I Still Remember the Best Highlight Video I Ever Got
As a former D1 coach, I watched thousands of highlight videos. Most of them? I'd scrub through in 30 seconds and move on.
But there was one video that made me stop what I was doing. I watched the whole thing. Then I watched it again. And by the end, I was already pulling up my schedule to see when I could watch this kid play live.
It wasn't because he had the hardest fastball or the most home runs. It was because his video showed me something most highlight reels miss entirely: how he thought the game.
What Most Highlight Videos Get Wrong
Here's the truth: every highlight video I received showed skills. Fastball velocity. Exit velo. Stolen bases. Diving catches.
And that's fine. Coaches need to see those things.
But skills are just the baseline. Every kid sending me a video could hit, throw, and run. What I really wanted to know was:
- Can this player think under pressure?
- Do they compete when things go wrong?
- Will they make my team better?
Most videos never answered those questions. They were just a montage of good swings and clean plays set to music.
The video that stopped me? It told a story.
The Video That Changed How I Evaluated Players
The kid's name was Tyler. His video started with a simple title card: "Summer Season 2019 - Catcher/3B."
Then it showed me exactly what I needed to see:
- At-bats that mattered. Not just home runs, but competitive at-bats. I saw him battle through a 3-2 count, foul off tough pitches, and fight for a walk. I saw him get jammed and still find a way to punch a single through the right side. That showed me mental toughness.
- Defensive plays with context. One clip showed him blocking a ball in the dirt with a runner on third and less than two outs. He didn't just block it—he popped up, grabbed the ball, and held the runner. The next clip showed him throwing out a steal attempt in a tie game. I could see the game situation in the scoreboard. That showed me he competed when it counted.
- How he handled failure. This was the best part. Tyler included a clip of him striking out in a big moment. The camera stayed on him as he walked back to the dugout. No bat slam. No helmet throw. He sat down, took a breath, and you could see him refocus. Two innings later, the video showed him ripping a double. That told me everything I needed to know about his character.
- A closing statement that stuck. The video ended with a 10-second clip of Tyler talking to the camera: "I'm a catcher who can also play the corners. I compete every pitch. I want to play for a program that values toughness and teamwork. I'd love to talk about how I can help your team win."
It wasn't flashy. It wasn't over-produced. But it made me want to see him play live. And three months later, we brought him in for an official visit.
What Makes a Highlight Video Actually Work
If you want coaches to stop and pay attention to your son's video, here's what it needs to show:
- Game situations, not just skills. Include the scoreboard when possible. Show at-bats in tight games. Show defensive plays with runners on base. Coaches want to see how your son handles pressure—not just how he looks in BP.
- Competitive at-bats, not just barrels. A hard-fought walk in a big spot is more impressive than a solo home run in a blowout. Show your son grinding through tough at-bats, battling with two strikes, adjusting to different pitchers. That's what separates players in college.
- How he responds to adversity. Don't just show the wins. If you have footage of your son staying locked in after a strikeout or error, include it. Coaches are evaluating makeup just as much as talent. Resilience is a skill—and it shows up on film.
- Clean, simple editing. You don't need fancy graphics or epic music. Coaches are looking at 50+ videos a week. Make it easy: 3-5 minutes max, clearly labeled plays (e.g., "vs. Top-Ranked RHP - Summer 2024"), and no distracting effects. Let the baseball speak.
- A personal introduction. Start or end with 10-15 seconds of your son introducing himself. Name, position(s), grad year, key stats, and one sentence about what kind of player and teammate he is. It makes the video personal and memorable.
The Bottom Line
A great highlight video doesn't just show skills—it shows the player. It answers the questions every coach is asking: Can he compete? Does he think the game? Will he make my team better?
Most families think the video is just a checklist item. But for us coaches, it was often the first impression—and sometimes the deciding factor on whether we'd invest time watching a player live.
Make it count. Show the whole player. Tell the story that makes a coach stop what they're doing and say, "I need to see this kid play."
At Premier Athletes, we help families build highlight videos that get coaches' attention—because it's not just about showing skills, it's about showing the complete player.
