Subscribe to the NCSA BlogEven If You’re Good Enough, They Might Not Find You
November 4th, 2009 - by“If I’m good enough, they will find me.” This could be the single most damaging myth about the college recruiting process. The country is too spread out. There are too many teams. Players blossom at different times. Evaluating 
players is too hard. Recruiting Budgets are too thin.
These are just a few of the reasons that great players ending up getting missed by big-time schools and miss out on the chance of a life-time. Yet, despite seeing multiple examples on TV every weekend recruits fail to apply the lesson to their own recruiting process.
The latest example of an under the radar players bursting onto the national stage is Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver Miles Austin. He didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school and ended up at tiny Monmouth College. Despite setting school records he wasn’t drafted and toiled on the Cowboys practice roster until getting an opportunity this season. He now has 21 catches for 482 yards and five touchdowns in his last three games. He overcame obstacles by working extremely hard and finally catching that lucky break he needed.
Austin’s story is the lucky exception. There are thousands of Miles Austins across the country playing all types of sports. If they wait around hoping for scouts to find them, chances are their stories wont end with the Dallas Cowboys. Athletes need to be realistic about their options early on, and relentlessly pursue every opportunity. Otherwise, they just might not find you.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Sounds terrifying!
November 11th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
This is a story that every hopeful college athlete should read. I’m also in the minority with Mr. Austin. My story didn’t end with the Dallas Cowboys, I can’t stress enough how important it is for students to pursue the schools they want.