NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Wilder DeLeon is currently the Offensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Los Angeles Harbor College Football.  Coach DeLeon is responsible for coordinating all of the recruiting for LAHC.

We recently caught up with Coach DeLeon and had an opportunity about what he looks for in recruits.  His answers are provided below.

1. What do you look for when evaluating potential recruits?
We look for someone who can fill our needs, then look at their stats, and then film.

2. How do you initially reach out to a recruit?
Easiest way is by email, but I would much rather speak to a player on the phone.

3. Discuss your 1st call strategy for a recruit:
Try to find out as much info as possible.

4. How often do you communicate with your recruits?
Try to communicate once a week.

5. How do you “close” a recruit when you want them to commit?
You close a recruit by talking to their parents

6. What tips would you give coaches just getting started with recruiting?
Its always hard at the beginning, and though it will never be easy, it will get easier.

From the lack of athletic scholarship dollars to being excluded in video games—it may seem D3 programs just can’t catch a break with recruiting prospects.  However, there is a very fundamental but very important rule that not a lot of D3 coaches are aware of: There are no Phone/Email contact regulations for D3 programs for ANY sport.  That’s right!  D3 schools can email and call potential prospects from the moment they enter high school.

Please see the excerpt from the D3 Manual below:

13.02.9.1 Timing of Telephone Calls. There are no restrictions on the timing of telephone calls to prospective student-athletes. See Bylaw 13.1.3 for information on permissible callers. (Adopted: 4/20/09)

13.02.10.1 Timing of E-mail and Facsimiles. There are no restrictions on the timing for sending e-mails and facsimiles to prospective student-athletes. (Adopted: 4/20/09)

How does this apply to you?  NCSA has access to thousands of student-athletes through their Athletic Recruiting Network and we took the opportunity to survey our athletes.  The information was anything from what the prospect wants to do on visits, to how early they would like to be contacted.  An overwhelming 57% of the student-athletes answered “As early as possible” to how early they would like a D3 program to contact them.

The answer wasn’t nearly as shocking as response by D3 coaches on our monthly recruiting webinars.  Almost half of the college coaches on the webinar did NOT know D3 has a built in advantage in the recruiting process—there are no contact rules regulating how early you can write, email, or even call a prospect.

With the data provided (kids wanting to be contacted early) this may be your best advantage in landing that potential D1/D2 caliber prospect.  As a D3 program if you want to recruit a high caliber class make sure your entire staff, and your other sports know you do NOT have calling/emailing limitations to your prospects.   Use this to your advantage to start identifying and contacting recruits early!

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Coach Taylor, we are starting to enter the recruiting process with our son.  I am just wondering to start off, what is my role going to be as a parent?  What kind of guidance should I provide?

A parent’s role in the recruiting process is very similar to parents’ roles in other aspects of their child’s life.  There are some important bases to cover when getting started in the recruiting process, as well as some underlying themes that will be vital to your student-athlete’s success in the future.

First of all, you are instrumental in assisting your athlete with developing a plan.  This includes plans for gathering recruiting materials, plans for contacting coaches, and being sure that all of these are done correctly and on time.

As NCSA Founder and CEO Chris Krause writes in his book Athletes Wanted, the “Golden Rules” of parenting in the recruiting process are…

. Don’t be a helicopter mom or dad

.Teach humility

.Parents should be their child’s assistant and mentor, not just a cheerleader

.Create a specific plan and follow it

.Be realistic and get an honest evaluation from your high school or club coach, or a scouting organization

.Know your Expected Family Contribution

.The greater the distance, greater the opportunity

.Do not rely solely on your athlete’s coach

The parent’s role in the college sports recruiting process is extremely important.  You are an assistant, mentor, and guide through this extremely important and tedious process.  Being as educated as possible is important for providing your student-athlete with the best chances of success.

Coach, I am a freshman in high school who plays multiple sports.  I am not sure which I want to play in college, should I be only focusing on one through high school?

A coach looking at a high school student- athlete with skill and talent in multiple sports is similar to an employer looking at the resume of a diversely skilled applicant.  Many of the star athletes in college sports were recruited to play multiple sports out high school.  If you can bring many different talents, techniques, and the edge of playing multiple sports to the table, a college coach will likely pick you over a single sport athlete.

One of the main considerations regarding multi-sport athletes is time management.  The athlete must be sure he or she has the time to still succeed academically.  A student-athlete with failing grades will go nowhere.  Also, if the participation in multiple sports weighs down on the athlete physically and mentally, performance can go down in all sports.

If a student-athlete is forced to choose between sports, ALWAYS choose the sport that the athlete loves most.  No matter where he or she ends up playing, college sports is a full time job.  If an athlete chooses to play a sport that he or she does not love, that student-athlete will not have a good experience in the long run.

While competing in multiple sports is highly encouraged while a student-athlete is in high school, it is extremely rare for an athlete to compete in more than one sport at the Division I level.  The best options for a student-athlete hoping to play multiple sports in college are usually at the Division II or III level, or NAIA.

Coach, last year I filled out a bunch of Recruiting Questionnaires for colleges that I liked.  Shouldn’t the coaches be contacting me right now?

A recruiting questionnaire is simply used, by most schools, to get student-athlete’s information into the program’s database.  It will also usually put an athlete on a mailing list to receive general materials about the school and athletic program.

