Coach Laura Schmitt is the head coach of Redwood High School in Northern California. We caught up with her after the Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational in Walnut, California, to talk about how she handles the recruiting process with her junior and senior athletes.
Schmitt talks about the process she's currently going through with junior Liam Anderson and senior Gillian Wagner, and also what the process has been like for past athletes she's coached, such as Glennis Murphy who now runs for Dartmouth. Watch the video above and see what she has to say.
Key Talking Points Minute by Minute:
:00 - 1:00 - When and how to start the recruiting process.
- Junior - Meet with parents and athlete to pick the top five schools.
- Senior - Take visits and narrow it down to one, then make the decision.
1:00 - 1:30 - Remaining calm throughout the process.
- Both - Trust the process.
2:00 - 3:00 - October of the athlete's junior year vs. October of the athlete's senior year.
- Seniors - Decisions are happing but don't need to happen right away.
- Juniors - Start doing your homework on the schools you're interested in.
3:00 - 4:15 - Dealing with the pressure of the decision for juniors vs. seniors.
- Both - There are everyday pressures, and taking care of what you need to do and managing those pressures can help you find the appropriate school.
4:14 - 5:00 - The importance of being well-rounded in athletics, academics, and beyond.
- Smith highlights some of the things her athletes do outside of the sport that also helps with the college appeal.