NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I am a coach who likes to have his teams train hard and be well prepared to play the game. I want my team to be able to manage many of the game adjustments made on the field. Players need to be able to make fast and good decisions on the field and I want to allow them to do that. Players don’t want to be yelled at and told what to do the whole game. My formation of choice is a 4-3-3. I like to get at it on the field both offensively and defensively. Players need to be aggressive and fearless. Off the field, I am there to support my players in all other aspects of their college life. I want to see all my players graduate and go onto live a great life! I also like my teams and players to have fun and enjoy the experience.

2. What is unique about the experience at your school?

If you want to go to a school that is just like the real world it’s The University of St Francis. The University is diverse and a great place to form lifelong friendships. At USF, you are free to be who you want to be with no pressure to be someone you are not. It has a great casual feel where everyone knows each other. Many of the students are athletes and others are very involved in many different activities. Around the campus and being just west of downtown Chicago there is so much to do in your free time. Come visit this neighborhood University that provides you the tools for a great future.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

Recruits need to know that I am recruiting you for more than just your play on the field. If I am recruiting you, it means I feel USF is a great fit for you and I think you are the right student athlete for USF. They also should know that I like to win and be successful. I believe in a strong work ethic and the character of a person is very important to me. I dedicate myself to my players and I expect a strong dedication from all my players. I also want all my recruits to understand that I am very honest. You will know exactly where you stand with me at all times.
It is very important to me to develop players and help them reach their goals. I have had 7 players go on to play Pro in the Women’s game. For four years, I was the Head Coach of the W-League Chicago Gaels. The W-League at the time was the highest level league for women soccer players. At the club level, I have promoted over 60 players into the college ranks. Three of those players won an NCAA National Championship. I have coached teams to the championships of many of the top youth tournaments in the country including a third place finish at Nationals. I am also a current High School coach going on my fifth year with my first four winning 3 regional titles. All of this would mean nothing without the great group of players that I have had the opportunity to coach over the years. I have been blessed with such great student athletes.

4. What do you look for in recruits?
1. Character- Who you are and what you stand for is very important to me. I respect student-athletes who hold themselves to high standards and respect others. In your character I also look to see if you are fun to be around and have a strong work ethic.  2. Academics- Success in the classroom is very important to your success in college. It also shows a lot about your organizational skills and work ethic. 3. Soccer – I look at your skill level and athleticism. What will you bring to the field that the team is lacking? How are you going to make the team better? How will you fit in with the current team? Do you love to play?  Those are some of the questions I will ask myself about you as a player.

In that order is how I look at the players I recruit. Many players feel it’s all about soccer, but who you are and your success as a student are major factors.

5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

Communication!!! If coaches express interest in you, that a complement so show appreciation. If you are not interested or have chosen somewhere else to go just be honest and inform all the coaches recruiting you. You must also to remember to email the coaches of the schools you are interested in. Don’t expect the schools to find you; you find them!  Enjoy the recruiting process and take ownership. This is not mom and dad’s future it’s yours so take control. Be excited and make it fun!!

6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?
Any and all!  Ask all about the soccer program and the opportunities within the program with the coach. When you visit with each department in the admissions process also ask all the important questions. This is your future and you want to be happy. Find out if the school and its soccer program is right for you. Coaches want the players who ask questions and are assertive. Don’t have your parents do your talking; this is your deal.

1. Are you recruiting me as a scholarship player?
2. Will I compete right away to play?
3. How many players are you looking to bring in?
4. Where do you see me playing?
5. When are you looking for me to make a decision?
6. What do you do in the off season?
7. What are your academic standards?

7. What turns you off when you are recruiting a student athlete?

Simple, lack of communication. If you cannot communicate as a recruit then I believe you will not be able to do that when you are a student. Communication is key to the recruiting process and establishing a relationship between the coach and the recruit. When you communicate be thought out and act in a timely manner.

