four
colleges that expressed interest in Jason and met our
requirements. By the end of the fall season Jason had
made the decision to attend a school that fit for him.
Jason will get the opportunity to pitch in college for
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.
March, 2005
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 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.
Kevin received an academic and athletic scholarship.
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.
Ken MacIntyre, Pittsburgh, PA
Charlene & Steve Hessler
Rick Steirer
Butch & Teresa King
John Vincent, Sr.
