My recruiting story
How I got Recruited
…And earned a full football scholarship. Well it all started
around this time my junior year of High School. I was left gaurd and left defensive end at the time. I remember being pissed when they moved me from tail back, because nobody couldn’t tackle me. Not even the gauntlet. Actually it didn’t bother me in a selfish sense about moving from tailback because I needed to help the team. At last sentence is something that not enough football players appreciate. You need to help the team. I guess I was a better blocker. We went 7-3 my junior year. I was all conference and I was receiving my first few Football Questionnaires. I didn’t know what to make of them I thought they were pretty cool. At the same time I had no thought of even playing college football. My thought process being this is a new sport I just started playing as a sophmore I still don’t even understand the game. But the University of Rhode Island came and they liked me. I went to their junior day, toured the campus, and spoke with players and coaches. Then I came up and had free tickets to a football game. They were losing by 6 points with 30 seconds left and they broke a 60 yard touchdown to win it. Actually at that game I was the only recruit that the coach wanted to see in his office that day. I went on the sideline during pregame. They treated me real good. (now I get sideline passes all the time) Then I came up for an official visit. I ate all you could eat at multiple restaurants, went out with players to a few parties came back to hotel at about 5am and had a 7am breakfast then meeting. By 10am I had given them my verbal commitment.
Big decisions for recruits
Other schools came and they liked me. But I saw University of Rhode Island almost everywhere I went. I went to a New England high school football combine, I went to the Uconn Huskies football camp and there were scouts from everywhere not even just Rhode Island but there whole Atlantic 10 conference. Coaches began showing interest and telling me how good of a fit I would be for their program. Umass offered me, University of New Hampshire offered me and Maine just to name a few. But who I chose was the school that showed interest first and recruited me from jump.
Not only is picking the right college to play for a big decision so is every other aspect of the business. By business I am referring to the whole College and College football experience. You have to be satisfied academically. Make sure the school you choose has a reputable education program. You also have to be satisfied with the distance. Make sure your close enough or far enough away from home. Make sure you factor in the idea of your family coming to your games. Would they be able to afford it if your far away? If your playing college football at a school far away, are you games televised?
Don’t take recruiting personal
There are schools that may recruit you and bash other schools, perhaps schools that you are interested in. But take it with a grain of salt because after all its your choice not theirs. I think I did a recruit a huge favor, to help him make his decision I told him pick a time off the record and come up and stay with me and my roomates. This would help you get a sense of how it really is up here, aside from coming on an official visit. He came he had fun and it helped him make a decision. Also another reason not to take recruiting personal is because if you choose a big time D1a school and things don’t work out you need to be able to market yourself to those other schools you turned down and see what you can make happen. Most coaches like when a player can approach them and admit they made a mistake. Actually they admire that because it shows accountability and the emergence of a man. So don’t burn bridges with schools that are recruiting you even though your not interested. You never know you may need a coaching position, a graduate assistant position or something along those lines. Anyhow it’s my turn to help other players get recruited. I’m glad to be here helping all of you. mel@rmcfe.com
Coach Lewis