Hello, my name is Ernies Alemais, I was born in New York City in 1973. A son of immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. Raised in Harlem, I gravitated to playing football and basketball. In September of 1988 I started high school at John F. Kennedy in the Bronx, NY. Freshman year I played Junior Varsity football, which then lead to me becoming a three year starter at the Varsity level. As a senior, I was elected team captain and helped lead the team to a New York City PSAL football championship. #redrage
Throughout my high school years, I had very little knowledge of the recruiting process, lack of information about D1, D2, D3 or NJCC schools, not much support from high school coaches, poor grades and parents with no understanding of how to help. I did not get to play at the college level. At one point, I tried a year of college and did not continue because there was just no interest from my end without the motivation of sports. I recall falling into a slight depression. I didn't even want to see football on the television, yet it also became a turning point for me in which I promised myself that if and when I had children and if they played sports that I would never let history repeat itself. I would find a way to put them in the best position possible.
In 1995, I was blessed with a son, Stephen G. Alemais. His mother, Joan Salcedo, also the daughter of immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic, was raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She was an avid athlete and dancer. Joan attended the famed LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts and Performing Arts, where she played Varsity Softball and majored in art. Her dancing career began at the age of 5 while her love of sports, primarily baseball, developed through her father – who always had a baseball game on at their house. Even though considered a 'tomboy', her true love was ballet.
Unfortunately, while opportunities were available, as in my situation, the lack of education, direction and support to follow through was minute. Eventually a torn achilles tendon dead the end to her vision, as the struggle became more work than could literally be afforded. Not only was she now known as injury prone, but being Hispanic in the world of major ballet companies was not a known standard at the time and without guidance she could not find an opening.
Our similar ordeals with our potential dreams, pretty much solidified the future of our child.
At a very early age our son showed lots of interest in baseball. His very first word was "BALL". When we would go to the park he would rather play catch or swing the bat, than play in the playground. At this point, I realized I needed to educate myself more in baseball. Although my father played baseball in the Dominican Republic, as well as many close friends - I never played baseball on a team. Baseball was recreational for me, which meant I had a lot of catching up to do.
In 2000, when Stephen was 5 years old, I volunteered as a coach at the Juan Marichal Little League in the Bronx. He started out by playing T-Ball, and what better way for me to start learning the game than with him? In 2002, I moved to coach him and others at Inwood Little League in Upper Manhattan. At the start of 2005 we started playing travel baseball, which gave us an opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic with an 11 & 12 year old All-Star team. In the Spring of 2006, we joined the CP Stars, based out of College Point, Queens - a travel program that changed it all and was the beginning of what was truly to come for our family in baseball.
The experience with Nelson Santiago and the CP Stars was competitive and challenging. We travelled every weekend all over the metro New York and tri state area to play in tournaments, giving the team and players quality games. This became a lifestyle for the next four years. Every weekend included practice, games or tournaments. His mother and I alternated the weekends, at times taking vacation from work to travel to these tournaments. Driving non-stop for hours. Chaperoning many of the other teammates. Huge sacrifices were made. You can try to imagine...
Meanwhile, as I was coaching, I realized the need for a training facility and baseball batting cages in the areas of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. In April 2008, alongside my childhood friend, Andy Diaz, we opened Uptown Sports Complex in the West Bronx providing a wide range of baseball training, among other sports related activities. In 2010, we incorporated the USC KNIGHTS travel baseball teams, which included showcases and ranged in ages between 10 - 17 years old.
In remembering what we had gone through as high school athletes, we were always on top of our son's academics and athletic development, working very hard, with the help of others in preparing him for a potential college scholarship opportunity. In 2010, his mother and I felt that attending an all-boys Catholic High School would be most favorable for a strong academic success and focus. Our son was enrolled at All Hallows High School and with the help of Principal Sullivan, teachers and head baseball coach, Edwin Gutierrez, we were able to keep him on track.
At the beginning of our son's sophomore year, he was recruited to play for a nationally ranked showcase team, the South Florida Bandits, also giving me the good fortune to coach with this team. This team gave him the liberty to showcase his abilities to most college programs, as the team was playing in all of the top tournaments in the nation. At this point, we started getting interest from most D1 and D2 college programs. By the end of his sophomore year, I became more involved with the national team and started recruiting players from the metro New York area, as well as being given the option to also invite some of the talented players from my USC KNIGHTS program, which eventually led me to brain storm additional alternatives.
As Stephen continued to play well in high school and nationally, he was getting invitations to all major showcases across the country. He accomplished making teams for the East Coast Pro's, Area Code Games, as well as the New York City All-Star team and Perfect Game Afflak 60 Player Roster.( This included many pre-draft workouts ). He was also ranked 89th as a high school baseball player in the country and No. 1 in the state of New York. All of his accomplishments opened many doors for his future and kept opening my eyes to other opportunities, which then led me to found the USC Travel Baseball Program, Inc., a non-profit 501c3 with the main objective of helping high school baseball players in the tri state area obtain the same exposure Stephen was able to be lucky enough to encounter.
During the start of Stephen’s junior year we were faced with the pressure and decision of where he would go to college. While he was very fortunate to have a long list of colleges which were interested, the process was extensive and stressful. While talking with many college coaches and looking for the right fit academically, socially and the opportunity to play. After much deliberation and personal reflection Tulane University came on top.
Unfortunately, while his college commitment was made, at the end of his junior year, we then encountered a shoulder injury which created some setbacks. At this point, his mother and I had to help him make a decision in order for him to not only rehabilitate his shoulder, but also for him to maintain his legibility for his potential scholarship to Tulane University. After much research and direction from others, we enrolled him in Elev8 Sports Institute, Inc., in Delray Beach, FL during the last 6 months of his senior year, which provided for both options with regard to training and academics.
Again, due to the shoulder injury, Stephen’s 2013 MLB Draft opportunity was very slim in the top rounds, however, there were a handful of teams that called, which was still good news, but nothing substantial to give up a full college scholarship opportunity. The decision was made, and for the next three years, Stephen was to be the starting shortstop at Tulane University. He would obtain a college education at a D1 baseball development and exposure to professional scouts, preparing him for the 2016 MLB Draft.
During this time, I became the baseball director for the SFB national team, while continuously building locally the USC Travel Team Program and showcasing tri state players nationally. As both my son and I were constantly on the road, many of our conversations consisted of the college recruiting process and the experience we as a family were going through. The conversation evolved to how, based on knowledge and expedienced gained we could educate OTHER athletes and their families based on our knowledge. Stephen as a student-athlete and myself as a parent and coach.
Again, in educating myself with regard to the recruiting college baseball process, I realized that many inner-city athletes were not getting opportunities due to the lack of knowledge and guidance, as was my story many years ago and this is when the idea of an advisory service for student-athletes started to form. For some time since, I had always inadvertently been helping athletes and their families navigate the college recruiting process. Hence 643 Recruit, Inc. was born.
The meaning behind the name: "6-4-3", the recorded double play on a scorebook Stephen being a short stop (6) (ss). As well as the accomplishment a team feels once that play is developed.
We thought it would be fitting, while providing the same feeling of accomplishment and development for athletes and parents through the college recruiting process.
643Recruit: The Road To College Baseball
Educate + Simplify + Advice = Results