Should fans be communicating with recruits?

[#1LVLS MAN 4 LIFE]

I responded "NO" to this poll, and my reasons are the following. Although I would like to know that the coaches and athletes personally know that they have someone who supports them in times good and bad, I can do this through avenues like this forum, team apparel, social media and the like. Personally and professionally, as someone who has coached- not basketball, I don't need another person, entity, camera, or microphone having access to my athletes, coaches, and program. It is the university/school and coaching staff who are entrusted with the safety and well being of these athletes to protect the access and lines of communication surrounding the athletes under their charge. If an individual athlete or group of athletes initiates and maintains communications with a fan or fans within the rules of the team, athletic department, and university at large, that athlete or group open themselves up to possible negativities or perceived negativities they may come to regret. It also my belief that such relationship between athletes and fans will at some point and in some way put the university in an almost impossible position having to protect itself from any opportunist trying to take advantage of a situation gone bad. The truth is that there will be personal communication between athletes, coaches, and fans in some way, shape, or form, always has been - always will be, but to open the flood gates is an unnecessary risk that no one needs in my view.

 

[creekdipper]

^^^

Excellent post, #1. Pretty much sums up why I voted no (option 3).

One other factor that may or may not have been mentioned is that top recruits are often inundated (maybe overwhelmed) with calls, tweets, emails, and letters from staffs...and that's not including the unofficial and official visits they are setting up and taking. This on top of their regular social lives, friends, school, community activities, workouts, practices, games, travel ball, etc. The last thing they need is having to deal with extra, unsolicited advice from voices weighing in.

Reading the accounts of some of our latest recruits, we often see what a relief it is to these young athletes to finally make a choice and commit to a school. The last thing we should want to do is add more pressure to what they're already experiencing. They probably get plenty of advice from family and friends already.

 

[PineyBluff Vol]

glad to hear it

It is always about you Jump (especially in your Eyes)!

 

[Bballnut1952]

I won't partake bc it is reference to what Coach J did. To be clear, he didn't communicate with the recruit but her parent... Very different circumstance!

Not according to NCAA rules.

 

[Iam4utalways]

I’ve made it a habit to let folks know that I’m a Vol fan and they should send their kids to UT.

I’ve told many kids that if they are serious about sports they should work hard and go win the Vols a couple of National Championships and become a hero to all Vol fans.

 

[Pride85]

And to those who voted this is still a free country so I can; it could be sketchy considering there are laws against cyber-bullying and cyber-stalking, especially when a minor is involved. Even though most of these potential student athletes are larger than most adults, they are still minors. Some of the reported cyber-attacks against an athlete that picks another school could land the perpetrator in jail if the said athlete chose to press charges.

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

If a recruit leaves him/herself exposed for comments on Twitter, Facebook or other social media platforms then you cannot stop fans or pseudo-fans from commenting, contacting or potentially harassing them. I think it is ok to celebrate on their social media when they sign with your school, but dont bash them for choosing another regardless of circumstances.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Note: Any one I contact or that contacts me on twitter I immediately ask them to inform their parents and do not respond again until I hear from Mom or Dad.

This is my standard for in-person talks with any players I recruit for my own team. If I approach them or they approach me, I immediately ask if they will let me talk to their parent first...As a coach sometimes the parent is not immediately available but with today's technology they are reachable in some format.

Also, the rules are very different for coaches, we have to be comfortable with approaching kids in a genuine purpose...Yes I agree there are unqualified and questionable adults out there that have to be considered and watched, and I too watch for them,,,but I could not have coached 40 years if I was one of them.

When you coach in AAU/exposure, as I do, you have BG checks done yearly.
And I give references to anyone I approach for my teams or if asked...willingly.

 

[bigorangepoppa]

I don't have a Twitter account, an Instagram account, a TikTok account, I don't have any of the popular media sharing accounts, so I don't communicate with prospective student athletes. I am not a booster since I don't meet any of the criteria to be considered one. If by some small chance I was in close proximity to a recruit, I might say sure would be great if you choose Tennessee and leave it at that. I don't see where that could create an issue, but hey, that's just me.

 

[savannahfan]

I vote yes.
Here is the thing, HE/SHE DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN. They don't even have to be polite. They can say hey, don't talk to me about this subject. Or they can be polite and just say thank you for caring enough to give advice, but I will making my on mind up.

 

[savannahfan]

I said absolutely not. Leave direct communication to the coaches and other players.
We can “communicate” here in their threads.

You assume the recruit will treat your communication as important? I don't think this gives a recruit the credit they deserve when it comes to whether to listen to "us" or the people that count. I know, there are many who listen to the wrong people and many times end up learning a hard lesson. But that's just the way it is, not just in sports but in all walks of life. Some learn the right way, some never learn and some learn the hard way and end up with a second chance.

