Welcome to "The Freshman Foundation", a podcast that explores the human side of athletes and the real stories behind the glory and the grind.
Our mission is to help young athletes BE READY for every next step in the game of life.
How is Amy Bryant Uncovering The Secret to Winning the College Recruitment Game?
In our latest episode, Episode 61, we bring you a conversation with Amy Bryant, a college recruitment advisor. She's been on a quest to redefine the narrative around college recruitment. From the euphoria of acceptance to the anxiety of decision-making, from societal expectations to personal aspirations, we're going beyond the recruitment process to explore the real experiences of students and the individuals who guide them.
Stay tuned for a journey filled with revelation, introspection, and a heartfelt exploration of the less-discussed aspects of the college recruitment process.
So, what was your biggest takeaway from my conversation with Amy Bryant?
My biggest takeaway is the understanding that students must prioritize their values, goals, and desires during the college recruitment process. Societal pressures and expectations can sometimes mislead students into making choices that aren't the best fit for them. So, it's critical to identify what you truly want from your college experience.
My advice to students embarking on this journey is to start early. Understand your priorities and let them guide you through the process. Invest time in recognizing your aspirations and matching them to the right college for you. This proactive approach will not only make the recruitment process smoother, but also pave the way for a successful college experience.
I want to thank Amy for her kind generosity and the wisdom she shared with The Freshman Foundation Community.
You can learn more about Amy on her website at https://bryantcollegecoaching.com.
To learn how you can BE READY for the next step in your athletic journey, visit https://michaelvhuber.com.
Thank you for listening. We’ll see you back soon for Episode 62!
00:00.00
mvhuber
Hi Amy how are you.
00:03.68
Amy Bryant
I'm good. Thanks time Michael everything is great. Can't complain. Thank you thanks for having me I appreciate it.
00:07.40
mvhuber
How's everything today. It's nice to nice to have you on the podcast. Yeah so um I guess to get started off I mean. What inspired you to get into the college recruiting coaching space.
00:29.60
Amy Bryant
Um, you know I worked for um, twenty plus years with college student athletes kind of sitting on the other side of the desk looking at high school student athletes who are recruits who wanted to be on my team. And I just saw an opportunity to jump in and kind of help these student athletes and in terms of directing their search making sure they understood. Um. Some key principles before they even wound up in my office talking to me but also really understood their place or their potential place in college sports because I think that's you know the big question on their mind is. How do I really fit in how could I fit in where can I play who wants me all of this stuff and it's so anxiety provoking. So I really saw an opportunity to be able to jump in and help out on the front end before they got to that seat sitting across from me sweating. Um.
01:28.21
mvhuber
A.
01:42.31
Amy Bryant
You know nervous about what I would say um you know, just um, there's a great opportunity there. So that's that's really what kind of launched the idea for bryant college coaching.
01:53.46
mvhuber
Okay, yeah, and that's I mean that that certainly speaks to me and I've talked about the process in this space in different forms as well about recruiting and things so I'm curious when you are just purely a coach right? like when you were on the other side doing the recruiting.
02:10.40
Amy Bryant
Um, and yep.
02:12.11
mvhuber
Like what were some of the biggest issues you identified or some of the biggest challenges you had in terms of um, attracting or sort of communicating with potential recruits.
02:23.95
Amy Bryant
Well in terms of attracting recruits where I was um at Emory University Um I Honestly had a very. Easy time with recruiting because emory kind of speaks for itself and and attracted the recruits for me So The bigger issue was um, getting recruits to understand the level of our team and how strong it is.
02:40.56
mvhuber
Um.
02:50.16
mvhuber
Is.
02:52.26
Amy Bryant
Um, so we had a lot of um, prospective student athletes come through that really never had a chance to play for me for lack of a better Word. You know lack of a better explanation there and so I think that that. Was really a challenge for me is getting the messaging out that our program is a high caliber program and yes, we're academically selective. Yes, we're division 3 and we don't have athletic scholarships but just because we don't have athletic scholarships doesn't mean we don't. Recruit and produce quality Tennis. So um, so that I think was was a huge challenge as a coach. Um, now after some time once you know I I was there for a long time. So at.
03:32.91
mvhuber
Um.
03:46.42
Amy Bryant
Maybe you know 3 to 5 years in I think the word started to get out in the tennis community of how serious the program we were what the expectations were of the program. Um, in terms of intensity in terms of training schedule in terms of student athlete balance. And I say that in quotes but you know the expectations are high. It's you know Emory where I was coaching was a very high academic school so there's incredible expectations on these student athletes to perform academically in the classroom but there's also incredible expectations on them to perform as.
04:09.30
mvhuber
Are.
04:24.78
Amy Bryant
Athletes for me. So um, anyways, just making getting that reputation out there really helped me as a coach in the recruiting process and certainly that happened you know over time and I think now. The word you know em tennis even with me gone is kind of synonymous with Okay, that's a high level high caliber program that you know I'm ah I'm a quality player and a great student This is where I should be looking but um, being able to come in and help.
04:50.94
mvhuber
Yeah.
04:56.42
Amy Bryant
On that side of things with the student athletes that are high school student athletes and looking at colleges and being able to say look there are different types of division. Three non-athletic scholarship programs in all sports and it doesn't matter whether or not the program. Is um and is a division three program. What matters is what the expectations of the coach are for you as a student athlete. So I'm able to come in now and kind of explain that based on my familiarity with a number of programs across the country a number of sports across the country.
05:33.44
mvhuber
And.
05:35.61
Amy Bryant
And I'm able to kind of steer them in the right direction from the beginning so they don't wind up veering off course.
