NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

The NCSA Team values the opinions of its families and members of the program above all else.  It is great to know that all the work and commitment put in by every team member is producing the result we are looking for: changing lives and empowering young athletes.  Thank you to the Wright family for these kind words.

NCSA Team,

This is Jeffery Wright’s father Larry Wright and thanks for the e-mail for some reason we have not been able to get on the NCSA site because of a browser problem.   However i am happy to say that Jeffery is signed to go to Methodist University in North Carolina.  This is one of the hundreds of schools that your company sent his information to and after NCSA put up a second video for him for free and gave us an extra distribution also at no charge because of some miscommunication issues,we had forty to fifty schools interested in Jeffery and his soccer skills.  We could not have done all this work,found all the schools,sent all the information out,come up with the guidance if it had not been for NCSA and especially your very special recruiting coach Caitlin Gilmen who after a few early glitches made sure we were happy and went the extra mile to do so even at a time when she was ill at home that’s what it’s about.

Thank you very much for helping Jeffery find his school, he and his family are extremely happy. I have seen that some customers are not as happy….well they must have not followed the plan NCSA  sets up for them at all.  I have also seen complaints of being “nickel and dimed”, which was not the case for us AT ALL.  Feel free to post this anywhere as I want people to see these comments and read the truth!

CHANGING LIVES!

Coach Taylor-Do college coaches communicate with each other about their recruits?

Many college coaches know each other and may often be recruiting the same players. It is important to keep in mind that college coaches do talk and share opinions about potential recruits or even just players they have dealt with in the past. You never know who a college coach might know so it’s important to always be on your best behavior and keep as many doors open as possible.

This is another reason why it is very important to fill out every recruiting questionnaire you receive. If a college you are interested in asks about you from the college you failed to respond to, they may tell them that you never even responded to the questionnaire.  This can make you look irresponsible. It can also give the wrong impression and potentially take your name off many lists. Filling out these questionnaires also allows you the opportunity to develop relationships with coaches.

You never know who might be watching or evaluating you. You only have one chance to make a good first impression. 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!

Every year it signifies the beginning of the end of the recruiting process. The Spring Evaluation Period is one of the most exciting times in college football recruiting.  College Football coaches are going to be attacking their top recruits by visiting them in person and making personal phone calls to make offers and seek commitments.  As a recruit, are you ready?

What should I do during the evaluation period?

Preparing for the opportunities to build or start a relationship with a coach is key. Coaches recruit players they like, they can trust, and ultimately want to have on their team. So it is important you make a great impression and ask the right questions.   Basic coach communications prep is always advised for any recruit expecting heavy traffic.

Be proactive throughout this time period. Call coaches. Why? It’s simple.  They can call you back. Try to stimulate the conversation as best as you can. As you start to prepare to be proactive, I recommend getting a third party evaluation of your athletic qualifications to narrow your focus on which schools are going to be interested in recruiting you.

What should I do after the evaluation period?

Evaluate your progress. Ask yourself where you are and more importantly where you want to be. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can sit idly by and wait. In recent years the recruiting process has been running at a much more accelerated rate. Most importantly do not be a recruit that thinks they can wait until the conclusion of their senior year before they get active with the process.

Verbal Offer from the Program:

This is obviously the best situation you can be in with a particular program at this time.  It means you are a tier one prospect and probably top 3 players at your position on that team’s board.  If you get an offer make sure you talk to the coach about next steps.  Does he still want you to come to their camp during the summer?  How early can you take your official visit? Even ask him about the offer itself—how long is it on the table and how many others prospects are they offering at your position?

Coach Called – No Offer:

This typically means you are a tier two prospect.  They have enough interest in you to use one of their phone calls on you, so you are on their board.  However, they aren’t ready to offer yet.  This usually means you are a “camp kid”.  They need to see you live in action.  There is probably something about you they are not 100% confident about.  Maybe they question your listed height/weight, or maybe you have great film but you play against lower competition.  If this is the case, you need to attend their camp and perform well.  About a quarter of all D1A offers come during the “Camp Season”.  Those prospects that receive an offer are usually the “non-offered” prospects that had received a phone call from the program during the Evaluation Period.

