NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Recruits are always wondering what they can to do improve their recruiting process.  Here are 35 steps that ALL recruits can take to get one step closer to an athletic scholarship opportunity. (In no particular order)

1. Be aggressive. Don’t contact a coach one time and give up if you don’t hear back. Email a coach and wait a few weeks. If you don’t hear back from them in 3-4 weeks, try calling. If you get a voicemail, leave a message and also send an email. Reach out up to 3 different times and if a coach doesn’t respond after those attempts, then move on from that school

2.  Bring up visiting a school to that coach. Don’t wait for them to bring it up to you

3.  Use all the help you can get. Talk to your high school and club coaches and outside sources. They can help you with any connections and relationships they might have.  Most parents do not have a network of college coaches…but trusted sources might.
 
4.  Don’t rely too much on email.  A personalized note or handwritten letter could go a long way towards separating you from other recruits.

5.  Give more than just 1 word answers to coaches – show them your personality!

6.  When visiting a school, remember that the current players are reporting back to the coaches so be cautious of what you say and how you handle yourself. Also, take advantage of the opportunity and ask them about the coach, school, program etc. Why did they choose this school over others?

7.  The athlete should email a coach his/her information before just calling a coach.  Definitely a good thing for them to be calling the coaches and being proactive but don’t just cold call coaches – they need to have some information on you before giving them a call.

8.  Coaches are recruiting you – not your parents. Be sure to manage all of the communications.

9.  College coaches talk to one another – maintain respectful and professional communication with all coaches.

10.  College coaches want to see Varsity level film – this helps them create a better evaluation based on the level of play.

11.  Coaches don’t want music and all of the fluff that is on most highlight videos.

12.  Make sure that you have an appropriate voicemail greeting and email address to give to coaches – you don’t want to give coaches an email like 2hott4you@email.com or have music playing for 3 minutes on your voicemail greeting.

13.  Make sure you have an appropriate photo on your scouting report. Coaches don’t need to see you taking a picture of yourself in the mirror.

14.  You should contact a coach before any visit to a school.

15.  You should contact a coach before and after going to a camp to ensure an evaluation.

16.  Take advantage of the calling rules.  Coaches cannot call you or return your phone calls, and you will get VMs quite frequently—use this to your advantage.  You may get a lot of voicemails, but leave a message.  When you leave the message, tell them exactly when YOU will call back.  This will do two things for you:  1)   Better chance of getting on the phone with the coach.  2)  Good idea of where you are on the recruiting board. (if you are high, you better believe the coach will be at his desk when you call in again)
 
17.  Do not wait for a coach to contact you…initiate the contact.

18.  When you open an email from a coach, make sure you respond within 12-24 hours.  College coaches can track and see when you’ve opened the email, so if you do not respond for a week or two, you will not be taken serious.

19.  Talk to some older athletes who have “been there”. It helps so much to learn from athletes about what playing in college at different levels is actually like. Athletes are shocked sometimes when they show up for D1 programs and were not aware of how much it actually entailed

20.  Ask the coach the tough questions about where you fit in. Just because he throws a little money your way does not mean he expects you to come in and start as a freshman! You need to know how you compare to other players in your recruiting class and what the coach is expecting to recruit in upcoming years, especially if a priority is playing time.

21.  Learn how the Financial Aid process works and estimate your EFC.

22.  Talk with Financial Aid offices at each school you are in contact with. Your goal should be to receive as much aid (athletic or otherwise) to help offset the cost of attending college.

23.  You should research at least 4 schools a month.

24.  You should fill out on-line questionnaires at schools you are interested in.

25.  Start thinking about these topics when it comes to schools, size, type, location, distance from home, cost, student population, majors, requirements, athletics and events, activities, special programs and your gut feeling.

26.  Learn about the NCAA contact rules.

27.  Learn about the NCAA Eligibility Center.

28.  Understand what different associations have to offer you: NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, NCCAA, CCCAA, NWAACC.

29.  Get an evaluation from a trusted source before you spend time targeting the wrong schools.

30.  Ask coaches what their recruiting timeline is.

31.  Ask where you stand on a coach’s list.

32.  Ask if the coach can waive your application fee.

33.  Learn how to get over your nerves when speaking with coaches. Remember, they want to hear from you and you have to separate yourself from thousands of other student-athletes around the country.

