NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Coach Taylor – Do DIII schools offer official visits?

Yes!  You are allowed an unlimited number of official visits to NAIA & DIII schools.  Unfortunately, D3 schools tend to have a limited recruiting budget and therefore aren’t usually able to offer paid airfare, hotel, etc…Some DIII schools do not offer official visits at all.  It’s a case by case basis. 

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.

Coach Taylor – What should I wear when I visit a college coach and campus?

There is not manual for a question like this and each coach has a preference.  Some are more old school while some younger coaches have a casual style that lends itself to a more informal expecation in recruits’ apparel.  Here is some general advice to follow:

Dress nicely. No hats, jewelry, or torn jeans.  Wear a polo shirt and khakis with nice shoes (they can be running shoes).  You want to be comfortable, but look nice.  You only have one shot to make a great first impression.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.

Coach Taylor, I am beginning the process of sending out highlight tapes for him. When you send the tape to a University Athletic Department do you send it to someone’s attention or do I assume it will get to the right people?

That is a great question, however it leads to a complicated answer.  There is no set criteria across all programs.  Sending it to a head coach might work at some schools, but it might end up in the garbage at others.  Some schools send everything to a recruiting secretary.  Other schools have their position coaches directly collect the video of the players they are recruiting.

I do have a several pieces of advice to help. One, never send highlights without first finding out the coach you need to address your package or e-mail to.  Then always follow up to make sure that you video was received.

However, even if you follow through on these steps perfectly, there is still a huge chance that your highlights wont be viewed unless a college coach requests it and is actively looking for it in the mail/e-mail.

The best way to send highlights is through a verified 3rd party like NCSA.  Through our technology we can deliver our verified recruits’ videos directly to coaches, and just as importantly let the recruits know when a coach has viewed their footage.  That is the technological and relationship advantage of  NCSA.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.

Coach Taylor – How important is it to edit your video before sending it to college coaches?

The purpose of your highlight or skills tape is to allow the college coach to make an initial evaluation of your ability.  With that knowledge, you should take every step needed to ensure that they will be able to effectively find and analyze your abilities on the video you are sending.  The amount of editing will depend on the quality of your raw footage.  Have an objective third party watch the footage and ask them this question, “Can you quickly and easily locate me on the field?” 

I have included some example below to show the differences between videos that have been edited and those that have been untouched.  Which ones will be easier for a college coach to evaluate?

During my days as a Recruiting Coordinator, we might only look at a video for 15-30 seconds before making a decision on an athlete.  It might sound unfair but it’s the reality.  If the video was not done right or we could not locate the athlete, we were moving on. 

This critical need for quality highlight or skills footage is why NCSA has a full time video department to ensure that NCSA Verified Recruits will be putting their best foot forward.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.

Two simple recruiting tips that can make a big difference:

Tip #1

Go watch a live collegiate game in your sport…in person.

Sounds logical enough right?  Surprisingly, athletes in many sports have never even watched a live collegiate event in the sport they are looking to pursue.

The experience of watching actual collegiate athletes in your sport will provide you with real evidence of what it takes to compete at the next level.  It will help you gauge the skill level, size, speed and strength required to perform collegiately. 

I realize not everyone lives close to a college campus but with more than 1800 DI, DII, DIII, NAIA and JUCO colleges across the country, most people are within driving distance from ONE college.  I encourage you to find out if there are any colleges in your area or region, visit their website, search for the athletic portion and look at the schedule.  Pick a game, go watch and think about how your abilities stack up.  It will give you more insight than you can imagine.

Tip #2

Re-evaluate the email address you are using to send information to college coaches.

NCSA receives information from thousands of aspiring athletes every month and all provide an email address to start building their free online Recruiting Profile.  I cannot begin to tell you how many of those email addresses would be considered inappropriate by a college coach.

Many cannot be printed in this article due to vulgar, racist and plain old stupid language.  I have included a few examples of real email address sent to our office in the last few days alone. (Note, all have been altered to protect privacy and these are the PG versions)

Example 1:  i-am-so-smart@xyz.com

Example 2:  envy_me@xyz.com

Example 3:  Igotmadskillz@xyz.com

Example 4:  playa4life@xyz.com

Example 5:  bigdonkey12@xyz.com

Put yourself in the shoes of a college coach.  You open your inbox and receive an email from one of the addresses above…or something worse?  Probably not the best  first impression.

