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.
Julianne Lenher is the head coach of both the men's and women's swimming teams at Rollins College. She was a very successful swimmer herself while in college and qualified for the USA Olympic Trials in 2012 and 2016. Julianne started as an assistant coach at Rollins and she became the head coach for the 2019-20 season. Under her guidance the Tars have improved enormously in the pool breaking records along the way. At her young age, Julianne has a lot of experience in the recruiting process because she's seen the process from both points of view: as an athlete and a coach.
As someone who has experienced recruiting herself and is now recruiting athletes for her own team, here are some tips and advice that Julianne shared with us.
- What is the best part of being a coach at Rollins college?
Working with athletes that have chosen to take their swimming to the next level and swim collegiately. It's a different level of commitment and college athletes typically are self-motivated and have defined goals. It's also great to be surrounded by so many student athletes with bright futures ahead of them.
Related: Rate Rollins College
- What are three tips you would give to high school swimmers that want to swim in college regarding the recruiting process?
Do your research on the school before reaching out, fill out as many questionnaires as possible, and schedule a visit to see the school if you have been in contact with the coach.
- What are some values you consider important in recruits?
Independence (talking directly with the recruit, not speaking with recruiters or parents). Independence translates to the most success in the college environment because you are living on your own and are responsible for your own time management and schedule. Another important value is ease of conversation, how well we would work together as a coach/student athlete. Lastly, I would say organization and responsiveness. We talk to a lot of recruits, so if you don't respond quickly, you'll melt into the crowd.
- What questions do you think are great for recruits to ask?
I think it's great to ask questions about academics since that is the main reason why you are attending college. These can be difficult or uncomfortable questions, but it's also important to ask where you fit in on the team with your times, and if the school will fit into your family's budget. A lot of times these catch people off guard because they never inquire.
Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits
- What is the most important step in the recruiting process?
Passing admissions. You can't attend the school if you can't get in. Each college has the ability to conduct an academic pre-read. This flags potential student athletes of interest in the system and guarantees acceptance before spending hundreds of dollars on application fees.
- How does the official visits work?
Official visits are offered by some schools but not by others. If the school does do official visits, it is usually a Friday morning-Sunday morning ordeal where you fly in, a coach picks you up, and you stay with a host (someone on the team) for the weekend. Everything is covered financially. At a school like Rollins, we do not offer official visits, so we have to coordinate unofficial visits that are at the expense of the prospective student athlete.
- How do you choose the athletes you recruit?
Everything has to line up. Usually, we initially are in email and phone communication with hundreds of recruits that fall within our time standards. We do an academic pre-read on our top recruits who are responsive and interested in the school. If the pre-read comes back good, with a high amount of academic scholarship, then we arrange a visit- at this point we are down to 20 recruits. Lastly, if the visit goes well, and Rollins is in the budget, we usually have around 10 commits.
- What makes someone a valuable member of the team besides their swimming skills?
Good work ethic, and a good attitude. Willingness to struggle, learn, and grow. Kind towards others, but will hold other teammates accountable to ultimately achieve team goals.
- What advice would you give to high school swimmers that want to swim in college?
Ask your high school coach for help and advice if you are not sure where to start with the college search process. Do not be afraid to ask questions to college coaches- the recruiting process can be confusing. And don't be afraid to get a “no.” You have to put yourself out there to many schools, and it will not always work out. There are plenty of options out there, and if you do your homework, you will find the perfect fit for you.
Image Credit: SwimSwam
Have a story idea or know an awesome athlete/coach we should interview? Email us at [email protected]
* Originally published on September 5, 2022, by Camila Cramer
