Curing Communication Trepidation

RT Staff Note:
The following article is the second in a series from Carmen Bucci, President of The Complete Athlete. Carmen teaches high school athletes how to communicate better with their current coaches, college coaches and/or professional scouts.

By Carmen Bucci, The Complete Athlete
WARNING! What you are about to read is an actual conversation between a parent and their student-athlete.

Parent – “How was your day?”
Student-Athlete – “Fine.”
P – “How was the game?”
S-A – “Good.”
P – “What’s new at school?”
S-A – “Nothing.”

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. College coaches and scouts hear the same thing, day after day, while talking to potential recruits / draft picks. As frustrated as you may feel trying to communicate with your teenager, imagine what a coach or scout thinks when he has 10 or 15 minutes to get to know your son, either over the phone or in person. These valuable minutes could have an enormous impact on whether or not you’ll be recruited, or the round in which you’ll be drafted.

We’ve all heard the saying, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” As you’re reading this, ask yourself the question “Is my son prepared to communicate with a coach or scout, and make a great first impression?” I hope so. There’s a lot riding on how they are perceived by that college coach or professional scout. You have to remember that PERCEPTION IS REALITY.

When you take into account the money involved in recruiting / scouting, the jobs that are on the line, and the reputations at stake, it’s vital for college coaches or major league baseball teams to get to know as much as possible about a student-athlete before they make any type of offer. We’re talking about the physical skills, mental make up, leadership qualities, and character. Along with the proper physical conditioning, effective communication training is imperative for success in sports and life.

Why are so many of you confident in your son’s abilities on the baseball field, and not so confident in their communication skills? Because they develop their skills through practicing and playing. How many times does your son get together with his buddies and have a pick-up game in Public Speaking? Never. But, not working on your communication skills means you’re leaving out an essential part of becoming the complete athlete.