NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

NCSA recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Head Coach Adam Marshall to learn a little more about Grand Canyon University.

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Demanding, innovative, and competent.
2. What?s unique about the experience at your school?

The ability to make a mark in the lacrosse world!  We are still in the process of putting GCU Lacrosse on the map, and the young men who come here are a part of a building process that will create something lasting.
3. What do recruits need to know about you?

I am very honest, and do not sugar coat anything.
4. What do you look for in recruits?

Attitude, athletic ability, and skill.
5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

Have a professional approach.  Create exposure for yourself, and be prepared to be in the NCAA.  Have film of yourself playing available, have registered with the NCAA clearinghouse, and get the best grades and test scores you can.  Follow up professionally and honestly with any coaches who are in touch with you.
6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?

Questions about what they can expect when they get here: This shows us that this is a young man who is concerned with his future.

Questions about what they need to do to get better/have a better chance of contributing earlier:  This shows us that this is a young man who wants to be great

Questions about academics and campus environment:  This shows we are recruiting a well rounded person

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

Silence, or not telling us everything we need to know.
8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

Our program has been most successful at taking raw student-athletes and turning them in to competent, quality NCAA lacrosse players.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

The opportunity to play early in their career, the opportunity to be in the western united states, the opportunity to travel all over the country, and the opportunity to live and play in one of the best places in the country, Phoenix, Arizona.

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

E-mail, phone calls, or plain old mail all work great.  We prefer student-athletes in their junior year to e-mail as we are not allowed to speak with them on the phone.

Jim Hazewinkel was a member of the 1968 and 1972 U.S. Wrestling Olympic Teams and was also a member of the U.S. World Team in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, and 1971. Coach Hazewinkel was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” in 2005 and into the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1975. Jim coaches at MMI with his twin brother Dave, who also has numerous awards and medals for wrestling to his credit. NCSA recently sat down with Coach Hawewinkel to learn more about the MMI wrestling program.

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Happy, dedicated, hard worker and one who cares about his wrestlers on,  and off the mat.

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

It is a military college, however, you do not have to be in the military to attend.  You may come and receive your education and wrestle and when you leave you will have no commitment or responsibility to the military in any way.   Or you can commit, as it is your choice.  If you commit to the Army you will have just about everything paid, plus receive a monthly pay check at the same time.  You may become a Commissioned Officer in two years!  Most schools it takes four.  It is a  more discipline life style here than at a normal college, which can be a great advantage for a student, in their studies, and also wrestling.    Attending a Military School looks real good on your resume even if you are not in the military.  In addition, we do have a great wrestling program.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

My brother and I both coach this team and we are both two time Olympians and they may see our full resume on our web sight:  marionmilitary.edu.  We believe in working hard and we also want to see our men try and do everything right in all areas or their life.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

Wrestlers that want to do right in every area of their life: Physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.  You need to be a champion in every area of your life, not just wrestling, if you want to win.

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

Its simple, give us a call and follow instructions.

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

Is it alright if I run and lift weights and condition on my own time. . . . . yes!   Can we work on Greco and Freestyle also . . . . .  yes!

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

His only concern is money.  We do have scholarships, and are happy to give them out and help students in any way that we can.  I hope they are looking for more than just money.  Also if a wrestler has interest in doing drugs, alcohol, chew, or immorality,  please try another school.  Those activities will not help you win anything!

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

Helping a student prepare for life in more areas then just wrestling.  However, we do want to excel as high as we can in the area of wrestling, and we work very hard at doing that.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

We have a great school, (been around since 1842), great program, excellent coaching, hard work and our goal is to help you become a National Champion and raise you to the next level in wrestling.  Our team did win the National Duals Tournament this year.

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

Check our web, give us a call, or come and visit and we would love to talk and respond to you by any of these methods.

Coach Shawn Degnan is currently the Associate Head Coach of Becker College’s Men’s Lacrosse team. NCSA had a chance to sit down with Coach Degnan to learn more about Becker and the opportunities available for student athletes.

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I would describe myself as a player’s coach. I expect every player on my team to work hard and contribute as much as possible in order for our team to achieve its goals. My motto is: “Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard.”  That quote pretty much sums up my coaching philosophy.

