NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Coach Taylor – Do summer camps help with exposure?

I strongly recommend that all high school level athletes consider attending summer camps because they can be very beneficial…as long as you are aware of a few key points.

The most valuable outcome you should expect from a summer camp is to make you a better player.  Unfortunately, many recruits attend summer camp with the expectation of being discovered by the college coaches.  One of the best Recruiting Coordinators of all time, Bob Chmiel, has told families that he discovered only TWO players at summer camp in his 30 years of recruiting.  Typically, the only athletes who receive true evaluations at summer camps are the recruits that the staff was already aware of and actively recruiting.

Summer camps are a significant source of income for college coaching staffs, so it is in their best interest to get as many student-athletes to attend as possible. 

However, as I mentioned, camps can be a great way to develop your skill and assess your competition…just do not always attend with the expectation of being discovered.  It is certainly possible to gain exposure from college

The best thing you can do is get on as many recruiting lists as possible and develop a relationship with the coaches before attending a summer camp.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

To get your questions answered immediately, call 866-579-6272 to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator.

Coach Taylor – If a Letter of Intent is offered and signed and the student changes his/her mind what are the results?  Will this hurt the student scholarships and/or opportunities at the other university?

The National Letter of Intent is a binding document. In other words, “a prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the designated college or university for one academic year (if they sign this document)” and you are held to this agreement. Therefore, you could not change your mind and participate in athletics at another college that participates with the National Letter of Intent. I recommend you read through their website to learn more about the National Letter of Intent – www.nationalletter.org.

To answer your other questions, as soon as a student-athlete signs a Letter of Intent all other schools who participate in the National Letter of Intent Program must stop recruiting that student-athlete. If a program follows up with the student-athlete because they do not know the Letter of Intent was signed it is the student-athlete’s responsibility to tell them that they have signed a National Letter of Intent.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

To get your questions answered immediately, call 866-579-6272 to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator.

Coach Taylor – When do DI, DII, and DIII teams typically have their rosters set?

Each division will have their rosters set at different times and even schools within those divisions will finish up their rosters at different time; it changes year by year. Division II schools typically finish up their rosters starting summer before senior year, but can go into late senior year and most Division III schools will be recruiting until late senior year. Division I school typically finish up their roster a year ahead for the most part (i.e.: D1 coaches are finishing up their 2011 rosters now and most will be completed soon), but again it depends on how that particular coach’s recruiting is going. Another factor is the level of play of that particular school. High level Division II and III schools (Saint Rose, Messiah, Williams) will go off of more of a Division I timeline and will finish up their recruiting earlier.  Unfortunately there is no easy answer and it varies quite a bit, but the best advice is to START EARLY because each year the process is accelerated for coached at EVERY level. 

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

To get your questions answered immediately, call 866-579-6272 to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator.

Coach Taylor – My daughter is visiting a college to see if it might be the one she would like to attend.  We have been in contact with the coach already, but what are good questions to ask about the program during the visit?

There are a hundreds of valuable questions that you can ask during any sort of visit (official or unofficial) that will provide you with useful information.  It really depends on who you are meeting with during the visit, so here are some topics that you might want to brainstorm specific questions for.  I will provide a list of sample questions for each topic over the next several weeks.

-Questions for the Coach: General Athletic
-Questions for the Coach: Recruiting List
-Questions for the Coach: Application Process
-Questions for the Coach: General
-Questions for Current Students / Athletes: College Life
-Questions for the Coach: Scholarship Negotiation
-Questions for the Coach: Walk On
-Academic Questions for Admissions Office
-Questions for Financial Aid Office
-Questions for the Coach: Academic

Questions for the Coach: General Athletic
• How many seniors are graduating?
• What is the team’s record?
• How was the overall performance of the team this past year?
• Where did you place in the conference last season?
• Did you go to the NCAA tournament?
• What is your coaching style?
• What advantages are there for student-athletes as opposed to regular student body?
• What type of off season activities are expected?
• Am I allowed to participate in other sports?
• If I get hurt during season, do I lose my spot on the team or any scholarship monies ?
• If I get hurt, before I sign the letter of intent, does that affect being a part of you team and school?
• If I attend your school will I compete as a freshman?
• What is a typical day like for a student athlete on your team?
• Do you plan on being the coach at ____College until I’m a Senior in college?
• What accident/health insurance does the school offer to athletes?
• What is the procedure if I get injured?

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

To get your questions answered immediately, call 866-579-6272 to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator.

Join NCSA and the rest of the NCSA team on Facebook.  You can join our fan page here.

We also would like to announce a new way to comment on the blog.  In an effort to better connect NCSA with student-athletes and families across the web, you can now sign in with Facebook Connect.  This will allow you to post your Blog comments to your Facebook Wall.  It also allows people to see your Facebook picture next to your comment on the NCSA Blog.

We also have added Facebook Connect to our NCSA Toolbox.  This will allow our Student-Athletes to share their NCSA Recruiting Profile with all their friends on Facebook  (If you don’t have a Recruiting Profile, you can build one here).

NCSA has a culture of sharing recruiting education with every student-athlete that needs it.  We encourage our readers to keep sharing our important message with as many of their friends as possible.

Coach Taylor – It seems like football and basketball players are the only ones taking official visits at my school.  Do all sports offer official visits?

