For over 20 years, I’ve had a standing bet with sports parents NO MATTER THE SPORT) If your athlete is ranked #1 in their sport as a FRESHMAN… And they are STILL ranked #1 as a SENIOR… I’ll hand you $1,000 in cash. Want to know how many checks I’ve written in 20 years? ZERO. Because development beats hype. Case in point: Devon Witherspoon who just helped the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl. He was a ZERO-star recruit in high school.Lightly recruited. No hype. No ranking buzz. He developed.Earned it.Worked. Result? 5th overall NFL Draft pick and again a Super Bowl Winner! Freshman rankings don’t predict Senior outcomes. But this does:• Structure• Strength & mobility• Skill repetition• Emotional maturity• Real communication So here’s the question: Are you chasing a Watercooler Moment…(my next one coming up in a few days-) Or building a Senior-Year Athlete? 👇 Drop your thoughts below.

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.

One of the hardest parts of parenting a serious athlete is knowing what to say — and when to say nothing at all. So instead of parents trying to “coach the mental game,”I’m going to do something different. Below are the Top 10 Mental Performance Standards I’ve used with thousands of athletes. 👉 This is NOT for you to explain.👉 This is NOT for you to enforce.👉 This is NOT for you to turn into a lecture. Your only job: - Screenshot it - Text it - Or forward it as-is Let it come from me, not you. 📄 THE SHAREABLE “COACH NOLAN” VERSION (What parents send to athletes) Title:🎯 From Coach Nolan: 10 Standards Serious Athletes Live By Coach Nolan’s Top 10 Mental Performance Standards: 1. Control your state before every rep 2. Use the same routine every time 3. Execute the task — not your emotions 4. Show up daily, even when it’s boring 5. Train because you want to, not because someone reminds you 6. Build confidence through work, not words 7. Manage your energy — calm beats hype 8. Make smart decisions when tired or frustrated 9. Respond to misses faster than everyone else 10. Hold yourself accountable — no excuses “College coaches don’t recruit talent alone — they recruit habits.” — Coach Marc Nolan Final Line (Important):“Pick ONE. Train it for 14 days.” That’s it.No follow-up text.No pressure.

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.)