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Parents of college prospects fall into three distinct groups.
As a National Scouting Report scout, I’ve gone into many homes to interview prospects. I can confidently say that their parents fall into one of three categories regarding recruiting and recruiting rules:
- Those who know nothing.
- Those who think they know something.
- Those who think they know everything.
Guess which parents are the most difficult to deal with? You guessed it.
Nonetheless, let’s look at all three groups:
Those Who Know Nothing
Those who know nothing are the easiest to deal with because they admit they are in the dark and need a light to survive the recruiting process. They are eager for information and help. They know their own limitations and, once proven, believe they have found the expert who can provide them with the help they cannot get anywhere else. I have found them easy to work with, for the most part, and nearly all their children receive scholarship offers.
Those Who Know Something
Those who know something realize fairly quickly that what they thought they knew was usually wrong and feel good about getting the lowdown about recruiting. They are generally good listeners and understand that the info they received from others was based on hearsay or outdated stories from 10 years ago. Like the first group, if these parents stick with it and don’t allow the talking heads around them to sway their actions, they are a lot of fun to work with; get things done in a timely manner; respond quickly to interested college coaches; and end up seeing their children receive multiple scholarship offers.
Those Who Know Everything
When I encounter those who know everything, I might as well pack up my stuff, go sit outside, pull my canvas chair out of the trunk, open it up, sit down and talk to a tree for an hour. Why? The tree will listen better and absorb a lot more. It might even smile at me. These people start telling me about their college connections; all they’ve done for their child; how many prospects their child’s coach has placed; or any number of other mind-numbing stories meant to impress me or chase me away. Meanwhile, their child sits there in disbelief knowing that his or her parents are full of themselves and that the chance of a lifetime may be passing them by like a lost Pokemon Go player.
Every NSR scout interfaces with parents that fit into all three groups. We relish the opportunity to work with Groups 1 and 2. We can open doors for these families that they thought were closed. They are always helpful and grateful to us for our expertise, efforts and advice. And they are genuinely appreciative when the process concludes with their child playing at a college they all feel good about.
To be fair to those in the Group 3, some actually do come around to understanding that all of the peripheral things they spoke about can help here and there. However, having a steady hand at the wheel who professionally guides them through each step of the recruiting process is worth far more than all of the connections and other things they thought were so important.
When that happens, we’ve made loyal friends for life. When it doesn’t, well, we haven’t.
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.