8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

Since I am a new coach to USF and rebuilding the soccer program I have to answer that in what I want to be successful at. I want to graduate great student athletes who go on to be very successful young people. Of course I want to have that same success on the field but nothing is more important than graduating prepared and confident student athletes. I want our program to be known also as a great place to play the game.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

If you are a player that wants a great education and also have great soccer opportunities this is a great place for you. As a student, you will receive all the support needed to succeed. As a player, you have the opportunity to put your name on a program. You can also have the confidence that you will leave here playing your best soccer. As a player, you will continue to develop and grow on the field. We are very excited that we will be playing on new turf in a new complex in 2010. The program is growing and great things are happening. I am excited for the future and I am looking for those players who can help me build and make it stronger every year.

10. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?

Call me or email me and let’s talk. Let’s see if USF is a good match for you to play and receive your education. Even if USF is not for you and you have questions I am more than happy to help you reach your goals.

We recently caught up with the Head Coach of the co-defending champs of the New England Collegiate Conference, Mike Leonard. During this busy spring season he was generous enough to let us know more about the Blazer traditions and his coaching style:

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

As I coach I pride myself in being hard working, positive, energetic, consistent, and organized.  Our practices are always high energy and we utilize our time by following an organized and specific practice plan daily.  I expect a lot out of myself as a coach and therefore expect a lot out of my players.  The baseball players here at Elms are constantly being challenged as individuals and as a team which I believe bring out the best in them.

2. What is unique about the experience at your school?

Elms College is a small school which creates an outstanding environment for learning and athletics.  In a word I would describe as Elms as a “family”.  There is never a shortage of support for students dealing with academic, personal, or athletic issues and is a large reason for the success of our student athletes.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

Recruits need to know that when they come to Elms, they will get a full commitment from me to help them improve.  I always tell my players and future players that if they have the work ethic and the desire to improve I will do everything possible to help them achieve their goals.  Whether it’s in the weight room, in the batting cage, on the mound, in the field, or in the classroom, I am always willing to help them get better.  If players come to Elms with the work ethic and the desire to become a better baseball player, they will leave Elms a better baseball player.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

I look for work ethic and commitment in recruits.  I like recruits who shown dedication to their previous teams and have been willing do anything to help the team win.  I also look for recruits who have shown the ability to lead on and off the field.

5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

Recruits need to know that if they are serious about a school, they should let the coach know that.  Nothing is more frustrating than communicating with a player and not getting responses or getting generic responses.  Recruits who do their homework on a school to know if it fits what they are looking for in a college and who can communicate that to the coach are always great to deal with.

6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?

I always like to have recruits ask me how our practices are run, what our schedule is like, and how we have done in the past.  In addition, it’s always important for recruits to ask about the academic commitments of the school to see if it is the right fit for their academic needs.

7. What turns you off when you are recruiting a student athlete?

Arrogance and dishonestly are my biggest turn offs from recruits.  Even if a recruit has ability above our level of play, and they are not interested, I would rather them be an adult and say thank you for the call but I am not interested rather than pretend to be interested.  There is nothing wrong with telling a coach that the school is not what you are looking for, but be sure to at least listen to what the coach has to say and look over the schools website, you may be surprised at what a school you have never heard of has to offer.

8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

I am in my first year as the head coach here, but I want to make it a priority that our program has success making our baseball players better people.  I believe in the division III philosophy of using athletics as way to enhance a student’s educational experience.  I want our players to have great baseball careers that will lead them to a college degree and help them be a productive part of society after college.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

Recruits should consider Elms if they are serious about the game of baseball and are looking for an environment where they can achieve their academic, social, and athletic goals with the help of great faculty and staff.

10. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?

Recruits can contact me through mail, email or by phone.  Emails and letters are perfectly ok, but a phone call shows an elevated level of interest and will definitely be received with higher priority than a letter or email.

