If you've noticed that your players have changed drastically over the past decade, you aren't alone. 

College coaches collectively scratch their heads at what happened, and when it happened: When did their athletes change?  When did it get so hard to relate to them?  When did it get so hard to recruit them?  What's the secret to understand how today's athlete actually makes their final decision on where to play and go to school?

Those questions will be answered at this weekend's SFC Recruiting Kick-Off Conference.  Mandy Brettingen, a women's soccer coach with ten years of coaching and recruiting at the Division I and II levels, is tackling the subject that she has become an expert in over the years.

"Based on the interviews I've listened to and books that I have read about successful coaches (Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summit, and others), there is a new shift in focus for coaches that is getting the most out of their athletes," says Brettingen.  "Traditionally, coaches used fear and intimidation to motivate athletes, coaches now seem to be focusing on developing strong relationships with athletes based on trust and respect.    I have found that when players feel like they are cared for, being listened to, know what is expected of them, and have a role in accomplishing the team goals, they will go to war for you and for the team."

Brettingen, now a part-time assistant women's soccer coach at Loyola Marymount University and a workshop presenter for Selling for Coaches, will be focusing on several key strategies for creating a cohesive team atmosphere:

• How players are changing, and what coaches can do to cope
• The importance of building solid relationships with your players
• 10 things you need to know about today's players that you are coaching
• How to make your players your #1 recruiters

"Working to develop relationships is most definately a challenging task," says Brettingen.  "However, the rewards for the coach who is committed to building relationships are more motivated, loyal, disciplined, and committed players."

I want to help coaches become more aware how important the coach/player relationship really is this weekend," says Brettingen.  "I also want coaches to able to walk away from this presentation with practical ideas that they can take back and apply immediatly with their athletes.  Then, better coach-player relationships should equal better recruiting becasue bottom line is that the players on your team are going to be your best salespeople.  They will be the ones who make or break you in your recruiting efforts."

Mandy Brettingen is a veteran college soccer coach and a Recruiting Solutions Consultant for Selling for Coaches.  Brettingen has a BA in Psychology from Macalester College and a MS in Sports Psychology from the University of Utah.  

Posted by Dan Tudor at 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Charlie Adams, author of "Stoke the Fire Within" 

Last April I was delivering a program with some other motivational speakers in Michigan. I think I'm tall at 6'6", but when I saw a guy named Tim McCormick come out to speak, I felt like a shrimp. Tim is 6'11." Now that's tall! As you can imagine, Tim was a basketball player at the college and professional levels. 

He shared a story that really hit home with me when it comes to slamming the door on the things that keep you, or your team, from performing at your best.

Tim recalled a time when he was a reserve for the New York Knicks. Pat Riley was their coach and his job was to turn them from losers into winners. This was at the time when the great Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dominated them and just about everyone else. The Knicks hadn't defeated the Bulls in forever, and during that losing streak Jordan routinely dribbled right through them and dunked on their heads.

As McCormick reveals in his outstanding motivational keynote speech "NBA" (Never Be Average), Riley knew that the Knicks had to cut off their wimpy ways. The Knicks were getting ready to play the Bulls for the first time under Riley's leadership. They had just finished pre game warm-ups when Riley called them into the locker room. A video monitor had been set up that showed Jordan dunking easily on them during that long streak of losses to the Bulls. It was rather pitiful.

Riley let them have it! He accused them of being in awe of Jordan and playing like they wanted his autograph. The players just sat there. What could they say?

Riley then sternly informed them that things were about to change. He said the first time Jordan came flying towards the basket for an easy dunk he wanted someone to foul him with authority. He didn't want him hurt, but he wanted Jordan to get a message. Riley said he wanted the Knick to lean over Jordan and say two words:

"No more!"

Sure enough, the game started and Jordan started swooping in for his easy Knick dunk. Wham! He was fouled convincingly and went crashing to the floor. A Knick leaned over him and said, "No more!"

The Knicks surged to a huge lead and went on to win. Things had changed. They had made a decision to excel, and a part of that was saying "No More" to the things that had kept them in mediocrity and below.

It requires taking a hard look at yourself and being honest about everything that is holding you back from being your best in 2008, whether it involves recruiting or coaching your team. The fire within in you has to say, "No More!"

