Coach Craig Hanson is the head coach for the baseball team at Dickinson College, but he was also an athlete himself. Hanson's story is a great testimony for any athletes who want to make a career out of their sport. Read on to learn more about his career and what recruiting looks like from his vantage point.

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Athlete First

As a former two sport player at Middlebury College in Vermont, where he played football for two years and baseball for four years, Coach Hanson realized that he wanted to stay involved with the sports community as he fell in love with the game. There were several opportunities for Hanson, and he successfully took on all of them. He started as an integral member of the 2004 Cardinal team who stayed in first place in the nation for the majority of the season. From there he went to an assistant at Davidson where they sprung into the top 25 when he came over there. After those two quick years, he came to Dickinson where he has been since. Coach Hanson said “it was a no brainer when I was offered the job. I loved the campus and the guys I was able to meet on the team.”

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On Recruiting

When asked about recruiting from a coach's point of view, he said that it really depends on the departure of players the year before and where the weaknesses are on the team. This is something that the high school players can't control (and this goes for any sport!). There are needs that the team must fill and if you don't meet those requirements then there isn't much you can do about it. So, when you're looking for a school, you must take a look at the current roster and notice how many players are graduating and which positions they play. This will be important to know so you know what schools are desperately looking for your position. 

If you love your sport, not only can it get you to college, but, as Coach Hanson can attest, it can become your career. So be sure to give your recruiting process your all–you never know how far the love of the game can take you.

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* Originally published on September 22, 2022, by Chris Russo