In college sports, one of the most interesting and common story lines is that of the newbies. The latest batch of talent that coaches look to be the future of the program.
From an outsider’s perspective, the formula for recruiting looks simple: play well in high school, programs will notice athletes and if they like them enough after seeing their film and making a couple visits, boom, they’re in.
Fans are always excited to hear about the newest addition and what the expectations are set at, being gaining with excitement for just who was asked to come be a member of a collegiate program.
Although recruiting seems simple in a broad view, it might only be outmatched in importance by tallies for wins and losses.
“It’s everything to the program,” Idaho women’s basketball head coach Jon Newlee said. “You have to have great players coming in to have success, and you have to have the right people.”
It isn’t by chance that Newlee and the Vandals have consistently found success through the years, in large part due to the program’s recruiting.
But what does being recruited look like from the player’s perspective?
Many would think that when a player is entering their senior year is when schools would begin to take notice from local or statewide hype and impressive stat lines. But, that isn’t the case.
The recruitment process for junior Janie King and sophomore Beyonce Bea started earlier than most might think.
“The recruiting process really got started for me in the spring of my sophomore year of high school,” Bea said. “That’s kind of when coaches started reaching out to me. I started calling them back having conversations getting to know different teams.”
Once Newlee and his staff have a player in their sights, they will watch film that is posted and distributed by the players, adding when programs can come watch them play both in the summer and regular season.
Bea and King said it’s not just hoping that a coach or program will hear about athletes. It’s about sending the best footage to as many coaches as possible, making sure you are seen.
“It’s definitely a big aspect being on the right team, just with a good coach who can help you just get recruiting the stuff out,” King said. “Being in a situation where your team has success by playing together really helps in finding the best fit later on.”
Players like King will get contact information after games from schools that were not on their radar, as the Eagle, Idaho native had her eyes set on the hometown Broncos before the Vandals.
Newlee said that another key is the importance of his staff. Newlee praises associate head coach Christa Sanford and assistant coaches Jordan Kelley and Drew Muscatell for their contributions year-round.
One of the biggest moments in high school are the coaches visiting to watch athletes on gameday.
Word quickly spreads through the school that college coaches are coming to watch their classmates play, leading to packed bleachers, large community support and rowdy student sections providing an atmosphere that won’t be forgotten.
Bea and King said those days were stressful and nerve-wrecking to perform your best, but weirdly at the same time made them calmer and more confident.
“At the same time, it helped me to just keep playing,” Bea said. “They’re already interested, that’s why they’re here, I don’t need to worry about that, I just need to go out and do what I do best.”
But there is more to getting noticed than just having raw talent.
Newlee, King and Bea all said that an impressive stat line or a high skill ceiling can help in getting noticed, but it’s a player’s personality, attitude and overall commitment to what is best for the team’s success that will decide whether they will be asked to be a Vandal.
“Whenever things are bad or good, whichever way, you really want a certain type of player and person in our program,” Newlee said. “So even though somebody might be a McDonald’s All-American and want to come here, if they don’t have the correct attitude, if they don’t have the respect and treating people the right way, they’re not coming here. We cut them off our list.”
The final step is the on-campus visits. Players tour the school and its facilities, sit in on a practice and end the trip with dinner with the entire team, Newlee and his family.
This is where recruits have a chance to connect with the team. Although some players don’t feel the vibe, finding a team where they are comfortable with who they are is what draws great teams together.
This is the circle of life of recruitment and a look inside to how the Vandals have not only built a successful program but have sustained it for over a decade with no sign of slowing down.
Zack Kellogg can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kellogg_zack.