Coach Dan Hurley of UCONN Men’s Basketball just won his second straight NCAA Division I title and sixth in program history in a sport that garners all kinds of attention in the media scene. UCONN was the first men’s basketball team in 17 years to win back to back national championships, a feat that has all been impossible since the introduction of the transfer portal. His words here ring true for every sport and it is very important for parents to be aware of how they try to be involved in their kids athletic recruiting and sport careers.
“There’s measurable talents you have to have — the height, the speed, the skill set. But we spend a lot of time really focusing on the parents. Are they going to be fans of their son or are they going to be parents? Are they going to hold them accountable, have an expectation that when something goes wrong that it’s not the coach’s fault? That their son’s got to work harder, he’s got to do more, he’s got to earn his role,” Hurley said when breaking down how he evaluates parents during the recruiting process in an interview on CBS.”
Not all coaches treat parents the same way, but there are definitely red flags in recruiting that will turn a lot of college coaches off and it is important to know how parents act, what their relationship is with their child, how they parent, etc. These could end up being decisive factors in recruiting at any level. There were plenty of kids when I was coaching, even at NCAA Division III, that I did not recruit because of the parents.
Coach Hurley hits on a lot of hot topics here that I often chat with families about so they can put their best foot forward. If you have the time, I highly encourage watching this entire interview with CBS.
If you have questions, about this concept or anything related to recruiting, feel free to reach out and connect.
Dan Rothert, founder of TSA Recruiting, has helped almost 200 prospects and their families land opportunities at right fit colleges at all levels. Each prospect has different priorities in what they are looking for in a college and has different qualities that a coach may or may not be looking for. TSA Recruiting leverages Dan’s 24 years of college coaching experience and connections to help those they work with find great opportunities that fit their needs.
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