NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

The most challenging part of the recruiting process was knowing where to start and videos. Nelson being the first of four children to be looking for an opportunity to be a student-athlete was overwhelming. What do we need to do? Who is going to help us? So many questions. We chose NCSA because the information you need you can get through a live huddle, view previous huddles, e-mail or call a coach. Any question you have they can get the answer. There is a segment on videos. It tells you what is and is not needed on video footage. Depending on the package you decide to purchase, they will professionally edit and produce your video.

The best part of the recruiting process was getting to visit the colleges and their facilities. You have an unlimited number of unofficial visits and five official visits to any college, anywhere. This allows you an opportunity to visit the city, the campus and athletic facilities of different colleges so you can make a comparison and evaluation of each college. This will make it easier to come up with your short list.

NCSA made an impact in our recruiting process by giving us a place to get answers to the many questions we had. No matter what the question, i could always get the answer by getting in a huddle, calling a coach or sending an e-mail. Following the process set out by NCSA will give you a road map to what you should be doing and when. As well as following your progress and sending you e-mails to keep you on track.

As for any advise i could give to a student-athlete going through the process. Be diligent in following the steps set out for you by NCSA. Make contact with all the colleges that view your NCSA profile. You may think you are a D1 athlete, but the recruiters may not. By limiting your options to only a handful of colleges you choose, you are overlooking many more that may choose you. Its better to have offers from fifty D2, NAIA or JUCO schools than to be waiting as signing day comes and goes for that one D1 opportunity that doesn’t come.

Brian Medeiros-parent

Go! Fort Hayes State Tigers

The most important thing that there was for me was the film. Football coaches base some of their decisions on who to offer and not offer scholarships based on size, and what you do at their camp or private workout, but a lot of what they put into it is film. They want to know what kind of player you are on the field, and everything shows up on film. It is important that you are giving 100%every play and are being a good team player and leader. This all comes out on film and coaches want to see someone going hard and getting after it every single play.

The most challenging part for me was the waiting. I heard from so many coaches and really wanted to make an really decision, but that didn’t come down to an option for me. Some coaches are really good about calling you every week and staying on you, and others you need to keep on and stay in contact with. Email and phone calls are very important to the process.

The best parts of the process were the visits. If you ever talk to anyone who has been on an official visit, they will all tell you the same thing, they are great. You get to spend a weekend on campus with the coaches and players and really see what the school and the program is like. You get to have a really good time, they usually take you out to dinner or to a basketball or hockey game. Official visits are a lot of fun and a really good way to get a feel for how you think you would fit in at the school.

NCSA helped me out a lot. I ended up at the division 2 level, and in Illinois there are no d2 schools so it can be really difficult to find a school at the right level for you athletically, that offers what you want academically. NCSA matches you up with lots of schools. Some are good for you, some are not. You are given dozens of chances and if you work with the process, it is easy to find a great school.

My advice to anyone going through this process would be not to get down on yourself. In the beginning I was hearing from big 10 and Mac schools like Northwestern, NIU and Purdue. It didn’t work out with them and I got a little discouraged at times, but I kept up the hard work in the class room and on the film and put some good film together and ended up with scholarships and a few schools to pick from. If you feel discouraged, go work out or do something productive to get your mind off it. It will help you with the stress, and you are making yourself a better competitor and player.

Travis Cheesbro

Football-Offensive Line

Crystal Lake Central (Crystal Lake Illinois)

Northern Michigan university

The most challenging part of this process is getting the information out to the proper coaches. It also is a difficult challenge if you have not started full time as a junior in your high school programs! If you do not start full time as a junior…it becomes that more difficult to get noticed. I along with my dad worked hard to get video out to as many schools as possible. You actually have to work off the field as hard as you do on the field to get noticed. You need to get tapes to coaches and follow up and communicate with the recruiting coach. I as many others are not used to that area of communication and its a must.

The best part of the recruiting process? Seeing that there is a place for all athletes it just depends upon your goals and obviously your ability.

NCSA’s part?

NCSA did a great job of disseminating information to coaches at all levels to get interest.