34.  Prioritize your time. A college coach needs student-athletes who can balance their schedule NOW. If you can’t do it now, how will you do it in college?

35.  Visit local colleges to get a feel for what a campus is like…it is cheap and helpful!

The 35 tips above are just a few of the proactive steps recruits can take.  Do you have any tips you want to pass along?  Comment below with your advice and be sure to click “like” to share these tips with other athletes and families.

The NCSA Recruiting Team had a chance to sit down with Coach Taylor and ask him YOUR questions this week through a phone interview.  Listen to his inside information on summer recruiting and other burning topics.

For those of you unable to listen, here are the notes from this week’s chat with Coach Taylor:

Summer Recruiting Questions (full answers only available in the audio version)

What does the summer mean for an athlete or family going through the process?

Coach Taylor: Recruiting never stops but this is a great time to get out to camps and combines to see where you stack up against your competition and learn what you need to improve on. 

What are common mistakes athletes make when choosing a camp or showcase in the summer?

Coach Taylor: They don’t do enough research and only pick a camp or showcase because it is held at a cool place or named after a popular shoe.  Also, many recruits expect to get discovered at a camp which typically does not happen.  Camps can be great if you attend for the right reasons.

What is the summer like for a college coaching staff? What is your process like and how does your schedule plan out?

Coach Taylor: Again, recruiting never stops.  Coaches are researching prospects, watching tape and sending hand written notes.  Coaches even recruit when they go on vacation.  Twenty years ago, things slowed down a lot more than they do now.

Additional Questions from Readers

Do college coaches have complete access to the information at the NCAA clearinghouse or eligibility center?

Coach Taylor: Yes, there is someone within every department that has access to all of the initial eligibility center or clearinghouse information.  This is relatively new, within the last 5 years, and this has become an important part of recruiting.  Universities can go on the internet and find out if you are registered with the clearinghouse or have turned in an SAT score or GPA, which has helped the recruiting process as far as academic information goes.

When should I send out a target letter for the first time to college coaches?

Coach Taylor: I would send them out as soon as possible even as soon as the 8th grade.  The process moves so fast, and the most important thing to know is college coaches rely on their being able to find players.  They have to find players wherever they can.  If you make it easy for them by sending a letter your freshmen year, they can then send you a questionnaire, a camp brochure, and other information that helps you and them get you in their database and on their radar.  The most important thing is to get on coaches radar.  Start early, get your name in their database and build relationship so you get you on their mind, make it easy for them to recruit you.

I sent my information through NCSA with my profile and video to the coaches I was matched with and I am starting to hear some interest from them that they might want to come see me at a tournament this summer.  How should I follow up and reply to that coach?

Coach Taylor: Thank them for the interest they have for you.  Every single time you contact a coach in your letter or phone calls, there has to be a purpose.  Don’t just write to write.  In this case they have your information, thank them for writing to you, let them know you are going to be working with the defense on a certain day, etc.  If there is any kind of information you can tell them such as where you are going to be that will be most helpful.  All of the rules are different for every sport, but letting them know where you are going to be makes it easy for them to make the decision if they can come watch you or not.  If there is a website or link to the group running the event send that as well and anything else that would make it easier for them to see you.  Have a goal to each letter; again don’t just write a letter to write a letter.  If it is a thank you letter, that’s one thing and that’s appropriate, but any other communications should have some meaning to it, so the coach can get something out
of it.  This will help build a relationship even through correspondence.

Thanks Coach!  If you have questions you would like answered, send them to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

Will You Seize Your Chance?

Get Recruited Now!

If we aren’t scheduled yet you can find out how bring a Recruiting Event to your town!

Remember, you can always build a recruiting profile and get searched by college coaches for free.

Drew Vandermeer of Fairbanks, Alaska was a 2009 State Champion in the 100 Breaststroke and third in the 100 Free, but he didn’t wait for recruiting to come to him.

As a result, he has a scholarship to swim at a Division One program in one of the most beautiful cities in America. “I am super stoked,” Drew told me as he gets set to go to Seattle University.

