Success Stories

I am the parent of Kyle Datres. For 3 years, Kyle played for Mark Helsel and I had the pleasure to observe his interaction with his players, followers, and college coaches. In that time, I witnessed a true professional. Mark was organized and calm in teaching the intricacies of college baseball, which enhanced each player's opportunity to be recognized. Many talented players opened the eyes of coaches who arrived with scholarship offers. My son was just such a player. He played for Coach Mike Fox at the University of North Carolina, and subsequently was drafted by the Colorado Rockies. Mark Helsel is a major reason for Kyle's success. Mark knows baseball!

Today's athletes are constantly in search of that ever elusive edge which will propel them past the competition and help them inch closer to their overall goals. Coach Helsel understands that those small advantages are hard to come by and prepares his athletes for the realization that physical ability alone is not enough to ensure success. As one of Coach Helsel's former athletes, I was provided with countless resources and endless support as I pursued my quest to reach my potential. Furthermore, Coach Helsel's deep understanding of the recruiting process helped me and my family navigate the twists and turns, which inevitably occur, and we relied heavily on his experience throughout the entire process. Having had the opportunity to compete at both the NCAA Division I level, as well as professionally, I can say that the traits in which Coach Helsel prioritizes for his athletes as separating factors truly carry water at each and every level, and I felt extremely prepared as I entered each new arena. If you are looking for a partner to help you realize your potential and achieve your goal of playing at the next level, I would strongly suggest you consider adding Coach Helsel to your corner.

Coach Helsel was one of my favorite and most influential coaches I ever had! Not only did he teach me a lot about the game of baseball, but a lot in just everyday life! As a young kid growing up in a Christian household, it was such a blessing to be able to play for a God fearing man that has so many great values. That helped shape me to be the man I am today! He taught virtues such as always being on time, being a professional about your work, and always showing up presentable! Another good value Coach Helsel would always instill in us was to always say thank you to the guy that throws batting practice, or to the guy hitting you ground balls before a game or at practice! A little thing like that, just saying thank you to someone, is something that is lost in our world today. Yet, Coach Helsel taught us that at an early age! I could go on and on about the baseball side of it, but one thing I know is that he will outwork anyone in trying to help a kid get better, help a kid get into a school or get him seen by scouts. It was a pleasure to play for Coach Helsel and something my family and I will always cherish! Thank you Coach!--

If you are looking for someone to guide you through the recruiting process Mr. Mark Helsel should be your first call. Mark is extremely knowledgeable and has been guiding kids through this process for years. He has hundreds of contacts in the coaching ranks. With Mark’s guidance, my son became a highly recruited Division 1 recruit. Mark knows what it takes to get to that level. He knows what the coaches look for and how they evaluate. As a professional baseball scout myself, I can tell you the things you will hear from Mark are what you need to hear. No BS!! Tough love is a must for aspiring college athletes. As a professional scout I use the same methods of advice and evaluation of players that Mark has in the past. If you are not only wanting to play in college, but professionally as well, I would highly recommend Mark.

My experience with Coach Mark has been nothing short of life changing. When I came to him I was an overweight middle schooler with big dreams, but not much more than that. That kid had no direction with what he wanted to do. But, once that kid met Coach Mark, he started changing his body, changing his work ethic, and his daily routine. I wouldn’t be the man I am today if my path didn’t cross with Coach Mark, and that’s something I’ll be forever grateful for.

Through my recruiting Coach Mark brought great knowledge and experience to help ease my process. Though my process wasn't always easy or straightforward, Coach Mark led with my best interest in mind. He was always straight up and told me what I needed to hear/do to get me to the next level. Coach Mark recognized my goals and opened his home for me to come stay and train with his sons! I'm thankful for my relationship with him and how he bought into me to help get me to East Carolina!-

The recruiting process for me was one of the most difficult and stressful time periods of my entire life. Being a 5’9/145 lb high school player, and the farthest thing from a 5 tool player, my phone wasn’t exactly ringing off the hook from schools. But trusting the process and trusting the network that Mark Helsel had built was easy. I knew that showing up everyday and treating it like a tryout was going to put me in the right place. Even if Mark wasn’t coaching our team, he was still on the phone trying to sell someone to a college coach. Seeing somebody go to war for you like Coach Helsel did for us makes you wanna fight for them, and give them something to sell. Looking back on this entire recruiting process, the skills that are instilled in you from a young age are life changing. I still am able to apply them in the workforce every day. We learned to be the first one there and the last one to leave, how to take feedback in a yes sir way, and most importantly, the work you put in is most certainly what you will get out. I know this is much longer than 100 words but I figured the most genuine testimony from myself would be a thank you. I have had many great leaders and role models in my life. But reflecting back on everything I would not be in the position I am and have the life skills I have had without the influence of Mark. He always had our best interest and held true to his promise that if we worked hard, he would work hard for us.

