Best Advice From College Recruiters: 4 Things Parents Need to Know
We know, we know. You want to help your kid. You want your student athlete to succeed, and you’re going to do your absolute best to ensure that they do. You’ll be there for the wins, the losses, and everything in between. You’re their biggest and best fan.
We asked our recruiters what parents can do to put their kid in the best possible position to achieve greatness, and here is their advice for securing a scholarship:
Trust their instincts: If your child is a skilled basketball player, they will have their own set of instincts which you should encourage them to strengthen. They will know their boundaries, know their injuries, know their capacity to play, know when it is time to rest. As a parent, your kids of course turn to you for advice. Helping your kid learn to trust themselves will make them a stronger player and will make the transition to
Listen to coaches and trainers: These people want your kid to succeed. And your kid has to be respectful - even if you, players, other parents do not always agree with those in positions of authority. You are their parent - their coaches and trainers have a job to do. We can verify that no coach, no trainer enjoys being micromanaged by a fleet of parents. Their job is to help the players they are responsible for, not spend time and energy managing parents.
Do not attempt to outshine your kid: Recruiters exist to see your student athlete play. They want to talk to and interact with players first and foremost. Sure, they might want to chat with parents a bit, but that’s very likely not their priority. Make sure that when recruiters, scouts, coaches, whomever is interacting with your kid, you are not getting in the way. Be supportive by letting your kid do the talking.
Stay calm: Playing basketball, training hard, understanding rankings, keeping up with school work, vying for scholarships...your student athlete has a lot to handle. Parents staying calm and collected will no doubt assist in their students ability to manage it all in a poised fashion. Coaches are looking for players who can act responsibly, respectfully, and professionally. Think about being on the D1 - you have to be professional about things. If coaches pick up on rowdy behavior from players or parents...they might want to pass on the headache. And if recruiters pick up on problematic attitudes from players or parents, it is less likely they will help them get serious exposure with college coaching staff.
Looking for your student athlete to connect with recruiters? Get them set up with a unique profile on The Players Circle app!