As an AD, I am seeing the days of “because I said so” are coming to an end. Athletes & parents want to know why and they should. Good programs have standards. Coaches communicate those standards, athletes are held accountable, and parents should talk with their athlete before approaching the coach. But accountability goes both ways. Coaches can make bad decisions. They can be inconsistent. They can fail to communicate. When that happens repeatedly, trust begins to crack. Don’t treat everyone the same. Treat everyone fairly. Every athlete and every situation is different. Fairness isn’t identical treatment, it’s having a standard, applying it with consistency and context, and being able to explain the why. Standards create accountability. Communication creates understanding. Consistency creates trust. Fairness creates credibility.

As an Athletic Director, I believe we live in an era where too many high school athletes are chasing the scholarship instead of embracing the grind, development, and process that will make them better. We also live in an era of the transfer portal, where opportunities for high school athletes are becoming more limited. My advice to every athlete who wants to play at the next level is simple: Focus on what you can control. Control your effort. Control your attitude. Control your development. Control how you respond to adversity. Control how you show up for your team every day. Don’t let the pursuit of a scholarship take away from the experience of becoming the best version of yourself. If you commit to the process, embrace the grind, and become the best player and person you can be, you will have no regrets. The scholarship should be a byproduct of your development, not the sole purpose of your journey. Trust the process. Earn your opportunities. Become the best version of yourself.