You can learn more about Elms College as well as reach out to Coach Leonard by going directly to their website below:

http://athletics.elms.edu/sports/bsb/index

Arne Duncan is the US Secretary of education.  He has some strong words for college teams with poor academic results.  Read his open letter and vote/comment with your opinions.

It is time to boost graduation rates for a number of NCAA tournament basketball teams with poor academic records and indefensible disparities in the grad rates of white and black players.

In 2001, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics proposed that teams should be ineligible for postseason play if they failed to graduate at least 50 percent of their student-athletes. Now, nearly a decade later, I am proposing that the NCAA adopt an even easier standard for postseason competition — teams that graduate fewer than 40 percent of their players should be ineligible for postseason competition and honors.

If a team fails to graduate two out of five players, how serious are the institution and coach about their players’ academic success and preparing their student-athletes for life? Growing up as a kid on the South Side of Chicago who loved basketball, I got to see the best that college sports had to offer. And the worst.

When college sports programs have their priorities in order, there is no better place to learn invaluable lessons than on the playing field or court. College sports — along with the military — are arguably among the most important and largest developers of future leaders in the country. Discipline, selflessness, resilience, passion, courage — all were evident in last week’s NCAA tournament games.

But I fail to see why a small number of programs that seem largely indifferent to the academic success of their student-athletes continue to be rewarded with opportunities for postseason glory. I played with inner-city players who had been used and dumped by their universities. When the ball stopped bouncing, they struggled to find work, had difficult lives, and some died early. The dividing line for success was between those who went to college and got their degrees and those who did not.

In this year’s NCAA tournament, 12 men’s teams — or about one out of five in the field that started play last week — have failed to graduate 40 percent of their players, based on the NCAA’s expansive graduation rate formula. The NCAA formula allows players six years to graduate — and it does not count transfers or players who leave early to go to the pros against a team’s graduation record, as long as the players leave in good academic standing.

The fact is that graduation rates of black ballplayers on some men’s teams are shockingly low. Five men’s teams in the tournament graduated 20 percent or less of their black players. Two teams — Maryland and Cal-Berkeley — have graduated zero percent of their black ballplayers who entered from 1999 through 2002.

It can be a challenge to raise graduation rates for players who come from high-poverty high schools and families where no one has attended college. But that’s not an adequate excuse. You can’t just round up the usual suspects to explain away the poor record of some programs.

It is a myth that Division I college basketball players necessarily have high dropout rates. In fact, graduation rates of Division I basketball players have jumped significantly in recent years, and basketball players, including African-American players, still have a slight edge over nonathletes when it comes to finishing college. The majority of schools are running clean programs with high standards. But with so many examples of success, why tolerate the small number of schools and coaches who fail to set high expectations?

The truth is that teams don’t need to lower academic standards to field an NCAA tournament-caliber team — just look at the record of the women players. Black and white female basketball players have sky-high graduation rates. Nearly 80 percent of black female players on NCAA tournament teams graduate, as do 90 percent of white female ballplayers.

Pat Summitt, the coach of the Tennessee women’s basketball team, has won more games than any coach in Division I history and has graduated 100 percent of both her black and her white ballplayers in recent years. By contrast, the Tennessee men’s basketball team has a mediocre academic record.

Even more telling are the unwarranted disparities from one men’s program to the next. Seven men’s teams in this year’s tournament graduated 100 percent of their players, black and white. At the other end of the spectrum, nine teams have a discrepancy of 60 percentage points or more in graduation rates between their white and black players.

Discrepancies that large have to have a connection to a program’s practices and an institution’s priorities. In this year’s Sweet 16, Butler, Duke, Xavier and Cornell all graduate more than 80 percent of their men’s players. At the same time, four teams — Tennessee, Kentucky, Washington and Baylor — graduated less than 40 percent of their players who entered from 1999 through 2002.

