Recently, NCSA Recruiting Expert and Professional Golfer, Brandi Jackson had the opportunity to speak at the US Golf Camp in Pittsburgh. To find out what college golf programs you qualify for, call the NCSA Recruiting Team at 866-579-6272.
Coach T.J. Woods – Recruiting Coordinator – Utah State University
We recently caught up with Coach T.J. Woods from Utah State University. Coach Woods is the Tight Ends coach and Recruiting Coordinator at USU and answered a few recruiting questions for us, shown below:
Coaching Resume:
Utah State (TE/Recruiting Coordinator): 2009-Present
New Mexico (OL/Recruiting Coordinator): 2007-2009
Citrus College (OL/Run Game Coordinator): 2006-2007
Azusa Pacific (TE): 2003-2006
1. What do you look for when evaluating potential recruits?
The first thing I look for while evaluating recruits is their size and speed. To me those two perameters alone will eliminate a vast majority of prospects. Second I look for their ability to play the game, each position is different. Thirdly I look for their football IQ, how easy does the game come to them? Are they instinctual?. The third factor is often undervalued in the recruiting and the first factor is often overvalued, but in general speaking terms, that is how my personal evaluation process starts….
2. How do you initially reach out to a recruit?
When I reach out to a recruit, the first thing I like to do I call them (when the NCAA permits). I think it is very important to break the ice through verbal conversation rather than in print. Although this tactic is becoming harder and harder as kids continue to favor written communication as their primary means (text, email etc.).
3. Discuss your 1st call strategy for a recruit:
On the first Call my entire strategy is focused on making the recruit comfortable. Recruiting is like dating… You are going to form a relationship with this person that is very important to both of you…..This involves trust…. Gaining trust, in my opinion, is the number one priority while recruiting.
4. How often do you communicate with your recruits?
I call recruits as much as the NCAA will allow. Usually once a week…..
5. How do you “close” a recruit when you want them to commit?
When I need to close a recruit, the thing I hate to do is give them an ultimatum…. For me I will depend heavily on the trust that I have gained with the student athlete through our many conversations and tell him the truth about his situation. For me it’s about being honest and painting a clear picture for the student athlete about where he sits and the time frame in which he needs to make a decision.
6. What tips would you give coaches just getting started with recruiting?
Recruiting is just like coaching in that you have to be yourself to be successful. There is no “official recruiting manual” out there. There are several ways to be successful as a recruiter, just like coaching, there is no single correct way to recruit. The thing that will get you beat faster than anything is being phony…. Be yourself, be honest and recruit with integrity…. Always remember that if you’re in this business for the right reasons you will realize that the decision of which institution to spend your college years at is far more important for a recruit than it is for a Coach or a football team…..
On the road and in the office, NCSA works with thousands of families as they navigate through the recruiting process. As we interact with families, we consistently hear several common themes while discussing the challenges of the recruiting process. As a college coach, understanding a recruit’s struggles and addressing their concerns better than your competition is an important step toward success on signing day.
One of the biggest issues most families have with recruiting is dealing with the uncertainty of it all. That’s a rather larger topic for discussion, but most families struggle with understanding this process. The feedback we receive from families has allowed us to identify some major areas of concerns that coaches should address.
Uncertainty of affordability
Most families you encounter will want to provide their son or daughter with the necessary resources to attend college. Address this early on when building your relationship with families. I’ve heard countless coaches say, “If the first question a family or recruit asks me is what sort of scholarship money is available, it decreases my overall interest in the recruit.” This seems to be backwards logic to me and it’s a line of thinking that does not resonate with families. Understand that parents do not want to set their children up for disappointment, and some would rather avoid a potentially good option then explain why they cannot afford it at a later point in the process. Addressing these concerns up front will allow a coach to gain the families’ trust sooner and move on to the next phase in the process.
Uncertainty of interest
Although by percentages most athletes will end up playing at a smaller level, it seems that almost all families receive some form of basic interest from the highest levels: a questionnaire, a letter, a mass-generated email. This creates confusion regarding where they can play and which schools they should be targeting. Most coaches will need to help families readjust their expectations in order to reach a recruit.
