TCU coaches say social media is a part of the equation when evaluating recruits
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North Texas athletes, NIL and social media
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat have become ways to communicate and have quickly translated into high school sports as local athletes go through their recruitment.
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College coaches are now considering recruits’ activities in social media as a factor in offering scholarships and adding them to their program.
As players seek to build audiences on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, branding has become paramount with name, image and likeness (NIL).
For TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes, an athlete’s social media footprint is the latest thing to consider when he recruits the next Horned Frog
“It’s big, I think it gives you a snapshot of who they are. I think that’s kind of what social media is. I think people are trying to project an image and the image is not real. A lot of that stuff is living in a fantasy world. I think at the end of the day, it a snapshot into who somebody is. Who do they follow? Who do they like and who do they pay attention to?” Dykes said.
It goes both ways as coaches can try to show off more of their personality through social media to build bonds with recruits. TCU volleyball coach Jason Williams says he’s active on most of the social media sites.
“I have everything, but SnapChat. I try to stay connected and post a ton of content, but now as a head coach, I do my best to get the current and potential athletes to learn about me when there isn’t a lot of face-to-face time,” Williams said. “Social media helps athletes pick up on certain things that you might not pick up on over the phone.”
As Dykes alluded to it, it’s not just about what a player tweets or shares. You have to do your homework and see what type of posts a player may like on Twitter or post to his story on Instagram. Williams echoed the same sentiment.
“At the end of the day, we’re not just looking for volleyball players, but people of character. We evaluate them the whole time as players on the court and as people off the court,” Williams said.
Social media is the latest factor to weigh when trying to understand the character of a potential recruit.
Coaches used to have to worry about if a recruit wasn’t handling their business in class or maybe ran into disciplinary issues. Now?Things like liking the wrong tweet could send the wrong message.
“All that’s critical in finding out what’s this young person is like. We pay attention to the stuff. Sometimes you get to know the kid and the social media doesn’t match who they are. Other times it does. It’s not the only thing, but it’s certainly part of the equation,” Dykes said.
While social media is a growing area he and the staff will continue to monitor on the recruiting trail, Dykes believes an old-school approach is still the best way to get to know a prospective recruit.
“The thing we try to do is talk to people that interact with that young man everyday. You can find out more about guys when you talk to the high school counselor and the people in the cafeteria or the librarian. Talk to those type of people and they’ll give you an honest opinion on players,” Dykes said.
Those evaluations weigh a bit more in the equation for Dykes.
“I can name numerous times I’ve gone to a high school and walked in unsure about a player. You’re walking down the hall, you run into the librarian and say you’re here to see Joe. They’ll say ‘Oh, Joe? You sure you want Joe?’ You listen to those people. At the same time I went into Langham Creek High School to recruit Paul Oyewale and from the moment you walked into the school everybody told you this is the best young man we’ve been around,” Dykes said.
That goes to show athletes have to be mindful of both their online and in-person presence. You never know who’s watching or who’s asking questions about your character.
“My advice to recruits if you show your grandma your social media account and don’t feel comfortable and proud, you’re not doing yourself any good,” Williams said.
This story was originally published September 1, 2022 at 7:01 AM.
