Caleb’s Pointers: What all players should know about recruiting
I recently had the opportunity to work the EYBL event in Orlando and got to sit down and talk with numerous coaches from pretty much every program in the country. Seriously, you name a coach or a program and they…
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Continue ReadingI recently had the opportunity to work the EYBL event in Orlando and got to sit down and talk with numerous coaches from pretty much every program in the country. Seriously, you name a coach or a program and they were most likely there. While working the event operations, I was able to ask several coaches from all of the top programs in the country what they were looking for. I have comprised a list of things that I learned, and I believe every recruit in the country should learn about recruiting.
- College coaches watch everything you do on the court and on the bench.
- Everybody knows that what you do on the court is important. Of course you have to have talent to be recruited, but coaches watch your actions on the bench just as much. How you interact with your teammates matters. Are you a player that pouts when you come out of the game after a turnover, a missed shot, or a foul? Being engaged on the bench is so crucial and can honestly make or break getting an offer. Be the player that is locked in on the bench and encouraging your teammates. Trust me, it makes a difference.
- College coaches observe how your parents act during the game.
- How your parents act during your games is something that you cannot really control, but it is something that coaches look at. Do your parents yell at your coach during the game? Are they supporting the team and not just you? These things matter to college coaches. No coach wants a guy on their team if their parents are constantly going to criticize coaching and their son’s minutes.
- Body language is extremely important.
- Whether you mean to or not, body language portrays your attitude during the game. Hanging your head after a couple bad plays conveys to coaches that you sulk after a mistake. Be the player that is always positive and encouraging teammates. If two players had equal skills but one had terrible body language while the other was always enthusiastic, coaches would choose the second player ten times out of ten.
- Next play mentality is essential.
- Every coach that I talked to emphasized that they were watching how players reacted after a bad play. Sprinting back on defense after a turnover or missed shot is way more important than many players realize. All coaches know that you cannot play a perfect game, so they watch to see how you react when the inevitable trials come your way. All of the greatest athletes of all time have had short term memories and adopted the next play mentality that is so crucial for success.
- Defensive intensity matters.
- Offensive production can be seen by everyone and it shows up on the stat sheet. Defensive production does not always show on the stats. College coaches want guys that are just as energetic on the defensive side of the ball as they are on the offensive side. Getting deflections and talking on defense are two extremely important aspects of the game that coaches watch for.