Don’t oversell, but don’t undersell either!
September 3rd, 2008 - by
This post will be the most incredible thing you’ve ever read.
It will open up the heavens, align the planets, clear your pores and allow your pets to communicate with you.
After reading that introduction, you’ll more than likely fall into two groups. The majority of the people are going call my bluff.The others will be really excited to read this post – so in advance, I apologize for the let down you would receive.
Let’s try this again.
This post will probably be beneficial to you. It will educate you, guide you and potentially open your eyes to ideas you might not have previously been aware of.
What’s the biggest difference between the two introductions? In the first, I’m cocky. In the second, I’m confident.
During my evaluations, I tell the student-athletes that I want to know every thing about them as a student-athlete – any accolades, any awards, any reason why if I were a coach, I’d want to recruit them.
Occasionally, I’ll get someone who falls under the first introduction. He’ll try to make me believe that he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
What I get more commonly is a student-athlete that I can obviously tell is uncomfortable talking about his or her achievements because he or she doesn’t want to come across as cocky.
So he or she will leave information out, which luckily for them in this case, usually is added by the parents.
That – omitting vital information – also leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
It’s like I said a couple paragraphs above – If I’m a coach, I need to know why I should want to recruit you! Don’t oversell me because I either won’t believe you or I’ll more than likely be in for a letdown. But don’t undersell me either because then you might not have the qualifications I’m looking for!
Both instances ultimately would lead to me not recruiting you. Instead, go through year-by-year, being honest about your statistics and the awards that you’ve received in a confident tone. Coaches will appreciate it, and after you’ve received a scholarship or an opportunity to play, you’ll appreciate it as well.
