Recruit PKB: Parent Role with Coaches

žžThis week's Recruit PKB: Recruiting Process article from the series "Parent Role in the College Recruiting Process" will cover a parent's role with college coaches. The relationship a parent builds with a college coach through the process can have a major influence on the coach's decision. Below are a few areas to be aware of as a parent so that you as well can make the best impression on your daughter's future coach. Say hi to coaches at tournaments but don't approach them: Because recruiting rules can vary so much depending on a player's grad year, always stick to the side of caution when you see a coach at tournaments. Be friendly and say hi but try to allow them to begin a conversation if they choose to. Some coaches are more talkative and will carry on conversations with parents, others just want to be left to themselves [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:10:35-04:00September 1st, 2014|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: Support Without Pushing Too Hard

žThe next series of "Recruit PKB: Recruiting Process" articles will cover a parent's role in the different aspects of the college recruiting process. The first topic addressed is one that I get asked very often from parents who are concerned with pushing their daughter too hard, but who also know their daughter needs some guidance and structure in order to stay on track towards her goal of playing college golf. I am not a parent myself but I do understand that there is a very thin line between pushing too hard and just trying to keep a young girl motivated to succeed. Below are 5 recommendations that I believe can help a parent understand how to best support their daughter and work together as a team throughout the recruiting process. žContinue to ask your daughter what she wants out of her golf: First and foremost, it must [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:10:36-04:00August 17th, 2014|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: College Coach Perspective Part 5

As many players make their college decision over the next few months here are some thoughts to consider that college coaches feel are important factors. From a coach's perspective, what are some factors to help a junior golfer determine the right fit? “Do they like the school, the coach and the team? Does the school have the correct major for the student? It is important to establish a relationship with the coach and to know the students on the team. The student must be qualified academically. The student has to have a solid tournament record.” – D1 Coach “The Coach, what is expected by the coach out of the student athlete, size of school, area of study, how far you want to be from home, the team.” – D1 Coach “Does the school have my major field of study? How many players are on the team? Is [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:10:36-04:00July 21st, 2014|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: Happy Mother’s Day!

With Mother's Day around the corner I thought this would be a great chance to give all of those golf mom's some recognition for what they do. Because many times it tends to be the dad who does most of the coaching and caddying, the moms don't always get the credit they deserve. Many of their responsibilities are pre-tournament or behind the scenes such as getting the junior golfer to practice everyday, signing up for tournaments, booking travel, packing, providing snacks and being the cheerleader. From my own experience, my mom always made sure I had snacks on the course. Sometimes it was a superstition factor that decided what she would pack, such as marshmallows, other times it was grapes, granola bars or a sandwich. She helped plan my travel as a junior golfer and made sure I packed what I would need on the road. When [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:46:30-04:00April 28th, 2014|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: Upcoming Schedule

A very important step to remember is to email coaches with your upcoming schedule. Heading into the spring and summer months is a great time to get this done. Coaches have no way of knowing where you will be playing unless you tell them. So if you want them to come out and watch make sure you let them know where you are going to be. Don't wait until the end of summer to send them your results, make the opportunity available for them to come out and watch you play. For 2015 recruits, coaches are able to reply to your emails so it's a great idea to ask them where they plan to be this summer or if they have any suggestions for tournaments. This way you can try to play in tournaments that you know they plan to attend so you have a higher chance [...]

By |2017-09-13T12:14:13-04:00April 7th, 2014|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: Be Different

We were all made to be unique individuals. We all look different, think different and act different. But as a middle school or high school student it can sometimes be difficult to accept the things about yourself that are different. It is so tempting to want to fit in and be part of the popular crowd. But, the truth is, the people who learn to embrace the things about themselves that make them unique tend be the ones that go on to be more successful than those that don't. They are more confident and secure because they know who they are and they know that their uniqueness sets them apart from everyone else. I promise that what you think is popular now will mean very little a year from now and especially once you get to college. Growing up it wasn't necessarily "cool" to be a girl [...]

By |2018-07-19T10:39:11-04:00March 17th, 2014|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: Find Your Mantra

According to Wikipedia a mantra "means a sacred utterance, numinous sound, or a syllable, word, phonemes, or group of words believed by some to have psychological and spiritual power". Mantras are personal and self-motivating. They are words that inspire an athlete to excel and stay focused. Every athlete should have their own mantra. It can be original or one that is borrowed. It can be one word or a whole sentence. But it must be something that you can remember and always turn to when you need it. It must inspire you to get through whatever obstacles you struggle with both on and off the golf course. Here is a great article on some mantras from athletes in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Two of my favorites from this list are "breathe, believe, and battle" and "if you think you can't, you won't and if you think you [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:46:31-04:00March 3rd, 2014|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Junior Golfers and Working Out

As many adults have probably gotten back in the gym as part of their New Year's resolution it's a great time to get the kids interested in working out as well. It is never to early for a junior golfer to learn the basics of good nutrition and exercise. I wish I had learn these habits at an earlier age. I didn't realize the importance of eating healthy and working out until I started my degree in Health and Exercise Science at Furman and we started working out as a golf team. It's very hard to change bad habits, even to this day I still struggle with it. I love doing Crossfit and spin class, and I do my best to eat healthy when I can given my schedule but it's still not easy. Not only will learning these habits at a younger age help the junior [...]

By |2018-03-21T20:46:38-04:00January 12th, 2014|Physical Performance Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: Happy New Year

As we all ring in the New Year I'm sure many of you have set some goals/resolutions for yourself. A new year feels like the start of something fresh, a time to change bad habits, a time to commit to being a better you. The majority of people will set an outcome goal they want to reach (lose weight, eat better, work less, work harder, spend less, etc...). They become so focused on the outcome, i.e. the future, that they forget about the process and what they must commit to doing each day to reach those goals. I love this article by Train to be Clutch's Joshua Medcalf, "Burn your goals to become the person of your dream". He says "I want to see your commitment list. I want to know what you are committed to sacrificing and doing with your 24 hours a day to close [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:46:32-04:00December 29th, 2013|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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Recruit PKB: Being Thankful

I'm sure many of you took time over Thanksgiving break to reflect on what you are thankful for in your life. I know one thing that can always get overlooked when thanks are being given is the golf talent you possess. Make sure you always remember how fortunate you are to have the ability to play golf and do something you love. The talents you were given to play golf aren't just about helping you earn a golf scholarship to play in college, there is a bigger purpose. Take the time to figure out a way to use your talents for a greater good in the world. I wish I would have realized this sooner in my life and not been so focused my golf career. Remember the opportunity to play golf can always be taken away, so appreciate the time you spend on the golf course [...]

By |2017-09-13T11:46:57-04:00November 1st, 2013|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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