D3baseball.com Daily Dose

By Tom Kovic

Today’s college athletic climate is much different than it was 20 years ago and college coaches are under tremendous pressure to achieve two important goals: win and raise money. The one directly affects the other and alumni will enthusiastically support a winning team…and yes, the opposite is true. The cost of effectively managing a successful college athletics department has increased over the years, while support from university subvention has, in most cases, increased slightly if not at all.

This new landscape of college athletics did not just appear. It has evolved over time and it has been driven by a business philosophy that is becoming commonplace on college campuses throughout the country. In many cases, college coaches are seen as CEO’s of small organizations that are expected to produce high results…Regularly.

That said, successful recruitment is an essential skill for the college coaches to hone in order to maximize future team advancement and this is achieved through active cultivation of strong relationships with high school coaches, prospects and their families. College coaches use many tools at their disposal to accomplish their recruiting goals, but they must abide by strict NCAA rules and regulations.

Educate
Education and information are truly powerful tools for families to use in navigating the college search. By developing a foundational base of information related to a new and potentially daunting experience, families and prospects will only increase their awareness about an important life decision that will build confidence and bolster their personal plan for success.

A great way to stay informed about the college search for athletes is to remain updated on all the latest news in college recruiting. A very simple way to do this is to register on Google Alerts for articles pertaining to College Athletics Recruiting. Once registered, you will receive links to articles and information every morning when you fire up your laptop!

Be Proactive
Through the use of telephone, electronic communication, home visits and the offer of official college visits, the college coach will attempt to cultivate a relationship that will hopefully result in matching a prospect with his or her institution in a mutually beneficial recruiting experience.

I encourage each of the student-athletes I advise to do whatever they can to proactively assist college coaches in every area of communication. If prospects are content to sit by the phone for a call from Coach, it’s most likely going to be a long wait. Communication is definitely a two way street, but, at least during the beginning phases of this relationship, it may be a little one sided… And that’s OK!

College coaches are inundated with hundreds of recruiting inquiries and they just don’t have the time to respond “personally” to each e-mail, letter or portfolio they receive. The family who is willing to assist the coaches during the recruiting process and place a premium on initiating contact and following up with any communication from the coaches, will position themselves best for success.

Read the Coach
Successful recruiting takes a grounded approach and a keen understanding of each Coach you communicate with. Develop the ability to “read” the coaches and get a feel for who they are and what they are trying to accomplish in their recruiting effort. I suggest taking an informative approach where parents and prospects “bone up” on the coaches, their program and especially Coach’s philosophy in his/her approach to the college student-athlete experience.

I believe our kids should be looking at the college quest as a “total” opportunity from an academic, athletic and social standpoint, but with the clear understanding that the college Coach they choose will have a direct and significant impact on how their personal values and character will take shape over a 4 year period.

Probe
A productive family recruiting effort will be well planned and impeccably executed. It will involve a team approach that may consist of several “players” including parents, prospect, high school/club coach, college advisor, guidance counselor and personal mentor.

There is no doubt that college coaches want to hear most from the prospects they are recruiting, but the skilled recruiters will expect to field questions from mom and dad as well, who can assist their kids best by “carrying the load” when gathering information about what makes Coach “tick.”

My advice to moms and dads is to prepare well in advance any questions to Coach that may appear “probing” in nature. Don’t ever be anxious to ask the tough questions… But the rule of thumb here is simple: Keep your questions to the point and respectful. Trust me, the coaches will pick-up on your sincerity in a heartbeat.

The college athletic landscape has shifted toward a more “business approach” and so too has the recruiting process. It’s down right competitive out there and the family that grows a greater understanding of college athletics and that which is necessary in planning, launching and committing to a well executed recruiting experience will position themselves strongly. It requires a disciplined and yet flexible approach, where families should have the courage to experience “grey areas” in an effort to separate from the pack and make “impact impressions” on the college coaches they contact.

Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.

Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.

By Tom Kovic

Over the past six months, I have had the privilege to work with a fine young man from Foxboro, Massachusetts as he prepares for the college quest. Greg Stamatov is a sophomore at Foxboro High School where he is a multi-sport athlete excelling at football, ice hockey and lacrosse. As a sophomore, Greg is at a crossroad in his high school athletic career and he feels the need to focus more energy into one sport in an effort to strongly develop the skill needed to play at the division 1 NCAA level.

