NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

For seniors out there, you are now eligible to go on official visits.  Here is a list of some FAQs regarding the visits.

What is the definition of an official visit vs. unofficial visit? 

By definition an Official visit is paid for by the college, an unofficial is paid for by you.  On an official visit the NCAA allows a school to pay for lodging, transportation, meals, and entertainment.  So that includes airfare, rental car, and 3 meals a day.  But please be aware that the school is NOT allowed to pay for your parents.  The school may only pay for expenses related to the student-athlete.  So for example, if you and your parents stay in a hotel the coach is able to pay for it.  If you stay overnight with a member of the team on campus, the coach may not pay for your parents hotel. Official visits cannot be made until the opening day of class senior year.  So, that date will be different depending on your school.  The NCAA allows 5 visits to D1 and D2 schools combined.  You are allowed an unlimited number of unofficial visits to all divisions.  You may only take ONE official visit per institution.  Each official visit may be up to 48 hrs.

Are all D1 & D2 schools able to offer official visits?

No.  Please remember that each school differs in policy.  Just because official visits are allowed by the NCAA, does not mean each school offers them.  You should always ask the coach.

Can you visit a D3 school officially?

There is a common misconception that D3 schools do not offer official visits because they do not offer athletic scholarships.  Fortunately, that is false!  You are allowed an unlimited number of official visits to NAIA & D3 schools.  Unfortunately, D3 schools tend to have a limited recruiting budget and therefore aren’t usually able to offer paid airfare, hotel, etc…Some D3 schools do not offer official visits at all.  It’s a case by case basis. 

What does it mean if the coach doesn’t offer an official during senior year?

They could be interested.  You are not likely a top recruit if it’s a D2 or D1 school as a general rule.  Always ask questions and find out where you are on the recruiting list before visiting a school.  Also ask what the schools policy is on official visits.  Many schools are not fully-funded enough to provide airfare, but will offer to pay for meals and lodging.  If they do, that IS an official visit.  Always clarify with the coach whether it’s an official and unofficial.    

Are student-athletes allowed to tryout or practice with the team?

As an NCAA rule, D1 and D3 schools do not allow tryouts.  On an official or unofficial visit you may participate in workouts that are not organized or observed by coaching staff.  They must not be designed to test your athletic ability though.  D2 schools are allowed to conduct one tryout in the off-season of your sport.

Are there any times when visits are not allowed?

Yes.  There is a Dead Period in which it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on- or off-campus or permit official or unofficial visits.  Dead periods generally fall right before the singing periods.  The dead periods for this school year are December 22nd-January 1st, January 12th-15th, and February 2nd-5th.  Don’t setup visits at this time.

When should visits be scheduled?

You should be trying to schedule visits right away.  The best time to make visits is between now and the initial signing date. September, October, and November are generally great months to take those.  Remember that December and Early January are often times when coaches are on winter vacation.  Then early next year is also a good time (Feb-March).   

Should a student-athlete bring up a visit or wait until a coach offers an official?

You should always bring it up!  Many NCSA athletes are far ahead of others in the recruiting game.  You should really let the coaches know what YOUR recruiting timeline is.  This is your recruiting experience and college choice, you have every right to inquire about how it’s going to work. 

How do these students and parents schedule these visits? 

The key to setting up visits is coordinating with the coach.  You must call or email the coach to inform him or her that you are coming to campus and would like to set up a meeting.  Always contact the coach well in advance. If you do not let a coach know about your visit you are not maximizing your time and you will miss out on opportunities.

I recommend sending an introduction email, then follow-up with a phone call to the coach.  If you already have a relationship with the coach it should be easy.  Just ask, “Coach, I am narrowing down my visit choices and would like to come to your school.  Are you offering an official visit at this time?” or if you have not spoken to the coach:

I am in the process of narrowing down my college visit choices, and would like to clarify a few things. First, let me say that I am very interested in (school name), because (research). I would be very excited for a chance to come visit (school name). I am dedicated to finding the right fit and have done the research on my end.  (School name) offers (academic, athletic, social, fact that interests you).

