College Coaches Don’t Say 5 Things Before Signing Prospects

It usually goes unnoticed, but college coaches don’t say five key things to recruits.

In attempting to attract the best available prospects, coaches put on the best face possible.  But that’s not news to anybody. It is a given that coaches step up their game when communicating with high school prospects and during campus visits, particularly on official visits. From the athletic facilities to the locker rooms to the dorms and dining halls, everything is orchestrated to emphasize the very best the coach and school offer.  It’s true that you attract more bees with honey.

Behind what college coaches don’t say

College recruiting competition is fierce and intense.  Coaches, accustomed to scrums for top athletes, somehow still maintain friendships with most rival colleagues.  They know that all coaches have roster quotas to fill, their schools’ standards to uphold, and that their jobs are on the line.  It follows then that the underlying pressures are palpable.

Everything is not revealed, that is, college coaches don’t say everything during the recruiting process.  The day-to-day grind of college athletics is usually glossed over.  And the change which inevitably occurs in coach-player relationships can never be fully explained leading up to signings.

A reality check

Once NLIs have been signed, prospects enter an alternate universe. Reality sets in when newbies enroll in school, get settled and walk into their first team meeting.  The lives they previously knew no longer exist. It’s now down to business, so get used to it, kiddos.

When players work hard and do the right things – go to classes and arrive on time for practices – coaches typically reward them with respect and freedom.  When athletes fail to uphold their end of the deal, however, coaches can make life hard with added study halls, bed checks and chats with professors.

The responsibility to coaches, team, and school may be touched on during recruiting, but it’s rarely discussed in depth.  But make no mistake, upon arrival, it is there and expected of each new signee.

Five things to know

To that, here are the five things college coaches don’t say during recruiting:

1. I am not your friend. Once you step foot on my campus, you are mine.  Get used to it.  I’m not your mama, bud or BFF.  If you need me, you know where to find me.  Be a responsible adult and we will get along fine.
2. Welcome to my world.   There are no gray areas and there is no debate.  Rule #1?  Never be late – practice, game, study hall, class or bed check. We are in this together, but I am the boss.
3. Screw your head on straight and tight.  Get ready – you will work harder than you ever thought possible.  Mistakes?  Not a fan.  Every day, whether in the classroom or when putting on the uniform, the people around you from professors to peers put you on a pedestal.  Earn their respect.
4. Nothing you did before matters.  Leave your trophies at home.  They may have been partially responsible for getting you here, but they cannot keep you here, provide you with playing time, or make excuses for you.  Listen, learn, do.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.
5. Never embarrass me or the school.  Want to lose my trust, respect and your scholarship, then lose sight of why you are here – to get an education, to help our team succeed and to represent our school with pride.  Everything is connected.

It’s an honor to be a college student-athlete! It’s also a full-time job. Be ready to go to work. We can help you find the perfect fit for you at NSR.