High school prospects: the five things college coaches never want to see happen

College coaches are forever whittling down their recruiting lists to zero in on the prospects that are good fits for their programs.  We know that athleticism is paramount – you have to be athletically capable.  We know that good grades are essential – you must qualify to be admitted to the coach’s college.  And, we know that a prospect’s character carries more weight than ever – with jobs on the line risky recruits are undesirable.  But what are the things that coaches absolutely not want to see when evaluating a prospect.  Here are the top five:

1. Poor work habits:  Subpar work ethic in high school signals even bigger problems for a prospect once they enter college.  Without the ready influence of parents and the high school support system which prep athletes often enjoy, college freshmen are left to their own devices to consistently perform up to a coaching staff’s expectations and demands.  When coaches learn that a high prospect has a habit of being late to practices, doesn’ t pay attention in film sessions, takes a play off during a game and doesn’t listen well or give 100% at practice, a red flag goes up that can end a promising college career before it ever starts.
2. Poor grades:  Lackluster classroom performance in high school is often more telling and destructive in the college setting.  It is a trend which college coaches have found very difficult to reverse, so why try?  They would prefer to work with prospects that respect academics and can be depended upon to attend class and strive to excel academically.
3. Discipline problems:  Most discipline problems can be summed up as bad decision making.  In college, with fewer personal restrictions on their time, there is ample opportunities to make bad choices.  If prospects have not made good decisions in high school, there is little reason to think that they make better ones in college.
4. Disrespect for others:  From the way an athlete communicates with officials, their coaches and teammates to how they interact with their families, college coaches want to recruit and offer scholarships to those prospects that have a healthy, mature and positive view and relationship with those around them.  Fights, on and off the court, profane language and ignoring others are all signs of disrespect and coaches notice.  The freedom that comes along with college life puts athletes in the spotlight.  Those prospects that have shown the abilility to properly respect the people they come into contact with and avoid controversy are the ones coaches can trust to repeat that behavior on and around a college campus.
5. Me-first Attitude:  College coaches understand that top high school athletes are given a lot of attention and that in contests are expected to be the center of attention.  But when high school athletes fail to appreciate his or her teammates’ contributions and are primarily focused on their own stats and promotion, college coaches are less likely to want them as part of their program.