There are coaches that are members of the site and NCSA alerts them to potential prospects. I had at lease 70 schools come in and take a look. They do come in and look but you have to pursue them as well to show your interest.

The process is not easy!

What advice?

Stay focused..don’t give up on your dream and know that chances are you will fit into a program somewhere based on your performances on and off the fields. member you can be a great athlete but you need to be a great student as well. Have NCSA determine your fit and focus on that information. Don’t give up and don’t get discouraged…

Tyler Warden

Quarterback

Buffalo BULL

MAC Conference

For the student athlete, the recruiting process can be a very tiring and somewhat overwhelming process. However, with guidance and help from the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA), the process of recruitment can be much easier to understand. NCSA will play an active role in providing much needed assistance in advising athletes the steps needed to promote themselves and become acquainted with coaches and colleges all across the country.

In early November 2008, during Steve’s junior year of high school, he saw an advertisement on the internet for NCSA. Steve contacted NCSA through e-mail and they responded very quickly by setting up a phone call with our family and an NCSA representative. After an informative discussion and getting some answers to questions, Steve decided that NCSA was the best choice for him.

During the months that followed, we joined in on several conference phone sessions, Steve went to a Combine, went to several football camps, got a highlight video set up, and with the help of NCSA began the search for the college that offered the academics he needed as well as a football program. NCSA provided Steve with a lengthy list of colleges that fit his profile.

It has been an eye opening experience to work with NCSA and find that colleges are not only looking for top notch athletes but also students who are high achievers academically, participate in service organizations, and possess leadership qualities.

Finally, on February 3, 2010, Steve signed a letter of intent to play football for a college in northwestern Iowa. Steve received enough scholarship money to pay for at least half of his expected total college expenses. The football scholarship alone more than paid the fee of joining NCSA. Without the guidance and expertise of the people at NCSA, this probably would still be a dream.

For the student athlete, NCSA is by far the best organization with which to be associated. Whatever the sport, whether male or female, NCSA is very much in your corner and on top of their game. Although NCSA plays an active role in the recruitment process, the student athlete will need to take responsibility to help themselves as well. NCSA provides a venue for student athletes to use their participation in college sports to help pay for their education and make the most of their God given talents and abilities in their sport.

My name is Nile Kinnick Knapp. I was named after the 1939Heisman Trophy winner from Iowa. So, you know we must be football crazy in our home. My dad has been a head high school football coach for 30 years now. However, he had to resign this year because he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Even under normal circumstances my dad has always seen the benefit of partnering with a recruiting service to help his players move on to the next level. So, when he started looking to find an organization to help promote me he was completely sold when he found NCSA. Dad had to spend 10 months last year in the hospital going through treatments to attempt getting him into remission. He needed help more than ever in “selling” me to colleges. From day one NCSA organized my profile getting all my academic info, my stats, my goals and my highlights together in a very professional format to present to colleges. Then, they began sending out my information to hundreds of colleges. My website let me know daily which colleges looked at my profile and video. I can say without hesitation that in the last year I have had over 300 colleges review my info! Not only that, but NCSA does a great job of evaluting your level of ability, mentoring you as to what to ask college coaches, giving you clear instructions for the clearinghouse eligibility and what scholarship monies are out there.

Last week I signed a football scholarship with Lindenwood University. I ended up with over a dozen offers to choose from. Without NCSA I really believe I would be planning to walk-on somewhere. Every school that offered me found me on the NCSA website. In fact, my NCSA “agent” Ryan Newman took time to call colleges on my behalf where he thought it would be a good fit.

Here is what I know. If you have a desire to play college football then do not hesitate to sign up with NCSA. Although no one can guarantee anyone a scholarship, your chances increase 100 fold when you put this powerful company to work for you. I will be forever grateful to NCSA for their genuine concern and care for our family and the service they provided. My college education is paid for and I get to play another 4 years of football. It is a dream come true. Who’s next? Call Ryan today!

Brian Barnes entered his first year as Head Men’s Basketball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Sage College of Albany in 2008-2009. He returns this year ready for the Gators to commence their first varsity campaign in 2009-2010.

Prior to his arrival at Sage, Barnes spent three seasons at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as the top Varsity Assistant and Head Junior Varsity Men’s Basketball Coach.