My advice?  Make sure your email address will not leave the college coaches with a negative impression. If you are concerned at all, change it!  It’s free and easy to create new email addresses on sites like Google, Yahoo and Hotmail. 

Again, the two tips above might not seem groundbreaking but they really can make a difference in the recruiting process.  Moral of the story:  Sweat the small stuff…sometimes.

If you have yet to start building your free online Recruiting Profile, click here.

Coach, Thanks for explaining the rules on e-mails, but can you expand and explain the rules on text messaging? With today’s high school students texting more than ever, are there any restrictions on text messages from coaches?

Last year, the NCAA voted by an overwhelming majority to prohibit coaches from sending text messages to recruits, since many coaches saw in the popular communication tool a loophole. Existing NCAA legislation limited how many calls a coach can make to a prospect, but placed no limits on the number of prospect-initiated calls, so coaches targeted the recruits with text messages that read simply, “Call me.” The practice became intrusive, and often expensive, for highly sought-after athletes. The new rule, which went into effect Aug. 1, is just one of many related to technology found within the nearly 50 pages that address recruiting in Article 13 of the NCAA Division I Manual.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.

Playing sports is a differentiator.  It sets athletes apart in high school, college and perhaps most importantly for the rest of your life.  The skill set acquired on the field of play is very different from scholastic training, yet it has proven an just as valuable.  The Wall Street Journal’s Resume’ Doctor took a look at a unique job seeker and how they see his background setting him apart.

The Job Seeker: Sean Mulcahy, 28, was laid off in December from a financial adviser position in Merrill Lynch’s New Haven, Conn., office. He says the “writing was on the wall” when an earlier round of layoffs hit in October. Mr. Mulcahy interviewed for a number of positions between October and his Dec. 13 layoff. Since December, he estimates he has sent out 150 résumés and has had several interviews. Previous to Merrill Lynch, he played in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers and he was a financial analyst at Castlekeep Investment Advisors in Westport, Conn.

All three experts say Mr. Mulcahy’s NFL experience could be his ticket to an interview as it sets him apart from other candidates. “I would go into more detail and really highlight excellence, stamina, perseverance as well as communication skills, leadership and adaptability,” says Ms. Morgan. “This needs to be much more thought out, and he needs to make the bridge for the reader on how his very able sports skills have well prepared him.”

Just being an athlete wont get anyone a job, but it certainly helps you get in the door!

Last night, NCSA Director of Recruiting Development and former college volleyball player, Andrea Emmons, educated more than 100 families about the recruiting realities of camps and showcase events.  We recorded the event so those who missed it could get this valuable information! (Keep in mind this was a conference call so there is no video, just audio)  Although the event was initially for volleyball players, the information applies to almost every sport.  LISTEN!

The reality is that volleyball camps, combines and showcases can be expensive and serve as a money makers for the organizers.  Unfortunately, many of them do not accomplish the goals that recruits hoped for when they registered. 

Make sure you research the event thoroughly and understand why you are attending (skill development, exposure, etc) and make a sound decision about the camps you select.  The most important thing to remember is that these events are not built for “discovering prospects.”  If you are not on their list prior to the event, then chances are you will not be on their list when you leave!  In order to get your name on a trusted recruiting list, click here.

NCSA Verified Recruits have unlimited access to an entire schedule of educational conference calls like the one above to answer ALL their questions about EVERY aspect of the recruiting process – not just camps and showcases.

To find out if you quality to become a Verfied Recruit, click here.

Our high school football journey began during Shavarez’s Junior year at Eagle’s Landing High School in McDonough, Georgia. His new , first year head coach did not have a tailback. He demanded that Shavarez play tailback due to his natural athletic ability and speed. Shavarez had always considered himself to be a wide receiver. I convinced him to play tailback, against my better judgment and despite knowing that as a Junior, his scholarship recruiting goals would be affected. Three games into his Junior season, Shavarez broke his big toe playing tailback and would miss the rest of his Junior season. We are now, really behind the “power curve”. Therefore, I asked the head coach to agree that since he played tailback this year, that he would return to his natural position during his Senior year to compete for a scholarship.

