As a coach, I frequently get the question, "How can I play in college?" and "what does it take to play at the college level."
I will post blogs answering the question. In addition, there will be posts answering on the topics:
"How to be successful as a college player" and "How to be successful in life."
First and foremost (more important that skill) is desire. How bad do you want to play at the college level? If it is important, it can happen with investments of time and effort.
You do need the ability to play, but you must have the desire. It has no price tag. It's the important ingredient. Coaches will say it is hard to teach desire.
There are enough places to play that if you are good enough and are willing to go anywhere you can find a place to play at the college level.
A frequent problem is players think they have to be a big time school to get the feel of playing in college. There are thousands of players that played at smaller schools and will say it was the best experience of their lives.
It is your career. It is not someone else's to try and live through you.
Having desire means I will work and pay whatever the price is I have to pay. Nothing will keep me from my goal. I will think about the goal every day.
I talked to a college coach last night who has a former player now playing in the NBA. I asked if he thought the kid would make it at that level. The player is small by NBA standards, and most scouts thought he was not good enough to make the jump to the next level.
The coach told me, "I would have never bet against him making it in the NBA". I asked "why?" The coach pointed to his heart. "The kid has too much heart not to make it. “ The player we were discussing is now starting in the NBA.
As coaches, we talk about not being able to teach "heart and desire". It has to come from the player. If they have desire, they can be taught fundamentals and skills to improve each year.
Pete Maravich Assembly Center
