Comments on: Recruiting Questions: Part 2

By: steepledude

steepledude — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:31:37 +0000

Don, I'm not Jay, but I'd like to chime in to answer your question: When/ how to say “no” to a college coach. I feel like I have a good perspective as I am a college coach. With that said, I would suggest to the high school athlete to be open and up-front with the coach and tell him what his needs are, and then ask if/ how those needs will be met. If the response is unsatisfactory, thank the coach for his time and move on to the next coach/ university who can meet those needs.

By: Don

Don — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:05:18 +0000

Not sure if we have covered this yet … when and how to say know to the recruiter. I'm telling my kids if you are sure, don't waste their time any longer … but if they say no too quick, maybe they lose out on learning more.

So how and when Jay? Breaking up is hard to do.

By: CoachJay

CoachJay — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:46:21 +0000

Thanks so much for that perspective…and it's humbling to think that while my original dream when I entered coaching was to become a DIII coach, this shows how my coaching experience – 25% JUCO/75% DI – has narrowed my views on the subject of recruiting.

A DI athlete informing their coach that they want to stop running competitively on the team and would rather “do theater or the recreation club or whatever” obviously happens, as does some level of judging by the coach and the team.

Don's comment above is fantastic and the neediness issue is great, but again, I probably think it's great because at the DI level a needy walk-on is a different issue than a needy full ride athlete who can score 10 points at the conference meet. Most coaches deal with the later because of the point scoring potential, yet the former is a potential problem – if the athlete doesn't evolve into point scorer then they aren't worth your time. Obviously I'm being harsh, but the reality of DI and DII is that the quid pro quo of “we give a scholarship and you perform on the track” underlies the experience; the experience can still be transformative and deeply educational for athletes, coaches and support staff, yet the exchange of a valuable college education for performance within the crucible of competition should be acknowledged.

Thanks again for the comment.

By: KEMS

KEMS — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:50:23 +0000

I love these questions and wish that I had known to ask these things as a high school athlete (before the days of blogs and message boards). I have worked as an assistant coach at three very different DIII teams over the years. One was conference level, one was regional level, and one was a national caliber team, but they all had dedicated and knowledgeable head coaches. I would guess the attrition rate at each was closer to 60-70%. There were a few who quit because of different personalities or philosophies, but they were definitely the minority. Without a scholarship to hold them, there are many people who don't want to put in the extra work that it takes to be a good collegiate runner, especially when there are so many other distractions on a college campus. I think the DIII philosophy and the liberal arts focus of the schools I worked at also tended to attract students with a broad variety of interests who later discovered they would rather do theater or the recreation club or whatever. Almost all of them left with positive feelings on both sides, and some returned frequently to say hi, work meets, or even do an easy run with their former teammates. A few continue to call me on my cell years later, despite quitting the team. I do think attrition is important, but there is often more to the story than just a number.

By: dracey

dracey — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:30:37 +0000

I have found that one question to ask is:
Has your training changed much over the years? If the answer is no then you can look at the past results of the program and predict the future. If the answer is yes then you can look at the results and see what direction they are going in.

I have also found that you can learn alot about a college coach when one of your athletes does not choose their school. If they give you a follow up call and thank you for your time during the process that shows alot of class. When I see a coach and they ignore you because your athlete did not choose their program, that also says alot about them.

By: Don

Don — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:39:35 +0000

Some of this I agree with and some not so important really. Of course a coach will talk about a couple of stars, I'm not sure that is abnormal, unusual or problematic.

I'd focus on some other things perhaps.

Need factor: There are essentially two kinds of athletes, very needy and very independent (and we are all on a continuum between the two and all of us have some of each in us). How well does that coach fit your personality. If you are needy (lets say like a bit of drama in your day) will this coach and/or this program hand hold you ... or if you want to be independent will it lead to regular clashes because the coach wants to be more involved or have more control?

I think focusing on this aspect will often generate much better fits for athletes to programs. Neither is right, just different.

How is the program funded: I think this may be the number one issue the next five years. Will the program continue? Will you travel to big meets. How many people travel and what happens for the rest, where to you compete?

I do agree with understanding the five year goals of the program and finding out what the emphasis of the program is. Decide do you want to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond, or the other way around and that will help you find the right fit.

Thanks for keeping the discussion going.