05:39.93
mvhuber
Yeah, So how much of it How much of it. Do you think is just sort of a lack of awareness or understanding on the side of the family and the student athlete about what they value the most right? So One of the things that comes up a lot in this. Space where I talk to people in the podcast but just in general is the idea of finding the fit that works for you right? Not just athletically but academically geographically whatever is important to you like how much of do you think that how much of.
06:04.26
Amy Bryant
Right.
06:12.83
mvhuber
That do you think is the issue meaning that people think they want something but they don't really know what they want.
06:18.61
Amy Bryant
Exactly well they don't understand what it entails and I think also there are so many external influences. Um that students and their families are hearing and. It's kind of creating all this noise for them so we have obviously the Us news and world report ranking so for high academic kids you know their thought is I have to go to one of the top 50 schools in the country or I should be going. Let's use shoulds I should be going to the one of the top 50 schools in the country right.
06:38.16
mvhuber
Um.
06:50.40
Amy Bryant
And so that's the only places that the look whereas there's four thousand colleges in the country and there's plenty of great places that can really transform all students lives um outside of the top 50 that we read about so we have that influence and that pressure that they're experiencing.
06:55.90
mvhuber
H.
07:09.59
Amy Bryant
And then also you have the the pressure of I've been playing the sport my whole life I should be getting a scholarship you know again, we get to the shoulds and you know all about the shoulds. Um, and how damaging they can be to to a young person's psyche in this whole process. So um.
07:17.30
mvhuber
A.
07:28.23
Amy Bryant
And in any process. But yeah, So there's that idea that they should be getting a scholarship and the scholarship programs are the best programs for Me. So. Yeah,, that's that's certainly something that I have to then go about kind of reversing those those um those societal pressures and that you know expectation I have to really just kind of break through and get down to the what is best for you.
07:55.12
mvhuber
And.
07:59.87
Amy Bryant
And who are you and what are what do you value? What are your desires and motivators and what are your goals and and how can we really achieve that can you achieve that at a top 50 school or can you achieve that at number 67 where you're going to be playing all the time.
08:04.76
mvhuber
And right.
08:18.20
Amy Bryant
And you're going to get a lot of attention from a coach because they're really interested in having you on that program or you know are you going to get that on a program where you're sitting on the bench and might not play for 4 years or are you going to get what you're after um, again playing somewhere where you really wanted so just breaking down. Um. All of the all of the shoulds I think is essential.
08:36.95
mvhuber
yeah yeah I mean I think there's there's a couple of things I want to follow up with there because 1 the shoulds is definitely an epidemic. Ah and it's one of my it's one of my personally one of my least favorite words in the english language. But.
08:48.16
Amy Bryant
Um, yeah.
08:52.61
mvhuber
As it relates to student athletes I think they do put a lot of pressure on themselves or they mismanage expectations about what is possible or even what they're what they're prepared to do to get to those places like you may be capable of playing somewhere but are you prepared to put in the work and effort.
09:01.11
Amy Bryant
Yep, correct. Yeah.
09:09.30
Amy Bryant
Correct.
09:11.20
mvhuber
And do the things that are necessary right? and those are 2 totally different things. But I guess when when you're talking I was thinking about now in the world that we live in the idea that athletes can transform more easily and you've got other issues out there like an I l.
09:22.69
Amy Bryant
So here.
09:28.33
mvhuber
That influence decision you're making Do you see that as being an issue in your work.
09:33.56
Amy Bryant
Yeah, so ah, well first of all, let me get back to the being prepared because I think that you know I definitely miss that in your last question but I think that's essential and one of the things I'm working on right now is creating a student athlete readiness kind of questionnaire that I can go through in my student athletes like.
09:40.68
mvhuber
Um.
09:51.42
Amy Bryant
Again are you prepared to do the work and let me explain to you what the work is at ah at a program that is vying for a championship. No matter what the level is no matter what division no matter and Nca and AiJuco let me explain to you what this is going to entail for competitive program.
09:51.86
mvhuber
Yeah.
10:07.91
Amy Bryant
We're talking 5 to 6 hours a week of training or 5 to 6 days a week of training 3 to 4 hours a day you know minimum plus your schoolwork on top of that and let me let's get even more into the nitty-gritty there. Let's talk about what that training looks like.
10:18.27
mvhuber
Me.
10:22.91
Amy Bryant
Because whatever you were doing potentially at your you know private Coach's office or or office I use as term to to express you know the field the court the the space. Um, whatever you were doing with your private coach before.
10:33.55
mvhuber
Right.
10:38.98
Amy Bryant
This is the whole new ballgame. The expectations are different. You can't cut the line in sprints anymore. You can't decide I'm not going to practice today because you know I'm not feeling like it. You know you were paying for for that kind of support before in most cases. Um, and so coaches. You know what can what can they say that they're being paid by you. You're not paying the coach anymore. No matter what? what what? college you're playing for you know so just understanding that kind of what the commitment truly entails is essential.
11:01.21
mvhuber
Right.
11:14.25
Amy Bryant
But um to get back to like your your other question about the Transfer Reporter Portal and N I Ah it is a different ball game out there. It's a different ball game for recruits because what coaches are doing I work with a lot of men's soccer players. So I'll use them as an example. Um.
11:18.67
mvhuber
And.
11:32.96
Amy Bryant
And men soccer what I'm seeing a lot of is coaches going to the transfer portal before they even bother looking at graduating high school boys soccer players because I mean why wouldn't they you have you have tried and tested and true. Um.
11:38.71
mvhuber
Um, when.
11:52.13
Amy Bryant
Men who have played at least 1 year somewhere else. They understand that commitment that we were just talking about they understand they are prepared for it because they've already done it. There's no question Mark in a coach's mind and the recruiting um landscape on whether or not this kid can handle what they're about to to throw out them.
11:59.89
mvhuber
Um, yep.
12:07.80
mvhuber
Um, sure.