Division I teams today need more athletic administrators like Sister Rose Ann Fleming at Xavier. Sister Fleming, a 77-year-old academic adviser, goes knocking on players’ doors to make sure they are keeping up with their assignments. Since she became the academic adviser at Xavier in 1985, every men’s basketball player who played as a senior has left with a diploma.

Several coaches and NCAA representatives have objected to the idea of banning teams with graduation rates below 40 percent from postseason play on the grounds that it punishes current players for the academic sins of their predecessors. The NCAA formula for computing graduation rates, known as the GSR, is a generous one, favored by coaches themselves. The GSR allows student-athletes six years to graduate and is, by definition, a retrospective measure that does not capture whether current players are on track to graduate.

If there is a fairer but equally transparent way to measure whether teams are on track to graduate at least 40 percent of their players, I am in favor of it. As it turns out, the NCAA itself may have developed another useful yardstick.

The NCAA made great strides under the leadership of Myles Brand before his death this past fall in tracking the academic progress of teams and meting out sanctions to schools with poor academic records. Before the 2003 introduction of the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate index (APR), Division I basketball teams could go scot-free for years on end without graduating a single player.

Today, the APR provides contemporary, real-time data on the academic performance of student-athletes, and it is being used to impose penalties such as the loss of athletic scholarships. Three Division I teams — including a men’s basketball team not in the NCAA tournament (Centenary) — could potentially be banned from postseason play for their poor academic record.

APR penalties are a start. But I believe the current APR system sets the bar too low to qualify for postseason play. An APR score of 900 (a perfect APR score is 1,000) is roughly equivalent to a 40 percent graduation rate, according to the NCAA.

Just under 4 percent of the 6,323 teams at the nation’s 355 Division I institutions have APR scores below 900. By far, the sport with the worst academic record is men’s basketball. Fifty-six men’s basketball teams have APR scores below 900, or roughly one out of every six Division I men’s basketball teams. Teams in other sports with sub-900 APR scores include 26 baseball teams and 21 football teams.

Indiana’s men’s basketball team, whose academic performance has gone downhill since Bobby Knight last coached the Hoosiers, is one of the teams with an APR below 900. More than 80 percent of Coach Knight’s last four classes of players graduated. A low APR score is especially telling because it is not a one-year fluke — APR scores are based on a rolling average of the academic progress of four years of classes.

If using the more current APR data is a fairer way to determine which teams are failing to graduate 40 percent of their players, the NCAA should consider banning teams with APRs below 900 from postseason play. Teams with poor academic records should not be allowed to rack up three years of consecutive sub-900 APR scores before they run the risk of becoming ineligible for postseason play, as current NCAA rules specify.

If the NCAA implements the equivalent of a minimum graduation rate of 40 percent for postseason eligibility, I am confident that men’s basketball teams will quickly improve their academic performance. It’s a low bar — and one that should soon be raised to 50 percent.

History shows that institutions, coaches and athletes rise to meet higher expectations — just as they did in the late 1980s when the NCAA’s Proposition 48 required student-athletes to achieve a minimum high school grade point average in core academic courses and a prescribed minimum SAT or ACT score. It is time to start holding coaches and institutions more accountable for the academic outcomes of their athletes. It is time that coaches of teams with weak academic records worry less about getting athletes in a uniform and more about getting them in a cap and gown.

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Passionate about the game and my team playing inspired soccer.  I’m very organized as well.  I like young women who work hard on the field (during both practice and games), but more importantly in the classroom.  I am a self-motivated individual and certainly do not believe I know everything about the game and am constantly trying to learn new and better ways to manage my program and make my players successful for their life ahead after college and their intercollegiate soccer careers come to an end.

2. What is unique about the experience at your school?

Our name indicates a technical school, but we are much more than that.  We offer outstanding programs in the liberal arts, hospital management and communications.  We are excited about bringing biology in as a full-time academic program in the 2011-2012 academic years.

