The number of variables that can go into a recruit’s decision making process are immeasurable. Throw in the multiple perspectives that those elements can be evaluated from and it’s a modern miracle that any prospect ever identifies that elusive perfect fit that they’re desperately hoping to find.
Things can be looked at from the basketball and athletic perspective. They can be scrutinized from the academic and “preparation for real life” point of view. And of course you can assess things on a personal basis judging just what each setting has to offer as a place to call “home” throughout your college career.
Home sweet home; let’s talk about the role of home in the recruiting process. One of the answers coaches look for early in their recruiting efforts is whether a prospect is willing to go away to school rather than stay relatively local or regional. For the athlete home or away may be dictated by what schools are interested and what level they compete on. If it’s the goal of a prospect to play at the highest level possible and the programs fitting the bill are all located a considerable distance from home her decision becomes much simpler. If the only schools showing interest, regardless of level, are close to home the decision to stay or go again becomes much easier. For the sake of discussion and this column, let’s assume that a prospect has options close to home and across the country that fit the level she’s hoping to play on at the colligate level.
First and foremost it’s a decision an athlete has to make for herself if she’s going to be content with her choice and make the most of her opportunities. The degree to which the importance of home will come into play will vary from individual to individual. For a recruit and her family it can be a challenging and sometimes contentious part of the decision.
Let’s face it; home isn’t really the house or town that a recruit has grown up in. It’s the people that surround her and will continue to be a part of her life. When someone packs up and goes to school things change for those individuals as well no matter what the distance to campus ends up being. The considerations can extend to communication, financial resources, ability to travel, time off from work and you can never underestimate the potential impact on the lives of younger siblings should there some at home.
Going away to school today isn’t quite the uphill grind that it was many years ago. Modern communication makes the distance much less a factor than it once was for recruits. Unlimited minutes on the cell phone, texting, Skype, e mail and social media allow for daily contact that was often sacrificed back in the days of after 11 pm long distance calls and hand written snail mail.
However, one reality that has not nor ever will change is the actual mileage. Barring the advent of some Star Trek type transporter, getting from A to B is always going to be quicker, simpler and cheaper than getting from A to Z. During the decision making process thought has to be given to the costs and convenience of getting to and from for both the athlete and those around her and ultimately the importance of that accessibility.
Consideration also has to be given to the time element. If you’re willing to consider a school within a four hour driving radius it doesn’t make sense to rule out another solely due to distance because it might require getting on a plane. Of course if you look at the financial aspect of that rationalization you also have to admit it’s still going to be cheaper to get behind the wheel, particularly on game night when the whole family buckles up for the drive. While nothing beats being there in person, you can flip the thought process back over again and acknowledge that more and more games are being broadcast on television and a large majority of programs are streaming their games via the internet. Those kind of increased viewing opportunities can minimize the distance to some degree in the decision making process.
For the athlete herself the time and cost equation requires some careful thought. Yes, your time is limited and you’re not going to be running home every time you turn around. On the other hand the NCAA does have practice restrictions in and out of season that actually do create some occasional time off. The opportunity to get home for a birthday, a brother or sister’s ball game, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or just a little extra time at Christmas are nice benefits of not straying too far from home.
At the same time there are athletes who need the distance and it’s limitations to mature and establish their independence while creating something of their own for the first time in their lives. With all due respect to some parents, there are many kids looking for a little separation from those parents who constantly talk as if her career is a group effort. “We’re looking at this or that” and “This is important to us” etc… Sorry folks, but “we” aren’t going to school, she is. I’ve seen many athletes looking to get away in an effort to take ownership of their own future.
Recruiting and romance. While you would hope it wouldn’t have to be said it’s important to minimize the role of a personal relationship in this aspect of a recruiting decision. Staying home because the love of your life is there or going off to a specific school because that individual attends or lives close by generally leads to disaster. Someone who truly cares for you will support your decision regardless of location. If geography impacts your relationship you’ve got other issues anyway.
Early in the process there’s only one answer which college coaches can put a lot of stock in and that’s the recruit who makes it clear that she’s not going to go far from home. An individual like that is basing her thoughts on things she’s intimately familiar with and has already experienced. That doesn’t mean she won’t change her mind but more often than not this is the kind of prospect who will use home as a starting point and determine her short list by those schools that have shown interest and are located within a specific parameter she feels comfortable with.
On the other end of the spectrum, coaches often come across athletes who are adamant that they want to go away. Unfortunately many of those individuals have yet to look past the novelty of putting some miles between them and their current address. Quite few stay true to their word and end up racking up frequent flier mile throughout their college careers but others gradually start giving consideration to programs closer to home as they move deeper into the process. Sometimes just taking an official visit and realizing exactly what a three hour flight and a 300 dollar price tag will mean in the long run for them and their family can give them cause to reconsider. Conversely for other’s the very same experience can serve as a confirmation that changes in latitudes won’t lead to a change in their attitude. (Thank you Jimmy Buffet)
One real negative in recruiting are the prospects who know definitively where they’re going or at least have decided that they’re going to stay close to home yet still take some official visits just for the trips. If a school has no chance of receiving your sincere consideration you shouldn’t be taking their time and resources. The NCAA limits the number of Official Campus Visits a school can provide (12) and no coach wants to be wasting one on a recruit who already knows she’s going elsewhere. It’s not only the school that kind of selfish behavior may be impacting but there can be implications on another athlete that might be seriously considering that particular program.
The tough read for college coaches is the individual who says they’re not sure but are willing to consider going away from home. As a recruiter, you’ve got to try and establish just how seriously they’ll look at packing their bags and also identify how supportive their family and those around them are about their interest in possibly relocating. In the end most programs can’t afford to spend a lot of time and money on a recruit that, when the time comes, is going to realize that there’s no place like home.
Over the years on every staff I was a part of we encountered those parents who were clear that “it’s her decision and we’ll support her wherever she chooses to go” yet at the same time found a way to drop subtle hints about the impact going away would have on them. Usually what they really meant is that we’ll support you looking at any school you want but not so much in choosing any school you want. More than once we heard of folks offering to buy a car or provide some other resources if the ultimate decision didn’t involve a GPS and more than one tank of gas to get to campus. You might define that as conditional support and many times it has trumped the decision of an athlete who ultimately wanted to go away to school.
When you look at staying home or going away the right answer for one recruit may be the exact opposite for another. FOr some the location is irrelevant if they can find the opportunity that will help them make the most of their college experience in the classroom and on the court. An athlete doesn’t care any less for home or family because she goes away to school nor does one love hers more because she chooses to stay close to home. Each athlete must prioritize what’s important to them in the areas impacted by distance and then decide if those factors support or outweigh other academic, athletic, and personal concerns in her decision. Make your decision with your heart because in the end…. (Sorry!)… home is where the heart is.
