The Recruiting Game: Erin Boley

[Sluconn Husky]

Long, interesting read on the general recruiting process and Erin Boley's experience with it in particular. Boley had originally said she would decide on a school next spring but suggests that timetable has been moved up to this fall.

http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/recruiting-game-identifying-right-fit-0810


Boley didn’t make the list for attention, but rather to narrow her focus and lessen her load come September. With so many offers, she couldn’t keep fielding requests from schools she had no interest in attending. What she didn’t expect was that after she made her list, some schools not on it weren’t deterred. Duke, LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma — to name a few — continued to pursue her as if the list didn’t exist.


“Lists don’t mean anything. Until you commit, (coaches) won’t stop,” Tapley said. “Even when you commit, they still won’t stop. Once you sign your national letter of intent, they’ll finally leave you alone.”


And coaches will find any way around the rules. Coaches aren’t allowed to mail recruits directly until next month, so when Boley was named Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, they sent Mudd letters with ‘Congrats to Erin’ on them. Mudd, of course, would show Boley and the letter’s purpose was served.

 

[Wonkster]

.
Ya mean Erin's name isn't Mudd?

 

[Zorro]

I am surprised to find that I have used all my month's free articles for the Hardin County News-Enterprise, even though I have never heard of it before. Ah well....

 

[pvdoggy]

Some of the interactions can be pretty cool. Walz sent a text to Mudd a few years ago that said, “We’re about to run out onto the floor for the Final Four, and we want Erin to know we’re thinking of her.”

Seriously ???

 

[MarlboroughMike]

Some of the interactions can be pretty cool. Walz sent a text to Mudd a few years ago that said, “We’re about to run out onto the floor for the Final Four, and we want Erin to know we’re thinking of her.

I bet that really impressed all the others that are being recruited by Walz who got the same text! and doubly impressed those that didn't receive any!!

 

[Kibitzer]

Some of the interactions can be pretty cool. Walz sent a text to Mudd a few years ago that said, “We’re about to run out onto the floor for the Final Four, and we want Erin to know we’re thinking of her.

Possible responses:

"Jeff, it's past Erin's bedtime, but I'll give her your urgent messageat practice tomorrow afternoon."

"Jeff, she's right here. I gave her your message. She said something about ROFLMAO.
DOH!"​

 

[sawxfan23]

Do you think Walz sent the "We just played UConn in the National Championship game and we got absolutely throttled but we are still thinking of you" message?

 

[ctfjr]

Thanks for linking to a story that requires a subscription

 

[calpedaler]

I don't subscribe and I was able to read it on the site.

 

[caravaggio]

I'm curious how many coaches actually respect the recruits' decisions once they have eliminated the coach's school from consideration?

I was particularly struck by the reference to coaches from Duke, LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma still pursuing Boley after she indicated she was no longer interested in them. Not surprised by Duke & OSU, but I would have expected more of Sherri Coales.

 

[HuskyNan]

I'm curious how many coaches actually respect the recruits' decisions once they have eliminated the coach's school from consideration?

I was particularly struck by the reference to coaches from Duke, LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma still pursuing Boley after she indicated she was no longer interested in them. Not surprised by Duke & OSU, but I would have expected more of Sherri Coales.

I have heard of coaches pursuing players after the LOI had been signed. One prominent coach told a blue chip player, "If you ever change your mind, there's always room for you here". I don't know how often that happens, though.

 

[j66kicker]

I'm curious how many coaches actually respect the recruits' decisions once they have eliminated the coach's school from consideration?

I was particularly struck by the reference to coaches from Duke, LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma still pursuing Boley after she indicated she was no longer interested in them. Not surprised by Duke & OSU, but I would have expected more of Sherri Coales.

I think there is a fine line between "lack of respect" and "salesmanship." Recruiting is sales, and any salesperson who quits after the first "no" needs to find a different way to make a living. OTOH continuing to pester a kid who says she isn't interested in playing for you doesn't sound too cool. I suspect if coaches do this it's because it works.

 

[jdubct]

Well such previous contact could have been a factor in Samarie Walker transferring quickly to Kentucky once she decided to leave Uconn.

 

[Kibitzer]

I think there is a fine line between "lack of respect" and "salesmanship." Recruiting is sales, and any salesperson who quits after the first "no" needs to find a different way to make a living. OTOH continuing to pester a kid who says she isn't interested in playing for you doesn't sound too cool. I suspect if coaches do this it's because it works.

Back to the legendary W.C. Fields:

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. If that doesn't work, quit. No use being a damned fool."