 

[savannahfan]

I'm a CEO working on delicate negotiation with an important client. I've worked the relationship carefully, I know exactly how this client likes to be communicated with. Then all the sudden the guy fm the mail room pipes up with his 2¢ worth? A thousand times NO. There's no possible upside that outweighs the risk of an uninformed buttinski chiming in. I guess a simple hey we'd like to have you public post is inevitable and probably harmless. But I don't think that's what we're talking about here. It's insistent direct sustained contact, which brings up the aforementioned inappropriateness factor . . .

But that's not what the question ask. It was not specific as to the situation, just communication with a prospect. Now, if as you lay out, it had been so narrowly put, then your answer would have very likely gotten 99.99% a no answer. Not a 100, because there always a few.........

 

[Power T-Rev]

No, its just creepy

 

[GameTime]

Hang in there coach.....Your heart was in the right place.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Reasons why not to contact your school’s recruit:

1. You could cost your school a recruit. If someone takes it upon themself to personally recruit a player by contacting a player, and even her parents, you may be perceived by the family or player, to be a strange or stalker type person, someone to avoid, (no matter how special you perceive yourself), causing them to be uncomfortable or even worried to be around that person.

2. You could cost your school an NCAA investigation.

3. Kellie and her recruiting staff spend countless hours evaluating and recruiting players. How unfair and terrible is it to them to possibly lose a recruit because a fan decided to interfere in their recruiting process.

 

[PG1]

Let this sink in some of these recruits are 9th and 8th grade girls so 13, 14 years old! Ask yourself do you want 40, 50, 60 year old men chatting or trying to chat with your daughter on social media’s!

 

[Voltopia]

I wish there was an answer for "yes, if you are respect the athlete's privacy and time." Or something similar. The problem with this question is that while you can speak for yourself, you cannot speak for anyone else. A sensible person could have a quick conversation or a very brief chat and it would be fine. I've talked to recruits who were at the Final Four before. Nothing particularly excessive, just a "you're gonna look great in orange!" and a friendly wave, or if they're at the official pre-game parties, maybe a quick back and forth about what they are doing to prepare, a see-you-in-Knoxville, or what have you. And I've spoken to a few at AAU events, too. One time I stopped one player long enough to compliment her on being defensively dominant throughout the tournament, because she was defensively dominant throughout the tournament. I even had some idea that the girl might go on to play for Tennessee, but I didn't bring it up her future at all. Wasn't about that. Just a compliment and move on. And hey, she smiled and thanked me, so I'm guessing it was okay.

So again, the problem with answering "yes" emerges when you don't know what other people will say or do with that same amount of leeway. I think when the talk gets too familiar or too assumptive, or when it's clear the player doesn't want to talk but the person speaking to them can't pick up the clues -- that's when it becomes a real problem. And that's why a lot of people will say "no" when yes could be perfectly reasonable.

I will say this. People talk to the players at summer events and so on. It's not unheard of. It's just knowing the boundaries for what's okay and what's not okay.

 

[LadyVols_WBK]

Let this sink in some of these recruits are 9th and 8th grade girls so 13, 14 years old! Ask yourself do you want 40, 50, 60 year old men chatting or trying to chat with your daughter on social media’s!

I dont think people would talk to recruits that age I think people start communicating and even commenting when they are in their junior year and they start putting out list of their top schools. 8th and 9th grade is WAAAAYYY to early

 

[Coach Jumper]

No, its just creepy

Then you might want to look into your own heart and character.

Let this sink in some of these recruits are 9th and 8th grade girls so 13, 14 years old! Ask yourself do you want 40, 50, 60 year old men chatting or trying to chat with your daughter on social media’s!

I dont think people would talk to recruits that age I think people start communicating and even commenting when they are in their junior year and they start putting out list of their top schools. 8th and 9th grade is WAAAAYYY to early

I walk the green way often in Pigeon Forge as it allows me a scenic and uncongested mile path...As luck would have it a perfect example happened this morning...

A couple was ahead of me and since I walk a quick pace I caught up with them....after we greeted each other I walked with me for a time since communication opened up. The man was about 6'4" and the woman of average height, guessing late 60's...Conversation quickly got onto basketball and he told me of his granddaughter who plays in Morristown, a rising Jr (16 yrs old)..,He said that Anderson college saw her in a camp and offered her a scholarship immediately...I asked him if she had played upper competitive and he said no, just local AAU and middle school...I told him that if she was offered that quickly, she may be better than local college material...He asked me if I knew of a program near Morristown...I told him yes, there is a very good org there coached overseen by a man named DB and would be happy to give his contact info to him if he felt comfortable in sending it to me......His wife chimed in and asked about references for me and I told her, I can give you several local references....Both felt secure enough to exchange info and that is where we stand, I will wait on their contact info, send it to DB and let BB-nature take its course....That simple exchange may or may not change that girl's entire future, don't know.

