NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

In the midst of the most recent alleged recruiting violations that have plagued college athletics, I came across this article on a Michigan State Website.  The article was sparked by a reported recruiting violation that took place at UCONN involving a student-athlete who is not even a member of the current team.  I do not really care to discuss the actual violation because to be honest, it doesn’t really interest me that much…I can attribute this immunity to being forced to deal with the Kelvin Sampson mess at Indiana as an alumni of the University.  However, one question that the article debates is this:

“Who should do the policing? Coaches?  The NCAA?  Respective Universities?”

The article asks prominent coaches for their varied opinions… while I am still in shock that we even have to ask that question.  How can we expect the rules to be followed when there is a debate about who is doing the policing?

The easy answer is the NCAA, but as Rick Pitino put it, “the NCAA is sort of like the IRS, like the border patrol. They’re undermanned.”  Tom Izzo added to the ineptitude of the NCAA by saying, “the NCAA cannot chase down recruiting violators.

It’s too big of a problem. The more money we make, the bigger the problem is,”

So basically, the governing body in charge is incapable of policing the very rules that they have created?  No wonder we have a mess on our hands…

I will not even begin to acknowledge the possibility of the coaches policing themselves since the notion itself makes me laugh out loud.  How many people would go the speed limit if there were never police officers on the roads? 

That leaves the universities.  Unfortunately, their main function should be to educate the thousands of students attending the school to earn a degree.  They should not be allocating resources to check Bill Self’s cell phone record to see how many text messages he sent in the month of January…

I believe part of the problem lies in the ambiguity of rules.  They are written in a manner that leaves them open to interpretation which is never a good thing.  That would be like telling people that, “You have to drive the speed limit only on a day of the week ending in the letter “y” when it’s raining…or sunny.”  What?

I believe the entire rulebook needs to be rewritten in a way that is clear and definitive.  I realize technology changes the ways that coaches can recruit and amendments would have to be added, but the current system clearly isn’t working…let’s start over.

On top of that, I would make all rules, regulations, and timelines universal across all sports.  Why can a women’s basketball recruit receive a phone call earlier in her high school career than her friend, who is the same age, and happens to play softball?  I firmly believe it would be easier to police the rules if they were exactly the same for all sports.

There is no easy answer.  Violations will always happen regardless of who is policing and how the rules are written.  I just think it would be nice to actually know who is in charge…

College basketball fans are all eagerly anticipating this weekends games and the road to the Final Four.  Unfortunately a cloud hangs over one of the teams due to alleged recruiting infractions committed by the University of Connecticut.  At the heart of the issue is another case of improper contact and way too many phone calls.   UConn will have its day in court with the NCAA but the issue brings to memory several stories of improper phone calls landing programs on probation.

Why does this story keep playing out over and over again?  Simply because college coaches are always eager to talk with recruits and develop relationships.  Potential recruits need to do the exact same thing!  Agressively hitting the phone to reach out to schools is one of the very best ways to show coaches that you are worth the time it takes to get evaluated.

The trick is calling enough times to actually talk to a coach and properly convey your interest.  This can be an extremely frustrating process.  A wrong word here or there and a coach can make the decision to wipe you off the recruiting board.  The best way to avoid making a costly mistake is to get the guidance that every recruit needs.

The UConn example illustrates how important the phone can be, its up to recruits to take advantage!

 In some walks of life, your success is not hindered by others pursuing a similar goal.  As an example of these types of situations, let’s examine a scenario that all high school student-athletes can relate to; taking the SAT.  If a student truly wants to achieve perfection and score a 2400, the scores of other students will not prevent that student from reaching their goal.  That student will begin studying well in advance with test preparation and work as hard as they can to put themselves in a position to reach the perfect score.  The comforting fact for that student is that there is not limit on the number of 2400′s given out on the SAT.  Although a perfect score is extremely rare, technically every single student taking the test could receive a 2400.  As I mentioned, this is an example when everyone can be as successful as they desire without the efforts of others holding them back.

Unfortunately, athletic recruiting is the exact opposite.  There are absolutely a limited number of roster spots and scholarships available.  For example, there are more than 1,100,000 high school football players competing at the high school level nationwide, and many of them have aspirations of playing in college.  However, there are only approximately 80,535 total roster spots at the college level including all DI, DII,DIII,NAIA, and Junior College opportunities.  Essentially, only about 8% of all high school football players will go on to play at the next level.  For those who wrongly believe DI is the only viable option to play college ball, that number is less than .08%.  Not even 1%!

