During the 2019-20 basketball season, recruiters from more than 70 colleges and universities across the nation targeted Eagles, basketball players. Head Coach Brandon Giles, who just finished his third season at Polk State College, discusses that attention and the challenges he faces recruiting due to the coronavirus.
You had more than 70 schools recruiting your players this season. Is that more than you’ve had in past years and if so, why?
Yes, each year that number has grown. Year one was about seven schools, year two was 36, and now in year three, we had 72. That is a credit to the great job of recruiting my staff and I have done. Assistant Coach Josh Jackson has been here since year one and has helped me form a more talented team each year based on our assessment of program needs. Assistant Coach Randy Lee has over 27 years of experience at every level imaginable. His knowledge and eye for winning talent has also helped as we continue to sign members of our 2020 class.
Has the attention from schools across the country helped you recruit student-athletes to come to Polk State?
Yes it has! Our job is not only to recruit players in but also to recruit and send players out to four-year schools. The amount of colleges that evaluate and recruit from our program definitely helps. I tell our players, “The recipe to get to the next level is going to be on the table every day. Once here, you’re either going to follow the recipe and eat really good or skip an ingredient or two and your meal won’t be as good when it’s time to eat.” Simple as that.
Freshman Clarence Jackson recently committed to Wichita State. Is it unusual for a freshman at a state college to go to an elite program like that one?
I would say there is fairly a limited number of high-level qualifiers, particularly at his position. A freshman with three years to play at a four-year university, he becomes more marketable in the recruiting game. Now mix that in with talent and they pretty much can go anywhere in the country based on those programs’ needs.
Clarence is what I call a walking double-double. He can go get you 10-plus points and 10-plus rebounds on any given night. He’s also dubbed Mr. 20 and 20 because twice this year he had 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game. His competitive nature, his athleticism, his ‘dog-like’ mentality, and more importantly, his coachability and his character earned him this opportunity. Any program would want a guy like him for three years.
Do you make a point of helping players improve so they can reach the next level?
Most definitely! We not only want them to move on to the next level in basketball but also move on to the next level in life. We are here to help them become better basketball players, but more importantly, better young adults. Better sons, better brothers, better friends, and future husbands and fathers. That’s what we pride ourselves on.
From a skill standpoint, we’re going to give you the blueprint on how to reach the next level, but it’s up to you as the player to execute. I’ve been blessed to have some really good coaches and mentors on my staff in the last three years here at Polk State. Each of us has worked or played at the college, NBA, or semi-pro level. So there’s been a diverse catalog of knowledge. This has allowed us to develop each player’s skills and mindset at a high level. Without our staff, I don’t think players would have the type of experiences they’ve had while in our program.
Often, the basketball side will take care of itself based on the work you put in and how coachable you are. The basketball, however, isn’t always going to bounce for you, so you have to bring something else to the table to be successful in life. I tell our guys, “Use the game of basketball. Don’t let the game use you.”
This game is precious. It can award you a free education, free travel around the country and the world, some really good food, and it helps form some of the most powerful and influential relationships you’ll ever have. I personally credit everything I have in life to God and to basketball. I also credit my strong wife, strong mother and family, my consulting company, relationships with celebrities, and other influential people in our local community.
How has COVID-19 19 effected recruiting?
More than anything, it’s hindered our face-to-face interactions with recruits. Normally we would have already had about five to seven kids on an official visit, but you just can’t do that now. So relationships become extremely relevant during this time. The strong relationships my staff and I have with coaches and scouts across the country has really helped us find talent. We can still build strong relationships with recruits. Knowing exactly who you’re bringing into your program is the difference in winning and losing.
This time has also forced us to be creative and innovative in building our brand, which goes a long way when you’re talking about the future of this program. I want to be here at Polk State forever. I want to keep Polk State basketball engraved in this community forever. So building a brand during this time is key.
Besides all of this basketball stuff, however, I’d really like to say that our hearts go out to everyone in our community and the entire world during these trying times. Let’s stay positive, open- minded, and faithful that this too shall pass.