NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Just because you are an All Conference or really good Club athlete, it doesn’t mean you want to play College. Sometimes we assume every good High School or Club athlete is dead set on playing at the next level, but that is often not the case.

Recently I spoke on the recruiting process at the Mizuno Mideast Regional Volleyball Qualifiers in Indianapolis.

NCSA's Charlie Adams educates families at large Club Tourney in Indianapolis

Thousands of really good volleyball players were on hand along with coaches and parents. NCSA provides the recruiting education at events such as this one. While many of the players are totally committed to playing at the college level, I had many parents tell me their daughter wasn’t sure she wanted to compete at that level. These were very good All Conference caliber players who could play there. But, many don’t because:

1) They understand the commitment to play college sports and are not sure that is for them

2) They have played their sport so much that they are either fried or simply just want to be a regular college student who does some intramurals.

3) They are picking a very hard academic major and don’t feel they can do both in college.

This is why it is critical to have an online profile and it is just as important to do a thorough evaluation. The online profile is one way to send out a green flag that you are serious about playing college. College coaches are looking for those kind of athletes that are qualified to play at their level and are on fire to do so. They don’t have time to discern who is serious about playing college and who is not.  Though it may come as a surprise to some, there are top Club and High School athletes (especially in sports other than football and basketball) who simply want to go to good ol’ State University, join a fraternity or sorority, play some intramurals to stay connected to their sport, and have more of a typical college experience. It might be that cross country runner that put in a zillion miles of running in High Schools and went all-out but now just wants to back off in college. Or, that swimmer that worked so hard in morning and afternoon practices for years and has simply had enough. That is why YOU need a way to let college coaches know you still have plenty in the tank and are ready. You need a way to put all your accomplishments together so that you can open the recruiting door. Don’t wait for them to figure out that you have the fire within. Be proactive in recruiting!

Start building your online Recruiting Profile now

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CHARACTER COUNTS

In a recent Chicago Sun Times article on 6′ 6″ Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale, writer Rick Morrissey wrote that Sales only had one Division One offer coming out of high school. The primary reason so many stayed away was his “dynamite-stick temper.” Sales, who is now 22, admits maturity was his biggest problem. This is what he told the newspaper:

“Giving up home runs, showing emotion on the mound, having a bad inning, coming in and throwing my glove – all the outside stuff that just brings negativity to your team and your dugout. Stuff that’s just not needed. So I think Colleges thought, ‘This guy could be a problem in a dugout.‘

There was just one offer for this talented pitcher because most programs did not want that stuff in their dugout. Sale was so good that at Florida Gulf Coast University during the 2010 season he posted an 11-0 record and a 2.01 ERA over 17 games. Sale pitched 103 innings while striking out 146 and walking just 14. Still, he didn’t get much recruiting interest because most College programs were leery of his temper.

College Coaches want talent, but not at the expense of team chemistry. Some will take chances, but most simply go to then next player on their recruiting list.

The Notre Dame women’s basketball team recently played for the National Championship. Their longtime head coach Muffet McGraw has said that when recruits visit campus, they often all go to the popular bookstore gift shop. She says the recruit that humbly says, “I don’t need anything” to her parents gains a lot more points than the recruit that is scooping up hoodies and shirts and all kinds of things for Mom or Dad to buy. That’s not a major thing, but it is little thing that adds up with other things to separate recruits.  College coaches are watching. They watch how you interact with parents after games, how you carry your bags from the bus to the building, how you react to an official’s bad call, how you act when you are out of the game, and on and on….

They have lists, and in many ways they are looking for reasons to take a recruit off that list. The young person of outstanding character and ability will find themselves staying on that list all the way to Signing Date.

To bring a NCSA Speaker to your School or Club to talk Character, Academics and the Recruiting Process

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Finding the Right Level of College Athletics for YOUR athlete

While in Virginia recently to speak to football players and their families at the Schuman National Underclassmen Combine in Hampton, VA (NCSA provides recruiting education for Schuman events)

NCSA educates football families at Schuman NUC in Hampton, VA

I learned that all five seniors of the Princess Anne High School (Virginia Beach, VA) girl’s basketball team were headed to college programs.

