BEAUMONT, Texas — High school students looking to become college athlete may not know if they will get the opportunity. A Beaumont coach is sharing his advice on how he believes aspiring athletes can better there odds.
West Brook High School's Coach Chuck Langston says there are five things students need to keep in mind when talking about recruiting, starting with measurables.
“That’s a big part of college coaching is looking at measurables," Coach Langston said. "What I mean by measurables is your height, your weight, your speed. If you have the height, weight, speed, and you may not have the production on the field, they’re looking for growth potential.”
A way to show potential is through film.
“Your highlight film is what’s gonna get the conversation in recruiting started, and I sat in on a lot of staff meetings where we watched a lot of kids in a day as a staff at North Texas, or whatever college I was coaching," Coach Langston said. "We’re not gonna spend but about three to four minutes on each prospect. We may be watching 50 guys, so when you put your highlights film together, it needs to be the most explosive plays.”
The coach feels none of that matters if grades aren’t impressive.
“Some colleges are all about academics, and you may need academic money to go to colleges, so grades are very very important in this process," Coach Langston said. "Obviously the better grades the more opportunity.”
Coach Langston believes an opportunity will present itself when interest does.
“I think as a parent, and I’ve raised three sons, you’ve gotta be realistic where your son fits in in the recruiting process," Coach Langston said. "Is he a Power Five guy? Is he a Group of Five guy? Where does he fit in? I think the biggest mistakes parents make is they spend a lot of money on the road in recruiting with colleges that don’t have any interest in their son.”
Like athletes, coaches feel the pressure to choose their recruits wisely, so they want to make sure they get a kid with worthwhile character
“Colleges, when they get here the number one thing we talk about is what’s a young man’s character, and what they mean by that is what’s his behavior in the classroom," Coach Langston said. "What’s his behavior in the hallways? Is he a great teammate? That’s important to them. Is he a guy that has great work ethic? Is he a guy that shows up after school and does the extra? Is he a guy that comes in the summer? 'Cause they’re looking to invest a lot of money in you. They want to know what they’re investing in.”
In summary:
- 1) Measurables Matter
- Size, speed & growth potential get recruiting started earlier for some even when production has not shown up
- Lift, run track, work hard daily
- 2) Grades Matter
- If you're a good player, with outstanding grades, there is a place for you in college football
- 3) Film Matters
- Highlights start the conversation but full-game film determines scholarship
- Highlights need to have most explosive plays, most coaches are only going to watch three to four minutes
- 11-on-11 film is more important than 7-on-7 or training film
- 4) Interest Matters
- Be intentional about where and how you spend your money on camps and visits
- Go see places that show genuine interest in you
- 5) Character Matters
- Colleges don't want to invest in BAD character
- What are you posting on social media?
- Behavior on campus, classroom and hallways
- Work Ethic, go to after-school workouts and summer workouts
- Are you a good teammate?