Do you have an aspiring college athlete at home?

If so… this episode of Coffee with Kim is for you.

Jon Sims, Associate Dean of Admissions at Davidson College in North Carolina; Jay Watts, Director of Athletics at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Jon Fagg, Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Arkansas explain why it’s so important to let the student drive the process and how parents (even us over-eager ones) can do so.

They also clear up often misunderstood terms like “preferred walk on,” “NLI” and the NCAA “dead period.” 

And you’ll learn what student-athletes (and their parents) can do to manage expectations, maximize opportunities, and minimize stress 

Click here now to play the full webinar and get insightful, actionable tips on the athletic recruiting process.

If you can’t listen right now, here are some highlights of our discussion.

But make sure you bookmark this page and come back later to have a listen because this just scratches the surface of what we talked about…

Coaches are looking for character

Coaches are interested in your athletic abilities, naturally, but they’re also scrutinizing characteristics that go way beyond the field of play…

For example, what does your social media say about you?

Jay warns, “what your son or daughter puts on social media matters because coaches are going to look at that. And they have really sneaky ways of looking at that.”

Even elite athletes can get kicked off the team for bad behavior.

Jon Fagg recalls, “we had a swimmer who had an out of the pool… bit of misbehavior and the coach decided to remove her from the team. You could be the best player in the world, but the coaches have the ability to make those decisions.” 

So, students, be thoughtful about what you put on social media.

And parents, leverage it to your student’s advantage. Watch the full webinar to learn how to capture game film that’s actually useful for coaches.

Division I, II, or III?

Another thing to think about is how much you want sports to shape your college life. 

“There are huge differences between Division I, Division II and Division III. Most people think it’s talent, or a competitive difference, but it’s also a lifestyle difference. 

Things that you may be allowed to do at the Division III level, like join a fraternity or sorority, take a year off and study abroad or play multiple sports, 

…all of those things are much more difficult if you’re trying to compete at the Division II or Division I level,” Jay says

I always have my student-athlete families keep two lists: one for schools where you can potentially play and another for schools where academics come first for you. 

They may cross over, and hopefully they do…

but it’s so important to consider all factors and keep several options open when trying to find the right fit.

Remember to play the long-game

As a parting shot, here are a few more of the amazing gems of advice from our experts in this month’s Coffee with Kim:

“Parents and kids often mistake getting the scholarship and getting to [the university] as the end of the road…. It’s not, it’s just the beginning. And you’ve got a long road ahead. So make sure that we’re all pacing ourselves appropriately, emotionally, physically—everything.” ~ Jon Fagg

“I always encourage my athletes, if they’re communicating with a college coach to copy me on the email—even if it’s a blind copy—just so I’m in the loop. Every coach has… different connections. So keeping everybody in the loop is super important because you never know where there’s a connection… that may be able to be leveraged to their advantage..” ~ Jay Watts

“It’s great to be a college athlete. I loved that experience, but I didn’t get drafted. I wish I did. Everyone does! But in the end it’s about the degree and getting that experience to grow as a young adult and as a professional, so make sure… you’re supporting the student to make the best decision for their future, not just for athletics.” ~ Jon Sims

This panel shared a ton of actionable, insider’s advice so if you’re looking for the best way to approach college athletics so that your child comes through college as a successful, happy, degree-holding young adult, you’ll want to dive into their wisdom as soon as you can. 

My husband and I were college athletes and we have an aspiring college athlete at home so I can relate to the thrill of the All-American dream! 

I love working with students who are hoping to take their sport to the collegiate level. 

Need help with demystifying the college athletics recruitment process?

Check out the full webinar and then connect with me for a complimentary strategy call. I’m always happy to help!