Coaches following on Twitter

c2019 posted:

I was wondering why college coaches  might follow players  on Twitter ? for fun , to keep tabs ,  or why some might follow them ?

I think it proves that there is some interest. Social media can give an RC a feel for the type of person the kid is, what they're involved in, etc. 

Obviously, kids have to be careful what they project on social media but I proactively told my son to be careful what he retweets as well. Just because it didn't originate with you doesn't mean that it can't be viewed as a negative.

IMO,  a recruiting coach would be negligent if he didn't spend whatever time it took to research prospective recruits on twitter.

I do not follow anyone on Twitter that I do not find value in the connection.  If a coach is following, he sees value of some sort.  If you haven't had "the talk" and I'm talking about social media responsibility with your son, I advise you do so.  What some kids find acceptable on social media might not be received well by a coach.  I assumed since my kid was a good student and stayed off the radar that he had some common sense.  I was wrong, he is just another teenage boy and Twitter allowed him to prove that to the public.  Fortunately, nothing that stuck with him but he was lucky. 

twitter seems to be the favored communication tool of recruiting coordinators,  coaches.  

gunner34 posted:

twitter seems to be the favored communication tool of recruiting coordinators,  coaches.  

This is spot on.  A few years back when my son was being recruited out of HS, about 25% of his correspondences were via Direct Messages on Twitter.  During his recent recruiting process (transfer from Juco to D1) I would estimate that DM's constituted 70-80% of his recruiting communications.  Coaches seem to prefer DM's to e-mails and texts as it tends to encourages more direct contact with the student athletes.

Yes, over the last few years twitter has become the new platform for players and programs to release news and updates.

However, I wouldn't read too much into the 'follows' by RC's as far as a true indication of interest in the recruiting cycle . At least that's been my experience . While in HS my son was followed by 25-30 HC's and RC's . Many from top national programs .

It didn't mean anything.

Don't get me wrong, my son was excited when  John Savage followed him.....but he didn't end up at UCLA and they were never really involved in a serious way during the recruiting cycle.

Twitter is however a great place to post updates and as was already mentioned to DM tourney / HS schedules and updates.

When a program has serious interest in a player they make their intentions clear. The use the phone. They call / text prospects.

I'm always leary of anything that can create a sort of false belief system with parents and players in the recruiting cycle. Camp invite mass email, twitter follows......Parents and players read WAY too much into it.

And of course, anything I type is just based on my personal experience / opinion.

Strained hit on something.  If they are following your son on Twitter use it as a marketing tool. Tweet out the links to your recruiting video. Go 5-5 w 3 HRs tweet it out. Throw 93 for the first time, tweet it out. Part of the recruiting process is marketing.  If you know they are following you, use it to your advantage.  

I got this text from a coach at a Division I school last week:

"Proposing a new rule: Let kids do their thing on social media - the more the better.  Don't give them advice on how to present themselves on there. If they're jerks, I'd like to know before a commitment is made.  I don't want to find out his Freshman year because he put up a phony persona on Twitter where he knew coaches were watching."

I think kids do "kid stuff" just like we did but I think there's a difference between being a jerk and making a bad decision on social media or retweeting something that he/she thought was funny in their youthful brilliance. 

Reagan said it best - trust but verify!