game on recruitment
THINGS
PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ATHLETIC RECRUITMENT
It ’ s what every parent of a gifted student athlete wants to know : How can I help my teen have the best chance at being recruited ? We ’ ve put together a list of things you need to know .
Don ’ t be a helicopter parent ! Of course your teen still needs you to mentor and guide them , but if you find yourself hovering over every practice or beginning sentences to the coach with “ we ”, you may need to step back and reevaluate . Remember not to do the coach ’ s job . Even if you disagree with a decision , it is usually best to let your child learn from the experience rather than coming to the rescue .
Be your teen ’ s communication coach . Your teen , not you , should be handling contact with college coaches . Your job is to help your teen prepare for these interactions rather than handling them yourself . Role playing is a good way to help prepare for an important phone call or meeting with an interested coach so that your teen feels comfortable and prepared .
GIVING YOUR TEEN THE BEST SHOT
Interactions with college coaches should be treated like a job interview . First impressions matter , so athletes should understand the importance of dressing appropriately , making eye contact and giving a firm handshake . Help them prep by making sure they have questions to ask about the program to show that they are interested and engaged , and encourage them to give more than one-word answers in return .
Know that college coaches probably aren ’ t coming to your athlete ’ s games . The bottom line is that most college coaches don ’ t have time to show up to high school games to see your athlete play . If you have concerns about your teen ’ s visibility , playing club ball , attending camps , and having your athlete self-promote are great ways to be seen . Athletes can contact coaches by phone to express interest , and then follow up by sending more information via email .
40 | Spring 2017 www . potentialmagazine . com