As a parent I think of Mark Helsel as a guide through the Amazon Forest. Except this jungle is the “Recruitment Jungle.” There are so many things that people do not understand about how or why a kid goes to a certain school, or how he gets so many looks from different colleges. Mark Helsel coached my son from the early years, where my son was groomed and guided from the age of 12. He helped identify weaknesses, and not just physically, but also the mental side. He taught my son about how to conduct himself. My son learned how personality traits can send either the right, or wrong signals, through both verbal and body language. Mark Helsel has connections to so many colleges. He takes the time to personally meet with college coaches to see what kids can do to play at their schools. He has a personal relationship with so many coaches, and has built a reputation with coaches on trust and credibility. His word on a player carries a lot of credit because coaches get the whole picture, not just from what they see on the field. Mark Helsel teaches standards; you learn how to accept and excel through the standards as common everyday life. Every kid is an individual and he understands and makes a different plan for each individual. That helps develop their weaknesses and identifies their strengths. It’s great to go on an adventure, but it’s awesome to go with someone who’s been there, and has done it successfully, hundreds if not thousands of times over.

I played for Coach Helsel’s teams for 3 years while in high school, the most critical time for a baseball player looking to play in college. Coach Helsel was invaluable in helping my family and me navigate the daunting recruiting process. I can’t imagine having to do so without him. He and his staff helped give me confidence in my abilities on the field, set a high standard for character off the field, and allowed me to confidently communicate with college recruiters. For that I will be forever grateful.-

Coach Mark was a huge piece to my recruiting process. As a family we had no experience in the process and he did a great job of preparing us for every single twist and turn. The effort that Coach Mark put into my process, whether it was reaching out to coaches for me, or helping me prepare for the next phone call with the college coach, it has always meant a lot to me. I would not have been in the position that I was in at the end of my recruiting process without his help. I firmly believe that anyone that chooses to learn and follow Coach Mark through their recruiting process will be in a great position because they will always be prepared.-

Coach Helsel is only giving me 100 words (which isn’t nearly enough) so I’ll keep it short and sweet. If there is only one thing you get out of working with Coach Helsel, it’s honesty. He’s going to tell you the truth and give you his honest opinion, whether you like it or not. Now, what you do with the truth is up to you. You can go take a long hard look in the mirror and evaluate yourself, or you can leave and go somewhere else where they’ll tell you how wonderful you are; the choice is yours. I’ve witnessed and experienced first-hand the type of young men that Coach Helsel can help mold with his method of player-development, and I stick by the choices I’ve made.

It has been our pleasure to have known Mark, and been able to work with him for the past 7 years. He has been very instrumental in our son, Trevor’s development, not only as a baseball player, but more importantly as a respectful young man. We, as a family, have implemented such things as “Trust the Process, Onward and Upward, Be the Standard, and Compete with Character” into our everyday lives. Mark has always treated our family with the utmost respect, and has been very integral in Trevor reaching his goals. Through the ups and downs, good times and bad, Mark always believed in Trevor and worked relentlessly to help fulfill his dreams. Mark is a class act. His goal oriented personality creates a recipe for success

Coach Helsel has made a tremendous impact on my life, and helped mold me into the young man I have become today. I started playing for Coach Helsel when I was 10 years old. I always looked up to him as a role model in my life. His strong faith has rubbed off on me and helped me become the Christian I am. Coach Helsel has worked hard to instill these values in many young kids, and young men, while on their journey to become better baseball players and better people. Without Coach Helsel’s impact on my life I don’t know where I would be today.

