NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

From average grades to being inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for academic success. That is what can happen when an athlete finds the right fit to grow as a student-athlete in College!

One of the great rewards with helping families with recruiting education and exposure is when it changes lives. In December of 2008 the South Bend Schools hosted College Recruiting Simplified. Among those attending was the Sanders family, whose daughter Ashlin was a senior at Riley High School. Despite being a four year letter winner in basketball, and on her way to being a 2-time All Conference player, she was not being recruited. She ended up fifth on the school’s all time scoring list with 1091 points and averaged 18 points a game as a senior. She did AAU Ball and everything but the family was frustrated about the whole recruiting thing.

“No one was recruiting her,” said her mother, Cherrie. “I wish we had become educated on the recruiting process early because the whole thing confused us.”

Frustrated, they came to the recruiting education event during the winter of Ashlin’s senior year and got into the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network. They really worked it hard, and got results.

“In two weeks time we heard from over 100 colleges,” said Cherrie. “Amanda Rawson (Senior Recruiting Coach and former St. John’s University basketball player) and the people at NCSA were wonderful to work with.”

Ashlin’s hilite video was a hit with college coaches. Many of them had no idea she had such skills on offense. However, she would be the first to tell you that her Test scores were not top notch. An admitted shaky Test taker, her SAT scores limited her options. Her GPA at 2.7 did as well with some schools.

As NCSA always says, the better your grades, the more options you will have for scholarships to be a College athlete.

Ashlin decided the best route to go would be the Junior College route to shore up her academics. NCSA connected her with Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois, the only 2 year private residential College in Illinois. Abraham Lincoln christened the new town, named in his honor, with juice from a watermelon! Lincoln is about a 3 1/2 hour trip from her home. Ashlin wanted to be close enough to where family could see her play.

There, the structure of being a college athlete really helped her. She became very focused and constantly had help and encouragement. “There was a lot of academic support available,” said Ashlin. “The Professors really worked with you. I took my homework on road game trips and got it done. If they felt you were slipping, they would work with you. If you had a question, they were always there.”

Ashlin made the Presidential List her freshman year, with a 3.6 GPA!

“It took a lot of hard work and dedication,” said Ashlin.

She carried a 3.4 GPA her sophomore year and made the Dean’s List. Then came one of the most special moments of her young life. Ashlin was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, a junior college academic honor society. To be eligible for membership, students must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.5 or higher and have earned a minimum of 15 credits at Lincoln College. The photo below shows her proudly smiling on the front row, the third person from the right.

Ashlin Sanders honored for her academic success

“It’s all about balance,” said Ashlin. “School work, time with friends, basketball. You have to have balance. What I also liked about going off to College was that it got me used to being on my own and seeing different views on things. With the basketball I found that all of the girls could play. It was so much more physical.”

Ashlin made third team Midwest All Conference as a sophomore at Lincoln. At that point, it was time to move on from Junior College. Many schools at various levels continued to keep an eye on her including Eastern Michigan (D1), Lewis University (D2), Southern Indiana (D2), and many NAIA and D3 schools such as Franklin College. Having been almost four hours away from home, Ashlin decided she wanted to finish her College career very close to home.

“She’s a homebody,” said her mother, Cherrie.

Ashlin signed with NAIA national powerhouse Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN (photo below), which is very close to her home. Their coaching staff learned about her progress through NCSA. “I chose Bethel because of their strong academic support and the basketball program has a tradition of winning,” said Ashlin, who wants to be a Coach someday.

Ashlin Sanders signs with NAIA Powerhouse Bethel College

For Ashlin, the best fit for her out of High School was a strong Junior College where she learned what could be accomplished through focus, time management, and strong academic support. She had it in her to be a strong student. Lincoln was the right fit for her to bring it out.

“For Ashlin it was good to be in smaller class sizes,” said her mother, Cherrie. “She wasn’t just a number. A big College would have overwhelmed her. I thought she would struggle but with all the help she did it!”

