by Grant Mollring, Tudor Collegiate Strategies
As a college coach, you know how crucial campus visits are to the recruiting process. Campus visits allow prospective athletes to immerse themselves in your team’s culture and campus environment. However, too often, the burden of hosting these recruits falls on the same student-athletes, creating burnout and missed opportunities for a wider range of involvement. One solution lies in the concept of “watering the grass where you stand”—focusing on nurturing and empowering your current players as they help recruit future teammates.
Your current athletes are your best ambassadors. By investing in their experiences as hosts and supporting them, you not only ensure successful visits but also reinforce the value of your program internally. Below are some strategies to optimize your campus visits while showing care for the players who help make those visits impactful.
1. Rotate Player Hosts—Don’t Use the Same Athletes Every Visit
It’s common for us as coaches to rely on the veteran players for hosting duties because they may have more experience, confidence, and are an extension of the staff to a degree. However, hosting recruits should actually be done by your freshmen. These younger players are closer in age and experience to the recruits, and their fresh perspectives and excitement can be incredibly valuable.
Train your freshmen from day one to be capable hosts. Help them understand your program’s values and what to highlight during visits. Not only does this alleviate hosting fatigue from your upperclassmen, but it also strengthens the integration of younger athletes into the team dynamic.
2. Gather Feedback from Current Players After Every Visit
Your current athletes are spending significant time with recruits during campus visits. They know better than anyone what stood out to the prospect, how engaged they were, and whether they fit in with the team’s culture.
After each visit, create opportunities for your players to share feedback. This can be a simple debriefing session where they give insights about the recruit’s behavior, engagement, and potential fit within the team. This player feedback is invaluable and can provide information that may not come up in a more formal interview setting.
3. Make Hosting Comfortable and Convenient
If your players are hosting recruits overnight, make sure they have everything they need to be good hosts without added stress. Simple things like providing an air mattress, extra sheets, and towels can make the experience more comfortable for both the host and the recruit.
Make it as easy as possible for your athletes to accommodate their guests. The less they have to worry about logistics, the more they can focus on creating a positive experience for the recruit.
4. Brainstorm with Freshmen for Efficient Hosting Solutions
Hosting one recruit is a challenge, but hosting multiple recruits at once can become chaotic if not handled well. Instead of imposing solutions on your players, involve them—especially your freshmen—in brainstorming ways to make hosting multiple recruits more efficient.
Whether it’s creating a schedule of activities or designating specific areas where multiple recruits can comfortably gather, empowering your players to come up with hosting solutions ensures they feel involved and respected. It also helps you avoid potential headaches during large recruiting events.
5. Provide Activities for Hosts and Recruits to Enjoy Together
Sometimes the hardest part of hosting a recruit is figuring out how to fill downtime. Be proactive by offering activities that allow your athletes and recruits to bond in a relaxed setting. Arrange for something fun like a team movie night in a campus lounge, provide pizza for a casual team get-together, or organize a trip to the bowling alley.
These activities give the recruits a chance to see your team’s chemistry in action, and they allow your current players to relax while still hosting. Providing structured but fun activities ensures there’s no awkward lull in the visit, and everyone enjoys the experience.
Conclusion: Invest in Your Current Players to Build a Stronger Team
Recruiting is a team effort, and empowering your current athletes to play a major role in the campus visit process not only strengthens your recruiting success but also boosts morale and team unity. By rotating hosts, gathering feedback, making hosting convenient, brainstorming with freshmen, and offering up fun activities, you’ll create a welcoming and well-organized recruiting experience that benefits both recruits and current athletes.
When you “water the grass where you stand,” you’re investing in your current team, ensuring their growth, and demonstrating to recruits that your program cares about all its members—present and future.
Grant Mollring is a former collegiate football coach who now works with college coaches all around the midwest. He supports their recruiting efforts by providing recruiting training and helping them elevate their recruiting strategies and habits. If you have a question for Grant, you can email him at grant@dantudor.com.