News & Thoughts about PSU Recruiting, Transfer Portal, etc.
Jan 14, 2024 15:21:47 GMT -5
elliotberton, pointps, and 3 more like this
Post by nyline on Jan 14, 2024 15:21:47 GMT -5
Sure, that’s the world we live in now in all college sports. It doesn’t mean there isn’t a right way and a wrong way to manage that landscape. What a luxury it is for programs to have no financial limits and open borders for 21-23 year olds with 4 years experience and 6 years eligibility. If that’s who you want to be, fine. Just be honest about it. Maybe the NCAA is a dinosaur and that’s the way all of this is headed, but until that model is actually changed, I don’t think it’s good in the long term to tell the 18-19 year old kids any program recruited “we don’t care what your ceiling is, it’s currently not higher than the grad transfer we can bring in today.” The reason is, what hasn’t changed and what won’t change is that only one school hosts a trophy. For everyone else that sold their soul for a chance to get there, it’s not worth it.
I don’t care if other programs self destruct that way, I don’t want to see PSU do it. I do think that talented 15-17 year olds look at any program doing this and say, I want to go there because I saw them on TV and they were in the Final Four, and I don’t think my ceiling is being a practice player. I think I’m worthy of playing time there and I want an opportunity to develop and gain experience, and I will win that job. I also think the adult people in their ear will temper that and say, I know you expect it to be competitive, but even high school all Americans and Gatorade POYs and USAV national team players don’t get to develop there and eventually transfer out and you don’t want to be one of those kids that works their tail off and never sees the court because that program has an open door for grad transfers. As a matter of fact, we recommend you go somewhere you can play immediately in a positive environment, then transfer into one of those programs later if you still want that.
To this point, that’s already happening at the schools you mentioned. While it’s harder to tell how many recruits are steering clear of coaches who do this and choosing other programs during the recruiting process, it is rather obvious that young players are leaving because they didn’t get the chance to develop and they and they are seeking more opportunities to get on the court vice waiting out the departure of yet another grad transfer with six years of eligibility when they themselves don’t have that luxury. It’s also obvious the sentiment toward schools that do this is very negative, until it’s your favorite team, then it’s ok. Yes, I disagree with that narrative. You got me. Bitter? No. Not true. But the direction this staff is headed is quite a departure from the culture of loyalty we had that produced the rich heritage PSU volleyball enjoys today, and I just don’t think that’s a model that will produce long term success in the future.
The fact is, we aren’t filling holes in the roster. We’re recruiting over young players that this staff recruited to to come to PSU who should be developed to fill the depth chart at those positions.
Now maybe our staff told those players when they were recruited they would never see the court, or maybe they had post season meetings with those younger players during the transfer portal window and told them honestly once again their ceilings aren’t high enough to play here or they haven’t developed the way they hoped when they were recruited, that staff will be using the portal to recruit players at their position, and they gave them the opportunity to consider their options when the portal was open and they all choose to stay.
If you want to be a program highly talented players are willing to come throw themselves into the cauldron at and compete, then I hope we sell our program as such and tell them upfront they will be told every year whether they are making the cut while they still have the option to choose to move on, and then live up to that. That would be tough to hear for some players, but it would be the right way to navigate the free agent culture. If we did that, and players stayed anyways or left because of it, then we are improving our team and filling holes.
If not, we’re not filling holes, we’re recruiting over the top of players who are being misled to believe they can develop and play and unknowingly chose that environment year after year when in actuality, the staff knows full well they would take someone from the portal. Those are two different cultures, one built on honesty, trust and loyalty and another built on something completely different.
I want PSU to be the former, not the latter, because the latter is destructive from the inside out, and I want us enjoy the long term success we’ve come to know. I have expressed my opinion here because I’m afraid the over use of the portal is contrary to that goal. Feel free to disagree. We are all entitled to our opinion. WeAre!
).So here goes:
1) "Coaches with unlimited funds or an attractive legacy don’t have to develop young players into future all-conference or all-Americans when they can bring in players other coaches have developed for them." Coach Katie doesn't have unlimited funds and I simply don't believe (and I don't think I'm naive) she thinks she doesn't need to try to develop players because she can bring in players through the Transfer Portal. And from everything I have heard, the overwhelming majority of the players absolutely love playing for her and trust her as a coach.
