NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

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College Coach’s Corner: Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Women’s Tennis Coach, Phil Birnbaum

How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Experienced and a good communicator

What is unique about the experience at your school?

That academics come first even though we practice and play hard

What do recruits need to know about you?

That I was a small college All-American and have over thirty years as a USPTA-Pro

What do you look for in recruits?

The desire to play until old age takes over

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

When you spend a lot of time recruiting one and there is no contact if not interested.

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

Improving players

Why should a recruit consider your program?

We are successful but without unnecessary pressure. We also take a family approach for our players to be happy and academically strong.

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

Email: Phil.birnbaum@stockton.edu

How would you describe yourself as a coach? Honest, fair and intense.

What’s unique about the experience at your school? Attending one of the top academic universities in the nation while having the opportunity to compete for a National Championship.

What do recruits need to know about you? I have the ability to separate the player on and off the court. I hope to make you a better player, but more importantly I care about the person.

What do you look for in recruits? Honest, hard working, dedicated and a drive to succeed both on and off the court. A individual that wants to play team basketball.

What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process? Patience is the best policy—for one time in your life you get to pick your next university, team and coach—take your time. Visit the campus and get to meet the players, go to class and/or watch a practice. This is about your next four years. Many times the quality of an experience is about the people you spend it with not where you spend it.

What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits? Specific questions about how do we really make this a student first environment.

What turns you off when you’re recruiting a student athlete? Negativity in general. I know we all have ups and downs when it comes to sports. I always appreciate the student athlete that has a positive perspective.

What do you think your program is the most successful at? Playing at a high competitive level and producing successful women in the world after their basketball careers are over.

Why should a recruit consider your program? Best of both worlds—academically and athletically excellence.

If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?Email and sending a DVD with transcript and test scores.

College Coach’s Corner: New Jersey City University’s Baseball Coach, Jonathan Thomas

How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I would describe myself as a coach demands max efforts out of his players. A coach who expects the same out of myself as I do of my players. Intense, but caring to his players and staff. Whether its playing “little ball” or playing for the big inning I want my players knowing that I will always try and put them in the best possible position to succeed.

What is unique about the experience at your school?

The uniqueness of our school is that although its a commuter school its has its charm. Its where everybody knows everbody. From the professors to faculty members, they truly care about the success of the students.

What do recruits need to know about you?

Recruits should know that I am a coach who truly cares about them getting an education while they are here. As much as I want to win on the field. I want them to win in the classroom. So, when they leave here they can compete for jobs.

What do you look for in recruits?

I look for kids who really have a passion for the game. Students who take their school work just as serious as they do their baseball.

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

Just apply and take the SAT’s as many times as possible so you can get your scores higher.

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

A student who expects playing time instead of earning it. A kid who thinks that he should get all the attention because he is being recruited. A student who isnt focused on doing well in the classroom, he is just focused on baseball.

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

Developing player’s talents. Getting them better as baseball players and as Men.

Why should a recruit consider your program?

He should consider our program because we play in the most competitive Division III conference in the country. The mistake many kids do is that they would rathere go to a name brand  Division I school and sit for a couple yrs instead of coming to a Division III school and having a chance right away to compete for a spot. We have numerous Major programs to offer Criminal Justice and English being 2 of our strongest programs. Last but not least a recruit will get a coaching staff who will push them to make them better ball players and push them to their max potential.

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

Email jthomas3@njcu.edu

College Coach’s Corner – Elmhurst College Baseball Coach, Joel Southern:

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I believe in doing things right, first and foremost, as the first step toward doing them well.  We emphasize an attention to detail in all aspects of our lives, on the baseball field, in the classroom, and in our personal lives.  Players in our program will be coached — focusing on mechanics but also situational aspects of the game of baseball.

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

We are a small school (about 2400 undergraduate students) with a very strong academic reputation located within 20 miles of downtown Chicago.  We definitely have a small-school feel with a private campus in a residential area, but with access to the Chicago metropolitan area.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

The reason I have chosen coaching as a profession is so that I can develop men who will be successful when they leave our program, that they will have developed the characteristics — strong work ethic, responsibility, accountability, etc. — that will make them successful no matter what they do in their lives.  We place a great emphasis on classroom performance in our program.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

Ability is always the number one thing that we look for in recruits, but on top of that there needs to be a strong work ethic and passion for the game.  We get a very good feel for these things by watching prospects play, of course, but also during recruiting visits.