At Lincoln, the average class size is 15 with many classes closed at 20 students. She also picked a school with a strong track record of academic success:

• 75% of students accepted at Lincoln College will graduate in two years.
• 90% of graduates transfer immediately to a four-year institution, where they succeed as well as or better than the native students at that institution.

Be sure to ask hard hitting questions about the academic success rate of athletes at the particular schools that you are looking at in the recruiting process. Just like 4 year Colleges, not every 2 year school is as strong as others. Ashlin connected with a strong one in Lincoln.

While many athletes go D1 from Junior College, Ashlin really wanted to finish her College career very close to home and at a level where she had a chance to be on court a lot. I say “chance” because she will have to step it up on defense to get on the court at Bethel. “A lot of kids want to chase the dream and play D1,” said Ashlin. “That’s not for everyone. I had that dream, but you have to be realistic. Parents have to be realistic. I watch a lot of basketball games on TV and I see a lot of those D1 players riding the bench the whole game.”

“There are a lot of girls like me,” continued Ashlin, “that could be playing College on scholarship but they just don’t understand recruiting and they fall through the cracks.”

A.J. Fraser was a successful distance runner at 5-A Indiana power Penn High School. He connected with Jackson Community College in Michigan and wrote me these insights after finishing his freshman year:

“The places that we went as a team this pass season were awesome. My favorite meet was the Memphis Twilight Classic in Tennessee. That is probably the farthest that I ever traveled before in my life. I made some new friends and kept my focus through school. My academic interest there is their culinary program. When I was looking for colleges I was wanting to start out smart and less expensive. I looked for the academic program of my interest and then I looked at their Sports to see if they had mine because if I did sports I knew I would stay focused with academics. So I wanted to start out in a Jr. College. Jackson had great opportunity for me and that’s why I chose there (a few hours from his home.  When I was looking for a school to go to I started looking for a Jr. college first because I believe it will be a great start for me in my career and in sports. I was also looking for opportunity. So Jackson was a perfect fit for me. The campus is great, classes, athletics, and not to mention the scholarship the coach gave me which was something I couldn’t let down. It’s also why I try to get a few guys from my high school which is Penn to come to Jackson because they don’t know what they are missing. Then after Jackson I am hoping to transfer over to Robert Morris University and continue there.

A.J. continues to grow as an athlete. He just ran a 16:38 5K in the off season, a personal record.

The NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network has over 250 team members helping athletes find the right fit for them. Here are some insights on the Junior College fit:

“Talking from experience, Junior College baseball was a great option for me. I played at a very small small High School in upstate NY. I felt it was in my best interest to ease my way into the college picture and stay local at a smaller school. Those 2 years were huge, and it allowed me to flourish in the classroom and on the Diamond. I was All Conference 2nd base my sophomore season, which lead to a full NAIA baseball scholarship to King College, in TN.”

Matthew Malinowski, NCSA Collegiate Scout

“Starting my collegiate career at a 2-year program was the best decision I made. From there I transferred to a DI Big East program (St. Johns University in New York) to play women’s basketball. The classes I took at the 2-year program were just as hard if not harder than some of the classes I took at the 4-year institution.”

Amanda Rawson, Senior Recruiting Coach/Training Assistant

“Softball-wise it can be a great option for some students to move into playing at a higher level. A few years ago we (NCSA) worked with a Texas player that went to Chipola JC in FL for a year (she had great grades and all – just not the right opportunity to play D1 – had some offers but wanted bigger level school).So she went for a year,-they won a championship, and then next year moved on to Texas Tech.”

“Some use the JC as a money saver (the top JC schools have two times as many Softball scholarships as do D1 NCAA schools). Some use is to gain maturity as they are not ready to leave home.Some are not sure about academics so they chose 2 year and will take that 1st year of General Education classes and explore academic options. A few for the women’s’ side use it academically so for those reasons dispel the talk that all JC schools are good for is the low academic kids. There are 4 year schools who request for JC kids at times to fill in those gaps on their roster. Softball JC’s that are very competitive are in the states of FL, TX, CA & AZ – but there are some top schools in various states.”

