We live in a world where everyone wants things to happen right away. Players transfer when things don't go their way instead of toughing it out. Athletic directors don't give coaches enough time to legitimately build their program. To add to the instability, many coaches are looking to move jobs in order to win more and/or make more money.
Coaches like any human want to better themselves and their families. When an opportunity arises after being really good at what they currently do, they would be doing themselves a disservice by not at least looking into another position at another school that would be willing to give the coach more resources to recruit and win. This potential new position usually offers more money as well. You as a recruit or a recruit's parent, have to understand that this is part of the business and it happens EVERY year.
From a recruiting standpoint you have to look at a lot of things. When a coaching staff is young and has been successful they are prime candidates to move on to "the next level." That is definitely something to think about before making your college decision. And it happens at all levels as well.
Another thing to look at is the changing of assistant coaches. Assistants are much more likely to be on the move than the head coach. Head coaches' contracts are generally long term (more than three years) while most assistants are on a year to year contract. So, the (assistant) coach that you developed the best relationship with could easily be at another place by the time you make it to campus.
You'll see this type of movement a little more in football where coaches won't leave for another opportunity until after the signing period. It makes it really tough for the recruits because they've spent a ton of time communicating with that assistant and by them leaving, the comfort isn't there as much.
All of these different scenarios are some of the reasons why I believe it is the best for a recruit to decide later in the process. I understand if a "dream school" offers you a spot and you have to take it immediately but I don't think that happens as often as people believe. As a recruit, you have to protect yourself and put yourself in the best situation possible.
To go along with all of this I'll tell a story. My first staff meeting while working at WVU. Coach Beilein told all of us that we should be looking for new jobs every year. His contract was the only one that was guaranteed. If he was to get fired, he would get the remaining amount of his contract (or most of it) and we would be out of luck. If he was to leave, there were no guarantees that he would take all of us with him. And then he didn't when he left for Michigan. Pretty eye opening for a young assistant that thought he knew it all.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Code Word "Exposure"
Name a spring and summer team that doesn't talk about "exposure" and I'd call you a liar. The word exposure is a be all, end all by players and parents that want to feel important. Parents believe that you get exposure by going to a tournament out of state when the players are 12 or 13 years old. Smaller AAU programs will sell the exposure in order to get players but none of those players will never play in college or leave the state to play in college.
It can be really frustrating for people in the know when programs sell "exposure." Exposure means you play in front of college coaches and if you think that college coaches are going to go out of their way to see 12 or 13 year olds you are completely out of your mind. Are there times when they sit down and watch a game? Yes. That's because the game they are supposed to watch is starting late.
The out of town trip for any AAU team is always an adventure. It can be a lot of fun and you get to spend a lot of time together. Definitely a good time. While I was coaching AAU, we went on a trip to Iowa during the "live period." There was one college coach that stayed for less than a half of one of our games. Even one of my players, who had hopes of playing college ball, tweeted out some of his frustration. Not exactly a great way to get "exposure."
There are a lot of AAU programs that decide that it's a good idea to have half of their tournaments be out of the state where they are located. Some of these programs have a whole team of guys/girls that will basketball out of state in college. It makes sense for them to travel and I don't blame these programs at all.
Then there are the other teams. The other teams "sell" that going out of state gets their kids "exposure." Exposure to what? Exposure to another program that does the same thing. They end up getting put in the same pool and or play in the first round of the silver "championship" division. On top of that, none of the kids on the team will ever leave the state to play college ball. What sense does it make to have families spend a boatload of money on travel, food, and lodging for no other reason than to play someplace different?
But keep selling "exposure." Great marketing.
It can be really frustrating for people in the know when programs sell "exposure." Exposure means you play in front of college coaches and if you think that college coaches are going to go out of their way to see 12 or 13 year olds you are completely out of your mind. Are there times when they sit down and watch a game? Yes. That's because the game they are supposed to watch is starting late.
The out of town trip for any AAU team is always an adventure. It can be a lot of fun and you get to spend a lot of time together. Definitely a good time. While I was coaching AAU, we went on a trip to Iowa during the "live period." There was one college coach that stayed for less than a half of one of our games. Even one of my players, who had hopes of playing college ball, tweeted out some of his frustration. Not exactly a great way to get "exposure."
There are a lot of AAU programs that decide that it's a good idea to have half of their tournaments be out of the state where they are located. Some of these programs have a whole team of guys/girls that will basketball out of state in college. It makes sense for them to travel and I don't blame these programs at all.
Then there are the other teams. The other teams "sell" that going out of state gets their kids "exposure." Exposure to what? Exposure to another program that does the same thing. They end up getting put in the same pool and or play in the first round of the silver "championship" division. On top of that, none of the kids on the team will ever leave the state to play college ball. What sense does it make to have families spend a boatload of money on travel, food, and lodging for no other reason than to play someplace different?
But keep selling "exposure." Great marketing.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
College Decision Days Ahead
Right about now is when a lot of kids will be making their decisions to attend a (one, hopefully) college or university for the next four or five years. There are many things that go into the decision making process. There is a list of things that should be priorities for you and your family before making a decision.
1) The top priority for most families is cost. How many money can the family afford per year and/or over the course of four years? What kind of financial aid can the school provided? It's good to find out how much each school's endowment is, because that usually translates to better (high endowment) or worse (low endowment) financial aid packages. Basically, does the school meet 100% of need or is the percentage much lower.
Some schools do a pretty good job of getting out academic scholarship packages after the application process. Others schools wait until they've gathered all of their applicants and then send out financial aid packages all at the same time. Knowing what the timeline looks like is very important. Sometimes, the school that you want to go to the most will make you wait the most.
There are also other times that money isn't an issue. If that's the case, the admission process is a bit different. Why? The family doesn't have to worry about comparing financial aid packages from different schools. What also could happen is the admission department knows the applicant is a "full pay" applicant and they will get into school even if their grades/test scores aren't what they need to normally get into school. That's called "private school economics." More on this in a bit.
While I was coaching in college there was a prominent "recruiting guru" that came and spoke. He had some really useful information and some really interesting ideas. One thing he said that if the financial aid package came out $4,000 on the wrong end (another school had a better package) and the recruit didn't come then the coach didn't sell the school hard enough. I laughed out loud when he said that. $4,000 is a lot money over the course of four years. That's a mid-size car or $16,000. When families are making decisions based off $1,000-$2,000 then $4,000 is going to be a big deal (for most families).
1) The top priority for most families is cost. How many money can the family afford per year and/or over the course of four years? What kind of financial aid can the school provided? It's good to find out how much each school's endowment is, because that usually translates to better (high endowment) or worse (low endowment) financial aid packages. Basically, does the school meet 100% of need or is the percentage much lower.
Some schools do a pretty good job of getting out academic scholarship packages after the application process. Others schools wait until they've gathered all of their applicants and then send out financial aid packages all at the same time. Knowing what the timeline looks like is very important. Sometimes, the school that you want to go to the most will make you wait the most.