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

Recruits need to focus on the entire process — what is the proper fit for them athletically, yes, but also academically and socially.  So many high-school baseball players feel they have to go play in a Division I program without realizing the high level of baseball we play, particularly in our conference, as well as the overall academic and social experience they will have at Elmhurst.

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

There are no particular questions I like to hear from recruits, but I do like to hear questions — I want to see that when they come for a recruiting visit they have done some homework and have a feel for what they are looking for in a school.  Questions will indicate if they are “about the right things” — looking at the entire school, the entire experience — with baseball obviously being one of the main factors as well.

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

The main turn-off for me are when prospects are unable to meet the requirements they need to meet — when they can’t or don’t return their application, financial aid, and housing materials in a reasonable amount of time.  If you are unable to handle your private business, you will be unlikely to be a productive member of our organization.  I also am very turned off by prospects who do not treat their parents and those with whom they come in contact on their visit with respect.

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

I believe we’re most successful at developing young men who will be successful when they leave here.  From a baseball standpoint, we have a certain way that we do things, drills that we do, and we focus on detail every day.  Baseball is something we do every day; it is difficult for most people to focus on what they are dong every day.  We will make sure they do.  Players who have been in our program and worked hard and bought into our way of doing things have objectively gotten significantly better in their time here.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

In addition to the reasons stated in the above answer (#8), this is a school that was rated by U.S. News and World Report (in their 2009 issue) in the Top Tier (12th overall) of Midwest Colleges and Universities with master’s programs.  We provide a broad-based education with over 50 majors.  Our business/finance/management and education programs, among many others, are top-notch.  We have a beautiful campus and good facilities, and, as mentioned previously, you would be attending a college in a residential area but with access to the greater Chicagoland area.

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

E-mail would be preferred (southernj@elmhurst.edu), and I can also be reached at (630) 617-3143.  I would appreciate knowing that someone who contacts me had read this interview and is interested in what they read about the program.  Thank you.

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 doesn’t bring in any biases or pre-conceived 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 am very intense and passionate towards coaching.  I have a huge investment with each kid and I lose when they lose and win when they win.  I coach with a lot of emotion.
2. What’s unique about the experience at your school? Iowa Central is a great place to coach and attend school.  We are in the hotbed of wrestling and the kids we coach have an opportunity to wrestle against D-1′s very best schools.  It doesn’t hurt that we have won 6 National Titles since 2002.

3. What do recruits need to know about you? They should know that I say it as I see it.  I am very direct when talking about education and the commitment it takes to be a National Champion.  If they are not doing what needs to be done, I will let them know that.  I am very forward, however, I would do anything for the kids I bring in to Iowa Central.

4. What do you look for in recruits? I look at past results and a certain style of wrestler.  I like kids with good conditioning who wrestle to the very end.  I want kids with good work ethic and are willing to compete when they have been beat.  I like 3rd place kids because they show that they will not shut down after losing.  I also like kids that are coachable and will listen to you.
5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process? Take every visit they can and don’t commit to the first school.  It is also very important to fill out the FAFSA forms.  That will help with the financial part of school.
6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?
Can we train all year long?  Can I take summer classes?
7. What turns you off when you’re recruiting a student athlete? When they ask how much money they can get.  It shows that they are worried more about money then the workout partners and competition we can provide them with.
8. What do you think your program is the most successful at? 3 things, all cockiness aside, winning National Titles, getting kids to Division 1, and getting them graduated.
9. Why should a recruit consider your program? If you wanna be in the best juco wrestling room in the country, jump on board!  We have proven in the last 15 years that we are the best program in the country.  Located where they can get the best of everything in wrestling.
10. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?
Go to Iowa Central website and surf through it.  All of the coaching contact information is in there.  Fill out a recruitment form or contact me personally by email.

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Laid back
2. What?s unique about the experience at Fort Lewis?

It’s a great outdoor sports town (Ski resort, fly fishing, hiking, whitewater rafting, mountain climbing, mountain biking, etc…).  Being nestled in the mountains with an elevation of 6700 feet.
3. What do recruits need to know about you?

We will push you to be your best.
4. What do you look for in recruits?

Good grades and a non-stop motor on the field.
5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

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

Questions about the direction of the team.
7. What turns you off when you’re recruiting a student athlete?

When the parents do all the talking.
8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

It’s hard to say right now, I just got hired in January and we have an entirely new staff.
9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

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

Email is usually the best.