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Today we're talking to André Lennox, recruiting coordinator at Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (@lavacademy), or LAVA for short. Recruiting is a complex topic, and I know a lot of listeners are extremely motivated, extremely serious people - if you're a club staffer, you want to make sure your club is setting your players up for success, if you're a parent, you want to know what works, if you're an athlete, you want to DO what works.
I've known André for about a year, and I've wanted to get him on this podcast for a while now, because more than anyone I've talked to, he's a guy who has figured out the recruiting process. He's cracked it.
In this episode, we talk about how LAVA uses gamification to get players to take ownership over their own recruiting processes, we talk about the small things clubs can be doing to help their athletes get to the next level, how LAVA believes in empowering their players to succeed by giving them the tools to control their own destinies. We talk about why video is transforming the recruiting landscape, making it possible for players on the west coast to get recruited and play for colleges all the way on the other side of the country. And let me tell you, none of this is conjecture, it's all been tested and refined at LAVA and it's backed by real world success.
Today we have Jordan Nies (@jordannies), veteran college coach who has dealt with the collegiate recruiting process from the other side of the table - the side with the college coaches doing the recruiting.
When you look across the Internet, you'll find helpful recruiting advice. However, most information is from the perspective of the recruit. Whether the advice is from a high school coach, club sports coach or club recruiting coordinator, or even a former collegiate athlete, you rarely hear from the college coach who actually does the recruiting. You rarely hear from people like Jordan Nies.
Until now.
Because of NCAA rules, college coaches have to be really careful of talking to the wrong people and being accused of giving advice to companies that can be classified as "recruiting services," or in the business of acting as agents for high school players to get them into college. Because SportsRecruits is not a recruiting service - we're a SOFTWARE company - we can talk to college coaches about the recruiting process. And good thing we can!
Jordan has a perspective on the collegiate recruiting process you're not going to find anywhere else. He's been a standout athlete in high school, he got recruited to play sports at Bucknell, he was a Men's and Women's coach at Lycoming College. From there he went back to the High School level to coach some of the most gifted and talented young athletes at Culver Military Academy. He then became an assistant coach at the elite Division I College of Holy Cross. He's recruited the most sought-after young athletes in the country. He's coached All-Americans and Olympians. He knows what the families of high school athletes don't know but should, and he shares it with you on this episode.
The idea for this episode came from a blog post that he wrote for the SportsRecruits blogs, Summer Events Advice from a DI Coach, and after we saw the tremendous amount of interest that people all over the country have for his perspective, we decided to follow up and go really deep into the topics that matter to high school athletes trying to get to the next level and the club staffers tasked with helping them do it.
Today we have Matt Wheeler (@mattwheeler), Co-Founder of the tech startup SportsRecruits, the tech startup behind the recruiting management software platform by the same name. This episode is all about breaking down the recruiting process. Here’s why this episode is so valuable: while Matt has close to 15 years of experience with recruiting, this talk isn’t just about drawing from his experience. Rather, he combines the intuition he’s gained from all that experience with real, hard, empirical data to tell you what you need to know, and he cuts out all the other BS and misinformation you’ll find elsewhere.
He talks about the statistical realities of playing in college at the all levels, how many schools high school athletes should target to give themselves the best shot at overcoming the pretty steep odds; he breaks the recruiting process into three pillars: research, proactive outreach, and exposure. Most importantly, he gives you the blueprint to getting recruited. It requires a lot of effort, but it’s he maps it out for you in a way you’re not going to find elsewhere. Of course, the devil is in the details, so rather than me taking more time with this summary, here’s Matt Wheeler.
On May 28, 2016, the United Women's Lacrosse League (the "UWLX") will kick off its inaugural season in Bethlehem, PA. Michele "DJ" DeJulius is the first Commissioner for the professional women's lacrosse league that she thinks is poised for greatness.
That Michele is at the forefront of such a significant turning point in lacrosse is a surprise to no one who follows the sport. She's a titan in the world of women's lacrosse. The 4 time collegiate All-American who first picked up a lacrosse stick as a freshman in high school and qualified for the U.S. National Team just four years later has too many awards to mention in an episode summary while still qualifying as a "summary."
She's risen to the top of the U.S. Lacrosse world as a player and as a coach. She captained the 2009 U.S. Women's World Cup team that won it all in the 2009 FIL World Cup in Prague.
In 1999, she joined the Baltimore City Police Department and quickly rose through the ranks as a member of the SWAT Team and later as a Detective in the Executive Protection Unit. During her five-year career in law enforcement, she earned a Meritorious Conduct Award and the Police Commissioner's Award of Excellence.
Despite the demands of her law enforcement career, she still found time to found the Ultimate Goal Lacrosse Club in January 2001. The club quickly grew in size and reputation, and today the club has over 500 members every year.