There are also other times that money isn't an issue. If that's the case, the admission process is a bit different. Why? The family doesn't have to worry about comparing financial aid packages from different schools. What also could happen is the admission department knows the applicant is a "full pay" applicant and they will get into school even if their grades/test scores aren't what they need to normally get into school. That's called "private school economics." More on this in a bit.
While I was coaching in college there was a prominent "recruiting guru" that came and spoke. He had some really useful information and some really interesting ideas. One thing he said that if the financial aid package came out $4,000 on the wrong end (another school had a better package) and the recruit didn't come then the coach didn't sell the school hard enough. I laughed out loud when he said that. $4,000 is a lot money over the course of four years. That's a mid-size car or $16,000. When families are making decisions based off $1,000-$2,000 then $4,000 is going to be a big deal (for most families).
2) You are going to college to get an education, why would you go to a college that doesn't have your preferred major? When kids transfer and say "they didn't have my major," didn't the kid know that going in? The education is the reason why you are going to school, even though athletics are a big reason why you are interested in a certain school. 18-22 year olds change their minds on a daily basis, it would be a good idea to go somewhere that has a lot of options as far as majors, if your original thoughts on the major you want isn't what you thought it would be.
There are some schools that give you the option to "major" in multiple things. Not exactly a double major but the school gives you opportunities in multiple disciplines to figure out what you are truly looking for. Some schools will have "interdisciplinary studies" as a major, which is code word for having three minors that you emphasize in because the full major doesn't make a ton of sense in what you want to do.
3) If a coach tells you that they play fast, look at the team's box scores. There aren't many players in high school that want to go to college and play in a grind it out type offense and defense. Coaches will say, "we want to play fast," and then call out plays every time down the floor. Majority of the coaches don't play fast and don't want to play fast because they don't have control.
Teams that play fast have the tendency to turn the ball over (on offense) a good amount and they also score a lot. If you watch West Virginia play, they play fast but they generally don't score a ton. If you can't watch a team that is recruiting you in person, watch them on a webcast since most schools have that capability now.
4) A head or assistant coach tells you they play a lot of players and in reality they only play seven or eight players. Please look at the team's box scores in their perceived rivalry games and/or postseason games (if they've made it) to see if they play that many players. Playing five players 30+ minutes and then having one player play 15 minutes and two more guys play between 5 and 8 minutes means they don't play a lot of players. If they have 9 or 10 guys average above 12 minutes a game, that means the coach plays a lot of players.
Coaches tend to shorten their bench toward the end of the year because they want to win and they'll only play the players they trust. If you look at stats at the beginning of the year, more players will play. Why? The coaching staff is trying to figure out who fits where, who plays better with other players, and who does better with the lights on.
5) Know the recruiting philosophy of the school and the program. There are certain schools that want coaches to recruit and get as many players as they can. This is another example of "private school economics." The more bodies the better the bottom line is for the school. So they'll have a lot of players on their roster but very few play, even with a JV team.
There are many schools that have the ability to give out good financial aid packages to a lot of kids. It will give the coaches the ability to "load up" in consecutive years in order to make a run at a championship. What happens ends up being a disservice to the kids. Why? There are a lot of very good players that could probably start or play significant minutes at other schools, get stuck on the bench of the school those chose. Basically, it's buyer beware when you are choosing a school.
When push comes to shove, cost and academics should be the number 1 and 1a when it comes to picking a school. The athletic side is super important but shouldn't be the priority because what happens when the "ball stops bouncing?" You and your family have to make the correct decision for life.
There are some schools that give you the option to "major" in multiple things. Not exactly a double major but the school gives you opportunities in multiple disciplines to figure out what you are truly looking for. Some schools will have "interdisciplinary studies" as a major, which is code word for having three minors that you emphasize in because the full major doesn't make a ton of sense in what you want to do.
3) If a coach tells you that they play fast, look at the team's box scores. There aren't many players in high school that want to go to college and play in a grind it out type offense and defense. Coaches will say, "we want to play fast," and then call out plays every time down the floor. Majority of the coaches don't play fast and don't want to play fast because they don't have control.
Teams that play fast have the tendency to turn the ball over (on offense) a good amount and they also score a lot. If you watch West Virginia play, they play fast but they generally don't score a ton. If you can't watch a team that is recruiting you in person, watch them on a webcast since most schools have that capability now.
4) A head or assistant coach tells you they play a lot of players and in reality they only play seven or eight players. Please look at the team's box scores in their perceived rivalry games and/or postseason games (if they've made it) to see if they play that many players. Playing five players 30+ minutes and then having one player play 15 minutes and two more guys play between 5 and 8 minutes means they don't play a lot of players. If they have 9 or 10 guys average above 12 minutes a game, that means the coach plays a lot of players.
Coaches tend to shorten their bench toward the end of the year because they want to win and they'll only play the players they trust. If you look at stats at the beginning of the year, more players will play. Why? The coaching staff is trying to figure out who fits where, who plays better with other players, and who does better with the lights on.
5) Know the recruiting philosophy of the school and the program. There are certain schools that want coaches to recruit and get as many players as they can. This is another example of "private school economics." The more bodies the better the bottom line is for the school. So they'll have a lot of players on their roster but very few play, even with a JV team.
There are many schools that have the ability to give out good financial aid packages to a lot of kids. It will give the coaches the ability to "load up" in consecutive years in order to make a run at a championship. What happens ends up being a disservice to the kids. Why? There are a lot of very good players that could probably start or play significant minutes at other schools, get stuck on the bench of the school those chose. Basically, it's buyer beware when you are choosing a school.
When push comes to shove, cost and academics should be the number 1 and 1a when it comes to picking a school. The athletic side is super important but shouldn't be the priority because what happens when the "ball stops bouncing?" You and your family have to make the correct decision for life.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Exploited Student-Athlete, I Think Not
As I am sitting here watching the NCAA Tourney I am thinking about all the student-athletes on all these teams and how hard it is to juggle being a student and being an athlete with all the time that these guys are away from campus. These networks (particularly CBS) are paying an absurd amount of money to the NCAA to televise these games.
For many of the players at the high major level they are traveling all the time and it takes it's toll. Let's take a look at the Big 12 and their conference tournament. Iowa State and Kansas both played in the championship game on Saturday, March 14 after playing on the 12th and the 13th. They probably arrived on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning for the tournament. Unless they were on spring break they've missed class Wednesday through Friday. All because their games need to be on TV.
The above is typical for most high major teams. If they make the NCAA tourney then there is more missed classes because the NCAA mandates that teams arrive two days before games start. An example is that teams that play in the Thursday/Saturday set have to arrive on Tuesday all for the TV and media. Friday/Sunday games will miss Thursday and Friday class but will have another dilemma because they'll probably miss class on Monday depending on where they travel to/from.
