Recruiting

This was a great class of recruits:I get a lot of questions this time of year that go along the lines of "How's recruiting?" The questions come from alumni, administrators at the college, friends, family, current players and even parents of players. The answer is always a little difficult to pin down for many reasons. I haven't seen all of the new recruits play. I've seen some play at camp, on film or in person, but I don't know how well they will do at the college level. Sometimes recruits who have applied and been accepted, change their mind at the last moment. Sometimes strong recruits who I believed were going to attend elsewhere, change their mind at the last moment and come to Maranatha. I have had players whose credentials look awesome on paper and then they show up and are a bust. Every year we see players who were completely discounted by me and they end up playing a central role in our season. The bottom line is that I don't really know until I see the "whites of their eyes". I always pray that God will bring the right student-athletes to this school.

That said, I love to recruit. I love to get to know a new players and discuss the pros and cons of attending Maranatha and playing soccer. I believe in this school and I love to "sell" it to prospective players and their parents. Maranatha is not for everyone - obviously - but for students and parents who share our values, it can be a tool to mold you into an outstanding individual who places a high priority on the local church and strives for excellence in his profession.

Understand, the process of "molding" is not always pretty and it is not always a good time, but it is always worth it. As we talked in one of my recent coaching soccer classes: success is fun. I believe that learning to do something well provides satisfaction. We live in a culture that promotes passive entertainment. "Fun" that does not require participation. I believe that this type of "fun" is empty and hollow. Kind of like eating a jelly-filled donut: I love it while I am biting into it, but I always regret it later. I appreciate and admire individuals who get up and participate in life. They are the ones who find joy. I don't want tickets for the 50 yard line - I came to play! A favorite saying of mine (actually I probably got it from my dad...) is "What doesn't kill you, will make you stronger" - and I believe it. Maranatha is not always fun - it's college. However, with the right attitude, you can have the time of your life.-C