NCSA recently caught up with rising basketball star David Metzendorf to discuss his collegiate recruiting process.
NCSA: How do you show a college coach that you are really interested in their program?
Metzendorf: I e-mail them stating my interest and telling them what specifically I like about there college or how it is a good fit for me
NCSA: What are you doing to take charge of your recruiting process?
Metzendorf: Talk to as many coaches as possible. Always respond to coaches, and if there is a school you are interested in that has not contacted you, then e-mail them with sincere interest. Most coaches are very approachable.
NCSA: Have you had coaches evaluate you in person yet? Tell us about how that feels.
Metzendorf: Not in person, but on the phone and e-mail. Most of the time it feels good because they say that their interested in your game. They might critique you, but their overall goal is to recruit you so they like to tell you how good you are, and how well you fit into their system.
NCSA: How do you handle nerves when communicating with college coaches?
Metzendorf: Most coaches that I have been in contact with are really cool and easy to talk to. I am just myself. It helps to know background info about a school before talking to them.
NCSA: How do you deal with disappointment in the recruiting process? Can you give an example?
Metzendorf: If I ever e-mail a coach and he doesn't e-mail me back, or says he isn't interested in me I just know that I have to work that much harder. Disappointment = motivation. I get over it, and look at different colleges.
NCSA: What makes you a unique athlete that stands out from a crowd?
Metzendorf: I am a strong leader, I know what it takes to win (overall high school record 57-3), I have an extreme passion for the game that keeps me working harder than everyone else, and I am a great student.
NCSA: What are your goals for this club/high school season? How is the season going?
Metzendorf: My goal is to win a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
NCSA: What camps did you attend last summer?
Metzendorf: I attended Keystone Invitational, Joy of the Game Academic Showcase, Hoop Group All-American Academic, and Hoop Group Eastern Invitational.
NCSA: Who is your favorite college athlete?
Metzendorf: Xavier Keeling
NCSA: Overall, how has the recruiting process been for you so far? Has NCSA made a big impact for you?
Metzendorf: The recruiting process has been stressful. The hardest part was accepting that I am not going to play division one basketball, which was my life goal since I can remember. However, once I accepted it and changed my goals the recruiting process has been fun. I made my standards more realistic and was proactive in contacting schools that I was interested in. Ever since, college coaches haven't stopped calling me! NCSA has made a big difference in terms of helping me contact schools, and teaching me how to talk to them. Whenever I have a question, the people at NCSA always get back t o me ASAP and help me tremendously.
