A father’s recruiting tips for parents:

* Choosing a college is your child’s decision. All you can do is guide him the best you know how.

* If you don’t hear it from the head coach, don’t take it too seriously. Assistants don’t make the final decision regarding scholarships.

* Question the coach hard during the home visit. “Are you making an official scholarship offer or just offering a trip? How many candidates are you interviewing for this scholarship?” Realize that scholarships are renewable on a year-to-year basis for a maximum of five years. Question the coach about the school’s policy concerning renewals. Ask, “At what point do you think my child will have a chance to start?” Indiana assistant coach Elaina Oden said college sports are like having a job. Sitting on the bench isn’t fun.

* If your child admires a particular school or coach, it never hurts to call the coach and make him aware of that interest. Use e-mail, or send all correspondence directly to the coach via overnight mail; otherwise, the school’s compliance officer will most likely file it with all the other letters.

* If a coach sits down next to you in a gym or at a stadium, either by design or accidentally, move. You can phone a coach any time, but the NCAA prohibits coaches from initiating personal contact before the summer of a player’s senior year. So some coaches rely on, or even start, rumors, hearsay and innuendo, as well as observe the actions of others to get an edge. Two coaches told us they scratched my daughter off their list after “they heard” she was a lock at a West Coast beach school.