(IF Senior) Am I of the caliber that you would consider to offer a visit? If so, when are you offering your official visits? (IF Sophomore or Junior) I understand the dead periods for this year are December 22nd-January 1st, January 12th-15th, and February 2nd-5th.  So, besides those times, when would be a good time for me to meet you? Possibly for a game, I see you are playing (other team name) on the (date).Would that be a good date?

I truly appreciate your feedback and hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks,
You Name and Info

What should people bring?

Here is a quick checklist:

Pen

Paper (TAKE NOTES)

List of questions you have

Contact Person’s info (especially on a game day visit)

Itinerary (if provided)

Copies of Film (1-3 DVDS should suffice)

Transcript

Profile (printed out version)

Appearance:

Collared Shirt, nice jeans or khakis

No jewelry

Clean shaven

No Hats/Hoodies/Letterman Jackets (everyone is going to have them on, and you want to separate yourself from the pack)

Look the coach in the eye, when you give them a firm handshake

What exactly do you do on a visit?

Tour the Campus, meet with the coach, meet the players, tour the facilities, meet with admissions, possibly attend an athletic event, possibly stay overnight with a player.  If possible, I recommend staying overnight with a player.  It will give you the best overall feel for the school and the opportunity to speak with someone who has been in your shoes! 

Here is a sample itinerary

Friday, January 15

3:37 p.m. Arrive at City Metro Airport on Flight #1111.

4:45 Check into the Campus Hotel – Home of the Hawks.

4:30-7:30 Welcome Reception at Campus Hotel. Meet your host, Joe Smith.

6:30 Dinner at Main Street Station with Coach Jackson and Joe Smith.

After dinner, free time with Joe.

Saturday, January 16

8:00 a.m. Wake-up call.

9:00 Breakfast at new Chemistry Building Atrium with Hawk coaches.

10:00 Academic Presentation at Student Auditorium – by John Harris,

Assistant Athletic Director of Academic Services.

10:30 Meet with Helen Thompson, Professor of Business Administration,

School of Business.

12:15 p.m. Lunch at Student Union with Hawk Football Staff.

2:00 Hawk vs. Lions basketball game in Smith Arena.

4:30 Tour Game Day Center and Hall of Legends.

6:30 Reception at Game Day Center with Hawk Football Staff.

7:00 Dinner served in Hall of Legends Commons.

After dinner, free time with Joe.

Sunday, January 17

8:00 a.m. Wake-up call.

*Church is available if you wish. We will help you get to Church.

8:30-11:00 Join staff for Brunch at Hall of Legends Commons.

Clear up any unfinished business.

11:15 Leave campus for the airport.

12:15 p.m. Depart City Metro Airport on Flight #1114, after visiting

the Nation’s top academic and athletic University.

The college you are visiting may compete against another university that is recruiting you. Don’t worry, this is a good thing. Being up front with both coaches should avoid any uncomfortable situations.

What should they be looking for on a visit to determine whether the school is a good fit?

When you’re on a visit make sure you get along with everyone and you feel that you will be able to have a good relationship with them. This is why asking questions and being proactive is so important. You will need to talk with these coaches and open communication lines now to help determine which schools will be the best fit for your needs and personality. Make sure your future teammates on the team seem friendly, fun, and that you will be able to make friends with them too! Make sure to see how they interact with the coaches. Do they get along, do they have fun, do they respect them?  These factors are the MOST IMPORTANT when on a visit. You should be able to see the positive interactions between the coaches and the players. These people will become your family for the next four yours, and hopefully the rest of your life.  Look at it this way, if you get sick, hurt, or something happens in your life–they will be there for you. Visit with players.  Talk with freshmen and sophomores to get their perspective on first-year experiences. Take notes regarding your visit.  Focus on: names and titles of people you meet, conditions of facilities and equipment, impressions, policies.

What questions are appropriate to ask?

Ask questions that you help you determine whether or not the school is a good fit.  Don’t spend too much time on questions the website can answer.  For example don’t ask “what is the enrollment at —? Do ask “Coach, where do you see me fitting in with your team?”