Joyce Wellhoefer, Senior Recruiting Coach (Softball), NCSA

“I attended North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City IA to play baseball there. I thought that a JuCo might have less talented student athletes, but that was a large myth. Everyone I played with was extremely talented; we had 4 or 5 D-1A players and one got drafted. It was an honor to play with such talented athletes. My parents also liked the idea of JuCo baseball because it was only a 2 year commitment so if I got injured or if the team wasn’t a good fit, I would be transferring after 2 years either way.”

Tim Murphy, NCSA Collegiate Scout

“The JC experience will allow athletes to:

- improve their game at the college level of competition

- live on her own (most do not have student residential housing)

- develop a list of personal and academic responsibilities

- get maximum grades

- open their eyes to the realities of the real world”

Scott Fuller, NCSA National Collegiate Scout

“I speak about Junior Colleges all the time when I do my College Recruiting Simplified talks. As a former athlete (UCLA and NFL) who has watched the type of athletes who go to certain schools I have noticed that many JuCos are just as competitive as some of the D1 schools. Growing up in Texas it was not such Taboo to see excellent student-athletes wind up at JuCos because all athletes do not have the academics that might land them in a D1 athletic program. There are more JuCos here in the state of Texas than the rest of the States so the opportunity is great, especially for Texas Student-Athletes. I like to emphasize that many D1 schools have specific JuCos that they use as feeder schools every year because they know they have great talent. When I was at UCLA, we used to get JuCo players all the time who would end up either starting or becoming contributors to the program. Chad Ochocinco, of the NFL’s current top receivers, started out at Langston University in Oklahoma then transferred to Santa Monica JuCo in Los Angeles,Ca before heading to Oregon State.”

Othello Henderson, NCSA Recruiting Expert/Speaker

Athletes that have started out in Junior College include future Hall of Famer Albert Pujois of the Cardinals, Super Bowl star QB Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, Major League Baseball All Star Evan Longoria of the Rays, the legendary Nolan Ryan, Danielle Adams, MVP of the Women’s Basketball Final Four for National Champion Texas A/M (30 points and 9 rebounds in Title Game win vs Notre Dame), WNBA superstar Sheryl Swoops, several of the key players on the Marquette University men’s basketball team that made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in March, Ben Wallace of the Pistons, and Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers.

Charlie Adams, NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network Expert/Speaker

cadams@ncsasports.org

To Talk In Depth with a College Recruiting Expert about Recruiting Click Here

To bring a NCSA Recruiting  Expert such as Othello Henderson or any of the 30-plus NCSA Experts/Speakers to your School, Club, Awards Banquet or special event

January 2012 UPDATE! In the story below, you will learn how a High School athlete that was All Conference in FOUR sports handled recruiting. Houston Hodges is a freshman at Wabash College, one of the highest rated academic institutions in America.

Houston had a tremendous freshman football season and has made an acrobatic play to force overtime in a basketball game. He scored 5 points in the last 20 seconds to force OT:

Here is his amazing shot at the buzzer

Before his recruiting story, his father, Dave, gives us an update on how Houston is doing, playing two sports in College:

“Charlie, having a full semester to evaluate Houston’s decision to go to Wabash I would have to say things have gone very well.  One of Houston’s initial concerns was the ability to play two sports.  Houston started at the cornerback position for the 12-1 Little Giants.  They made it all the way to the quarterfinals and got beat by Mt. Union.  One week later he played 17 minutes in a huge Wabash home basketball win over #5 nationally ranked Wooster. He played very well for only a couple of practices with the team and has played in every game since joining the team. Yesterday we found out he scored a 3.65 GPA for his first semester. Houston is going to double major in economics and education. Two sports and a heavy classroom load are not for everybody, but Houston is adjusting well. It requires a lot of self discipline.  Houston’s choice to got to Wabash also had a lot to do with his brother already being there and playing football and running track. Austin is an Econ major with a minor in Spanish. Houston got a chance to see what a Wabash education can do when in November Austin landed a very prestigious paid internship with Eli Lilly this summer.  So other than not getting a chance to get home much Houston has had a great first semester.  Celebrated an undefeated regular season, won the conference (earning him a beautiful ring),dominated in the Monon bell game, and made it to the quarterfinals against MT. Union where he had an interception and fumble recovery against 2^nd best team in DIII. No doubt Houston could play corner in some bigger programs a level or two up, but this is a great fit where he can have an immediate impact in two sports.  Coming from Plymouth the other consideration was playing in a winning program. 12-1 in football, 8-1 in basketball. Houston is right at home with no regrets.  The part his mom and I love is because he took care of his academics in high school, we are paying less than a state school for a Wabash education. Thanks for your continued interest in Austin and Houston.  We appreciate greatly all the opportunities you and NCSA create for deserving young people. – Dave Hodges, father

In this story you will gain valuable insights on recruiting from one of the top athletes in the Midwest. Houston Hodges of Plymouth High School is in his freshman season at Wabash College playing TWO sports. He had a  stunning High School career that saw him become 1st Team All Conference in the rugged Northern Lakes Conference in Football, Basketball, Baseball and Track.  You don’t see many athletes anywhere that achieve 1st Team All Conference status in four sports. Here you will see the story I wrote of his recruiting experience, and then more of the UPDATE on how it is going for him as he plays TWO SPORTS at the College level:

photo of Houston Hodges, courtesy South Bend Tribune

HOUSTON HODGES RECRUITING EXPERIENCE:

As a High School senior, Houston ran the 40 in 4.5 seconds. He was a marvelous prep athlete who was recruited by many schools for his football and basketball abilities, but so much of where you play at the college level is God given, specifically when it comes to size. Houston was five foot nine inches tall and weighed 165 as he went through recruiting.

“As a Division One or Two in football,” his father Dave told me, “it was going to be real tough. The University of Iowa was pretty aggressive early but when they saw him physically they said, ‘No, it won’t work (at the Big Ten Conference level).’ It was hard for him to accept that if he were six foot two inches tall he could play at that level. Most kids think they can play one notch higher in college than they really can. Houston was two notches above at first!”

The Hodges family utilized the exposure and tools of NCSA as well as doing things such as getting his opposing high school coaches to write testimonials on him. That carried a lot of weight with college coaches because it is the kind of verified information many college coaches trust. Here are two:

“I think Houston is a tremendous competitor who understands the game of football and how tough you have to be. As an opposing coach on our scouting report it reads:  Difference maker on either side of the ball, we must limit his big plays! Your son is the kind of player all coaches want on their team and the kind of player colleges need to evaluate his heart not just his size. Good luck with recruiting.”

Coach Dawson, Concord Minuteman, Head football Coach

“Houston Hodges is a quite a bit above average athlete. We had trouble staying in front of him due to his quickness. I am impressed with his competitive spirit.  As a point guard his team wins most of their games.  I have seen Houston play a lot of basketball and he plays unselfishly as any I have seen.”

Doug Ogle, Head Basketball Coach, Warsaw Community High School

Houston was heavily recruited by many schools, and was getting multiple calls at night from college coaches, especially at the D3 level where he was more of a realistic fit. He had about fifteen schools consistently recruiting him. Two highly respected schools, Wabash and DePauw (alma mater of Butler University basketball coach Brad Stevens) really went after him.

“One thing I would stress to families,” said Dave, “is it is very, very important to go where you are really wanted. There were schools that were on and off with their recruiting and some that would have taken him but you could tell it wasn’t a major priority. With those two schools, they were constantly pounding.”

