1,001 Recruit Tips

As a coach, realize that PEOPLE are your greatest resource. A priority each offseason is to identify your leaders for the next season. Teams change drastically every year. Players graduate, transfer in, transfer out, quit, get injured… and more importantly, GROW UP at their own pace. Your strengths and weaknesses as a team will change from year-to-year. Always have a …

One of the most effective ways to get players to buy into your vision is to have a track record as a coach who develops their position players. Even if you are at a low-profile school, being able to have solid numbers and improvements of your current players to show recruits helps “sell the dream.” When trying to get prospects …

Addressing their customers by name (and by writing it on each overpriced cup of coffee) is an intentional point of emphasis in the Starbucks Customer Service Experience, and likely plays a role in their lucrative customer loyalty. It’s no coincidence the billion-dollar brand hand-writes each customers’ name on each cup of coffee it sells, it helps build loyalty. Before we …

Some factors apply, some may not… What to Instagram, Tweet, Email out, Mail out and promote to prospects and their parents. Are you a national leader, leader within the conference or leader within the state? – Academic advising bullet points – technology, space, tutors available – Academic Honor Roll – Academic Progress Rate – National or conference rank – All-conference …

Competition is intense between programs across ALL levels. Even at elite programs, universities that seem like they would be an easy sell: they’re in heated competitions with 3-5 other elite schools for their top prospects. Believe me, no coach or school has it “easy!” For this reason, you need to find every edge possible to separate yourself! When building relationships …

Since academics are a key decision factor for most parents, and for some prospects, get to know key selling points for both the University and the Athletic Department. You want to have your facts straight and be well-versed in your campus knowledge! Have your staff take an official campus tour through the Admissions Office every year or six months to …

A huge resource-waster for you: putting a ton of travel time and money into recruiting a player who will never be admitted into the University. Every Admissions Office is different. Each school varies greatly on their admissions standards and how flexible they are with the Athletic Department. When you take a new job you need to immediately find out: #1- …

Transfers are inevitable—they happen in every program and under every head coach. As you are evaluating players from every angle – take a good look at the probability that they can be successful within your system, under that head coach, at that school and in that town. Players transfer for a variety of reasons—they’re too far from home; they aren’t …

One of the toughest aspects of evaluating top players is analyzing risk versus reward, if you encounter red flags during your research. You will likely come across players who can be big playmakers for you– everything impresses you– until you start getting info that they have major legal, drug, attitude, academic or family issues. Are you willing to take a …