The 2013 Walsh Jesuit Baseball Showcase for the Cure was the best yet. Besides raising money for worthy charities and giving local baseball talents the opportunity to "showcase" their abilities in front of a multitude of collegiate and professional recruits, it is also a great opportunity to learn. I know I learned.
The guest speaker this year was Coach Scott Stricklin (of Kent State Baseball fame, now Head Coach at The University of Georgia). He shared two powerful stories about what he looks for when he is recruiting athletes and I'd like to share them with you.
First, he shared the story of how he offered an athlete a college scholarship after a game that he did not play. He said he watched this athlete's actions as he sat out of the championship game. "This young man became the biggest encourager in the dugout, the first guy to help a teammate loosen-up his shoulder, and the first guy to congratulate a teammate." Those are the kind of athletes he wants to coach. So how do you act when your coach sits you down? How to you help your team when you are not playing? Who's watching you when you are not looking?
Read more about the 2013 Showcase HERE |
Second, he shared a story about how a highly talented potential freshman-starter lost his chance at being recruited because of his Twitter account. Coach Stricklin said within one minute of looking at this athlete's public Twitter account that there was no way he wanted that kind of person on his team. So what are you sharing online that a potential college coach could read? Is what your sharing going to help or hurt your future?
Be a great athlete. Be a great teammate. Be a great person.
Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance