Recruiting Lessons Learned

[KT2000]

A poster named Dragons Class of 10 made a very good post on recruiting over at 5A. This poster is a dad of a Carroll player who just signed a letter of intent. I found the points on camps and combines to be especially spot on.

Very good read for all parents with kids who want to play at the next level.

"As a parent who just finished the process and was fortunate enough to have a son sign a D-1 scholarship this week, here in no particular order are some things we learned I hope might help you if you have a sophomore/junior son with the dream to play D-1 on Saturday...IMO:

1. Combines: Coaches cannot attend these, they are NOT places to get "discovered" and scouted by college coaches. They are prohibited from attending. In general, not relevant at all to get recruited, despite what the organizers tell you. My son went to 2, did well in both (named All Combine at the Nike Dallas, one of 26 chosen from 900 kids), but they had absolutely ZERO to do with him getting recruited. The college coaches didn't care, except that it provided some independent verification of his size/speed, but they also ask your HS for the same thing. One small benefit to some of these combines: you have to read carefully, but some are affiliated with ESPNU, Rivals, or Scout, and as a part of your combine value, they will set up a profile for your son with his combine basic stats and picture. More on this in #4 below.

2. Spring Football: EXTREMELY important. This is when the college coaches show up in droves to watch practices and evaluate players. And this is where you get on the radar if you are a sleeper kid who didn't have a big junior season (this was our situation). They stop in to your HS coaches office first to ask about the kids who have the size and ability. So the agreement of your HS coach that your kid has college potential is extremely important, as he will provide the names of the kids for the college recruiter to watch. So make sure you've talked with your HS coach before Spring football to get his candid assessment of your son's ability. It will save you heartache later.

3. Randy Rodgers: Quite simply, the best $150 we ever spent was to get a meeting with him and a Game Plan (he explains what this is on his website, www.randyrodgersrecruting.com). He knows the ins and outs of recruiting and has 30+ division 1 schools as his clients for identifying Texas talent. He is NOT an agent or marketer of your kid. He works for his college clients, but shares his insights on the process to parents for a nominal fee, and will also do tape evaluations to give you an unbiased opinion of your son's chances to play college football, and at what level.

4. Rivals, Scout and ESPNU: To get a profile and a rating, you have to submit game tape to these services. My son ended up as a 3 star, 5.6 on Rivals and was ranked nationally in his position for most of the year, but we had no idea who did this or why they rated him like they did. It goes in to a black hole and the ratings people will not communicate with you. If you want ratings on all 3 of these websites, you have to send all 3 tape. After an initital tape drop to all 3, we just focused on Rivals, sending them updated tape during the year. Do colleges pay attention to the ratings or find players this way? Mostly, no. At least that's what the coaches say. But their media departments all use Rivals stats in their signing day press releases. Each college has their own site and reporters, who essentially buy a franchise and charge subscription fees to get full access to their site.

5. Recruiting Mail and Calls: Between September of 2008 and about 3 weeks ago, we accumulated probably 500 pieces of recruiting mail from about 30 different schools. The type of mail you are receiving means something. Form mail--even if it is personally addressed through a computer program-- only means you're on that school's most distant radar. Hand written note cards or letters mean they have your son on their real recruiting list. Calls during the various recruting periods mean they have him on a shorter list, but it does not mean they will eventually offer you a scholarship. Behind the scenes, they rank their recruits and talk to more than they know they will need or offer.

6. Junior Days and Summer Camps: If you're invited to a junior day and think you might be interesed in that school, go. You get to tour facilities, the campus and meet coaches. Your son can have his stock rise if he impresses them with the "eyeball test". It also shows that school you have interest. Summer camps: they will call you and let you know if they really want you there. No call and personal invitation, don't bother. Only go to the one day camps. The invited kids they are really watching even get coded or different colored numbers. If you are not invited to that school's camp, unless your kid is an undiscovered megabeast, you are wasting your time and money to go there.

I could go on an on. This process has its ups and downs for sure. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me. I'm not an expert (Randy Rodgers is, as is your son's HS coach), but just a Dad who went through this and learned along the way. Good Luck!!"

[KT2000]

And a coach from Wichita Falls replied with this key bit:

"Class of 10, thanks for the information. I especially enjoyed the statements about the combines. Most importantly, you sound like a parent who got involved with your child's recruiting. As a high school coach I know how the recruiting game is played. What really gets to me is that so many parents think that it is our responsibility to make sure their kid gets recruited and get offers. What many parents don't understand is that all we can really do is give the coaches a list of names and give them a good recomendation. After that it is up to the kids to do the rest. We will put hilight videos together and send the school's game video when asked. However, we have to be asked to do it.

Guess what I'm trying to say is, parents, you have to get involved. Don't just depend on the coach to do it all...because we don't. We have a program to run as well. We will do whatever we can to help your son but, you have to be involved too."

Katy coaches have always stressed this to parents during the freshman parent meetings.

[Dada]

Good Stuff....maybe I will be able to be in that position one day.