12:11.59
Amy Bryant
Now before the Transfer portal you know transferring was a lot more difficult So the kids that transferred there was always this red flag kind of that would go up in my mind as a coach like oh why are they transferring what's wrong with this kid or what you know or.
12:20.25
mvhuber
Um, right? Why right.
12:26.55
Amy Bryant
Or are they not coachable. Are they you know? so there are all sorts of red flags that would go up now with the the ease of the transfer portal I mean kids are just going in because you know what I want to play at a higher level and I can because I have a year of experience under my belt and now I'll get the attention to the coach I couldn't get before. So it really changes what schools these kids need to look at as seniors in high school. Um, you also asked about and n ni and I'll I'll say this about and ni um you know that's it's an evolving situation every day it's.
12:54.30
mvhuber
Um.
13:03.40
mvhuber
Can.
13:04.20
Amy Bryant
You know it's it's it was new a year ago and and every day we we hear more and more you know things that that people are coming up with ways to make money and um ways that colleges or their alumni bases are ensuring that they get the best athletes to get in. Most of the student athletes that I work with and Ill isn't like a game changer for them. Um, it is something that I talk to them about as being a potential source of revenue for them as they consider their college costs because as we know.
13:39.60
mvhuber
And.
13:43.70
Amy Bryant
There are only you know 6 sports that are head count sports which means they have they offer full scholarships their entire roster and the rest of the sports are out there all equivalency sports which means coaches get creative. Um in terms of how they are giving out that money to their teams. And and if they're good students. They can stack on some academic money as well. But either way I mean kids are still trying to scrounge to cover that full cost. So I look at and aals here's an opportunity for you If You're good if you're if you love the hustle you want to get out there and and forge some partnerships with some local Businesses. You could get out there and potentially you know ah bridge the gap between um, the total cost of college and what you're getting for college and that's that's across all divisions I'll I'll say that that's across all divisions. All you know the whole thing.
14:28.12
mvhuber
Yeah I think that's a yeah for sure, right? and I and I think the way you you describe that as is is probably. The best description I've heard of it right? because it's it's it is a practical consideration right? Like if you can generate a source of revenue to offset the cost of going to a place like Emory For example where you're not getting an athletic scholarship. The cost is is really going to be very high.
14:54.76
Amy Bryant
Get.
15:02.50
mvhuber
Yeah, maybe you get some academic money but you still have to come up with quite a bit like why wouldn't you think of that as a factor now I think the trick is and you know this better than I do and you could probably speak to it is is making sure that the people who are deciding like the families are not distorting. The weight or the value of that right? It's a factor but in 4 years it's probably going to be over and do you want to have made a decision based on I got $7500 in ah and I l money every year versus 5000 and then go well I made an extra 2500 but now the 4 years that I spent here I wasn't happy or. Didn't lead me to where I wanted to go right? So like being able to help them assess the tradeoffs if you will.
15:44.21
Amy Bryant
Yeah, and understanding the ah roi the return on their investment is really essential to and that was you know one of my chief like recruiting strategies with families was to really talk about the roi because at a school that didn't offer athletic scholarships and is one of.
15:45.75
mvhuber
News is.
16:01.49
Amy Bryant
The more expensive schools in the country. Um, you know there has to be a value associated with going there in terms of what are you going to get in your future and I really felt like there was at emory and so I would definitely use that that terminology a lot.
16:02.26
mvhuber
Even.
16:17.81
mvhuber
Yeah, so so I guess I'm I'm curious like you know, obviously the work is with the student athlete right in terms of identifying what they want what they need kind of getting them focused on what they're prepared to do how much of your work involves. Student athlete versus the family meaning like how much of it is a sort of a tag team or is it more hey let me focus on the young student athlete because they're almost an adult and this is their experience.
16:49.64
Amy Bryant
Yeah, it's a really good question and very valid. Um, so and and it is my work now is very different than what it was when I was a coach because when I was a coach I Really tried to put up a wall between myself and the parents and just say you know what your kids are adults I'm working directly with them.
16:58.64
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
17:06.96
Amy Bryant
And I know it's different for you because that's not how it was in juniors but you know this is the way that it's going to be over the four years because that's how I'm going to build trust in my relationship with your with your daughter now.
17:07.26
mvhuber
Um.
17:16.24
mvhuber
If.
17:19.65
Amy Bryant
Ah, because I'm working with younger student athletes and you know the client is certainly the parent for me the customer I'm sorry the customer is certainly the parent for me. The client is certainly the student. Um, so so my customers I have to check in with absolutely and and they're the ones that.
17:28.80
mvhuber
Well said.
17:38.58
Amy Bryant
Are are you know they're the ones that decided to hire me, they're the ones that want to see the best for their child I look at it like a triangular relationship where you know I will communicate with a student athlete I will communicate with the parent sometimes the parent and the student athlete aren't communicating because it's the age right.
17:41.95
mvhuber
In.
17:56.66
mvhuber
Omega, this.
17:58.49
Amy Bryant
And um, so so I kind of help to bridge that gap with with the family dynamics that that sometimes happen at this age. But um I Really love it and I'm a parent of teenagers as well. So so I I definitely feel like I'm I'm comfortable in that.
18:13.44
mvhuber
Um.
18:17.23
Amy Bryant
Base and and I speak from personal experience as well. but um but I really love I mean my favorite thing about coaching for 23 years and my favorite thing now. My business is working directly with the student athlete and and now preparing them for college working directly with them. So that when they get there. They can be independent and and thrive.