Will a coach ask you to commit?

As a senior, the coach will show what they have to offer and will most likely give you an offer at the end of the trip.  That could be an athletic offer or other types of aid.  They may ask you to verbally commit, but you do not need to commit on a visit.  You can turn them down, give them your verbal, or ask for more time to go home and consider all their options and other opportunities from other schools.  You should try to take all five official visits, or see as many as you can to make the best decision.  Always ask the coach how long the offer is on the table or if they are going to offer someone else.   

What should they do after the visit?

Always write a thank-you letter to the coach after your visit!

The following story was printed in October 27th edition of the Cayman Compass.  It details NCSA Recruiting Expert, Charlie Adams, latest visit to present College Recruiting Simplified.

About 27 years ago Charlie Adams was in a similar boat to many youth in Cayman.

He was looking to take his passion for sports, in particular basketball and football, to the college ranks.

Like many young people he made the mistake of thinking he could sit back and do nothing while coaches came after him and as a result a college sports career passed him by.

“I was a high school basketball and soccer player. One of my regrets in life is that I did not play college sports,” the 47 year–old Mississippi native said.

“My family and I had no guidance. We didn’t know how to go about the process.”

Fast forward to today and Adams is on a mission to ensure a similar story is not written for young athletes worldwide.

Adams is the Senior National Educational Speaker for the National Collegiate Scouting Association.

He was in Cayman recently hosting a sports seminar entitled “College Recruiting Simplified.”

The seminar, hosted by the Department of Sports, served to educate young athletes and their families on the key tips to American college recruiting.

For the most part the seminar was a success as some 100 people showed up and many of Cayman’s promising sports talents listened to Adams.

In Adams’ eye it’s all about making sure young people and their parents know their options and get significant help paying for tertiary education.

“I do this because it can change lives. I have seen the scouting association connect college coaches to good kids and educations become paid for, or at least a lot of it paid for.

“One mother sent me a note one time saying the association had been a godsend for their daughter, who is now getting $20,000 a year to play at a college in Illinois. Before, she probably wouldn’t have even gone to college.

“It is a passion of mine. I do it because there is a need for it. Families need to be educated and inspired.”

For Adams that passion for helping young people in their road to college got its roots in his background as a sports broadcaster.

Even though Adams earned a degree in Education from the University of Mississippi sports was always his first passion.

“I was a sports anchor at TV stations across the US where I saw what a great experience college sports were for athletes at all levels, whether it was division one or a small college.

“As a sports anchor, I was always intrigued why some young people played college and some did not. I came to find out that many didn’t because they didn’t know how to connect with college coaches.

“That inspired me to move my career towards helping and educating families on how to go about the recruiting process.

“I learned about the scouting association, which is based in Chicago and joined their outstanding team of recruiting experts.”

From there Adams, who is based in South Bend, Indiana (home of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish), would travel across the US looking to touch people and change lives.

“I first started working with families in 2001. A former sports–caster of mine had a company and he asked me to work for them while I was a sports–caster. From there I got onboard with speaking full–time since 2008.

“I have delivered “College Recruiting Simplified” in such locations as Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; Juneau, Alaska, and small places like Akron, Indiana.”

The seminar gave Adams’ his first trip to Cayman and based on the feedback he has received he is eager to return.

“This was my first trip and I am determined to come back. The people are so genuine, nice and caring.

“I have talked with Collin Anglin of the Department of Sports and he wants to work it out where I come down more often to do recruiting seminars.”

For Adams his speaking tour is far from over as he has a number of stops before year’s end.

“Before coming to Cayman I was in Miami. From here I go to Alaska and then I will be speaking primarily near where I live in Indiana in November and December.”

An interesting part of Adams’ story is he lives what he preaches. Son Jack, 16, (eldest of three kids) wants to be a cross country runner.

Adams already has Jack on the recruiting process, garnering interest from a number of college coaches.

Ultimately Adams is eager to see young athletes in Cayman get a leg up in the college recruiting world.

“If anyone has an athlete that has the physical abilities, the academics, and the commitment to play college sports, an evaluation of them can be done to see where they stand.