Visited School – No Offer:

This is the most inconclusive of the four situations.  Just having a coach stop by and talk with you, does not mean you are a top guy for the program.  College coaches frequently stop by schools during the evaluation period, whether they have targeted a top guy at the school or not.  Coaches do this to, not only get a list of top guys in your class (and younger) from your high school coach, but also to help the relationship with said coach.  What you want to do in this case is make sure to follow-up with that coach once the period is over and ask him some questions about your film.  If he sounds genuinely interested  make it out to their Sr. camp.  If you cannot get a hold of him, or he does not sound that interested, then I would hold off on the camp and look into other schools that may be interested.

No contact at all:

The lack of contact at this time from a particular D1 school typically means you are not on anyone’s radar. Changes in your approach should be considered.

If you want to gain a competitive advantage and maximize your recruiting potential, call our team of Recruiting Experts at 866-579-6272 and mention prospect code “2012″ to schedule a Priority Evaluation.

“Jeremiah 29:11 is the scripture I am looking to in all of this,” said college basketball player Aubrey Minix. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Aubrey has transferred from D1 to D2.

“I never thought it would go this way,” she told me, “but it is what it is…”

She was one of the best shooters in basketball mad Indiana. She was all-state at Oregon-Davis High School and helped the Bobcats claim the Indiana Class 1-A state championship in 2007. Aubrey set a state record for three-pointers and was the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,606 points. Incapable of burning out on the sport, she grew up shooting 1000 shots every day, doing High School and AAU, and doing personal training.  When she got an offer from D1 Murray State she accepted a full athletic scholarship. Aubrey red shirted her first year and played in just five games this past season, scoring one basket. She decided to transfer to Division Two University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, IN.

NCSA Recruiting Expert/Speaker Charlie Adams

“I want to play,” Aubrey told me. “The Coach here at Murray State didn’t think I could play with a foot injury (originally suffered in High School) so I got my release and looked at a lot of D2′s. To go D1 I would have had to sit out a year and I didn’t want to do that again. USI plays in a Conference that has many D1 caliber players.”

When an athlete transfers from D1 to a lower level, they can be eligible the next season, so she will have three seasons left.

There are D1 type players at practically every level of College Sports, especially D2 and high NAIA. When I spoke at a big Club Volleyball event, a Grand Valley State (D2) Volleyball coach told me he often gets calls from Club Volleyball Coaches saying “they have a great D2 prospect for him.” He quickly asks if the girl can play D1 because at Grand Valley they recruit against D1′s like Western Michigan and Ball State for recruits. He said 95% of families have never been to D2 Volleyball matches and generally don’t understand how competitive it is.

I spoke at the Goshen (IN) Noon Kiwanis Club to educate their members about scholarship opportunities. Goshen College (NAIA) Athletic Director Tim Demant is a member of the Club and heard my presentation. We talked afterwards.

“Every athlete has these D1 dreams,” said Demant,” and many are good enough to be on a D1 team but a lot get there and not get a lot of playing time. You then see them transfer to a D2, NAIA or D3. Two big reasons are the playing time and also you hear them speak of “being owned” at that level. One athlete talked about having to practice on Thanksgiving Day at the her D1 school and not being able to get home to family.”

“We see it a lot in baseball,” added Demant. “We put offers out and the players think this magical D1 offer is coming. We tell them in a nice way that if they have not received a D1 baseball offer by the start of their senior season they are probably not going to get an offer of their liking at that level. Many families don’t realize that their athletes can get a pretty good package at the NAIA level of a combination of scholarships that will rival D1 scholarships.”

Aubrey had several reasons for transferring after two years at Murray State (which is in Kentucky). “All of the coaches at the University of Southern Indiana went there to USI,” said Aubrey. “They are invested. They are there for a reason. They like it and there is a real family atmosphere there. The team chemistry at Murray didn’t help. There was a lot of animosity and it showed in our records. I never lost that much in my life (they were 9-21 this past season).”

She is giving up a full athletic scholarship at D1 but still doing well. “For me, I am getting a full ride here,” said Aubrey. “At D1 they have up to 15 full scholarships. At D2 in basketball there are 10 total. USI has five returning players and seven coming in prior to me but several of those are on academic money (D2 mixes scholarships). Basically, the scholarship I have here is what I had at D1 Murray State.”

Transferring is never what an athlete sets out to do, but it can often be fairly painless. Her coach at Murray State, Rob Cross, was very complimentary of her in remarks to the Murray Ledger and Times newspaper.

