NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

While for the average student summer may be a time to sit back and relax after a long school year, for the committed athlete it is time to get to work. A recent ESPN article shows the commitment displayed by many high school athletes in an effort to prepare themselves for their upcoming seasons.

On a humid summer night, the gymnasiums at Harper College in Palatine, Ill., may not be cool enough. The scorekeepers and officials may be somewhat inexperienced. And with no chairs to sit on at the bench, standing the entire game may be rather tiresome for the Huntley (Ill.) High School varsity boys’ basketball team.

But what matters is that the players get in some practice and face good competition.

To many dedicated athletes, the summer offseason has become extremely significant for improving and staying in shape.

The varsity basketball team practices weekdays from 5 to 8 p.m. They also play summer league games on Tuesday and compete in local tournaments on weekends.

Sometimes schedules can be grueling with summer camp from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then two games in the evening. By the end of the day, the girls find themselves exhausted, but they also will have a feeling of accomplishment. They understand that improvement in the summer is extremely important when it comes to finding success in the regular season.

“It’s important to work on individual skills in the summer so that when the season comes around we’ll be able to work together as a strong team,” said junior point guard Carly Goede.

The high school is not the only place where athletes are working hard at their games.

Senior Jenna Mychko, who has verbally committed to the University of Illinois for softball, plays travel softball for the Orland Park Sparks.

Mychko practices six days a week with the Sparks and plays tournaments on weekends. She has traveled to tournaments in Minnesota and Kentucky, and will be playing in Colorado on the Fourth of July.

Varsity baseball player Carlos Alvarez, a junior, keeps busy in the summer playing on a travel team – the McHenry County Hurricanes – and playing summer league games for the high school.

“I practice four times a week for four to five hours, and in total I have six games a week,” Alvarez said. “Baseball is my life.”

Summer camps and leagues are a great way for athletes to step up their games a few notches, keep active in the offseason. In the dire heat, staying hydrated becomes just as important as working hard. If athletes are dedicated enough, they are able to persevere – neither the hot weather nor the inexperienced referees will slow them down.

Hard work and dedication are key if an athlete wants to succeed at the next level. Now that school is out, you have a prime opportunity to put in those extra hours in the gym in order to meet the goals you set for yourself.

I came an article about a 2010 football recruit from Pennsylvania named Dakota Royer and it sparked so many thoughts about how complex the recruiting process can be. This young man has emerged as a top prospect for the class of 2010. But it didn’t just happen for Royer. He has put in an extraordinary amount of hard work and made good decisions that have allowed him to become someone college coaches are looking at and talking about.

An all-state defensive end during his junior season, Royer decided to use his speed and strength to help the offense this season. Royer’s high school football coach Mike Williams says, “He became a complete player.” Not many things are more appealing to a collegiate coach, than knowing an athlete can serve more than one purpose on their team. If you want to increase your value as a student-athlete, make sure you are the complete package. Get stronger and more familiar with different positions on the field. If you are a swimmer, look at mastering other events and strokes. If you are a pitcher, become more dominant by adding more pitches to your arsenal. If you are a golfer, be certain your putting game is just as strong as your drive off the tee. There is always more you can be doing and ways you can be getting better to increase your value to a coach and their program.

After his freshman year, Royer transferred to a different high school because of their agriculture programs. His interest in that field is something he plans on pursuing in college. Royer said he had nothing against his previous high school. “It was great there,” he said. “There was not a problem. It’s not like I had to get out of there. I just wanted to do the best thing for my future.” Whatever college Royer decides on, he will be starting off with a great academic foundation and a plan for what he wants to pursue off of the football field. It’s so important to remember you are a student-athlete. Your college search cannot just include the athletic side of things. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to study or major in, but you should have an idea of what kind of academic school you are interested in. Look at everything from class sizes, to what academic programs are offered, to coursework requirements. Part of being the “complete package” for a coach is how you perform in the classroom. So make sure you stay educated on everything regarding your education.