Almost all the families you work with will most likely be confused about where they stand with you. Recruiting moves at a breakneck speed, and families expect to know as soon as possible which opportunities are realistic. If you address this uncertainly it will allow your recruits and their families to start considering why your school is the right fit.
Uncertainty of the process
Most of your recruits will not understand how to approach you throughout the recruiting process. Many of the best coaches are also great teachers. In order to more effectively earn the trust and ear of your recruits, make sure you eliminate any uncertainty they have about approaching you and your staff throughout the process.
You should also make sure your recruits understand when and how they can be approached by you. I hear firsthand from recruits who tell me, “School X has lost interest because they haven’t been calling.” When I inform the recruit that the school cannot contact them because of NCAA regulations it almost always takes them by surprise. The last thing we want is for a recruit to mentally move on to other programs because coaches haven’t properly educated them on how and when they’ll be contacted.
Uncertainty is common throughout the recruiting process. Any great recruiter encourages these fears and works past them to develop strong relationships with the families that eventually join their program. The next time you approach a prized recruit, make sure you consider how you can more effectively eliminate any concerns they have and you may set yourself up to receive a commitment.
Is it all about the money?
It’s important that every coach face the reality that most families will gravitate to the opportunities with the greatest financial incentives. At the end of the day families are looking to reduce the cost of their students’ education by as much as possible. But the college selection process isn’t just about the money. NCSA has found some interesting concepts to consider while attempting to shift a recruits focus towards whether or not your school is the right fit and not just the cheapest option. 
Of course, the reality is that some recruits will be out of your reach. Other programs may offer scholarship packages that far surpass what your program can offer, and in those cases you won’t be able to compete for families’ interest. But recruiting battles often come down to two institutions that present similar packages to recruits. To grab the attention of recruits and their families, consider the next layer of the important factors families consider when making a decision.
Once the scholarship field is even, most coaches turn to pitching their universities’ academic prowess. We often hear from most families that, once the traditional “name brand” universities are out of the picture, they are unable to distinguish one academically sound institution from the next.
In the current economic climate, families are concerned about career development opportunities for their children. Families want to understand how attending your university will help their son or daughter’s post-college career options. If you can clearly define that path, it will be easier for families to understand why the investment they’re making in their children’s education should be with your school versus your competition.
Families will respond more favorably if you take the time to consider the recruits’ future plans and present a vision that is individualized to meet their desires. Instead of just mentioning that your school has a great Economics program, explain why it stands out and what further resources will be available throughout their college career. If you present a plan tailored to the individual recruit, it’s likely you’ll have a better shot at earning a commitment.
How fast does the recruiting process actually work? There are many skeptics when we tell recruits that they need to start taking steps as early as possible to maximize their scholarship potential. Skeptics rationalize that there are only a few high-profile examples of freshman being offered scholarships and assume that their recruiting process will play out in due time. Well, the numbers suggest otherwise.
Taking an unofficial count from Rivals.com, the 2012 Football Recruiting class already has over 600 scholarship offers. If you consider that there are 120 schools in the FBS offering around 30 scholarships per class, an astounding 16% of total scholarship slots have already been offered!
Every single week that another camp, combine or unofficial visit takes place, more scholarships are offered. Its a cold hard fact that every single day that a recruit hesitates, they are losing ground to their peers. There are so many talented athletes across the country that you cannot afford to waste time hoping that you will be discovered.
Also, consider it from the perspective of a college coach. College coaches are certainly not wasting time, as they are competing to gain any recruiting edge possible. They have jobs worth millions of dollars on the line and don’t want to leave anything to chance. Simply hoping that they will discover talent that shows up at camp isn’t an option. You better believe that college coaches are getting as pro-active as possible to ensure their success.
Bottom Line: Playing the Waiting Game isn’t a Winning an Option.
Compare track recruiting to other sports. Why is it different?
The recruiting timeline for track is extremely different than other sports. Recruiting happens much later and top athletes may not receive offers until senior year. I just had a senior commit to a Big Ten school this past week. The main reason for this is because a lot of track athletes develop later and coaches want to see senior times. This pushes things back further. Track is also a non-revenue sport so there typically is not as much scholarship money available for the track program as there will be for other sports. Be open to the idea of receiving financial help in different areas.
