NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

One of the best developments of the internet in the last ten years is the ability of wonderful writers to share their views in personal blogs.  One blog that I frequent daily is True Hoop, which is so well written that ESPN bought it.  Although the blog focuses on the NBA and not college recruiting, I came across this post yesterday and thought it was relevant for student-athletes and families going through the recruiting process.

“By Henry Abbott

Just happened across this quote from Alonzo Mourning’s 2008 book “Resilience,” which I’d recommend heartily to anyone who could use a little shot of resolve in overcoming a major challenge:

You can wait and hope, or you can go make it happen. Rebounds and rebounding from illness aren’t that different.

For the record, Mourning is in the top 50 all-time in his rebounding rate, and surely he’s also in the top 50 all-time in kidney transplant recovery. Here Mourning talks about the importance of really wanting to go get that ball.”

While the frustrations of the college recruiting process are trivial in comparison with the tragic nature of battling a debilitating disease, I feel the sentiment that Alonzo Mourning shared should provide motivation for aspiring recruits…  “You can wait and hope, or you can go make it happen.”

Recruits who are waiting to be discovered, waiting for college coaches to come to their games, waiting to receive letters and phone calls and waiting to visit campuses are going to miss out on opportunities to pursue their dream.

If you really want to play college sports, make it happen.

Yet another great point by Greg Easterbrook in his weekly Tuesday Morning Quarterback column that runs on ESPN.com.  Recruits always need to be aware of a college programs graduation rate during the recruiting process.

Non-Obscure College News: Sportstalk radio continues to call for the head of Charlie Weis of Notre Dame, whose team is “only” 6-4 after close losses to power schools. Must be that when Weis got to South Bend, immediately he forgot how to coach. Bob Davie and Tyrone Willingham, his predecessors, saw their coaching careers hit the rocks, too, upon arrival at South Bend, followed by boosters’ demands that it become 1966 again and Notre Dame roll over opponents.

TMQ thinks Notre Dame alums should be proud of the football program’s recent struggles — because the reason for the struggles is that Notre Dame still requires football players to attend class. Over the past couple of decades, increasingly most top 20 football schools have discarded any pretense of education. With a 94 percent football graduation rate, Notre Dame is competing against programs with a 68 percent football graduation rate (Florida), a 55 percent graduation rate (Alabama) and a 50 percent graduation rate (Texas); other football power schools have similarly miserable grad rates. Low graduation rates at big football schools mean players cut class to concentrate on sports, being pros in all but pay. “Don’t go to Notre Dame, they make you study there, come to our college and party, party, party” has become a recruiting pitch that undercuts the Fighting Irish. It is extremely cynical of other football powers not to educate their players; Notre Dame is among the few football powers (others are Boston College, Nebraska and Stanford) to refuse to give in to such cynicism. Want the Irish to win more games? If the school stopped making football players do term papers, results would improve. That would hardly be in the best interest of the players — or of Notre Dame.

Two weeks ago, when Navy defeated Norte Dame in the closing seconds at South Bend, both teams and 80,795 people stood quietly and respectfully in the twilight as “Blue and Gold,” the Navy alma mater song, was played — only a genuine institution of learning like Notre Dame could produce such a moment. Wasn’t it worth more than a victory? Wasn’t it far more impressive than the mindless fist-shaking exhibited by some big-deal football programs after 40-point wins against cupcakes?

NCSA uses a variety of factors to match college coaches with perspective student-athletes.  One of the major factors we use is a student’s desire to play early in his college career.  Many times coaches are looking to plug-in players as true freshman.  Other times they may a recruit with the expectation that they will challenge for a starting job by junior year.  A coach’s philosophy may differ each year depending on who is ahead of a recruit on the depth chart.  NCSA is constantly monitoring the needs of college coaches to match the desires of both parties to ensure a successful match.

But what about recruits who aren’t plugged into NCSA’s Recruit-Match Database?  One way to find about a coach’s policy on playing young recruits is to ask him directly on a visit or on the phone once you have built a solid relationship.  Another great way is to look a coach’s track record in the past.

One of the most highly recruited defensive backs in the county, Joshua Shaw, announced yesterday that he will be attending the University of Florida.  Playing early was one of his major decision factors.

“I loved the coaching staff and specifically Coach [Urban] Meyer. He was the only head coach who personally recruited me and that made a big difference.

“I love watching Florida play, they have so many athletes and play fast and aggressive. The coaches told me they love my size and speed and with Joe Haden likely coming out this year, I’ll have a chance to step in and play early next fall and that’s a big deal for me.

“They play a lot of true freshman at Florida and Haden and Janoris Jenkins were both freshman starters at corner. Both are probably going to be first-round draft picks, too, so that was a pretty big selling point.”

Josh was one of the most sought after players in the country.  This gave him the opportunity to get to know several coaching staffs and find out where he truly fit.  Not every recruit has so many options.  In fact, except for the very top 1% of recruits no one does.  That is why many families choose to use NCSA to help them find the right fit.

Letter from Coach, Sample #3

Dear Will:

Our staff has identified you as one of the top junior recruits this year. We enjoyed watching you compete in San Diego. With the graduation of eleven seniors from this year’s team, we are interested in and are in need of bright young athletes to carry on our tradition of excellence. Please fill out the enclosed player profile as completely as possible. We look forward to seeing you compete again soon. If you have any questions, please contact me directly at my home, (312) 555-7400; office (312) 555-1212; or on my cell (773) 555-1212.