We have also been awarded the safest campus in the SUNY system for 10 years in a row now.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

Family first, academic excellence second, soccer third.  Players need to recognize playing intercollegiate soccer is a privilege and not a given, as one serious injury could end their playing career, but a college degree will create opportunities and open many doors, and family support is needed constantly.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

Strong academics (85% out of 100%, or higher), solid entrance scores (1100 SAT English/Math, 23 ACT) first and foremost.  I also look for the ability to play a fast paced, intense level of soccer at the NCAA Division III level.  And an open mind, as they need to understand that not all coaches teach in the same fashion and there is always room to increase one’s knowledge of this great game.

Community service initiatives are also very important to my program.

5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

Don’t be shy, be conceited and do not leave any stone unturned during the college application process and interview process (where applicable).  Also, be proactive, if a young lady really likes a set number of schools and has not heard directly from them, be assertive and contact them first.  Begin with the coach, send an email note off to the respective admissions offices immediately afterwards.

Most Important:  Do not choose a school based on liking the coaching staff the best of all.  Any coach who tells you they will be there all four years of your playing career is in all likelihood lying to you, because if something better comes along, they will leave, that is the nature of our business.  When I have my recruits in, I always end their visit with this disclaimer in front of their Mom/Dad, “Do not come here because of me, you come here because it offers your academics first, is the right/comfortable environment for you and provides you the opportunity to play the greatest game in the world.   God forbid you injure your knee and can never play again, or after playing a year or two for me, you cannot stand me or the game anymore. You do not want to be in a situation that you will then be unhappy and want to transfer out, because this will place undue stress on yourself and your parents.  Pick the school that is the right fit for you without soccer as a consideration and everything else will take care of itself.”

6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?

How do academics tie in with athletics at SUNYIT?  What happens if I have a makeup exam/class during practice time/game time?  What is the ratio of placement for graduates after their four years of studies and receiving our degree at SUNYIT?  What can I do to become a better soccer player?  What can I do to become a better student?  How will you help me in both categories?

7. What turns you off when you are recruiting a student athlete?

1)  Young persons who visit our admissions office dressed unprofessionally.  Come to the admissions meeting like it is the job interview of your lifetime, because in actuality it is at the given time.

2)  Questions strictly about soccer, I want a well-rounded young lady coming in; ask about the student life, internships, professor to student ratio, learning centers/tools to be successful academically.

8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

Bringing quality young women into higher education who have their priorities straight (academics first), and who represent our school at the highest level.  They all want to win more than anything, but play with class and a great amount of sportsmanship.  100% graduation is our biggest goal and something we strive for with each graduating class.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

Because I prepare my players for life after soccer, but provide them with a fulfilling experience for the four years they compete for me.

10. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?

Email, phone, mail; whichever is their easiest avenue out of the three.  I do not twitter or facebook.  My contact information is listed below.

Tyler Renaud

Women’s Head Soccer Coach

SUNY Institute of Technology

Tyler.renaud@sunyit.edu

315-792-7834 office

315-263-0454 mobile

100 Seymour Road

Utica, NY  13502

www.sunyit.edu

1) How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I love the game of lacrosse and am very passionate about the Cabrini student-athletes. We like to work hard and have fun; I believe you can do both and be successful. We have a history of successful lacrosse teams and look to welcome new talent to our teams every year.

2) What is unique about the experience at your school?

The unique thing about being a student athlete at Cabrini College is the students, faculty & staff. I think we attract a wonderful group of students here and the experience is complemented with amazing professors. The classroom size is just right; you will never feel like a number and will almost always have access to your professors. The Athletic Staff is just as eager to help see you succeed both on and off the field.

3) What do you look for in recruits?

I look for young ladies who are interested in doing well both on and off the field. Are eager to work as a team to reach our goals.  Who want to gain knowledge that will not only help them as students, but also develop their potential to succeed in life after graduation.  Our alumni are also a very invested in our current teams and are always willing to lend their support.

