48: Driver or Victim? Taking Ownership of Your Recruiting Process

Are you actively choosing your recruiting process, or quietly letting it happen to you?In this episode, Susan builds on the last two conversations and gets into one of the biggest reasons recruiting timelines look so different from athlete to athlete: different goals create different timelines. She walks through a spectrum she sees almost every athlete fall somewhere on, from the very specific athlete who knows exactly what she wants to the more open-minded athlete who's willing to explore, and explains why neither path is right or wrong, just different.Susan shares her own story of holding out for a Top 25 or Pac-10 program as a 16-year-old recruit, why she sat on offers from schools that didn't match her vision, and what made the wait worth it. She also tells the story of a former club athlete who chose to commit to the first offer she received from her dream conference, and how having a little specificity with an open mind made for one of the smoothest recruiting processes Susan has seen.She closes with a powerful reframe: in your recruiting process, you are the driver, not the victim. If you're not getting interest from the schools you want, you get to decide whether to double down, adjust your list, or become the athlete who's good enough for the goal. Leaning into desire rather than fear is what changes everything.Chapters00:00 – Why timelines feel like a verdict (and shouldn't)01:30 – The recruiting spectrum: specific vs. open-minded03:00 – Why clarity moves you forward faster04:00 – Specific athletes, smaller pools, longer timelines05:30 – Susan's recruiting story: holding out for the Pac-1008:00 – When backup offers become teachers09:30 – Why two athletes' timelines should never match11:30 – The West Coast Conference athlete who said yes to the first offer13:30 – Choosing your process instead of being a victim to it15:00 – Leaning into desire over fearConnect with Susan:Check out the website: www.nxtvb.comFollow on Instagram + TikTok: @hey.susankwww.rallysend.comLooking for a better way to stay organized and manage your recruiting? Check out www.rallysend.com—our go-to recruiting software for athletes, families, and clubs. It streamlines communication with college coaches, saves hours on recruiting outreach, and helps you stay ahead of the biggest challenge in the recruiting process: time.Use code HEYSUSAN to save $5/month on a monthly subscription or $50 off an annual plan.