Full Circle: The Challenges and Triumphs of Developing Student-Athletes at Your Alma Mater

“Teach. Motivate. Develop.”  Since the first time I heard those words from Coach Mel Tucker during one of our initial staff meetings, I often find myself repeating that phrase in my head while planning what we should implement next into our player development programming.  What are we teaching our players?  How is this going to motivate them or what motivations might they have of their own that would lead to them buying into and believing in what we are offering?  And lastly, and most importantly, does this develop our players?

Before really diving into what it is like to develop and enhance the lives of young men specifically at my alma mater, I wanted to take a quick moment to touch on the word “develop” for our line of work.  I mentioned that the final word in that phrase, “develop”, is most important because we are in the player development space as player development professionals, so naturally how we develop the student-athletes should be the most important aspect that we focus on.  However, just uttering a statement without a plan of action will not lead to any tangible results.  I say that because I believe that much like the rest of the athletic world we tend to get caught up in clichés and think that just because we say we need to do something, or something needs to happen that it automatically will.  If you have ever heard or ever hear anyone say, “we need to develop our student-athletes”, ask them what exactly they mean by that.  Maybe you yourself has said that (I certainly have) and can then ask yourself what you mean by that statement.  It is the same as saying, “we need to focus on better time management skills”, or “we need to teach these guys or gals financial literacy”.  All of that may sound great on paper, or in a recruiting pitch, but in actuality those are all vague statements without much context and/or specifics.  A plan has to follow those statements at the same time as said statement is made.  That is what I try and focus most on.  That “what” and the “how”.  Followed by the “when” and the “where”.  “We need to develop our student-athletes and here is how we are going to do it…”.  When the plan of action follows the premise, we can confidently talk about teaching, motivating, and DEVELOPING our student-athletes.

That soliloquy leads me to speak on what this article is truly about, that being what it is like to develop and enhance the lives of young men at the school I both played at and graduated from. 

In short, it is a dream come true and what I have always wanted to do.  I started to configure what a position like this might look like at Michigan State during the latter part of my junior year and into my senior year playing football at MSU.  I felt as though my teammates, though all very successful today and doing very well for themselves, were not taking advantage of everything MSU had to offer when it came to networking, resources, internship opportunities and ways to enhance their overall experience as a student-athlete.  When I look back even I myself could have benefited a lot more while being a student-athlete at MSU from the vast amount of resources MSU has to offer.  That is why I am currently in this role.  I tell every player, recruit and family that I come in contact with that my objective is to ensure that our players have a better experience than I had during my time as a student-athlete, and my experience was PHENOMENAL.  Generally speaking, someone who had a less than stellar experience somewhere says that their goal is to make sure nobody has to endure whatever they went through.  I am essentially saying the opposite.  I had the time of my life at MSU and would do it all over again, and still, I want our current players and those coming in the future to have it even better.  While that is setting the bar high out the gate, it is actually a very attainable goal and one that we strive for each and every day.  Working alongside professionals such as Lorenzo Guess and Elliott Daniels makes the job that much easier, and honestly it does not even feel like a job.  That is one of the many joys that comes with being at a place that feels like home and that you have a personal connection to.  There is nothing better than enjoying going into the office every day, seeing the players and staff and working towards on and off field success.  The “challenges” that come with being at your alma mater I instead call “high expectations”, which as a professional you should welcome with open arms.  In my case, I was a student-athlete during arguably the most successful era in MSU history, so naturally there’s an expectation that I know at least one ingredient in the secret formula of success for this program.  What comes with that is being asked to do more and as a professional in athletics, especially a young professional, you should be chomping at the bit to have as many opportunities to make an impact as you possibly can.  Never pass off work to someone else.  Absolutely ask for help, and even delegate when necessary, but if someone comes to you with a task it is because they believe you are the person in the building most equipped to get it done.  Take the lead on it and make it happen. 

The best part about being at my alma mater is knowing the people.  In this space of player development, it is all about the people.  Who is willing to help because they genuinely want to make a difference?  Who can provide opportunities, resources, connections and introductions to others that our student-athletes will benefit from?  When you can quickly answer those kinds of questions for yourself and subsequently reach out to people you know you can trust it makes this job that much easier.  That’s of course not to say you cannot forge these relationships anywhere, be it at your alma mater or elsewhere, but for me knowing the people affiliated with MSU makes all the difference in the world and for them I am very grateful.  Included amongst the people are alumni of your respective program.  The former players.  Having a strong relationship with the alumni of your program has a profound impact on the development of your student-athletes.  Whether it’s mentorship, job/internship/shadow opportunities, fundraising efforts, donated resources or anything else you can think of, former players can provide more than anyone else can to your program.  As Coach Tucker always says, “Our former players are the backbone of our program”.  I believe that is true not just at MSU but anywhere.  Without the support of those that came before you, you cannot hope to build a program of success. 

I only ever wanted to do this job at Michigan State University, the place that has afforded me so much, and while other opportunities may one day come my way from elsewhere, the fact that I was able to come full circle means everything to me.  My former coach, Mark Dantonio, used to always say, “complete your circles”.  I would like to believe that this is me completing mine.  Don’t worry Spartan Nation, that does not mean I am trying to go elsewhere.  I am right where I belong.  At home in East Lansing.  It’s a blessing to work with such great players, coaches and staff members each and every day.  It’s a blessing to collaborate with many professionals across the country including the many amazing men and women player development specialists we have at the high school, collegiate and pro ranks.  We are in this profession to amplify the lives of young people and open their minds to whatever experiences there are that they could not get to on their own.  As we continue to navigate this space and stay ahead of the curve, I am excited to see the continued growth of our field as it becomes more and more prevalent.   I am hopeful that what I shared in this piece was insightful and sparks questions and discussion.  Thank you for reading. Go Green!

Darien Harris

Director of Player Engagement – Michigan State Football