Tyler
Cockriel is a junior soccer player at Grayson County High School
in Leitchfield, Kentucky. Tyler is pursuing his goal of playing
soccer at the collegiate level. He plays the positions of
Stopper, Right Wing, and Offense and his awards, achievements and
invitations to tournaments and showcases speaks volumes in regards
to his work ethic and workout regimen. Through summer
tournaments, showcases, and his high
school team, he keeps busy practicing on his game to achieve that
goal. Tyler currently carries a 3.7 GPA and plans to major in
Engineering. To view his profile, please
Talking with College Coaches . .
.
It can be every high school
athlete's dream. A college coach
calls. He starts talking about a
scholarship. He's asking a lot
of questions. The stakes are
high: He holds the key to your
academic and athletic future in
his hands. This is the time of
year when thousands of high
school athletes are sitting at
home hoping that this scenario
plays out on their telephone.
The problem, I find, is that
most high school athletes are
either too intimidated or don't
have enough knowledge about the
questions they need to ask about
the recruiting process, the
school, the program, and the
details of the scholarship
offer. The result? Often, the
coach gets frustrated and
doesn't pursue an athlete. Or,
the athlete winds up in a
situation that makes them
miserable.
When we work with high school athletes at our organization, we give some general outlines as to the questions they are responsible for asking and how to "sell" themselves on a program that is right for them. These ideas are based on input from college coaches, athletes and the NCAA. Follow the plan if you hope to make the recruiting process work for you.
Don't
be shy!
You have to realize that the
coach on the other end of the
line is just like you, in many
respects. He is searching for
the best recruit for his team,
and needs information from you
to determine if you are someone
who he'll want to pursue. What
is he or she looking for?
Enthusiasm about the opportunity
(even if the school he is
calling from isn't your first
choice), honesty about your
abilities and goals, and your
athletic ability. You need to
give the coach a chance to tell
you why his school would be best
for you. I have worked with lots
of athletes who end up at a
school that wasn't at the top of
their list until the talked with
the coach. And, they loved it!
Ask
questions!
This is the next four to five
years of your life. A college
coach is very involved on a
day-to-day basis with the
athletes. Is this the coach that
you want to be around on a daily
basis? Ask the coach how you are
going to fit into his team. What
are the playing opportunities?
What is the school like? Are
academics stressed on the team?
What is the graduation rate of
your players? The thing to
remember is that you need to be
aggressive in your questioning.
If you are, a coach will view
you as interested enough to
pursue you. They want you to
feel like the situation is a
good fit for both parties.
Pursue
the coach!
Once you've talked with a coach,
make it a mission to contact him
or her once a week until they
make a decision. In effect, turn
the tables on them. You become
the recruiter! "I like kids that
take the initiative and pursue
opportunities on their own,"
says Charlie Craig, a college
track and field coach and 1996
assistant track coach for the
U.S. Olympic team. "It can
sometimes tell me about their
competitive spirit." Bottom
line: Today's high school
athletes need to be taking
control of this part of the
recruiting process.
Keep
all your options open!
Don't be rude or uninterested
during a call from a coach at a
school that is at the bottom of
your list. You never know, this
may the perfect fit for you….or,
it could be the only school that
makes an offer. The time to tell
coaches "no" is after you have
already told another school
"yes" to their scholarship
offer. When you talk with a
coach, always be respectful and
appreciative of the interest.
Talking with college coaches can be intimidating, there's no doubt about it. Just remember that recruiting is one of their least favorite things about college coaching. Make their call to you memorable for them in a positive way. Who knows. The result could be a great athletic and academic future at the school of your dreams!
