RecruitPKB: Scheduling Visits

A very important, proactive step in the college recruiting process is to schedule unofficial visits as early as possible. The days of official visits are almost over now that recruiting starts so early. Official visits aren't allowed until first day of your senior year, if you wait until then to take visits it will be too late.  They tend to just be a formality for players who have already verbally committed and are getting ready to sign their NLI.   You can always take unofficial visits until that time though. You must be assertive and take the initiative to try and set up visits early in the process. Visits will not only give you an opportunity to meet with a coach and get comfortable with the process, but they also help you begin to figure out what you want in a school. They help to motivate you [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:51:02-04:00October 20th, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB: 6 Ways to be More Coachable

"A proverb says that 'Only stupid men learn from experience. Wise men learn from other people’s experience'." I got this from an article written by August Turak about coachability on Forbes.com - http://www.forbes.com/sites/augustturak/2011/09/30/are-you-coachable-the-five-steps-to-coachability/ One of the number one qualities that a coach looks for in a player is coachability. They want to know that a player is going to be willing to listen, learn, practice and put into play what they teach them. This is one reason you need to do your research on the coach, their background and their coaching style. If you don't respect a coach's principles then you will never allow them to coach you to your potential. You must have faith in your coach because many times it will get worse before it gets better. so you have to trust they are doing what is best for you. You will miss out on so [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:45:59-04:00October 3rd, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB: Watch and Learn

As a junior golfer you can always learn something from other players, especially ones who have reached a level that you are aiming to reach. This past week was a great example of learning from the best, and you could have done it all from the comfort of your own home. If you are a young female golfer and you didn't catch any of the Solheim Cup, you really missed a huge opportunity to learn and get inspired. I know it had me glued to the TV all weekend, especially Sunday morning as the US team mounted one of the biggest come backs in golf history. It was so exciting to watch it all unfold. Having had the honor to play with most of the girls from the US team and several of the Europe team members, I enjoyed every minute of watching them battle it out [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:45:59-04:00September 25th, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB Perform: Eat and Drink for Less

This article is part of guest series to the RecruitPKB "Complete Golfer" program by Chris Finn, owner of Par4Success in Cary, North Carolina. --- What I would like you to do is create a short mental checklist of what you will do when preparing for your next tournament. If it is anything like most of the juniors I work with it will probably look something like this: Go play a practice round Practice hard the week leading up to the tournament focused on the type of shots I may need or specific clubs I will need to hit more than others based off my practice round. Map out the round including what clubs to hit off what tees, green slopes, etc. If it is away from home, make sure you have balls, all your clubs, outfits for each day, etc. Three things are never mentioned whenever I ask this question, [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:45:59-04:00September 19th, 2015|Physical Performance Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB: Keep a Journal

This past week I read a great blog written by the Georgia Southern Women's Golf Coach about journaling. Check it out here. While I am not quite part of the techie generation where everything is done on a phone or computer, I do rely on technology for a lot of my business and personal life. However, I have always been a big believer in writing things down. I've never been one to keep a daily journal or diary, but I do constantly have a notebook or notepad to jot down ideas and thoughts and will occasionally give in to writing in my phone notepad if one isn't available. I believe that writing things down holds another level of accountability and retention. It is a great way to set goals, keep track of progress and provide an outlet for your thoughts and feelings. I think what Coach Kuhfield states [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:46:00-04:00September 11th, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB: The D1 Syndrome

As many of you know, this syndrome is probably one of the most prevalent during the process. It is one of the main reasons why many young athletes don't find the right fit and end up unhappy. Yes having a dream of playing D1 sports is a great goal for young players. But when it is all said and done, that does not mean a D1 program is going to end up being the right fit, nor does it mean you are less of a player if you choose to go a different path. Playing D1 golf can be very overwhelming for many young golfers. The demands, sacrifices, time commitments and expectations can turn out to make your experience extremely difficult if it's not the right fit. You may find out that you aren't getting much playing time yet you are still at every workout, every practice, [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:08:45-04:00August 27th, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB: James Madison Coach Q and A

This week's college coach Q and A is a special one for me. James Madison head coach Sarah Sargent and I were college teammates and roommates at Furman University. We both came into college as the underdogs among some of the top players in the country as teammates and we each paved our own paths of success both collegiately and professionally. She has also been a good friend for almost 16 years now as we played professionally for several years after college, then started our current careers that happen to coincide so we have managed to stay in touch after all these years. I am excited to see what she will be able to do with the program there at JMU. She is definitely one of a kind with a great passion for the game of golf and helping young players become the best they can be. [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:08:45-04:00August 20th, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|1 Comment

RecruitPKB: Walk Ons and Roster Spots

What is the difference between a walk-on and a roster spot? This is always a tough question to answer because many coaches use these terms differently. Generally, a walk-on means you get into the school on your own and will be given the opportunity to try out for the team. Some coaches do not allow walk-ons. If they do, you will typically play a certain number of rounds with a team member. Depending on what you shoot, the coach will decide if you make the team. It is extremely difficult to walk on because a coach has already decided on his/her team roster for that year. A roster spot is a better scenario because it is a guaranteed spot on the team, you just aren’t receiving any athletic scholarship money. Some coaches, however, will call this a "walk on" as well and don't expect you to tryout. [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:08:46-04:00August 5th, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB: Nutrition

Nutrition is a topic I get asked by parents quite often who want me to emphasize the importance of eating properly to their daughters, and many times simply just encouraging them to eat on the golf course. As someone who's always had a hefty appetite, eating on the golf course was never an issue with me, eating healthy on the other hand was another story. I had a ritual for awhile as junior golfer that marshmallows were my good luck charm so I would devour a bag of them while I played, not exactly the healthiest of snacks. Having been a Health and Exercise Science major in college and becoming much more interested in nutrition over the years, I wanted to pass along a few suggestions to help get you started. Coming soon for PKBGT members will be more information about fitness and nutrition provided by Par4Success. [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:46:00-04:00August 1st, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments

RecruitPKB: UNC Coach Interview

This is definitely a must read coach interview. While all coaches have their own opinions, philosophies and demands, Coach Jan Mann, the women's head golf coach at UNC Chapel Hill, has some great insight into the recruiting process and playing college golf. While I didn't play for Coach Mann she recruited me while she was at UNC Wilmington and I have been fortunate to maintain a good relationship with her and have the opportunity to spend time learning from her. Big thanks to her for taking the time to answer some questions for me. What is your own coaching philosophy?   Every player is different in how you communicate and relate to them.  I try to be conscious of the needs of each player and try to work with them in a manner that is beneficial to the individual.  Team chemistry is very important to me.  It [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:08:46-04:00July 17th, 2015|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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