My Kid Has No Interest in the Recruiting Process . . .
She Just Wants a College to Make Her a Scholarship
Offer by Watching Her Play . . .Now What?
By: K.W. Abbott
Athletic recruitment is a process. If you are fortunate enough to have college coaches who are interested in your kid, the next step is your kid reciprocating. . . Especially if your kid is younger than a junior in high school. According to NCAA rules college coaches are not allowed to reach out directly to you or your child (besides sending camp information) until they are juniors in high school. Any communication from college coaches have to go through your kid’s club or high school volleyball coach or director. Not only that, but if your younger than a junior in high school athlete calls and leaves a message for the coach, the coach cannot return the call. So guess what that means? Your kid has to be proactive on all fronts in communicating with college recruiters. Kind of difficult if your kid wants no part of calling coaches , e-mailing coaches, or visiting colleges. She just wants to play! What should be an exciting college recruitment journey becomes pure misery!
Don’t be mad at or frustrated with her though! She is just not mature enough to understand the importance of the recruiting process. And quite honestly, most 14 and 15 year olds are not really thinking seriously about college . . . they just got into high school for heavens sake! At the same time you as the parent don’t want your kid to blow a potential scholarship opportunity by being passive during the recruitment process . . . so what do you as the parent do? HELP KEEP YOUR KID RELEVANT UNTIL THEY ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THEIR ROLE IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS!
This will require your active participation . . . oversee the following:
*Don’t force the phone calls if she is really fighting you about it
*Have your daughter use e-mail to tell any interested coaches or schools she is interested in the following:
- her season volleyball schedule and then the week prior to each match or tournament, remind the coaches of her upcoming tournament
- updates on any individual volleyball accomplishments
- updates on any team volleyball accomplishments
- her volleyball resume
As far as college visits, you can certainly reach out to the college coaches as the parent to set those up, but make sure they are schools that: (1) invite you for a visit first; (2) have your daughter’s college academic program; and (3) your daughter is interested in visiting.
Believe me, your daughter will come around and all of the grief, frustration, and extra work will be worth it when she secures that scholarship! Just keep talking to your daughter. . . not at her. Keep giving her constructive advice and encouragement . . . not attacks and destructive criticism. Continue to encourage her to work hard at being the best. You all will be just fine!
