AGC #027 - “What do you look for in a player?”

“What do you look for in a player?”

I’m getting asked this question a lot on recruiting calls at the moment - and so are college coaches around the country.

Everyone handles it differently. Each coach will have their biases and preferences, and each program has its own set of standards they recruit to.

But some things will make you stand out no matter who the judge is.

Here are 3 things that every coach is looking for in a player:

1 - A willingness to do the work

The famous coaching saying “hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard” is both true and misleading at the same time.

Just because you’re a hard worker doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be loved by every coach.

There has to be certain level of talent there for them to consider recruiting you.

In addition, some coaches have more tolerance for skillful players who are lazy than others.

But every coach loves it when they find a talented player who also likes to work hard.

That means that when we go to watch you play, we’re looking to see if you:

• Tackle back after you (or a team-mate) lose the ball

• Make selfless runs/leads that might not get you the ball

• Are engaged with the play even when the ball isn’t near you

Like these guys:

Working hard is a controllable behavior, so coaches can and should have high expectations regarding your ability to deliver here.

It’s also easier to make you better at a sport than it is to change your personality!

2 - A presence on the pitch

Players, are you a spectator or a participant in the game?

You all said participant, right?

Then play like one!

Passivity won’t get you noticed.

If coaches don’t see you having a presence and making an impact now, how can we trust you to make one at the next level?

Waiting for the game to come to you is a surefire way to have a coach’s notes on you saying “did nothing of note” or “made no impact on the game”.

Don’t let the game pass you by. Go looking for the ball. Demand it with your voice and your body language.

You may not be your team’s captain, but you can also use your voice to give information to the teammates around you, or organize them when you see a gap they need to close or a change they should make.

If you won’t take it from me, take it from Pep Guardiola:

3 - An ability to handle adversity

Hardship doesn’t just develop our character - it reveals it.

How we respond when you don’t get what you want says a lot about us.

(Yes, I said us - this goes for coaches too, myself included 🫣)

So when you make a mistake on the field, coaches look to see how you respond.

Do you throw your hands in the air, stop running, or blame someone else?

How about when your team-mate makes an error?

Do you offer support, or do you roll your eyes?

You’ll also reveal plenty about your character when the referee makes a big call against you, when you get substituted, and when your team loses.

The list goes on.

Players who can respond positively and productively to the inevitable adversity sport throws at us will always impress coaches.

Those were my top 3 things every coach looks for in a player - what did I miss? Let me know on X (pinned tweet) or Instagram (story). And if you liked this, please send it to a friend!