I am the mother of identical twin boys. My prayer from the time they were young was for them to be able to go to college together and play baseball on the same team. Several coaches throughout their middle and high school years literally told me, “they aren’t going to college together so you had better get used to the idea”. No one believed it could happen except our family. But then we met Mark Helsel. My boys were trying out for a team in his organization. He watched them and could immediately tell they were talented and special. They were also good boys, Christian boys. No foul language, no bad attitudes. Mark came up and found me in the stands. He asked questions….about what we wanted as a family, about what my boys wanted. He listened. From the moment we met I could tell he had my boy's best interest at heart. We had the absolute best experience in his organization. Things were run in a very different way than what we were used to, and it was wonderful. He was very strict with the way the teams, coaches and parents were allowed to act. It was quite remarkable. So much so that other parents constantly asked how they could be a part of such an organization. Less than 3 months after meeting Mark Helsel one of my boys had 2 D1 offers, one from a power 5 school. The other son had one D1 offer. But the best part was they had a D1 offer from the same school, which meant their dream (and mine) of them going to college together and playing on the same team would come true. Mark was instrumental in making this happen. He has relationships with coaches all over the country. He put my boys in front of the right coaches for them. I can’t thank Mark enough for everything he did to help my sons. He believed in them and believed their dream of playing together was possible. Mark is one of a kind and we were blessed to meet him when we did.

When I first met Coach Mark, I was 14 years old just starting the recruiting process. From the day I played my first tournament game with his team, I knew I was in great hands. The way he went above and beyond, for not only myself, but those around me to educate us on what college coaches look for, doing the right things on and off the baseball field, and actually reaching out to schools, will always mean the world to my family and I. He is a huge part of why I am where I am today.-

As a parent of a ball player I got to know Mark Helsel over a 4 year period starting when my son was 13. He mentioned to me that if given the opportunity to work together he would see to it that there would be development and growth for my son, as both a baseball player and human. They are intrinsically intertwined, and for me this was a critical piece of information ....baseball as it relates and teaches lessons on life. I learned to trust his judgment and allow his process to work. He is honest, straightforward and compassionate about communicating with both the player and parent. The recruiting process is fluid and complex. He breaks it down and helps to make it very understandable and successful.

Where do I even begin to describe the impact Coach Helsel has had on me! My dreams were always to play D1 baseball and make it to the Major Leagues. I remember being on a travel team and pitching against Coach Helsel’s US Elite team. Suddenly, only a couple weeks later I got a call from him to come play with that US Elite team in a big tournament. Little did I know that Coach Helsel was going to change my life during that tournament. Coach Helsel sent me a text the day I was scheduled to pitch and told me he had invited schools to come watch you throw… he invited so many people! We ended up making a huge run in that tournament. Ultimately, we came up a bit short, but at the end of that tournament I had my two dream schools call me. I ended up committing to The University of South Carolina shortly after that tournament. The moral of the story is; I’ve never met a man who wanted to help in every way possible like Coach Helsel does. I mean, to this day we are still in contact with each other and I still know that if I ever needed anything baseball, or life, he would answer the phone in a second, and have my back! I cannot thank Coach Helsel enough for the opportunities and time he has given me and my family. He is truly one of the best.

Baseball and Jesus is something my family is beyond passionate about. We don't just like it.... we live for it. When we first met Mark it was evident that both were at the top of his list as well. The Lord has blessed my wife and I with 4 boys that love the game of baseball. As parents, we wanted them pushed, but also guided. One day the game will end and the cleats will be hung up, but the lessons learned will carry forward. As our relationship with Mark grew, it was evident we were in the right place. The talks went deeper than a pitch count; deeper than body positioning. It went to being young men in a world that has lost that concept. He instilled the ideas and concepts that we are held to a higher standard on, and off the field. While his coaching was authentic, what captured my wife and I even more was his drive to make these boys respectable young men. Mark cared about them off the field even more than he did on the field. I could fill this page with reasons why we stayed with his program over the years, but simply put it was because of the values and the standards by which he led, not just the wins or losses on the field. We are blessed and ever grateful that we crossed paths with someone that believes in the foundations and principles that we have lost in this country.

Mark Helsel is one of the most trusted guys in the country when it comes to baseball, and helping guys get scholarships at the next level. Not only did Coach Helsel help me throughout my entire recruiting process, he helped become a better baseball player physically and mentally. Coach Helsel also helped me become a better man off the field. When I met Coach Helsel 4 years ago, I told him my goal was to get a scholarship to play Division 1 baseball in the south. Coach Helsel said “That’s great, let’s make a plan for you to achieve that goal” I was All In! Coach helped me every step of the way throughout the entire process. After working my tail off, competing against the best competition in the entire country, and playing in front of many Division 1 coaches, this past summer I committed to play Division 1 baseball in the south. I would not be the baseball player or the person I am today if it wasn’t for Mark Helsel!