First Impressions

When you meet face to face for the first time with a college coach, you have probably been told to shake hands firmly and look him in the eyes as he speaks. You have also probably been told to speak decisively, and with good grammar.  Hopefully you have also been told to call him by his last name, such as Coach Jones, not Coach Bill.

However did you know that most coaches and their staff do as much research on you as you do on them?   How does this happen? Your references are only one part of the equation, you already know they are on your side….they’re YOUR references. What most student athletes fail to realize is that, in this electronic age every thing you put out there is usually easily obtained. In other words even us old-guy coaches have Facebook pages, and subscribe to My Space…..so what’s on yours?  Remember, your first impression may take place before you even meet a coach.  Check your cell phone voicemail greeting,  how would it sound to a coach?  Do you make an impression that’s positive as a student athlete?  You want coaches to be excited about recruiting you and not leave questions in their mind as to your character and makeup.  So………check your stuff, make sure your wall doesn’t create a wall in the mind of any coach. Make sure your first impression is a positive one, whether in person or not.