​

 

[dtbtbtb]

Few thoughts while reading this article: that coaches probably think that she is a teenager she'll change her mind and that's why they continue to recruit her even after she released her list of 7. I hope she'll come to first night and verbal to UConn. Jeff W. Is not afraid to pull all stops in recruiting and even as so far it didn't pan out they are a finalist for some of the best players of 2015 (Durr, others) and if he gets few of those they'll be very good as he can coach. IMO the thing that stops Boley from giving UConn a verbal is the fact that we got 3 very very good forwards from the 2015 class so she is probably worried about playing time. Hopefully she'll realize that training against amazing players and being coached by the best coaching staff in the country will make her a star for her senior year.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Some of the interactions can be pretty cool. Walz sent a text to Mudd a few years ago that said, “We’re about to run out onto the floor for the Final Four, and we want Erin to know we’re thinking of her.

Perhaps that game might have turned out better for Jeff if instead of thinking about some high school girl he considered the challenge that was in front of his team at that moment.

 

[pap49cba]

Perhaps that game might have turned out better for Jeff if instead of thinking about some high school girl he considered the challenge that was in front of his team at that moment.

Honestly, can anyone picture Geno messaging some recruit just before his team was to take the floor in the NC game?

 

[j66kicker]

Honestly, can anyone picture Geno messaging some recruit just before his team was to take the floor in the NC game?

"Yo Asia - This is what you'll be missing out on."

"Oh - and that goes for all you losers who held press conferences to announce your short lists too."

 

[ballhawk]

Same problem as others. I used up my month's supply of free articles. What's the trick to getting on the site?

 

[Jmul760170]

I've used this in the past, works pretty good for me. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/remove-cookies-for-site/

 

[Sonny44]

I have heard of coaches pursuing players after the LOI had been signed. One prominent coach told a blue chip player, "If you ever change your mind, there's always room for you here". I don't know how often that happens, though.

Is that really "pursuit" or just a closing statement that coach harbors no resentment?

 

[HuskyNan]

Is that really "pursuit" or just a closing statement that coach harbors no resentment?

It is against the rules for coaches to continue contact after the LOI is signed.

From the National Letter of Intent web page:

The National Letter of Intent has many advantages to both prospective student-athletes and participating educational institutions:

• Once a National Letter of Intent is signed, prospective student-athletes are no longer subject to further recruiting contacts and calls.
• Student-athletes are assured of an athletics scholarship for a minimum of one full academic year.
• By emphasizing a commitment to an educational institution, not particular coaches or teams, the program focuses on a prospective student-athlete's educational objectives.

 

[Hoopz]

Honestly, can anyone picture Geno messaging some recruit just before his team was to take the floor in the NC game?

Can anyone picture Geno putting up a billboard to recruit a player?

 

[Kibitzer]

Can anyone picture Geno putting up a billboard to recruit a player?

. . . ot giving the family of a recruit a plastic pink flamingo to place in their front yard?

 

[Husky1964]

Brenda recruited a girl from us AFTER she verballed to Storrs. Eventually went to MD and played on Champ. Team. Legal but unsavory.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Honestly, can anyone picture Geno messaging some recruit just before his team was to take the floor in the NC game?

Apparently Geno tells top recruits that he doesn't need them. I guess it's some kind of reverse psychology because it seems to work!

 

[mtsuraider06]

Brenda recruited a girl from us AFTER she verballed to Storrs. Eventually went to MD and played on Champ. Team. Legal but unsavory.

I don't post a lot, but this struck me. She also recruited Candace after committing to TN, and also contacted her well into her freshman year in Knoxville.

 

[easttexastrash]

If I were a coach of a university not on the list, I would continue to pursue a player until they made a verbal commitment. Hey, if a girl is still considering 5 different suitors, she obviously is not that set on any of them...maybe I still have a chance.

 

[hoophuskee]

Few thoughts while reading this article: that coaches probably think that she is a teenager she'll change her mind and that's why they continue to recruit her even after she released her list of 7. I hope she'll come to first night and verbal to UConn. Jeff W. Is not afraid to pull all stops in recruiting and even as so far it didn't pan out they are a finalist for some of the best players of 2015 (Durr, others) and if he gets few of those they'll be very good as he can coach. IMO the thing that stops Boley from giving UConn a verbal is the fact that we got 3 very very good forwards from the 2015 class so she is probably worried about playing time. Hopefully she'll realize that training against amazing players and being coached by the best coaching staff in the country will make her a star for her senior year.

From what I've heard about her, she could be a star in her soph year.