NCSA caught up with basketball standout Adam Mayer to talk about his high school career and the opportunity to compete at the college level.
NCSA: How do you show a college coach that you are really interested in their program?
Mayer: I show the college coach that I am really interested in their program by returning everything they send me as soon as I can. I also show the coach that I am interested by telling them I follow their program and that I know a little about the team’s recent accomplishments.
NCSA: What are you doing to “take charge” of your recruiting process?
Mayer: The main thing that I am doing to “take charge” of my recruiting process is being pro-active. From what I've learned so far is that I have to return everything sent to me, and most importantly I can't get flustered. If a school that I'm interested in doesn't write me I have to write them and initiate the contact.
NCSA: Have you had coaches evaluate you in person yet? Tell us about how that feels.
Mayer: Yes, I have had coaches evaluate me in person. When a coach is evaluating me I try to pretend like they are not there at all. I try to just stick to what I do on the court. That's the reason they are looking at me in the first place. If I try to impress them I've learned that I force the issue too much on the court.
NCSA: How do you handle nerves when communicating with college coaches?
Mayer: I try to calm myself down and just try to be confident. I think if the coaches see that I am calm and confident they will think that's the type of player they want for their team and program.
NCSA: How do you deal with disappointment in the recruiting process? Can you give an example?
Mayer: I try to always think positively. So if something doesn't go my way I guess it's just not meant to be. I have tried to reach out to schools that I'm interested in and some responded while others have not responded. In the cases of the schools that may not have responded, I just move on and I don't give up. I just try to realize it may not be the right place for me. I want to go to a place that wants me as much as I want to be there.
NCSA: What makes you a unique athlete that stands out from a crowd?
Mayer: I think that what makes me a unique athlete is my work ethic. I know that in order to get to the level that I would like to get to I must work hard. Not just on the courts; I know that it's important for me to work hard in the classroom and the weight room. I know that college coaches really look for people who will work as hard as they can and then some.
NCSA: What are your goals for this club/high school season? How is the season going?
Mayer: My high school team’s goal for the next year is to adopt a winning attitude. We play in one of the hardest leagues in New York and we know that we will be in a lot of competitive games and we need to get used to winning. We are working very hard in the off season to put ourselves in the best position to be successful next year. The core of the team is coming back next year and we know if we all work hard we can make a run in our section playoffs. That's our ultimate goal for next year- to make a deep run into our section playoffs.
NCSA: What camps do you plan to attend over the summer?
Mayer: I plan to attend Eastern Invitational, and Five Star because they offer the best competition in the country and because they’re great camps for exposure to college coaches. I also got invited to a number of prospect camps by a good amount of college coaches. I will try to attend as many as I can.
NCSA: Who is your favorite college athlete?
Mayer: My favorite college athlete is Stephan Curry of Davidson. He's my favorite because he proves that the right school isn't necessarily the biggest school that recruits you. He also understands the importance of college because he's staying in school. He could have shut it down after he didn't get recruited by the "better schools". Instead he worked and beat them in the NCAA tournament.
