This past week I shared some additional insight on IGTV about building your resume that I wanted to pass along to all of you. You can view that HERE Written by: Brandi Jackson, RecruitPKB College Consultant For more information about college recruiting, please contact Brandi at bjackson@pkbgt.org
I've been having some discussions recently with some of my players about how they get caught up in their score and wondering how they can prevent that. And my answer was, you can't! In my opinion, it's just part of getting better and knowing that you’re close to shooting a new low round. It is just part of the process. You can't really just ignore the obvious at that point, which is your score. To expect a young golfer to not think about their score when that is really the ultimate goal they are aiming for is really tough to ask. But thankfully, each time it happens and you are aware of it, then it gets easier the next time. So I recommend giving yourself a little bit of a break from thinking that it’s such a negative thing right now. When you’re in those moments, [...]
During a recent player consultation, I had a discussion about the number of schools a recruit should contact. This player shared her list of about 30 schools that she had contacted and out of them, at least 20 of them were top 75 ranked DI programs and the other 10 were top 125 ranked. This particular player had an average score of 79 as a 2022 recruit. And while I am an advocate for having big goals to work hard to achieve and keeping some dream schools on your list, you just have to be cautious about what percentage of dream school vs realistic schools you have on your list. In my recruiting checklist, I say to contact 50+ schools but as with many parts of this process that is dependent on many factors. The reason I use that number is for the average player who is [...]
Recently the NCAA made the decision to extend the Dead Period through the end of the year. The Dead Period prevents college coaches from recruiting at tournaments and does not allow in-person contact such as a meeting when a student-athlete is visiting campus. While this continues to make the recruiting process difficult for all parties there are still some ways to remain active. Also, keep in mind, DII, DIII, and NAIA programs are not under this Dead Period rule. If you are pursuing opportunities at DI programs then you need to both remain active but also patient. As long as you are being realistic with the programs you are contacting, then you need to continue to update the coaches and try to provide more visual updates via video and social media. They can't actually see you in person right now so you need to try and give [...]
Based on the NCAA rules that apply to the current period for your grad year, once you get a resume put together and do some research on schools and programs, you should begin to send out intro emails to coaches. A well-written intro email (by the student-athlete) is the first step in contacting the coaches. This email needs to provide some insight about you as a player, student, and person and have your resume/video attached or linked. You can use the same format for all of your intro emails but make sure they are specific and personal to each coach. Use your research notes! You can send intro emails at any point, there are no rules or restrictions on players sending emails to coaches. But a coach can not reply to emails or answer phone calls until June 15th prior to junior year so keep that [...]
A good quality resume that a college coach can easily access and get all of the important information they need to see is a critical step in the process. This is typically the first impression you are going to make on them. There are several ways you can create a resume. It can be online via a personal website, you can use a resume service such as the one that @juniorgolfscoreboard offers, or you can do a simple document/pdf. Any of these options is perfectly fine, but most importantly keep in mind this is a resume, so it needs to be professional and easy to follow. Don't be afraid to have a little fun and be creative with it, especially if that is your personality, but if you go overboard it may turn a coach off. Most importantly, it needs to be clear and concise with all [...]
Last week I shared a video to discuss the topic of "Why Her and Not Me" when it comes to trying to figure out why one girl gets recruited or gets the offer instead of you. In case you didn't get a chance to watch that episode I thought this week I would share a few of those actual reasons. That player started the recruiting process earlier or attended a camp There is a connection to the school like being a legacy kid, friends of a team member, etc... The coach saw the other girl play before he/she had a chance to watch you play Her grades may be better or she has already taken ACT/SAT and gotten the required scores That player may not be seeking scholarship money and she let that be known earlier It was a gut feeling the coach had or a better [...]
I have another IGTV video that I've gotten quite a bit of feedback from so I wanted to share that one with you again this week. In this video, I talk about the question a lot of girls will ask as they navigate this process, "why her and not me?". Many times a recruit will have a hard time understanding why another girl is being recruited or is given the offer. There are many tangible and intangible factors that coaches consider in who they recruit and make offers. Some are within a recruit's control and others may not be. Some are based on being in the right place at the right time. Some are based on gut feelings and instant connections. Some are based on years of coaches knowing what is best for the team and the best for their coaching style. Many times you can’t take it [...]
A little different format this week but I was asked on social media about how to get over being shy when talking to the college coaches so I shared an IGTV video to discuss this. You can view that HERE Written by: Brandi Jackson, RecruitPKB College Consultant For more information about college recruiting, please contact Brandi at bjackson@pkbgt.org
What advice would you give to a junior girl when she gets rejected or told the offer has been given to someone else? "I would tell her to not give up hope. The process is frustrating and stressful but you have to be patient and persistent. I faced many rejections, one of which was from my second choice, but the next day, I received an offer from my first. There will be a school out there that is waiting to welcome you with open arms; you just have to be patient and continue to work hard." - Ivy League Golfer "In terms of advice that I would give a junior girl, I would say, and I’m sure they hear this a lot, to just keep trying with other schools. I know that rejection isn’t fun, but it happens to everyone. Remind yourself of your goals and trust [...]