What does this mean?  It means that aside from competing against other high school football players in their weekly games, every student athlete who wants to play at the next level is also competing for a highly improbable roster spot on a college team.  More than 8 out of 10 high school football players will not be going on to play at the next level.  This would be the equivalent to the SAT saying that, no matter how well prepared you are or how well you do on our test, only 8% will be receiving your desired score.

Sadly, many athletes assume that if they are better than the rest of the players on their team or the ones they face in their local conference, that they will be the one to receive the recognition of college coaches and ultimately a roster spot.  While more often than not the better players find their way on college rosters, many times the stiffest competition is going on off the field in the recruiting process.

Recently NCSA received a phone call from the father of the New Jersey Gatorade player of the year in that student athlete’s particular sport.  He was frustrated that his senior son was left with no viable options and was being forced to attend a 5^th year at a prep school.  The reason he chose to contact NCSA was because his son’s teammate, who was the third best at his position on the team (and not coincidentally a part of the NCSA family), was the only member of the team with multiple scholarship offers.  Basically, this athlete had competed more successfully in the recruiting process despite lacking the athletic talents of his teammates.

My point is that while many athletes believe the only competition is going on during games, the reality is that the fiercest competition sometimes rages in the recruiting process.  Simply put, the student-athlete who is able to navigate the recruiting process better, might be the one with all the options, not the athlete who runs the fastest 40 yard dash at a junior year combine.  This requires starting early (think freshmen year), developing a game plan, being proactive, being relentless, and most of all taking action.  The families who tend to call us disappointed in the process as seniors typically did not actually do anything in the recruiting process but rather assumed it would happen for them on its own.

My advice, with a limited number of roster spots and the possibility that your recruiting competition has already started building relationships with college coaches, make sure no one else is outworking you in the recruiting process.  Ask yourself, how bad do you want a roster spot?

College recruiting in the sport of swimming has changed dramatically this past year, as coaches now have to factor in one very significant piece of information – the swimsuits.  In addition to asking athletes for their times, coaches now also have to ask if they were wearing “the suit.”  Speedo’s LZR Racer, and others like it, are taking the swim world by storm and helping to shatter the record books.  The suits have been controversial enough to cause FINA to step in and set some guidelines.  But until those rules go into effect, the old records will continue to fall.   This was on display at the Women’s NCAA Division I Championships in College Station, Texas last weekend. 

The California Bears won their first NCAA Championship and rewrote history in the 400-yard free relay.  Their time of 3:09.88 set a new NCAA, NCAA Championship Meet, American and U.S. Open record.   This weekend, the Men’s NCAA Division I Championships take place in College Station, Texas.  The Stanford Cardinal will see if they can take their #1 ranking and turn it into a championship title. You can all but guarantee more records are bound to be broken before it’s all said and done.   The list of guidelines regarding the suits, and the phases in which those guidelines will go into effect, can be found at the College Swim Coaches website. 

The information seems reasonable, although a bit complicated.  It will be interesting to see how it is all monitored. But, for now, FINA believes it has taken the right action in trying to protect the integrity of swimming. FINA President Mustapha Larfaoui:  ”With these amendments, FINA shows that it continues to monitor the evolution of the sport’s equipment with the main objective of keeping the integrity of sport.  While we remain open to evolution, the most important factors must be the athletes’ preparation and physical condition on achieving their performances.”    

It all sounds good.  I guess only swim times will tell.  

 Recently, Courtney Paris, an all-American center for the University of Oklahoma women’s basketball team made national headlines when she made quite the promise:  if Oklahoma does not win the national basketball championship, she would repay the cost of her scholarship (valued at more than $100,000 for in state students).

The controversial vow made headlines leading into the women’s version of March Madness and remains a topic of discussion for many people who would otherwise completely ignore the women’s NCAA tournament. 

There are many interesting aspects to this story and you can read about many of them in this article from The New York Times.  Although Paris has stuck by her pledge, Oklahoma officials have said they would not hold their star center to her financial declaration.

Oklahoma won their first tournament game and will take on Georgia Tech tonight in the second round.  Paris has defended her critics by saying, “If everyone stops believing, why even be here?”  

What do you think of her promise?  Was it bold and inspiring?  Foolish and unnecessary?

Create a calendar that schedules the student’s test prep program with a specific test and test date in mind. Generally, students should allow themselves a minimum of twelve weeks preparation time before sitting for an official exam.

 Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw knows a lot about recruiting. She has signed America’s top girls high school basketball player, Skyler Diggins of South Bend Washington, to a national letter of intent. Muffet coached Notre Dame to the 2001 national championship with a first class group of recruits.