Because Royer has been so proactive in his recruiting process (making his own highlight DVD and attending football combines since his freshman year), he now has the option of choosing from over 20 Top Division I football programs. A decision he will make within the next month – before taking even one “official visit.”

As he has narrowed his choices to a “Top 5,” Royer gave a brief explanation for his interest in each school. This is what grabbed my attention the most from this article. His answers covered such a large spectrum of things that could possibly make or break a student-athlete’s decision on a school. A great example of how multi-dimensional the recruiting process is. From that list of 5, here are some things that Royer considered: familiarity, being close to home, an NFL team’s proximity to the campus, condition of the campus, social aspect of the campus, football stadium, team contract with NIKE, locker room perks.

Finally, in a move fitting of what we now know about Royer, he decided to increase his marketing appeal to college coaches – and perhaps even future NFL scouts. After hearing that a newly-drafted NFL player drew attention on ESPN for making a clean jump OUT of 3-foot deep swimming pool, Royer knew there was only one thing he needed to do. Make that same jump out of 4 feet of water. So, that’s exactly what he did. Now his video is getting hits all over Youtube.

Dakota Royer is the consummate recruit. He has looked at and contemplated everything that will give him the greatest college experience possible. Now it’s just a matter of prioritizing. Out of all of the information he has collected he will choose which school and football program meet his priorities the best. He knows that the decision on where he will go to school and play football is HIS. And the reason he is sitting so comfortably in the driver’s seat: Royer has made himself the kind of student-athlete that college coaches are looking for – “the complete package.”

Fans across the country eagerly track the recruiting progress of their favorite collegiate teams. They look to see where this year “five star prospects” are going and who in-state superstars will sign with. Although high school ranking are a way of judging the promise of an incoming class, is it the be-all-end-all judge of its potential? A Michigan football analyst asked this question because there has been some debate as to whether Michigan State has taken control of in-state recruiting because of the high ranking of its recent signees.

On one hand, of course you want to land the top players from your state. On the other hand, if those players aren’t the best players at the position, aren’t the best for your system, and there are better players nationally, then what’s the big deal?

I’m not so sure it matters.

Take Joe Boisture, for example. Obviously not a good fit for Coach Rodriguez’s spread option offense. Do we really care if Michigan doesn’t land him? But according to the pundits, we “lost” that battle. What about Devin Gardner? Do we get extra points because he’s exactly the type of quarterback for Coach Rodriguez’s system?

At some point, the “battle” really isn’t a battle because many of the prospects aren’t suited for either school.

Wouldn’t a better measure of the recruiting battle be to look at what the players actually do on the field? The counter argument presupposes complete reliance on the ranking services, which we know are ultimately flawed.

I’d like to measure the battle by the results on the field, not the number of stars assigned by an analyst who hasn’t seen a kid play one down of college ball.

I can understand why in-state players and particularly in-state coaches pay attention to the “in-state battle”. I can also understand why analysts love to talk about it because the in-state battle sells papers.

Objectively speaking though, from an out-of-state fan’s perspective, I don’t really care if MSU beats us in in-state recruiting every year. It doesn’t matter, as long as our overall class is stronger, and we win more games.

Oh yeah, and as long as we beat them on the field.

The same idea can be used by a student-athlete when evaluating a college program. While the prestige of a big program is appealing, a prospective athlete has to consider whether or not the program fits them. Does their style of play complement your skill set? What positional needs does the team have? Do you get along with the coach? Does the school fit your academic goals? What about the social life? The big campus life is not for everyone, especially an athlete who wants to compete for playing time right away.

Mike and Mike,

I enjoy your show but missed your discussion about offering the 13 year old a football scholarship.

I evaluate football players for a living and in fact have a list of the class of 2014(8th grade) and 2013(in- coming freshmen) kids. I also make recruiting presentations on behalf of the NCSA at camps and combines around the country.

With over 30 years of college football experience, most of it in recruiting as a coordinator, etc. I’ve been involved in offering scholarships to many underclassmen.

One of the keys to offering a freshman or sophomore is to have a face to face on your campus. An unofficial visit is what it really is. If the young man is in your office there’s no restriction to recruiting the kid.