With all of that being said, these student-athletes don't have a lot of opportunities to be students and whose fault is it? I will go with TV and college presidents. TV does what they want because all the college presidents want more money. The more the games are on tv, the bottom line looks A LOT better for college presidents. That is why you'll see football games on all throughout the week during the fall.
Hang with me here:
I've sent out some feelers to a bunch of different college coaches at a bunch of different levels and this is what I've gathered. Student-athletes that are on a full scholarship will get various levels of scholarships based off of what level school each coach is at.
High Major Mid Major
*Roughly $1200 check every month *$840 check every month
Unlimited meals meals/snacks 30 meals per semester in dining hall + snacks
Free Tutoring Free Tutoring
Potential free iPads Postseason gifts (budget won't allow $500, but get something)
Postseason gifts (up to $500)
Free printing for papers, etc
*If student-athletes live off campus they'll get that amount. Not sure what the amount they are given if they live on campus.
A Pell Grant is available for all students if their family qualifies financially. A full Pell Grant for the year is $5,500. If the athlete is on full scholarship they'll get a $5,500 every year without having to pay it back. Yes, that's potentially $22,000 over the course of four years. That number could be a lot less or nothing at all depending on the finances of the family.
On top of all of that the student-athletes get major exposure through TV and everything that potentially goes with it. Looking at a high major "non-revenue" sport the school spent roughly $32,000 per year per athlete (walk-ons included) on top of any athletic scholarship. This money includes athletic training, medical costs, sport psychologists, tutoring/advising, massage/chiropractic, travel, gear, meals, and coaching. If you want to look at some "revenue" sports, that number is WAY higher because of charter flights, nicer hotels, more (and nicer) gear, and more meals.
If you look in the closets of these same student-athletes you'll see about two weeks of wardrobes given to them EVERY year through the contract the school has with an apparel company. Let's take a look at Oregon (I know they are different than everyone else but it's fun). Every one of their players have received four pairs of Kevin Durant's signature shoes (retail $150, customized $195) in different colors. Here is a link showing their different jersey combos as well as some of the shoes that are available to them. I could show you a bunch of pictures from all the gear my wife's team gets but I don't want to be a creeper through their Twitter and Instagram.
Did I mention that these same student-athletes get their education paid for as well? Tuition at these schools range anywhere from $6,000 to $50,000 (just tuition, not tuition & room and board). With that being said, athletic department probably are spending over $100,000 per athlete per year in certain sports.
I'll ask this question to my four regular readers, Would you be willing to "be exploited" by the NCAA and college presidents to get all the things that you get by being a student-athlete? I would say an extreme majority would say, "Where do I sign?"
For many of the players at the high major level they are traveling all the time and it takes it's toll. Let's take a look at the Big 12 and their conference tournament. Iowa State and Kansas both played in the championship game on Saturday, March 14 after playing on the 12th and the 13th. They probably arrived on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning for the tournament. Unless they were on spring break they've missed class Wednesday through Friday. All because their games need to be on TV.
The above is typical for most high major teams. If they make the NCAA tourney then there is more missed classes because the NCAA mandates that teams arrive two days before games start. An example is that teams that play in the Thursday/Saturday set have to arrive on Tuesday all for the TV and media. Friday/Sunday games will miss Thursday and Friday class but will have another dilemma because they'll probably miss class on Monday depending on where they travel to/from.
With all of that being said, these student-athletes don't have a lot of opportunities to be students and whose fault is it? I will go with TV and college presidents. TV does what they want because all the college presidents want more money. The more the games are on tv, the bottom line looks A LOT better for college presidents. That is why you'll see football games on all throughout the week during the fall.
Hang with me here:
I've sent out some feelers to a bunch of different college coaches at a bunch of different levels and this is what I've gathered. Student-athletes that are on a full scholarship will get various levels of scholarships based off of what level school each coach is at.
High Major Mid Major
*Roughly $1200 check every month *$840 check every month
Unlimited meals meals/snacks 30 meals per semester in dining hall + snacks
Free Tutoring Free Tutoring
Potential free iPads Postseason gifts (budget won't allow $500, but get something)
Postseason gifts (up to $500)
Free printing for papers, etc
*If student-athletes live off campus they'll get that amount. Not sure what the amount they are given if they live on campus.
A Pell Grant is available for all students if their family qualifies financially. A full Pell Grant for the year is $5,500. If the athlete is on full scholarship they'll get a $5,500 every year without having to pay it back. Yes, that's potentially $22,000 over the course of four years. That number could be a lot less or nothing at all depending on the finances of the family.
On top of all of that the student-athletes get major exposure through TV and everything that potentially goes with it. Looking at a high major "non-revenue" sport the school spent roughly $32,000 per year per athlete (walk-ons included) on top of any athletic scholarship. This money includes athletic training, medical costs, sport psychologists, tutoring/advising, massage/chiropractic, travel, gear, meals, and coaching. If you want to look at some "revenue" sports, that number is WAY higher because of charter flights, nicer hotels, more (and nicer) gear, and more meals.
If you look in the closets of these same student-athletes you'll see about two weeks of wardrobes given to them EVERY year through the contract the school has with an apparel company. Let's take a look at Oregon (I know they are different than everyone else but it's fun). Every one of their players have received four pairs of Kevin Durant's signature shoes (retail $150, customized $195) in different colors. Here is a link showing their different jersey combos as well as some of the shoes that are available to them. I could show you a bunch of pictures from all the gear my wife's team gets but I don't want to be a creeper through their Twitter and Instagram.
Did I mention that these same student-athletes get their education paid for as well? Tuition at these schools range anywhere from $6,000 to $50,000 (just tuition, not tuition & room and board). With that being said, athletic department probably are spending over $100,000 per athlete per year in certain sports.
I'll ask this question to my four regular readers, Would you be willing to "be exploited" by the NCAA and college presidents to get all the things that you get by being a student-athlete? I would say an extreme majority would say, "Where do I sign?"
How to Fix the NCAA Tournament
As I've watched the NCAA Tournament over the past three days I've noticed some things that I think would make the tournament better.
Step 1: Change it back to 64 teams.
It makes ZERO sense to have the four added teams. Why? These play-in games are for the lowered seeded teams. Why not give them all a chance to shine on the weekend. They are at a huge disadvantage and at times go from playing a night game on Tuesday to an afternoon game on Thursday with a decent amount of travel in between. 64 is also a perfect number for a tournament, 68 just doesn't make sense.
Step 2: East Coast Games that start after 9PM need to stop
I understand if a game is being played in Seattle or Los Angeles and it has a late start. If a game is being played in Pittsburgh there is absolutely no reason to have a game start after 9PM eastern time. Some of the games this year have started past 10PM eastern time. That's a huge disservice to the kids and their families (for those that travel).
Step 3: Each side of the bracket play on the same days
An example for this year would be the West and Midwest both play on Thursday and Saturday while the East and the South both play on Friday and Sunday. It doesn't make sense to have teams in the same bracket have more or less rest. Makes it more of a level playing field for all.