Some of us have the strength to say that and slap the floor and the door is closed to whatever has held us back. For some, it's much more complicated. There is a process to go through that often requires the help of others. Saying "No More" can range from serious issues, like alcohol abuse, on down to such things as eating late at night.

Saying "No More" doesn't guarantee you the challenge is about to be obliterated. 'Yours truly' - motivator speaker man - is notorious in that area. I can't tell you how many times I have noticed a Men's Fitness magazine in the grocery story that has some guy with abs of steel on the cover. I stand there and say "No More" to sweets and eating junk at night. I don't slap the floor as other grocery shoppers would probably go get the manager, but I mentally say it. Then I go buy frozen chicken breasts and broccoli.

Why? Because I read that's what Tiger Woods eats and he is built like a rock. I go home determined to eat nothing but chicken breasts and broccoli. That lasts about two days.

But you know what? Even though I haven't had the willpower to go to my original extreme intention, my eating habits improve every time I do the "No More" routine.

s you make or think about New Year's Resolutions, you might consider something you need to say "No More" to, Coach.

Charlie Adams is the author of "Stoke the Fire Within: A Guide to Igniting your Life".  He is the Motivational Expert at Selling for Coaches, and also serves as SFC's Media Message Expert following two decades as an award-winning sports broadcaster covering college sports.  Visit Charlie's website at www.StokeTheFireWithin.com. 

Posted by Dan Tudor at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Most coaches want to master their sport.  As a coach, certainly, and sometimes even as a recruiter.  The better you recruit, the easier it is to coach.

That's one of the reasons we produced two specialized recruiting guides for college coaches who want to master their sport.  Most coaches want to be the best at what they do.  You probably have that same goal.

But stop and think about it.  What does it take to truly master your sport as a coach?  As a recruiter?  How long do you have to study, get experience in the battle of athletic competition, or lose a prized recruit to your rival before you're classified as a real "master"?

Marketing guru and author Jeffrey Gitomer got the answer to what it takes to become a master from an unexpected seat-mate on a recent airline flight.  He found himself seated to Zach Johnson, the pro golfer who recently won The Masters.

Johnson said his rise to golf stardom was a slow, deliberate one.  Here are the lessons that he learned about being a "master" at his game:  

• He doesn't get upset at a bad shot or a bad round.
• He plays consistent as a golfer and a golf strategist.
• He stays in the hunt and is always there to make a run at winning.
• He doesn't get nervous at the end of a round. (One of the first questions Gitomer asked Zach was whether he was nervous on the 18th at Augusta. "No," he said. "I just played to win. And played my best.")
• He plays for fun. (He loves the game, the competition, the thrill of winning, and the youthful exuberance of just "being there.")
• He plays to win. (Every time Zach Johnson goes out on the course, he believes he'll win the round, and win the tournament. 

"It's a job - a fun job. But it's a job." Zach adds as he smiled broadly. "It's my number four priority. Family. Faith. Family. And then fairways."

So what does all of this have to do with signing great recruits?  As I read the comments from Johnson, it sounds like being a master coach and recruiter is the same thing that it takes to be a master professional golfer: Perspective, passion, a non-stop pursuit of the skills that will help you to improve, and the expectation that you'll get the recruit you're aiming to sign.

Too many coaches I meet have a negative, defeatist attitude when it comes to recruiting.  "I can't compete against so-and-so...we don't have the facilities to get the great athletes here...our area isn't attractive to prospects."  On and on and on.  Excuse after excuse after excuse.

On paper, Zach Johnson wasn't a big favorite to beat a guy like Tiger Woods.  But he stuck to his principles, and became the master that he'd always dreamed of being.

My question for you: Are you on that course towards "mastering" your skills as a recruiter and a coach?  If the answer is no, make that a priority as we head towards the new year.  If you're a SFC Premium Member, we'll tell you about three smart ways to become a master recruiter who dominates their competition.  Look for it later this week in your Inbox, plus some extra stuff that we think will help you close out the recruiting year successfully.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Author Jeffrey Gitomer shares his list of rules for business professionals (and, yes, college coaches) who want to be at their best on a daily basis.  I've mixed in my own comments as well. 

A daily focus on the little things that create winners result in BIG things.  Take care of the little things as a coach, and watch big things happen in your coaching career.  