As a highly touted goal tender (Greg was recently named to the 2009 Inside Lacrosse Rising Sophomore Watch list) with a keen eye in pursuing a true “student-athlete” experience, Greg is beginning to organize his personal college search plan. And with the help of his mom and dad, along with his lacrosse coaches, Greg is aiming high in an effort to attract attention from a number of the top college lacrosse programs.

Considering the level of competitiveness in the college recruiting arena, Greg shows great maturity and keen foresight for a young man. He realizes and accepts the fact that college coaches are looking to recruit strong student-athletes, but what Greg is beginning to equally embrace and appreciate is the fact that he offers even more to lacrosse programs and college coaches and “ups the ante” by just being the young man he is.

Greg recently launched a not for profit organization named LAX General that focuses on providing used and donated lacrosse equipment to communities and potential players who would normally not have the funds or budget to purchase equipment outright, or have the resources to begin a lacrosse program.

Greg’s mission statement is simple but compelling:
“The aim of Lax General will be to entitle anyone to obtain equipment to play lacrosse. Lacrosse is a very expensive sport and it can be difficult to purchase all the necessary equipment to play. Although not everyone can meet the expenses to participate in lacrosse, everyone should have the opportunity to play.

Lax General will collect used and unwanted/unneeded lacrosse equipment for redistribution to those who can’t afford new equipment. This will provide young athletes that want to participate, but can’t afford it, a chance to play a great sport.”

“I have played lacrosse for nine years now and I have received help, advice, and great coaching thanks to the fast growing lacrosse nation. There is an endless list to people I have to thank, but now, it’s time to give back to the lacrosse nation.” Greg continues: “Lax General is a non-profit organization that puts equipment in the hands of those in need of it. Lax General is also how I’m going to “give back” to the lacrosse nation I love the sport and I think that everyone that wants a shot at it deserves one. I can see Lax General being a productive and constructive program reaching out to multiple communities.”

With the help of John Stamatov, Greg’s dad, Greg hopes to plant the seed of his newly formed organization in the surrounding Boston area. Through these contacts, Greg hopes that LAX General will find a greater number of young boys and girls who want to explore the sport of lacrosse and at no additional cost to the families or the community.

“I’m thrilled Greg has found a way to give back to the community and link it to something he is passionate about.” John says. “I believe too many kids get involved in community service projects simply to check a box on a college application. With Lax General, Greg is doing something that he really believes in – he’s already helped several families in town – and he can see how that has made a big difference in their lives!”

The next step may be daunting, but like any other meaningful goal, building momentum is a key component. Greg and his dad will begin soliciting local and regional lacrosse programs to determine their interest in donating used and unwanted equipment to Lax General. Once the foundational inventory is developed, Greg looks forward to begin searching the Boston area for kids who might want to take a whack at lacrosse.

With the anticipated equipment inventory driving upward and the popularity of the program growing, Greg and his dad will also begin to identify inner city high school athletic directors and recreation officials who would be interested in starting community lacrosse programs that will benefit from the generosity of Lax General.

No doubt this project will be a labor of love for Greg Stamatov, but one that will potentially impact many boys and girls who would normally not have the opportunity to play. As daunting a task as it may seem, Greg knows in his heart it’s just plain “right” and he has the courage and determination to add one more building block to the great sport of lacrosse.

Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families in the area of college recruiting. Tom is the author of Reaching for Excellence: An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. In addition, Kovic was recently invited to speak at the 2010 US Lacrosse National Convention in Baltimore. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.

The Role of Parents in College Athletics Recruiting

By Tom Kovic

The college search for athletes has grown more complicated and increasingly competitive, especially during the past 10 years. There are countless components that require attention in developing and executing a successful plan of action, along with several key “players” who make-up the team that run the offense.

Parents can play a significant role in the recruiting process and in my opinion; they should make an active commitment to enthusiastically assist their children from start to finish in what will be a very important life decision.

What follows is my take on how parents can effectively participate in helping their kids confidently navigate a potentially daunting process, while avoiding red flags along the way.