Step 4: Get rid of teams playing close to home
Games should all be neutral site and one team shouldn't have a huge crowd advantage unless they are Kentucky (they always travel). They should lower the ticket prices and get more fans in the seats rather than playing in half empty arenas. Families should be able to go to games and not have to take out a loan for tickets, parking, and snacks. Remember, we are watching amateurs play. Examples of this would be don't allow Duke, North Carolina, or NC State state play in the state of North Carolina. Syracuse should never play in Albany. Many more examples can be made.
Step 5: CBS Please Pay Attention
Thursday and Friday are like heaven for a lot of hoops fans. The Saturday and Sunday should be the same way. There is no need to showcase two games each day. Get the day moving and then teams wouldn't have games starting past 9PM eastern time. Take Grant Hill off the main broadcast. Two man booth is all that is needed. Give me Verne Lundquist and Bill Rafferty or Ian Eagle and Jim Spinarkel and I'll be happy.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Fast or Slow
Over the last month or so, a lot of talk has been how scoring in college basketball has gone down and how basketball is more like a football game. That it's bad for the game and less people want to watch. Scoring is definitely down for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include lack of shooting, defensive schemes, control by the coaches, more teams playing zone, and officiating.
Lets talk about shooting. If you look at the three point shooting leaders this year (HERE) you'll see that only 35 players throughout Division One shoot over 40% from the three point line (there is probably more but you need a certain amount of attempts to be on the list). That's not a very high number considering there is about 340 Division One teams. Heck, there are only 22 in the NBA that are shooting 40% and above this year. Although, there are certain players that shoot higher percentages from the corners, which is big in the NBA game. The lack of shooting allows defenses to collapse more (more on this below).
As you watch games by teams like Virginia and Wisconsin you'll notice that they like to "muck it up." What I mean by this is, they get physical and do not make anything easy for the offense. The idea behind how they play is to not allow penetration into the paint. Why? Teams shoot a much higher percentage when they get a paint touch through penetration, cutting, or post catches. By playing this way, the offense tends to score a lot less and are also forced to take tough shots later in the shot clock. Forcing teams to take shots near the end of the shot clock also forces their offense to get less possessions, which leads to less scoring for both teams. Examples are HERE, HERE, and HERE.
This defense is also known as the "pack-line defense." What this means is that there is rarely extended ball pressure. So, the offense doesn't have as much space to operate, especially when they need it, late in the shot clock. Also, you'll rarely see the players off the ball try to deny their man the ball. What this does is make the reversal pass easy but the potential drive doesn't look like it is there because that is where the help is positioned.
There are very few teams at the Division One level that really try to extend their defense and have ball pressure at all times. What the ball pressure does is put the defensive player on a island and if they get beat then the rest of the defense is at a huge disadvantage. In closing, why would coaches want to put their players at a huge disadvantage by pressuring the ball at half court?
Many of the basketball "experts" are saying that all coaches feel the need to have control and that is why offenses aren't scoring at all. I believe it's harder to get in the paint early in a shot clock and that is forcing offenses to needle their way into the paint near the end of the shot clock. So, most possessions are taking 20-30 seconds off the clock trying to get the defense to make a mistake. When teams settle for shots and make them, it looks like great offense but in reality it's not very good. Coaches definitely want control but their idea of control is getting great shots and not settling for bad or average shots.
Much like college football when it was very run oriented, basketball has become a physical mess and scoring has gone down. Now, coaches need to figure out ways to adjust to defenses like the pack-line and it's taking them a while. What is the best way to get their best players the ball in space? That's the magic question and every coach and team is different.
You'll see more teams playing zone now knowing that teams don't shoot the ball very well. Playing zone almost always slows the game down. The offense usually takes a bit longer to get shots especially when the zone has a lot of length. Yes, there are times when teams can get good looks early in a possession but much like pack-line the offense is waiting for the defense to make a mistake.
The last thing I will talk about is the officiating. Games have become physical messes because the officials allow it. Perfect example is last year when it was made a rule that officials HAD to call a foul when the defender would put two hands on the offensive player. That was called very early in the year and scoring went up. By the time conference play started, the physical play was back. If a rule is made, it needs to be enforced. With that being said, if play is consistently called a certain way for an extended period of time, players will adjust and the game will automatically become faster. Until then, scoring will continue to decrease.
Yes, everyone wants to see a lot of scoring but many coaches realize that they want to slow it down in hopes of giving them a better chance of winning the game by giving the other team less possessions. And as we've seen since many teams seasons have ended, coaches want to have a job.
Lets talk about shooting. If you look at the three point shooting leaders this year (HERE) you'll see that only 35 players throughout Division One shoot over 40% from the three point line (there is probably more but you need a certain amount of attempts to be on the list). That's not a very high number considering there is about 340 Division One teams. Heck, there are only 22 in the NBA that are shooting 40% and above this year. Although, there are certain players that shoot higher percentages from the corners, which is big in the NBA game. The lack of shooting allows defenses to collapse more (more on this below).
As you watch games by teams like Virginia and Wisconsin you'll notice that they like to "muck it up." What I mean by this is, they get physical and do not make anything easy for the offense. The idea behind how they play is to not allow penetration into the paint. Why? Teams shoot a much higher percentage when they get a paint touch through penetration, cutting, or post catches. By playing this way, the offense tends to score a lot less and are also forced to take tough shots later in the shot clock. Forcing teams to take shots near the end of the shot clock also forces their offense to get less possessions, which leads to less scoring for both teams. Examples are HERE, HERE, and HERE.
This defense is also known as the "pack-line defense." What this means is that there is rarely extended ball pressure. So, the offense doesn't have as much space to operate, especially when they need it, late in the shot clock. Also, you'll rarely see the players off the ball try to deny their man the ball. What this does is make the reversal pass easy but the potential drive doesn't look like it is there because that is where the help is positioned.
There are very few teams at the Division One level that really try to extend their defense and have ball pressure at all times. What the ball pressure does is put the defensive player on a island and if they get beat then the rest of the defense is at a huge disadvantage. In closing, why would coaches want to put their players at a huge disadvantage by pressuring the ball at half court?
Many of the basketball "experts" are saying that all coaches feel the need to have control and that is why offenses aren't scoring at all. I believe it's harder to get in the paint early in a shot clock and that is forcing offenses to needle their way into the paint near the end of the shot clock. So, most possessions are taking 20-30 seconds off the clock trying to get the defense to make a mistake. When teams settle for shots and make them, it looks like great offense but in reality it's not very good. Coaches definitely want control but their idea of control is getting great shots and not settling for bad or average shots.
Much like college football when it was very run oriented, basketball has become a physical mess and scoring has gone down. Now, coaches need to figure out ways to adjust to defenses like the pack-line and it's taking them a while. What is the best way to get their best players the ball in space? That's the magic question and every coach and team is different.
You'll see more teams playing zone now knowing that teams don't shoot the ball very well. Playing zone almost always slows the game down. The offense usually takes a bit longer to get shots especially when the zone has a lot of length. Yes, there are times when teams can get good looks early in a possession but much like pack-line the offense is waiting for the defense to make a mistake.