Drew and his father made the effort to hear me deliver College Recruiting Simplified in Fairbanks, Alaska this past October. Drew was a couple of months into his senior year and recruiting was not happening as much as he thought it would. For sixty minutes, he listened as I shared the ’5 Things You Need to Know and the 5 Things You Must Do’ to have successful recruiting experiences. I remember talking to them off to the side for 15 minutes. I am always curious as to what those families do at that point. Do they continue to hope that the recruiting process plays out, or do they start doing more?

Not only did Drew immediately build a Profile that showcased his athletic and academic accomplishments, he also took advantage of opportunities that came his way. His West Valley High School team finished a practice at the nearby University of Alaska Fairbanks. He noticed the University of Alaska Fairbanks swim team was getting set for a women’s Dual Meet against Seattle University. Drew took the initiative to introduce himself to one of the women’s assistant coaches at Seattle and shared his impressive times with her. He asked her where those times would fit in with the men. Would they be middle, top middle, or where? She happened to also coach with the men, so she relayed those to the men’s coach and they started recruiting him.

“Earlier in High School I was expecting coaches would come to me,” said Drew. “They’ll look but not that hard because there are good swimmers all over the country. You have to make yourself known.”

This comes from a young man that stood six feet and four inches and was a swimming machine and State Champion.

His NCSA Profile caught the attention of the University of Wyoming and other D1 programs such as Pacific, and they got into the mix. He ended up seriously looking at Wyoming and would have gone there had Seattle not been the perfect match.

Drew arranged an official recruiting visit to Seattle University. They paid for half of the trip.He had a very productive time on the visit. He liked the close knit nature of the team. He was very impressed with head coach Craig Mallery and his stand on academics related to athletics. Drew is very serious about getting a Masters in International Business with a minor in Spanish.

“What really pulled me in,” Drew told me, “was that Seattle University is a true student-athlete school. D1 is important to them and they work your butt off in practice, but they know I am there to get an education first and that is their priority. I have lived in Fairbanks my whole life. I wanted to get out for my college education. I want to get an International Business education, manage a business or be a CEO, and travel the world.”

Drew had a 3.2 GPA at West Valley High in Fairbanks with challenging courses. He made a 24 on the ACT and 1090 on the SAT. He will start with athletic scholarship money plus $18,000 of other scholarship money, mostly merit. The majority of his college education will be paid for because of his athletic and academic credentials.

At Seattle University he will do mostly sprints such as the 50 and 100 Free and the 100 Backstroke. He loves the atmosphere of the campus and that it is off to itself but a 20 minute walk to the city.

The photo below is one of the most exciting events a family can experience. Look at the smile on Drew’s face as his father Tim signs his Letter of Intent. All those hours in the pool and classroom have paid off as he is going to swim in College and get a top quality education. He understood you have to work the recruiting process.

“What I loved about NCSA is that I learned what I should do and should not do,” he said. “It helped arranged everything and the information was so helpful. These schools like the University of Wyoming would not have known about me. My teammate Greg Evershed, who is a year younger than me, saw what happened with me so now he is doing the same thing.”

Drew wants to be a CEO one day. When you combine the quality of the education he is going to get, with the discipline and time management skills he will take from having been a high level swimmer, that young man is going to be very attractive in the job market. Companies are going to want his competitive nature in their culture. He is making a 40 year decision by getting an education AND being a college athlete. When I called to talk to him about his decision, I found him to be highly respectful, well spoken and very mature for his age.

I have had the chance to speak three times in Alaska on recruiting. People have flocked from all over the hear the Talks. At one Talk, a bunch of folks drove down from North Pole High School! The looks on their faces were, “Help! We need to know about recruiting!!” Later this summer I will be speaking in Montana. It will be another chance to help educate families in places far from the beaten trail on how to connect with scholarships, and to have their dreams come true like they have for Drew!

For an Evaluation of where YOU stand in the Recruiting Process

If you would like this seminar delivered in your community, at your school or club, contact me at cadams@ncsasports.org

Charlie Adams

NCSA Senior National Speaker

NCSA recently received feedback for the College Coach’s Corner from Loras’ Baseball Coach, Daniel Wellik:

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Personable, demanding, and understanding.  As a younger coach it is easy for me to relate to players, as not too long ago I was in their shoes.  I expect alot out of my athletes and in turn hope they expect alot out of me.  We are all together for common goals so we hold each other accountable.  I feel that I expect alot but am fair in doing so.  I also understand that sometimes things don’t go as planned and being able to adapt is one of my strengths.