1. Wake up early. Gitomer says, "The early bird does not get the worm. The early bird makes the money. Work while others sleep."  Dan says, "For coaches, it may not be about "money".  But it might be about preparation, planning your recruiting a little better, or exercising to make sure you feel your best for your long day ahead.  What do you do in the morning to ensure success for the day?"

2. Love what you do. Gitomer says, "If you don’t love it, you will never rise to the top. Love it, or leave it."  Dan says, "Your passion for coaching spills over to your passion for your recruits.  If they see that you've got that little something extra, they'll choose you.  Athlete's that you're recruiting want to play for a passionate, committed coach.  Oh, one more thing: If you don't love what you do, or where you're doing it, get out quick.  If you don't, you'll ruin your career and become bitter in your personal and professional life.  And it's just not worth it to do that."

3. Dedicate yourself to being a life-long student. Gitomer asks, "How many

books did you read last year?"  Dan asks, "Have you read 'Selling for Coaches' yet?  How about another sales or marketing book?  You should.  You'll learn some amazing techniques that will make you more successful.  Commit to being a life-long student of coaching, sales, marketing and recruiting."

4. Convert anger to resolve. Gitomer says, "Anger is the biggest waste of energy on the planet. It blocks positive thought. It blocks creative thought."  Dan says, "Resolve to be a positive, energetic, optimistic person.  If you're angry about a job situation, change it.  If you're angry about losing, resolve to get better.  If you're angry about not doing well enough recruiting, commit to learning new techniques and strategies."

5. Convert barrier to breakthrough. Gitomer says, "You may know it as objection. Or even rejection. Stick at it until you win, and you will gain personal, mental dominance."  Dan says, "Couldn't have said it better myself!"

6. Take every “no” as “not yet.” Gitomer says, "You don’t hear with your ears. You hear with your mind. The way you accept other’s words will determine your fate. Gain an attitude of positive acceptance."  Dan says, "Don't get discouraged when it comes to athlete's that tell you no.  But ALWAYS look back and analyze what you could have done differently, or how you might recruit the same athlete differently, if you had the chance."

7. Watch little or no television. Gitomer says, "You’ll never succeed watching television. Convert TV time to study time. Convert TV time to preparation time. Convert TV time to thinking time.  Invest your time, don’t spend it."  Dan says, "Except for 'The Office' and 'Survivor'.  And, of course, SportsCenter." 

8. Read for twenty minutes every morning. Gitomer says, "Reading provides the opportunity for quiet insight. You can reflect on the ideas and thoughts of others, and immediately convert them to

your own success formula. Your best chance for success is reading. Learn to earn. Read to succeed."

9. Write for twenty minutes every morning. Gitomer says, "What should you write about? Anything you want! Begin to clarify your thoughts and ideas in writing."  Dan says, "Coach, do you write a blog?  You should.  Blogs are a great way to clarify your thoughts, spell out your goals, and let your prospects find out about the "real" you.

10.  Tell yourself you’re the best. “I am the greatest of

all time.” Muhammad Ali said that thousands of times.

Millions of people agree he was the greatest of all time.

He began that journey by telling himself first. So can you.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When you read that title, you might say to yourself, "What does boosting my self-confidence have to do with getting the edge in recruiting?"

A lot, coach.

Self-confidence is the difference between being good and being great.  Great coaches, and great recruiters, have a self-confidence that's second to none.  They exude self-confidence when they're on the phone, and when they're in front of the same prospect you're recruiting. 

And you know what?  The prospect picks-up on that self confidence, too.  Self-confidence is contagious, and the coach that has it usually has a great team of recruits year after year after year.  So today, coach, lets put our normal discussion of selling and communication skills aside and focus on your self-confidence.  If you sometimes struggle with living up to competition...if you feel like you're not measuring up to other coaches on your staff...if you're feeling depressed about the direction your college coaching career is headed, then today is for you.

Here are five great ways to boost your coaching self-confidence.  These aren't "tricks", they are time-tested strategies for improving your psychological outlook and improve your own mental self-image in the dog-eat-dog profession that you've chosen for yourself!  Here we go...

1. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Your probably tend to evaluate yourself in relation to other coaches.  Those in your athletic department, and those that you compete against. The problem is, you don't really know what's going on with another person. You can't know why they do what they do or what motivates their behavior. In fact, someone who looks "confident" may just be another shy person covering up his own insecurities and doubts.  Believe me, I get the chance to talk and work with a lot of coaches that fit into this category.  That's one of the reasons I wrote "Selling for Coaches"...to help coaches get the skills they need to become better recruiters and feel more confident in their recruiting abilities. 

