Everything You Need to Know about College Sports Recruting: A guide for players and parents
by Jim Walsh with Richard Trubo
Overview
From the Publisher
Each year, thousands of high school student-athletes dream of being recruited by coaches at America's colleges and universities. It you're one of the fortunate young men and women who is actively sought after, it is an experience that you and your family should cherish and enjoy.
My thoughts
I never set out intentionally to read this book but sometimes a door opens and a pleasant surprise walks in. That is the case with this book.
It was strictly through chance that I met the author of this book, Mr. Jim Walsh, through an email exchange. I didn't know he was an author at the time but when he mentioned in passing that he'd written a book I told him that I love to read and I asked the name of the book so I could pick it up. Within a couple of days he had sent a copy with a wonderful inscription inside the front cover. (Thank you, Jim!)
I eagerly opened the parcel to see what the book was about - I assumed it was sports-related since that is how we had met - and I was quite surprised to see that the book was about college sports recruting. COLLEGE SPORTS RECRUITING?!?! I don't care about college sports recruiting! I don't even watch college sports! I'm a pro kind of gal!!
But a promise is a promise, and I'd clearly promised to read this book as soon as I finished the book I was on. True to my word, I opened the book and was pleasantly surprised.
OK, so I don't really have an interest in college sports recruting. But I do have two teenage daughters in college making some pretty big decisions about their futures. It's no different, really, than the decisions athletes make when they face choices about college. In fact, the more I read, the more ways I could relate the sports discussion to my experiences in visiting colleges, asking questions, seeking advice, and always, always, getting the grades to achieve the goals!
I loved this book, and I think it should be recommended reading for all parents who want their kids to succeed beyond high school. There's some great lessons inside the covers of this book about sports recruiting, and they aren't just for athletes!
Favorite Passage
This passage is regarding six qualities found in every sport involving movement: Vision, balance, power, flexibility, speed and heart.
Think of any sport, even one as relatively obscure as archery, for example. The archer must first locate her target (which requires vision). Next she must place the arrow in the center of the bow (balance). Then the front hand on the bow must remain locked as the opposite arm pulls the bowstring back (power and flexibility). All that remains is the release (speed), which propels the arrow toward its target.
The heart in this example is reflected in the countless hours that the archer has dedicated to familiarizing herself with her equipment and refining her skills. Her ultimate success and efficiency lie in being properly "equipped", not in the equipment itself.
