North Carolina State University Athletics
Q&A with Associate Head Coach Jeff Negalha
7/26/2021 2:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer
GoPack.com sat down with Negalha to talk about his success on the recruiting trail and how he remained resilient through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Question (Q): You have recruited some highly-touted classes in your career, including NC State's 2021 signing class that is ranked fifth nationally. What have been some of your general keys to success when it comes to recruiting?
Jeff Negalha (JN): I've always found it important to be authentic and genuine in the relationships I am building and throughout the recruiting process as a whole.
Recruiting is a collaborative effort. Everyone associated with our program plays a significant role in identifying talent, as well as personality and character that fits our culture. There is an extensive and trusted network throughout the soccer world, which helps when it comes to in-depth analysis on prospects both as players and as people.
We're also fortunate to be surrounded by incredible support staff in every facet at NC State. The people on campus do excellent work providing a comprehensive outlook on the development process for our prospects both on and off the field. We're ultimately looking for potential student-athletes who will embody everything that it means to be a member of the Pack, and that takes a true team effort to identify those young men.
Q: The COVID-19 pandemic made recruiting look very different. What did day-in, day-out recruiting look like for you in that current climate?
JN: As far as the technical side of things, we were watching a lot of highlights and recorded or live streamed games of players from across the world. I've found it important to stay engaged with the events that are able to take place in the midst of the pandemic, as well as organize future events to attend in person. It really comes down to constant communication and staying touch with our prospects and with coaching colleagues from across the sport.
Q: How excited are you for recruiting to be more back to "normal" now?
JN: Our staff did an excellent job at adapting to the pandemic and the changes that it brought, but it has been great to be back on the in-person recruiting trail. It's invaluable to be able to physically walk up and down the fields to evaluate prospects and be seen by them. The events we've attended have been good and very well-organized for us. It's also been refreshing to see colleagues, and it serves as a good reminder of how lucky we are to be back to scouting in person.
Q: What have been the biggest challenges for you over the last year and a half, and how have you found ways to overcome those challenges as you're in the midst of bringing in the Class of 2022?
JN: It was obviously hard not being able to watch games and training sessions in person. I also really missed the entire process of meeting and visiting with recruits and their families on and off campus. I aimed to overcome those challenges by staying connected, even if it wasn't in an in-person setting. We're fortunate to live in a world where phone conversations, texting and FaceTime/Zoom help us to keep up with one the future members of our Pack. As our world continues to adapt to this pandemic, I've been thankful to return to more in-person recruiting opportunities.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of the recruiting process for you?
JN: It comes back to where we started with the relationship-building. I've met a lot of people in my years of recruiting, and it is rewarding to get to network with and truly know young men and families who are so passionate about this game of ours. As coaches, we get the privilege of impacting lives. It's incredibly special to be there for the change and growth of the young men that come through this program, from the first day that we're able to speak to them as recruits all the way until when they leave NC State.
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