Instead of focusing on other coaches, shift your attention back to yourself. The only reasonable comparison to make is between your past and your present performances. Bring your attention to your goals and to the actions you need to take to achieve them.

2. Set Self-Confidence Goals.

Choose one area of your self-confidence that needs work, and break it down into small, manageable, measurable steps or actions.

Let's say your goal is to get over your shyness when it comes to picking up the phone and developing relationships with new prospects. The actions you could take might be something like: Devote one scheduled hour to do nothing but make new contacts... Call three high school coaches daily for tips on prospects and to build your recruiting network ... Read one book a month on overcoming shyness until you've done it.

Write them down and post them on the bathroom mirror or next to your computer. Review them every morning. With persistence ... a little here, a little there ... you'll be overcoming whatever your weakness is with ease.

3. Take time to prepare.

Don't waste time trying to talk yourself into "feeling" confident. Instead, focus on preparation. The better you know your stuff, the more confident you will feel. For instance, all this Fall, coaches who have signed-on to be SFC Members are getting specialized, focused training in handling and overcoming objections.  In the end, they'll be better than most coaches they go up against in understanding and handling their prospect's objections.  So whether you join other coaches and get additional training from SFC, or do it yourself, make sure you set aside time in advance to practice or to think through all the possible scenarios and how you would respond to them and get better at these critical sales and communication skills.

4. Visualize another reality.

Before a stressful event (game situation, recruiting, new job interview), take a few minutes to create a positive mental picture for yourself. Instead of imagining yourself being singled out and interrogated by a crazy parent, imagine yourself among a circle of friends who are all there to work together towards the athlete's best interest. Instead of picturing the in-home recruiting visit as an intimidating mob scene with nervous parents and an athlete that barely says anything, think of it as a series of one-on-one conversations with individuals who look to you as a valued expert on college recruiting.  Picture yourself as their "guide" through this process.  Creating a positive mental reality will help calm you and sharpen your focus on the task ahead:  The successful recruitment of your prospect. 

5. Think small.

You can't expect to suddenly transform yourself into a recruiting superstar. But you can do little things that will gradually get you to your goal. For example, when talking on the phone, smile. The person on the other end will respond to the positive energy in your voice. And get in the habit of systematically stretching yourself and expanding your comfort zone, a bit further each time. For example, when you meet prospects, parents or even fellow coaches for the first time, greet them with a firm handshake, smile, and look directly into their eyes for a moment longer than may be comfortable for you.  You'll make a positive impression with them, and show your self-confidence in the process.

Not all five of these techniques might be best for you personally, but I'm sure at least one or two are.  Try them.  Even if you think you have all the self-confidence you need, it never hurts to reinforce those positive thoughts with a few more. 

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You could learn a few things from Bob Parsons. 

He's the founder of GoDaddy.com, the Internet domain registration company.  In his business life, he's seen success, and failure.  He's made millions, and then gone broke.  He's battled the government, and build a legendary company along with way (well, at least their Super Bowl television commericials are legendary).

Through it all, Parsons has developed an inspiring list of sixteen things that he thinks are the keys to surviving - and succeeding - in the hard-knocks world of business.  The list applies to college coaches, as well.  You're in one of the toughest businesses around, so I hope this list teaches you a few things about not only how to survive, but how to succeed in your coaching career.

Here is Bob Parson's list:

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone. I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."

2. Never give up. Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.

3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think. There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be. Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."

5. Focus on what you want to have happen. Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."

6. Take things a day at a time. No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.

7. Always be moving forward. Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

8. Be quick to decide. Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."

9. Measure everything of significance. I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate. If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing. When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

12. Never let anybody push you around. In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.

13. Never expect life to be fair. Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

14. Solve your own problems. You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."

15. Don't take yourself too seriously. Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

16. There's always a reason to smile. Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time."

Most of our advice here at dantudor.com and our newsletter focuses on specific recruiting and sales strategies.  But I wanted to share this great list with you, because sometimes its good to take a step back and make sure our attitudes and direction are on track.  This list, for me, helps me to maintain a good perspective.

To read more of Bob Parson's thoughts on his rules for survival and success, click here.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)