NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Coach Taylor- Do college coaches work together with the admissions office?

All college coaches at all levels have the ability to communicate with the admissions office. A coach can submit the name of future students they are interested in after an evaluation of their academic and athletic ability. However, this does not mean that at student-athlete will automatically get accepted to a school. Though some coaches have more influence than others depending on the culture, size, and division of a school, at the end of the day, schools want to admit students that are serious about their academics and have the transcripts to prove it. Both coaches and admissions directors work closely together to make sure that the right kids get accepted and can succeed at the school.

Applying to a college can also be pricey. The student can ask the coach to waive the application fee. Student-athletes usually find the admissions process relatively easy and stress fee as long as they have help from an accommodating coaching staff.

The admissions process for a student-athlete is generally the same as it is for any other student. A student may have athletic scholarship offers from top programs across the country, but if they don’t meet the academic requirements, they may be out of luck.

If you have any further questions you can always call (1-866-579-6272) to speak with a national recruiting expert.

Connect with the Athletic Recruiting Network today!

From the moment you are born, you are not allowed to be ‘paid to play’ whether it is for practice or performance. The only time you are able to accept money, is if it is prize money and it is below the cost of actual and necessary expenses. Therefore if you paid an entry fee of $50 and it cost you $100 in travel fees, you can receive a prize in the amount up to $150.

So, no matter how old you are, you cannot be enticed to play harder with gift cards or cash. You cannot be told you receive cash or a gift card if we win the championship or if you score 20 points. It affects your amateurism if you do.

Texas defensive back Aaron Williams will achieve the dream of a lifetime when he is drafted near the top of the NFL Draft.  Back in 2006 we originally met Aaron and helped him enter the US Army All-American Combine.  A few months later he had accepted a verbal offer to Texas and soon after that found himself playing in the All-American Bowl.

He made it on to the field as a true freshman, started receiving significant playing time, became a star, and has now reached the National Football League.  Congratulations on a wonderful night Aaron!

Coach Taylor, what is the difference between legal third party recruiters and illegal services?

The line that separates illegal recruiting services from the legal ones usually has a lot to do with money. The stories that have commanded offseason media all have to do with big athletic programs paying multiple thousands of dollars to private recruiting services.

A recruiting service is not allowed to charge college coaches different prices for its services and information. As a great example only a few months ago, red flags appeared when Oregon paid $25,000 to Will Lyles for his third party information on certain recruits. Also, recruiting services are not allowed to sell college coaches non-scholastic information. This means that if a service tries to sell film of a top recruit at a camp or combine to a college coach, they are crossing the line.

NCSA is a third party network that has built its relationships with college coaches by offering all college coaches access to all of the verified information on the advanced recruit match database for free. With all of the gray areas surrounding illegitimate recruiting services in the modern day, it is safe and smart to rely on a verified, well known third party recruiting source to post your recruiting profile, video, and facilitate contact with college coaches.

Every time a student athlete lets us know how his or her recruiting process is going, the NCSA team is reminded of what a gift it is to spend every day empowering leaders through sports and helping student-athletes find the right fit.

The information I am receiving is really helpful and is really opening my mind up to a lot of things I never thought about in the recruiting process.
– Christian Adams

I gave this response because it helps colleges to look at the talents that athletes have, not only the athletes that shine, but those who are getting out-shined. I love how NCSA set up the profile and got me to get looked at by many colleges. It helped me make a decision to play football at the next level for Millsaps College.
– Trevor King

It’s just a great program and helps you get noticed early, before you have to start the college process. It is a great head start on other people who don’t have NCSA on their side and I personally feel that it’s a huge advantage. Thanks NCSA!
– Joseph Martin

NCSA helped get me EVERY college option I have.
– Kendrick Adams

The NCSA helps to keep you organized and on track, easy access to college and coach information, and most importantly I don’t think I or anybody could reach this many coaches without the NCSA. I believe it’s increased my chances of playing college football 100%.
– Chris Shannon

My parents signed me up for NCSA in January. The service and information that has been provided from being a member of NCSA has been outstanding. I know that without the service and access that have been granted to me, I would not be able to contact some of the educational institutions and get responses as quickly and as often as I have been able to do. I have and do recommend this company to anyone that is serious about getting into college as a student athlete. Keep up the good work!!
– Tyana Daniels