18:38.57
mvhuber
Yeah, so something I mean what you said there I mean it it. It. It definitely rung a bell with me because it's the same very very similar in my work in the sense that like the customer to your point is the parent they're paying the bill. Right? Or they're investing in this but the student athlete is the one who's really being affected and use the word like sort of you know triang you know it's like a triangle what we would call in sports like psychology triangulation right? communicating amongst the multiple parties to make sure everybody's on the same page. And it's exactly what I see sometimes I get a kid who's telling me 1 thing and a parent who's telling me another thing and they're not communicating and now I get 2 different stories and it's like well what do I do with this I have to find a way to bridge the gap. How much do you find like mom and dad are saying this is really important.
19:26.25
Amy Bryant
For her.
19:33.89
mvhuber
Junior or you know Mary or or Johnny is saying this is really important and it's different and you have to try to like be the bridge or is it consistent most of the time and it's just exceptions where they're not communicating about what's important.
19:47.60
Amy Bryant
Well I have to say that I've been really fortunate in the families that I've had the privilege of working with and that while the parents might have had an idea of what they wanted for their child at the end of the day they are very comfortable.
20:06.20
mvhuber
Is.
20:06.46
Amy Bryant
Letting go a little bit and letting their child drive the process and I say that to them as well. You know in my um, initial meetings with them and through all my materials like at some point you're going to have to you know, let go a little bit. Um and so.
20:18.86
mvhuber
In.
20:23.45
Amy Bryant
They these families have been fantastic that I've worked with so far in just letting them really drive the process I mean they'll pipe in and try to influence when they can as they should um but for the most part there you know if if they are totally going in separate directions eventually they'll yield.
20:33.70
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
20:39.17
mvhuber
Okay, yeah, and that's also similar to my experience I agree with that. Especially I think people self select meaning like when they come to you. They're usually there use the word I don't just come out the wrong way, but their egos aren't. As big as might someone else's might be meaning if they're coming to you for help. They know they need help versus like right like they're they're already like self-selecting into the idea that like I can't do this alone like hey I trust you to do this to help me and so like you don't get that. Um, that conflict that you might get with somebody who who doesn't want to do it. So.
20:56.64
Amy Bryant
Right? there you go.
21:13.15
Amy Bryant
Exactly.
21:15.10
mvhuber
Um, so I I guess and I I have a lot of questions but where do you start meaning like when when someone a new client comes into the process and you're trying to get them to understand it or get them to focus or really narrow down sort of. Where they want to be or or get them to maybe choose their preferences like where do you start with them.
21:41.50
Amy Bryant
Um, academics I Always try to start my process academically and um and that really I mean at the end of the day they're going to college. They're they're going to.
21:41.32
mvhuber
Okay.
21:56.54
Amy Bryant
Probably not be a professional athlete. We know what the stats are on that. So it's essential for them to go to a place where they can you know find a career and and part of part of finding that path.
22:01.30
mvhuber
Um, and.
22:12.53
Amy Bryant
Has a lot to do with the symbiotic relationship between their athletics and their academics but we're going to start with academics. We're going to talk about what we want to study we're going to talk about our you know, grades and.
22:19.50
mvhuber
Um.
22:27.18
Amy Bryant
And how we do in school how we learn best all of these good things we're going to talk about the rigor of the curriculum. They're comfortable with so that I can kind of point out some schools where I feel like okay, you will you know thrive in this environment because this is what you're comfortable with.
22:31.98
mvhuber
Um.
22:44.68
Amy Bryant
And then we take it from there and look at based on that here are some schools where I believe you can play as well. Um, so that's where you got to start in my opinion. So.
22:50.75
mvhuber
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I think listen I I certainly am not an expert in in in the recruiting process and admissions and and and and that's your business. But what I have seen with some of my my student athlete clients is is that. Absolutely right? If you can't get into the school. You can't play there right? like that's that's the first consideration and I've had student athletes who've wanted to play in certain places and they can't they can't pass the academic standards and so it's it's a nonstarter right? So like.
23:11.94
Amy Bryant
Great. Great.
23:22.96
Amy Bryant
Right.
23:25.50
mvhuber
You got to pick the schools. You can get into and then say hey all right now I want to go here. Let's see how we can get in and you know either get a spot or preferred walk on or if you're division 1 or just to say hey have a chance to come in and play you know at a division 3 Yeah yeah.
23:36.78
Amy Bryant
So right? right? exactly? yeah and it doesn't even the the crazy thing is with that too. It doesn't even matter if the student will be successful at the school because there are plenty of schools where I feel like. This student would be very successful. What really matters is can they get it and so and that and and getting in is is is is really a result of for an athlete's situation. Ah, how much support the coach has with the admissions office and so that's where.
23:59.43
mvhuber
Um, right.
24:09.73
mvhuber
Yeah I've heard that too.
24:13.61
Amy Bryant
Yep, that's where I really try to help you know based on my knowledge of past um, ah past acceptances and you know trends and everything else and my knowledge of admissions offices. Um, that's where I try to like steer them to places where I know they'll be able to get in.
24:29.99
mvhuber
And.
24:31.95
Amy Bryant
But being successful I mean you know there's There's a ah lot to be said for you know students can be successful almost anywhere. It's not really, that's not really the key factor.
24:40.77
mvhuber
Yeah, well I'm going to I'm going to get in the weeds here because this is also something I've heard I was I was just talking to and I wish I could recall that the the specifics of it but I was talking to ah a college coach in a.
24:58.52
mvhuber
Ah, like a non sort of not basketball or football and I asked him about the admissions process and how much you know how much influence they have over it and they basically said like football always gets first like dibs and admissions right in this place that that he was at I think it may have been division one.
25:12.32
Amy Bryant
I know.
25:17.87
mvhuber
Um, So how much from your experience like how much does the sport itself have to do with the ability of the coach to get to have that influence or is it more just tenure or seniority or just relationships in terms of like. Pulling and pushing those buttons to get admissions to maybe make an exception for a kid who doesn't exactly have academics that are needed but they're athletically they're somebody the coach really wants.