The prospect goes into the head coach’s office preferably with his parent(s). The head coach is accompanied by the area recruiting coach, position coach and recruiting coordinator. This allows more ears to hear the offer and the answer.

Back in the day at UCLA we had three underclassmen commit to us before signing day but had them wait until after signing to announce their commitment so as to not scare any of our current signees. The day after the NLIs were signed it was all over the internet. This was in 1999, a big coup back then.

Having underclassmen come to games in any sport on your campus is gold because this is an unofficial visit and allows you total access to recruit the prospect.

OFFERING AN UNDERCLASSMAN AT A CAMP IS A VIOLATION!

In fact, to have an unofficial visit at the school following a camp the prospect has to leave campus the day it ends and come back the next day to have a legal unofficial visit. There is to be zero recruiting discussion during the camp per the NCAA.

Another time when college coaches offer an underclassman is when they’re on the high school campus. This must be done through the high school coach as it would be a violation to talk to the underclassman directly. Using the HS coach is technically against the rules too but done regularly.

To offer the 7th or 8th grader is actually easier because at this time these youngsters aren’t considered recruitable student athletes in football. Just this year the NCAA declared 7th and 8th graders recruited student athletes in basketball because the bball coaches were using the lack of rules to get in the door early.

I know many top D1 football programs are sending hand written notes with questionnaires to 7th and 8th grade kids getting their foot in the door.

Much more to the recruiting process that goes on behind the scenes and I’d be glad to share if you’re interested.

All my best,

Randy Taylor
Football Recruiting Coordinator
National Collegiate Scouting Association

Colleges and universities all over the country are feeling the pressure due to our current economy. More specifically, their athletic departments are trying to manage budgets and make decisions that will allow their programs to stay afloat while remaining competitive. Unfortunately, this often leads to having to cut teams and programs. And no one is feeling the effects of those cuts more than the swimming and diving world.

In February, citing the “current economic environment and the need to reduce its budget,” Pepperdine University announced they were dropping women’s swimming & diving, as well as track.

In March, Pennsylvania’s Kutztown University dropped men’s swimming and men’s soccer from their institution. “This move is ultimately a proactive attempt to reduce costs in the current economy based on the anticipated budget,” said University President Dr. F. Javier Cevallos.

In May, the Pac-10 powerhouse University of Washington eliminated their men’s & women’s swimming programs, effective immediately. Athletic Director Scott Woodward stated, “We have a number of serious issues that have arisen out of the recent economic crisis. It is with great regret that we are discontinuing our swimming programs and we will do everything possible to assist the student-athletes and coaches who are affected.”

Earlier this month, Western Illinois University cut their men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs to try and remain economically sound. “We are committed to maintaining a successful broad-based, gender-neutral athletics program, and this move will economically allow us to continue that commitment. As a department we have been working through a very difficult budget situation for some time now, and unfortunately we have been forced to make some hard sacrifices, ” said Director of Athletics Dr. Tim Van Alstine.

This recession has caused everyone to make sacrifices and financial decisions that are not easy. It’s just a shame to see swimming programs nationwide taking such a hard hit. These schools are only a few examples of the eliminations made in 2009. And it proves that no one is safe from the crunch of these economic times, from NAIA to NCAA Division I.

However, tough times can also produce some pretty hopeful stories. On June 29th, only 24 days after announcing they had cut their programs, Western Illinois University re-instated both men’s and women’s swimming & diving.

“We are grateful for the Leatherneck swimming and diving family and the greater swimming community, who have provided input, assistance and financial support during this process,” said Van Alstine. “It is very apparent, now more than ever, that the support for swimming and diving on a national scale is alive and well. Without that support we would not be able to continue our success in the pool and in the classroom.”

Recent NBA Lottery pick Tyreke Evans had an unusual path to the NBA.  His brothers did everything they could to shield him from the street agents that dominate AAU basketball.  E:60 had a fantastic piece on the guidance he received.

Many times when I talk to recruits and their families they are stunned when I ask them if they have received any scholarship offers yet.

