Parents of Athletes

Guiding Families Through the Club, High School, College and Professional Athletic Process

Parents of Athletes

Author Archives: MichaelAndersonStone

Reclassing up; a mistake – DJ Burns

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I’ve been saying for a long time that there’s no hurry to get to college and graduating early is a bad decision. Here’s the latest example supporting that. DJ Burns. He went to Tennessee early. He didn’t survive and was gone in a year because, by his parents’ admission, he wasn’t ready to handle college. He then transferred home to a smaller school.

 

Burns had taken enough classes to graduate from high school a year early. His family formulated a plan with Tennessee and decided Burns could handle the academic rigor a year ahead of schedule. And he did. It was the lifestyle he wasn’t ready for.

“Maturity-wise, he was not ready,” Takela said. “He needed to be back home to grow and mature. After you go to the University of Tennessee as one of their star athletes, whether you redshirt, you got access to everything and every party. He had fun.”

 

Washington Post April 5th 2024 Adam Kilgore

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/04/05/dj-burns-nc-state/

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Email of the Day: Changing Schools Too Many Times

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These emails are part of an exchange between me and a parent who contacted me looking for advice on having his child change prep schools. This same parent opted not to hire me a year ago when the child last switched schools. This is the child’s third school in four years (one public, one parochial, one prep – he reclassed) and they want to switch to a fourth school for his final year. His younger brother also currently attends the same school and they would like the two to stay together.

 

Kyle,
I tend to look at a much bigger picture than most families and others involved in the process. In your case, I think Michael should stay at his current prep school. After 3 schools in 4 years, it’s pretty clear the problem isn’t the schools, it’s Michael, you and his mom. You are the common denominator. If your goal is to best position yourselves for the future, the best thing you can do right now is to stick it out for once. That will start to try to reverse the bad foundation you’ve laid and the bad habit you’re all in of picking the wrong school and/or leaving when things get tough. (As it stands now, you’re likely to keep doing the same thing when he gets to college.) I think the best plan for everyone is to stay where he is and hire me now to help you with the college process. That’s the big picture.

If you want to just look at the smaller picture and decide you definitely want to change schools, I have a couple that I think are exactly what you’re looking for. I said yesterday that you can’t afford to make another mistake, but there’s another way to look at it that’s probably more accurate or at least more realistic. At this point, from a basketball standpoint, you have nothing to lose. You know you’re not going to get the basketball you want at his current school next year and you’ve already been to 3 schools so one more isn’t going to make much of a difference. If you want to, you can definitely put him in a better overall basketball situation for his last year. This will put him in the best position to be recruited and ready to play at the college level.

I know that ideally, Sam would move to the same school as Michael. The schools I have in mind would also be a good match for Sam and have room for him.

 

Mike

 

Dad’s response:

Mike,

I appreciate you keeping it real.  Kris and I both deep down felt the right move is to stick it out at his current school.  Michael loves the school, academics are great, etc.

Kris and I plan to have a call with his AD and coach and express our concerns, give them a chance.  You are right, Michael needs to stick it out and us supporting his habit of when it gets tough roll out needs to stop.

 

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Email of the Day: Communicating with College Coaches

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Most parents are uncomfortable trying to initiate recruiting communication with college coaches. Few do it well. Here’s a good example of an appropriate inquiry from parents and a well-written, honest, no BS response from a D1 coach. (If you’re curious, the coach responded in two days, which is more than appropriate.)

 

Dear Coach Smith,

Our daughter is Ophelia Harris and she would like to play for you.  She is a rising junior at West High School located here in Monroe Tennessee.  We are naïve to the process so we are soliciting you directly for guidance, direction and interest on how we might possibly move forward.  My wife and I hope this is not inappropriate.

Brief background: Ophelia is attending West HS because of academics.  For 2020 US News and World Report currently ranks West at 13 th in National Rankings.  She currently is carrying at or near a 4.0 GPA.  Humbly, she is very athletic.  Her formal basketball training is very new compared to her peers.  Her early athletic pursuits were focused on figure skating and have since transitioned to basketball.  Her basketball pursuit is currently represented by individual personal training, High School team and AAU teams.

We have attached a brief ‘Hudl Video’ from some of her high school games from the abbreviated 2020-2021 season which all are in agreement was a very challenging COVID season for all.

Again, my wife and I are attempting to drive a process we are unfamiliar with so reaching-out to you directly.  We are for certain you are very busy.  As your schedule permits, if you would be so kind to provide your feedback it would be most welcomed as deemed appropriate.

Thank you in advance for your generous response.

 

With kindest regards,

George & Astelle Harris

 

 

Mr. Harris,

Thank you for reaching out, and thanks for your patience in my response. According to NCAA rule, I am not allowed to engage with prospects or their parents via email once they enter high school up until September 1st entering their Junior year. However, I understand how difficult this process is, and I want to help you with as much information as I can without commenting specifically on Ophelia’s talent as it relates to Eastern State University (trying to stay as compliant as possible). Anyway, I truly commend you to wanting to help your daughter and for seeking help in that regard.

