Recruiting from a Coaches Perspective Part 2: Aaron Yoder

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be recruited? It takes more than fast times. This week Bethany College's coach, Aaron Yoder sits down with Milesplit Utah and explains what he looks for in athletes.

Milesplit: What are some good things high school kids do to get noticed/"self-market" themselves?

Coach Yoder: There are certain personality traits that make an individual more appealing to institutions of higher learning.  Traits such as initiative, integrity, punctuality and leadership.  A student athlete that takes the reigns and applies to schools and sets up visits is a highly regarded recruit.  It can be exhausting as a coach when one has to constantly remind the prospective student athlete of deadlines and completing necessary paperwork.  It’s uplifting when a student/athlete has the integrity to fulfill certain obligations in a timely manner in order to ensure their enrollment and collegiate success.  These traits can undeniably assist a recruit with lower test scores and lesser athletic ability.  I will take a student/athlete with strong leadership skills and integrity over a more talented athlete who is self-absorbed and lazy any day.

Milesplit: What are some bad things high school kids have done to get noticed/"self-market" themselves?

Coach Yoder: When a recruit only talks about athletics it will raise some red flags.  I am very interested in what a prospective student/athlete is drawn towards outside of sports.  I find it very difficult to communicate with an arrogant self-absorbed athlete.  It can be a point of disinterest when a coach notices selfish tendencies because those individuals only bring the institution and team down. I look at the person as whole and focus on the runners core values.  Typically when the individual has been raised correctly and they are a successful person they will have a tendency towards academic and athletic success.  I look for successful people to build my program.  The traits that make an athlete undesirable are selfishness, laziness, dishonesty, tardiness and disrespect.  We have no tolerance for these types of behaviors within our team.  In that regard I am very attentive when speaking to recruits as to recognize positive and negative traits they would bring to the team.

Milesplit: What amount of scholarship should kids expect? Do full rides really exist?

Coach Yoder: This is a very good question.  There are a several answers in regard to scholarshipping athletes.  First and foremost every potential student/athlete should complete the FAFSA form.  This will allow the individual to receive federal and state assistance in proportion to the legal guardian’s income. For example if a recruit comes from a lower economic background the federal and state government can provide grants (free money), high loan amounts and other loans that can be forgiven.  For students coming from higher economic backgrounds there is still the potential for state grants but also loans- that can be unsubsidized or subsidized.  Therefore it is imperative that students fill this form out in the spring of their senior year after the tax period.  The second part the answer is for every collegiate division there is a different scholarship system.  In order to simplify this process i can tell the future student/athletes that your scholarship will be highly dependent on your ACT/SAT score and cumulative GPA.  Additionally your scholarship will also depend on your athletic success and potential for the future.  Lastly, there are some institutions that will factor in leadership experience and community service.  Every school is unique in how the award scholarships but it is very rare to receive a full institutional scholarship.  Now it does happen when a student athlete has very high academic marks, has been very successful athletically and they come from a family of low economic status.  My advice is to do research on the school and fill out a cost calculator for the school.  If one concludes that the school is a great fit and they like the coach then it would be appropriate to discuss the scholarship status.  Be sure to have your parents in the room or on the phone when scholarship amounts are being discussed.

Milesplit: When can high school athletes contact you? Is that helpful for them to contact you?

Coach Yoder: There are different rules about communication in different divisions.  Bethany College is a private 4 year institution that is governed by the NAIA.  Our rules say that a high school student can contact us whenever they want.  Now the NCAA is slightly different and there are more rules and regulations.  It is very helpful when an individual contacts me because then I know they are interested.  Additionally it’s encouraging to know that someone researched our school or heard through the grape vine that we exist.  Coaches love it when a prospective student/athlete takes initiative to contact a potential school.

Milesplit: When can a high school athlete visit a college, will they be able to check out the program when they come?

Coach Yoder: College visits can occur whenever it works in best for the recruit.  Every institution has an admissions department.  The job of admissions is help facilitate enrollment and recruitment of prospective students.  When an individual is interested in a school they should talk to the admissions department about when they can come visit.  It is important to mention any academic and athletic interests.  That way the admission representative can set up a tour that includes time with specific academic advisors and coaches.  Most of the visitation process is completed online.  The coach of any school will gladly direct the recruit to the admission home page and give appropriate phone numbers.

Milesplit: What are the differences between an official and unofficial visit? Do non D1 schools have official visits?

Coach Yoder: An official visit is set-up by the admissions office.  This means a prospective student has registered for a tour that will be customized around the recruit’s interests.  An unofficial visit is when a recruit comes to the school to visit a friend/family member or is watching an event.  My advice is to schedule and plan an official visit that way you get an accurate and informative look at the school from different perspectives.

Milesplit: What personality traits define the best kids you have coached?

Coach Yoder: The best individuals are coachable ones. This means they possess the ability to absorb correction and apply it to their life and training positively. Coachable kids are ones who have a desire to learn and listen to authority figures such as parents, teachers and coaches.  It takes a humble mentality and discipline to transform into the best person one can be.  I admire anyone who does what it takes to improve and get closer to the purpose they were made for.  If I can teach an athlete life lessons through running I know they can become a successful professional in some other area in life.

Milesplit: What are some personality traits that make kids harder to coach?

Coach Yoder: It can very hard to coach an individual with a selfish attitude and inflated ego.  Running is such a tough sport and it’s almost entirely individually based.  But there is strong element of team support and the most successful runners all have great teammates and a family to help in the long journey.  Not one person can do it alone.  Sometimes we can provide help to a struggling team mate and sometimes we ourselves need the help. Those who never see the need are most difficult to coach.

Milesplit: Is it true that all the good runners, thus all the good competition, go to Division 1 schools?

Coach Yoder: The myth is incorrect.  In fact some of the best runners are competing in smaller divisions.  It only seems like the best runners go to the Division I schools because the bigger schools are more saturated with talent.  The talent level is the same in smaller divisions there just fewer runners at high levels.  The quality is the same the quantity just varies.  The smaller schools can be a beneficial environment to prospective runners because they will get more one on one attention from professors, community members and coaches therefore improving the success rate of student/athletes.

Milesplit: What else do you tell kids to look for when thinking about school?

Coach Yoder: One of the biggest pieces of advice I offer those who have committed to a school is to find a church that you can attend regularly.  College can provide a lot of opportunities and positive experiences but it can also be a very challenging environment.  One needs to find a church family that will be there when times get tough.  It will also give a student/athlete a higher sense of purpose and value.  Being close to a church family will give someone a sense of peace when they are away from home in a very uncertain setting known as college.

Milesplit: What are some questions for kids to ask any college coach they talk to?

Coach Yoder: Some great questions would be- What are your academic programs like?  What is the town like, what is there to do outside class and practice?  What is your personal coaching philosophy?  How many people are on your team?  May is speak with one of your athletes about the school and athletic program? What are the facilities like? What is the total cost of school? My advice is to tailor questions towards your interests and concerns.  If the coach is unable to answer your questions feel free to ask for numbers of someone across campus who can.

 

Recruiting from a Coaches Perspective Part 1: Brent Bailey