During his tenure at Rensselaer, Coach Barnes assisted in the development of three all league players including the Liberty League player of the year in 2006. Barnes was the lead assistant on staff of the 2006-2007 Red Hawk team that received the Schoenfeld Sportsmanship Award for outstanding sportsmanship.

NCSA: How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Coach Barnes: Passionate with a player oriented philosophy. I care about the development of our players both on the court and in the classroom.

NCSA: What’s unique about the experience at your school?

Coach Barnes: We have a tight knit campus community in which players can enjoy the overall college experience. We offer small classes in which our players are able to develop a personalized relationship with their professors.

NCSA: What do recruits need to know about you?

Coach Barnes: I want nothing but the best for our players both on the court, in the classroom, and in their enjoyment of the overall college experience.

NCSA: What do you look for in recruits?

Coach Barnes: We are looking for solid players, conscientious students and great teammates.

NCSA: What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

Coach Barnes: Be honest with coaches with regards to your interest level in their program.

NCSA: What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?

Coach Barnes: I like when recruits ask about why Sage would be a good fit for them and how they fit into our future plans.

NCSA: What turns you off when you’re recruiting a student athlete?

Coach Barnes: The difficulty of reaching a prospective student athlete on the telephone or by email.

NCSA: What do you think your program is the most successful at?

Coach Barnes: We play an uptempo style and are most successful in developing high character young men into successful players and leaders in the community.

NCSA: Why should a recruit consider your program?

Coach Barnes: We have a fantastic opportunity on the court, have a great location and offer a top notch private school education.

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

Coach Barnes: barneb@sage.edu or 518-292-1969

Coach Taylor – What should my son’s GPA and ACT/SAT be to get a scholarship?

This is a tough question to answer because it’s not quite as simple as it would seem.  If you would like to check out the minimum requirements then I encourage you to visit the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Below is GENERAL table that can serve as minimum target goals for an elite athlete.  As we have talked about, this will vary based on a number of factors including athletic ability and the specific academic institution. 

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

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

Ask Coach Taylor – I feel like I am playing out of position on my high school team because they need me in my current role.  When do I need to decide my college position?

In most cases, the college coach will make that decision for you! 

It is not uncommon for an athlete to be playing a different position in high school than they will play in college.  For example, a men’s basketball player might be a 6 foot small forward in high school, but would be more of a fit at a guard position at the collegiate level.  Here are a few pieces of advice:

- Understand what college coaches are looking for at each position and division level.  You can visit our recruiting guidelines by clicking here.
- If you feel like you are playing out of position, make sure you have developed the proper skill set for the position that you feel will be your best fit at the next level.  This will make you a more versatile and attractive athlete.
- Build relationships with the college coaches so you can communicate and market your abilities properly.  Many will evaluate your ability and realize that you are “out of position,” but it will never hurt to market your diversity when proactively reaching out to coaches.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

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

Ask Coach Taylor – My daughter wants to retake the ACT and SAT.  When is it too late?  Does this need to be done before signing day?

What matters most is when the application is looked at by admissions.   If the athlete is borderline academically and needs higher scores than they need to have them in by the time the application is put in.  The signing of the National Letter of Intent really has nothing to do with admissions.  If the athlete did not get into the school, the NLI becomes null and void.

One other important note is if the athlete improves the test scores after admissions they MAY be eligible for more academic aid.  That can be raised up until the first day of class.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

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

Ask Coach Taylor – My son plays both basketball and football and wants to play at the college level.  He hasn’t decided if he wants to pursue basketball or football.  We are preparing resumes to send out – it is proper to send for each sport, or should we focus on one?

If your son or daughter has any interest in playing one of two sports in college, I would strongly recommend sending resumes for each sport to the respective coaching staffs.

Many athletes excel in multiple sports during high school and some are unsure which one they want to pursue at the next level.  Remember that there will be two separate recruiting processes at the beginning for each sport since the coaching staffs and timelines will vary.   In an effort to keep all options open, it is a best practice to develop a relationship with the coaching staffs for reach sport.

This will allow the athlete to make a decision based on the factors important to their personal recruiting goals. 

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

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