Request For College Coaches

I wish for once college coaches who are recruiting a high school player to have the decency to contact the player if they are not interested in him anymore. This has happened to a family member of mine. He was recruited by a university, had him come over for visit and on campus tour, calling him on the phone numerous times, telling him they really wanted him. You know the drill. Well all of a sudden the calls stop, and we see on their web site they have signed all the recruits they wanted for 2009. This player has a 4.1 GPA, batted over .400, with five HR's, thirteen doubles, and surgery in September, with the doctor saying he will have a full recovery. Why keep a kid hanging? Sorry for the rant, just pisses me off.

 

A kid, and his parents, need to realize that during the recruiting process, when a coach calls and tells you how much he loves you, that the coach has told "x" number of players before he called you, and "x" number of players he'll call after you that he loves them too! It's the reality of recruiting... kinda like job interviews. I know it's frustrating because we went through the same stuff, but it's part of the game. Tell hime to keep working hard and it will work out.
One lesson to learn here is to realize that phone line goes both ways. Call (the player) the coaches and ask direct questions and if the answer isn't what you're looking for then move on. Don't burn bridges but be honest and direct.

 

Recruiting Follow-up

I am hoping that the school's failure to communicate its decision to the player was merely an unfortunate oversight. I liken the recruiting process to the "dating" experience. The school and the player "date" to determine if a "committed relationship" is what both parties want. Along the way, the player is also "dating" schools A, B, C, D, E, F, .... The school is also "dating" several players. Interestingly, both parties are aware of the others "dating around". By the way, did I mention that the school is hearing about all the other "dates" the player has? Pretty soon, word (rumors) gets around that the player has fallen in love with another school. Well, the "jilted" school now moves on to a player that wants to "commit".

Moral of this story is that while dating around can be a lot of fun, missing out on your true love is the risk one takes in doing so.

The recruiting process can be stressful to both sides. Sometimes coaches get busy and forget to follow-up.

 

Great analogy! it is like dating... some are just more "slutty" than others!

 

I love it Gman........

 

unfortunatly the coaches are the more experienced daters and the player ends up getting played.

 

Well...can the same be said that the more a player "dates," the more desirable he is to the schools looking for someone to date?

 

It depends on what degree of sluttiness

 

Well said. This is life. Take want you want when you have the chance.

 

Birdhunter- I really feel for the player and their family. We went through a similar experience where the coach that was "stalking" my son his freshman, soph and junior season, actually refused to shake his hand in his senior year because they no longer were recruiting him due to arm surgery. There are some great people in college and there are some "knuckleheads". But rarely will any coach tell you personally they are no longer recruiting you.

EDIT: By the way, once the young man proves that his arm strength is back....a better offer will come around the corner. There is still plenty of time. You'll be surprised how much money will become available during the HS season