The last thing I will talk about is the officiating. Games have become physical messes because the officials allow it. Perfect example is last year when it was made a rule that officials HAD to call a foul when the defender would put two hands on the offensive player. That was called very early in the year and scoring went up. By the time conference play started, the physical play was back. If a rule is made, it needs to be enforced. With that being said, if play is consistently called a certain way for an extended period of time, players will adjust and the game will automatically become faster. Until then, scoring will continue to decrease.
Yes, everyone wants to see a lot of scoring but many coaches realize that they want to slow it down in hopes of giving them a better chance of winning the game by giving the other team less possessions. And as we've seen since many teams seasons have ended, coaches want to have a job.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Weight Training
As we get into the "offseason" a lot of high school coaches will stress to their players about getting in the weight room this spring, summer, and fall. Players that get into the weight room generally play with more confidence and can play harder for longer compared to players that don't.
The one thing for the weight room is that many coaches don't have a plan for their players. Basketball coaches generally aren't certified strength coaches and don't truly know how their guys have to approach hitting the weights. A lot of the time there really isn't a plan and they'll say "get to the weight room." Getting stronger doesn't just come by osmosis (look it up for those that don't know what it is).
I'm not a strength coach and don't pretend to be but I do know some things when it comes to getting stronger. You don't have to gain weight in order to get stronger. You can do a bunch of exercises that will get you stronger and make you a better player. You can do these exercises anywhere so there is no excuse for not doing them. Here are a bunch of exercises that will guarantee to make you stronger if you push yourself while doing them;
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Dips
Lunges
Squats
The only exercise that can be difficult to do are pull-ups. There aren't pull-up bars all over the place but you could easily find a tree branch or a jungle gym that you can get a couple of sets in every day if you can't make it to a gym. All the other exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home or at a hotel. You can do a bunch before you go to school, a bunch when you get home, and a bunch before you head to bed.
Here is an example of a simple workout for the day:
50 pull-ups
250 push-ups
100 dips
3 sets of 20 on each leg for lunges
200 squats
After you get good at these you can start to get creative (to help keep the exercises from getting boring). Try push-ups and pull-ups with different grip widths. Lunges and squats can be done with your body turned or your arms in different directions (having both arms straight up are good).
Imagine if you did that workout every day for the spring and summer. Not only will you get stronger but your confidence will go up and everyone will notice. After a while those numbers from above won't be that hard anymore and you'll push yourself to do more of each exercise.
Again, these exercises aren't going to make you huge but they will get you stronger and that's ultimately the goal. Ultimately the decision to get stronger is up to you just like working on your game.
The one thing for the weight room is that many coaches don't have a plan for their players. Basketball coaches generally aren't certified strength coaches and don't truly know how their guys have to approach hitting the weights. A lot of the time there really isn't a plan and they'll say "get to the weight room." Getting stronger doesn't just come by osmosis (look it up for those that don't know what it is).
I'm not a strength coach and don't pretend to be but I do know some things when it comes to getting stronger. You don't have to gain weight in order to get stronger. You can do a bunch of exercises that will get you stronger and make you a better player. You can do these exercises anywhere so there is no excuse for not doing them. Here are a bunch of exercises that will guarantee to make you stronger if you push yourself while doing them;
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Dips
Lunges
Squats
The only exercise that can be difficult to do are pull-ups. There aren't pull-up bars all over the place but you could easily find a tree branch or a jungle gym that you can get a couple of sets in every day if you can't make it to a gym. All the other exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home or at a hotel. You can do a bunch before you go to school, a bunch when you get home, and a bunch before you head to bed.
Here is an example of a simple workout for the day:
50 pull-ups
250 push-ups
100 dips
3 sets of 20 on each leg for lunges
200 squats
After you get good at these you can start to get creative (to help keep the exercises from getting boring). Try push-ups and pull-ups with different grip widths. Lunges and squats can be done with your body turned or your arms in different directions (having both arms straight up are good).
Imagine if you did that workout every day for the spring and summer. Not only will you get stronger but your confidence will go up and everyone will notice. After a while those numbers from above won't be that hard anymore and you'll push yourself to do more of each exercise.
Again, these exercises aren't going to make you huge but they will get you stronger and that's ultimately the goal. Ultimately the decision to get stronger is up to you just like working on your game.
Selection Sunday - My Story
Tonight we'll see some teams feel great about themselves and others that won't. If you ask any college player, one of their goals is to play in the NCAA tournament. I was fortunate enough to play in three (or be on the roster for two of them). It's such a cool thing to see your name on the big screen and now that you "finally" made it.
Here is a story from ESPN regarding what it's like when you are on the bubble.
Very rarely, do high school players have any idea what's it's like to sit on pins and needles to see if they made the playoffs of any type. Yes, there are some places that only allow teams above .500 to make the postseason but for the most part it's everybody gets in and everybody is happy. You might not be happy where you are seeded but you still get to go to the postseason.
College is a whole different story. Only 68 teams (should be 64) make the NCAA tourney that we watch on tv. It's actually about a 20% of a team making the tourney every year. D3 has the lowest percentage and it's really hard to get an at large bid to the the D3 national tourney. There are 43 conferences and each of their champions get automatic bids there are only 19 at large bids for about 400 teams.
My first two years in college we were fortunate enough to win our conference tournament and get automatic bids to the NCAA tourney. During my senior year had a average start to the year and then finished the year on a 15 game winning streak. We ended up losing in the conference championship game. We were crushed. We didn't think there was anyway we were getting a bid to the tournament. It wasn't exactly the way any of us seniors wanted to end our careers.
That Sunday night, I was on the computer chatting up with a bunch of (chicks) people preparing for student teaching in the morning. I didn't even bother going to the d3hoops website. I got a phone call from a teammate saying that we were in. I told him to not mess with me and probably a bunch of expletives and hung up. I then got a call from my college coach, Nelson Whitmore, and he told me we were in. I couldn't believe it. On top of getting in, we actually got a bye because we had the 5th toughest schedule in the country that year (our only home games were conference games).
So...we got to fulfill our dream and made it to the Sweet 16 once again. While there we got smacked by defending national champion Williams (coached by now Bucknell coach, Dave Paulsen) to finish our career. It was a great run and lots of fun.
Anybody else have a Selection Sunday story???
Here is a story from ESPN regarding what it's like when you are on the bubble.
Very rarely, do high school players have any idea what's it's like to sit on pins and needles to see if they made the playoffs of any type. Yes, there are some places that only allow teams above .500 to make the postseason but for the most part it's everybody gets in and everybody is happy. You might not be happy where you are seeded but you still get to go to the postseason.
College is a whole different story. Only 68 teams (should be 64) make the NCAA tourney that we watch on tv. It's actually about a 20% of a team making the tourney every year. D3 has the lowest percentage and it's really hard to get an at large bid to the the D3 national tourney. There are 43 conferences and each of their champions get automatic bids there are only 19 at large bids for about 400 teams.