“I’m happy she’s getting to continue her education and play basketball at Southern Indiana,” Cross said. “I wish things had worked out better for her here. I have a lot of respect for her and think she’ll do good things.

“Most of the teams in that league have three or four Division I transfers on their rosters. I think it will be good for her and good for them.”

Absolutely. There are D2 programs that can beat lower level D1′s. There are good players at every level of college sports.

At every High School I speak at, I arrive early to ask the Athletic Directors what are the major challenges they face with families regarding recruiting. In virtually every case, the number one thing they bring up is that many of their families and athletes have unrealistic expectations of where they can play at the college level.

LaPorte High A.D. Ed Gilliland told me that he often see’s cases where an athlete may be “LaPorte good” but that doesn’t mean it will transfer to “D1 good” at the next level. Families and athletes often fall into the trip of being a big fish at a little pond and not realizing there are a lot of other really good fish out there.

As NCSA Recruiting Experts and Educational Speakers, we go all over the country and see the talent out there. I spoke at a Schuman NUC Football Combine in the Norfolk, VA area. There were some REALLY good players there. A few weeks later I spoke at the Schuman NUC in Indianapolis. I told the families about those good players in Virginia and in many cases they are competing against them for scholarships, not just the kids in their conference or state.

Shelbie Jones was a standout pitcher for Mishawaka High School. As a junior she threw five no hitters and three one hitters at the 4A level of High School sports, winning a school record twenty two games at Mishawaka High. She  signed to play at the high NAIA level with Marian University in Indianapolis. She is a tremendous pitcher, and it just goes to show that there is talent at all levels of college sports.

Ben Davis is a massive High School in Indianapolis that produces many college athletes every year. A good chunk go D1 but also to other levels. Courtney Clark, a pitcher and third baseman, is playing for Ancilla College, a Junior College. Clark hit .427 as an eleventh grader.

It wasn’t unrealistic for Aubrey Minix to shoot for mid level D1 coming out of tiny Oregon-Davis High. She had the credentials. Her opinion of how much she should play and her Murray State coaches decision of playing time were different, and she made the decision to move on. She has invested so much in developing her remarkable basketball skills that she wants to be out there on the court. She has three precious years remaining so she wants to make the most of it while finishing her degree in Education. In her research on D2 she learned that it is very competitive. I would say that more than 80% of the High School athletes I speak to at High School Talks are not capable of playing at the D2 level in College. It is probably closer to 90% that wouldn’t be able to play D2, but a lot of them think they are D1.

It is CRITICAL families get a realistic evaluation of where they will fit best as a college student-athlete. This evaluation should be done early. It can change as the athlete physically matures, but a properly done evaluation can lead to a fulfilling college career where the athlete does not have to interrupt their college experience by transferring.

Send me an email with a description of your athletic and academic accomplishments and I will make sure you get an Evaluation with a Senior College Scout at NCSA.  cadams@ncsasports.org is the email.

To bring a NCSA Educational Speaker to your School, Club or Event to educate families and athletes on the recruiting process

Here is a good story from the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper about why athletes transfer

Charlie Adams, NCSA Recruiting Expert/Senior Educational Speaker

cadams@ncsasports.org

Here is Aubrey’s Player Bio at Southern Indiana

Here is the video of a recent live webcast from the NCSA team and Coach Taylor answering some important questions about college baseball recruiting.

If you want to gain a competitive advantage and maximize your recruiting potential, call our Recruiting Team at 866-579-6272 and mention prospect code “2012″ to schedule a Priority Evaluation.

Here is the video from last week’s NCSA live webcast broadcasted with Coach Randy Taylor discussing some critical recruiting questions.

If you want to gain a competitive advantage and maximize your recruiting potential, call our Recruiting Team at 866-579-6272 and mention prospect code “2012″ to schedule a Priority Evaluation.

Here is a message received recently from a coach regarding a list of NCSA verified recruits.

Division I School in Massachusetts

Thanks for the email with info for all of those kids… I looked through each and every video and here are the ones that stand out… I sent info to all of the kids on your list and we look forward to seeing them somewhere on the field this summer.

Recruit 1- I have already seen him live and he is high on our radar. Liked him a lot. Very good athlete and solid on the mound too. Glad to receive the video as I did not have one for him!