At the D3 level, there are no athletic scholarships but people have to understand there are remarkable packages out there that can make it very affordable. Because Houston worked his tail off in the classroom all four years of High School (Houston is 5th in his senior class of 272 with a 11.5 GPA on a 12.0 scale) he has earned a tremendous scholarship package to Wabash College.

“I was shocked about what is available,” said Dave, “especially for a D3 regarding academic money. Long story short, he will get about $34,000 out of $40,000 paid for.”

That is without a lick of “athletic” scholarship money. Many times student-athletes can earn packages at outstanding D3 institutions (some of the best colleges in America) and pay less than someone at a traditional state University.

In Houston’s case, another strong reason for going there is his older brother Austin is already an athlete there and has loved the experience. Being D3, Houston will play both football (cornerback) and basketball (point guard), which is almost impossible to do these days at the D1 level. It will be a challenge as he will major in Economics and Spanish, but he will learn time management skills that will make him an outstanding job prospect upon graduation.

I talked with Houston about the recruiting experience, and asked him to share insights that would benefit families.

“The calls from coaches were nice,” said Houston, “but you really need to get on campus and take unofficial visits. A big thing for me was watching practice. I could see which ones were intense and which ones were more laid back. I want to play for a college coach who is real passionate. Also get to know their coaches on a more personal level and make sure they know who you are. You really want to find the right fit. I liked the college coaches that wouldn’t just call and talk football or basketball but about life. I also knew I wanted to find a smaller school that was more tight knit.”

I asked him about the reality of his size.

“Like every other kid I wanted to play D1,” said Houston. “When Iowa contacted me it was exciting but then I realized my size wouldn’t allow me to play at that level. What I eventually saw was that I needed an academic place that would prepare me for life after football. My parents were always telling me that although an athletic scholarships would be nice I would get more academic scholarships. I am going to major in Economics and Spanish. I want to travel eventually and with more and more people speaking Spanish it will help in business to know that language.”

The Hodges utilized many resources in recruiting including being a part of the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network.

“I got calls from schools in places such as Minnesota and Pennsylvania,” said Houston. “It opened up possibilities I didn’t know were there.”

Less than seven percent of High School athletes have what it takes to play at the college level. Houston is now wearing a college uniform. Already a big role model to young kids in sports mad Plymouth, he is a bigger role model at the next level.

“It is amazing to think I will be a college athlete,” said Houston, at the time he decided on his College choice. “Growing up I knew I was a good athlete and now I feel so privileged to be a college athlete.”

He will also experience the unique traditions that are out there. When Wabash plays arch rival DePauw for the Monon Bell, the Stadium is overflowing. Last year there were 11,733 packed in the Stadium and another 2000 standing outside. There are usually about ten players in the game that were All State in High School.

Do everything you can to find the right fit for your son or daughter at the next level. It is critical to have an evaluation to help understand what is the right level athletically, academically, socially, geographically and much more.

To do what the Hodges Family did to have Success in Recruiting, click here

Houston Hodges and his brother Austin were key members of the 12-1 Wabash team

UPDATE: Houston played a great deal as a freshman and helped Wabash College Football to a 12-1 season, losing to 10-time National Champ Mt. Union (alma mater of Colts receiver Pierre Garcon) deep in the playoffs. In that game Houston Hodges finished a big day with an interception, 2 solo tackles, and a fumble recovery.  Austin Hodges had two assists.  Former North Judson standout CJ Gum had a big day with 8 solo tackles and 5 assists. He finished his senior season with 105 tackles.

As a defensive back, Houston had 19 solo tackles, three interceptions and eight pass deflections in his freshman season. He went straight into basketball.

Here is an article on how Houston is playing 2 Sports at the College Level

Plymouth High alum Houston Hodges playing basketball at prestigious Wabash College

Final Thoughts from Dad Dave Hodges on how most athletes need help with recruiting exposure:”

“Charlie, it is only the elite athlete who does all the Combines and is already on everybody’s list that does not need much help.  Everyone else can benefit. We heard from programs we never new existed that never would have found us had it not been NCSA.”