25:47.79
Amy Bryant
Yeah I mean there are priorities that are you know that every school has and and those could stem from the board of trustees those could stem from the admissions officers and and mostly it's it's above admissions. But.
25:55.19
mvhuber
Yeah.
26:05.79
Amy Bryant
Um, that could stem from the athletic department itself and so unfortunately these priorities aren't transparent and they're certainly not published anywhere. Um, but you know I've seen it run the gamut in that I've seen you know.
26:09.20
mvhuber
Um, and.
26:16.99
mvhuber
Um, right.
26:24.94
Amy Bryant
I've seen and I'm not talking about personal experience per se so please don't think because you know I was at emory that I'm speaking about emy but I have heard about I will say this um, athletic directors. Not liking a specific coach So when they put together the ah the entire departments list.
26:32.89
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
26:43.98
Amy Bryant
For um, for athletics you know, then they might put that coach's kid their top recruit below a few other sports I mean certainly that happens because maybe there's an ulterior motive. This is the priority I'm talking they want you want to get rid of a coach. Well this is the way to do it recruiting is the lifeblood of any coach.
26:53.57
mvhuber
Um, it's life. Yeah, it's life sure.
27:03.81
Amy Bryant
So that that certainly does happen I mean I was grateful you mentioned football I mean I was grateful to be at a non-foball school because I did see a lot of resources go the way of the other sports and you know we were very fortunate where I was.
27:10.89
mvhuber
50
27:21.50
Amy Bryant
But yes I've heard that before too that football gets first pick. Um, you know I think every school's a little bit different again and and and all the priorities are different so and there's no way for any 1 person to really know which.
27:26.88
mvhuber
Sure.
27:33.24
mvhuber
Right.
27:36.50
Amy Bryant
Way I mean unless you have a direct line to every admissions dean in the country. That's four thousand you know plus and there's no way for any 1 person to know that you can only kind of look at trends and talk to people and hearsay and try to put it all together in your head and and that's. You know the best advice you can give kids.
27:55.17
mvhuber
Yeah, so so I think that's a good segue to the next question I wanted to ask you before you had talked about your own experience as a coach and building the trust with the student athlete in that recruiting process bringing them in the door right? And so I'm thinking now From. Wearing your hat as a sort of a coach on externally trying to help student athletes. How much are you coaching them on how to approach the questions to ask understanding coaching staff philosophy because I think that's a big one because it's a sell. It's a sales process right? like.
28:29.55
Amy Bryant
For her.
28:34.10
mvhuber
Coach a tells Johnny or mary 1 thing in the recruiting process like I want to get this kid in the door now the kid gets in the door now they see something completely different because they didn't ask the right questions to understand like what they were really like walking into so how much of that. Do you do to have them ask the good questions to understand like.
28:43.79
Amy Bryant
We are.
28:53.41
mvhuber
Really what this program's all about before they get there. Okay.
28:57.50
Amy Bryant
Yeah that's a huge part of what I do I mean that's the core piece of what I do. Um I think it's actually it's really important actually to start first with under so with getting these student athletes to understand who they are first. What are their strengths first then being able to relate those strengths to the philosophy of the coach that they're communicating with to the team culture that they are witnessing when they go on these visits and being able to say.
29:14.41
mvhuber
Move. Um.
29:29.63
Amy Bryant
You know what? I don't think my strengths are necessarily going to fit in with this team culture or this team coach. Um, so um, and yes, absolutely I talk them through almost everything I mean from what I call understanding Coach speak. Um, you know when ah when a coach says to you.
29:45.50
mvhuber
Um, Susan.
29:47.88
Amy Bryant
Yeah I've I Um I you're on my list. You know we've got you on a radar Thanks for being in touch to when a coach actually says um, we want you on our team I have a spot for you. You know? and.
30:02.35
Amy Bryant
You're you're goingnna be my next number one or my you know you're gonna play a center mid or you know, whatever it is. You're gonna be my start starter as a freshman like understanding what all of these things mean they don't always mean what you hope they mean you know hope is not a strategy here guys. So we need we need definite. We need.
30:13.15
mvhuber
A.
30:21.47
Amy Bryant
Direct information and I definitely coach them to to be able to ask those questions to get that information. So.
30:23.68
mvhuber
Um.
30:25.83
mvhuber
Yeah, that's it's a really interesting point because I have heard that from some of my clients like just explaining to me because I'm learning about the process as well. Um, where they say like listen we have a spot for you. But they also put a time like a time element on it to say like.
30:40.94
Amy Bryant
Yeah, yeah.
30:43.88
mvhuber
Hey if you don't tell me soon or by this date then number 2 is going to get the spot because like I can't wait and so it becomes a like what you're describing I think is it really is a sales process right? a negotiation and a sales process of hey I'm selling my value proposition I'm trying to match that up.
31:00.51
Amy Bryant
M.
31:02.57
mvhuber
With the school's value proposition. Is it a fit and now you if even if there's a fit there. There's still a negotiation that has to happen with the school and the student athlete to say like a do I Want to wait and see if there's a better offer coming along. Do I take it do I get pressured into it like.
31:17.22
Amy Bryant
Right.
31:21.69
mvhuber
All this stuff. It's like this is like really important like life skill building and I think for families to try to do that on their own. It's a real challenge right? If you don't have somebody who really understands that process because you're like you're you're at a disadvantage I would think. If You don't have somebody who knows the recruiting process on your side to help you sort of weed through all of that is that I mean I know it's a little self-serving but is it is it fair.
31:49.32
Amy Bryant
Um, absolutely fair. Um, you know sometimes I'm I'm not muse. That's just kind of sitting on your shoulder saying Yes, that's that's what you want to hear or no, that's not a you don't want to hear that um you know and it's like it's like going into a used car.
32:00.29
mvhuber
Um.
