CONNECTIONS:
Do connections help? Sure. As long as the coach needs an athlete like you. Just because someone has connections does not mean you are an instant shoe in.
We are so used to seeing everything from our little place here in the northwest, we forget that these college coaches are scouring the ENTIRE United States for athletes that fit their needs.
Hopefully the person that is selling you on the idea of how connected they are…1) aren’t telling that to every other athlete that plays your position 2) knows every college coach in the United States 3) Knows the right coaches that actually need your talent when you graduate.
The best advice on “connections”, contact as many coaches as you can and use the one device that has the most connections, your phone/email. An athlete that persistently contacts coaches every day for weeks on end until the athlete reaches the coach, guess what, it says something. It says a lot about that athlete.
Don’t fall for slick sales pitches to get you to sign up for another “service” promising you success that you really already have the power to do yourself.
The question I have received is, “How many relationships, “connections” do you have with college coaches?”
Honestly, that is not what gets an athlete recruited. If a coach likes me, it may give an athlete a chance for a work out, but that is not what determines whether an athlete gets recruited. What gets an athlete recruited is the athlete.
On the other hand, what happens if the coach does not like me, for whatever reason? Then, my athletes may never get a shot at being evaluated by that coach. What if that college is the one college you wanted to play for? Then I would have ruined that chance to play there.
So my goal is to help every one of my athletes get a scholarship. Not because I have connections. But because the athlete peaked the interest of the coach with the right tools, followed up with the coach, got on campus for a workout and earned the scholarship opportunity.
In the recruiting process, coaches want to see responsible, driven, and organized athletes contacting them. (Not to mention an athlete needs to be able to play at the college level meeting the benchmark requirements.)
I have struggled a little with how much I personally should be involved directly with college coaches. Sure, I could buddy up with coaches and develop deep personal relationships, but as a scout, my job is to locate athletes that meet college athletic requirements, have high GPA’s, and the right character. PERIOD. I want to be as unbiased as possible.
My job is to assist the athletes and their families in the recruiting process. Make sure they have their skills videos, game footage, highlight film, a scouting report, transcripts and everything else in place to contact college coaches.
Private workouts, unofficial and official visits are key to getting a scholarship. First you need to reach out to coaches and develop rapport, a relationship, with the coach. The highlight film, skills video and scouting report are to peak the interest of the coach. An athlete needs to be contacting the coach via phone, email and text to get on campus. That is essential in the recruiting process.
Working out with a coach will give them 10x’s more information about you as an athlete than watching dozens of games. Every coach has their own evaluation methods.
Not sure how to get the recruiting process started? For the do-it-yourselfers, go to my website and read the checklist. For others that want a more hands on approach, contact me. 208-691-8511
