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Put Me in Coach: A Parent's Guide to
Winning the Game of College Recruiting by Laurie A. Richter Right Fit Press
book review by Wendy Thomas
"'Unless you have college coaches watching you when you in the ninth or tenth grade, you will most likely have to contact colleges yourself. There are a lot more unsigned seniors every year in January then there are early commitments in the fall.' Peter Cosmiano, Head Coach, Volleyball, Mississippi College"
This book is the must have inside guide for any parent trying to get their talented athlete into a good college hopefully along with a scholarship. It is immensely practical and filled with plenty of the information you will need to get your child placed on a college team.
In this clearly presented guide, Laurie Richter leads us step by step through the process from the very beginning stages of deciding if pursuing college sports is the right decision to creating your college list and finding the right fit, to getting coaches interested, getting recruited, and finally how to make your final decision. She manages to take a large complex process and break it down into digestible and understandable chunks. Each chapter is designed with bulleted lists calling out the main topics, pertinent quotes on the subject by various college coaches, and inside tips like "Everyone wants to be wanted. Coaches are no exception." Actual examples are used, such as a student resume and a letter template that students can send to coaches.
The preparation for your athlete to get into college begins the first day he walks into high school. Richter covers what types of classes are required for division schools and what types of activities coaches are looking from perspective players. She authoritatively and gently lets us know that not everyone will play sports in college. For example, the percentage of high school senior athletes who will make a college team for men's basketball is 3.0%; for soccer it rises to 5.5%. She points out that many parents have wasted a lot of time and money because of bad assumptions and pipe dreams about where their student can play.
Following the skills assessment guidelines provided allows you to make a qualified evaluation of your student helping you to not waste money applying to school that are simply out of your student's abilities. While this book may not be able to guarantee that your child get into a great scholarship on a full athletic scholarship, if you follow the information provided, it will save you time, money and maybe even a headache or two.