by Michael Bucci
Founder of GetUrecruited.com
Whether you think you can, or think you can't...you're probably right. I don't remember who said that first, but, they were onto something.
It's Sept. 2000, I'm the captain of the Pace Lacrosse Team...receiving grants, transfer incentives, academic scholarships...and a debit card for my cafeteria that allegedly WORKS at McDonalds too...life is good.
My parents are helping me with college tuition & costs...so they're happy that Pace is picking up part of the tab. I mean, they never saw this coming...it's not like they EVER told me I could play college sports...let alone my coaches. So how did this all happen?
My story is a common one, not very glamorous...there was no signing bonus, no pictures taken when I committed, and nobody would have taken credit for this. There weren't coaches telling me to make a recruiting profile or highlight video...or to make sure I had met my eligibility requirements with the NCAA completed. I didn't have letters being sent to me, or phonecalls to my house...there were no official or unofficial visits. I didn't have to negotiate with a coach about 1/4, 1/2, or full scholarships...not here. I didn't know what I didn't know. So, I didn't even try.
THAT is the problem: Belief, and the unconscious incompetence. I didn't know what I didn't know. Fixing that is my single goal here. The Mahopac News is allowing us to be resourceful to you folks, so you can feel empowered to learn about what you don't know. Because....YOU don't know anything about recruiting or college scholarships...and guess when most of you start? When it's late! Too late many times. I've had over a dozen people come to us AFTER a coach requests a highlight video saying where do we start???
So, back to my long story, here's Michael Bucci, 5'7" (on a good day), 165 lbs... Captain of basically every team I played for...not for being the highest scorer, or biggest guy...but because I was just a captain kinda guy (let the pirate jokes begin). There are scholarships for that, right? I mean, I wanted to play quarterback when I was 16...who doesn't...when I actually said, out loud, that I wanted to get out of the blocking line and go to the try out line for quarterback. Immediately, the coaches chuckled and said..."get back over there Bucci...you're a lineman." I mean, can't I play quarterback and get scholarships? That's the only position that gets scholarships right? That's the only sport...right...football?
How could I possibly get money to play Lacrosse in college, after being the worst kid on my team in my Junior year...it's IMPOSSIBLE. Right?
The truth about everything I just wrote is that it's not reality. It's a true story, but it's not actually reality. Not anymore. The rules to the game have changed, and as a Mahopac legend Gerry Keevins said many times, as I've heard, "if you want to play at the next level, and really go on and play somewhere...come to my office on Monday and I'll help you." You see, while many coaches do want to help their players...very few actually, truly believe the following...and thus sell themselves, and their players short:
If you want to play badly enough, there is someone, some team, somewhere... out there that needs someone like you, with your unique talents. We just need to find them.
Laugh it up, go ahead. Coaches, dads, moms...boloney! I know that at first blush that sounds highly optimistic...but it's, well...kinda the truth. I mean, I've played in college with guys that really weren't any good...how did they make the team. What were they getting? It's feasible that after a year, a not-so-good freshman could develop and request assistance, in one way or another to stay...and guess what, it happens.
With online resources, you can send a transcript and resume, highlight video and pictures to a coach...in about 5 nanoseconds. Recruiting is a relationship business, and a talent business in one. I use the word business a lot for one reason. When people say "business is business" you are supposed to come back down to earth and realize business is about money and power and about being the best. Oh, and you're not supposed to take business personally; well, that's exactly what the recruiting process is like. So, start treating it like it's a business. Just ask parents that've been through it. It's cold and sometimes very very frustrating. Talent is like a "Hot Product" that you're bringing to a market...and Talent/product with no relationships/customers is just as bad as no talent/product...and lots of relationships/customers. Right or right?
If you would just spend the same time you spend looking up other people's status' on facebook AND actually try to build relationships with coaches, one way or another...well...I think you know the answer to that. Mom and dad, that was for you...not your kid.
However...If I, Mike Bucci, could get transfer incentives, grants, academic scholarships and more...to play lacrosse for the #1 ranked team in the country (Pace Lacrosse 1999), 2 years after being the worst kid on the team (just ask Robert Scipioni)...there is a chance for you, or your loved one. Trust me, I'm living proof. You just have to be willing to learn a game, and we all like games, don't we? We all like to win right? This game is called "The Recruiting Game", and you get to make the first move.
In time, you should be able to know the following: The Goals & The Rules. Anything else, will be by accident...or your fault. We take zero credit for your success, or your failure. There is no single answer, besides action.
Again, everything that you choose to learn or unlearn will bring you closer to being prepared for when that coach calls, or when the coach calls you back. So, while everyone's goals may be different, everyone's rules are the same...so, if you can learn the rules...here...for free...then you have a shot, right? Well hold on, not so fast...there's no science to recruiting....no magic potion, no promises.
Many companies out there charge fees to be part of their network, promising you that coaches see you more...with them, than with other websites, networks/services...and justify their value with their cost. Kinda cool huh? Charge lots of money, so, they've gotta be good...right? I've heard of moms that actually have done this, and have also just told me that they've simply sent a coach a youtube video of a highlight video, and gotten a better response. For free. Nothing wrong with either one, there is no one answer, but if you keep reading the following...it'll be a little more clear.
Where do we all start?
You start with the end in mind. You MUST know what you, the student-athlete, like and don't like, and the next article will be committed to developing a road map for you to jot down your goals and your likes/dislikes. If you get recruited, and get some money or prestige...then end up hating the school, and transferring...is that success? If you had to pay it back, wouldn't that be a total failure? If you could eliminate or reduce the chances of that occurring by doing some planning...could you think of any logical reason that you wouldn't invest that time into yourself?
A wise man, whom I quote often, once said: "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity". Teddy G was always right, and still is.
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