But without coaches (people) like me who take chances and interact with potential situations these kids end up being stars for small colleges

Further, I saw a video of a kid shooting threes and retweeted it on my site,,,,She responded to the retweet with a thank you, I DMed her and asked for her parent to DM me back, her mom did,,,now that girl's name is in front of the likes of exposure coaches, and anyone who follows mt account on twitter,,,that girl just put out another video that I retweeted in which she does a timed shooting drill and see how many 3's she can make in one minute,,,she hits 16 out of 20....this girl is a rising 9th grader. She and her family are thankful for the exposure I have given to/for her.

This is the purpose of my life and one I am very proud of. I have seen around 200 girls I have either directly or indirectly influenced or coached go into college...This is my legacy, of which I am honored to be a part of...It is by no means creepy, and to whomever it is,, you might want to look within your own heart, because my heart and conscience is clear and clean,,,,This is her recent video

 

[Volfan2012]

Who the young girls, teenage girls, etc talk to is directly up to the parents. If you are inclined to let your daughter have a social media account then it is up to you to keep her friends or followers to only family and people she actually knows. Anyone else that tries to communicate needs to be blocked or you are willing to accept her talking to anyone. Social media is designed for any account or anyone to talk to another regardless of age and it certainly happens everyday.
I don't think a responsible adult should be talking to anyone that age they don't know, but basically it falls on the judgement of the individual and their parents to keep it under control or not allow at all. One thing for certain there are plenty of social media safety features you can use to block or delete anyone that tries to communicate with you that you don't want to communicate or speak with.

I fall on the side that no we should not talk to or try to communicate with recruits that we don't know personally. I don't think it helps the school, the coaches, or recruiting in general for fans to be stalkers or consistent pests in a young persons decision making process.

 

[PineyBluff Vol]

Note: Any one I contact or that contacts me on twitter I immediately ask them to inform their parents and do not respond again until I hear from Mom or Dad.

This is my standard for in-person talks with any players I recruit for my own team. If I approach them or they approach me, I immediately ask if they will let me talk to their parent first...As a coach sometimes the parent is not immediately available but with today's technology they are reachable in some format.

Also, the rules are very different for coaches, we have to be comfortable with approaching kids in a genuine purpose...Yes I agree there are unqualified and questionable adults out there that have to be considered and watched, and I too watch for them,,,but I could not have coached 40 years if I was one of them.

When you coach in AAU/exposure, as I do, you have BG checks done yearly.
And I 1
give references to anyone I approach for my teams or if asked...willingly.

NOYB

 

[Bballnut1952]

Yes, it's ok - 34
No, it's not ok - 148

 

[Coach Jumper]

NOYB

No, it's None OF Your Business
It is very much MY Business

 

[Coach Jumper]

Yes, it's ok - 34
No, it's not ok - 148

For Joe Smoe, yes
For Coach Joe Schmoe, different poll

 

[glv98]

Reasons why not to contact your school’s recruit:

1. You could cost your school a recruit. If someone takes it upon themself to personally recruit a player by contacting a player, and even her parents, you may be perceived by the family or player, to be a strange or stalker type person, someone to avoid, (no matter how special you perceive yourself), causing them to be uncomfortable or even worried to be around that person.

2. You could cost your school an NCAA investigation.

3. Kellie and her recruiting staff spend countless hours evaluating and recruiting players. How unfair and terrible is it to them to possibly lose a recruit because a fan decided to interfere in their recruiting process.

Yes, exactly. To go beyond a generic "love to have you!" is selfish and silly. We often hear "give KJH a chance." Well here's your chance to give her one. Do not horn in! Whether you admit it or not, you do represent the U of T in that kids' mind. So don't.

But that's not what the question ask. It was not specific as to the situation, just communication with a prospect. Now, if as you lay out, it had been so narrowly put, then your answer would have very likely gotten 99.99% a no answer. Not a 100, because there always a

You're right, I did have something a little more specific in mind than casual public communication, such as people running into recruits or players at games, tourneys, etc and doing the quick hey-theres-a-famous-person shout out.

I'm also talking about seeking out actual avenues of continued communication with recruits and players, bouncing off that initial generic contact. Personalizing, the word I use so often around here. Going through the parents does not make me feel a bit better, its just an avenue to get to the kid. Do we really believe anyone would be interested in establishing a conversation w ole Dad but for his daughter? Good to have parents in the loop for sure, and hopefully they take quick control. Of course such communication could be relatively innocent, but its a dark door I wouldn't even want to open. And just another reason to leave the recruiting to the recruiters!

Edited to add: Again, I'm not talking about someone you casually meet and start talking to and discover a shared interest. I'm talking about the unsolicited and continual reaching out to try and establish a private conversation. That does happen and that is way questionable to me.