Jazmen Boone will play for William and Mary. Amanda Andrades will play for Farleigh Dickinson. Maquasia Ferebee will go to Virginia State. Elizabeth Williams has signed with Duke while Andrea Paphites has inked with Carson-Newman. That’s a remarkable accomplishment (the five players helped the team win the AAA State Title) and it is a good example of the range of college’s out there.

Did all of the girls sign major D1? No, just one, to Duke in the A.C.C. William and Mary is D1, but not at Duke’s level. Carson-Newman is D2. So is Virginia State. Fairleigh Dickinson is a lower level of D1 than Duke. What it boils down to is the girl going to Duke is more gifted as a player than the other girls, but the other girls must be darn good to get scholarships to those other find schools.

The point is that not every player is going to the same level of college athletics. The important thing is to find the right fit athletically and academically for each individual player. The family that has success in recruiting is the one that comes to grip with the right evaluation for their child and doesn’t get all caught up in what level other kids on their team or Club are going. I remember speaking at a major volleyball showcase tournament where I spoke to a mother whose daughter was looking at mid level D1′s like Ball State, Illinois State and East Tennessee State. Her Club team had three other girls that were going to Big Ten Universities. This mother could have become all wound up and somewhat envious about wanting that high D1 level for her kid, but she was realistic and part of the reason was the other girls were simply much taller than her kid. While happy for them, she wanted to find the right fit for her daughter, and it was not a Big Ten school athletically.

I find that more than just about anything families struggle with figuring out what is a realistic evaluation for their child. As legendary retired HS Football Coach Chris Geesman says, “Most kids think they can play a level above where they can really play in College and most parents are TWO levels above!” When we speak we thoroughly go over examples of all the levels of college sports and that is always eye opening to parents. One of the most enlightening things you can do is a thorough evaluation with a NCSA College Scout to help bring clarity to this process. That way you find the right fit for your child.

For an Evaluation of where your athlete is regards to finding the right fit for College Athletics and Scholarships

Charlie Adams

NCSA Recruiting Expert and Senior Educational Speaker

cadams@ncsasports.org

In what might prove to be a monumental ruling, the NCAA has ruled that institutions can no longer subscribe to Rivals.com affiliated sites to learn about prospects.  The rationale “is that Rivals provides video of nonscholastic competition that is not available to the general public.”  Basically, if a recruiting site or service is charges college coaches…they are breaking the rules!

The impact might be more significant than what appears on the surface from a monetary standpoint for Rivals: “”The truth is the relationship might be far bigger. Programs might be receiving added material, information that a team site doesn’t provide to its normal readership. In that case, a school might be putting down far more than $10 a month, in which case the financial loss would be far more substantial.”

To learn more about this game changing news, click here.

In other, more positive news:  The NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network (ARN) continues to add thousands of new prospects each week while providing free, verified information to college programs across the country.  To check out our FREE and PUBLIC video site, click here!

To join the ARN and gain a competitive advantage, click here.

Streaming .TV shows by Ustream

Coach, should we follow up with a coach after visiting a school?

Yes, you should always make sure to follow up with a coach after you visit his or her school.  First, it is good to thank the coach and let him or her know a few things you enjoyed about the school in order to show your interest.

Next, you should mention that you could see that school as a potential fit for you and a few reasons why.  After showing your interest, ask the coach a few questions that you may have.  This will keep the conversation very involved at both ends.

Make sure to include your personal contact information (email, cell phone) in the email even if the coach already has that info.  Being proactive and continuing to connect with coaches through the process is the key to maximizing success in the recruiting process.

Good Luck!

Last week we asked readers to identify the most confusing part of the Recruiting Process.  Thanks to the hundreds of responses on our Facebook page we give you The Top 10 Most Confusing Topics and the answers (Part 1)!

1) The absolute most confusing part of the recruiting process is being prepared. Many people believe that they are ready for this process, when they may have missed the most important task of the recruiting process. It is very difficult to be prepared for the unexpected.

