Come back every Tuesday for Recruiting Horror Stories™, athletes' first-hand stories on what can go wrong during the recruiting process.
This anonymous athlete's story began the summer before her senior year of high school. She was a fabulous basketball player and was contemplating whether or not she wanted to continue the sport into college. The University of Vermont assistant women's basketball coach reached out to her to ask if she would be willing to meet the staff and team. The athlete ecstatically went out and visited the school and loved Vermont because it checked off all of the requirements and standards she had for college. It had a solid athletics program, was DI, and had amazing academics. She loved the team and coaches and felt valued. The head coach quickly offered her a deal.
All was well…until there was a catch.
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The head coach wanted this athlete to come the year after her graduation. In the meantime she would need to take a gap year and train on her own. She accepted the offer at 17, thinking it was an amazing idea to take some time off before going to college. Fast forward to the spring semester of her senior year of high school. She received a phone call from the assistant coach. The assistant coach seemed awkward and reserved at the beginning, then told her that the head coach had received complaints of psychological harassment by players on the basketball team. The athlete was baffled at what she had just been told and now felt unsure about whether or not the school was still right for her to attend. “I was nervous that there would be bad juju on the team,” she said of the bombshell revelation. The head coach ultimately stepped down from the position, and the athlete was asked if she could actually come play for UVM the fall after graduating high school. She reluctantly accepted and went to start her college basketball career on a different timeline than she had planned.
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Consequently, the transition onto the team felt abrupt. The incident wasn't addressed with any of the players on the team and the lack of transparency, and honesty, was frustrating for the athletes. The team culture wasn't in a good place at the start of her first year and the coaching staff was unsure with the direction they wanted to take the team in.
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Even so, the athlete played for UVM throughout the entirety of her college career and over the years, the team moved on from the unfortunate situation, team culture has improved massively, and the coaches have found more of a voice. In spite of a bumpy start, the athlete learned the importance of communication, empathy, and transparency throughout the situation. “Transparency builds trust,” she said of her experience.
Moving forward she wants athletes to know that their voice matters. “It's important to learn to advocate for yourself,” she said. “If you're not okay, voice that! Your experience belongs to you and no one else.” It's important to talk through issues, concerns, and plans when working with any team. Communication will be one of your greatest assets as a college athlete during the recruiting process and beyond.
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* Originally published on July 26, 2022, by Matthew Reichen