4) If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?

Feel free to contact me anytime, by any means. We are always interested in new talent and welcome recruits on campus as much as possible.

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

As a coach I am very interested in feedback from my athletes. I am constantly asking for their opinions on how they feel.  I have the long to short approach as a sprint coach. Meaning early in the year we will be doing lots of over distance work, hills, hitting the weight room hard, and extensive core work. As we move into November we will begin interval work on the track. As we move through the season we do fewer reps, but do them faster and at a higher intensity. This is done to promote speed development after the athlete has a good cardiovascular base in place. I have had great success will athletes steadily improving every race throughout the season. As an example, we had a female 400 runner last year who came in with a 58.9 outdoor PR. Here are her 400 times as she progressed through our program.

Indoor 59.76, 58.12, 58.10, 57.48, 57.11* Indoor All American

Outdoor: 58.25, 56.4, 56.28, 56.25, 55.70, 55.32, 55.18, 55.17 *7^th place at nationals

As you can see she improved nearly every meet!

2. What is unique about the experience at your school?

Indiana Tech provides several things other smaller Universities can’t provide. First as a school of 3,000 students, our average class size is 15-19 students. However, where we differ from other small schools is that we are Located in Fort Wayne, Indiana (population of nearly 300,000 people). This not only allows for great interaction with professors in the classroom, but great internship opportunities throughout the city. We look to get our students into their field right away as a freshman, meeting future references and making sure it is the right fit for their career. Our professors are required to have 18 office hours free every week and we offer free tutoring in every major. I feel our academic and city experience make us a very unique school. As an added bonus, Indiana Tech does not charge for books!
3. What do recruits need to know about you?

Wow, lot of things I could put here. However, the biggest thing is that I am a coach about self improvement. At the end of the day track and field is about bettering yourself. I tailor every athlete’s workouts to make them the best athlete they can be. You may not always like me Monday through Thursday at practice, but after the race on Friday or Saturday you will love the results. I am very passionate about the sport and my athlete’s development, but I do still like to joke and make the sport fun.
4. What do you look for in recruits?

Obviously in track some talent is needed to be great at the sport. However, what I look for are people who are willing to put in the work. Our program is not easy and if you have bad work ethic chances are you will not make it. If you follow the program I have in place, you will get better. You don’t have to be the best when you come to our program, if you have the desire I will make you good! We also look for people that will get along with others, have strong leadership abilities, and know that going to class is very important. I am willing to work with anyone regardless of talent level if I can tell they are always giving me their best. Whether it’s a girl trying to go 11.5 or 13.0 if you do the work I enjoy making you better. Two examples from our program.

Adella King: High school PR’s of 12.67, 26.88. and 63.5. She put in the work, did everything we asked of her and has improved by leaps and bounds. She made it to indoor nationals in 3 events; the 60 (6.80), 200 (25.31), and 4 x 400 (57.2). All Lifetime best!

At the other end of the spectrum I had a male athlete come to me who had never run track in his life before college. He works hard, gives his all in practice, but is just not as physically gifted as some of our other athletes. Our goal for him was to break 60 for the 400. He started off with a 65 and as the season progressed he eventually ran a 59.4. That was just a rewarding as a coach as anything Adella did for the program.

5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

Ask Questions! As a coach I can talk all day about our program, but the more questions you ask the more interested I think you are. If you just answer coach’s questions and barely talk it makes it hard for the coach to gauge your interest level. If someone is interested in our program I will give them a very high level of interest. You don’t have to brag or put down your high school program, but tell us about your training, what you want from a school, and please ask questions!

The other thing I would say is don’t bring in any biases or preconceived notions about a school or program into the process. Just because a school is division 1 does not mean they have a great program and just because they are D-2, D-3, or NAIA does not mean they don’t. Look at the academics, the coaching staff, and the program, not the name on the front of the jersey. Also, make sure you take academics seriously in high school. If you don’t have the grades you can’t get an athletic scholarship as a freshman. This will also increase your chances for more academic money to be awarded.

