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Sports

Patch Series: A Parent Offers Helpful Hints About College Recruiting

Mason Krysinski's path to Division I football didn't happen overnight.

David Krysinski remembers the date like it was his anniversary or a family member’s birthday–Feb. 3, 2010. That’s when his son, Mason, an All-State kicking specialist from Eisenhower, signed a national letter of intent to play football for Miami of Ohio.

And it’s when the phone calls from recruiters, campus visits and the long family discussions finally came to a halt. Feb. 3, 2010 marked the official end of the recruiting process and the start of a college football career.

“It can be a little bit stressful, yes, because of the pressure (college coaches) put on you, especially with early offers,” David Krysinski said. “When they make a (scholarship) offer, they want an answer.”

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It takes a lot of time to get to that point, of course. In Mason’s case, the whole recruiting dance began when he was a freshman.

He showed promise. Even though he was a pretty good and  JV quarterback too, Eagles coach Bob Lantzy told him he had a Division I college future in booting footballs. So Mason soon went to some kicking camps to make a name for himself. One of them, run by Chris Sailer in Las Vegas and other sites around the country , has a well-documented history of sending prospects on to colleges and it got Krysinski noticed.

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Things progressed to the point where regular contact with colleges was being made and a final list of 13 possible destinations was crafted.

 As a parent who’s gone through it, David Krysinski recommends that a college prospect and his family maintain constant communication with the coaches at schools that have an interest. It can involve letters, e-mail, YouTube highlights or a personal website–Mason even had his own dot-com with regular updates. Later on, telephone contact grew additionally important as the decision-making process intensified.

 “Here are some things we learned: the kids have to be happy with the school, first. They have to be happy with the location. The academic programs offered. And, finally, the coaching staff,” David Krysinski noted. “Picking a location is real important. You’re not making a four-year decision, but a 40-year decision. You build a relationship with everyone you meet in college, everyone who could keep you there instead of you automatically going back home.

 “And one of the best things Chris Sailer told us is, ‘Never pick a college just for a coach, because every coach out there is looking for another job.’ ”

How true those words rang. When high schoolers committed to Miami earlier this month on national signing day, it wasn’t with the same head coach who had signed Mason in 2010.

Mike Haywood was the RedHawks’ coach and guided them to a 10-4 record last fall, a Mid-American Conference Championship and a victory in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. It was also his ticket to a more lucrative contract at Pitt, and Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell was hired to take over at Miami.

Mason, a chemistry major, will show his abilities once again when the RedHawks begin spring practice. He was three for three on extra points last year–standing third on the depth chart behind two graduating seniors–and now looks for full-time work as the team’s regular kicker.

He’ll have to prove himself to a new coach, but like any athlete in any sport looking to play in college, he’s already endured similar pressure through recruiting.

“It can be stressful but exciting,” David Krysinski recalled. “It is awesome to see how happy my son is with his decision and how well he is doing.”

Patch.com will continue to follow coach Lantzy and his Eisenhower players throughout the recruiting process.

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