Just because you filled out an RQ does not mean you have contacted the coach, or that the coach even knows who you are.  If you spoke to a coach, and he or she requested that you fill out an RQ, that means that they want your information in the system for future reference.  If you have not personally contacted the coach, however, an RQ does not accomplish that goal.

There are general guidelines for what recruiting materials to send out to coaches as well as when to send it.  An introductory letter or email is typically the first form of contacting a coach.  Remember that anyone can fill out a recruiting questionnaire.  They are available on many program websites.  Simply filling one of these does not mean you are contacting the coaches, putting yourself on their radar, or that they even know who you are yet.

Success in the recruiting process requires proactivity, reaching out, and diligence.  Start early and get on top of it!

Our commited team of 250 former college and professional athletes share a passion for one thing: Changing Lives.  We have all experienced what sports can do for us and empowering athletes is our way of giving back.  Below is just a sample of the feedback we have recently received.  This is what we live for!

Everything is made so easy for the athletes, I would never have been able to get this much attention from college coaches on my own. The recruiting profile is designed exceptionally as well.
–Channing Moreland

Great service from the Coaching conf to customer service. Love the website.
–Kelvin Rausaw Jr.

NCSA staff members are very reliable and insightful people who help me not only develop as a future athlete, but also help me develop as a time manager and organizer.
–Ellen Edgerton

You Produce. You do what you said you were going to do.
–Jake Barker

Money would be the main reason why student athletes go for sports scholarships or search for the best financial help, well in my town that is. Getting noticed is another concern and you do that for us. NCSA is great and provides a lot of info I need about colleges I am interested in. Anyone I recommend to NCSA will surely enjoy your help as much as I did.
–Davi Luna

NCSA has done a great job with everything.
–Skyler Marler

This program is awesome because it expanded the viewership and exposure to schools I had not previously considered. Additionally, it has allowed me to establish solid communication with the schools I am interested in. The system keeps you organized and on-track!
–Scott Lippstreu

Because you guys are nonstop working to help me get to the next level.
–Brandon Groat

I would recommend NCSA to all my team members because you provide the tools to begin and complete our athletic goals.
–Jaleyah Douglass

This site has been so helpful and anytime I had a question, someone was there to answer it. This has been a wonderful experience because there are colleges I never even heard of contacting me. Thank you for all of your help.
–Keela Leal

Great experience and answers all of our questions. This is a very difficult process and this really helps make it more understandable.
–Tyler Rill

NCSA was the easiest, quickest, way to connect to college coaches and reveal my athletic abilities.
–Sydney Couch

Answering all questions directly and quickly. Guiding us through the process. We had no information on any of this before NCSA. Thanks so much. Great job!
–Peter Ihle

Learn how NCSA can change your life.  Call 866-579-6272 or Click Here to reserve a time with one of our National Scouts!

Coach, I thought that my high school coach would handle my recruiting for me, but I am a junior and he has not even mentioned it to me.  Am I doing something wrong?

It is not the job of your high school coach to get you recruited.  Some coaches do help with the process because they care about their athletes.  Some coaches are very good with the recruiting process.  Some coaches will tell you they are very good with the recruiting process but don’t truly know enough to help maximize your college sports recruiting success.

The reality is you cannot rely on your high school coach to handle the recruiting process for you.  Recruiting is simply far too complicated a process.  A helpful coach can supply you with game film from the season, but the coach probably cannot cut the film into a recruiting highlight video, spot shadow it, and edit it for the best viewing ability.  A coach can recommend you to college coaches, but he probably cannot send your information out to hundreds of college coaches and be sure to maintain consistent contact.

The point is, you cannot expect your coach to get you recruited because there is far too much to do in the recruiting process.  You need to start early and be proactive.  Waiting in the game of college recruiting can only hurt you.

The NCSA Athletic Recruiting Team is a committed, athletic minded team whose mission is to empower leaders through sports.  We approach every day with unparalleled passion, energy, love and appreciation for everything that sports have done for us.  We call this:  THE GIVE BACK!



Hey coach, I am a senior and have been playing basketball but only since my junior year. I have improved greatly and am committed like you wouldn’t believe, but because I started so late in my high school career, is it too late to make it in the next level?

Any kind of hardship (late starts, injuries, etc…) that an athlete goes through during high school only makes diligence in the recruiting process that much more vital.  College coaches want the best student athletes with the best character on their squads, in any sport.  If you have the tools, talent, and work ethic to be at the next level, the only thing stopping you is exposure.

The smartest recruits are those that start the recruiting process as early as possible.  Sending letters and basic information to hundreds of coaches just to get connected.  These early connections are an important tool that late starting athletes are missing.  As a result of this, any athlete that starts late must be organized and proactive with his or her recruiting materials.  Recruiting highlight film, statistics, and a basic personal and academic profile must be ready to send to coaches as soon as possible.  As always also make sure to compose an introductory letter for the coach informing him or her of who you are and that your information is on the way.

Achieving success in the recruiting process is still possible if you start late in high school, but it is that much more difficult.  You must do the same amount of work and preparation in half the time and be sure that you are contacting coaches and that they are evaluating you.  A third party recruiting source may be one of the best possibilities in this situation, seeing as it may be too heavy of a load in too short of a time.