Some believe that it is never too early to think about one’s own future. Perhaps that is why children as young as 4-years-old are asked the age-old question of what they want to be when they grow up. In his debut bestseller, The Recruit’s Playbook: A 4-Year Guide to College Football Recruitment for High School Students (Mango Publishing), University of Houston football coach and former NFL player Larry Hart has written a must-read for youth who aspire to be top athletes and prospects.
“Knowledge is very powerful,” he tells SBC. “If I would have known the things that was in this book, it could’ve given me a trampoline, like I could have taken bigger leaps than what I did. Now, I’m very grateful for the path that I took because it taught me a lot. But, I do think that sometimes you can skip some of those hurdles just by knowing how things work and how things operate.”
Among the things any serious football player needs to know is the importance of watching film, otherwise known as reviewing game play, to improve. The book also encourages readers to reflect on their skills and progress regarding their pursuit of football and education.
“Now, the other thing that I like to keep in perspective, too,” the Division 1 coach mentions, “I’m not saying that ‘Hey, if you follow my book to a T, you’re gonna get a full-ride scholarship to Alabama.’ I don’t promise that. What I do promise is you’ll have the skills to be able to overcome things. You’ll learn how to navigate things and just kind of develop the creativity sparked in your brain…whatever situation or circumstance you’re thrown into, just learn how to problem-solve and navigate that thing for yourself to put yourself in the best position to be successful.”
Recruit’s Playbook has been praised by the NFL community (including Rashad Jennings who wrote the Foreword) and many other readers who recommend it for any athlete. The book is helpful to student-athletes as well as their families, coaches, and school counselors, who Hart points out is the athlete’s first team.
Check out our conversation to learn more about Hart including some of the struggles he overcame, how he became interested in football, his inspiration for writing the book and how his wife helped him with the process, how playing at a smaller school can be beneficial, his love for reading and writing, and more! For more information, visit Hart’s website and connect with him on Twitter.