by Megan Cooke Carcagno, Tudor Collegiate Strategies
Recently, I got on the phone with a coach and immediately could tell they were frustrated. When pressed, they were waiting to hear back from one of their top prospects, a player they’ve had their eye on from the beginning. They’ve been consistent; using calls, texts and emails to foster the relationship. The questions have been thorough. The campus visit was unforgettable. They’ve even been bold enough to ask for the commitment! All good, right?
But, recently, it’s stalled. The recruit isn’t moving forward. They’ve even lagged in responding to recent messages. They feel…distant.
My first question is: what have we done with the parents?
Eagerly, the coach responds with: “Great! I got the chance to really engage with them during the visit!”
Me: “And…?”
It’s one of the most common situations I find when I’m working with coaches. Coaches often overlook or simply discount the role parents are playing in the process, and ultimately, the final decision. Even if a parent tells the coach, “it’s entirely his/her decision,” we have to remember that parents will heavily influence the entire process (especially in the early stages).
So what can we do to prevent this situation? Like it or not, parents need to be involved in the process as early as possible. Think about it… parents have paid for and driven their kids to tournament after tournament and invested thousands of dollars to ensure their little prodigy is fully prepared to be recruited off to college. They can’t wait to tell their friends their kid is going off to play at X University!
Did you think that they wouldn’t have an opinion at the end of it all?
There are ways to ensure the parents are on your side when it comes to making the final decision. Assuming they come on the visit (you’ve invited them, right coach?), here are some additional ways to get them more emotionally involved.
1. Schedule a call to parents right away with your top recruits. Explain why you’re recruiting their son or daughter. Describe your vision for them over the next few years. Detail your recruiting timeline and finally, make sure they understand what they can expect from you in the recruiting process. Be sincere and honest. Ultimately, let them know your “why.”
2. Ask them good questions, the same good questions you’d ask your recruits. “What are some things we should definitely cover when Johnny comes to campus next month?”
“What has been a frustration in the recruiting process so far?” “If Jenny were not choose to come here, why would that be?” “What are your plans for paying for school next year?”
3. Stay consistent with both the parent and the athlete. Recently, I had a freshman tell me the reason she recently chose her school was simply because the coach was the most consistent recruiter and she and her mom knew what they could expect out of the relationship (never mind it trumped a school that offered more aid and another that had previously been her number one choice). Never underestimate the power of trust and know that it is built with action. Just make sure you double your efforts where it counts the most.
Join Megan at 12:30p EST on DEC 4 to talk about best practices with parents. She’ll cover more examples and answer questions in regards to bringing in parents early and often. Register at the link below:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkc–prT4oGdU5fh3T4L_4oQef1BvvBxWp