Former high school coach and athletic administrator Mark Brunswick shares the second part of his views on high school baseball and how to make a good first impression on the next level of baseball…if you want to play beyond high school.
By Mark Brunswick for Press Pros Magazine
As I ponder this article on high school sports, I have been bouncing around the ideas of transfer portal, extended college eligibility and NIL, I have come to the realization that it is here. And, we will just have to adjust to the process.
But, with these changes in the athletic system several things cannot change as you approach your sport and your values in life. I’ve now sat back and watched the modern-day sporting world evolve and have noticed many things that have been accepted and really come in harsh contrast to how the recruiting system looks at an athlete.
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Examples include, bat flips, taunting your teammates and opponents, showing up a teammate, antics on the court or field, showmanship and just being too much of an individual and not being a good teammate. I, along with many coaches that care about athletes’ future success, try to educate them on what is right and how you handle things on and off the sporting fields.
It takes patience…”Hours of standing out there learning how to field a ground ball, or perfecting the grip on a curveball” – Former high school baseball coach, Mark Brunswick
Those coaches that want to see the best in an athlete tend to be in the minority, and many coaches or mentors today allow the athletes to conduct themselves in very selfish ways that really stunt the future progress of the athlete. Please do not be that coach.
Ever since we argued between the old school and new school coach, we have lost stability on what an athlete should look like today on and off the field.
Remember, there is a school and it is called ONE school where athletes cannot lose sight of responsibility, accountability, and self-discipline. The coach and athlete that adheres to these values will be in constant mentorship for a lifetime which will then turn into an everlasting friendship. How many times do you hear over the course of a lifetime “Man I wish I had someone in my life to mentor me through sport and life, or I wish I had those years back”.
Well, here it is so take something from this advice as people are watching your every move in the recruiting process. You only get one chance in this process. Many of these things they watch for have nothing to do with your athleticism. I’m giving you years of advice as I talk daily to those recruiters ranging from professional to any college level sport.
Things that have been shared with me from my conversations with recruiters is the following are things that will be a turnoff to them, and they will then look for another athlete….
Body Language
Language and how you talk to people
Showmanship that demonstrates individualism
Not caring for others’ success
Pouting and not being a team player
Troubled behavior
Troubling social media page. First thing they follow up on
Academic neglect
Lack of playing hard
Ability to fight through adversity
Me over We personality
Notice not one of them mentioned your athleticism or how successful you are in your sport. Remember, there are millions of other athletes out there that are just as good as you that they are recruiting. These are the separators that will keep them from recruiting, or even signing you!
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On the flipside and some will be the opposite from the above, these are the things they will be looking for to continue the recruiting process with you…
Pure hustle
Relentless desire to win
Great classroom work
Caring more about the results instead of statistics
Genuine care for others’ success. MUDITA!!!
Playing for your team and not your name on the back of the jersey
Your levels of self-discipline, taking responsibility and accountability in your actions demonstrated
Respect shown to coaches, umpires and officials
Language or actions taken after adversity hits the individual
How you present yourself on the playing field
Will to prepare to win
In closing, with the NIL and transfer portal being a mainstay in the future, a D1 athlete will always be a crapshoot unless you are a bona-fied blue chip player. Keep working hard on your craft while paying attention to the intangibles listed above. Be patient in the process as it is alright to go to colleges that are not D1. Get your numbers in performance and maybe enter the portal later for a D1 opportunity. Remember, they take athletes from all levels of colleges.
And by all means…enjoy your high school years. Don’t chase scholarships, let them chase you. Let the process unfold. Play your cards well and remember that many sports do not offer full rides.
So, take care of the intangibles above and hopefully get an opportunity. If you can really play, these are the things that get you noticed.
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