The Role of Parents in College Athletics Recruiting

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The search among colleges for athletes has grown more complicated and increasingly competitive, especially during the past 10 years. There are countless components that require attention in developing and executing a successful plan of action, along with several key "players" who make up the team that run the offense.

Parents can play a significant role in the recruiting process and, in my opinion, they should make an active commitment to enthusiastically assist their children from start to finish in what will be a very important life decision.

What follows is my take on how parents can effectively participate in helping their kids confidently navigate a potentially daunting process, while avoiding red flags along the way.

Clarity

The best starting point for any dream or goal is to first establish clear objectives and timelines. Begin with the end game in mind and work backwards to the starting point of your plan. As you move backwards through the recruiting process, you will notice "checkpoints" along the way that you will eventually encounter. Whether it is the signing of the national letter of intent, the official visit, or the first phone call placed to the coach, you will begin to develop a checklist of "things to do."

Parents have the opportunity to not only encourage their children to envision the process, but to take an active role in creating it. Half the battle in reaching any goal is to understand the mission and create an educational yet fun approach. The more we encourage our kids to take an active role in controlling their destiny, the greater the chance that they will appreciate the level of confidence mom and dad has in them.

Team

I am a big believer in the team approach to college recruiting and in developing a group of key members who each play a significant role in moving the process forward. Not only can this approach be effective, it will be welcomed by our kids. Student-athletes have a tremendous amount on their personal plates and developing a plan that spreads the recruiting assignments out will create a much happier camper.

Parents who have cultivated strong relationships with "typical" team members (guidance counselors, high school and club coach, etc.) can begin to lay the groundwork to suggest specific roles that will be played out by each team member. Moms and dads can organize occasional team meetings at the house where the group can review regular progress in the college search and offer suggestions to keep the momentum moving forward.

Encourage Independence

College coaches will turn to high school and club coaches, guidance counselors and colleagues in an effort to gather information about the prospects they recruit, but they need to act as a resource for families as well. They want to be able to field questions from mom and dad. But when you break it down, college coaches want to see the prospect for who she truly is.

One of the best choices parents can make is to encourage their children to be an active and independent player in the college quest. It encourages proactive preparation, the development of communication skills and it fosters the courage to stand alone in a worthy attempt to take the leap of faith into the recruiting arena.

What might seem nearly impossible for some prospects in the beginning will grow to a more confident approach with more practice and experience. Remember, college coaches are looking for three key ingredients in a prospect: strong athletic ability, sound academic progress and a personal character that rises above the rest. Let’s give our kids the opportunity to stand alone with confidence.

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