Clarity
The best starting point for any dream or goal is to firstly establish clear objectives and time-lines. Begin with the end game in mind and work backwards to the starting point of your plan. As you move backwards through the recruiting process, you will notice “checkpoints” along the way that you will eventually encounter. Whether it is the signing of the national letter of intent, the official visit, or the first phone call placed to the coach, you will begin to develop a checklist of “things to do.”

Parents have the opportunity to not only encourage their children to envision the process, but to take an active role in creating it. Half the battle in reaching any goal is to understand the mission and create an educational, yet fun approach! The more we encourage our kids to take an active role in controlling their destiny, the greater the chance that they will appreciate the level of confidence mom and dad has in them.

Team
I am a big believer in the team approach to college recruiting and in developing a group of key members who each play a significant role in moving the process forward. Not only can this approach be effective, it will be welcomed by our kids. Student-athletes have a tremendous amount on their “personal plates” and developing a plan that spreads the recruiting assignments out will create a much happy camper!

Parents who have cultivated strong relationships with “typical” team members (guidance counselors, high school and club coach etc.) can begin to lay the groundwork to suggest specific roles that will be played out by each team member. Moms and dads can organize occasional team meetings at the house where the group can review regular progress in the college search and offer suggestions to keep the momentum moving forward.

Encourage Independence
College coaches will turn to high school and club coaches, guidance counselors and colleagues in an effort to gather information about the prospects they recruit, but they need to act as a resource for families as well. They want to be able to field questions from mom and dad, but when you break it down; college coaches want to see the prospect for who she truly is.

One of the best choices parents can make is to encourage their children to be an active and independent player in the college quest. It encourages proactive preparation, the development of communication skills and it fosters the courage to stand alone in a worthy attempt to take the leap of faith into the recruiting arena.

What might seem nearly impossible for some prospects in the beginning, will grow to a more confident approach with more practice and experience. Remember, college coaches are looking for 3 key ingredients in a prospect: Strong athletic ability, sound academic progress and a personal character that rises above the rest. Let’s give our kids the opportunity to stand alone and with confidence.

Communication with College Coaches
Personally, I encourage parents to play a very active role in communicating with the college coaches. The final college choice our kids make will be an important one and parents should be there every step of the way.

Certain areas of the college search immediately come to mind as “important” for parents to be actively involved. Whether it is negotiating financial aid, requesting a preliminary read in admissions or asking questions concerning on campus safety, parents should not hesitate to respectfully inquire on behalf of their children.

Equally important for parents to develop is the patience to “yield” in certain areas of the recruiting process, especially when our kids appear to be “stumbling.” Making mistakes, or feeling a level of uncertainty is commonplace for prospects as they navigate the nuances of recruiting, but when the dust settles, our kids will appreciate us more for allowing them to experience the “good struggle.” Remember, college coaches want to see our children “shine,” but they also want to see how they respond when their backs are in the corner.

Red Flags
There are several “red flags” that could go up in the minds of college coaches and below are just a few tips:

• In face to face interviews with college coaches where parents are present, avoid answering questions that are directed to your children.
• Avoid responding to phone and e-mail messages left by college coaches that are specifically directed to the prospect.
• E-mail is used more than any form of communication in recruiting and although we want our kids to express themselves “grammatically correct,” parents should encourage the final draft to come from the prospect and in their words.
• The “tough” questions should be timed appropriately. You do not want to go into the first meeting with a college coach asking for a scholarship for your son! Remember, this is about developing sincere relationships with the coaches: Plant; cultivate; grow.

The rule of thumb in avoiding red flags is simple. First, develop a positive relationship built on trust, honesty and respect and keep the door of communication clear and always open. Secondly, parents will serve their children best by maintaining their position on the field and allowing their children the opportunity to make the play in the recruiting effort.

Conclusion
Simply stated, we desperately want out children to succeed and make “right” and well thought out choices and the college search should be no different. Many of us though, can’t help ourselves from controlling situations, especially when it appears our kids are struggling. College coaches recruit families as much as they recruit prospects and the old adage is true: “The nut doesn’t fall too far from the tree!”

Parents can play an impactful role in college recruiting and the best gift we can offer our kids is the freedom to spread their wings and fly. Focus on everything that is positive and fun in the college search and even when it appears our kids seem doubtful and frustrated, have the faith in their resiliency to rebound and to advance the quest with confidence and self reliance.

Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families in college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.