beRecruited Advice: 2008 June

Archive for June, 2008

Recruiting Advice from beRecruited’s College Coaches

Friday, June 20th, 2008 by Jamie

In order to further assist you in the recruiting process, the beRecruited team is going ONE-ON-ONE with college coaches to seek their advice about recruiting. The college coaches sharing their advice are all beRecruited members from different sports and divisions in order to give you a variety of perspectives.

“The athlete should keep in mind how distance [away from their family] effects their decision. That depending on the level [division of competition] it reflects on how fast things may progress, DI is more locked into the signing date and NAIA schools will work around the signing date and DIII schools will take guys at anytime.”

-Offensive Line Coach Jason Challeen, Jamestown College Football

“I would encourage anyone conducting a college search to find an athletic team whose mission and goals are in sync with those of the institution. Candidates searching also should be looking for the program/school who will offer the most options for their graduates following graduation.”

-Head Coach Bill Roberts, NAVY Swimming

“Don’t get caught up in all the hype of being recruited or your friends being recruited. Make sure you are becoming a good baseball player. I see too many kids who think they are good at this game and go to the next level and have a reality check. Remember there is someone out there that is working harder than you that will take your spot.”

-Assistant Head Coach Jimmy Walker, Cal State University-Monterey Bay Baseball

“You can have an excellent experience anywhere. It’s more important to find the right school than to land in a prestigious athletic program. I’ve coached at both DI and DIII schools, and they both have their advantages and disadvantages. Just make sure you ask questions, learn about the different schools, and be realistic about your own abilities and priorities. DIII schools tend to be smaller and they allow much more flexibility and freedom to do things like study abroad, extracurricular activities (student newspaper or government, campus radio station, jobs), but they don’t offer athletic scholarships. At a DI school, the budgets for things like equipment and travel are bigger, but coaches usually focus on working with a small handful of scholarship athletes. For the vast majority of high school athletes, a DIII program gives you the ability to develop without pressure, while still allowing you to contribute more quickly.”

-Head Coach Dusty Lopez, Webster University Cross Country and Track & Field

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