86. Mason McKnight/Student-Athlete/Randolph-Macon College & Chris Norris/Head Coach/William & Mary Men's Soccer

Hi I’m Scot Cooper and welcome to the Tales From the Trail Podcast. In this episode I’m joined by Chris Norris, head coach of men’s soccer at the College of William and Mary. We welcome one of his former youth players, Mason McKnight. Mason discusses his recruiting story and how he arrived at the decision to attend Lycoming College. His first semester and season at Lycoming left him wanting a different college experience. As a result, Mason chose to transfer to Randolph-Macon College. This is an important discussion for anyone making the decision to attend college- it brings focus to finding the right fit when in the recruiting process.

Summary

The conversation explores Mason McKnight's experience with the college soccer recruiting process, his decision to attend Lycoming College, and his subsequent transfer to Randolph-Macon College. Mason discusses the importance of camps, physical and mental preparation, and the value of adaptability. He highlights the significance of team culture and the impact it had on his decision to transfer. The conversation also touches on the transfer process and the role of the transfer portal in finding a better fit. Overall, the discussion emphasizes the importance of finding the right fit academically, athletically, and socially in the college recruiting process. In this conversation, Mason McKnight discusses the importance of observing local teams and the value of a tight-knit team. He shares his experience of seeing the William & Mary team play and how it influenced his decision-making process. The conversation concludes with a reflection on Mason's story as a positive example for prospective student athletes.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:15 Starting the Recruiting Process

07:46 Coach's Perspective on the Recruiting Process

11:11 Preparing Physically and Mentally

14:18 The Importance of Camps

16:24 The Value of Adaptability

18:29 Choosing Lycoming College

22:10 The Soccer Experience at Lycoming

31:46 Reasons for Transferring

40:09 Investigating Team Culture

46:02 The Transfer Process

48:12 The Importance of Fit and the Transfer Portal

50:42 The Importance of Observing Local Teams

51:44 The Value of a Tight-Knit Team

52:16 Mason's Story as a Positive Example