Alfred Johnson is the head men's basketball coach at Northern Vermont University. Coach Johnson is entering his third season with NVU and comes with a lot of other coaching experience. He has also coached at Elizabeth City State University, Valley Forge Military Academy, Manor College, and Holy Family University. With his endless amount of experience, Coach Johnson provided us with some expert advice for basketball recruits.
1. What are some of the most important qualities you look for in a men's basketball recruit?
We look for:
- A player's ability and desire to be coached
- a player with an understanding of education
- a player's thirst to get better and a willingness to put in the WORK!
2. What is the best way for a recruit to get on your radar?
The best way to get onto our radar is generally to fit a recruiting need:
- Post players able to rebound, protect the rim, and run the floor.
- Point guards must have the ability to lead others, defend, and make foul shots.
Mainly, we are looking for talent; those wanting to be better than the next guy.
3. When and how should an athlete contact you?
I have had players contact our staff as young as 9th grade. Sometimes, that is wonderful because now we are aware of him and can track his progression. Many times, we are contacted by a student-athlete whose recruiting is being slowed by schools mainly recruiting from the NCAA transfer portal.
4. What are your expectations for incoming men's basketball players in the classroom, in the weight room, and on the court?
Our expectations for incoming and returning players are, to have a team GPA of 2.75 or better, in the weight room 3x per week, in the gym using the shooting machine, and running 2 miles 5 days per week.
5. What are the main dos and don'ts for a recruit's highlight tape?
Recruiting tapes are interviews, thus I expect a proper sense of respect and class. I can spot within 30 seconds of a tape if a young man has “it”! It means better than many and a superior skill set.
6. When do you recommend recruits share their highlight reels with you?
Timing is everything and sharing a tape at any time is fine. Getting onto someone's radar never hampers a young man. I have 2 assistants who watch prospective player tapes after me. I get their take on what the young man does well, what needs to be improved, and lastly, whether he will be able to help our team.
7. Can you tell us the importance of highlight reels vs. seeing an athlete in person at events such as showcases and camps?
The difference between highlight reels and seeing someone in person is huge. Highlight reels are sometimes isolated. They only capture the good things the player does or is doing at that moment. In person, you can truly observe how he interacts with others, if he hustles, or if he complains. You can watch his body language because you are physically present as a head coach.
8. What do you look for when viewing highlight tapes?
In viewing tapes, I look for things such as:
- Whether he is a team player
- If he plays hard
- How he interacts with his coaches and teammates
- How he responds to bad calls
- If he helps others up off the floor
- How he carries himself after a loss.
9. Do you have a story of an athlete that you can share?
I have learned a great deal from many of my players. I had one young man, Michael Sturns, a D1 transfer who played for me at an NCAA D2 University. Michael taught me the importance of hard work. Replace talking about it with simply doing it. Work hard and carry yourself with pride in all you do!
10. What can a men's basketball player expect when they enter college?
Freshmen can expect to be looked upon daily. Are you going to classes? Who are your new friends? Are you in the weight and gym and working on your craft? Are you representing yourself and your family with dignity? These are the main things our freshmen will endure.
11. If an athlete is looking to become a coach, what advice would you give them?
If an athlete indicates he wants to be a coach, we will all do what we can to help him. As a senior, we will include him in film sessions, scouting meetings, etc. and we will assist in finding him graduate coaching opportunities.
12. Tell our readers about yourself. How would you describe your coaching style?
I love coaching and interacting with young men who I believe are brilliant and are on the verge of being unbelievable assets to their community and to the world.
My coaching style is fast pace, we run, defend, and want to score, score, score!
13. What does it take to be successful on your team?
It takes being a good teammate to be successful on our team. Not everyone plays, but good teammates understand that and are still able to help others get better. My priorities for our team are that we expect our student-athletes to understand the importance of education, getting to classes, and being an example across campus of desiring to be better in all they do.
In basketball, our team values closeness and wanting to succeed for each other, we value defending, rebounding, and NOT turning the ball over. We are NEVER late for practice or games.
14. Can you share stories of athletes who have gone on to do great things after college?
I have a handful of former players who are now in the coaching profession themselves. Ryan Haigh played for me at Holy Family University in Philadelphia and is in their Hall of Fame. He is now the head men's basketball coach there and I couldn't be happier for him and his success.
15. What advice would you give an athlete to help them do well both on the team and in class?
We offer academic assistance and we have a team study hall. Education is first and foremost why student-athletes are here. Retention is vital to the school and to our team's on-court success. The secret sauce is simply to go to classes, communicate with your coaches and professors, and not be afraid or ashamed to ASK for HELP!
16. Here comes a big question. What are 3 words your players would use to describe you?
The 3 words I would say would be
- Caring
- Family-minded
- Driven to help us succeed
17. What platforms do you use to discover or recruit athletes?
Because of my many years of coaching, I have developed a network of contacts that will reach out regarding prospective student-athletes. Also, I am huge about being on the road recruiting and we find Field Level and NCSA are extremely helpful recruiting tools. We also subscribe to many scouting services throughout the country.