Absolutely, being prepared is critical to going through this process correctly.  It begins with the understanding that recruiting starts earlier than ever.  Its not uncommon for freshmen to receive scholarship offers.  Given that the process starts earlier you need to be prepared.

2) How do you get started?

The first start of preparation is education.  Understanding how recruiting actually works will give you an understanding of why you need to complete various tasks in the process.  A simple place to start is by reading Athletes Wanted-The Complete Athletic Recruiting Gameplan.

3) Who is giving me the best recruiting advice? My coach, parents, college coaches and the internet all have different advice.

Sometimes athletes do receive conflicting advice, however its more likely that every party is saying that the same tasks need to be accomplished by different people.  Student-Athletes and families need to realize that the responsibility for completing these tasks ultimately lies with them.  Take responsibitily and communciate.

4) Finding a school that you actually like, that also wants to recruit you. Seems like the schools that want to recruit you are not always schools that you would like to go to…finding a good match is tough.

Exactly why you need to cast a wide net and contact over a hundred schools.  Contacting that many schools and making sure that they seriously evaluate your film is extremely difficult.  Remember a successful game plan might include contacting 50-100 schools to find the ones that are the right fit and interested in you!

5) Remembering to complete everything! There is a ton!

Yes!  Recruiting is a lot of work and takes a great deal of patience.  However, it is well worth it when you find the right fit.

NCSA developed our Recruiting Management System software to keep everything in one place online and provide a competitive advantage.  All the education, materials and guidance you need are accessible on any computer.

Check back next week for the remaining 5 “Most Confusing Parts of Recruiting”

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We recently lauched the first edition of our brand new educational resource that we provide to the thousands of families we speak with at camps, combines, showcases, tournaments and high schools all year.  We created a digital version for you to download in case we are not coming to a city near you. 

Click Here to Download “The Recruiter:  Edition 1″

If you want to learn about bringing an NCSA Recruiting Expert to your high school or event, click here.

Coach, can unofficial visits only happen on game days?

No. In many sports, recruits plan to visit on a game day because they are able to get tickets to the game, see the team perform, and get a better feel for the atmosphere. Visiting on game day can be a great way to familiarize with the school and its program.
Many student athletes, however, cannot swing a game day visit into their schedule. It is often hard to visit during the season because the student athlete’s high school team has practices and games.
Offseason unofficial visits are extremely common. While the sport specific game day feel may be absent, the recruit may also get other advantages that he or she would not have. Many times, the recruit will get to meet the players and get to know them because they are not busy with a game or match. Also, the student athlete will often times attend a different sporting event at the school, allowing him or her to at least get a feel for the athletic competition atmosphere on campus.
Unofficial visits are great ways to get to know a college better than brochures and websites, and can also be a great way to meet a coach in person. They are a valuable part of the college sports recruiting process.

Coach Taylor, people tell me that college recruiters and coaches look at my facebook and stuff, is this true?

Absolutely this is true.  Remember this: if you want to play college sports and be recruited, you are excepting the responsibility of being under that scrutiny.  Being evaluated is a two way street.  College coaches and recruiting coordinators will not simply evaluate your talent and move on.

College coaches are looking for not only good players when they recruit, but good people.  As these past few years have shown, good character among team members can either make or break a season in many ways.  Why would a coach recruit a student-athlete that would be kicked off the team at some point anyway?

In the modern age of technology, social media, and the web, Facebook has become a primary means of communication.  Most if not all college coaches will look their recruits up on Facebook for multiple reasons.  The first reason is simply to judge what kind of person the recruit is.  Anyone can put together a good looking resume, but social media often gives a more candid representation of personality.

I know of college coaches who have crossed recruits off their recruiting list simply after seeing offensive messages, pictures, posts, or other content on social media pages.  Remember that it doesn’t have to be you posting it either.  A friend could post an inappropriate comment or someone could post an inappropriate picture.  In social media as in life, you are defined not only by your own behavior but also those with whom you surround yourself.

Be careful with social media accounts.  This is a chance for a college coach to view what kind of person you are, make sure it is a positive impression.