My first two years in college we were fortunate enough to win our conference tournament and get automatic bids to the NCAA tourney. During my senior year had a average start to the year and then finished the year on a 15 game winning streak. We ended up losing in the conference championship game. We were crushed. We didn't think there was anyway we were getting a bid to the tournament. It wasn't exactly the way any of us seniors wanted to end our careers.
That Sunday night, I was on the computer chatting up with a bunch of (chicks) people preparing for student teaching in the morning. I didn't even bother going to the d3hoops website. I got a phone call from a teammate saying that we were in. I told him to not mess with me and probably a bunch of expletives and hung up. I then got a call from my college coach, Nelson Whitmore, and he told me we were in. I couldn't believe it. On top of getting in, we actually got a bye because we had the 5th toughest schedule in the country that year (our only home games were conference games).
So...we got to fulfill our dream and made it to the Sweet 16 once again. While there we got smacked by defending national champion Williams (coached by now Bucknell coach, Dave Paulsen) to finish our career. It was a great run and lots of fun.
Anybody else have a Selection Sunday story???
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Getting Better During AAU
As everyone knows, AAU has a completely different format than the high school season. It actually mimics youth travel basketball a lot. Not a ton of practice but more games. Any way you look at it, as a player, you should get better.
Let's talk about getting better during games first. The idea behind playing AAU is that you will play with and against better players consistently throughout the spring and summer. Any time you can play against better players, it's beneficial to your game. You will probably have to play at a faster pace and speed than you are accustomed to. That alone will force you to make adjustments to your game in order to succeed.
With practices only being a few days a week, it's difficult to get better from practice. I don't mean this in a bad way. You can get better by learning to practice at game speed. You can get better by practicing against better players (generally speaking). Just like games, you have the opportunity to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Hopefully, your coaches put you into positions that you aren't use to by challenging you athletically and most importantly mentally.
This last part is the most important. Working out on your own. This is where you will see the biggest gains. YOU must find time to get better on your own. YOU must find a gym or court to get better. YOU have to figure out a way to get hundreds of game shots at game speed on a weekly basis. YOU have to figure out what works best for you to reach your potential.
Obviously, working out with someone else is ideal. They can rebound for you and vice versa. Giving you a chance to take a ton of inside out game shots, which is a much higher percentage shot. You can sprint around getting rebounds, thus forcing you to be fatigued while shooting. Hopefully, while fatigued you can be consistent with everything involved in your shot, which will help from being fatigued during games. You can play one on one to work on individual moves. You can defend each other and force each other to work on each person's weaknesses.
What it all boils down to is that YOU have to work to get better. There is no one else that can truly force you to get better. Regardless of what your HS or AAU coach says, YOU have to want it.
Let's talk about getting better during games first. The idea behind playing AAU is that you will play with and against better players consistently throughout the spring and summer. Any time you can play against better players, it's beneficial to your game. You will probably have to play at a faster pace and speed than you are accustomed to. That alone will force you to make adjustments to your game in order to succeed.
With practices only being a few days a week, it's difficult to get better from practice. I don't mean this in a bad way. You can get better by learning to practice at game speed. You can get better by practicing against better players (generally speaking). Just like games, you have the opportunity to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Hopefully, your coaches put you into positions that you aren't use to by challenging you athletically and most importantly mentally.
This last part is the most important. Working out on your own. This is where you will see the biggest gains. YOU must find time to get better on your own. YOU must find a gym or court to get better. YOU have to figure out a way to get hundreds of game shots at game speed on a weekly basis. YOU have to figure out what works best for you to reach your potential.
Obviously, working out with someone else is ideal. They can rebound for you and vice versa. Giving you a chance to take a ton of inside out game shots, which is a much higher percentage shot. You can sprint around getting rebounds, thus forcing you to be fatigued while shooting. Hopefully, while fatigued you can be consistent with everything involved in your shot, which will help from being fatigued during games. You can play one on one to work on individual moves. You can defend each other and force each other to work on each person's weaknesses.
What it all boils down to is that YOU have to work to get better. There is no one else that can truly force you to get better. Regardless of what your HS or AAU coach says, YOU have to want it.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Elite Camps
Right about now is when parents and players are looking at their spring and summer plans besides playing AAU. One of those plans should be to attend a college or university's "Elite Camp." These camps are generally where the college or university will bring in their recruits or potential recruits to campus and have them compete with each other. It's a way for the coaches to have complete access to potential recruits for a couple of days.
According to NCAA rules, programs are not allowed to limit the participants to just their recruits. They are allowed to limit numbers but if a kid wants to come and pay, then they have to let that athlete participate. Programs also have to charge money for the camp. Some camps will charge the bare minimum because they want their best kids to come to camp and make sure the expenses aren't very high, especially when many are flying in for the weekend. For other programs, it's a way to see their potential recruits as well as a way to make money. Camp fees will range from $50-$400.
One of the best parts of having an elite camp for a college coach is to have full access to the potential recruits. They get to see them work in drills, they get to watch them play, they get to see how they treat teammates, and they get to see the recruits compete. Coaches also get to coach them and potentially get to see them play with their guys to see how they fit. One thing that is overlooked is that coaches get to see how the recruits treat managers, support staff, the servers at the dining hall, or anyone else that doesn't seem to help the recruit. This is a huge character thing that could be a make or break opportunity for a recruit without them really knowing.
For players, the elite camp is a great tool to gain information. It's good to see how the coaches treat the players, it's good to see how the players interact with each other, and it's good to see how the coaches coach you. It's essentially a "day in the life" of a college basketball player minus the classes. Even if it doesn't go well, it should give an idea of what you need to work on because you will play against some pretty good players.
At a few of the Ivy League school elite camps, coaches from lower levels (D2 and D3) will actually be instructors or will be there evaluating recruits. So, if you don't impress the D1 coaches, hopefully you'll impress another coach that'll give you another opportunity to play college basketball at another high end academic school.
Many of the Ivy schools will host "elite" camps on the same weekend and you'll have to choose which one to go to if that is what you are interested in. There are many more schools that offer them and you'll have to look at the Camps/Clinics section of each school's athletics' website. They aren't always called Elite camps either. Some will be "Prospect" or "Practice" camps.
DISCLAIMER: If another entity (not a school but an organization) says they are hosting an "elite" camp please be aware that these are generally moneymakers and there is nothing "elite" about them. If you have any questions regarding which camps are good or bad to attend, I can definitely answer any questions on Twitter: @coachhop21 or my email: cwhop03@yahoo.com
According to NCAA rules, programs are not allowed to limit the participants to just their recruits. They are allowed to limit numbers but if a kid wants to come and pay, then they have to let that athlete participate. Programs also have to charge money for the camp. Some camps will charge the bare minimum because they want their best kids to come to camp and make sure the expenses aren't very high, especially when many are flying in for the weekend. For other programs, it's a way to see their potential recruits as well as a way to make money. Camp fees will range from $50-$400.