Make yourself as appealing of a recruit as possible, not only athletically, but also academically. The more events you are strong in, the better. They will be able to use you in more events and this could potentially lead to more financial help as well. Academically, the stronger grades/test scores you have the better and also look into some extracurricular events as well; this make you more of a well-rounded recruit.
What are the biggest mistakes that track athletes make when it comes to recruiting?
Waiting for coaches to contact you, rather than being pro-active and reaching out to coaches on your own. Track coaches have very little money in their budgets and oftentimes, prefer it when athletes reach out to them. Track athletes are going to have fewer coach contacts than some of their friends who compete in other sports are going to have, so being pro-active becomes much more important. Coaches need to know and believe that you are interested in their program and that you are willing to do what it takes to be part of their team; you can show them this by taking the initiative and introducing yourself to them, letting them know your interest in the school and by asking them a couple of good questions about their school or program.
What are some things that college track coaches look for in recruits?
Every coach looks for different attributes when it comes to recruits, but the majority of track coaches are looking for recruits who have times that are steadily improving and athletes who are coachabale. That coaching potential is very important to track coaches, because they want to be confident that they can help you continue to improve throughout college. They don’t want to recruit athletes who have already reached their potential. Show coaches that you are doing whatever it takes to continue to improve and are willing to take any advice they can offer.
Talk a little bit about the recruiting process from a college coach’s perspective? What are some obstacles they face?
Not having enough money in their budgets. Track coaches struggle with having less money in their budgets than some revenue building sports have and they are forced to a be thriftier with their budgets. There are a lot of student-athletes who have similar stats, so making yourself stand out in a coach’s eye will make their jobs a bit easier. For any sport, a lot of coaches struggle with finding prospects who are legitimately interested in their school. Take the hard part out of their job and reach out to them expressing your interest in their team and school. Keep in mind that you need to be realistic with your athletic and academic abilities with that particular school, but in most cases, the coach will be ecstatic to hear from you!
What would you recommend track athletes who attend an event like the NSSF do AFTER they get back from the showcase to improve their recruiting process?
Follow-up is very important. You should leave events such as NSSF and have even more motivation to compete at the next level. Contact coaches who attended the event and ask them if they had a chance to watch you run. Get some feedback and ask questions about their program. Let them know that you have interest in their school and show them that you are serious about competing at the next level.
Determine where you are in the recruiting process by contacting a National Scout at 866-579-6272.
Have you seen the new NCSA video site? In an effort to further promote our student-athletes we have launched the NCSA College Recruiting Videos Site. http://www.ncsasports.org/college-recruiting-videos
To celebrate its launch we are giving away an iPad to the video with the most Facebook “Likes.” How can you win? It’s simple, just search for and send out your video to your family and friends. Ask them to hit the “Like” button.
You can spread your video in any way you think up! The contest will run through July 26th at 12 p.m.
Coach Taylor, My coach just left my school and I’m worried that my scholarship chances just took a serious blow. Can I recover?
I have good news and better news. The good news is that you are chances are certainly still alive. Coaches may have been a huge part of the scholarship process in the past, but those days are over. It is great to have an experienced coach in your corner. Ideally he would have relationships with many coaches in the state, but coaches like this are so rare today that you are hardly at a disadvantage.
The better news is that the tools exist today that every athlete can use to get recruited regardless of the help they receive from their coach. Your coach serves as more of a point of reference than an actual gate keeper to college. If you are proactive in the process, nothing should hold you back.
Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org
You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.
Coach Taylor, I am heading into the 8th grade. How early should I start the recruiting process?
Its funny how often I get this question, and it still amazes me when the families I talk to don’t heed my advice immediately. You CANNOT START RECRUITING EARLY ENOUGH. You are either early or you or late. There is no in between. Even if you receive multiple scholarship offers, who is to say you wouldn’t have received more if you would have started earlier? I offered an 8th grader a scholarship years ago, and the practice is much greater now.
You can start right away by educating yourself about the NCAA and the Recruiting Process. If you are truly serious about playing now is the time to start.
Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org
You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.
