CrossFit Athletic Group

by, Mr. Kuiper

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You know that image in your mind of the ol’ ball coach sitting down with Malik and his family in a living room for a get-to-know you chat? Building a relationship, discussing the kid’s future over an extended time? Coach has a cup of coffee, compliments mom on her décor, makes some jokes about how dad used to “play a little ball”? Got that Norman Rockwell-ass picture in your mind?

Good. Now forget it. Burn it down. It doesn’t exist anymore if it ever did.

Think about this instead. Odds of playing D-1 basketball for boys are less than one percent, 110:1 against specifically. If you’re willing to look at any division (and you probably should be) it increases all the way to six percent. Girls’ volleyball? 83:1 against for DI – once again a little more than one percent and six percent for all divisions. Baseball is 1.5 percent for D1, 12.5 percent for all. Football has a bigger roster, so that jumps all the way to three percent (DI) and 10 percent (other). And those numbers are from the 2022-2023 year, before transfer portal madness really took over.

So, if you’re a high school athlete, read Chris’ helpful coach survey on recruiting. Recognize that every recruitment is fluid and different. And love your sport the way Malak loves a grilled chicken thigh, the way that Gjon and R(j)on like to talk, because effort and commitment are table stakes.

Meantime, here are a few thoughts about recruiting for Champions Club parents based on the Kuiper family experience:

• It’s long – Very likely, the higher the level at which you want to play, the later in the cycle it’s going to happen. The transfer portal makes rosters shake out late. And high schoolers are last on the list. If your big-ass high-paying job depended on mostly on-court/field results, would you want an 18-year-old or a 23-year-old? Except for a few four- and five-stars, high-schoolers are the last resort for most coaches. Chase committed in the last week of June after his senior year! It created more options but also lots more stress.

• See above sign from Honest? John’s Bar and Grill in Detroit – coaches text and call in rapid succession and then stop cold turkey. They tell your family the team hasn’t offered player X, but they really have and are just keeping your kid “warm”. They ask the player to come for a visit but then don’t schedule it when your kid follows up. No coach loves you. They likely don’t even know you. A coach might come to love your kid, but right now they are simply a player evaluation that might or might not help their team and career.

• It’s a business – A scholarship or aid of any kind is a resource that a coach uses to better performance. That’s it. To quote Al Pacino in The Godfather, “It’s not personal. Strictly business.” So, throw out your preconceived notions about what program you “like,” and treat it like the business it is. What’s the offer? What comes with it? What’s the roster look like? Will the coach be there next year or the year after? Is the institution committed to investing in facilities and the program? You wouldn’t take a job at a company that was in the most competitive industry in the world without asking some questions, so do the same here.
  
  
• Use your network – think about how many emails a coach gets every day. Dozens? Hundreds? Yes, it’s good for your child to drive their own recruiting, but let’s be honest, coaches miss on evaluations all the time. If every recruit were a hit, Michigan would have more than its one (Connor Stallions-aided) undisputed national championship since football was integrated. Fifty percent is probably a good hit rate, so use any angle you have to get a coach take a little extra time with your kid’s film. Know the AD, or a sponsor, or donor? Got a coach (high school or travel) that is willing to nudge a college coach? Coach Casey is a remarkable example of doing this successfully for his kids. Ask for an assist.
  
  
• “No” is great – “No” sucks, except it doesn’t. One of the worst times in Chase’s recruitment was the weeks and weeks we waited for a famous Big Ten coach to decide to offer him a spot or not. It was exciting and agonizing, but, “maybe” has an opportunity cost. It keeps you hanging on and not investing time and energy elsewhere. Get to yes or no as fast as you can, and – as in Chase’s case – sometimes just decide to move on yourself.
  
  
• Love who loves you – Here are some “buying” signs: responding to texts, coming to games, invites to campus and open gyms, offers, suggestions on improving your child’s game. Conversely, a random text occasionally is not actually interest. It’s great and OK to dream, but base your decisions on what you see, not what coaches say.
  
  
• Compression and pressure – If your kid’s not a top-100 kid in the country (everyone reading this), the real decision-making process will probably be short and intense. You might have to decide with limited information, or your child might decide to bet on themselves and wait it out. Either approach has doubts and risk; accept it.
  
  
• There’s always another question – “where will little Johnny play?” is all-consuming and intense. And when that really important question gets resolved, there’s just another set of questions. Will he get playing time? How much? What’s practice like? Did coach tell the truth about where Johnny fits in the scheme? It’s a good reminder to embrace the process and recognize what we control (very little) and what we don’t (almost everything).
  
  
• Try to take care of yourself – so what can you do? Exercise. Appreciate the people who care about you and your kid (thanks so much, everyone!). Support your child’s dreams. Try to enjoy watching them play and fight for what they want, and accept that it will all be OK no matter what.

Love you all, and thanks for your support! Go Titans!