In the book “Courting Success” Muffet shares insights of what she looks for in recruits. In her case, they would be girl’s basketball players, but you can take a lot of these principles and apply them to all recruit able athletes. Here is part of what Coach McGraw says she looks for:

“So what impresses me on a home visit? I expect a prospect to look nice. She should be in appropriate attire, dressed neatly. I want her to make eye contact with me. I want her to ask questions. That shows interest. I want her to be assertive enough so that her parents don’t do all of the talking. And, of course, she should hide her trophies!

I really get a good picture of the kind of person I’m recruiting when I get to see the recruit interact with her mom and dad. I am interested in how much she respects her parents. I want to know whether or not she’s spoiled. I can learn a lot about how a recruit will be on our team just by looking at that relationship she has with her parents. I don’t think the parents should be waiting on the daughter all the time. I remember being in a home once when the doorbell rang and the daughter said, “Mom, are you going to get that?” And I was thinking, “Geez, you’re 18 years old, get off your butt and answer the door!”

Here’s one thing I always notice when a player and her parents visit us at Notre Dame. When they’re on campus, they always go to the bookstore to buy a souvenir, and I notice which ones ask, even demand, a credit card from their parents. A recruit who says, “Thanks so much, Dad, for the sweatshirt” or “No thanks, Mom, I really don’t need a sweatshirt” impresses me. It shows how much she appreciates what she has and shows what kind of person she is. These are just some little things I pay attention to that are cues into what kind of people they are, and the cues I’m sure they have no idea I’m noticing.

In terms of skills, I look for intensity. I also look at how they play defense. Young players rest on defense. I like players with pride. I look at a recruit’s face after someone scores on them. I hope it bothers her, because I guarantee it will bother me.

We look at ball handling and aggressiveness. Does she dive on the floor for loose balls? Does she crash for rebounds, or just sort of hang around the outside?  Does she sprint the floor every possession? Is she willing to take a charge? This is something that tells me she is a team player, she’s aggressive, and she’ll sacrifice her body for the team. This is the most unselfish act in basketball. At any summer game, if a player takes a charge, you’ll see all thecoaches in attendance take out a pen and make note of it. A lot of great players don’t want to take a charge because ‘it’s not their job.

‘We look closely at attitude. What happens when the coach yells at her? Is she making eye contact? Is she sulking? Is she pouting? When a player gets in foul trouble, is she complaining to the referees? How is she when the team is losing? Is she yelling at her teammates?

Actually, I prefer to see a recruit’s team lose. When a team wins by 20, that’s easy. There’s no adversity. I like to see a player get into foul trouble. How does she handle the frustration? Does she possess self-discipline? I’ve noticed that with girls you have to see them play a lot to get a feel for them. They can be up and down. You can see a player on a great day, and on a bad day. The difference is striking. It can be the difference between offering her a scholarship and wondering why she was on my list in the first place.”

Head Coach Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame Women’s Basketball
from the book ‘Courting Success‘ (Taylor Trade Publishing)

Based on demand from high school coaches and families around the country, NCSA is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking contest aimed at educating the masses!NCSA will be providing a FREE “College Recruiting Simplified” Event at 50 deserving high schools nationwide in an effort to educate student-athletes, parents, high school coaches, and administrators.  In addition to the need for education, we also realize that with the current economy, more student-athletes than ever are attempting to use athletics as a vehicle for a college education…but most do not know how to make that happen.

 What is “College Recruiting Simplified?”

College Recruiting Simplified (CRS) is a critically acclaimed educational workshop explaining the five things that every student-athlete needs to know and the five things they must do in order to get recruited.  CRS has been requested at more than 4,000 high schools, camps, combines, including those sponsored by ESPN Rise, Nike, Cal South, U.S. Army, and many others.  Every CRS is presented by a member of NCSA’s celebrated Recruiting Expert Roster which includes former professional athletes, college coaches, award winning authors and journalists, and Olympians and normally requires a $500 fee.  Chances are some of our readers have had the good fortune of experiencing a CRS event and this is your opportunity to be a hometown hero and help everyone else in your community get educated!  Read what coaches and athletic directors have said about CRS.

Who is eligible to enter the contest?

Anyone!  Student-athletes, parents, teachers, high school coaches, athletic directors…basically, anyone and everyone who is passionate about ensuring student-athletes are put in the best possible situation to maximize their athletic scholarship potential.

Be sure to forward this to friends, family members, co-workers, teammates…ANYONE!

How can I enter?

We tried to make this as simple as possible!  Submit an essay, 250 words or less, letting us know why you and your high school needs to be educated! 

For example…

• Maybe you have seen a lot of athletes fail to maximize this process and you are tired of watching so many miss their chance to play in college.

