Our college recruiting tips series continues. We caught up with Myles Marshall, graduate of Kingwood High in Texas, to talk about his recruiting process. His experience is unique in that he switched his commitment from Penn State to Harvard. He reflected on the switch as well as gave very heartfelt answers about the process as a whole.
When did coaches first start reaching out to you? How did you manage that?
Probably as early as the beginning of my Junior year I was receiving letters in the mail to my school from all different colleges and Universities around the country. It was an exciting time and a lot of letters from big name schools came, some I figured I had did have any chance of going to, but I kept an open mind and just enjoyed the experience. Some of my teammates were not getting any recognition so I was sure to stay humble and read every letter that was sent to me, I still have all of them. Right before Senior year coaches can then call you and visit your home, we had a lot stop by, some visits went well and some didn’t, but in the end my family and I were sure to be hospitable to all equally and enjoy the process.
Did you have an official visit? How did it work? What was it like?
Yes, I took 5 official visits to Georgetown, Harvard, Texas A&M, Penn State, and University of Oregon. Basically, they get you on campus for 48 hours and they try their best to convince you to come to that school. For me, they were all good experiences and I learned a lot about what makes these teams so great at what they do, I left every visit convinced I could see myself attending that school, which only made the decision process harder in the end, but I would rather have quality visits than visits that were just a waste of my time. It was the best part of the recruiting process and was non-stop excitement from landing to take-off, I missed plenty of schools too, which was bitter-sweet.
What did you look for in schools when you narrowed your options down?
First and foremost, my parents drilled into me the importance of a good education. To them, I had to be comfortable at any school I decided upon while not being dependent on the coaching staff, my success, or the threat of losing scholarship. It was great advice and I fear some athletes lose sight of the purpose of going to college in the first place, to obtain a degree. Academics always needs to come first because without that, everything else falls through. With that, it is important that recruits attempt to go to the best college that they can, in the end it will most likely be worth it to pay more money out of pocket to get a better education, that’s exactly what my family is doing. I don’t mean to sound cocky or braggish, but I could’ve gone to 95% of colleges around the country for free, but I chose to pay the thousands of dollars a year for Harvard to receive a world-class education. And in the end, I know it will be worth it.
What ultimately made you decide on your college?
I kind of touched on that before, but having the opportunity to attend a place like Harvard is literally once-in-a-lifetime, and it was not one I could pass up. It was a tough decision at the time, but looking back at it, it’s a no-brainer, I always tell myself to use my talents to make myself the best person I can be, and this is just one step towards that goal. I really enjoyed the visit and the coaching staff is fantastic, with support from both the academics and on the track. Any problems I have with the school are rather petty, and some are even easily solved with a heavy jacket and a good pair of boots. I am extremely excited, and nervous, for the next 4 years.
Explain a little bit about the process of changing your commitment from Penn State to Harvard. What was that process like? Why did you make the change?
So this past recruiting season was different than any before it, for Track and Field, there was a new early signing period which moved signing from its traditional date in February, to November of senior year. While this not only caused problems for distance runners trying to balance Cross Country meets with official visits, it also rushed the entire process a bit more than I could handle. Because of my academic success, I was able to look at attending Ivy League schools, which runs on a separate system than every other major school that utilizes the National Letter of Intent. Long story short, Penn State was hands-down the school I wanted to attend, but I knew I couldn’t say “no” to attending a school like Princeton or Harvard (the two main Ivy’s I was looking at). Originally, I decided Princeton was my best choice, told everyone involved, and applied to be accepted right before the early signing period began. Unfortunately, because of concern with my grades, Princeton requested that I finish off my first semester before accepting me, as they would took another look at my scores. This put me at a disadvantage as I was missing out on possible scholarship money from other schools by not signing with them as they worked to sign their athletes and allocate their funds. I also did not feel confident that Princeton would accept me due to the circumstances of my first semester. So, I went back to the Penn State coach and negotiated a scholarship and signed the NLI towards the end of the signing period. Throughout all this, the amount required for my family to pay if I were to attend Harvard was made out to be more than I would have wanted to burden my family with, so they were out the picture in my mind. However, my family sat me down multiple times and told me that they would fully support me financially no matter what school I chose, and that money should not be a part of my decision process. With that in mind, I did end up applying to Harvard and was given a likely letter in January. Feeling bitter about Princeton I decided that Harvard was the best decision for me and had to make probably the most heart-wrenching call in my life to Coach Gondak at Penn State to explain to him why I would not be attending his program in the Fall. In the end, I was admitted to Harvard and am already reeking the benefits.
Let it be noted that because Princeton and Harvard are Ivy League schools, they do not use nor honor the National Letter of Intent and were eligible for me to attend despite the signing with Penn State.
Looking back on your recruiting experience, do you have any tips for those athletes who will be recruited in the future?
ENJOY IT! And don’t take it for granted, always be humble with yourself and thank everyone who got you there a million times over, running at the collegiate level is a dream held by many that only few achieve, and even fewer have the opportunity for scholarship money. Be smart and treat everyone you meet with the upmost respect, you never know when they might come back into your life within this crazy sport. Also, the recruitment for Track and Field is not nearly as glamorous as the Football or Basketball process, don’t let it fool you, your decision may very well be carried out to the last possible minute… in May, but don’t let it stop you from enjoying your senior year while making memories that will last you a lifetime. Be patient and know that it will all workout in the end. Lastly, make sure the decision is best for you and your future; this decision will carry you not only for the next 4 years, but for the next 40 as you go out into the working world become a member of society, don’t let it be one to haunt you.
Is there anything else you want to add?
I felt, and still feel, horrible for how Penn State ended up on the outside of the final decision, especially by the circumstances it was done, I am aware that I tied up money for program with limits any further recruiting and put them in a really awkward postion. I tried my best to make Coach Gondak aware of the situation at hand and did what I could for it not to be detrimental to him or the program. As I said earlier, it was one of the most difficult phone calls I had to make and went against many personal beliefs and morals. I truly fell in love with Penn State and what it had to offer, and I wish them the best of luck as the program continues to excel. Coach Gondak is also a fantastic person and every bit of what I like to see in a coach, I formally apologize for any problems I caused him or the program.