2. What’s unique about the experience at your school?

The unique experience about Becker College first and foremost is the closeness of our team. There truly exists a great “team” attitude at Becker. We also have two campuses, one suburban located in Leicester, MA and another located six miles away in Worcester, MA. In Leicester we have our new turf field that overlooks the rolling hills of Worcester. The Leicester campus is surrounded by homes that were once stops along the Underground Railroad. George Washington passed through the present day campus in Leicester on his way to Boston at the start of the Revolutionary War. The Worcester campus is located in heart of the second largest city in New England with a population of 250,000 people. The Worcester campus offers Victorian Era homes that have been renovated as dormitories. These dorms have large bedrooms and full kitchens that are shared by the residents as well as living areas with flat screen televisions. Shuttles run every half hour between the two campuses throughout the days and evenings. As a student of Becker College you are also a student of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium. The Consortium includes 13 colleges and universities in and around Worcester. As a student of the Consortium you are allowed to take classes at any of the schools and also have access to their libraries, as well as their athletic facilities.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

Recruits should know that I am a sincere person who tells it like it is. I am extremely focused on my players as individuals and I try my hardest to ensure that they are always treated that way. I aspire that all of my lacrosse players achieve greatness both on and off of the playing field.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

I look for recruits who possess quality character traits. I want players who will work hard in order to achieve their individual goals, both in the classroom and as part of our lacrosse team.

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

All recruits should take the time to respond to the coaches who have made an attempt to contact them. A simple “thank you for your interest, but I am looking at other schools” is a polite way to tell coaches that you aren’t interested.

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

The questions that I like to hear from recruits are the ones that are academic in nature. I like these specifically because it shows that the recruit is focused on the future. This, in turn, shows me that they will not only be successful in the classroom, but are also apt to be successful out on the playing field.

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

When you send a couple of emails and/or phone calls to recruits and never receive a reply from them.

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

Our program is most successful at turning out quality young men who are ready to “take the bull by the horns” in their next stage of life after graduation… their professional careers.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

They should seriously consider us because we are the best-kept secret in the Northeast. Once you experience Becker College, you will be happy that you chose us.

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

I would ask any recruit who is interested in our program to email me at shawn.degnan@becker.edu or, if they prefer, they can call me at 508-615-8444.

Welcome to Football University the nation’s leading instructional football experience where top prep and youth athletes are trained by position, by professionals and by invitation only.

We utilize an invitation policy because each FBU camp is designed to train a small and elite class of football athleteswho demonstrated their football ability and their love of the game. And while we utilize a national network of scouts to propose athletes for invitation, because we know that the selection process misses many great football players as some develop late, switch positions or play in leagues with less exposure, we strongly encourage, every athlete, parent or coach of an athlete to nominate a player they believe is an elite football player or has the potential to be one.

Every nominated athlete is evaluated and/or interviewed by one of our coaches as part of the invitation process so we look forward to receiving your nomination information.

As an NCSA athlete you are eligible to potentially receive one of four (4) full scholarships to attend Football University set aside exclusively for NCSA athletes. To be considered you must complete the nomination form that follows and then be invited to attend a FBU camp.

Make sure that you are mark the following when filling out the nomination form:

How did you hear about Football University? Mark, “OTHER” and specify “NCSA CONTEST” for consideration.

Nominate Yourself HERE

The scholarship winners will be chose weekly, over four weeks, based on random selection among invited NCSA athletes. The winners will be notified via email and will be contacted by an FBU representative. If the NCSA athlete needs to travel to attend the FBU camp to which he is invited, the scholarship will also cover the travel and lodging for the scholarship winner and one parent/guardian. The FBU representative, in coordination with the winner, will handle camp registration and organize any required logistics.

If you have any questions about the nomination process or FBU in general, please visit the Football University website at www.footballuniversity.org or contact the FBU administrator at: nomination@footballuniversity.org or 973-366-5027.

Brendan Dawson is in his first season as the head coach of Aurora University’s men’s lacrosse program.  Dawson was tabbed to lead the building of AU’s newest athletic program, which will begin play in the spring of 2011.

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?
I am passionate about our players reaching their full potential both on the field and in the classroom.  That means I am high energy about our players always giving 100% in everything that they do.  We want to strive for excellence as a program, and our players should be thinking about that in everything that they do…

2. What?s unique about the experience at your school?
Aurora University  is a great place to be a student-athlete:  We provide the best of both worlds.  Our students get the all the benefits of a private, liberal arts education, including small class sizes, individual attention from professors and other members of the campus community.  At the same time, we are a short train ride away from Chicago, providing our students endless opportunities for internships, different social activities, and other benefits that a major metropolitan area provides.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?
I will push you to be your best on the field and in the classroom.  I’ve played with and coached a lot of great players, I know the little things they do on the field to make them great, and I know first hand the time and effort they put into being their best.  We will always be striving to be the best in everything that we do…

4. What do you look for in recruits?
I want student-athletes who are competitive and want to get better – Someone who competes with their teammates every day in practice, in the weight room, in the classroom, etc.  If you want to put in the time and effort to be your best every day this is the place for you.

