Former College Coach Speaks on Recruiting, College Game
by Ray Floriani
EDISON, N.J. – He took the floor in front of the athletes and their parents. The players, high school girls, just finished their last of three games for the day. They checked cell phones and sipped Gatorade for a few minutes. Then it was time for the talk.
Jeff Horohonich spoke from experience. The 46-year-old coach and athletic director at Immaculate Conception (NJ) High School has seen both sides of the recruiting process. Horohonich ran a very powerful girls basketball program at Immaculate Heart Academy in northern New Jersey. He later assisted a few years at St. Peter’s College before assuming his present position about a year ago. So he has seen both sides, as a liaison of the recruited and as a recruiter.
“Play hard no matter what the score,” was the first piece of advice shared by Horohonich in front of the group at The Shooting Academy. The college showcase put on by Player’s Choice had the participants placed on random rosters. That made for a few blowouts and, as Horohonich noted, a good opportunity for coaches to see what a player is strong in and what she needs work in.
He went on to note how coaches will observe a player’s ability to handle adversity. “College coaches will take a long look how you relate to your teammates, your body language, how you handle calls from an official,” he said. “Recruiters don’t care who wins these games, but they watch closely how you react to certain situations. They want to see what you do well, what you don’t do well and how you can fit into their program.”
The world of recruiting is not all about schools reaching out and begging players to come to their institutions. Often, especially at themed Division I and especially D-II and III levels, players are hoping to get noticed. “Showcase your daughters,” Horohonich said to the parents. “Get them in events like this. Recruiters do a lot of their work in the off-season.”
Speaking of parents, they play a big part in the recruiting picture. “If a parent constantly yells at officials and the coach, recruiters see this,” Horohonich said. “At IHA (Immaculate Heart) I had a girl who was outstanding but her father was really a jerk at the games. There were schools that simply stopped recruiting her.”
At Division I schools there are about 15 scholarships available. Division II has about seven and there are no athletic scholarships at Division III. The latter schools, however, can give scholarships and aid based on academic performance. No matter the level of aspiration, keeping grades strong and performing in the classroom is vital.
“Know the Clearinghouse regulation,” Hohoronich said. “Be sure you have satisfied the core course requirements and you GPA and SATs are favorable for eligibility. Do this before your senior year in high school.”
In a final note, Hohoronich explained the expected commitment at each level. “Division III, you play for love of the game. At Division II there is more commitment but at Division I it’s a job. Everything is paid for, meaning your education of about $40,000 per year is fully funded. In essence you are ’employed’ by your school. As a result you are expected to do what is asked. If a coach calls for a 6 a.m. practice, you are to be there and not question it.”
Recruiting can be an anxious time for college coaches as they pin their hopes on a decision of a few eighteen-year-olds. In many cases it can be the same for those players. Hoping to get noticed and hoping to make the right choice of where to spend their next four years.
