Are you actively choosing your recruiting process, or quietly letting it happen to you?

In this episode, Susan builds on the last two conversations and gets into one of the biggest reasons recruiting timelines look so different from athlete to athlete: different goals create different timelines. She walks through a spectrum she sees almost every athlete fall somewhere on, from the very specific athlete who knows exactly what she wants to the more open-minded athlete who's willing to explore, and explains why neither path is right or wrong, just different.

Susan shares her own story of holding out for a Top 25 or Pac-10 program as a 16-year-old recruit, why she sat on offers from schools that didn't match her vision, and what made the wait worth it. She also tells the story of a former club athlete who chose to commit to the first offer she received from her dream conference, and how having a little specificity with an open mind made for one of the smoothest recruiting processes Susan has seen.

She closes with a powerful reframe: in your recruiting process, you are the driver, not the victim. If you're not getting interest from the schools you want, you get to decide whether to double down, adjust your list, or become the athlete who's good enough for the goal. Leaning into desire rather than fear is what changes everything.

Chapters

00:00 – Why timelines feel like a verdict (and shouldn't)
01:30 – The recruiting spectrum: specific vs. open-minded
03:00 – Why clarity moves you forward faster
04:00 – Specific athletes, smaller pools, longer timelines
05:30 – Susan's recruiting story: holding out for the Pac-10
08:00 – When backup offers become teachers
09:30 – Why two athletes' timelines should never match
11:30 – The West Coast Conference athlete who said yes to the first offer
13:30 – Choosing your process instead of being a victim to it
15:00 – Leaning into desire over fear

Connect with Susan:
Check out the website: www.nxtvb.com
Follow on Instagram + TikTok: @hey.susank

Quick shoutout to our podcast sponsor University Athlete. The only volleyball-exclusive recruiting platform used by 95% of college coaches. It’s where athletes get seen, get evaluated, and get recruited. Plus it's free and only takes a couple of minutes to activate your profile.

Click the link below to claim your free profile.

CLAIM YOUR FREE PROFILE HERE

If you decide you want to upgrade to the All-Access pass be sure to use the code ‘NXTVB30’ to save 30% on your yearly membership.

Subscription boxes are all the rave (we get it, they are FUN!) and we’ve developed one for the recruiting process that comes with 1:1 support in our new Set for Success Membership!

Every Month as Member You Get to Choose from One of the Following for Support:

🖥️ 1:1 ADVISING CALL with either Sonja, Jessie or Susan from the NXTVB team.
🎥 HIGHLIGHT FILM professionally produced and done for you.
🗣️ OUR TARGETED TAKE with detailed feedback on one specific part of your process, so it's worth your time and effort!
😎 PLUS SEASONAL OFFER...