Recruiting trail dos and don’ts
You’re a 25-year-old graduate assistant who’s just gotten your first full-time college coaching gig. You’re given a car, an expense account, some snappy golf shirts with the team logo and a territory to recruit. The head coach sends you out the door and into the high school world and wishes you good luck.
Oh, and one more thing: Don’t come back without players who will win a conference championship.
What do you do?
With the arrival of signing day looming, we presented that scenario to several head coaches, active, retired and between jobs. What’s the first thing you teach a new recruiter?
Because UConn head coach Randy Edsall responded with 10 rules, a form of wisdom first found in the Book of Exodus, we took his rules, consolidated them with what we learned from the other coaches, and developed the Ten Commandments for learning how to recruit.
If it sounds too biblical, don’t forget: You have to read only as far as Chapter 3 in Genesis before you witness the world’s first recruiting violation.
According to the text, the serpent, which offered improper inducements to Eve, remains on probation.
1. Be yourself. Don’t try to be somebody you’re not. Develop your own style.
espn.com
1/30/09
