Getting Recruited!

Coaching Management (Volleyball) - Preseason 2011-Vol XIX No.5 - came out with an article this month about providing recruiting advice to athletes.  I thought I would share the 6 questions they shared that every athlete should ask themselves.  In blue are some other things to think about.  Here they are, and I hope they help guide you:

1. What do you want academically?   Very few if anyone playing volleyball will be able to make a living playing the sport.  Therefore, your academic career should be your first priority.  You only have four years to prepare for your life after college (work) and you want to find a school that matches your choice of study - or gives you options of many things that you are interested in.  Check class sizes, teacher interaction, and academic programs that fit your profile.  Even if you loved the coach at the school with "technology" in the name, if you're not into math, that school probably isn't your best choice.
2. What do you want competitively?  Do you want to join a team where you are going to sit on the bench for the first year or two and then "maybe" earn a starting role, or do you want a continuation of your high school career with time for other pursuits?  The time commitment is huge for any collegiate sport, but there are some programs that have more opportunities to "see the world" and are more flexible than others.  The best way to check this is to ask the current members of the team what their schedule looks like in-season, during spring-season, and off-season and how it fits in with their academic and social calendars.  Finally, don't judge the time commitment by the NCAA division the school competes in.  There are many DIII schools that are highly competitive and may not leave time for outside interests.
3. What type of coach do you want?  Think about coaches that you have enjoyed and responded best to throughout your career.  When you visit the school and visit with the coach during recruiting process, carefully judge their character and style of coaching.  Ask the athletes on the team about the coach.  Go to their summer camp and observe them over the sessions.  Do they have a teaching and coaching style that you can see yourself thriving in?
4. How much money is available?  It is really important to compare dollars to dollars and not scholarships to scholarships or merit money to merit money.  Compare the total tuition to the amount of aid you are receiving. 
5. What factors are important to your family?  Take the time to talk with your parents about how your choices will affect the entire family.  This can range from tuition costs, to attending a parents alma mater, to the distance the school is away from home and it's overall location.
6. What if you don't compete?  One of the most important questions you can consider is this:  Will I be happy at the school if - for whatever reason - I don't remain on the team?  This is a critical question and one that you really want to examine and explore to make sure that the school you are picking will be a good fit.