Everyone — As we continue building this community, I keep hearing the same questions come up again and again — here in SKOOL, during private calls, and even out on the field with families. I’m in the process of building a FREE parent-only course for families who feel confused, overwhelmed, or unsure if they’re making the right recruiting decisions in today’s post-COVID, Transfer Portal, NIL world. Before I finalize it, I’d like to hear directly from you: What is the ONE issue, question, or concern that keeps you up at night right now when it comes to your child’s recruiting journey? No long explanations needed — just what’s weighing on you most. Your input will help make sure this resource addresses what actually matters to families today. If you’re short on time, even a one-sentence response helps.

With many athletes heading to national camps and showcases in the coming days, this needs to be said clearly: National events don’t reward emotion.They reward preparation. Every year I see families who are excited to attend the National Camp Rankings Event - Wake up late - Skip Breakfast - Rush out the door - Skip proper warm-ups - Skip stretching - Skip mental prep After spending thousands of dollars to be there. Then the comment POST CAMP becomes: “He just didn’t have it today.” That’s not talent.That’s temperature control. The best performers don’t try to “get hot” once they arrive.They arrive ready. 🎯 ONE QUESTION (PLEASE ANSWER HONESTLY) Before your next event, what is the ONE thing you will control so you don’t start the day rushed, tight, or reactive? 👇 One word or one short sentence. (Preparation always beats panic.) “If you’re paying national-camp money, you should be showing up with national-camp preparation.”

I’ll share something personal. Like many parents, my wife and I bought plenty of gear over the years. The cleats.The bat.The training tools. And I remember thinking:“OK… they asked for it. We got it. We’ve done our job.” But looking back, here’s what I learned as both a parent and a coach: Buying the tools isn’t the same as building the plan. Gear creates excitement. Direction creates confidence. This time of year, excitement is high—and so is pressure. There’s a name for that pressure that I coined. FOBB—Fear Of Being Behind. Before the new year starts, it’s worth asking: Are we investing in things…or in direction? No judgment. Just perspective. I’ll be talking more about this next week. Parents—what’s been the most valuable investment you’ve made for your athlete so far? (It doesn’t have to be equipment.)

⚠️ A Pattern I See Every Year — Across All Sports Over the past few days, a couple of parents shared feedback their athletes received at national-level camps. The comment was familiar: “Your son/daughter looks good… but they need to get bigger, faster, stronger.” Here’s the part I want every parent to really sit with: 👉 This is the same message many private coaches deliver all year👉 But it doesn’t fully land until a national evaluator says it That tells me the issue isn’t effort — it’s understanding the timing. What Parents Don’t See Behind the Scenes One thing many families don’t realize is that feedback from national camps rarely starts on the field or in the court or on the pitch, and no matter the Sport this is the NEW reality especially since your athletes is now competing against not just their peers that are getting bigger faster and stronger- but because of the Transfer portal and the size and maturity of those 20 something athletes. Long before those events, coaches and evaluators are already discussing: - Where an athlete is physically - What phase of development they’re in - What gaps still need time, not reps When I communicate with national evaluators, the feedback they share with me privately often mirrors what parents hear publicly at the camp — especially around strength, speed, and physical readiness. That consistency isn’t an accident. The Real Separator Is When You Train Right now, families usually fall into one of two buckets: 1️⃣ Athletes coming OFF a fall season This is the prime window to: - Build muscle - Improve strength - Dial in nutrition - Fix physical gaps that don’t show up during games 2️⃣ Athletes entering the IN-season of their next sport This is not the time to chase size It is the time to: - Maintain strength - Stay explosive - Fuel recovery - Avoid mid-season breakdowns Same goal.Different plan. Why This Impacts Rankings, Evaluations & Confidence When athletes stall on charts or evaluations, it’s rarely about:

BTW —I dropped a short AHA Moment podcast today, and I wanted to flag it here for those of you heading into camps, ID events, or rankings this winter. One thing I see over and over (across every sport): Kids don’t really know where they stand…until someone outside their local bubble shows them. That’s usually the moment when“big fish in a small pond” meets reality — for both athletes and parents. This episode isn’t meant to scare you.It’s meant to prepare you. Listen when you have 10 minutes.Then come back here — because this is where the real conversations happen. — Marc