- How great coaches adapt their coaching methods for different players, age groups, learning styles [5:45]
- On coaching the U.S. National Team [7:47]
- On the importance of role models for young women. [12:30]
- How it felt to become teammates with her heroes. [14:21]
- How she finds the time to coach 20-30 kids every week as President of her club [21:28]
- What separates Ultimate Goal Lacrosse Club from other clubs (and why she's thankful for all the other clubs out there) [25:50]
- What the UWLX means for women of all ages; why the league is so important. [36:05]
- Michele predicts which UWLX team is going to win it all this year. [37:47]
Select Quotes
- "I always feel like I'm a good listener, and I want to make sure I'm doing what is asked of me. But I also want to make sure I'm going above and beyond."
- "If kids are always asking questions or they're not doing what you've asked them, then you haven't taught it. [...] Every kid learns differently."
- "For me, being a 'master' is just from experience and putting the time in."
- "You have to be able to instill confidence in a kid and make them feel like they're amazing and that they can do it. I enjoy that part (of coaching)."
- "In my 20-some years in this sport, some of the people that I looked up to the most were the US players. I would go to those US clinics, and I remember specifically in high school having them come and just being in awe. That influenced me immediately, where I was like, 'I wanna be like them one day.'"
- "I like to be responsive. So, if someone emails me, I would never let it go for longer than 24 hours, and if it's going to, I'll email them because I want them to know it's important to me."
- "We are very on top of communicating with the college coaches on our kids' behalf. A lot of times, that might not be something that a parent or kid could see unless I told them. But we've started using LacrosseRecruits, which has been really good. I've been able to manage a lot of our kids easier, they've been able to communicate with the coaches, and I've been able to see what they've been doing and making sure that I can keep them accountable."
Selected Links
Today we're talking to Jared Spires, the Chief Operating Officer for the soccer club Real Colorado.
And wow, what a guest he is. Let me just read a snippet of his resume to give you an idea. Jared began coaching at the age of 19 and became the Director of the Competitive Program for then Douglas County Blast, later renamed Real Colorado. He holds a USSF A license, the highest achievement in the US in coaching criteria, which he earned at the age of 26. He spent some time at Vanderbilt University as the women's assistant soccer coach, and here's something youth soccer fans everywhere can get excited about. You've probably heard of a young phenom by the name of Mallory Pugh, the 2015 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year, who this January became the youngest female player to be selected and play for the U.S. national team during an Olympic qualifying tournament. Jared coached her at Real Colorado when she was a U-11 and U-12 and has been front and center watching her develop into the player she is today. Currently, Jared is the Chief Operating Officer at Real Colorado, where his duties are accountability for managing the operating budget, implementing policy, and operationally leading Real Colorado in the direction determined by himself, the Executive Director of Coaching/President, and the Board of Directors.
We talk about all of this and more in this 30 minute interview. We talk about what it was like coaching Mallory Pugh, how she compared to other players at her age and how Jared thinks young players can and need to emulate about her development, as well as what players can't or shouldn't emulate. We talk about the recruiting process, what Jared views as the proper role of the club staff in the process. We also get into the thorny issues surrounding the ECNL and the Development Academy, what ECNL clubs like his are doing to prepare for the GDA in the next 6, 12, 18 months, how he thinks the situations is going to play out in that time and into the future. It’s a great conversation, I really hope you enjoy it, so without further ado, here’s my conversation with Jared Spires.
On Episode 2
At FLG Lacrosse Club, CEO Mike Winkoff and his son, Program Director Corey Winkoff, have a unique approach toward the youth lacrosse. Their mission is to develop well-rounded "studletes" who excel on the field, in the classroom and in their communities.
In Episode Two, we sit down with Mike and Corey Winkoff from FLG Lacrosse. The Winkoff’s have a ton of experience in the lacrosse space as players, coaches and administrators. In the podcast, they provide poignant commentary on a variety of topics including the early recruiting phenomenon, and provide salient advice for club owners, parents and student-athletes.
Show Notes
- On first positive and first negative experience of playing lacrosse as a parent/coach-son combination, and using those experiences to shape current the current mindset [3:40]
- On the history of FLG Lacrosse [7:25]
- On how they go about helping players in the recruiting process [9:00]
- On why they enjoy assisting players in the recruiting process [11:15]
- On helping parents who may be feeling the pressure in the recruiting process [13:15]
- On the clubs values, goals and philosophy [24:15]
- On early recruiting [26:15]
- On establishing relationships between the club and college coaches [36:10]
- On advice to club staffers and parents in dealing with the recruiting process [40:30]
Selected Quotes from Mike Winkoff
- “I wasn’t happy with the landscape. So we started a team. We had one team, and raised the money from donors. Nobody paid for anything – hotels, tournament fees, etc. The following year (2006-7), we had three teams – two boys teams and one girls team – and raised $225,000. Of course in 2008, the world changed and we had to move to the pay for play model. But that is where we started.”
- “The recruiting process for me and the directors is probably our favorite part of the job, because you are helping somebody make the biggest decision in lives to that point that is going to form the rest of their life. It’s a great experience.”
- “The bottom line is you have to be real with the family. Every student-athlete is so different. If you have anxiety because somebody else does something – that is a bit short-sighted. You can’t get caught up in the stuff that’s not important. What’s important is the happiness of the child. At the end of the day, it’s about where and when is the right fit.”