The next series of events, while unfortunate, led to my introduction to NCSA and much unfamiliar recruitment techniques. The coach refused to honor his end of the bargain to return Shavarez to wide receiver and chose to sideline him during spring training and not play him at all. As a parent, I became concerned about my son’s morale and future. I decided to transfer him to Henry County High School also in McDonough, Georgia. I met with the coach and shared my concerns and goals. The head coach needed a wide receiver and was very supportive and impressed with Shavarez during combines and camps earlier in the summer.

It was then that I decided that I must find professional resources and quick means of exposing Shavarez’s skills despite having no high school film to share with recruiters. I signed him up for several well known camps in the area as well as out of state. It was at the Mark Richt Georgia Football Camp that another parent told me about NCSA. I researched information on NCSA. Then I attended a Nike combine in Atlanta where an NCSA representative, Joe Burns gave an overview of NCSA. I took the pamphlets and application and enrolled immediately. Now, it was critical to get video from the camps and then hope that Shavarez has a good Senior season at wide receiver. I invested in a very good camcorder to produce quality footage to submit to NCSA and college recruiters. NCSA immediately constructed our site and Scouting Report following an informative phone interview with my family. Remember, earlier in my journal, I mentioned that we need a process that was quick and would expose Shavarez’s skills and accomplishments. Well, I am honest when I say that, when NCSA got the first three game highlight video and circulated the footage to multiple schools throughout the country, great things happened immediately. The responses were not all from D-1 schools, but we understood that most schools recruit one year to three years out. So realistically, D-1 was not of primary concern. Shavarez had a stellar season and received many honors at wide receiver. We received many calls and/or letters from D-II, and Junior Colleges, and a few from D-1. I began feeling confident that we would at least get an all paid college placement somewhere. NCSA allowed me to have a second video on the site. I chose to wait until the end of the season to post that video. That strategy proved most effective as the signing period does not end until April 1st, allowing much time to peek the interest of late recruiters. The most impressive thing about NCSA is the constant contact and inquiries from the NCSA recruiting staff. Also, they responded promptly to all my questions and ensured my Scouting Report was always updated.

As a parent, I had a conversation with my son and asked what your goal in athletics and academics is. Once I understood that he wanted to play college football, I began scheduling ACT tests and getting with counselors to ensure that the core courses were covered. It is imperative to enroll with NCAA Clearing House (Eligibility Center) and get your ID #. Nearly all coaches will ask about your Clearing House status. Failure to enroll could turn-off some recruiters. The best advice that I can add at this point is to never give up or feel hopeless. If scholarship does not look imminent you may want to inquire about getting recruited in preferred walk-on status. It’s not as bad as it sound. In preferred walk-on status, the athlete is guaranteed a spot on the team roster. You may have to foot the cost during enrollment to the college but the athlete has an equal opportunity to compete for a scholarship and starting position. In the traditional walk-on status, the athlete has to earn a spot on the roster and is not guaranteed the spot up front as is the preferred walk-on.

Hope my journal is informative and appreciated. Don’t waste time. Now is the time regardless of the athlete’s school grade. Your hard work and perseverance will pay off in some capacity.

Steven Smith

Congratulations to Tacoi for a big media day!  We have been helping connect Tacoi with college coaches since July 2008 and are proud to see the media recognize his blue chip status.

From Rivals:

TACOI SUMLER, 5-8/151 ,WR, MIAMI (FLA.) COLUMBUS

ASSETS: Tremendous, if not elite speed and above-average hands.

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Sumler must improve his overall size and strength, he is rail thin and durability at the next level could be a problem.

WHAT WAS MOST IMPRESSIVE: Even when defensive backs know he is coming, they underestimate how quickly he can get behind them. He truly is one of the fastest high school football players in America.

CONCLUSION: Speed kills and it shows by his nearly 20 offers. Not only is he a deep threat but a possible kick returner that will put fear in the hearts of special teams coaches.

Check out Tacoi’s College Football Recruiting Video here.