Recruiting season is always fun. Prospects send countless emails and blow up my inbox, and every other coach's inbox, with proposals and declarations of their extraordinary skills. It seems as though every time I walk into my office lately, that little red light on my office phone is blinking as if it is trying to tell me something. When I am at home I can hardly set my phone down without another text or call beckoning for my valuable time. I am always encouraged by the draw our program has with recruits, but very few of these kids understand what it takes to play at our level. They don't realize that college basketball is more than media attention and bright lights. They don't understand that there is a special kind of person that we are looking for and we are not willing to inhibit our culture by making a mistake in recruiting.
It's not always the recruit's fault, but many of them do not possess the necessary characteristics that we are searching for. So to make things easier for recruits looking at our program, I wanted to take some time to list some important characteristics that we expect from our players. I also hope this helps coaches that are trying to build and grow their philosophy when it comes to recruiting.
1. Be Good at Basketball - I know this may seem harsh, but it's true. I can't tell you how many players send in film and I don't even watch more than two clips because of their obvious lack of skill. This isn't to say we are looking for perfect players, but we need players who are talented and also have room to grow.
1. Be Good at Basketball - I know this may seem harsh, but it's true. I can't tell you how many players send in film and I don't even watch more than two clips because of their obvious lack of skill. This isn't to say we are looking for perfect players, but we need players who are talented and also have room to grow.
2. Be Willing to Follow Jesus - I want all of our players to know how important following Jesus is. It is understandable that not every kid will be at the same place in their journey, however, as a coach I want to help you grow in this area. All I ask is that you are open minded and willing to change when it comes to Biblical truths.
3. Be a Man of Integrity - I want players who will look me in the eye and tell me the truth. I will never judge someone who is willing to admit their mistakes and display that they are willing to fix them. Forgiveness is the key to lasting relationships. I expect players to do their best and strive to become godly husbands and fathers someday.
4. Be a Team Player - I could care less what your stats were in high school. The only thing I care about is how you treat your teammates and your ability to make each other better. You must have the ability to stand out while blending in. We care about our players and expect them to take pride in our TEAM.
5. Be Mentally Tough - If I am watching you play in a game or work out, you need to show me that you can handle adversity. College basketball provides many opportunities for triumph, but it provides twice as many opportunities for failure. If you can't show the ability to move on to the "next play" then there is probably not a place for you on our team. We do not tolerate complainers.
6. Be a Servant-Leader - When I call high school coaches I often ask them several questions about the player. One of the first things I ask is whether or not their player is a servant leader to others. If you are willing to help others carry equipment, put basketballs away, sweep the gym floor, etc. then there is a good chance you have a bright future as a college basketball player.
7. Be Responsible - Our head coach always says, "Be where you are supposed to be, doing what you're supposed to be doing." This seems like an easy task, but young men have a hard time being responsible. Do the right thing. If you happen to mess up, go back and read #3.
8. Be a Good Student - If you are responding to texts in class or taking bathroom breaks to call me, do not expect to be signed to play here. I expect our players to do their best in the classroom and make education a priority in their journey as a student-athlete. Also, make sure to use good grammar when texting or tweeting a coach. I won't even finish reading what you have to say if you address me as "Yo bro" or "Wsup homie."
9. Be a Positive Example on Social Media - Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram are the main avenues of communication with today's recruits. If you are on social media (I recommend that you are) make sure to be positive and mindful with everything you post. If you are posting pictures of yourself at parties doing something you're not supposed to be doing then you will not play for us. Make your posts positive and encouraging in nature. You represent the brand of both yourself and our program.
10. Be a Good Character - Your talent will only take you so far. You can possess all the talent in the world, but if you don't have good character then you will end up being a failure someday. Most coaches would rather have extraordinary people with less talent on their team as opposed to poor character people with extraordinary talent.
These are just a few characteristics that usually stand out to coaches, but they are not the only ones. When it is all said and done, I am looking for kids that want to work hard and do the right thing. Mistakes are going to happen and everyone will do something stupid at some point in time, but it's how they are willing to respond to those situations that matters. If you are a player that possesses all the characteristics above, I am happy for the coach that signs you. I hope that coach is me!
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