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

First and foremost, Loras College is a wonderful place with great people.  The people are what makes Loras, you will not find a friendlier atmosphere where young people turn themselves into responsible adults.  It is a great place to learn and grow at.  A few things other things to note would be that we are a smaller school (enrollment 1800) and that we are a laptop computer campus in which every student receives a computer and where technology is used in the classroom on a daily basis.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

We are here to help you become who you want to be.  As cheesy as the NCAA television commercials are about student-athletes going pro in other things than sports, it is true.  There are so many things outside of baseball that we try to help our athletes with.  From internships, to studying abroad, to learning important things about life in general.  We try to teach our kids how to be most importantly good people who will be good husbands, fathers, and members of their community.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

Ability is the first thing that most coaches look for and so do we, we want kids that can help us win.  Second, we look at the person academically usually over a 3.0 gpa and 20 act.  There are also other things like character, internal drive, and we want kids that want to be at Loras not kids that want to be somewhere else.

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

Be honest with themselves and with coaches.  Always keep the lines of communication open and let coaches know if you are or are not interested.  Coaches would rather hear no than not hear anything at all.  Also, look at what the school is offering you and ask yourself if that is what you want.  We have had kids who have picked other schools when they don’t have their majors.

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

I like to hear questions about goals we have for our program and the future.  I also like questions about what we see in them as players.  It gives them a good idea about how much we are interested.

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

When they don’t respond.  If I contact a young man and they don’t respond in a reasonable amount of time, it frustrates me becasue I don’t know if they are not interested or are.

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

I feel like we are successful in instructing and teaching the game of baseball the right way.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

The opportunity to play with outstanding teammates, be coached by outstanding coaches, and receive a degree that will set them up for success for the rest of their life.

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

Email me at daniel.wellik@loras.edu or they can go to our baseball webpage at www.duhawks.com and fill out a prospective athlete questionnaire.

Read what  Melanie Gregor, softball coach at Holy Names University shares with our NCSA coaches corner about recruiting:

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I am a combination of demanding and laid-back…..I expect our athletes to be self-starters and committed to being the best students and athletes they can be. I can’t always pester my players about what needs to be done academically or athletically, so I expect them to be driven to be the best on their own, as well as from motivation from peers and teammates.

2. What do you look for in recruits?

Players who have researched the schools they want to attend, who are driven, focused, skilled and willing to play for a starting spot.

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

Be informed and persistent. Sometimes quality players slip through the cracks because they don’t know what they want, where they want to go, and are just generally indecisive about going to college.

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

What are the academic expectations at HNU? What resources does HNU have for students? How can I contribute to HNU’s team?

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

Student-athletes that have not matched themselves to what Holy Names has to offer beyond our softball program.

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

Interested athletes can complete a Web Recruiting form from our website, www.hnuhawks.com , link to Softball

Gain some insight on the softball program at State College of Florida/Manatee by reading the article below from Coach  Machen:

*  How would you describe yourself as a coach?

Our coaching staff is all about teaching how to succeed at the college level. We have 3 highly experienced coaches who share a common methodology. Our goals are to provide the highest level of play available at our level, while insuring the best educational opportunities for advancements to higher levels.

* What is unique about the experience at State College of Florida/Manatee CC?

The full involvement of faculty and athletics. It is not unusual to see the President, multiple vice presidents and teachers at all home games and some of the travel games. Also, there is a close bond between the baseball and softball teams.

* What do recruits need to know about you?

Our coaches are very intense and demand a level of effort equivelant to what we put into the program. We have fun, and enjoy the whole experience, but expect 100% effort.

*  What do you look for in recruits?

Good Grades, good athletic abilities, basic mechanics mastered and a winning attitude.

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

Understand what they are looking for and what they need in their college experience.

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

How do you balance my school with my athletics? Where can I go if I complete all of my requirements for you? What opportunities does your program present to me?

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

Anything about what someone else may be offering or who else has been talking to them.

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

Providing a fun and competitive environment to help pave our athletes way on to bigger and better opportunities.