6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?

When can I sign my letter of intent?

But seriously, there are a lot of things I like to hear from recruits through phone calls and emails. I love being asked about our training program. I am so confident in the results and want the athlete to know what to expect when they join our program. I also like to hear them ask about how our current members are doing. Our team has had great success in two years and sharing what our athletes accomplished on the track is very rewarding. There are very few bad questions in the recruiting process. I would recommend making a list of things you want in your college/athletic program and that way you will always have something to ask any coach that calls.

7. What turns you off when you are recruiting a student athlete?

Can I get a full ride? Some variation of this question comes up weekly. I can tell you from personal experience both as an athlete who went through the process and as a coach, very few track athletes graduate having paid nothing for their education. I understand that money will play a huge factor in many athletes decision, but the idea that you won’t pay a penny is often a false hope. Most of our athletes between academic money, athletic money, government grants (free money), and Work study have between 70-90 percent of their tuition paid for. At every level track and field rarely has athletes who have a “full ride.”

8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

As a program I feel our biggest success has been in not only developing our athletes to their potential, but also keeping them injury free in the process. In my two years at Indiana Tech I have had 1 athlete miss a total of 1 meet. Now this in part to the way I coach, but we have a great training staff, and a secret weapon! We utilize a local running store in town that we take all our athletes to. The store puts all new athletes on a treadmill and films them running for about a minute. After that they review the tape, they bring out shoes based on the way the athlete runs. (IE a pair of Brooks, Nike, and Mazuno that fit your style and needs). They let you run around the store and make sure you like the feel of the shoe. This has helped us keep our athletes in the right shoes. With us footing the bill for the shoes it is never a problem making sure our athletes have the best match possible

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

If you come to Indiana Tech and have a desire to be the best runner you can be, I will make you great. I have the utmost confidence in the system we have in place and those that buy in have seen the results. We have an athlete names Tiffany Aikin in our program. She had a career best of 9.27 in the 60 hurdles coming into this year. She really bought into the program myself and coach Cammack our hurdle technique coach had put in place. She did the miles, she lifted, she did her hurdle drills, and wow did it pay off. She dropped her time down to 8.81 and finished 5^th at nationals! I was so proud of her for all the work she put in to achieve that.

The other thing I really feel helps our program is caliber of meets we attend. We are not afraid to race anyone in any division. We are more concerned with running as fast as we can during the season then going to meets with less competition and winning events. Our meet schedule this year includes:

Indiana University, Purdue University, Grand Valley State University, Hillsdale College, Wake Forrest, Penn Relays, and Louisville University among others.

Every meet we attend has NCAA divisions 1-3, junior college, NAIA, and most have professional runners. Track unlike any other college sport allows you to race anyone you want. Last year at the Hillsdale Gina Relays our freshman Renyae Owsley finished 2^nd in the 400, the lady who beat her was Katie Waits (The U.S. Indoor champion at 800 meters), that same meet also saw our women’s 4 x 400 relay beat the University of Michigan head to head!

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I’m a player’s coach.  My players like and respect me, and because of that I am able to push them to be better players.  I understand the players’ perspective and never forget the primary reason individuals choose to play a sport, which is to have fun.   Our soccer team has become very close since I became coach, and the players buy into my belief in building a program, not just a team.

2. What is unique about the experience at your school?
Although Newbury College is located in the city of Boston, its campus feels as though you are in the suburbs.  The school is situated in Brookline, MA, in a neighborhood filled with the historic mansions of Boston’s elite.  The subway is a couple minutes walk down the street, which provides students access to all the city has to offer.  The student enrollment is relatively small, making Newbury an ideal place for creating great friendships and making a big impact on the college and on campus.
3. What do recruits need to know about you?

