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General | Press Release | 8/9/2010

Advice From a Guy Who’s Been There

Ryan Allen

For all freshmen and newcomers, it is important to go into fall baseball practice at college and expect to challenge for playing time immediately.

Don’t be content with just being along for the ride. Make the decision harder on your coaches by showing you are a viable option to contribute right away. For this to properly happen, you must first believe you belong at that level.

Probably the best words I received going into my freshman year at the University of Missouri were given to me by my coach from Connie Mack ball.

“Just remember, they wouldn’t have recruited you if they didn’t believe you could help them get to Omaha (and the College World Series),” he told me.

This was important for someone like me to remember since I had grown up in the Big 12, and playing at that level was a dream come true. I was so thankful for the chance to make that dream happen that I almost got caught up in the idea that they had done me some kind of favor by letting me come to play for them.

While it is important for a young player to be gracious with any opportunities given to him or her, it is just as vital for that player to realize the value they bring to the team.
Any player who is able to come to grips with this fact will be on track to realizing their full potential as an athlete, and as a teammate.

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Informed Athlete is pleased and proud to announce the addition of Ryan Allen to our team.
Ryan completed his final year of college baseball eligibility in May after playing three years for the University of Missouri (2006-2009) and one year (2010) for the University of Central Missouri. He will graduate in May 2011 from the University of Missouri with his bachelor’s degree in Business Management. While completing his degree, he is a private pitching instructor at Balls N Strikes in
Columbia, Mo. Ryan is also an “alumnus” of Perfect Game events.

As a former college athlete, Ryan brings a unique point of view to Informed Athlete that only someone who has “been there” can understand. He will be providing input on website content and writing blogs and giving advice from the student-athlete’s perspective.

To find out how we can help you in navigating NCAA recruiting, eligibility or financial aid rules, contact Rick Allen at 918-994-7271 or at rick@informedathlete.com. You can also subscribe to the Informed Athlete monthly newsletter at www.informedathlete.com, or join the Informed Athlete Facebook fan page.

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