2) "I don’t think it’s good in the long term to tell the 18-19 year old kids any program recruited “we don’t care what your ceiling is, it’s currently not higher than the grad transfer we can bring in today. . . . I don’t care if other programs self destruct that way, I don’t want to see PSU do it." We agree, and I am quite certain Coach Katie has never said that to any PSU player. And we're both in luck, I don't want to see Penn State do it -- and I'm confident they won't.
3) "The fact is, we aren’t filling holes in the roster. We’re recruiting over young players that this staff recruited to to come to PSU who should be developed to fill the depth chart at those positions." I don't think that is true. As I mentioned in my prior post, four players who made significant contributions in 2023 (at Middle Blocker, RS/Opposite, Setter, and DS) graduated, and one player -- Maddy Bilinovic (DS/libero) -- transferred out to take advantage of her 5th Covid Year. Coach Katie had two 2024 recruits -- Izzy Starck (setter) and Ava Falduto (DS/libero). That left three slots for 2024.
You appear to be saying that Coach Katie shouldn't have filled the middle blocker and RS/Opposite slots with Caroline Jurevicius, Maggie Mendelson and Jordan Hopp. Is that because they all appear to be on scholarship? Would you have been OK if Coach Katie had passed on them, and instead identified less talented players who would walk on?
Do you think the returning players on the Penn State squad would be proud to be "gifted" their 2024 starting positions? I don't think they would be, and I am confident that none of them were ever promised a starting position at Penn State for even one year, let alone all four years. Nor were they promised that recruits in future years -- whether through the transfer portal or simply recruited for a new class -- wouldn't beat them out for a starting position each year.
Finally, doesn't Coach Katie have an obligation to all the players on the team, and to her staff, to recruit the best collection of athletes she can, who otherwise meet the standards of Penn State? I think she does, and I would guess the overwhelming majority of the team, and her staff, are glad she does.
4) "Now maybe our staff told those players when they were recruited they would never see the court, or maybe they had post season meetings with those younger players during the transfer portal window and told them honestly once again their ceilings aren’t high enough to play here or they haven’t developed the way they hoped when they were recruited, that staff will be using the portal to recruit players at their position, and they gave them the opportunity to consider their options when the portal was open and they all choose to stay." There may be walk-ons who were told they would "never see the court" (although I would guess it would have been something like "without significant improvement, which we don't see as likely, you are unlikely to ever see meaningful minutes on the court, but you could contribute in practice, and that has real value.")
As to post-season meetings, I am confident those do take place (as well as meetings during the season) and that the staff is very honest and upfront with them. The staff has no reason to give a player false hope during those meetings, and every reason to be honest, and I am confident that Coach Katie and her staff are honest with the players. That's not to say that every player has taken to heart the message they are being given. Or that every player accepts the fact that another player has beaten them out for a starting spot, or for more playing time, because that other player has practiced better and/or performed better in matches. Players can end up being unhappy, or disgruntled (to be honest, no player should be happy that they aren't playing). That doesn't mean the staff should play them.
5) "I hope we sell our program as such and tell them upfront they will be told every year whether they are making the cut while they still have the option to choose to move on, and then live up to that. That would be tough to hear for some players, but it would be the right way to navigate the free agent culture. If we did that, and players stayed anyways or left because of it, then we are improving our team and filling holes." In terms of giving players honest feedback on where they stand, how they are doing in terms of improving, and whether the staff thinks the player can earn significant playing time, I believe that's exactly what Coach Katie and her staff do. What I absolutely do not believe happens is that there is an annual "cut" where players are told they must leave. The exception would be, I would guess, for players who aren't meeting team rules or, for walk-ons, aren't continuing to earn a spot on the team.
6) "I want PSU to be the former, not the latter, because the latter is destructive from the inside out." Well, we're both in luck, because I believe (and I'm not naive, nor am I willfully blind) that Coach Katie and her staff do exactly what you suggest should be done. That doesn't mean that players transferring-in haven't, or won't in the future, beat out a prior recruit or walk-on for a starting position. But so long as a player hasn't been deceived, that's competitive sports.