Yes, all varsity sports offer official visits. You can take up to 5 official visits for DI and DII schools (1 visit per school) and there is no limit on the number of official visits you can take to DIII and NAIA schools (1 visit per school). Official visits can be taken starting the beginning of classes senior year.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

To get your questions answered immediately, call 866-579-6272 to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator.

Letter from Coach, Sample #2

“Dear Julie:

We have watched you compete several times over the last year and are very impressed with your performance. We have spoken to your high school coach, and he has emphasized your skill and dedication. It is obvious to us that you are a player who makes an impact. You are among a small group of select athletes we would like to continue evaluating for a possible athletic scholarship. 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:

A coach is seriously interested anytime he mentions “athletic scholarship” in a letter. If an athlete receives a letter like this, the coach has actually seen the student-athlete compete and is pursuing the athlete as a potential recruit. If an athlete receives such a letter, she should contact the coach by phone immediately and assure them of her interest. At this time, she can also ask the coach if there is anything specific she should do to proceed with recruitment at that institution.

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.

Tom Lungibill is the national recruiting director of ESPN’s Scouts INC.  He published the following tips in the latest issue of ESPN Rise. Its great to see more sources educating student-athletes on the realities of the recruiting process.  Athletes need to be realistic and take pro-active steps if they hope to continue their sporting career in college.

1) Be honest with yourself in regards to what level you are capable of competing at. Don’t waste your time or money pursuing a program above your ability level.

Realistically assessing your talent level is an extremely important first step in the recruiting process.  Its extremely important to get that evaluation from an impartial third party.  As the old saying goes, “No parent ever told their son or daughter they stink.”

2) No prospect is going to be offered a scholarship based on a camp or combine performance based on a camp or combine without a highlight tape being evaluated. Anywhere from 10-15 clips is enough for coaches to determine whether to pursue any further.

100% correct.  Coaches are too busy and have too tight of budgets to comb the entire country looking for athletes.  Athletes need to get a highlight video ready before they attend a camp or combine.

3) In addition to a highlight video, be sure to also include tapes of three full games: one from the beginning of the season, one in the middle and one from the end or the playoffs. Don’t be afraid to include your best game and also one where you did not perform at your best. There are no perfect players. Every player has weaknesses and they will show up, so you can’t hide them.

Coaches need to see more than just highlights after getting interest, but don’t think they will be at your game in person.  Have full game tapes ready for college coaches.

4) Along with your highlight, include a one-page bio with all available contact information for yourself, your parents/guardian and your school/coach. Your coach can be a great asset for you in helping to compose this packet both from a written and video standpoint. This information can be sent to recruiting coordinators and directors of football operations and should be sent at the conclusion of a prospect’s junior season with follow-ups throughout the spring and summer.

Having all of your information easily accessible in one place is a huge plus for college coaches.   Its why NCSA developed our Verified Scouting Reports.  College coaches can easily view athletes highlights, full games, transcripts, and every other piece of relevant recruiting information.

NCSA’s  advice to potential recruits out there is simple “Get Started with the recruiting process now!”

How do I schedule 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 to learn more about the school.

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, your letter could look like this:

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

Thanks,
You Name and Info

What should I bring?

• 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)

What should I wear and how should I look?

• 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 and give them a firm handshake

What exactly will I 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

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

What should I 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 the 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!

Evaluate 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.  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 and 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?” Do ask “Coach, where do you see me fitting in with your team?”

Will a coach ask me 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 the options and opportunities from other schools.  You should try to take all five official visits, or at least 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 I do after the visit?

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

As I mentioned last week, if you are a senior and have yet to explore the opportunity to take an official visit then I encourage you to click here.  For the underclassmen who cannot yet take official visits, make sure you are taking all the right steps in the recruiting process to ensure that come senior year you will be in the best position possible!

I had a chance to talk to University of Indianapolis women’s golf coach Ken Piepenbrink to get his thoughts on the recruiting process. He has turned the U of Indy into one of the Division II national powers. One of his golfers, Lindsay McBride, was the individual National Champion not too long ago. Here is what he had to say:

“Charlie, I am getting recruiting letters from freshmen in High School. They tell me what tourneys they will be in and get me video, which is very helpful. I see where they are skill-wise. When I go to Junior Tour events and see a list of who is competing, their name jumps out and I watch for them.

Recruiting has accelerated. Here in Indiana, the girls State Tournament is over in September. I start hearing from seniors then. Well, I was done recruiting their class in August before their senior year started. I already have a short list of juniors. It is about starting early, especially if you want to compete at a high level.

Summer Tournaments in golf are very important. It’s what you do in the Summer. To me, it shows how committed you are. I put kids on my recruiting list and if they keep improving, they get more stars. If not, they get knocked off. I am looking at attitude and at sportsmanship. You are selling yourself. I really pay attention to parents. If they are overbearing then I think that this could be a problem down the line.

I like young people that show an interest in our University first and then the golf team. Academics are very important. Just about all the girls on our golf team get full tuition paid for because of their academic success.”

Coach Ken Piepenbrink

University of Indianapolis Women’s Golf Coach

Charlie Adams

Speaker, NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network

cadams@ncsasports.org

To Talk with a College Recruiting Expert on How to be Successfully Recruited by College Golf Coaches click here