Three Things Going Into This Weekend

I was asked a great question by one of my clients today, "Jason what should I be focused on this weekend? What are college coaches wanting to see when they come watch me?" I guess she asked me 2 questions.

There are a couple of different ways to approach this question, but let's keep it simple. As an athlete, you need to control what you can control. Let's try and answer these questions a couple of different ways.

1) "Does the film match what I see live"

This is what college coaches are trying to figure out when they are first evaluating an athlete they like. They liked the film, that's why they are coming to the court. They are trying to figure out if it was a "really good highlight" or if there is a consistent level of play that will help the program win matches. There are some metrics here, but I think that most of them are "eye ball" metrics. The other thing to think about is that "height" can be relative to "speed" which can be relative to "arm strength". What I mean is athletes that are lacking in height, can make up for that with their strength and speed. Slower athletes can make for that with their arm strength or their height. It always points back to an overall "physicality".

If they really liked your film and what they see live fits what they are looking for, they will most likely spend more time at your court. Plenty of college coaches are doing their due diligence when it comes to evaluating most of the athletes that send them emails. Take warm-ups seriously. It might be the only chance a college coach will have to evaluate you before they move on. Those 5-6 swings can determine whether or not they come back.

1) Be a good teammate. Be coachable.

How you interact with your teammates is a huge deal. High fives and celebrations are par for the course right now. It can be more difficult for the introverts out there for sure! Be excited when others do well, when your team does well. Support each other. That means you are a great teammate from the bench - regardless of whether or not you're getting into the match! Any form of negative vibes from the bench when you aren't playing can be detrimental to your recruiting. Passion is encouraged though! Show college coaches how much you love the game and what kind of competitor you are.

How you interact with your club coach is important as well. College coaches are definitely looking at this. Body language when you are being coached is important. Make eye contact with your coach. Be willing to adjust. Be willing to do the things they are asking you to do.

3) What intangibles do you have?

They like your film. They like what they see live. Now they are looking at what else you bring to the table. Passion. Energy. Leadership. Hype-Girl. Are you a communicator or an encourager? Do your teammates look to you in tough situations? Are you a magnet - are the other athletes on your team drawn to you? Are you getting set the ball for match point or when you're down 23-24? I wrote about "Stone Soup" several years ago and how it applies to college recruiting. The best coaches are looking for the pieces that they are missing. Sometimes those are physical pieces, but often there are things that create your on court personality. You need all the pieces. Some programs are lacking pieces. A college coach will often be picking from 3 different MBs that are 6'2" and so they are looking at what else each athlete brings to the team as a whole.

Remember, college coaches coming to your court is great. Stay focused on what you can control and how you interact with your team and coaching staff. Work hard, always. Be a good teammate always. Show college coaches the TYPE of person they are getting, the athletic piece is easier for them to see.

Good luck this weekend!!!

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