- “The pressure put on these kids, being recruited so young, is unfortunate. If it was up to myself and Corey, they would only recruit rising seniors. But we can’t change that landscape. So what we have to do is tell parents and help them realize. We once had a player get 11 DI offers his rising senior year. So there is always opportunity. At the end of the day, the kid who commits later is in a better spot. They are finding the right fit. An eighth or ninth grader cannot find the right fit. They are just trying to figure out high school.” “We know the process is flawed. These kids aren’t ready to make the decision of where to go to college. It’s all about guidance, and sometimes, the parents need it more than the kids.”
- "LacrosseRecruits is our organizational tool for recruiting, and it's been a godsend. It helps our kids organize themselves; it helps us organize each recruit – following their activity and seeing what they are doing. We need that tool for a small program like ours – I can only imagine how bigger organizations do not have something like that.”
- “If you come to our program, everybody plays equally. We are not looking to win the fourth grade national championship. It’s not something that means anything to us. We want to develop the players and get them better. Our goals are different than other people’s goals.”
- “The biggest problem that I see is they are not spending the time to evaluate the fit. They are rushing through the process instead of doing their homework. Look at the process identically as if you weren’t an athlete. Do the homework about the school – how the child fits academically, socially and economically for the family.”
- "I believe that our job as club directors is to be what the guidance teacher is in school. Get to know the student-athlete and what makes them happy. We all know the happier the student, the better their experience."
- “We are not saying our philosophies are the right ones. We are saying they are ours. We want like-minded people in the organization. We are not saying we are right and others are wrong. We are saying if these philosophies and morals align with yours, come join our program."
Selected Quotes from Corey Winkoff
- “Youth sports shouldn’t really be about the wins and the losses. It should be about the development.”
- “We find it insane that there are clubs out there with four or five teams per age group. How could you possibly help all of those kids? That’s why we stick to the one team per age group.”
- “Every player’s recruiting process is different. Some happen a lot sooner than others. That’s where the time comes in. We have a passion for helping players get from one stage to the next. The motivation comes naturally.”
- “It depends on what you represent and what you want your brand to represent. In our minds, if we have 20 players, we want 20 players to have amazing experiences and be happy. If only 19 are happy, it’s up to us to reevaluate.”
- “If you are playing for our program, we feel you want to use the sport of lacrosse to get into a great school or set yourself up for success.”
About FLG Lacrosse
Through lacrosse, FLG teaches its members valuable skills, such as leadership, teamwork, friendship and a good work ethic, that are important in every aspect of life. Off the field, FLG players are taught the importance of giving back, partaking in various charities, mentoring and community service events. Since its inception in 2007, the FLG organization has successfully used lacrosse as a foundation to build more than just athletes.
An In-Depth Discussion about the athletic recruiting process with Patty Costlow, Recruiting Coordinator at Munciana Volleyball Club.
Patty has over 25 years of experience in club sports space, and she has some choice words for clubs: “I would challenge club directors. You have to take a look at what you can offer your club participants much more seriously. It is our duty as owners of clubs, as staff of clubs, as coaches of clubs to be a part of the process. It takes being all in.”
In Episode I, we sit down with Patty to discuss what it takes for student-athletes, families, and clubs for successful collegiate recruiting. In this discussion, Patty touches on why communication is so vital to the recruiting process, why relationships are paramount and much more.
Show Notes
- On developing an elite recruiting program with all 240 recruitable athletes at Munciana Volleyball Club [5:00]
- Managing communication between parents, student-athletes, college coaches, and club staff without losing the thread. [5:30]
- On the importance of building relationships in recruiting, both for clubs and players. [11:45]
- The biggest misconception in recruiting [13:18]
- Lessons about going from rejection to perseverance to success. [17:55]
- On clubs creating the best recruiting program: Where to Start and what to think about? [24:09]
Selected Links from the Episode | For Club Staff
Selected Links from the Episode | For Players and Families
Selected Quotes from Patty Costlow
- “It doesn’t matter if you’re the top player in the country or you’re the player at the bottom. The process is the same.”
- “There are a lot of talented athletes, and that’s the thing. A college coach has a big base to shoot from, but I hear from college coaches and they tell me, ‘You’ve got 3 athletes that are all the same athletic ability, but were going to give the offer to the one that we know is the most interested.’”
- “You’re an athlete, that’s really not who you are. Without communication, that college coach doesn’t know who you really are.”
- “Be honest about the level you can play at, understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are, and then building a target list of schools and trying to communicate with those coaches.”
- “I want kids to understand that there’s always someone around that can help them determine those things. If you’re at a club and you don’t really have a recruiting coordinator, your club coach can help you. Your club director, your high school coach […] There’s always some type of resource.”
- “I would challenge club directors. You have to take a look at what you can offer your club participants much more seriously. The way that recruiting is now, college coaches recruit from clubs. It is, I think, our duty as owners of clubs, as staff of clubs, as coaches of clubs to be a part of the process. It takes being all in.”
- “When our ownership and our club directors went all in, they knew we’re not going back from here. This is where we change things. You have to have someone who is passionate about it, who’s dedicated to it.”