By Sue Moore
Athletes of all ages need to start thinking much earlier about how to prepare for college, the next step in competition, says Schoolcraft Athletic Director Jeff Clark, adding it’s too late to prepare for recruiting for those at the junior and senior class level. He has booked Jack Renkens to provide insight for students into what college recruiters are looking for in an athlete and how to prepare a young person who is a talented athlete to get an education and be recruited for college.
Freshmen along with athletes from all grades in Schoolcraft have been invited with their parents to attend a seminar September 11 at 7 p.m. in the Schoolcraft High School Performing Arts Center to hear Renkens’ advice. His talk is about the realities of recruiting so that there are no unrealistic expectations on the families’ part about what they need to do to qualify for college scholarships.
“It’s good for parents and kids alike to hear Renkens’ message,” Clark says. “It’s blunt, straightforward, and non-biased. These kids need to get in the game early.” Renkens has been an athlete and a successful coach in high school and college. But it was when his own daughter began to be recruited that it dawned on him what the recruiting game was all about. That led to starting a business of teaching young people how to get the edge on recruiting, using bargaining chips they never realized were possible. “His talk will deal with the knowledge that parents and athletes don’t necessarily have, to help them turn the tables on the recruitment process,” Clark says.