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The problem with recruiting is parents. Oh, kids make mistakes. So do their high school coaches. There are so many outside influences offering advice that it is difficult to tell the difference between A, B and C.
This is where the parents must step in and take charge. This isn't an ego trip. This is their son's future we're talking about. If they don't make a wise decision, their son will most likely become another statistic on the escalating list of de-commitments and transfers.
No, parents shouldn't decide which college their son should attend. Their son should make that decision by himself. But they should be responsible for providing all of the important information so their son can make an intelligent choice, one he won't regret.
I remember tagging along with Illinois football coach Mike White and assistant Bill Callahan on a recruiting trip in the early 1980s while they visited six highly regarded prospects in the Chicago area. I was amused at how far some parents and high school coaches would go to impress the Illinois coaches.
I tried to put myself in their shoes. This was supposed to be a business trip, not a social event, it seemed to me. I couldn't understand why the parents and recruits didn't bother to ask important questions that had a bearing on the recruiting process.
In nearly every case, it appeared that the high school coaches and parents were more interested in showing White and Callahan a good time rather than asking some questions that could prove to be embarrassing, if not illuminating.
For example, why are you bringing so many junior college players into your program, coach White? What impact will they have on the high school players you are recruiting?
"Parents are trying to help their son get as far as he can but they have to know when to back off and do what is best for their son," said recruiting analyst Tom Lemming.
"In most cases, kids have to fit a certain size to fit a certain position in college. Recruiters look at other things, like potential, more than they look at production.
"Parents have to realize that a 5-9 quarterback with great passing statistics isn't going to be recruited to play in Division I. I don't want to discourage a kid because some small kids do make it. But, usually, you have to be a certain size to warrant a Division I scholarship."
So parents need to be realistic. At what level can my son play? If he has no scholarship offers by now, that should tell you something. The great players don't have to worry. They know who they are and so do the colleges. They are being offered as juniors.
All-Area and All-State recognition aren't tickets to Illinois or Michigan or Notre Dame, maybe not even Division II. It only means that somebody thinks you are an outstanding high school player. Parents need to understand what it takes to be a college player--Division I, II or III, junior college or NAIA.
The best strategy? If your son has size and speed for his position and demonstrates some potential as a freshman or sophomore--his high school coach can provide an honest appraisal--you should arrange for him to get as much exposure as possible by attending summer camps. During his junior year, send highlight film to colleges thatseem to be the best fit for him. Make unofficial visits to college campuses.
If your son is a legitimate prospect, you'll know it during his junior year. That's when college coaches begin to evaluate players according to their needs. Notice how many scholarships are offered to juniors these days? That means college coaches are doing their jobs. That means parents should do theirs.
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I think your column was right on, as usual. However, there are cases when I see a player and am still puzzled as to why they weren't more highly recruited. Take for example, last year's Sun Times Player of the Year, Jordan Tassio from Naperville North. Good kid, coach's son, smart. Three year starter, team captain. Led the team to the State Championship in 8A. All "nice to haves", but not primary assets a college coach is looking for. I get that. BUT, 6'0", 210 lbs. Laser-timed 4.49 40 yard dash. Punter, kicker in addition to quarterback. Willing to play any position. So if he's not D-I quarterback material, why not a defensive back or punter, etc.? If college coaches are evaluating on POTENTIAL, didn't they see him playing elsewhere besides QB? I know he got some interest from D-I schools, but no offers. He ends up at Western Illinois where he can play both football and baseball. Care to share any insights? This seems to be a classic case that would leave parents puzzled, although his father, the former high school coach was pretty sanguine about it and Tassio himself seems happy where landed.
I AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT!
SOMETIMES WE AS PARENTS CAN BECOME OVERWHELMED WITH
THE RECRUITING PROCESS, THANK YOU FOR THE ADVICE!
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FROM A
PERSONAL STANDPOINT, YOU ARE CORRECT THE RECRUIT NEEDS
TO SELECT HIS SCHOOL, NOT THE PARENT!
EVERYONE CANNOT PLAY DIVISION 1 FOOTBALL, OR ANY SPORT
FOR THAT MATTER!
Your column is right on in the fact that the recruiting process needs to be approached with a proactive mindset, but you miss the mark with your "Best Strategy", and Jordan Tassio is a prime example of this. He was one of the best athletes in IL last year and still nobody in the recruiting world knew who he was.He should have and could have been recruited by hundreds of colleges had he approached the recruiting process properly.
1) Parents can not count on many HS coaches to assist them in this process and it is not the coaches job. Their are several coaches that do everything they can for their athletes...Coach Andriano at Montini being a great example of this, but national exposure to college coaches is a bigger challenge then what a HS coach can realistically handle. If your HS coach assists your athlete in this process they are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts and passion for their athletes success.
2) You touch on getting exposure for the athlete, which is absolutely essential, but attending random camps is an expensive and inefficient way to get exposure. The college coaches must know who you are BEFORE you attend their camp or you are just another athlete paying for their camp.
3) Sending an unsolicited highlight DVD is incredibly inefficient and again, quite expensive. Coaches watch DVDs that they request, not randomly sent videos.
An athlete who properly approaches their college recruiting process can completely change the landscape of this process. Instead of the athlete inefficiently chasing after several colleges along with thousands of other athletes, they can have hundreds of colleges coming after them if they take a proactive and professional approach to their recruiting process!!!
This is where the parents need to be educated. This is how parents can properly manage their son or daughter's recruiting process. This is how an athlete can go from Jordan Tassio's position to being sought by hundreds of college coaches.
Wonderful to read!
Wonderful to read!