32:05.27
Amy Bryant
Sales lot. You know I liken it to that sometimes where you have the pressure of well is that car really going to not be there if I come back tomorrow and think about it overnight you know and and here I am in the back of your ear you can leave. You can walk away. It's still going to be there tomorrow I Promise you you know? Um, but I mean recruiting is sales. Let's let's.
32:11.95
mvhuber
Is.
32:18.52
mvhuber
Hundred percent
32:24.23
Amy Bryant
Call it What it is yep and um these these families I I think really benefit from having somebody that can help them through understand that that what's really being said to you understand? um. What it means if you if you say I need some more time if you push back like what? what? Really?? What are the repercussions. What are the potential Repercussions. You know, let's walk. Let's walk through them. Let's talk about what the other options are let's talk about the timing of all of this you know and so.
32:52.16
mvhuber
The.
33:00.60
Amy Bryant
1 thing that I do with my student athletes is they have direct access to me. Um, they can message me whenever they want whatever they need and I usually get back pretty quickly. Um, and and that really helps to reduce that anxiety that comes from this process because it's a huge decision. It's they.
33:15.90
mvhuber
Um, yeah.
33:19.19
Amy Bryant
Kids are making a decision that is more expensive than a car. So um, you know and so um I.
33:23.92
mvhuber
Yes, yeah, and and and I think you know one and unless I think it's great that you do that? Um I do that too I think I'm a big believer in granting them. The agency. Right? Especially I mean imagine certainly if the parents have to be on board with that right? But assuming they are right that ability for them to navigate and communicate with you directly is really important and it it actually it lines up with what everything I've heard and and you've done this from the other side that I've heard from college coaches which is like.
33:46.92
Amy Bryant
And.
33:58.36
mvhuber
I want the kid who 1 takes ownership of the recruiting process I don't have to deal with mom and dad to like I want the kid who comes to my program and says I really want to be in your program right? like hey this this person is putting themselves.
34:09.50
Amy Bryant
And.
34:15.53
mvhuber
Out on a limb to say I want to play at your program which tells me what they're motivated to come in and do the work that's necessary to be at a program like that. In fact, my actually she was my she's my cousin but much younger and she's played soccer in the Acc and I had her on the podcast aons ago. And she was telling me the story about how she wanted to go to play in the acc she knew that and she wanted to play at this one particular school which is Louisville because she's there now which talked about it and she tells me like I followed up with the coach over and over and over and over and eventually I caught him on the right day and he said yeah.
34:53.24
Amy Bryant
Get.
34:53.75
mvhuber
We're going to offer you right whereas I think the vast majority of kids don't want to. They don't think that that's the right approach but like you got to know that if you know you're going to a place like that or any school frankly nowadays because I feel like every kid plays college sports now. But like the list of recruits has got to be like about this high if you know if you're watching the video. It's like a stack. The only way to get yourself to the top of the pile is to follow up and stay relevant and stay asking the question of like what can I do Where are we in the process like and I think a lot of kids just think of recruiting as like this.
35:15.85
Amy Bryant
Yep.
35:29.32
mvhuber
Selection process like a beauty contest like oh they're just going to come find me and that is not it it alls as far as I can tell is that fair.
35:37.32
Amy Bryant
um yeah absolutely um I mean I I I think and it you know I'd say I say to my student athletes all the time it costs nothing to send an email cost 0 so you know, let's let's send. Let's be persistent. Um, unfortunately I think a lot of these kids are so insecure about their their potential place in in college athletics that they're like if the coach didn't respond to me 1 time that just means they're not interested to me because I'm not good enough.
35:52.78
mvhuber
Um.
35:56.79
mvhuber
Um, yep.
36:07.80
Amy Bryant
And that's where I kind of come in as you know, being a coach and being able to to really motivate student athletes to go after something and you know and I just tell them look this that is not the reality of the situation that is you know illogical for you to be saying to yourself and so we we talk a lot about that and. Um, and then I just encourage them to resub The email takes more than one timeg because like you said that these coaches their inboxes are full I mean I would there were days when I would get 50 emails a day. There's no way to keep up with that. So.
36:34.54
mvhuber
Oh my.
36:43.67
Amy Bryant
Ah, you know it's just a matter of being persistent I liken the whole process and you kind of hinted at this before to a your their first job interview if you want a job you got to go after it and when it takes more than just.
36:54.12
mvhuber
To.
36:57.89
Amy Bryant
Sending in your resume I'm sorry but sending in your resume doesn't work. It's never worked what works is the networking that you've set up to get somebody to call. Whoever's reading the resume and say I want you to take that person's resume out of the pile and make sure it makes it into the next one. So That's the kind of work that that we're doing um and in order to do that. We do use a private Coach. We will use a private coach to call if it's an appropriately matched school. Athletically we'll you know we'll we'll try whatever we need to try to get in the door.
37:16.71
mvhuber
Um, and.
37:31.70
mvhuber
Sure.
37:34.41
Amy Bryant
Um, just like you would try it if it was a job interview.
37:35.77
mvhuber
Yeah, and and I think I mean I think that just so important for the development like the life. The life skill development The the personal development of a young person because that's not something I learned until I was in my.
37:54.40
Amy Bryant
Right? right.
37:54.67
mvhuber
20 s right? like. So if you have somebody guiding you through that process of saying like hey it's not personal. You need to understand all the roles and responsibilities of a coach including compliance. They're dealing with recruiting they're on the road they're they're dealing with internal stuff. They're. They're they're coaching right? They're traveling like if they don't respond to your oh and by the way they've got 50 emails like it's not personal if you understand all that and you're able to put yourself in that coach's shoes a little bit and you say okay like I'm just going to follow up with the email. The likelihood or the great. It's going to be more likely the next time they respond because now I got the second email from this person. It's in my brain and like that's just a skill. That's great for them to learn whether or not they get selected by that coach or recruited in some instances almost doesn't matter because they're probably going to end up somewhere and have a good experience or have.