It does a lot more than a coach or anyone else can do to help you get recruited.
– Stephen Kavianian

I wouldn’t be going to the school I am going to if it wasn’t for NCSA!
– Deron Buehner

NCSA gives me the tools and knowledge on how to get recruited. Right now I probably know more about recruiting than most high school kids do in my area. I spend a lot of time on lacrosse websites where juniors and seniors are desperately creating threads about how to get recruited because they have no idea how to go about the whole process. Even though I don’t fully understand it, I think I have a good idea about what is going on. With the help from NCSA I know that I will never be one of those juniors and seniors not recruited yet. I love your program and look forward to continuing my recruiting process with you guys in the future.
– Josh Haubenstock

Great tool to use when looking for a match for our son; from the one on one services, to the videos, listings, phone presentations, good solid advice, already have recommended your services many times and gave our book to a prospective freshman!!
– Conner Murray

My experience with NCSA so far has been incredibly helpful. The directions are explicit, and my coach is understanding, patient, and supportive.
– Aleeza Kanner

You guys have continually over-delivered on what I expected. Also, the ability to contact an agenda-less someone (almost) 24 hours a day with a question has been a comforting factor in this new process.
– Jake Horowitz

You guys have great people working in the office to give me answers if I need them pretty much whenever I need and it’s a great program.
– Jacob Carpenter

NCSA’s recruiting experts have selected some of their top recruits in different sports and we need your help to vote for the best Student-Athlete of the Month for April.

It’s Easy to Vote:

1. Read through a quick description of the student-athlete

2. Click on the link below the description to view more information

3. Click the “Like” button featured at the bottom of their Recruiting Profile if you feel like they are the best candidate for NCSA Student-Athlete of the Month

Here are the three candidates for NCSA Student-Athlete of the Month for March:

1)  Brett Sampiere: 2012 Graduate, Men’s Soccer Student-Athlete from California

Brett is a 2012 graduate from San Diego, California that attends Torrey Pines High School.  In the classroom he carries a 3.94 / 4.0 GPA and scored a 28 ACT.  He plays club for Surf Academy and is already communicating with a number of top academic DI programs.

2) Taylor McNamara: 2012 Graduate, Football Student-Athlete from California

TE from San Diego, CA. Currently holds 15 1-A offers. McNamara was recently selected to the U.S. Army All-American game.

3) Tanner Kruse: 2012 Graduate, Baseball Student-Athlete from California

Tanner is very projectable with a body that is 6’5” 180 pounds who is currently throwing 87 MPH on the hill. Last year he was named to the All-League 1st Team as a sophomore and this summer will play for the Ventura D-Rays Scout Team. Academically Tanner has earned a 3.34 GPA so far in the classroom.

Coach T, is it wrong for me to be up front with a coach about wanting an official visit if I already took an unofficial and am a rising senior?

It is never bad to be up front with a coach as long as you are being active in communication and know where you are in the process.  If you are nearing the time when you can take official visits (Sept 1^st senior year), and have a list of coaches that are still interested, it is the perfect time to bring it up.

The best platform for this question usually comes with a typical check in communication with a coach.  Let him or her know that you are excited for the school year to start, and the start of the season (practice if not a spring sport).  Update him or her on how everything else is and then ask a few questions.

One of your questions can definitely be, “I really enjoyed the campus on my unofficial visit coach, and I would love to schedule my official for this school year”.  Make sure to express your interest in the school and desire to come again for a more serious visit.  Communicating with the coach is by far the best way to know where you stand in recruiting.  This may also be a great way to gauge a coach’s interest in you.

Good Luck!

When NCSA Educational Speakers deliver their message on the recruiting process, the importance of Character and Academics is a driving force. Earlier this week I emphasized those points at LaPorte High School.

NCSA Speaker Charlie Adams

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote a powerful article on the eve of the 2011 NFL Draft about Robert Hughes and his dream of playing at the pro level. The Notre Dame senior running back has the physical tools and the drive. A great motivation is the memory of his late brother Tony, who was shot and killed 3 1/2 years ago near his Chicago home.

Tony was an outstanding athlete who had football scholarship offers from Big 10 Universities, but he didn’t hit the books and could not meet academic requirements. His football career came up short of where it could have gone.