Their usual response is, “What offers?  The senior season hasn’t even begun yet! The coach can’t even call yet!”

They fail to recognize that a college coach can actually offer a scholarship at any time they want.  The recruiting continues to accelerate to the point where many athletes receive scholarship offers well before a coach can call them.

Yesterday, the college football recruiting process officially crossed a new line when a 13 year old (take a minute for that to set in) committed to Tennessee.  Evan Berry the younger brother of Tennessee star Eric Berry has decided to follow his brother to Tennessee despite not playing a down of high school football..

“Yes, I committed to Tennessee,” Evan said. “It’s the only college I know right now and it seems the best for me. My dad went there and my brother is there now. I know I can do the same things there. I have a real friendly relationship with the coaches there. I know I don’t know them too well but I know I will have plenty of time to get to know them.

“I want to play in the secondary and I want to play for coach (Monte) Kiffin.”

Is this an extreme case?  Of course.  But, it represents an overall trend that is very real.  Unless student-athletes are at the head of the curve they will likely far behind.  Not taking the recruiting process seriously at an early age can cost a student-athlete an opportunity to play at the next level and thousand of dollars in scholarship dollars.

Right now is the most critical time in the recruiting process where coaches are expecting phone calls from players. If you haven’t started you need to start ASAP. You need to start separating yourself from other recruits on the coaches list.

In order to be adequately prepared for a call with a coach, there are a couple things you must do. You should first think about the following areas: your overall tone, your confidence level and your leadership ability.

Most importantly, you need to make sure that you are enthusiastic when talking to coaches! They will be able to sense if you are doing something else at the time or if you really don’t want to be talking to them. It can be an easy way to lose out on an opportunity and you don’t want to risk it.

Before you have your first live call with a coach, you need to have a couple practice runs.

1. Call coaches at schools you are not interested in, talk to that coach and see how you do. You have nothing to lose since you aren’t really interested in that school.
2. Role play with a teammate, friend or parent and go over the questions you are planning to ask as well as the questions coaches usually ask.

In terms of leaving voicemails:
1. Practice leaving voicemails for coaches on your cell phone or house phone.
2. Listen to your voicemails, would you call yourself back? Goes back to tone and you need to get used to paying attention to this.

When it comes time to actually calling a coach, you need to make sure you have written down your list of questions to ask the coach and you want to have a pen and paper ready.

It is important to have a pen and paper ready!

1. To be able to write the answers to your questions and the questions you were asked
2. You will be more prepared to ask your questions
3. You will remember everything a coach tells you.

If you are prone to saying um or like when you get nervous, it may help to have a note for yourself that reminds you not to say it or reminds you to be enthusiastic. These things are very easy to forget about when on a call.

This past week I had the chance to talk with the top assistant coach of a division one basketball program that is one of the best in the country. Our conversation focused on walk-ons.

“I have always told kids that they should play at the college level where they are getting the most recruiting interest,” the assistant coach said. “Like any other program, we use walk-ons but we are very up front with them. We tell them it is highly unlikely they will play in games, or even in practice for that matter. They will be in the drills, but when we go live in practice they will be watching unless we have 3 guys out with bad ankles or something. Some walk-ons cling to that hope that one day they will play some. I tell them that if they do start playing then I get fired because it shows I am not doing the job in recruiting. The last thing I want is for walk-ons to play in games. For some reason, when a scholarship player leaves, walk-ons think that means playing time for them. We had a scholarship athlete transfer last summer. A walk-on wanted a meeting with our head coach to discuss his role. Well, his role didn’t change one bit. He wasn’t going to play because a scholarship player transferred.”

“I played Division 3 basketball and was even on the J.V. team part of that time,” added the assistant coach. “I loved playing. I’d hate to think what would have happened to me had I gone to a big school and just done intramurals. Who knows what I would have gotten into. Playing college sports kept me focused and set me up for a coaching career.”

I thought his comment about getting fired if walk-ons played was eye opening. It makes sense. It is why High School athletes need to be very careful about the walk-on route.

Final word:  Another great take on walking-on by Joseph Curtis.