NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

For anyone who still thought summer was relaxation time for recruits looking to play in college, you had better get on top of things.

This morning, ESPN’s Andy Katz published an article talking about the history and intricacies of the summer basketball evaluation period.  For any who don’t know, the July evaluation periods are two separate 10 day recruiting frenzies during which coaches are allowed to hit the road and evaluate recruits.  This period allows coaches to evaluate recruits playing for summer league teams, usually against other elite competition.  There are usually high profile AAU tournaments that include the best players in the country during this time.

Any Basketball recruit hoping to play at the next level needs to start contacting coaches at every single school on his list.  If there are any coaches of schools you are interested in nearby, or going to one of your tournaments, make sure that they see you play.  Make sure the coach knows where and when you will be playing.  This is a great chance to show off your abilities, talent, character, and value to your team in person.  Take advantage of this time and don’t just let it pass you by.  There have been many recruits (Thomas Robinson, Joe Johnson, just to name a few) that have been relatively off the radar until bursting on the scene during the July evaluation period.   No matter what level you are looking to play at, this is an exciting time for basketball recruits.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=6742819

The NCAA has officially released its new guide for student athletes in the recruiting process.  This guidebook gives a basic outline of the basic rules in recruiting and the NCAA Eligibility Center.  To receive a more specific outline of the rules or ask any questions, contact an NCSA Recruiting Expert today at (866) 579-6272 or schedule an appointment by clicking here

2011-2012 Guide For The NCAA College Bound Student Athlete Guide

Update: The NCAA voted to pass massive changes to their recruiting rules in October. Click here for a breakdown of all the new rules.

1)      When Does The Recruiting Process Start?

With each year that passes, recruits are being sought after earlier and earlier in the process.   Some players are being offered scholarships as early as 7^th or 8^th grade.  For student-athletes, this only means that it will be easier to fall by the wayside.  Recruits hoping to succeed in this process need to be proactive and put themselves in the right position to succeed.

2)     What Is The First Step In The Recruiting Process?

Recruits in the modern day tend to start the recruiting process going in all different directions.  Some edit a little highlight tape for YouTube, some email a few coaches.  Many sit back and wait for a college coach to call.  None of these are the correct first step in the recruiting process.  Recruits have to get evaluated and develop an organized, straight-forward game plan for their recruiting process.

3)     Of Division I, II, III, and NAIA…which offers the most total sports teams?

Out of these four choices, Division III offers by far the most programs.  Every student athlete that qualifies to play in college is capable of finding the right fit.  For some this means NAIA schools, for others Division II or Division I.  This all depends on the student-athlete.  This fact makes it even more important that a student-athlete has organized information and knows ALL of his or her options when compiling a list of possible schools.

4)     Which Of These Is Not Allowed On An Unofficial Visit?

The school is only allowed to pay for a student-athlete’s meals on OFFICIAL visits.  On an unofficial visit, the school is allowed to have a recruit stay in the dorms and attend a sporting event, but no meals can be covered.

5)      Which Of These Is Not Allowed During A Dead Period?

During a “Dead Period”, meeting a coach in person is strictly forbidden.  Contact is allowed, but not meeting in person.  Breaking rules like this, even by accident, can be very detrimental to a student-athlete’s recruiting success.

Coach T- What are my scholarship chances if I only play for my Club team?

Playing for your high school team is not a requirement to get recruited. If you only play for your club team or don’t significantly contribute on your high school team, it may definitely requite extra effort and may be a little more difficult but it is still possible!  Some sports offer very high quality club teams and college coaches may look primarily at the club teams. Many times you may be playing at a higher level on your club team than your high school team and can give you more opportunities for a coach to see you play based on your travel schedule.

If you do not play for your high school team, it is crucial to contact coaches and build as many relationships as possible. Attending camps and combines will also be important for you over the summer to develop interest from coaches as well.

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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 June.

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 five candidates for this month’s NCSA Student-Athlete of the Month:

1.) Tom Garvin: 2012 Graduate, Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete from Illinois

Tom a 6’4″ 200# forward from the 2012 class was awarded 1st Team All-Conference while having a 4.7 GPA and a 29 ACT. Tom has uploaded seven videos on his Recruiting Profile and is looking at colleges nationwide.

2. ) Jake Raulerson: 2013 Graduate, Football Student-Athlete from Texas

At only 245lbs, Jake is an absolute mauler at offensive and defensive tackle and has caught the attention (and verbal offers) of several Top 10 programs this summer, all while maintaining a 3.82 GPA.

3.)Maggie Trosin: 2012 Graduate, Softball Student-Athlete from Rhode Island

Maggie will not compromise softball or academics in her college decision – she wants the best in both. She currently has a 4.84 GPA on a 4.0 scale and is a complete player & athlete. Maggie has taken several visits already.

4.)Logan Kruse: 2012 Graduate, Men’s Cross Country Student-Athlete from Florida

Logan is one of NCSA’s top cross country runners and he is doing everything that is necessary to go through this process in the right way. He is active in his RMS (Recruiting Management System) and is in close communication with college coaches. Academically he has earned a 3.5 GPA, scored a 27 on his ACT, and a 1280 on his two-part SAT.

5.)Mike Frankenfield: 2012 Graduate, Men’s Lacrosse Student-Athlete from New Jersey

Mike is a 2-time Captain at Lower Cape May Region HS where he carries a 4.0 GPA.  He is very involved in his community and is looking to study Criminal Justice in college.  Michael has received looks from programs at each division level across the country.

Feel free to send this to as many people as possible to make sure your favorite wins this upcoming month!

Coach Taylor, can college sports help me get into a school that is normally a “reach” academically?

Many college sports programs are capable of helping student athletes get academic opportunities that they would not have without sports.  This DOES NOT mean that student-athletes can slack off in high school as a result of athletic talent.  Remember, the better grades and test scores a student-athlete has, the easier it is for a college to recruit him/her.

Knowing that programs are able to give some student-athletes these opportunities, it makes relationships with coaches and superior communication better than ever.  The best way to help yourself or your student athlete in this regard is to reach out to coaches, express interest, and build those relationships.  If a coach is impressed with a student-athlete, has a good relationship through the recruiting process, and believes that he/she will be an asset to the team, then that coach is FAR more likely to work with that student-athlete as far as joining the program.