College Athletes and the Recruitment Dance

I had started to write a piece on how college athletes get recruited, their trials and tribulations, and their heartaches and successes. However, I came across an article that explains this process so much better than ever could because this article is a personal account.

So today I am sharing an article that I read and urge you to read it because this athlete’s story really makes you feel.

“The Courting of Marvin Clark”

“Marvin Clark Jr. was sold. Fresh off a recruiting visit to the University of Oregon two years ago, he was convinced he wanted to play there. He loved the Ducks’ fast-paced offense, the team needed a player at his position, and one of his youth coaches had played for an Oregon assistant. That was the type of edge that could help in a battle for playing time.”

 

“The campus wowed him. Everywhere he looked, he saw the Nike swoosh. The company's co-founder, a big Oregon donor, had helped finance some of the nicest facilities in the country. For a kid who had spent time in homeless shelters, it seemed like nirvana.”

 

“A year ago, Mr. Clark made it official, committing to the Pac-12 program over more than a dozen other suitors. Around the same time, he had surgery to repair a fractured foot, forcing him to miss several months on the court.”

Read the whole thing here: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Courting-of-Marvin-Clark/146517/?cid=cc&utm_source=cc&utm_medium=en

This article makes you think about what are priorities for student athletes currently are, versus what they should be: students.

Dr Flavius A B Akerele III

The ETeam