5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?
Be proactive.  Email or call me and let me know what camps/tournaments you will be attending.  Tell me why you are interested in being a student-athlete at Aurora University.

6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?
I like hearing questions that show recruits have done their homework about Aurora University and our lacrosse program.  Ask specific questions about majors that we offer, number of players we have at your position, etc…

7. Why should a recruit consider your program?
Aurora University Men’s Lacrosse provides you a great opportunity to have an impact right away.  We are a young program, playing our first NCAA year in 2010-2011.  We have a very strong recruiting class coming in, but need to follow it up with another great group of young men.  Once we put a couple recruiting classes together like that we will start to go places.  Academically, AU provides a great education, over 40 majors and an intimate learning environment.

8. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?
Call or email me.  bdawson@aurora.edu/630-844-5137.

Congratulations to O’Brien joining fellow Bryan Bulaga as member of the 2010 NFL Draft class!!!  The entire NCSA family couldn’t be more ecstatic that we played a part in sparking two athletic careers that have reached the highest level!

Nationally recognized recruiting analyst, Tom Lemming, had some great things to say about NCSA and the athletic scholarship process. Check it out:

“Hundreds of football players sign up with local and national recruiting services in hopes of attracting exposure and scholarships. But many still don’t receive a single offer. What does that mean?

It means there a lot of businesses out there but, in my opinion, only the Chicago-based National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) does a great job and has the ability and support elements to provide the most opportunities–and the best opportunity–for a young athlete to get financial aid at the college level, in football, basketball and other sports.

NCSA has exploded nationally in the last five years. I’ve known Chris Krause, the founder and director of the organization, for a long time, since he was a linebacker at North Chicago and was looking for a way to play in college, any college.

Krause wasn’t a star. But he went through the recruiting process and came to understand it. Now he is putting his knowledge to work.

There are a lot of imitations, recruiting services that charge a lot of money and promise to do a lot of things but don’t do anything. NCSA has connections all over the country, not just football but other sports for boys and girls.

The truth is a majority of high school athletes can obtain financial aid to Division II or III schools if they are starters. The 500 football players in the nation don’t need help from NCSA or anyone else. There are 3,000 kids who receive full scholarships annually. Division II and III coaches don’t have big recruiting budgets. So they have to rely on NCSA and other services to find athletes to fill their rosters.

Normally, if an athlete doesn’t receive any offers from Division I, II or III schools by July prior to his or her senior year, the handwriting is on the wall. It means you aren’t very good and you should change your occupation and dreams quickly.

With what is available to you, NCSA and so many other services, you aren’t being overlooked. You just aren’t good enough. But you have to be sure that you have been exposed to one and all.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, kids who are overlooked by some schools. Take Sean Cotton of Walther Lutheran, for example. He is a defensive back who received only one offer, from Northwestern. He accepted it faster than you can say: “Which way to Evanston?”

In my view, it says some other schools missed the boat because Northwestern does a great job of evaluating talent. It doesn’t figure that Coach Pat Fitzgerald and his staff would make a bad choice this early. Cotton has to be much better than most people think. He and Jarrell Williams of Richards, another defensive back who committed to Northwestern, have to be very good players that other schools made mistakes on by not offering.”

- Tom Lemming

To read more from Tom, feel free to check out his blog here.

Tom also provided the foreword for Athletes Wanted – The complete game plan for maximizing athletic scholarships. In honor of Tom’s recent appearance in the Hollywood blockbuster, “The Blindside,” we have created a free e-book outlining the levels of recruitment prospects should expect taken straight from Athletes Wanted.  “Gauging Levels of Recruitment”

Also, we encourage you to take advantage of a 60% discount to get the full version here!

Trevor Eaton was hired as head coach of the Salem State men’s lacrosse team in 2005. During Eaton’s tenure the program returned as a Division III varsity sport in 2008, and in the process earned the program’s first ECAC postseason tournament bid. 

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I try to be the type of coach that guys can come and talk to when they have problems off the field.  I make sure I set a lot of rules and guidelines so guys know what is expected, but at the same time, i try to be there for them when they need a big brother.

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

Salem State College is constantly growing.  When I was a student (only 10 years ago), we had 2 campuses and 3 dorms.  Now we have 3 campuses and 5 dorms with more being built.  Being a lacrosse player in our school is like being part of the biggest family, everyone knows who you are and wants to be apart.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

I don’t like guys that blame other people, or refuse to take responsibility. 

4. What do you look for in recruits?

Guys that work hard and are willing to learn.  If a guy is willing to work on and off the field and has the heart, we will find a place for him.

