RecruitPKB: Let’s Talk About Goal Setting

Goal setting is an important step in the process of becoming the best junior and collegiate golfer you can be. But goal setting and the process of achieving them have been up for a lot of debate over the years. So I wanted to take the next couple of weeks to share my thoughts on setting goals and how I've learned to approach this process in my own life now in comparison to during my golf career. For starters, it starts with setting goals for yourself, not for anyone else. As a young athlete, I do believe your parents, coaches, and other adults are the best resources for advice and support on setting the right goals. Many times they do have a better understanding of what success looks like in the future and that the process isn't always going to be fun and games. They know that [...]

By |2018-10-04T11:15:34-04:00October 4th, 2018|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Club Golf in College

The goal for most young female golfers is to move on to play varsity golf in college, however, that plan doesn't always work out when the school of your choice and the golf program's needs for a player like yourself don't match up. If this does happen to you, it doesn't mean you have to give up playing golf once you get to college. The statistics on playing varsity golf in college aren’t exactly optimistic. According to the NCAA, only 2% of male high school golfers will play Division 1, and 3% for females. For students that don’t go to Division 1 though, there’s still plenty of options available. Division 2, Division 3, NAIA, NJCAA, as well as several smaller leagues provide a competitive outlet for students. One option that is often overlooked is non-varsity college golf. Club golf has grown tremendously in the last couple years [...]

By |2018-09-19T20:12:22-04:00September 19th, 2018|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Coaches take on Finding the Right Fit

I asked the coaches to share their thoughts on what a recruit should consider in order to find the right fit, here are some of their responses.   “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 “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.” – Division 1 Women’s Golf Coach “Does the school have my major field of study? How many players are on the team? Is the program set up to help me elevate my game from [...]

By |2018-06-15T16:56:34-04:00June 14th, 2018|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Research 75+ Realistic Schools

After you have created your college golf resume, it's time to find out what schools you realistically match with. Use the Women’s College Breakdown to identify schools that fit you athletically.  Once you have determined where you fit in athletically use www.golfstat.com to find golf programs that fit your athletic abilities and resume. At Golfstat you will find all of the D1, D2, D3 and NAIA programs ranked within their division to help you get started. Finding a realistic golf program is only part of the process. You must then do the research to find out which ones fit you academically, geographically, socially and financially.  You can use the Ping College Golf Guide, www.collegegolf.com to research the golf programs and contact the coaches. Also, check out the team's social media and athletics' website. For more about the school itself, check out www.collegeboard.com and www.princetonreview.com. These sites will [...]

By |2018-05-04T10:59:42-04:00May 3rd, 2018|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Parent Role on the Player’s Decision

To conclude the series on "Parent Role in the College Recruiting Process" we will cover parents helping their daughter make their college decision. Obviously, the parent's will have a major influence on their daughter's college decision, but trying to help your daughter make the right decision for herself can be a difficult task. Below are a few tips to help the parents guide their daughter through her decision-making process. Review all of the positives and negatives for each school: Help your daughter create a positives and negatives list for each school as she takes visits, communicates with coaches and does research. Your role as a parent is to ensure they put emphasis on the important factors within each of these lists and don't base their decision on the wrong factors. Help them to understand what each factor will mean for their college experience and for their future. [...]

By |2018-03-29T15:49:45-04:00March 29th, 2018|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Parent Role and the Coaches

This week's "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 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 so they can watch the players and evaluate. The same [...]

By |2018-03-22T16:12:41-04:00March 22nd, 2018|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Be Honest About Your Commitment

I have recently had discussions with several of my players who are nearing the point of making their college decision so I wanted to address a few things to think about as you navigate both the early and later stages of the process. I receive a lot of feedback from coaches about what happens once a player gets on campus in comparison to what was discussed during the recruiting process. Many times what a player tells the coach during the recruiting process isn't what they are willing to do once they get to school. The decision to play collegiate golf is a life-changing decision. If you end up at a school or program that doesn't match up to your goals, work ethic, and expectations then it can end up being a long 4 years for you, the coach and the team. Yes you "can" transfer and in [...]

By |2018-03-02T14:45:25-05:00March 1st, 2018|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: I Didn’t Sign, Now What?

I know it may feel like everyone else signed their NLI last week but don't worry! There are still opportunities out there and coaches who need players. You can still find an opportunity to play college golf and sign during the regular signing period in April if you put some work into the process. Keep a good schedule of tournaments lined up throughout the fall, winter, and spring. Let the coaches know where you will be playing. Focus mostly on DII, DIII, NAIA and JuCo schools, as most DI programs will have finished their recruiting. There are still some DI coaches looking for players into the spring of senior year, but it's a more rare occurrence so don't put many eggs in that basket. Try to consider some colder areas of the country as those programs tend to fill up their roster later. The better academic schools usually [...]

By |2017-11-09T14:21:53-05:00November 16th, 2017|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: What is the NLI?

As we wrap up the NLI Early Signing Period, I wanted to share some insight on FAQs about signing an NLI. What is the NLI? The NLI (National Letter of Intent) is an agreement signed by the student-athlete, parent or guardian and the institution that states the student athlete’s commitment to attend the institution for one full academic year, in return the institution agrees to provide athletic financial aid for one full academic year. How is it different from a verbal commitment? The NLI is different from a verbal commitment in that it is legally binding and it's an agreement between the student-athlete and the institution (not the coach). Also, the NLI can only be signed during designated signing periods (see below) whereas a verbal commitment can be made at any time. When is the NLI signed? For golf, there are two signing periods, an NLI can only be signed [...]

By |2017-11-09T14:22:54-05:00November 9th, 2017|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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RecruitPKB: Don’t Panic but Be Proactive

"Just wanted to let you know that for 2020 we have one verbal commitment and another offer out.  Assuming that gets accepted we would only have walk-on opportunities available for 2020." - Top 25 Ranked DI Women's Golf Program In consulting my 2020 recruits, I have received several responses like this from coaches who are already wrapping up their 2020 recruiting class, during the fall of a recruit's sophomore year.  I know it's hard to believe and part of me doesn't like to share this because I know it makes players panic and stresses them out. But I have also seen the lack of knowledge and understanding of the reality of the recruiting process and they find out this information too late. Thankfully on a positive note, I have also had several 2018 recruits, current seniors, who have just wrapped up their recruiting process by making their decision in [...]

By |2017-10-13T21:50:40-04:00October 12th, 2017|College Recruiting Articles|0 Comments
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