I took over a program that was two years old and was in danger of not having enough participation to be able to compete.  In my first season as coach, with having a limited time period to recruit and only having 4 returning players, we were able to make the playoffs in our conference.  We have a young team made up of almost all freshmen and sophomores.   The program has all the potential in the world, and I continue to work extremely hard to attract the right recruits to bring us further towards our goal of winning our conference.

4. What do you look for in recruits?
I look for recruits that have a great desire to be a part of a growing program.  My team needs to work together in order to achieve team glory, and that is done through communication, which is one of the main attributes I look for in a player.  Leadership skills are also key; I think it is important to have 11 leaders on the field instead of 1 or 2.
5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?
Communication is a big part of the recruiting process; sending emails to a coach letting him or her know of games and tournaments in which you are participating increases the chances the coach will see you play live.  Although sending videos to a coach is also important, nothing is like being able to watch a player live.  It is important for a coach to see not only what a player is doing when they have the ball, but what runs they are making off the ball and how they work for the team.
8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

The atmosphere of our program is its biggest strength.  My best recruiting tool is the players on my team; they get along better than any team I have coached and are all great individuals.  When a recruit sees how close the team is, they want to be a part of it.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

Our soccer team is young and motivated, and a recruit should consider Newbury if they want to be a part of building a program that will make its own traditions and achieve its own accomplishments.  Recruits can be a main factor in the beginning success of our program that they could look back upon and be very proud of.

10. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?

The best way for a recruit to reach me is by email, Robert.Desilets@newbury.edu.  The most important thing for a recruit though, which I always remind them of, is to not get overwhelmed by the recruiting process and remember to enjoy the rest of their high school experience.

It’s that time of year again! The National Letter of Intent signing dates are approaching us fast. The period starts on April 14 and ends on May 19th. What does this mean for seniors? It means that if you plan on playing at a DI or DII program in the fall and would like to receive an athletic scholarship, you must sign the NLI within this time period. If you do not sign the NLI by the 19th of May for basketball, you will not be able to receive athletic scholarships from a DI or DII program. You will be able to receive other financial assistance related to academics, and financial need.

Want to see the NLI dates by sport, click here.

It is also important to understand the NCAA Recruiting Calendars and how it affects the communication you can have with coaches. For DI men’s basketball coaches from April 1-8 (noon) there is a dead period, which means, the college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents at any time in the dead period. The coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.

From April 8 (noon) through April 21 it is a contact period, except from the 12-15 of April is a dead period. A contact period means, that during this time, a college coach may have in-person contact with you and/or your parents on or off the college’s campus. The coach may also watch you play or visit your high school. You and your parents may visit a college campus and the coach may write and telephone you during this period.

For DI women’s basketball coaches April 1st is a contact period, April 2-15 is a dead period, April 9-11 is a quiet period and April 16-20 is an evaluation period.

Quiet Period – The college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college’s campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit your high school during this period. You and your parents may visit a college campus during this time. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.

Evaluation Period – The college coach may watch you play or visit your high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or your parents off the college’s campus. You and your parents can visit a college campus during this period. A coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.

To see all calendars by division and sport, click here.

To read up on the recruiting definitions, click here.

Good luck!

Being a former broadcast journalist, I interview people. The information you read in my articles comes from thousands of interviews, to educate you on how to help your child have success in recruiting.

I was at the Mizuno Mid East Volleyball qualifiers in St. Louis. There were about 4500 very good Volleyball players there in the Club competition. The event was in the massive Conference Center adjoining the Stadium where the St. Louis Rams play. There were quite a few College Volleyball coaches there to do personal evaluations of the players. Most of the D1 coaches were looking at 9th and 10th graders.

NCSA was brought in to deliver recruiting education. In between delivering Seminars at the event, I walked around the convention center and talked with College Coaches from all over the country. There were courts as far as you could see in any direction.

Here are some common denominators from what they told me:

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