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

Future recruits need to talk to the coaches of the schools they want to attend.  I think kids tend to send out an email and think that covers it, but if you really want a coach to start watching you, you should personally contact him and help get the ball rolling for yourself.

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

When a recruit asks me about his typical day during season and during the off-season, then I know they are really thinking about how lacrosse effects my education.

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

Couple things turn me off from an athlete.  First is when you watch a player and he is arguing with the referee or another player during a game.  It just doesn’t help your team and it’s not something we put up with here at Salem State.  Another thing that turns me off is when an athlete doesn’t care about his studies.  At the division III level, players are here for an education first and lacrosse second.

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

Since I started coaching at Salem State, we have grown.  Not just in numbers, but in quality of play.  Six years ago, we were a club team playing 2-3 games a year, then I took over and we became a nationally ranked club team(MCLA – #14 in 2007 – #17 in 2006).  Then in 2008 we started playing varsity division III games and managed to go 8-8.  Since then we joined the Little East Conference and have qualified for their league play-offs, both last year(and most likely this year).  Over this time our play has increased so that even average fans can tell that we are playing at a higher level.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

We our one of the cheapest state schools in Massachusetts that offers lacrosse.  So you can get a great education and play lacrosse for half the cost of most schools.  If you add that to the fact that we have made a post-season tournament in all of our varsity division III seasons, you will see that we are building a quality program.

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

If a recruit is interested in Salem State, they should check out our website and see what we have to offer:  www.salemstate.edu They can also get in touch with me at: teaton@salemstate.edu

A great bit from Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback column and leveraging sports for an education.

Now for something completely different. Scott Sicko is a senior at the University of New Hampshire, a Football Championship Subdivision (nee Division I-AA) first-team all-America tight end and an interesting NFL prospect. At 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, he’s a willing blocker with soft hands. He worked out privately for the Patriots. He was on radar screens around the league. Until last weekend.

On Saturday, he sat at home in Stillwater, N.Y., about a half-hour north of Albany, with his parents, girlfriend andsome other relatives. They waited for hours, pick after pick after pick. His name wasn’t called. A few picks before the final choice of the seventh round, he started discussing with his family what was in his heart.

Sicko got a scholarship to play football at New Hampshire. But he always thought he was at college to get an education, then to play football. He majored in History with a minor in Political Science. He’s set to graduate on time May 22, and he’s considering returning to school to finish a double-major (taking more poli-sci courses), or going for a Master’s in History, and then, if all goes well, maybe a Ph.D. in History. “I love American history,” he said. “I love knowing where we’ve been as a country, and how we got to where we are today. I’ve had so many great influences as teachers, and I think it would be fun someday to teach, maybe in college.”

So with the final few picks winding down, Sicko told his family the truth: If he didn’t get drafted, he wanted to go back to college full-time and see what direction the road took him. “I love football,” he said. “I’ve been playing since I was seven years old, and playing in the NFL was always a dream of mine. I can’t say if I would have made it if I’d have signed with somebody and tried to make it as a free-agent. I don’t know. But this … this just felt right.”

He said he had no bitterness, no anger at teams for not picking him. But when he thought about a football life on the edge of a roster — possibly an itinerant life of an undrafted free-agent, working out day after day to try to get a shot in an NFL camp, or moving from one NFL practice squad to another, or possibly being on an active roster — it didn’t jibe with the life he wanted to live.

“I always lived my life for family first, education second and happiness third,” he said Sunday afternoon as he drove from his home in upstate New York back to New Hampshire. “I’ve found the first two lead to the third. Being away, to some that would be an adventure, and I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been fun. But let’s say I made it for a couple of years. You always hear players say, ‘I’m going to go back and finish my education.’ How many of them really do? Not many. When I thought about where I was in my life and where I wanted to go, I figured most people don’t make careers of it. I gave everything I could to football. I loved every second of it. But I love my family and school too. I just thought, I’m really excited about going back to school and seeing where real life will take me.”

But first there was a problem. Thirty-two NFL teams had his phone number. When the draft ends, teams start calling undrafted prospects to try to sign them to come to training camp. The Chargers called. Dallas called. The Jets, Jacksonville and Kansas City called.

“I told them, basically, ‘I’m honored you called me, but I’m not going to play football anymore. I’m going to further my education,”’ he said.

A couple of the teams were surprised, but he said they respected his decision and wished him luck.

“It was tough, telling NFL teams I didn’t want to be in their camps,” he said. “But it was the right thing.”

