Friday, June 04, 2010

Wanted: Families on the path to college sports

I've begun work on a second book on the business of youth sports. I'll be exploring ways in which the commerce side of things is shaping the experience that kids are having.

I have some interesting stuff in my notebook and some promising reporting trips planned over the next few months. If you have suggestions, comments, thoughts on the subject, I'd be happy to hear from you.

One thing I plan to examine in the book is the (surprisingly) complex process of helping a child reach his/her goal of becoming a college athlete - combines, placement services, etc.

My thought is to choose two or three families that I would stay in touch with through a recruiting season. In the book, I'd write about the choices they faced and decisions they made.

So I'm asking readers of the blog for help. If you know a family that might be interesting to follow, drop me a note here. I'll supply more details about what would be involved.

Many thanks, Mark

2 comments:

STATS DAD said...

Looking forward to your findings as my young athletes are still young (9 and 13) but have goals of playing in HS and college.

I forwarded your a link to this post to my sister. Her son, who will be a junior, is being recruited for football. Spending the summer going to combines at various schools in the North East.

Good luck with the book.

Kirk Mango said...

Sounds interesting Mark.

My kids (2 daughters) went through the whole recruiting process and on into DI college sports (graduates of H.S. 2004 & 2007 respectively).

They did not use any of the placement services, etc. Only their goals, will & determination, strong work ethic, assertiveniss, and encouragement toward the goals they themselves had set.

Not saying there improper or bad, just believe their is a better way. A way where the athlete themselves have ownership over what they want. An Inside-Out type of approach.

Anyway, good luck. This sounds like a very interesting and valuabel project.

Best

Kirk