Questions and Conversations with Professional Scouts and Executives - Northville, MI

I’ve been fortunate enough to have one-on-one conversations with professional scouts and pro team executives regarding draft eligible prospects that have trained with me during the off-seasons.

During these conversations, not once did these individuals ask about their on-ice skills, how many points they had…

Instead, they asked things like:

• How does the athlete interact with his peers in the weight room?
• Do they encourage or push others in the weight room?
• How do they respond to criticism?
• How do they respond to coaching or authoritative figures?
• Do they show up on time or are they late?
• What is their effort like during training? Is it consistent?
• How well does they move?
• What are some weaknesses or areas that need to improve or work on?
• Are there any mobility restrictions?
• What is their character like?
• Do they compete or go through the motions with the group?
• How would you rate their commitment level?
• Do you notice any imbalances with the athlete?
• What is their nutrition like?
• What kind of drinks or snacks does the athlete bring with them to the gym?
• Does the athlete take short cuts during the warm up or conditioning?
• What is their relationship with family? How do they interact with their parents in public?
• Are they respectful to their peers and coaches?
• Do they take care of themselves in and out of the gym?
• How do you think this athlete could improve?

These are just a few of the common questions I’ve been asked, so it’s a lot more than just production and skills.

Teams and coaches want to know the person and character of the athlete and whether or not the athlete will be a good fit to their organization.

• Put in the work
• Be respectful
• Be consistent
• Take care of the little things
• Improve on your weaknesses