About Alan Parham 
Prospects have 10 seconds to grab a college coach’s attention. That’s all. Whether on paper, online or in person, athletes either reel them in or lose them, that’s right, in 10 short seconds. How’s that supposed to happen, you ask? I deserve more consideration than that, you say. Both are good points. Reality is reality … Read more
“Select company” carries special meaning for National Scouting Report senior baseball prospect Nathan James. The 6-foot-five-inch, 215-pound corner and pitcher from Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida, was one of only 50 high school students across the globe chosen to attend the Four Star Leadership Program this past summer. That selection truly put James in select company. Besides … Read more
There may be a handful of 6-foot-two freshman softball pitchers in America. Jaycie Cline is an NSR prospect, she is one of them and she is very good. Her height definitely gives her an advantage in the circle, but what may be her biggest plus side is that she is a relentless competitor. NSR’s national … Read more
A recently released movie offers the perfect quote for high school prospects. In the film “Deep Water Horizon,” the man in charge of the rig was contentiously talking to BP executives. They had decided to skip an integral part of the pre-drilling process because the project was running behind schedule and costing the company millions … Read more
Leadership by example is the most underrated trait in sports. From the beginning of athletics, athletes have fallen in behind those who work hardest. Those talking a big game yet are unwilling to put in the sweat equity might bring the bluster, noise and hype, but leadership? Not so much. Here’s a flash: When NSR scouts and college … Read more
No way anybody is about to take Jordan Hodge‘s gun away. Get this: The 5’10” junior softball catcher from Station Camp High in Hendersonville, Tennessee, has a pop time of 1.68. You read that right – from the time a pitch hits her glove behind the plate until her throw hits the fielder’s glove at second base, … Read more
Social media echoes a prospect’s character through words and pictures to coaches. A prospect’s chances of being recruited can, in fact, be enhanced or ruined by how they manage their social media pages. The proof comes from the day-to-day work National Scouting Report scouts do with their prospects. It is not uncommon for NSR scouts to contact … Read more
There are benefits to “playing up,” but there are also inherent problems. The term itself was first used in the early 1980s when tournaments were short of filling an age bracket. Tournament directors would call coaches they knew in the age bracket just below and ask them to fill in “just this once.” Soon, teams were volunteering … Read more
At National Scouting Report, we advise prospects to diversify their recruiting efforts. Social media is one of those diversified methods we emphasize. While it can have minimal effect alone, tied to a strong website, frequent and targeted promotional distributions, social media is essential to rounding out a prospect’s recruiting portfolio. Every college coach expects prospects to … Read more
Young athletes walk a tightrope. Some make it to college. Others drop off. The fall is often life-threatening. How is it that a good high school athlete and kid fails to play at the next level? How can a youngster who was perhaps a can’t-miss prospect lose his or her way over a two- or three-year … Read more
