The steps taken to play college sports have evolved over the years — the game has changed. From Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, the transfer portal and social media exposure, prospective collegiate athletes need to start working as soon as they realize their dream.
Jackson Mitchell (9) has been playing basketball since he was in elementary school. He played other sports but found much more passion in basketball. Mitchell chose White Station High School (WSHS) for the academic and sports opportunities. Moving from a small charter school to WSHS, he adapted quickly. Mitchell met Coach Jesus Patino and developed his shooting, ball control and playmaking skills. Faith is a strong part of his motivation, often praying before games and wearing an armband with Philippians 4:13 as a reminder of his strength through Christ.
“It is just the only thing I really like to do,” Mitchell said. “And [it’s] the only thing outside of school or family that I have that helps me cope with my feelings and stuff like that; it’s enjoyable. You can always get better at basketball [and] you could practice on your form. I practice with my ball or dribble anywhere I’m at, like at home in a garage or something if it’s raining outside.”
Beginning this year he chose to document his journey on social media as a way to track his progress, hold himself accountable and inspire others. Social media also puts him on the radar for coaches, gaining vital exposure for college recruitment. Playing in college is one of the first steps he must take to reach his penultimate goal of playing in the NBA.
“I’ve always wanted to go to the NBA, but I know I got a long way to go to get to that, and the first big step is being able to play at the highest level and that’s D1,” Mitchell said. “You know, I don’t want to just go to a community college, D3 or D2. The ultimate goal is to play D1 college basketball, my favorite sport that I love to do. I don’t even know what I want to major in college yet. All I want to do is just play basketball and I thought recording my journey would be something that’ll help me stay with my work ethic, cause a lot of people don’t know that all I do is just hoop. Every chance I get I hoop, so [the road to D1] inspires me and motivates me to even help other people continue their journey.”
The freedom of speech on social media invites both positive and negative comments. Mitchell tunes these comments out and recognizes that this journey is ultimately for his success and his alone.
“When I first started, I didn’t know if it was gonna be good or bad — the hate comments,” Mitchell said. “But I really never cared about the hate comments and I also really never cared what people say about me, like if I’m lame. I started my road to D1 for myself because it’s something that I wanted to do. I never thought I would get as big of a following as I am now, but now it’s about having me just get it out to coaches. So just getting that recognition and letting people know that I’ll work hard and go into D1 is the aspiration that I have and one of the biggest things I want to do.”
Social media apps like TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and Hudl are all invaluable resources to get exposure to coaches and inform colleges of their GPA and specific information. Hudl, specifically, allows coaches to see all of an athlete’s highlights.
“You should have all social media apps,” Ja’Shaun Ross (12) said. ”That’s how you get out there because when you have social media, you get a better chance because they can look you up. Most importantly have a Hudl. A Hudl is the page you get recruited for any sport. You put your height, your weight, your GPA, you know, all things that they need, and you put your film on there. Twitter is like the same thing. College coaches and recruiters, they have Twitter and I got my offer from Twitter. [The coach] texted me on Twitter and asked me for an official visit. So make sure you have a Twitter, Instagram, and a Hudl; they’re the three biggest things you need.”
While exposure is becoming more important for college recruitment, hard work and determination are still necessary for athletes. Dedication to the sport and talent all while being able to balance busy schedules are still top traits that coaches are looking for.
“Working hard is important,” Ross said. “Because what you put in when you work hard and practice results in the game. And then what you put in the game, [they] put on senior [game] film out. Then the coaches text you back saying they like it and they ask for your GPA, and all this, that’s how you get there.”
