For younger players
The recruiting process is grueling. I'm from Texas, and I spent most of two summers on the East Coast. One of those summers I was home for six nights. Total.
I loved it. That's the part people leave out when they warn you about the grind — I wanted to be there. The next summer, once it was over, I actually missed it. During recruiting I got to play the sport I love and compete, every single day. You don't get many stretches like that.
What made it survivable was unglamorous. Staying organized meant keeping up with emails to coaches and tracking who I'd already spoken to, preparing for every camp and tournament, planning nutrition and recovery around a travel schedule, and doing my homework on each school and camp before I got there — so when a coach talked to me, I actually knew something about their program.
It also meant packing properly. That sounds small until you're three flights from home without the one thing you needed.
Then the basics, every day: eat well, take recovery seriously. During the process you barely get any downtime. When you do get it, take advantage of it.
It isn't easy to show up and be your best when you're that deep in it. Mental strength matters as much as physical strength — probably more, by the end of a long weekend.
Have the memory of a goldfish.
That's how I deal with a bad play. Think about why it happened, process it, understand where I went wrong — then forget the play and keep only the cause. Next time, make a better one. Carrying the mistake into the next possession has never once helped me.
Two things are always in my control: attitude and effort. Everything else is earned, and nothing is given.
Enjoy the journey and the right outcome will follow.
I'd rather hear the question than guess at what to write next. Ask me anything about training, recruiting, recovery or fueling — and if it's something a lot of people are wondering, it'll probably turn into the next section.