For some background, I’ve coached at the DI, DII and DIII levels. They are all very different. Right now, is the perfect time to begin to think about Ophelia’s recruitment as mid-major DIs and lower are just now developing their lists for her age group. As she is still a sophomore, this will be a big spring and summer for her where she will begin being evaluated and eventually recruited. Right now, though, the goal is to just get her on programs’ radars. I’d start by compiling a highlight tape, which you’ve done. I’d then have a link to a full game film that you think most appropriately shows her skill set. Lastly, I’d get her season statistics from her high school head coach. After that, I’d target programs of interest and I’d shoot them emails, attaching my summer schedule and contact numbers for the high school and/or AAU coach. I’d also encourage you to ask Ophelia’s high school and AAU coach to essentially do the same things. Tip: address each coach individually and send one email per recipient, it makes it feel more authentic and often is a separator for prospects. In addition to those things, I do think it helps to go to the Elite Camps of the programs that she is interested in. Unfortunately, due to COVID, I’m not sure how many of those opportunities there will be this year.

As far as evaluating Ophelia, from her highlight tape I can tell that her motor seems very high, she seems to play very hard and is very athletic. Based on her skill, size and athleticism that I was able to see in the highlight tape, she seems best suited for a DII level program as a quick/slashing small forward or power forward. I’ll be quite transparent, at this age, most prospects are at that DII level, so please do not take that as a slight. This summer, I’d encourage her to work on her ball skill (vision) as well as continuing to work on shooting the ball. I couldn’t tell much defensively from the highlight tape, but I could tell that she seems to be an impressive rebounder with good instincts for the ball. Based on her athleticism, I’d assume she is a solid defender, but I’d challenge her to be exceptional with those instincts and length and try to be as disruptive as possible. I haven’t seen full game film or anything, so please take this all with a grain of salt, but that’s what I could access through the tape.

Again, you all are taking good steps at the right time as far as reaching out. Ophelia is tracking as she should be talent wise. Last thing is for her to get ready and have a great summer!

Hope this helps!

 

Laurel Smith
Head Women’s Basketball Coach
Eastern State University

 

 

 

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Rome Before the Fall: Deion and College Sports

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A recent USA Today article stated that Deion Sanders has found “his calling” as a college coach and leader of young men. God help us. This is a guy who has always been about himself first and whose previous involvement with education at Prime Prep was at best a disaster, at worst illegal. His hiring is also a poor reflection on the college and athletic director, whose choice smacks of desperation. Like too many others, he seems to be blinded by Deion’s BS. In this case, he somehow overlooked the Prime Prep history. It’s a sad commentary on the state of D1 college sports and our society today.

 

 

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Today’s Quiz: Current Ivy AI Minimum?

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Question: What’s the current minimum number required to meet the Ivy League Academic Index (AI)?

 

 



Answer: 184

AI calculations are different this year as a result of the pandemic and optional test scores, so this may change again when (if?) things get back to normal. Still, it’s good to know what the minimum is, even if the calculations are more convoluted than ever.

 

 

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Quote of the Day: Money Over Fit

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Too many golfers, especially girls, are choosing full rides over schools that offer partial scholarships but are a better fit. It’s a big part of why we’re seeing so many transfers recently. 

 

This came out in a recent conversation I had with a Big XII women’s golf coach talking about how families are deciding which college to choose. It’s indicative of two things. One, the financial pressure families are feeling to pay for college. Two, most families don’t know how to make a good college choice. 

 

 

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Today’s Quiz: Covid, Test Scores and the Ivy AI

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Question: Given that the Ivy League is test-optional for applicants this year, is the league still requiring test scores for athletes as part of the Academic Index?

 

 

 

Answer: No, they are not required for athletes as part of the AI.

 

On the surface, this appears to make it easier for some students to be admitted who wouldn’t have been admitted if a test score were required. (The case for removing what is generally perceived as a socio-economic barrier.) There’s certainly some truth to that. However, as a result of removing the test scores, transcripts, classes, etc. are getting closer scrutiny, so the reverse could also be true. While meeting the AI minimum was never an automatic pass, if you hit the numbers, your chances were very, very good. You didn’t have much else to prove. Without the test score, it seems to be more subjective. Therefore, it’s possible that it won’t be any easier, and may even be harder, for athletes, especially low band, borderline ones, to be admitted.

 

Bonus Question:  If you have a test score, can your AI be calculated using the test score? In other words, can it be calculated the old way?

 

 

 

Answer:  Yes, and the higher of the two AI calculations (with and without the test score) will be used to make the determination. 

 

 

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Quote of the Day: “You’ve Ruined My Life”

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You’ve ruined my life. Why did I have to be born in October?

 

This from a serious hockey player who thinks his late birthday puts him at a nearly insurmountable competitive disadvantage. As if his mom (an MD, no less) and dad should have anticipated this 16 years ago when (if?) they were family planning. It’s part of his argument for reclassifying. It’s also a testament to age and today’s competitive athletic environment, especially in ice hockey.

 

 

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