Recruiting for the college coach is an art, and the best recruiters will provide prospects and families with a solid foundation of information about their program, but without making any early promises. They will work with the family slowly, patiently, and with care—but with an “eagle's eye” for hints and comments that will provide them with the information they need to determine the level of sincere interest the prospect has in their program.
Show Confidence
There is a fine line between confidence and cockiness, and knowing the difference between the two will serve the prospect well. As a college coach, I saw many different personalities in prospects, but nothing frustrated me more than an athlete who came into my office with an “attitude.”
Coaches are looking beyond the level of athletic and academic talent prospects bring to the table and, in many cases, look strongly at personalities and attitudes when evaluating future members of the team.
College coaches are looking to add “strong links” to the team chain they have built over the years—prospects that project a sincere and winning personality that displays a high level of confidence will separate themselves from the rest of the pack, impress the coach, and create a possible “tie breaking” criteria that will assist the coach in formulating his recruiting rankings.
Maintain Eye Contact
As insignificant as it may sound, maintaining eye contact with the college coach during a face-to-face meeting is very important, and it projects an indirect level of self-confidence in the prospect.
Some athletes have a natural tendency to maintain eye contact with people they interact with, while others tend to look away. This may require some practice, and if the prospect is a little weak in this area, I suggest using “mock interviews” as a tool to add some “polish” to this area of communication.
Coaches have an uncanny skill of “reading” prospects and typically “go with their gut” when making initial evaluations. The eyes are the “gateway to the soul” and can be a very effective tool of communication for the prospect.
Cultivating a “shining” personality takes skill. Not only does it need to be developed, it can become a tool that the prospect can use strategically to leap frog over a portion of the recruiting pool…But it takes practice.
That being said, developing strong communication skills and projecting a positive and professional self-image will serve the prospect well and help him or her gain greater respect in the eyes of the college coaches.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for prospects and families as they navigate the college recruiting process. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence, an educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com
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