One of the best parts of having an elite camp for a college coach is to have full access to the potential recruits. They get to see them work in drills, they get to watch them play, they get to see how they treat teammates, and they get to see the recruits compete. Coaches also get to coach them and potentially get to see them play with their guys to see how they fit. One thing that is overlooked is that coaches get to see how the recruits treat managers, support staff, the servers at the dining hall, or anyone else that doesn't seem to help the recruit. This is a huge character thing that could be a make or break opportunity for a recruit without them really knowing.
For players, the elite camp is a great tool to gain information. It's good to see how the coaches treat the players, it's good to see how the players interact with each other, and it's good to see how the coaches coach you. It's essentially a "day in the life" of a college basketball player minus the classes. Even if it doesn't go well, it should give an idea of what you need to work on because you will play against some pretty good players.
At a few of the Ivy League school elite camps, coaches from lower levels (D2 and D3) will actually be instructors or will be there evaluating recruits. So, if you don't impress the D1 coaches, hopefully you'll impress another coach that'll give you another opportunity to play college basketball at another high end academic school.
Many of the Ivy schools will host "elite" camps on the same weekend and you'll have to choose which one to go to if that is what you are interested in. There are many more schools that offer them and you'll have to look at the Camps/Clinics section of each school's athletics' website. They aren't always called Elite camps either. Some will be "Prospect" or "Practice" camps.
DISCLAIMER: If another entity (not a school but an organization) says they are hosting an "elite" camp please be aware that these are generally moneymakers and there is nothing "elite" about them. If you have any questions regarding which camps are good or bad to attend, I can definitely answer any questions on Twitter: @coachhop21 or my email: cwhop03@yahoo.com
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Picking and Paying for a College for All Athletes
Finding the right fit and the correct level for high school athletes can be extremely difficult. There are so many things to think about before many decision. Here are some issues and solutions for issues at all levels. Again, this is for all levels and all sports.
Division One
There are several sports at the Division level that every member of the team is on a full scholarship. Those sports include football (85), basketball (M - 13 and W - 15), women's tennis (8), women's gymnastics (12), and women's volleyball (12). All of the other sports can offer full scholarships but don't often because of the limits they have.
If you don't participate in any of those sports you are looking at anywhere from a full scholarship to being a walk-on. Full scholarships will go to the "elite of the elite" in that sport. Getting a full scholarship is hard. So...you should be happy with getting ANY scholarship money.
For most families, even with the scholarship money, you'll be looking at outside sources for scholarships as well as academic money. The academic money is an institution to institution thing. Most of the time the potential money will be posted somewhere on their Admissions' website. In some of the bigger schools, it depends on which "school" you apply to within the university to see if you get any academic scholarship money.
Private schools tend to give out more scholarship money than state schools. That's another thing to keep in mind if finances are really important in the final decision.
Division Two
I've talked about Division Two before HERE. Much like what I mentioned above with the minimal scholarships, D2 athlete are very similar to D1 athletes when it comes to finances. The biggest difference is that D2 athletes generally have to come up with more money out of their own pocket.
Another thing to think about is the availability of scholarships. Some programs ARE NOT fully funded and don't have the same amount of scholarships as other schools. It's a school to school and program to program thing. Like some D1 athletes, there are some full scholarships available but not as many.
Here is a chart of scholarships available for all sports at the D1 and D2 levels. Just because these are the total amount scholarships each program is allowed to have, it doesn't mean that each program has this many scholarships for their program.
Division One
There are several sports at the Division level that every member of the team is on a full scholarship. Those sports include football (85), basketball (M - 13 and W - 15), women's tennis (8), women's gymnastics (12), and women's volleyball (12). All of the other sports can offer full scholarships but don't often because of the limits they have.
If you don't participate in any of those sports you are looking at anywhere from a full scholarship to being a walk-on. Full scholarships will go to the "elite of the elite" in that sport. Getting a full scholarship is hard. So...you should be happy with getting ANY scholarship money.
For most families, even with the scholarship money, you'll be looking at outside sources for scholarships as well as academic money. The academic money is an institution to institution thing. Most of the time the potential money will be posted somewhere on their Admissions' website. In some of the bigger schools, it depends on which "school" you apply to within the university to see if you get any academic scholarship money.
Private schools tend to give out more scholarship money than state schools. That's another thing to keep in mind if finances are really important in the final decision.
Division Two
I've talked about Division Two before HERE. Much like what I mentioned above with the minimal scholarships, D2 athlete are very similar to D1 athletes when it comes to finances. The biggest difference is that D2 athletes generally have to come up with more money out of their own pocket.
Another thing to think about is the availability of scholarships. Some programs ARE NOT fully funded and don't have the same amount of scholarships as other schools. It's a school to school and program to program thing. Like some D1 athletes, there are some full scholarships available but not as many.
Here is a chart of scholarships available for all sports at the D1 and D2 levels. Just because these are the total amount scholarships each program is allowed to have, it doesn't mean that each program has this many scholarships for their program.
Last thing to think about when it comes to a D1 and D2 scholarship is the completed offer from the school. A partial scholarship at one school could be equal to a full scholarship at another. What I mean is, some schools are forced to offer full scholarships to certain athletes because they have no chance to get them otherwise. Other schools can't afford to offer certain athletes full scholarships because the rest of their team would be compromised. That is why a partial scholarship could mean a full scholarship for certain programs.
Division Three
Since there are no athletic scholarships at the D3 level, you and your family have to figure out the best way to pay for school. Sometimes you have to get creative and sometimes you can just write a check.
Like dealing with schools that are giving partial athletic scholarships, D3 schools will give out academic scholarships. This is generally the only way to get money from the school. Some of the upper echelon "athletic" schools could potentially give an athlete a "need based" scholarship. As in, "we need you" and we will make sure you won't pay that much. This isn't the case at most schools but certain schools will get away with this because they give all their students scholarships and it doesn't look weird.
There is also legitimate need based financial aid. This is for families that can't afford the true cost of attendance. Certain schools are able to meet 100% of aid, while others can only meet 60%. This is all based off of the school's endowment. Not a bad thing to know before asking for a financial aid package.
The academic scholarships and the need based financial aid are great platforms for families to afford college. There are times that these two will get the total financial aid package matches a financial aid package from a state school. Doesn't always happen but it could.
At most state schools, there isn't much leeway to give academic money at the D3 level. So, they are relying on pure numbers and government funding to make profit. There still is some financial aid available but not as much as there is at a private institution. So, don't expect to get a ton of help from the school specifically in regards to financial aid.
The last and most important part of picking a college, D1, D2, or D3, is the academic side of things. You don't want to make a decision based purely off athletics. You want to go to a school that has your major of interest. If the school you initially go to has the scholarship money but not the major you are looking for, you could be miserable for the next four or five years. It could also force you to go back to school with not at much help financially from your family or the school.