“I also suggest ordering the new book entitled “Athletes Wanted” at athleteswanted.org. In my opinion, it is the best book written on recruiting.”

As mentioned in yesterday’s post the NCAA was considering a slate of recruiting reforms to help clean up several gray areas of the rulebook.  Here is the NCAA’s official release of the meeting results:

The Division I Board of Directors approved a package of proposals designed to curb compensatory relationships with people associated with men’s basketball prospects and suspend coaches who violate those rules, sending a message to the membership that the issue is a top priority for presidents.

The package received broad support from a number of constituencies, including conference commissioners, basketball coaches, the Amateur Athletic Union, the chair of the Legislative Council and other presidents.

“The process shows the NCAA at its very best: We identified a need; we brought all the players to the table – including the coaches – to build consensus and support; and we worked within the governance system for solutions,” said Board chair Jim Barker, president at Clemson.

The plan adopted by the Board takes some actions immediately and puts others into the legislative cycle to be considered by the Division I governance structure.

The immediate actions include a tighter definition of a “recruited student-athlete” in men’s basketball to include anyone who has received recruiting materials or had any recruiting contact with a coaching staff member or was asked to attend an institutional camp or enroll at an institution. The Board also immediately adopted a series of interpretations meant to eliminate the funneling of money to people associated with prospects through:

* Employment relating to noncoaching staff positions

* Employment at camps and clinics

* Payment of consulting fees

* Subscriptions to recruiting services with limited value

* Donations to nonprofits

* 1-900 numbers for telephone contact with a recruit.

The proposal also includes sanctions for head coaches and assistant coaches that range from being unable to coach regular-season games to being withheld from coaching NCAA postseason contests. The NCAA enforcement staff and the Division I Committee on Infractions would be the adjudicating bodies in those instances. Tougher eligibility consequences for prospects or student-athletes involved in the violations are also part of the package.

A group of commissioners presented the proposal to the Board, including Big Ten Conference Commissioner Jim Delany.

“This is the NCAA addressing issues in absolutely the correct way. All the parties that have an interest from the educational perspective were represented,” Delany said. “It really places the enforcement of these standards at a very high priority for the staff.”

Jim Haney, executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, also supported the plan, indicating that his board had been concerned about the men’s basketball recruiting environment for some time.

“For us, this package is consistent with the direction we’ve been going in the last several years, and we’re pleased to support it,” Haney said. “We encourage continued dialogue to address these issues.”

While some Board members expressed a desire to be sure the regular process for legislation was followed, Legislative Council chair Joseph D’Antonio said his group supported the proposal before the Board for immediate action because the issue was important enough to demand Board attention.

Other proposals will be introduced into the 2009-10 legislative cycle, to be vetted by the Legislative Council and the membership. These proposals target:

* Noncoaching staff hiring practices by prohibiting institutions from hiring as noncoaching personnel individuals associated with prospects two years before or after the prospect’s actual or anticipated enrollment. The legislation is intended to offer coaches a choice between recruiting the prospect and hiring the person associated with the prospect.

* Institutional camp/clinic employment by allowing institutions to hire only its own staff members or enrolled students at its camps and clinics.

* Institutional camp operation by allowing recruiting during institutional camps, and stating that prospects do not have to leave the locale to begin an unofficial visit.

* Nonscholastic events on campus by prohibiting Division I institutions from hosting, sponsoring or conducting nonscholastic men’s basketball events on campus or in facilities regularly used by the institution.

* Payment of consulting fees by prohibiting fees to individuals associated with a prospect.

While the proposals deal specifically with men’s basketball, several presidents indicated a desire to keep an eye on the recruiting environment in other sports as well – especially football and women’s basketball – to see if similar action is necessary in those sports.

The Legislative Council will review and cast initial votes on the proposals the Board entered into the regular legislative cycle at its meeting at the 2010 NCAA Convention in January. The proposal also referred several issues to the various cabinets and committees in the governance structure, including changes to the recruiting calendar, tryouts and communication with prospects. Various subgroups will examine those issues with the possibility of creating legislation for the 2010-11 cycle.