• Maybe you have found our newsletter and educational blog helpful and you feel as though a CRS event would be the perfect way to share that information with other people.

• Maybe you want to be the big man on campus by having a former professional athlete come to your school in your honor and teach your teammates and friends about college recruiting!

Your answer could be anything!  Just tell us why you NEED this education in 250 words or less.

Email all entries to:  newsletter@ncsasports.org

Mail all entries to

NCSA Attention CRS Contest

1415 North Dayton Suite 4

Chicago, IL 60642

How will the winners be picked?

NCSA will form a committee that will thoroughly review every single entry and based on their discretion pick the 50 best essays.  The selection process will take into account a number of factors, but the ultimate winners will be chosen based on how much they need this type of recruiting education. 

What else should I include?

Be sure to include the following info to be officially entered:

• Applicants Full Name
• Description of applicant’s role in the process (student-athlete, parent, coach, athletic director)
• Applicant Phone Number
• Applicant Email address

***NCSA will also need the contact information for the individual at your high school who will be scheduling the event if you win! (for example, athletic director name, phone number, and email address)***

How will I know if I won?

NCSA will alert each winner through email and phone call.  In addition, each winner will receive an official certificate which they can present to their high school administration.

When does the contest end?

The final date that NCSA will accept essays will be May 1^st, 2009. 

If You have any questions regarding the CRS Contest, contact NCSA at 312.624.7430 or newsletter@ncsasports.org.

Good Luck!

Chad Musser, Football, Sterling College
Jack Lazar II, Football, University of Saint Francis
Ethan Kagy, Football, University of Toledo
Jeffrey Heiner, Football, Lindsey Wilson College
Jeremy Caseltine, Football, Miami University–Oxford
Paul Fackler, Football, University of Dayton
Tyler McClure, Football, King’s College
AJ White, Football, University of Texas-Austin
Pablo Gross, Football, Fort Lewis College
Roderick Thomas, Football, University of North Alabama
Anthony Tucker, Football, Augustana College
Casey Monaghan, Football, Virginia Tech
Justin Rayome, Football, Fort Lewis College
Justin Wortman, Football, University of Arkansas
Jamar Rogers, Football, Winston-Salem State University
Tyler Burns, Football, Loras College
Jacob Lilly, Football, Benedictine College
Brian Holman Jr., Football, Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Darrell Harris, Football, University of Charleston
Connor O’Hara, Football, University of Dayton
Quinton Pirl, Football, Robert Morris University
Jonathan Zytkoskee, Football, Wheaton College (IL)
Christopher Tozer, Football, Foothill College
Austin Kubit, Men’s Basketball, St. Xavier University
Taylor Alex, Men’s Lacrosse, Northern Arizona University
Jesse Brennan, Men’s Soccer, University of California–San Diego
Jake Geiger, Men’s Soccer, University of Dubuque
Kyle Adams, Men’s Soccer, Delta State University
Luke Snow, Men’s Soccer, Louisiana State University–Shreveport
Kenny Harriman, Men’s Track, Colorado State University
Courtney White, Softball, University of the Cumberlands
Autumn Taylor, Softball, George Washington University
Renae Tubergen, Softball, Aquinas College
Alyssa Bergquist, Softball, Whitworth College
Erin Johnson, Softball, Iowa State University
Catherine Hensley, Women’s Soccer, New Jersey City University
Katherine Sanderson, Women’s Soccer, Marietta College
Tara Simon, Women’s Soccer, California State University–San Marcos
Lauren Pfister, Women’s Soccer, Philadelphia University
Kyrsten Rezac, Women’s Swimming, University of Arkansas — Little Rock
Tamara Gagne, Women’s Track, Pittsburg State University
Betsy Stevenson, Women’s Volleyball, University of Montevallo

Every March student athletes from across get their chance to shine on the biggest basketball stage in America.  The University of Connecticut features one of the most talented rosters in the tournament, but that doesn’t mean every player on the roster is the typical McDonalds All-American identified in the 7th grade at a sneaker tournament.  In fact, their most talented player Hasheem Thabeet has one of the more unusual recruiting stories of any player in the tournament.

His journey to UConn from Tanzania could be regarded as a minor miracle.  He was spotted by scouts while travelling with his high school in Nairobi, Kenya.  He wandered from LA to Mississippi before landing in Houston. He lacked any guidance through the recruiting process, but luckily landed with a scholarship.

But how many others aren’t so lucky?  How many players across America simply don’t understand the recruiting process?  NCSA works to guide these potential athletes so that they can leverage their athletic prowess into an academic future.