Recruiting do’s and don’ts PRESENTED BY COACH STOECKL

Objective The objective of this seminar is to educate parents and athletes on the recruiting process. Specifically we will be focusing on things the recruit should do and should stay away from doing.

Male Athlete Statistics

Female Athlete Statistics

Going Pro?

Things not to do in the recruiting process * Do not assume you will get recruited. How will the coaches find you if they do not know you exist? * Do not assume that D1 is better than D2, NAIA, JUCO etc…Sports is a means to get you to your ultimate goal which is to go to college. A championship team at any level is still a CHAMPION! * Do not be uncoachable! Coaching is a small fraternity and when your name is associated with being uncoachable, the athlete becomes untouchable. * Do not give up on the recruiting process. Persistence is key. Very few athletes have colleges beating down their doors. Much like your sport, this process takes time and hard work to find the right fit. *Do not forget why you started playing sports. It was not for fame, fortune or D1 notoriety. It was because you loved it. Always remember that…

Things not to do in the recruiting process * Do not act like a fool or a brat in competition. Someone is always watching and they rarely tell you they are present. College coaches will talk to teachers, other teams coaches, watch warm ups and during timeouts. They are trying to gauge if you are a fit to their program. * Do not be a fool on social media. Yes, they will follow you and check up on you. Hundreds of players lose scholarships each year because of posts on twitter, FB, snap chat etc… * Do not use a childish address. If you want to be taken seriously, create a serious address for recruiting purposes. For example. DO Not use Instead create an more professional.

Things you should do… * Be proactive in the recruiting process. Call schools, fill out recruit forms, visit schools that have mutual interests. Reach out and contact them. There are too many schools for the coaches to effectively recruit. * Personalize your s. Colleges get thousands of s. How is yours going to stick out? If it just a simple cut and past , it probably will not be a successful . * Be realistic about your abilities. Not everyone is a D1 athlete. Be ok with that and your process will be much more rewarding. * Make sure the schools you are looking at have your program of study. You are going to college to get an education and play sports. Not to play sports and maybe an education.

Things you should do… * Make a list and check possible schools against your list. Eliminate the ones that do not meet your criteria. Again, you are going to college for a degree. * Be honest with the coaches when they talk to you. * Work hard in the classroom to get good grades. You are times more likely to get an academic scholarship over athletic scholarship. * Ask your club, AAU and HS coaches for assistance. However, understand that they are only a tool to help. The leg work must be done by the ATHLETE.

The elephant in the room… * At the end of the day it is the athlete who must attend the college, sleep in the dorms, eat the food and take the classes. Not the coaches, not the parents or some “advisor”. Let the athlete make the decision on what they believe is best for them. This process is about them and for them. * Sports will leave us all at some point. Whether it is in high school, college or in the pros. At some point the game will become faster and the athlete will not be good enough. It is the harsh reality of sports. * most athletes will only receive partial scholarships. Very few get full rides.