He knows people will think he’s nuts. There aren’t many athletes, given a choice, who would want to go work in the real world before giving their sport a major effort. To Sicko, it doesn’t feel like quitting. It feels like just choosing to do something else he loves. There wasn’t a sentence in a 25-minute conversation that had regret in it.

It felt logical to ask about why a mature kid like him wouldn’t want to go to a camp, just to challenge himself and see if he could do it. Wouldn’t he, for the rest of his life, question his decision? Wouldn’t he wake up one morning 30 years from now feeling like some Moonlight Graham, a guy who’d give anything to go back for just one chance, to see if he was really good enough? He just didn’t think he would ever feel that way. If I could convey how he sounded, happy and determined are the first two words that come to mind.

“How’d you feel when you woke up this morning?” I said. “Any sadness at all?”

“No,” he said. “I felt excited. It’s been a long process in football, and it was all fun. This is going to be fun too.”

It’s nice, in the midst of a weekend when football seems more important than breathing to some, that we have a different kind of role model for our kids. I hope they read everything Scott Sicko just said here.

NCSA MAY REMINDERS

National Letter of Intent:

Basketball:

• Currently in the middle of the Signing Period and ends on May 19th.

All Other Sports (besides Football):

• Currently in the middle of the Signing Period and ends on August 1st.

NCAA Eligibility Center:

• Seniors and Juniors need to have their guidance counselor submit their yearend transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center before they leave for the summer.

MAY CHECK LIST

Visit Rules:

13.6.1.1 One-Visit Limitation.

A member institution may finance only one visit to its campus for a prospective student-athlete.

13.6.1.1.1 First Opportunity to Visit.

A prospective student-athlete may not be provided an official visit earlier than the opening day of classes of the prospective student-athlete’s senior year in high school.

13.6.1.2.1 Transfer Student.

If a student-athlete attending a four-year institution desires to transfer and that institution provides the permission required (per Bylaw 13.1.1.2), it is permissible for a second institution to provide the student-athlete one official visit to that institution’s campus.

13.6.5.1.1 Meals and Lodging While in Transit.

It is permissible for an institution to pay a prospective student-athlete’s actual costs for reasonable expenses (e.g., meals, lodging) incurred while traveling to and from campus on the official visit.

13.5.2.1 General Regulations.

A member institution may pay the prospective student-athlete’s actual round-trip transportation costs for his or her official visit to its campus, provided a direct route between the prospective student-athlete’s home and the institution’s campus is used.

RECRUITING CALENDARS

Men’s Basketball: Quiet Period, except for below:

• May 20-28 Dead Period, except for below:
• TBD (NBA pre-draft camp only) Evaluation Period

Women’s Basketball, Women’s Ice Hockey: Quiet Period.

Football: Quiet Period, except for below:

• April 15 – May 31 Evaluation Period, except for below:

1. Four weeks (excluding Memorial Day and Sundays) selected at the discretion of the member institution and designated in writing in the office of the director of athletics:

* An authorized off-campus recruiter may use one evaluation to assess the prospective student-athlete’s athletics ability and one evaluation to assess the prospective student-athlete’s academic qualifications during this evaluation period). If an institution’s coaching staff member conducts both an athletics and an academic evaluation of the prospective student-athlete on the same day during this evaluation period, the institution shall be charged with the use of an academics evaluation only and shall be permitted to conduct a second athletics evaluation of the prospective student-athlete on a separate day during this evaluation period.

• Those days in April/May not designated above for evaluation opportunities: Quiet Period

Cross Country/Track and Field, Softball, Baseball: Contact Period.

Men’s Lacrosse: Contact Period, except for below:

• May 28 – June 1 (noon) Dead Period

Women’s Lacrosse: Contact Period, except for below:

• May 28 – 30 Dead Period

Note: Evaluations may occur at one event conducted during the weekend of the NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship, provided the event is conducted within a 100-mile radius of the site of the championship. The evaluation must be conducted on a day in which no championship competition is c conducted.

Volleyball: Contact Period, except for below:

• May 1-28 Quiet Period

Phone Calls:

Juniors:

1. Men’s Basketball: DI 1x per month.

2. Men’s Ice Hockey: DI 1x per month.

3. Football: DI 1x between April 15 – May 31.

4. Women’s Basketball: DI 1x in May

RECRUITING TIPS

Golfers: Should be playing or registering for tournaments.

Football: If a recruit receives a call from April 15 – May 31 from a DI school, it means they are a DI athlete. If they do not, it is a sign they are not a DI athlete.

!!!ALERT: DI coaches are always recruiting and looking at athletes, however, at this point in the recruiting process there is not always a spot available or money tied to that spot. Seniors this late need to look at walk-on spots, junior colleges and understand that they may need to tryout.