You Can’t Portal-Proof Your College Journey: Here’s Why

Why? Here is the answer that a lot of people won't like:

You can't control everything

You can do EVERYTHING right in the recruiting process - great coach, program, playing time situation, location academics. If we find the perfect fit, it SHOULD mean that you won't transfer, right? Unfortunately that's not the case.

I'm far from encouraging families to, "just commit to the first school that offers you and then if you don't like it, go into the portal." I'm not there and I don't think I will ever be there. At the same time, the portal is NOT, "the grass is always greener" kind of situation for most athletes. Many athletes end up in similar situations, not playing or just as unhappy as they were before.

The transfer portal is an element in the college recruiting journey that isn't going away anytime soon.

The portal isn't a negative. It has become simply an aspect of the recruiting process that we must almost constantly account for.

It impacts seniors that have already signed as new and different competition on the depth chart.

Current athletes can easily go from the bench to a starting role or the reverse is just as possible.

Schools that needed one position now don't because they lost a player with 2 years of eligibility and gained a player with 3. The reverse is possible in this situation as well.

Athletes that weren't recruited by P4 schools that have great seasons NOW have the opportunity to move themselves up to a bigger school and potentially play at a higher level.

Athletes that didn't like their current situation for whatever reason, can move down or across to another school at a different level.

There is no guarantee for athletes that go into the portal. It might seem like a "better" option, but athletes each recruiting cycle are left with 0 options ocne they go into the portal.

So, how do you make yourself "portal proof"?

You can't.

If it was just your athlete in a vacuum, then sure. You could probably make that happen.

Unfortunately, there are 100s of variables with this process at every single stage prior to signing and once you arrive on campus.

You just don't have enough control to portal proof your process. I'd love it if we could keep athletes from going into the portal. It's just not something that we can control.

Coaches get fired...new coaches get hired. They want something different or you just don't fit with their personality. All of those things are uncontrollable.

What's your advice then for handling the recruiting process and the portal with our high school athletes?

Parent's:

1) Try to have a very honest and candid conversations with your athlete about what they are really looking for and what they really want out of their college experience.

2) College is not like club. They are apples and oranges.

3) Have some sort of end-goal in mind. "Once you graduate..." type of conversation

4) Have a conversation with your athlete and her future potential coaches about expectations. In so many situations we have non-communicated expectations that we put on others and we then hold them to account for things they are not aware of. Be honest, "We are expecting this..." and you'll be surprised at the conversations that follow.