NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Coach Taylor – So I’m having some contact with multiple coaches. How do I know where I am on their list of recruits for my position? Is this okay to ask?

At a certain point in the recruiting process you will need to take control of the situation and figure out where you stand with these coaches. I am going to give you some tips and hints that will help you determine that.

You are a Top Prospect if:

• The coach has watched you compete and given you specific feedback, coach had told you a number of prospects they are recruiting and where you fall with them. A top 3 position is great.

• If you get handwritten notes at anytime.

• If you get a detailed letter describing the NCAA rules from a Recruiting Management System DI school during freshman or sophomore year.

• If you get an email on Sept 1st at the start of junior year.

• The coach calls your high school coach or club coach.

• The coach calls you once a week during senior year.

• If the coach is offering you an official visit for senior year.

What to do:

Call the coach! This is an open invite to pick up the phone and start asking questions. Let them know who else is interested. If they find out others schools are recruiting you, then you will look like a better recruit! Think about schools that are similar to the one you are talking to. If you are talking to Yale, then talk about other Ivy League schools. Think about schools that are in a similar academic or athletic standing. The best answer is a school in the same conference as the one you are talking with. Always let the coach know if you have other offers on the table. Bring up financial issues if they will be a determining factor in your decision making. Be open to options and always ask about other types of aid besides athletic scholarship. Never directly ask for a scholarship! Always ask questions like “what do you feel my athletic and academic resume might qualify me for?” It’s up to the coach whether they want to offer you scholarship.

You are on a recruiting list if:

• If you are getting Questionnaires, Camp Brochures, and Admissions Packets as an underclassman.

• You start to receive regular team updates after Sept 1st.

• You get a generic personal email, but the coach is not calling you.

• Coach watched your video, but did not give you specific feedback OR the coach has never watched you play.

What to do:

Email the coach with your information, highlight video and game/tournament schedule. They probably need to see you play and you need to start asking more questions to find out exactly where you are on their recruiting list and what they need from you. You are not a top recruit at this point. Always consider the recruiting timeline for the division the coach you are talking with is in, it may just be early in their cycle. Follow this email up with a phone call to ask about highlight video feedback and the coach’s recruiting needs. Find out if you are an “average” recruit for them or whether they just need to see you play. If you are stuck in this category and the coach has watched you play, I would assume that you are not high on the coach’s list of recruits. Make sure you have other options.

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 – We are going through the recruiting process with our daughter, and we have heard about how some people in some sports get ‘full’ scholarships, and also some ‘divided’ scholarships. How do coaches divide scholarships, by years or maybe what they pay for?

Coaches can do one of many things, and it is completely up to their discretion how they split things up. In a sport like swimming, swimmers can earn more money, or more % of a scholarship by cutting down their times. Other coaches split a scholarship up by some athletes getting their books paid for, or maybe tuition and not books. There are many different ways to divide up scholarships, and this is the individual coach’s decision. Believe it or not, a coach can even decide to just not use a scholarship if they want. They don’t need to hand out all of their scholarship money, although this is rare.

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.

Visits are a critical part of the recruiting process.  Many athletes and families have no clue what to expect and are unsure how to maximize each opportunity.  Over the next two weeks, the NCSA Team will be teaching families everything they need to know about recruiting visits.   Check out part 1 below!

Official and Unofficial Visits

If you would like to discuss your personal recruiting situation with the NCSA Team, call 866-579-6272 to schedule a free analysis.

Coach John Brubaker, “Coach Bru”  sits down and talks success strategies with NCSA’s founder and author of Athletes Wanted, Chris Krause.

John Brubaker is a coach, speaker, consultant and author of the forthcoming book Over Time Victory.

See what head men’s basketball coach Mike Lightfoot from Bethel College in Indiana has to say about recruiting in our coaches corner:

What do you look for when evaluating potential recruits? The first thing I look for in a potential recruit is his grades. I can go watch as many games of him, but it doesn’t matter how good a recruit may be if they don’t have the grades and are ineligible in college. To me, if you don’t have the same mentality in the classroom as you do on the court then I’m not particularly interested in bringing him to our institution. I also see how the recruit reacts to his teammates, his coaches and his parents. I ask myself, “Is he coachable? Is he willing to get better? Is he a leader? Will he represent our school with integrity?” These are keys in bringing in the right recruit into our program.

