We conclude our three-part series, looking at the playing calendar for a college baseball player, with the spring and summer seasons. The ability for players going through the recruiting process to understand the calendar can allow players to differentiate programs and their process for developing their players.  For players entering a college program, they should know and understand expectations as they enter their program.

The spring season is the most important season. As a college coach for 15-plus years, I was always thankful to be live in the spring. I never understood or trusted how fall programs (i.e. soccer, volleyball) got their freshmen, and at times their returning players, ready for a full season with a limited preseason. Baseball has a similar issue coming out of the winter break, but the fall semester allows programs to build a level of strength and conditioning. 

The summer can provide a chance for players to continue to grow, attacking personal areas of improvement with several different options on how they will work to get better. The most important part of understanding the summer is understanding the ability to play college baseball is a full time commitment. There are expectations that players will continue to grow in the summer, whether that is on campus or off, and most college programs will have a plan for their players.