KingPrat wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:25 pm
The number one complaint about Summer 2020 and the virtual recruiting that we coaches had to do was that you couldn't see a kid live. Having more eyes on the road definitely helps, but summer recruiting is still two months of brutality. I had years where I spent 6 nights in my own bed in the month of June. Add in the fact that you're in CO and it's worse. I saw Woods on the sideline of East Coast events a ton in my time as a coach.
Is recruiting easier than when I went through the process in 2001/2002? Absolutely. But recruiting a kid on only film is a big dice roll. I predict that we'll see a lot of "misses" in the 2021 class.
Further, I would venture a guess that at least 2 of those guys on the CC staff don't travel outside of CO to recruit, based on their bios and FT jobs.
I would also venture a guess that the majority of the eyes on those west coast players came at an east coast event. There are decent events, but really only two "big volume" events out west where you see a bunch of good talent: Denver Shootout and Adrenaline Shootout.
I am fully acknowledging that my replies + discussion are based off of what my son (current D3 coach) & I talk about. Could be hyperbole/wrong/etc.
I'm NOT arguing or rage replying against you in the least. Just wanted to make sure we're cool here. Enjoying sharing & talking.
re: "Dice roll"
100%. You can't just recruit a kid off of his film. You have got to do the deep work. Dive into the social medias, talk to the club AND the HS coach + the teachers, & develop the conversations with the prospect (very easy these days w/ texting). The eye ball test can always ALSO come on the prospect visit too. Gauging a kid on 1 or 2 live viewings ALONE just doesn't get the job done these days. There are so many kids & too fewer chances (mostly due to shrinking travel budgets, Covid, etc.) to see them all.
re: the 2 that likely don't travel
Probably spot on. But their roles should 1000% be the online stalking & conversation development. Along with whatever local events they can attend on certain weekends they are available.
re: west coast guys at east coast events
Quite possible. But those numbers are shrinking with people's limited travel abilities (family budgets, covid, etc.). More & more people are getting pro-active in their recruiting to choose their schools (making those lists & attacking them) rather than relying on being "discovered" then recruited. So many of the west coast kids are good & have zero desire to head east for any reason.
My son is a massive extrovert & it serves him well with those recruiting dog days of summer. He goes anywhere & everywhere he can to chase those events checks + recruiting lists. In between the events & during - he's filtering the lists, adding his notes, starting the emails & texts, etc.
Funny side note: before the pandemic he was basically funding 25% of his salary from the program/school from social media accounts gaining all the hits from the ads revenue & the team store. Apparently there's lots of profit in those shirts & hoodies. Just sharing the links in the initial emails to recruits & parents drives traffic (he says-who knows really?).
But what I've gathered is you can really be successful if you're not a home body for the lower D1s, mid/lower D2s, basically all of D3, + NAIA/NJCAA. Harder to do with the wife & kids. The single young hungry guys can grind in their 20s. Expense all you can. Stay free wherever possible. 3 summers in a row he hit the road with his camping gear & camped anywhere he could. Fished a lot in his down time too.
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