Having a talented child in the athletic world is a blessing and a curse. It’s wonderful that it gives them multiple opportunities to further their education after high school. Still, it also leads to ruthless tactics by college recruiters to get their name on the dotted line. Understanding how parents can help during the college recruiting process is the first step to take on the long, winding road that ends with your child’s letter of acceptance.
Keep It Real
Setting unrealistic expectations for your gifted child is the first mistake a parent can make. As nice as it would be to receive countless scholarship offers from the most prestigious universities, only a select few are reasonable. Getting feedback from your child’s high school coaches is a great way to look at things objectively. Not only will their experience of evaluating players help make the decision clearer, but they can give their opinion with no biases.
Be Their Communication Director
College recruiters are like sharks smelling blood in the water. If they get a scent of an elite athlete showing an interest in their program, they will be relentless in their pursuit. Rather than these individuals being a nuisance for your child, you can step in and be their communicator.
Recruiting has become even more cutthroat, with NIL deals changing the CFB landscape. Recruiters often overpromise and underdeliver, especially regarding playing time, national exposure, and winning championships. Thus, it’s in your best interest to act as the mediator between the two parties and sort through the malarky.
Don’t Let Them Forget Their Studies
Your child may feel like the belle of the ball with all the attention they receive from schools throughout the country, which causes them to lose sight of the most important thing—schoolwork.
Although Cardale Jones once infamously said that he didn’t come to Ohio State “to play school,” 99.9% of student-athletes improve their lives with the education they receive. Ensuring your kiddos are on top of their studies and turning in their coursework guarantees that no one will question their academic eligibility.
Don’t Micromanage Their Lives
While you want to ensure they maintain a solid grade point average, you don’t want to micromanage their lives, eventually becoming that stereotypical overbearing parent we see in the movies. Don’t become yet another example of a parent hijacking their child’s recruiting process with their demands. Let your child breathe and give them enough space to do things themselves.
Be Someone They Can Lean On
Ultimately, your job as a parent is to be supportive. You are the one person they can count on during this confusing time. Their minds are going 100 miles a minute, picturing how their college experience will be on various campuses. Constantly thinking about the future can be overwhelming, so help bring them back to the present. Being there for your remarkable child is the best thing you can do.
If you are in a position where recruiting coordinators are beating down your door to pitch to your child, remember how parents can help manage the situation during the college recruiting process. Ideally, your kids will find the school of their dreams, graduate in four years, and ask you for advice when their children go through the same ordeal.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 