The Ins and Outs of College Recruiting with Jill Hicks

Samantha Peszek is on a mission to connect athletes, coaches, and parents with the best resources the gymnastics world has to offer. Utilizing Samantha’s gymnastics network, (she really does have cool friends) guests will be experts in their field and shed a light on hot topics, tips for improvement, and inspiration. Listeners will have the opportunity to learn from some of the sport’s greats, participate in giveaways, and apply relevant tips to everyday life, in and out of the gym.

Jill Hicks, known as the “College Recruiting Expert” tells us in this episode about her journey with college gymnastics as well as some advice for parents, coaches, and aspiring young gymnasts. Over time, the college recruiting process for gymnastics has drastically changed. Jill’s consulting company, Jill Hicks Consulting LLC, strives to market her support for college-bound gymnastics to choose what the best fit is for them. Jill reiterates that passion and love for the sport are key to being a successful college gymnast, no matter what division. She also states that having a support system leads to girls to become more confident, which makes the college recruitment process easier to go through.

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Key Takeaways

· Sam’s first memory of Jill

·Jill’s history and beginning with college gymnastics

·Sam always knew she wanted to do college gymnastics

·Parents play a key role in being a support system for young gymnasts and the recruiting process

·What’s the perfect balance of involvement for parents

·The red flag of recruiting dis-passionate athletes

·What does it take to be recruited into college gymnastics

·The two things that sets a recruit apart

·Having heart and genuine love for the sport is vital in college gymnastics

·Choosing the right school for you

·Finding a team that you can truly contribute to

·Jill’s advice for younger girls in looking for schools

·How college gymnastics recruitment used to be in the “old days”

·Being patient is okay

·Friends and relationships on teams shouldn’t dictate which college you should choose

·How Sam knew UCLA was the right choice for her

·Jill’s proudest moments of helping someone go to college

·The “intangibles” that colleges look for in recruits

·Something that J.O. and elite coaches can teach their girls to be team players in college

·Jill’s Gymnastics Goal Guide for young girls

·Having a voice and taking ownership of training in gymnastics

·Who can join acro-tumbling and what skills is needed

·Gymnasts and weight lifting

·No matter what, your team is your family

Tweetable Quotes

I’d like to think that good people find good people.

The girls who are most successful have a mom or dad that’s right by their side building their confidence, helping them believe that they can do it, and really walking them through the recruiting process.

The athlete has to be up in front of the recruiting process, not the parent and not the club coach.

What separates the kids out is their heart and who they are as a person and how much do they really want to do it.

Once they connect with a program where the coach really wants them, that’s when it all changes for them.

You don’t have to be that loud person to be an amazing asset to an entire team.

When a girl knows that their coach believes in them in club, in not only helps them be confident in their gymnastics but it really helps them in the recruiting process.

You might not get what exactly what you thought you wanted out of the college recruiting process, but the one thing you’re going to get is a family.

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