HOW A COLLEGE COACH THINKS ABOUT RECRUITING
You will have an enormous advantage over your competition if you are familiar with the recruiting process from a college coach’s point of view. Not every college recruits exactly as described below-coaches at smaller schools have less money to recruit and may travel less than their Division 1 counterpart, for example, however the information below is typical of most athletic programs.
A Coach is Always Looking For Top Athletes
A coach constantly keeps his eyes and ears open for athletes who can help his team. Naturally, he will spend the majority of his time focusing on his next recruiting class. However, if you are a talented underclassman and you impressed a college coach, either at a camp, a game, a meet, or from a newspaper article he read about you, he will probably keep your name in his recruiting database and follow your development
“I want team oriented players with the ability to make decisions quickly on the field. I look for speed, quickness and toughness. I use a lot of video in my decisions and I certainly like to see each player in person when possible.” –Ben DeLuca, Cornell University, Asst. Lacrosse Coach, NCAA D-1
Coaches Help Each Other Recruit
College coaches belong to a small fraternity. Many are good friends, work the same summer camps, and socialize at annual conventions. Also, many coaches change jobs frequently and devote a lot of time maintaining their professional network of contacts. On occasion, they even share information about top athletes and assist each other with recruiting (assuming they are not rivals in the same conference).
Few college coaches can recruit every outstanding athlete he or his staff sees. If a desirable athlete’s grades don’t meet his school’s requirements, or the athlete plays a specific position and the coach is already stocked at that position, the coach may recommend the athlete to other coaches he knows.
That’s why it’s important to develop relationships with as many coaches as you can. If a college camp coach is really impressed with you, make an effort to stay in touch with him via mail or e-mail. Update him on your development, even if he doesn’t coach at a school that interests you, he could be your ticket to a college scholarship somewhere else. Remember, it’s not who you know, but who knows you!
“I have a circle of other college coaches who share knowledge about different players. I also try to attend high school and summer league games and use scouting services. It’s tough to get to them all, so we like to work off each other and help each other out.” – Jim Brady, University of Missouri – St. Louis, Head Baseball Coach, NCAA D-II
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