Sincerely,

Coach Anderson
 
What this letter means, and how a student-athlete should respond:
If a student receives a similar letter, it means that a member of the coaching staff has recognized him as a possible recruit. Although the letter did not mention a scholarship, this may still be a possibility. The student should fill out the player profile immediately and send it back along with a personalized thank you note and a copy of his profile. The athlete needs to keep the coaching staff updated of progress and to call and ask the coach if he would like a copy of the student-athlete’s video.

This sample letter and advice were taken from Athletes Wanted – The game plan for maximizing athletic scholarship potential.  If you enjoyed this information, I encourage you to check out the complete book here.

If you are a serious recruit who has yet to receive letters from college coaches, you might be falling behind.  In order to take the right steps, click here.

To check out sample letter #1 click here.

To check out sample letter #2 click here.

Coach Taylor – How do I find out where I stand on a coach’s recruiting list?

ASK!  You have to communicate with coaches throughout the entire recruiting process but especially once you have developed an initial relationship.  This relationship will allow you the opportunity to simply ask a coach via email, over the phone or in person where you stand on their list.  If you are talking to a coach for the very first time, asking where you stand might not be the best time for that question.

Probably the best time to ask the question would be after you have received an evaluation about your ability so the coach can give you the best possible answer.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

If you would like to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator about your personal recruiting situation, call 866-579-6272

Coach Taylor – We understand the process starts early (my daughter is a 2012 graudate and she has already received offers).  When do you recommend student-athletes make a commitment?  When is it smart to hold out for a better offer?

Much like many aspects of the recruiting process, the answer to this question varies based on the individual situation.  For some, committing as a sophomore is the right decision while for others it might be better to wait.  Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding about making a commitment:

*When to make a commitment is going to vary from athlete to athlete – situation to situation.
It will depend on how mature and ready the athlete is with making that important decision.  It will also depend on what offers are out there for you.
*Some sport offers and opportunities come very early and the athlete needs to communicate with coaches calling them and getting on campuses to visit as early as a freshman and sophomore year.
*By communicating with coaches and taking visits you will be able to tell what you like and what will be a good ‘fit’ for you to continue to play in college.
*Make a list of what things are important to you when looking at colleges: location, size, playing time opportunity, competitiveness, team unity, ability to relate and communicate with coaches, campus atmosphere, etc.
*Research schools to find out some of this information and then reach out to coach and find out their recruiting needs where you might be on the list.
*When you do come across some opportunities and offers – remember they will only be open for a window of time so talk to the coach and find out when you need to make a decision.
* It is important to not base your decision on just the athletics – be sure the school is a good fit in many other areas and it would be a fit if athletics were not part of the equation…the harsh reality is that every student-athlete is one injury away from never playing again
* Know that some opportunities that are not available early might become available later in the recruiting process
* Listen to not only the input of your parents, but also coaches, teachers and counselors.  However, ultimately the decision is on the student-athlete.  You will have that ‘gut’ feeling for what is the right choice for you.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

If you would like to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator about your personal recruiting situation, call 866-579-6272.

Coach Taylor – My high school team is terrible.  What impact does the quality of my high school team have on my recruiting process?  Should I ever consider transferring high schools?

College coaches do not recruits teams, they recruits players. The only advantage you will have as a high school recruit who plays on a good team is the added exposure you may earn from playing in the playoffs or bigger events. Recruits that play on a bad team will need to work a little harder to earn exposure but once a coach identifies you he will evaluate you solely on your ability and not your teams win and lose record.  Remember, with the internet and resources available to recruits nowadays, it is easier than ever to overcome obstacles like a bad team.  Make sure you are doing the “5 things every recruit needs to do” and you will be successful.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

If you would like to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator about your personal recruiting situation, call 866-579-6272.

Coach Taylor:  Is it better as a freshman to be on a varsity team and not start or be the star in JV?

This is a common question and a good one.  In reality, it really depends on your situation.  However, generally speaking, it is better for a younger athlete to play rather than sit on the bench.  Varsity experience is valuable and important to college coaches but as a younger athlete, actually playing helps development and teaches leadership skills that will be important in the future.  It might be helpful to ask the varsity coach what it would take to start on that level so you can understand what aspect of your game you need to focus on.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

If you would like to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator about your personal recruiting situation, call 866-579-6272

Coach Taylor:  When does a full game match or game become important in the recruiting process?  What does it mean when it is requested?  Do they only want video of when the player is in and do they only want the whole game?

It is important to start filming your games as early as freshman year. College coaches will want to watch varsity (or equivalent) footage. If a coach requests video it means they have enough information about you to want to learn more. For a college coach, watching video is an important step in the recruiting process and in many cases if they like what they see on film they will want to watch you play in person. Typically a coach will request a full game after watching a highlight or skills tape so they can evaluate you during the normal flow of a game as opposed to a “highlight reel.” 

If a coach has requested video I recommend that you ask him/her if they want highlights, game film, or both. Coaches have their own video preferences and it also may depend on where you stand on their recruiting radar.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

If you would like to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator about your personal recruiting situation, call 866-579-6272

“The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.”      – Coach John Wooden

This week Coach Randy Taylor conducted a live webinar for  prospective student-athletes and their families.  Due to overwhelming demand, access was limited to a few hundred students.  We wanted to take the opportunity to share the recorded event with every athlete in the NCSA family.

We will be conducting a series of special webinars on a variety of topics over the coming weeks, so be sure to keep checking for your invitation.

However, if you want to seize the moment and start taking active recruiting steps now, call 866-579-6272.