College Basketball recruiting has long lived in the gray area of the rule book.  Top recruits would receive Nike’s for their AAU team and magically end up at a college sporting the swoosh.  AAU coaches followed their stars to college.  Summer camps would charge college coaches hundreds of dollars for a “recruiting service” just to be admitted to a gym.  Brothers, cousins, coaches and hanger-ons of all types would land high paying summer basketball camp jobs.

Now the National Association of Basketball Coaches are putting their foot down.

“There is a very strong feeling amongst our coaches that this money trail has got to be shut down,” said NABC executive director Jim Haney. “We want to break down that perception that everyone has their hand out and is looking at colleges as a bank. I want to stress that it’s not everyone who has their hand out, and certainly there are some among our coaching ranks more than willing to pay the money, but the overall feeling is it has to stop.”

Today the NCAA Division I board of directors will consider a strong reform package.

Among the meatier suggestions in the package:

• Eliminating so-called package deals, making it nearly impossible for a college program to hire any of the myriad of hangers-on associated with prospective student-athletes.

• Disallowing college coaches to subscribe to recruiting services run by people associated with prospects. This would curtail services offered by AAU programs (and others) that charge colleges to subscribe but sometimes offer little to no information on the prospect.

• Preventing payment to nonprofit organizations benefiting summer-club teams, prospects or people attached to prospects.

• Preventing coaches from hiring outsiders to work at their camps and clinics.

All are designed, in the words of Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, to “bright line” what is legal and illegal in a portion of the black-and-white rulebook that has been smudged gray.

The board of directors has the authority to enact some of the changes immediately. Most would go in effect by May 2010.

Reforms like this are meant to get the illegal money out of recruiting.  NCSA supports this mission 100%.  One of the backbones of our business is allowing coaches access to our recruiting database for free.  By freeing up the information, schools can compete for students based on finding the academic and athletic fit.  Here’s to hoping the NABC succeeds.

NCSA in Fairbanks Alaska

NCSA Recruiting Education is willing to travel all the way to Alaska to educate student-athletes, families and coaches on the recruiting process!  If you want to bring NCSA to your school, team or club event, contact US HERE!

Enjoy this video from NCSA student athlete, Kevin Grant.  It’s been taking the nation by storm and was recently featured on ESPN SportsNation.

This week Oklahoma State Wide Receiver Dez Bryant was ruled ineligible for the entire season for lying about a lunch with Deion Sanders.  Bryant was questioned about a lunch he had with his mentor and whether any eligibility issues arose. Initially Bryant lied to investigators but no rules were broken regarding his eligibility.

Andy Staples writes that the whole exercise is proof to future recruits that they should cash in their chips as soon as possible.

If the past week has taught us anything, it’s that a college football player with first-round talent should jump to the pros as soon as possible, or, in the case of a sophomore who has proven himself for two years, even sooner than that. The moment NCAA investigators and Oklahoma State compliance officials began asking Bryant questions about his offseason visit to Deion Sanders’ home, Bryant should have politely said, “Thank you for your time, but if you need me, I’ll be in Arizona training for the 2010 draft and living on my agent’s dime.”

As soon as a college player has a better than 50 percent shot of getting selected in the first round, he should shut it down. The aggravation isn’t worth the thrill of a college career. Bryant might be the nation’s best receiver. Had he been allowed to enter the draft after last season, he probably would have been a top 20 pick. Now, he’s spent most of this season fighting the NCAA to regain his eligibility.

If this case is only about Bryant misleading NCAA investigators, the penalty was far too harsh. Yes, Bryant made a terrible mistake by lying. Yes, he let down his family and his teammates. But how many 20-year-olds would panic in the face of an authority figure and a byzantine rulebook? Plenty. Let’s reserve the harshest punishments for the players who beat their girlfriends or settle arguments by whipping out AK-47s. If lying is the only mistake Bryant made, he has paid dearly.