Scholarships don't fall off trees BUT you have to look at the academic side of others. When picking a college, these should be you and your family's priorities 1) Cost (depending finances and/or scholarship), 2) Academics, 3) Athletics.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Are You Being Recruited?
We live in a world that everyone that plays high school basketball is getting "recruited" to go someplace and play in college. The concept of "being recruited" gets lost because it seems so watered down. When do you know if you are actually being recruited? You are about to find out.
You just got a form letter in the mail from a certain school while you are a junior. What does that mean? It means that one of the coaches saw you play, liked what they saw, and wouldn't mind seeing you play in the spring or summer during AAU. Very rarely will a form letter truly mean you are being recruited. It means you are on a list for that specific recruiting class. That list sometimes consists of over 300 kids. As much as gives your ego a boost, it doesn't mean a lot in the grand scheme of recruiting.
You received an email from an assistant coach inviting you to campus over the summer. Like the form letter, the email was sent through the program's recruiting database. Every single kid on the list got an email (if they have an email address). Another thing to know is that most programs have a really cool email system that personalizes every email to every recruit. Each email has some really cool graphics that have links to various information regarding the program. The emails look awesome but generally don't mean much, especially at the beginning or during the prospect's junior year.
You got a phone call from an assistant coach during the spring or summer of your junior year. This is the next step in the recruiting process. These personal interactions are what you want. The phone call usually means they are interested in you as a player and want to learn more about you. They will usually gauge your interest, what you are looking for in a college, and what your grades and standardized test scores are. There are times that after one phone call coaches will stop contacting because they know their school doesn't have what you are looking for. It's a start though.
Text messages from coaches start popping up on your phone. These are definitely a good thing, like the phone calls but they can be a bit tricky. Why are they tricky? Through many program's recruiting database, they can send mass text messages to each of their recruits that won't be personalized but sent to their whole list. You want coaches to be specific with you and that's how you know their interest is real. An example of a mass text would be, "Hope practice is going well, we play on the road Saturday vs. _______." An example of an individualized text is, "Heard you played really well against _______ on Tuesday, good luck against ________ on Friday. Looking forward to having you on campus soon."
You see a bunch of schools watching you play during the summer for AAU. This is tricky because AAU usually has good players playing against each other. Just because a coach from a program watches you play doesn't necessarily mean they are watching you specifically. They could be, but they could always be watching someone else as well. Hopefully, you showcase yourself enough that coaches will continue to come and notice you more than they already do.
The assistant or the head coach sent you a hand written note. This is definitely good stuff for you. How easy is it for coaches to send an email or form letter that has been written several times before? Much easier than personally writing a letter to a prospect. Even if a coach writes you a little note on a standard letter is a good sign but a completely handwritten note is much better.
The head coach called you and left a message. Whenever the head coach gives you a call, that's a good thing and that usually means that a school is very interested in you. Assistant coaches usually handle recruitments, especially at the beginning. They will help narrow down the field for the head coach. So, the head coach giving you attention is never a bad thing.
A coach from the school comes to a practice or game. This is when the interest level amps up a bit. If a coach is missing their team's practice to come to yours, then you are a high priority for that particular school. If a coach stops by for multiple practices and/or games during your junior year, that usually means you could have a scholarship coming your way. Coaches aren't going to miss their own practice time in order to watch someone they have little or no interest in. D1 and D2 coaches aren't supposed to talk to prospects after games. They can talk to high school coaches but not a prospect. Again, if they are at a game, that is a good sign for you as a prospect, even more if the coaches come to more than one game. D3 coaches are allowed to talk to seniors after their head coach has released (usually after team talk) them.
In closing, you want personalized communication with college coaches. That is the only true way to know that you are being recruited.
You just got a form letter in the mail from a certain school while you are a junior. What does that mean? It means that one of the coaches saw you play, liked what they saw, and wouldn't mind seeing you play in the spring or summer during AAU. Very rarely will a form letter truly mean you are being recruited. It means you are on a list for that specific recruiting class. That list sometimes consists of over 300 kids. As much as gives your ego a boost, it doesn't mean a lot in the grand scheme of recruiting.
You received an email from an assistant coach inviting you to campus over the summer. Like the form letter, the email was sent through the program's recruiting database. Every single kid on the list got an email (if they have an email address). Another thing to know is that most programs have a really cool email system that personalizes every email to every recruit. Each email has some really cool graphics that have links to various information regarding the program. The emails look awesome but generally don't mean much, especially at the beginning or during the prospect's junior year.
You got a phone call from an assistant coach during the spring or summer of your junior year. This is the next step in the recruiting process. These personal interactions are what you want. The phone call usually means they are interested in you as a player and want to learn more about you. They will usually gauge your interest, what you are looking for in a college, and what your grades and standardized test scores are. There are times that after one phone call coaches will stop contacting because they know their school doesn't have what you are looking for. It's a start though.
Text messages from coaches start popping up on your phone. These are definitely a good thing, like the phone calls but they can be a bit tricky. Why are they tricky? Through many program's recruiting database, they can send mass text messages to each of their recruits that won't be personalized but sent to their whole list. You want coaches to be specific with you and that's how you know their interest is real. An example of a mass text would be, "Hope practice is going well, we play on the road Saturday vs. _______." An example of an individualized text is, "Heard you played really well against _______ on Tuesday, good luck against ________ on Friday. Looking forward to having you on campus soon."
You see a bunch of schools watching you play during the summer for AAU. This is tricky because AAU usually has good players playing against each other. Just because a coach from a program watches you play doesn't necessarily mean they are watching you specifically. They could be, but they could always be watching someone else as well. Hopefully, you showcase yourself enough that coaches will continue to come and notice you more than they already do.
The assistant or the head coach sent you a hand written note. This is definitely good stuff for you. How easy is it for coaches to send an email or form letter that has been written several times before? Much easier than personally writing a letter to a prospect. Even if a coach writes you a little note on a standard letter is a good sign but a completely handwritten note is much better.
The head coach called you and left a message. Whenever the head coach gives you a call, that's a good thing and that usually means that a school is very interested in you. Assistant coaches usually handle recruitments, especially at the beginning. They will help narrow down the field for the head coach. So, the head coach giving you attention is never a bad thing.
A coach from the school comes to a practice or game. This is when the interest level amps up a bit. If a coach is missing their team's practice to come to yours, then you are a high priority for that particular school. If a coach stops by for multiple practices and/or games during your junior year, that usually means you could have a scholarship coming your way. Coaches aren't going to miss their own practice time in order to watch someone they have little or no interest in. D1 and D2 coaches aren't supposed to talk to prospects after games. They can talk to high school coaches but not a prospect. Again, if they are at a game, that is a good sign for you as a prospect, even more if the coaches come to more than one game. D3 coaches are allowed to talk to seniors after their head coach has released (usually after team talk) them.
In closing, you want personalized communication with college coaches. That is the only true way to know that you are being recruited.
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