RecruitPKB: Merry Christmas
RecruitPKB: Parent Role in College Recruiting Part 1
While this can be a very sensitive subject with many parents, it is an extremely vital part of the recruiting process. Part 1 in the Parent Role in College Recruiting series will cover the topic of "how to support your junior golfer without being overbearing". I have been asked this question numerous times from parents who are concerned with doing enough to push their son/daughter to get better but not so much that they drive them away from the game or develop resentment. While I am not a parent myself, I have been able to experience golf from several different viewpoints and learned a tremendous amount from each. Being an adult and working with both the junior golfers and their parents, I now have a huge level of respect for the sacrifices, commitment, and frustrations that a parent must face in order to help their child be [...]
RecruitPKB: Discipline, Plan and Commitment
The drive time in my car is usually my chance to brainstorm with a clear head. This past week while I was driving back from spending Thanksgiving in Charleston I had a few thoughts pop into my head that I wanted to share. I posted this on my social media but for those that don't follow me here is what I feel like are some key things to remember in order to find success both on and off the golf course. "If you have more discipline than desire, If you create a plan instead of goals, If you focus on commitment more than effort, Then you will create results instead of dreams" For me, I had a dream to play on the LPGA Tour from the time I was 7 playing in my first golf tournaments. Yes, I had the desire, I put in the effort and [...]
RecruitPKB: Happy Thanksgiving
As we head into the holiday week I want to say a quick Happy Thanksgiving to all the PKB members. I am very grateful for the privilege to work with the PKB, it's staff and the families of the PKB. It's been an awesome 4 years of this partnership and I look forward to many more years of advising and consulting the girls on the college recruiting process. The last couple of weeks I asked some of the PKB members what they are most thankful for this time of year so I wanted to share what they had to say. "I'm thankful for the support from my family and coaches" - Channing Hensley "I'm thankful for my family and everything the do for me." - Gracyn Burgess "I am thankful my family and all of the friendships and opportunities that golf has provided" - Hailey Joy "I'm thankful [...]
RecruitPKB: Parent Role on Visits
It is the time of year for many of you to be taking college visits and meeting with college coaches. This week's Recruit PKB article will cover a parent's role on college visits. The first on-campus meeting with a college coach can make or break their decision to continue recruiting a player. In many cases, the behavior of a parent can have a serious impact on which direction the recruiting process will go from there. Below are a few tips for parents to be aware of when they are on visits with their daughter. Allow your junior golfer to do all the talking: I know this may be difficult when you have a junior golfer who is quiet or shy but they need to do the majority of the talking. Meeting with a college coach can be a very nerve-racking experience for many young athletes. Help them prepare [...]
RecruitPKB: A Must Watch Video for Parents
This week is Junior Golf Week on the Golf Channel and an interview they conducted with Jon Gordon really caught my attention so I wanted to share the clip along with a few of my own thoughts in regards to what he is referencing. Here is the LINK to that clip so check it out first. I am sure each of you got something different from what he talked about but hopefully, it resonated a little with how you see your daughter's junior golf experience. Here are my two favorite quotes that he mentioned which relate to many of the questions I get asked about competitive junior golf, parenting, and the recruiting process. "You can't drive anyone else's bus, you have to encourage and inspire them to drive their own bus" I know it's tough to want the best for your daughter and know the impact that playing [...]
RecruitPKB: On Course Drills
How many of you feel like the time you spend on the golf course (when it's not a tournament) can be a bit repetitive and often times not very productive? It's easy to run out and play 9 holes or maybe 18 and not really have much focus or accountability to what you are doing. Then a tournament rolls around and all of the sudden the bad shots have consequences, you have to actually hit that shot from under the trees and you have to putt out every single putt (no gimmies). Take the time when you are on the golf course to learn how to play and be creative. Try different shots from out of trees or off bad lies. Hit shots with different trajectories. Compete against others. Anything that makes you treat the time on the golf course as you would during a tournament or [...]
RecruitPKB: Getting Started with the Process
Every junior golfer is at a different place in the college recruiting process but there are some basic steps that you need to follow in order to get started. Learn the NCAA rules and regulations – A student-athlete who knows the rules of college recruiting will not only impress a coach but also be able to better navigate the process and not get confused. Register at www.eligibilitycenter.org by your junior year. Get a 3rd party evaluation – Every student-athlete needs an unbiased 3rd party evaluation to assist with setting realistic goals and expectations as well as develop a plan to reach them. Build a college recruiting resume – One of the most important steps! Every coach needs to see a complete resume with all of the proper information so they can fully evaluate the student-athlete. Record a quality swing video – Along with the college recruiting resume, [...]
RecruitPKB: Volunteer Work
Every coach likes a well-rounded player who gives back for the opportunity they have been given to play the game of golf. Some school organizations have you complete so many hours of volunteer work but go beyond that and volunteer on your on time. I know schedules can get very busy with school and golf but try to find time once a month, once a quarter or around the holidays. This will not only be a great addition to your resume but it will also give you a great perspective on life. I became a Big Sister through the Big Brother Big Sister organization about 5 years ago and I can personally say that it has made a huge impact in my life. I also walk dogs at the Humane Society every week which is a great place for young kids to volunteer to help with the [...]
RecruitPKB: What You Can Learn From Sept 1st
Now that the excitement of September 1st has worn off a bit I want to take the time to address a few things that you can learn from the communication you received (or didn't receive) on September 1st and how it can be a lesson for your own communication with the coaches. Mass email vs Personalized Email: Many of my players forwarded emails they received from coaches with excitement, unfortunately, those same emails were sent out to several others players that I consult. Keep this in mind when reading the emails, if there is nothing personal in the email (just your name does not count as personalized) then it may mean you are not a high priority on that coaches list. It does not necessarily mean that the coach isn't interested and they may simply be trying to find out who replies back but do know that [...]