10 Tips to Becoming a More Mature Prospect

Every Advantage Helps When Competing for a College Scholarship Offer

1. Watch better players’ fundamentals, not the games.  There is always something to learn from good athletes in your sport.  Appreciating their skills by homing in on their best traits can only enhance your own skills and knowledge of how the game should be played.  Observe these players and what they do when they are away from the action.  You might be surprised what you can learn.
2. Ignore officials when they make poor calls.  How many times do you see officials reverse their decisions?  Not many, that’s for sure.  So, it is a waste of good energy and focus to drop your concentration to redirect your attention toward something which will be nearly impossible to change.  What you do afterward and how you respond to adversity is what most  impresses college coaches, not that you can show your emotions when things don’t go your way.
3. Maintain eye contact with your coach during timeouts.  Coaches want to know that you truly get their instructions and the sense of urgency they expect.  When you “lock in” on a coach’s instructions during timeouts, college recruiters notice.
4. Work hard during pre-game warm-ups.  Nonchalantly approaching warming up is what nearly everyone does, especially those with nothing to lose.  Be different.  You can never go wrong by working hard, even when the actual game or match is not on the line. 
5. Be the first one to support a teammate that makes a mistake.  A pat on the back coming back to the sideline is all a team member needs to know that you aren’t placing blame or dwelling on it.  College coaches recognize this characteristic in mature athletes and want it in their recruits.
6. Take winning and losing gracefully.  This is another mature character trait college coaches love to see in high school athletes.  It is great to show your passion during competition, but never allow your happiness or disappointment keep you from appreciating the effort your opponent has given in the heat of battle. 
7. Always, always look sharp.  Appearance is a pride thing.  If you have the chance to participate in college sports, you will be representing not only your team, but everyone who is currently attending, or has ever attended, your college.  Projecting a positive, sharp image can be one of those little things which coaches pick  up on and appreciate you for.
8. Respect your parents.  If you want to really show your maturity, act like an adult when communicating with your parents.  Pouting or treating your parents as if they are the dumbest humans alive demonstrates your immaturity and will reflect poorly on you, not them.  Coaches notice.  
9. Respect your coaches.  Not everyone or every team is blessed with the most knowledgeable coaches in high school and club or travel sports.  Patience, in such situations, is truly a virtue.  When college coaches are watching you, they pay strict attention to how you interact with the staff.   Why?  How you behave now predicts how you will respond to coaching when you arrive on a college campus.    
10. Ask for help.  Whenever you are conversing a coach other than your own, ask this simple question:  “What can I do to improve?”  You will learn more in the responses than you could have thought imaginable.  And, word among coaches that you are always interested in getting better will spread.