Jim McCarthy is the head coach at Cheshire Academy.  After playing at Hamilton, Jim coached at Williams where he won a D3 national championship.  From there he coached D1 at Yale, Northeastern ,and Towson.  In this conversation we discuss the differences between playing D1 vs D3, what it takes to be a D1 player, the pros/cons of being a walk-on, the differences between NEPSAC AAA, AA, and A programs, and more.  

What you will learn:
[1:42] What made Jim want to get into college coaching?
[6:01] Difference between high level D3 and the Ivy league?
[8:29] Pros and cons of playing in the Ivy league?
[10:35] Have Ivy leagues used NIL(name image likeness) deals to help offset the tuition?
[12:40] What can players do to become a D1 guard?
[17:54] Is D1 everything it seems to be?
[21:00] Cheshire Academy pitch.  Why play here?
[24:50] Famous Cheshire Academy alumni
[28:26] Placement during Covid and players Jim is looking for
[33:05] Thoughts on being a preferred walk on?
[36:24] Politics of being a walk on
[42:17] Differences between the 3 levels of NEPSAC (AAA, AA, A)
[44:58] Does it matter which level a player chooses?
[49:52] Picking a school based on a relationship with a coach.
[55:10] What gets a coach to click an email?
[56:15] Has placement timing changed w/ Covid and the portal?
[1:01:55] Biggest win of career?
[1:02:39] Best player coached against?
[1:03:55] Hobbies
[1:04:09] Favorite Movie

Connect w/ Jim
Twitter | https://twitter.com/JimMcCarthyCA
Website | https://cheshireacademy.org/athletics/team-pages/boys-varsity-basketball

Connect with Cory:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep_athletics/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | [email protected]
Phone | 859-317-1166 

Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic
Google Podcasts | https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80M2YwZTZkMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw

About Me
 Cory Heitz is the Founder and President of PREP Athletics. He has been helping place players into the right fitting prep schools since 2008. Cory completed a post grad year himself before playing in a D1 basketball program, so he knows the pressures that players and families face when trying to get to the collegiate level. That’s why he started this podcast, which is to share his wealth of information to those looking to reach their college basketball goals. 

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