How do you initially reach out to a recruit? We like to go out and watch them play. Normally it’s a very informal greeting between summer basketball games or open gyms. I introduce myself, tell them what our program is about and then let them make the decision on what is the best fit.

Discuss your 1st call strategy for a recruit: It’s about relationships. First calls are always tough so I make them very light-hearted. I want to build that relationship with the recruit and get to know him better.

How often do you communicate with your recruits? I’m not one for hounding recruits. They’re just kids and I try to let them experience their high school careers before it’s gone. I normally check in with them every now and then, but I do feel there is such a thing as “over-recruiting.”

How do you close a recruit when you want them to commit? I don’t force it. I let the recruit take the time he needs with his family to make the right choice that’s best for him. This is a huge decision in anyone’s life. Getting the opportunity to work with young men at a place like Bethel is a real privilege. To see a recruit choose Bethel and then watch him mature and develop gives me great satisfaction and when you realize that these kids are finding their mission and ministry in life– that’s what makes coaching and recruiting special!”

What tips would you give coaches just getting started with recruiting? Be patient. Do what you do best and don’t sell something that you’re not. Be straight forward and willing to answer all their questions honestly.

As we head into evaluation periods for sports in the winter/spring, it is important to understand what can make an impact on student-athletes during high school visits.  In our communications with student-athletes we have found some consistent ideas that can excite a prospect about a school.  Below are some tips that may tip the scales in your favor when visiting a school.

Tip #1: Evaluate the student-athletes before you visit

You could be one of several coaches dropping by the school, so differentiating yourself is key.  One way to do this is by talking specifically about a student-athlete.  Jumping on the schools website to find out how the team did, checking out stats, or even having the opportunity to view video can show the student-athlete that you are truly interested in them.  You can do this by using online resources such as maxpreps, youtube, and of course us here at NCSA.

Tip #2: Leave the school with a plan of next contact

One of the most confusing steps for student-athletes after a coach visits their school is what happens next.  Leaving a business card, expectation of when film should be turned in, or when you will follow up with the student-athlete can show the athlete you have legitimate interest in them.  Also, if you need more information on them to evaluate, make sure you request it from the student-athlete and set a timeline for delivery of the information.

Tip #3: Promote the unique nature of your school

As one of the many coaches coming through the school, showing how your school is different and the unique opportunities presented to student-athletes can catch the recruits interest.  Promoting special programs, unique opportunities, or defining features about your school can separate your school from the usual rhetoric of won/loss records.

A short Fall is quickly turning to Winter.  Senior student-athletes are starting the application process across the country.  Some schools have early admissions deadlines approaching.  It is time for financial aid questions to begin from parents and athletes trying to find the best fit with today’s economy in mind.  Mastering this important aspect of recruiting can be of great benefit to you and your staff.

As admissions decisions are made, the biggest hurdle remaining for many families is figuring out how to afford tuition, room and board, and books.  Make sure that you feel comfortable knowing how to answer basic financial questions from your recruits.  Research the financial aid process from start to finish with your school.  Work with your financial aid office to understand the different packages students are eligible for.  Understand the minimums for academic scholarship and the maximum family incomes for need based help.  Becoming an expert in the area of financial aid can set you apart from your competition.

Just as important to what your school can offer is what other schools can offer your recruits.  Understand the scholarship structure within your division level.  Learn if conference rules or athletic budgets leave schools without the maximum allowable number per NCAA or NAIA rules.  Also, make sure to research merit scholarships that schools can use to help lower the families cost of attendance.  Check with the current players on your roster to see if there were any outside scholarships that they used to help pay for school.  Financial aid is as important as admissions to many families.  Providing assistance on this important aspect can bring your school to the forefront.