In this new series, Team CSA is showcasing in-depth conversations with real people who represent every aspect of the college sports recruiting process. From coaches and parents to student-athletes and trainers, we'll give you a behind the scenes look at the current recruiting landscape and the role you can expect to play in it.
Our first interview features Chase Barley, a 17-year-old LHP from New City, NY and recent Lafayette College commit. Hear a firsthand account of his journey with CSA in the video and personal statement below.
Working with CSA was honestly the best decision for me to make regarding the future of my baseball career. Before Sam and Mark, I was lost in the whole recruiting process. I was just trying to do everything in my power to get noticed by somebody in hopes of something good coming out of it. All the info I had about the process prior to meeting CSA came in little snippets from a variety of different coaches and friends that I talked to. I had zero guidance or plan and time was running out for me to find a home for the next four years, especially with the situation that Covid has caused.
That all was true until Sam was given my name and reached out to me about CSA and the tools they had to offer. It almost sounded too good for it to be real; someone who knew firsthand what the process entailed and how it differs for everybody both athletically and academically. As soon as I had my first consultation/workout with them, I knew that Sam and Mark were people that I could trust with finding me the perfect school to play at. All I had to do was convince my parents that this was what I really wanted and the rest is history.
Immediately, I was welcomed in as part of the CSA family once it became official that I would be working with them. From Day 1, it was clear that Sam and Mark made it their goal to find the perfect school for me. They were able to create a list of possible schools for me just based on a single bullpen and getting to know my academic interests. I had done some research before meeting with them and still didn’t recognize a lot of schools that we discussed as possibilities.
As he spent more time getting to know me, Sam became almost like an older brother. He was always there to answer any questions I had about the process and how it was going to work. There was never a time where he wasn’t available to reach within an hour of sending a text which made everything go quickly and smooth. Communication was one of the most important parts of our relationship that allowed it to be so successful. All that Sam asked from me was to perform on the field, forward him all contact with coaches, and “make sure to CC me on the email.” All joking aside, speaking with coaches needed to stay very professional and Sam and Mark made sure nothing was sent out before going through them first.
When we were on the initial grind to get video to send out to coaches, Sam and Mark always seemed to make themselves available to come and record. Within a day or two, it was already edited and ready to be sent out to coaches. These guys put hours into their job behind the scenes to make sure everything happened quickly and keep the ball rolling. Once I started getting some serious traction with coaches, the phone calls came rolling in and Sam was there to prep me for each one and recap how it went afterwards.
Sam and Mark were with me all the way from my first email to my first phone call to my first offer to when I finally committed and everything in between. Nothing can describe the feeling of being able to call Sam to tell him that the top school on my list had just offered me and a week later telling him that I committed. The most remarkable part of my whole journey was that my final destination was a school I had never even heard of or considered prior to working with CSA, yet I will be spending my next four years of my life there. Even after I committed, Sam is still someone that I talk to regularly and I look forward to being a part of CSA for life.
- Chase Barley
Clarkstown High School North, 2021
Lafayette College, 2025
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