The ruling is especially troubling to me, because it only pushes more players to leave school early for the pros.  While, this is only a small subset, the overall message sent about the importance of an education takes a hit.  When star players like Tim Tebow and Tyler Hansbrough exhaust their eligibility the media praises their example non-stop.  You know what?  This is a good thing!  When star players like Bryant come back to school the NCAA should do all they can to welcome them back into the fold.  At the very least he should be allowed to play in Oklahoma State’s Bowl Game.

The NBA collective bargaining agreement is coming to an end in the next year and already attention is being focused on the NBA age limit that was instituted in 2005.  Many applauded the rule when it was put in place, hoping the immaturity we had come to expect from NBA rookies would cease.  Others were happy that these talented youngsters would be forced to attend a year of college to learn how to manage their future finances.  Some were just happy to see college basketball get a boost with some star power like Greg Oden and Derrick Rose.  Four years later, many of the former cheerleaders for the rule have revised their position.

The New York Times ran on op-ed piece by Buzz Bissinger calling for an end to the rule.

One thing is clear: raising the minimum age to 19 hasn’t helped the players in any way. Superstars may go to college for a year, but for most it has nothing to do with getting an education. As the legendary coach Bobby Knight has pointed out, these players can retain their first year’s college eligibility without ever going to a class after their first semester.

If David Stern truly cared about his players’ well-being, he would advocate that all the silliness over the sanctity of the college academic experience stop and that N.B.A.-bound players get some share of the millions of dollars they generate: in the greatest capitalistic society in the history of the world, this may be the greatest inequity.

And if the N.C.A.A. truly cared about improving colleges instead of settling for the extra year before eligibility that Stern is talking about, it should use its considerable influence to demand that both the N.B.A. and N.F.L. foot the college’s bill for training pro athletes by paying a given amount each year for each player successfully drafted from college. The money would go into a fund for academic scholarships at the colleges these players attended. It wouldn’t perhaps turn young superstars into student-athletes, but in today’s hideous economic times, it might turn some deserving teenagers into students.

Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis reacted with his own piece on the rule.

Personally, I always opposed the age minimum, even though it has been an unmistakable boon to college basketball, the sport that helps me feed my kids. Yes, I know there are issues of academic integrity when kids are spending basically a semester and a half on campus, but from a purely marketing and business standpoint, would anyone argue that college hoops would have been better off the last few years if Greg Oden, O.J. Mayo and Kevin Love hadn’t spent a year on campus? But I opposed the rule from a standpoint of basic fairness. Kids have a right to make the best choices for themselves, even if they made the wrong decisions. There is obviously a market for their services, and they should have the right to test it.

A third-way rule has emerged from many circles in college basketball, and it is not a bad idea: Allow high school players to declare for the draft, but if they go to school, they have to go for two years. But based on my conversations with Hunter, I think that will be a tough sell. His theory is that the real motivation behind the rule was -– surprise! –- money. If a player comes into the league when he’s older, that shaves time off the back end off of his contract, where he is making the biggest money. At any rate, the NBA and NBAPA are about to head into a very dicey negotiation for their next collective bargaining agreement, which will be complicated by the severe economic climate. If Hunter keeps his back up, I have a hard time imagining David Stern pushing this issue at the expense of the more pressing ones.

If the third-way rule isn’t adopted, I agree with Bissinger that the age minimum should be dropped. There is actually a much more simple solution to this conundrum. If David Stern really doesn’t want these young kids in his league, he should tell his teams to stop drafting them.

I take the same stance as Coach Knight.  An end to the rule just means another spot for a real student athlete who wants a college education as well as the opportunity to play.  I’m not naive enough to think that is every player’s goal but at least the complete charade by players like Derrick rose that can’t even pass an SAT will be over.

At the very least it will be interesting to see where the NCAA fall publicly on the rule.  Will the support raising the age or keeping it the same.  From a dollar and cents perspective the added star power in college helps fill their coffers.  However, the NCAA does suffer a black eye with each one and done that heads to the NBA only to find massive eligibility concerns behind for their former teams (OJ Mayo at USC, Derrick Rose at Memphis, John Wall at UK to name a few).  What are your thoughts on the divisive issue?