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College Recruiting Mistakes #1: NCAA Core Courses

College Recruiting Story MistakesSometimes the best way to learn about mistakes you could be making in your own recruiting is by realizing the mistakes of others. I know from personal experience I learned more from my time as a recruit than I ever will from reading a book or blog, listening to stories or speeches, etc. It takes a real intuitive person to look deep inside themselves, recognize their mistakes, and work to correct them.

I find it rather easy yet sickening to look back 10 years and play the “What if” game. I know today that I could have and should have done MANY things differently; if I had I would likely be in a completely different place than I am now. On the flip side, the choices I did make led me to you and to this very blog.

The Timmy Experience

Through the next series of paragraphs and ensuing blogs you are going to meet Timmy and follow Timmy’s journey as a high school student-athlete and recruit. For learning purposes Timmy’s journey is going to be riddled with errors, errors I would like you as the reader to recognize and fix in the comment section of this blog. Please fill me in on what you would do if placed in Timmy’s situation.

Meet Timmy

Timmy is the very athletic son of Rita and Joe Sims. He grew up playing all sorts of sports- football, basketball, baseball, and hockey to name a few. He was the son that Joe Sims always wanted to have. Timmy was the kid in the neighborhood everyone wanted to be friends with, the kid never picked last for anything, he was his friend’s “Benny Rodriguez” (Sandlot reference). Timmy wasn’t a straight “A” student but he did well in school. He studied when he needed to and passed his classes comfortably with “B’s.” If Timmy tried just a bit harder he would achieve those coveted “A’s” but instead was comfortable with where he was scholastically.

Timmy’s Dream

Like what most athletes want at a young age, Timmy wanted more than anything to become a professional athlete. He wasn’t sure in what sport but he knew he wanted money and fame! Although it was against his parents ideals, they let him revel in fantasy because he was doing so well in everything else.

Freshman Year

At this point in time Timmy is getting ready enter his freshman year of high school still with pro-dreams on his mind. Timmy has decided to take random classes and, like his youth, attempt to play every sport imaginable offered at his high school. He signs up for the football team first, tries out, and makes the junior varsity squad! He played the entire season on JV, had a good year with good statistics but no one would know because he didn’t track them. He had good film too but you couldn’t watch it because the coach eventually taped over it.

Timmy’s Mistakes

I have purposely written 6 mistakes in this story committed by Timmy and his family. Can you find and correct them? How would you do things differently? As mentioned in the directions, use the comment section of the blog to fill me in on your corrections of Timmy’s first semester freshman year.

Do you have questions about what you should be doing as a Freshman to get recruited? Leave them in the comments below or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Are you ready for the NEXT STEP!