38:48.17
Amy Bryant
Right.
38:50.52
mvhuber
They're going to play but it's that the the virtue of learning that life skill and going through the process of like challenging themselves emotionally to take the risk like that's that's really valuable.
38:59.87
Amy Bryant
Absolutely and it's not. You know we talk about risks I mean I have to I have to break that word down for them I'm like this what what level risk is this is this high risk is this mid risk is this low risk like let's really let's let's really take a look at this because.
39:12.81
mvhuber
Um, and.
39:19.17
Amy Bryant
Then you got to look at the potential rewards. Also so um, so we'll talk through all of those things when we're when we're going through the process and trying to get on a coach's radar. But um, yeah, life lessons. There's a lot of life lessons through the process.
39:33.14
mvhuber
It's a great point. But that's a really good point because the question I would ask a kid in my in my own work is like what's the worst thing that's going to happen and I think a lot of times it gets so distorted.
39:40.58
Amy Bryant
Absolutely yep.
39:46.26
mvhuber
In their minds that like oh if I send another email I'm going to piss this coach off and they're going to take me off the list. No and they're probably going to like it First of all because they're going to be like hey this kid really wants to be here. Secondly like you're reminding them hey okay like they want to you know.
39:54.60
Amy Bryant
Um, right? yeah.
40:03.61
mvhuber
This is helping me to follow up. It's It's not actually a detriment but they're not at a point in their lives where they understand that and they go to the worst possible outcome which is like oh they they're not going to like me that's not the way it works. Yeah, yeah, um.
40:11.67
Amy Bryant
Right? right? Well that's distorted thinking and it's and it's finest right? So you.
40:22.52
mvhuber
I know every sport's a little bit different at least based upon what I've learned over the last few years in terms of recruiting. But when do you suggest people start to get thinking about the recruiting process.
40:35.67
Amy Bryant
It's a little different if you're a female athlete or a male athlete Honestly I've found that female or women's sports tend to trend a little bit earlier. You know, perhaps because women do develop a little bit earlier than.
40:37.37
mvhuber
Okay.
40:52.11
Amy Bryant
Or girls develop earlier than boys. So I have seen that um you know girls are committing a little earlier than boys and the process moves faster and.
40:54.54
mvhuber
Um.
41:02.40
Amy Bryant
You know I don't know we could We could get into um the skill set of female coaches versus the skill sets of male coaches. We could certainly stereotype all that as well. But I've seen female a male coaches being very organized and.
41:11.00
mvhuber
The.
41:16.64
Amy Bryant
You know some male coach I You know again I don't want to stereotype. There are definitely some male coaches out there that are great and organized with the recruiting also but but some are not um and as there are some and the women's side that are not as well I will I will be will be fair.
41:25.21
mvhuber
Are.
41:34.49
Amy Bryant
But um, I've seen the the women's coaches do seem to get after it a little bit earlier. So Whatever. The rationale is I would say that girls really should be thinking about things as early as their freshman year they should at least start. Going through some of the self-awareness work that I do at the very least and they should be talking Well both sexes should be talking about their curriculum for college based on what their goals might be. As early as their freshman year because whatever curriculum they take is certainly going to impact the rigor that they're able to take along the way which would impact what schools will be available to them or the selectivity of the schools. So so boys and girls. Both should be thinking about that freshman year.
42:12.41
mvhuber
Are right.
42:23.74
mvhuber
Um.
42:23.75
Amy Bryant
The other thing they both should be thinking about is how to get into the best league possible um by their sophomore year at the latest and when I say league. That's mostly you know for team sports but they want to be competing I'll say in a different way. They want to be competing at the highest level possible for them. Because that's where the best exposure comes from with college coaches. Um, so that's an important thing to understand as a freshman but otherwise in terms of reaching out to coaches. You know girls can start doing that freshman year sophomore year. Um. Boys can start doing that sophomore year junior year now there are recruiting role. You're probably aware of where coaches can't necessarily yeah sport by sport division by division and also organization by organization because you know there's not and ncw isn't the only game out there. There's also the and Ai. There's also and njca.
43:04.60
mvhuber
Sport by sport.
43:14.69
mvhuber
Yeah.
43:20.69
Amy Bryant
There's California Community College Association like there's there's other games in town which are definitely getting a lot more tension with that transfer portal open. But um, the it's important to understand that coaches can't necessarily get back to you until a certain date.
43:25.45
mvhuber
Yep, ah.
43:37.78
mvhuber
Right.
43:40.21
Amy Bryant
In some of those divisions and organizations. But they are receiving your emails your messaging. Um, they can talk to your private coaches. So there's some loopholes there. Um, so it's important to get on your radar I would say about that time depending on.
43:55.30
mvhuber
Yeah, so yeah, and listen it goes really fast I'm a parent of a freshman boy and we've actually I've started to like plant the seeds in his head like if you want to be a player in college like you need to start thinking about this stuff.
43:57.95
Amy Bryant
Girls or boy.
44:11.46
mvhuber
Um, but I'm certainly not going to do it for him. So like if he's not motivated That's fine, but but but to planting the seeds right? like and then you've got to your point you've got understanding to like even at a high level the Compliance calendar right? Meaning What are the dark periods. What are the live periods like why isn't someone responding oh cause they can't right? but.
44:12.22
Amy Bryant
Yeah, yeah.
44:30.97
Amy Bryant
Um, right.
44:31.27
mvhuber
But you but you also get the rules right? Every sport has different rules. We can only offer you know past a certain time right? like for families to understand that is important right? or to have somebody who helps them to understand that through and through an advisor The other question I was not planning to ask but I really do want to ask when now that you said it is.