Recruit 2 – We are very very high on him. He definitely can swing the bat! Waiting to see him in person this spring.

Recruit 3- Came to our camp in Feb and impressed. Funky delivery is deceptive. Also swung the bat well. We are excited to see him this summer!

Recruit 4 – Did not have him in the database yet so it was great to get his info from you guys. 2250 SAT is very impressive. Bit hard to see with the shadows, but looks like his arm works. I emailed him and requested a dvd of one of his bullpen sessions to get a better look.

Recruit 5 – video was impressive. I like the arm slot. We look forward to seeing him live! Looks like grades are a bit low?

Thanks again for sending these guys over, hope all is well over there

CHICAGO, IL (April 22, 2011): Junior Rank, founder of the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl, is proud to announce that famed recruiting analyst Tom Lemming has joined forces with the all-star game. This annual competition, which will showcase 100 of the best gridiron high school seniors in the nation in a traditional East-West format game, will benefit greatly from Lemming’s eye for talent and national reputation as the best recruiting analyst in the nation. The Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl is presented by the United States Marine Corps.

As part of the United States Marine Corps mantra of “The Few, The Proud,” the addition of Lemming coincides perfectly with the elite nature of the bowl game.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl and to join Junior Rank in the building of this game,” Lemming said. “I believe that what the Marine Corps value: hard work, integrity and team work, is embodied in so many of the nation’s top high school football stars. This bowl game will celebrate the accomplishments of these athletes.”

Lemming, perhaps best known as playing himself in the acclaimed film “The Blindside” starring Sandra Bullock, he will head the Semper Fidelis All-American selection committee. The group will evaluate top national talent for invitation to the bowl game. The inaugural nationally televised Semper Fidelis All American Bowl will take place in Phoenix, AZ on January 3, 2012.

“Adding Tom Lemming to the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl selection committee gives the game and Junior Rank the nation’s foremost authority on prep football talent,” Junior Rank founder and CEO Shaon Berry said. “When you talk about Tom Lemming, you talk about someone who is respected not just for his ability to evaluate talent – he is someone who genuinely cares for and advises these young men. He is a perfect fit with the values of team work, honor and integrity that are central to the bowl and the United States Marine Corps.

Listed by the New York Times as one of the “Ten Most Influential People in all of College Sports” Lemming has written for ESPN, USA Today and Max Preps and been quoted in over 400 newspapers across the country. Every year, Lemming evaluates over 1,500 top athletes each year, logging countless miles and hours at camps, combines and games to personally eyeball talent. His “Tom Lemming Top 100” list, announced this past April, made national headlines while his annual “Prep Report” has long been considered a recruiting bible for school’s across the country.

The Junior Rank and USMC partnership was designed to introduce young adults to the organizations’ shared belief that athletic excellence, high academic performance and core character development are key elements to creating well-rounded individuals.    Student-athlete participants of the camps, combine and bowl game will be exposed to the core values of the Marine Corps—Honor, Courage and Commitment—and will learn how to apply these principles to gain success in all aspects of their lives.

The Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl will be held in conjunction with Fiesta Bowl Week and the celebration surrounding the BCS bowl game in Arizona. Last year during the bowl celebration week held by Junior Rank in Tempe – which included a successful underclassmen combine and a youth all-star game – all participants were recognized on the field during the ESPN broadcast of the Insight Bowl. A national television contract fitting of this game and the partnership with the United States Marine Corps will be announced in the near future.

For more information about Junior Rank, please  visit www.juniorrank.com.

Coach Taylor-Should I consider location when choosing a school?

Close to home? Far away? Rural? Urban? Once you’ve started your college search, these may be one of the first questions that pop into your head. Location is a very important aspect to consider when deciphering between schools.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a school based on location. Many students may get homesick when they move away to college their freshman year so they need to take location into account before they decide to move far away. Distance from home can also be a major element in reducing or increasing a student’s level of anxiety. Location can also come into play when considering your living expenses. Students need to be aware that it costs more to live in certain areas than it does others. If you are on a limited budget, then the cost of living in a particular area should be considered.

Regardless of the location, every student-athlete should make sure they find a place that they are comfortable being. Don’t ignore location in your excitement about a coach, a school, or a division. Make sure you check out your location before you decide on a school!

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!