End Zone Athletics

Often times I am asked by young athletes and their parents “Is there anything I can do to improve my chances of getting a scholarship to play in college?” I am here to tell you that, YES there is! There are a bunch of things in sport that are out of our control, but luckily many of the things that can make you stand out as an athlete are controllable....

Number 1- ‘COACHABILITY’ ‘Coachability’ refers to the capability of an athlete to respond to coaching and instruction. If you are a ‘coachable’ athlete, you are someone who listens to your coaches, does what they ask to the best of your ability, doesn’t complain or whine about things you have to do, and will practice the things that will make you better.

Number 2- HEART/CHARACTER/DESIRE If you are an athlete with heart & desire, you understand the difficulties of improvement. You are dedicated to your sport, training and to your team. You will never quit, no matter how hard it gets. You will attack every challenge presented to you as if it is the last thing you may do. You gladly accept tests of strength, endurance and character. You give everything you have, for as long as you can. You put TEAM first, and SELF second. Every college coach in America needs athletes with these character traits. If you don’t have these kinds of athletes on your team, you will lose.

Number 3- BE PHYSICAL AND AGGRESSIVE A physical, aggressive athlete stands out among many others. You need to get yourself strong and in great shape so college coaches and scouts never question physical potential. If you have a base of strength, it WILL show in your performance. You must also play/compete aggressively. This is simply playing as hard as you can, and not being afraid to fail. I know of many athletes at the collegiate level who were recruited solely on their ability to be aggressive.

Number 4- ENCOURAGE TEAMMATES/PUSH TEAMMATES TO BE BETTER A good teammate is always appreciated. Coaches love them, and other team members love them. You can always make your team better by being a good teammate, whether you’re in the game or on the bench.

Number 5- DO WELL IN SCHOOL I always hear coaches and scouts asking “what kind of student is she/he?” The reason is that coaches and scouts want athletes who have the ability to think during competition, and that they don’t want to have worry about whether or not you will be academically eligible during the season. Everyone has the ability to do well in school. It is simply a matter of making it a priority. If school is a priority, then you will get help when you need it, you will attend class, and you will apply yourself when necessary. If school is not a priority, then any hopes and desires of anything beyond high school are not priorities either. As an athlete, you should understand that you are in the spotlight. Because of this, you are a person who is able to influence people. You should feel both proud and lucky, since most people are never in such a position. With this comes responsibility. You should be a model student and person for those who look up to you. One of the best ways to stand out as an athlete is for everyone around you (teachers, coaches, principals, and students) to say the same things- you are a great athlete, student and person.

Your ‘coachability’, heart & desire, ability to play physical and aggressive, ability to be a good teammate, and to do well in school are all ways to separate yourselves and get noticed by college recruiters, professional and Olympic scouts, and coaches. All of these are ALWAYS under your control.