Like many high school athletes, I dreamed of the opportunity to play at the best level of competition possible. And although my first Division I interest came only after my senior year of college, I felt closer than ever after I completed my senior year–I had natural size and was making some good plays against good competition on the field. Eventually, the Division I interest started–and one Florida school in particular gave me an experience that I'll never forget.

How it Started…

I previously was able to go to overnight visits to several Division III schools. I was familiar and comfortable with sitting down with a head coach and talking football or academics. This particular school in Florida did not give athletic scholarships to football players as per their league rules. However, I was already looking at Division III colleges where there were also no scholarships. I had several great conversations with my recruiting coach who would also be my position coach. He told me that they were interested in me and wanted to see me in-person. Even though there are no scholarships at this school, they still were able to host visits completely different from my normal experience visiting Division III schools. They would pay for my flight to and from Florida and put me in a hotel room. Normally, Division III schools do not pay for travel and have recruits stay with their host in their rooms. I really wanted to go on this visit, even though  the school was far from home.

Related: Recruiting Horror Story: Experiencing False Hope

A Solo Trip

So on a cold wet day I boarded the plane on a cold January day to visit this school, alone. When I landed in Florida, I was greeted by the warm sun and the coaches to pick some of the further recruits from the airport. I remember being pretty impressed by the coaches and the team. My host was an especially cool guy that showed me and some of the recruits around the city. However, I knew that the next day I'd be meeting with the coach to discuss where I am in the recruiting process. 

Related: 4 Key Terms To Help You Understand Athletic Scholarships

The next day all of the recruits met with the head coach individually to talk about committing to the school. I was comfortable with sitting down with a coach, but I always had one of my parents in this meeting. My parents would ask important questions and were especially knowledgeable about financial aid and what we could afford. I sat down with the coach and he slid a paper across the table.

“We just got your aid package from admissions,” the coach said. “Here is what you can expect to pay.”

A Turn For the Worst

I looked at the paper and the price was very expensive. I researched the school beforehand and knew that they didn't offer athletic scholarships. However, the price they wanted me to pay was more than other colleges that were more selective. The unexpected high price tag maybe flustered me a little bit because the head coach immediately asks about what was wrong. It became clear that this coach was going to try and make me commit on the spot–something I would never consider doing without guidance from my family. 

Related: 4 Questions Parents Should Ask College Coaches During the Recruiting Process

The tone of the meeting switched, the coach accused me of using this trip to get to Florida and the warm weather rather than seriously consider the school. I tried to assure the coach that I never intended to commit to the school during the trip, that I wanted to make my decision after I visited all of my options.

The coach's sour attitude and accusatory method to try to get a commitment combined with the high price of the school essentially crossed it off of my list. I eventually committed to Trinity College shortly after where the price was right and the coaching staff valued my time to make a decision. 

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* Originally published on April 25, 2023, by Ryan Wiley