44:40.81
Amy Bryant
Yes.
44:48.67
Amy Bryant
Um, yeah.
44:50.66
mvhuber
How much more? um frequent or how big of an issue now is the Junior college route and is it a hard sell to people because of maybe a stigma about going Juco just in general I Want to go to a 4 year school versus a two year school. Really want to talk about that because I think it's a great route for a lot of kids but I don't think a lot of kids and families want that can you kind of just talk about your experiences with that.
45:11.58
Amy Bryant
Yep.
45:17.41
Amy Bryant
Yeah, my the families that I've worked with have not been as open to the Junior College Community college route. Unfortunately, um I've I have had conversations with a couple parents. It's like that's you know, intriguing. And that's the way it should be I think it should be intriguing for every family ah Junior College Community College is not right for every kid. Um, that's for sure but it can be a great option for some and so it's becoming more and more part of the discussion. Um, depending on again.
45:38.48
mvhuber
In.
45:50.97
Amy Bryant
Academics of the student athlete First and foremost.
45:51.11
mvhuber
Yeah I also would imagine that that finances play a role in those conversations as well about Junior College because a huge difference in most cases.
45:59.50
Amy Bryant
Absolutely absolutely yeah, that's a great point and I probably should have mentioned that but um, yeah, the you, the price different is so incredibly vast. Um, it is. Certainly worth exploring for families in need and then the other thing that um is is worth exploring for and and I shouldn't even say Familys a need I mean any family needs to be costconsious right? I mean College is expensive.
46:24.56
mvhuber
Yeah.
46:28.82
Amy Bryant
Um, but the other thing that you know is important to do is to understand what kind of need is ah or what kind of financial aid is available to you based on your need. Um, so you know there is federal student aid. There is um.
46:39.91
mvhuber
And.
46:43.59
Amy Bryant
There There are grants offered by many institutions. Um and then also understanding the gap between what you might be ah, might be able to get and versus what the school is able to give you.
46:57.29
mvhuber
Right? right.
47:00.25
Amy Bryant
So that's an important factor as well. But yeah, the finances are are a discussion for a lot of my families and it and it certainly can drive the process. The other thing that I'll say is and for those families who who are very concerned most of the families concerned about the costs of college. And they think that the only place that they are going to be able to go is division 1 or division 2 because of the athletic scholarships I mean this gets back to the Juco and community college thing I mean there's so much less expensive but the other option is many d three s that don't have athletic scholarships. Actually 75 to eighty percent of students in d 3 receive some form of merit aid and so that's really important. No, you could get more at a d three school than you could at any d water d two school depending on the sport. So.
47:41.34
mvhuber
Is.
47:49.27
mvhuber
Yeah, and so do you think that there like there's almost a mentality of every dollar is not created equal meaning like I'd rather say I got athletic scholarship money because of prestige versus just getting you know some sort of merit based academic support even though. The dollars of the dollars people want to say they got a scholarship. Do you think that that's a consideration.
48:13.62
Amy Bryant
I do I think that's very similar to the prestige factor that kind of drives the the college search as well. I think being able to say to to friends and family. Ah oh my kid got an you know an athletic scholarship. Everyone wants to use the word full ride. But that's just. Such a misnomer I won't even yeah, it's such a misnomer but but yeah, well, there's 6 sports that have that's it. So um, anyways. Ah.
48:30.42
mvhuber
Doesn't exist football right? football and basketball. Basically.
48:42.59
Amy Bryant
Although yeah, again, you know you could really technically I guess you could say you got a full ride at a Non- headcount sport if you did have the academic aid that kind of added on but in any case I you know. I Think it's just essential to really understand what the options are what and and and they all at the end of the day I mean it's a dollar amount at the end. It's the same dollar amount does it really matter how you get there if your kid's happy and they're going to have ah a very you know, full holistic.
49:16.34
mvhuber
And.
49:16.73
Amy Bryant
Kind of experience that that matches what they need and what they want and all of that does it really do you have to say they got a full ride or do you have to say they got an athlete scrub or do you have to say you're at a top 50 school like let's let's be real.
49:29.80
mvhuber
Yeah, well as we sort of wrap up here and I really have enjoyed talking to you because I I always learned something from my guests and and I the space that you're in I think is really really important in terms of being able to offer families the resources that that are.
49:35.17
Amy Bryant
So yep.
49:49.48
mvhuber
That they need to really make good informed choices that are going to really affect lifetimes not just for their kids but potentially for them. You know it's It's a generational type of investment to put your kids through college right? Like if if you're doing it blindly. It's going to cost you a lot of money. Um, so I want to ask.
49:59.48
Amy Bryant
Yes, yep.
50:08.34
mvhuber
Ah, 2 part question to sort of wrap up here with you one is if you had to give 1 piece of advice to the student athlete. What would it be and if you had to give 1 piece of advice to parents. What would it be.
50:22.90
Amy Bryant
Um, to the student athlete I would say to be persistent in the process to really you know cast abroad or cast a wide net with the list of schools that they have but to.
50:36.60
mvhuber
Um.
50:36.98
Amy Bryant
To be really persistent in attracting the attention of coaches of those realistic options. Um, and then to parents. Um, it would probably be kind of what we talked about before and that is well I always say to parents you should be the Chauffeur. You should be the chef You should be the cheerleader and you know you got to know your budget too. You know, but um, but but that's that's it outside of those 4 areas you know, just step back and let your let your child take control of the process. Let them take the lead.
51:13.17
mvhuber
It's a really good advice. Amy thank you so much for coming onto the podcast I really appreciate your insights and I'm looking forward to sharing it with ah with all the listeners. So thank you so much.
51:23.87
Amy Bryant
You're welcome. It was a pleasure.