Do's and Don'ts Concerning College Coaches at Tournaments

I'm going to act on my own suggestion in another thread.

What would you include in a condensed list of Do's and Don'ts concerning communication with college coaches in attendance at tournaments?

Should it be posted at the entrances whether coaches are in dead time or not?

Other suggestions?

 

Well, if it's a dead period, coaches aren't allowed to be there. But a good rule of thumb is if you know the coach and you don't have a recruited DD, by all means say Hi and let them determine whether they have time to socialize--remember they are hard at work--just like you are at your work.

If you don't know them personally or you have a DD that is or will be recruited, leave them alone. If it's during a contact period and they can approach you, and have interest, they will.

Keep in mind when a coach is at a tournament, they are hard at work. The decisions they make on recruiting help to determine whether they keep their jobs or not. They go into these tournaments looking for specific position players and are looking for reasons NOT to have interest. They may start out with 25 names they are following and were able to cut that list of names down to 2...and those two are the one's they will follow to the next tournament. Now if they are always being approached by a parent with questions or just wanting to socialize...they may miss out on a couple of players they were wanting to watch at that time.

That's what I meant about a coach will let you know if they have the time to socialize. Don't mistake their standoffish as being rude. They have a job to do and tournaments are a place that they are working.

 

http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/ncaa-recruiting-rules-contact-visits.htm

Much more detail: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?key=/n...ity and Recruiting/Recruiting/recruiting.html

 

That is a very good point! You should be very careful what you say about players in casual conversation. NEVER say anything negative; you never know who is listening!

I was pointing out to a D1 coach all the assets this particular player had during a game the coach was watching. Finally, the coach asked me what relation I was to the player. I told her none, that I had just watched her play for years. I didn't find out until later that that coach went to the player's TB coach and let him know she was interested in her. That player ended up being a starter her freshman year for that school and is excelling in softball. Usually my mouth gets me in trouble but that time it ended up being one of my favorite memories of one of my favorite kids.

 

Great links. Thanks a ton.

 

We all know that the parents want the best for their kids. Its easy to see how any of us could slip up and make a mistake when it comes to the coaches/recruits gig.
No slander in being informed for sure, but let the info come from your DD.
I don't know of any coach who wants a parent in her/his ear in the recruiting process or if/when a kid is signed and playing in college.

Be thankful folks for having a great kid who is getting attention from these coaches. Obviously you parents have taught your DDs well. Its now their turn to use what they have learned from you and show these coaches that can stand on their own without momma and daddy chiming in.

There is nothing wrong with parents looking over their DDs shoulder through the recruiting process.
But just leave the one on one stuff between the coach and the player until you're asked to step in.

 

Go Fishman

Excellent post! You are so wise, got to be all those little fish you eat feeding those brain cells! Coaches want to hear from the players and they love written notes so they can truly know the recruit wrote the note. They like for the potential recruit to speak to them and look them in the eye and to listen as they look the coach in the eye. Confident and informed kids get the scholarship and also are the ones that stick in college when things get tough. Let the player do it all and parents sit back and enjoy!
Fish I want to be like you when I grow up my Man! Have a great summer.

 

....Thanks LB1. I still have not grown up, I've just aged up.

 

Don't act like a total jacka** when a call goes against your DD's team. We've had several coaches at our tournament make notes about parents.

Don't go up to coaches and give your 2 cents worth of info about other players.

As a player, keep giving 110% effort to your travel and school teams after committing.

In our area, there is a Dad whose daughter will be attending a Div 1 school. He has posted on forums how his DD will be playing softball there. He shows up at a tournament last week (his DD's team was not in the tournament) in the college's hat and shirt and is trying to hob-knob with that school's coaches. We could tell by the expressions of the coaches that they were really getting upset with this guy. Come to find out that his DD was only offered a walk-on spot. But the point is, who is going to college, the kid or the dad?