Come back every Monday for Coaching Staff's Advice on the college recruiting process, what they look for in athletes, and what to expect as a college athlete.
Rich Parker has been the head coach at Dartmouth for over a decade. His teams have won multiple tournaments, this includes the Bucknell Invitational and the Cornell Invitational. They also appeared in the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of the Lehigh Valley Collegiate Invitational and the Ivy League Championship.
That said, he has a ton of experience recruiting top athletes. Here's what you can learn from him:
Q: What is the most important quality you look for in a recruit?
A: A good kid who can handle the high's and the lows of being a top tier athlete.
Related: Rate Dartmouth College
Q: When should an athlete contact you?
A: I don't mind kids contacting me early as I love to read about them and their thoughts. It's nice when you get a good athlete who has his heart set on your school at a young age but does not happen often.
Q: How should an athlete contact you?
A: Email is the best to begin. I will talk to anyone and I'm not great with social media.
Q: What really jumps out at you when reviewing a recruits highlight tape? What are the main do's and don'ts for a recruits highlight tape?
A: I rarely watch a tape or CD. I would rather meet the athlete face-to-face. That gives me a feel for what he is all about.
Related: Rate Coach Parker
Q: When do you recommend recruits put together and share their highlight reels? Is it best to make their highlight reel during the offseason, in the middle of season, or after each game?
A: When they have time to do it right.
Q: What advice do you have for recruits that get turned down by their dream schools? What are their options if they don't gain the recruiting attention they desire?
A: I tell them to apply to a few schools and after they find out where they have been accepted, revisit and find out what school you can play at.
Q: How big a factor is social media when recruiting players? What advice do you have for athletes regarding social media?
A: Use your head because people are watching and noticing.
Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits
Q: What is the minimum SAT/ACT score a high school athlete needs to have when applying to Dartmouth College?
A: 1350 or 31
Q: What advice do you have for high school or club coaches that are working with recruitable players? How can they make sure their athletes get in front of the right people?
A: Call the coach and keep sending in the scores; all the scores and not just the good ones.
Q: What type of events do you recruit at?
A: Camps and tournaments.
Q: What advice can you offer a recruit?A: Just play your game and be yourself when the coaches show up. They already know you can play but want to see how you react to most everything in a round of golf.
Image Credit: New Hampshire Golf Association-News
Have a story idea or know an awesome athlete/coach we should interview? Email us at [email protected]
* Originally published on June 27, 2022, by 2aDays Staff
