Undecided juniors like Breanna Stewart could learn a lot from looking at a school's recruiting class.
As a junior, the conclusion of the recent fall signing period for the class of 2010 offers you a great opportunity to get some significant insight into the schools you might be considering. Taking a close look at their signing class from several different perspectives can help you see just where and how you might fit into their future plans. When you consider that the members of the class in front of you are potential teammates for three of your four colligate seasons, it's worth taking the time to see who just might be on the roster should you decide to suit up alongside them.
The type of players a program signs is also an indication of what they might be looking to add in addition to you next year. It also tells you about the kind of teammates they might be bringing in after you. Keep in mind that the class that follows you will also be your teammates for three quarters of your college career as well.
Obviously one of the first facets of this signing class you want to take a look at is position. If you're a point guard and they've signed another this time around, it might be time to ask why they're recruiting another in the next class. If they've added players at your position you need to know how many they like to carry and how their signing impacts your place in their plans. Look at their entire roster and break it down by position and class to get some insight into their needs and the role they may see for you.
Even the number of signees can be an indicator for you to consider. If you do the math and divide four classes into the 15 permissible scholarships at the Division I level you come up with 3.75 per class. Obviously many variables go into class breakdown and those differ from program to program. However if you come across a class of six, seven or even eight signees, it may well be a red flag. No coach wants almost half of their entire roster in one class. There are some circumstances that provide a plausible explanation. Injuries and subsequent medical redshirts can derail the best planning and create the need to replace an overloaded class. At the same time the need for a big signing class can also result from multiple players transferring out, academic casualties or desperate coaches who made the wrong call on previous recruits. All reasons that are worth looking into during the your recruiting process.
While most junior college prospects tend to sign in the spring signing period, several in the early period for a program warrants some scrutiny. Given the choice, most college coaches would prefer a four year player over one they can only have for two seasons. A lot of recruiters turn their focus to the junior college ranks after a less-than-successful fall signing period or to fill roles created by unexpected departures. There's nothing wrong with junior college players but reliance upon them means a lot of turnover in a program. A school's philosophy on recruiting junior college athletes is a good thing to be familiar with.
Taking a good look at a signing class also gives you some insight to the type of players a program recruits. Coaches, for the most part, are consistent about the types of players they pursue. Odds are if you're on their radar there's a good chance that you might be familiar with their signees, their schools or clubs. Check out if they're recruiting nationally or only on a regional basis. Find out if they like kids from metropolitan areas, the suburbs or have they made a living off players with a rural address. If you don't fit the profile of what they've been recruiting it's time to ask a few questions about why they're interested in you besides your game.
Also, if a school has offered you a scholarship as a junior there's nothing wrong with touching base with the players they sign in the class ahead of you to find out what made it the right choice for them. It's a good investment of time to try and get to know them. Knowing where they come from, what kind of program they've been part of or even playing against them can help you decide whether they're someone you'll want to be teammates with.
Knowing their signees also gives you some insight as to the talent level that a program might be attracting. Even if you're not familiar with them you can check them out on the internet and follow their senior seasons. It's important to do your homework and know who you might be taking the floor with. The "right fit" is important on and off the court.
You can also take a look at the seniors on their rosters as well as their signing class and figure out if they're going to have to sign in the late period. Any coach who tells you they want to sign players late should be writing children's books because that concept is a fairytale. Ideally, coaches complete their recruiting in the fall and move on to the next class. However, not everybody gets the commitments they're looking for and once in a while some recruits enjoy the process and attention and like to drag it out for a few more months. Late signs could change your perspective of a program and may be worth holding off on an early commitment to see who comes on board in the spring.
Not many things can give you insight into a program better than its current players and those who have made the decision you're still considering. As you look at the most recent additions to a school's program use their position, background, talent level and anything else you can deduce from their commitment to help you try and picture yourself playing alongside them. The true reflection of a program is the people who are a part of it, even those who haven't even put on the uniform yet.
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