Recruiting Horror Stories™ are posted every Tuesday to provide athletes' first-hand experiences of what can go wrong during the recruiting process.

Jeanette Henderson is an indoor and beach volleyball player whose goal was to play volleyball in college. As a sophomore in high school, she started by getting her name out there, creating film, and emailing coaches. She used sites such as Be Recruited, University Athlete, and YouTube for help during the recruiting process. Needless to say, Jeanette was determined to reach her recruiting goals and did her best to make sure everything went according to plan.

Finding Schools

Jeanette was most interested in Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. She liked the school because it had her major, it was a good size, and it was close to home. She emailed both the head and assistant coaches and they came out to watch a few of her games. Although all of their communication took place via phone and email, the conversations she had with the coaches were very positive, and they showed interest in her because of her athleticism and energy.

Related: Rate Rollins College

The Visit

By this point, Jeanette said she was “excited but also so so nervous.” She was worried she might say something wrong or sound stupid when talking to the girls on the team. This was her first visit, so she didn't know what to expect. Her parents were in a great mood. They were so happy for her because they knew how much she wanted to play in college, and it was finally becoming a reality. Jeanette and her mom got in the car and started the two-hour trek to Rollins College. 

Related Article: How to Prepare for Your College Visits

The Phone Call

About halfway through the car ride, the head coach called. Upon seeing the incoming call, Jeanette said she “wasn't that concerned, I just thought she was checking in to see if we were on our way.” The conversation started normally…until the coach said: “I have to apologize and cancel the visit due to a new commitment” made by another recruit. 

Jeanette's heart sank. She pulled it together to say she understood and said her goodbyes. But after the call, Jeanette said “I cried–sadness and anger were the only things I was feeling.” Not to mention, her mom was upset too because 1. She drove all that way just for the coach to cancel and 2. Because she hated seeing her daughter so sad. They turned around and drove back in silence, unsure what to do next. 

Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits

Looking at Other Schools

After the phone call, all Jeanette could do was keep looking for other schools. She took a visit to Birmingham Southern and wasn't impressed. She was in her senior year and was feeling worried and stressed because all her friends were committing except her. What was she going to do? 

Thankfully, this Recruiting Horror Story has a happy ending. One of Jeanette's teammates was being recruited by the University of Arkansas and the coach was at one of her practices. He liked Jeanette's enthusiasm on and off the court and saw something in her. He knew the assistant coach at Saint Leo University and gave her Jeanette's number and that was where it all began. She visited and loved the campus, team, coaches, and location, and is currently in her junior season with the Lions. 

Advice

The recruiting process is stressful and sometimes unpredictable so Jeanette says to “take your time to find the right school for you.” There are so many options and, according to Jeanette, “everyone has a place if you look hard enough.” Sometimes, it just takes a little heartbreak to get there.

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* Originally published on October 4, 2022, by Anna Garrett