In the article, Jensen describes how Tony shifted his focus on making sure Robert did not make the same mistakes. Here is part of the article:

“Tony sometimes picked Robert up from Hubbard High School after work and always checked his report card.

‘‘We can’t let him do what I did and mess up his grades,’’ Tony would tell his mother.

‘‘It was something that I was hearing left and right from my mom and brother,’’ Robert said. ‘‘You had to learn from it, or things weren’t going to be good.’’

Once, to bolster his point, Tony posted his full week’s paycheck from Starbucks on Robert’s bedroom door with a note.

‘‘This is what I make right now, for my mistake,’’ Tony wrote.

Right below that, he posted the minimum salary for an NFL player, which was $230,000 at the time.

‘‘This is what you can make if you bust your tail and don’t make the mistakes I made,’’ wrote Tony.”

Robert listened. Recruited by many schools, he signed with Notre Dame because of academics and has earned his Sociology degree. Though not expected to be a high Draft pick, he will most likely play in the NFL. Running backs last about 8 years if they are lucky (most just a few years), so he knows his degree will make sure the 40 to 50 years after his pro career reach their potential.

While Robert listened, so many athletes – especially football and basketball players – don’t and end up failing to reach their potential as a College student-athlete. Athletes most often respond to that credible third party that delivers a message of the importance of character and taking care of academics. I can’t tell you how many Schools and Clubs I have delivered Talks at where the leader says, “We tell the kids over and over but it’s us telling them…they really respond when that outside source tells them.”

In the article, their mother Blanchie says, “Had I had the information that I had for Robert, then Tony could have been in the same spot (an athletic scholarship), but you learn through trial and error.”

Their family did not have recruiting education when Tony came through the process. After Tony came up short, he made sure to get educated. There continues to be a huge lack of education about the recruiting process, calling many athletes to fall through the cracks or underachieve their scholarship potential. When I spoke at LaPorte High, their outstanding Athletic Director Ed Gilliland told me of a survey he did with a group of community advisors he meets with on a regular basis to go over things. Tops on their list was the need for the community to get educated about the College Athletics recruiting process. He brought in NCSA and South Bend Athletics Director Kirby Whitacre (who has a lot of experience in helping families understand recruiting) to speak in their Auditorium. Athletes in hockey, football, basketball, golf, track and XC, softball, volleyball and baseball, as well as their families, attended.

NCSA has a stable of speakers who excelled academically in College and in their sport and many that played at the professional level. They are ready to speak to your young people, athletes and coaches about the recruiting process. NCSA speakers are requested at more than 1500 high schools and events each year to help athletes in all sports understand the process. Thanks to a partnership with the NFL Players Association, we do these events for free!

To learn more either send an email to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org or fill out the short form at this link

To read the entire story on running back Robert Hughes and his quest to reach the NFL to honor his late brother Tony

To talk with a College Scout now to see where you are in the Recruiting Process

Charlie Adams

NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network Senior Speaker

cadams@ncsasports.org

Coach Taylor- Is my scholarship guaranteed for all 4 years?

An athletic scholarship is not guaranteed for all four years. They are awarded for one academic year at a time and officially called “National Letters of Intents”.  However, they are offered with the expectation that it will be renewed each year on the basis of continued progress on both the field and in the classroom. Getting an athletic scholarship doesn’t mean you can now coast through school until graduation. It is common for most college coaches to make verbal commitments of 4 years. However, it is important to keep in mind that verbal commitments are not legally binding.  The decision to renew a scholarship is made on a year-by-year basis, depending on the regulations of the institution.

If you are receiving an athletic scholarship, the scholarship may be reduced or canceled during the academic year ONLY if you:

• Make yourself ineligible for the NCAA competition
• Misrepresent any information on your application, letter of intent or financial aid agreement
• Receive a substantial disciplinary penalty due to serious misconduct
• Voluntarily quit the team

Athletic scholarships cannot be reduced, canceled or increased during the year they are awarded based on your athletic performance or team’s success or because an injury prevents you from participating.

If you are receiving an athletic scholarship, the institution must notify you in writing on or before July 1 whether the aid has been renewed or not. Though there are no four-year athletic scholarships in NCAA Division 1 or II, one-year scholarships can be renewed annually for a maximum of five years within a six-year period.

If you have any further questions you can always call (1-866-579-6272) to speak with a national recruiting expert.

Connect with the Athletic Recruiting Network today!