Plymouth High Athletic Director Roy Benge brings in NCSA Athletic Recruiting Education each year so that the families in the area can be are educated about the recruiting process and the Athleadership message of NCSA.

To bring a NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network to your School, Club, or Event

Charlie Adams

NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network Recruiting Expert

cadams@ncsasports.org

“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

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

It is almost every college fans favorite time of the year.  The NCAA will be running ads featuring athletes “Going Pro in Something Other than Sports” all weekend.  Are these ads hypocritical?  More and more the media seems to be shouting enough is enough.  Jason Whitlock writes:

The kids are disposable. They’re totally controlled by the NCAA rule book and dictator coaches. They have little value to the media. We in the media can’t resist exploiting them. We’ve wasted two decades of energy pushing college presidents to add a playoff system to college football.

Could we spend a year or two pushing college presidents to do the right thing for football and basketball players?

I’m hoping this week is the start of that process. I’m hoping the HBO and PBS shows change the collective conversation about the NCAA. Amateurism is an outdated concept. It was blown up by television and its money 35 years ago. It’s now time to blow up the NCAA rule book and start from scratch.

Smart people need to figure out a way to financially compensate the football and basketball players who generate the cash. Title IX is not a legitimate excuse to maintain the status quo. This is America. The people who produce the profits are supposed to benefit from those profits.

Room, board, books and tuition are no longer remotely a fair exchange when coaches and administrators earn lifetime financial security every one to four years.

Even PBS put out a scathing new special.  What do you think?  Comment away!!!!!!

Watch the full episode. See more FRONTLINE.

Emil Clayton is a college basketball player who was profiled last year on ESPN.com, as a talented prospect with no scholarship offers.  He landed at Kishwakee Junior College and is now working with NCSA to transfer to a 4 year institution.

What’s up,

Yet another week in my recruiting and season, and I’m back for this week’s journal entry. This week I played two games against Highland and Sauk Valley. We beat Sauk Valley and lost to Highland. At the Highland game, there were four Division I schools. The schools were Bradley, SIUe, Tennessee-Martin, and Eastern Illinois. I started my week out by emailing a few coaches about their programs and recruiting efforts. Nearing close to the end of conference and the beginning of post-season, I will be looking to contact more coaches.

Until next time,

Emil Clayton

Emil Clayton is a college basketball player  who was profiled last year on ESPN.com, as a talented prospect with no scholarship offers.  He landed at Kishwakee Junior College and is now working with NCSA to transfer to a 4 year institution.

Hello Readers,

This week I completed my recruiting profile. I updated everything from my high school profile and changed it to a college profile. Also, I spoke with representatives from NCSA and will be sending a few game films in to be evaluated and posted on my profile, from both my freshman and sophomore year. I’m proud to be back active as a member of the NCSA family and looking for to their help with my recruiting. I will be posting updates weekly, so other athletes can be informed about my recruiting with the help from the NCSA team.

Until next time,

Emil Clayton

See what head men’s basketball coach Mike Lightfoot from Bethel College in Indiana has to say about recruiting in our coaches corner:

What do you look for when evaluating potential recruits? The first thing I look for in a potential recruit is his grades. I can go watch as many games of him, but it doesn’t matter how good a recruit may be if they don’t have the grades and are ineligible in college. To me, if you don’t have the same mentality in the classroom as you do on the court then I’m not particularly interested in bringing him to our institution. I also see how the recruit reacts to his teammates, his coaches and his parents. I ask myself, “Is he coachable? Is he willing to get better? Is he a leader? Will he represent our school with integrity?” These are keys in bringing in the right recruit into our program.

How do you initially reach out to a recruit? We like to go out and watch them play. Normally it’s a very informal greeting between summer basketball games or open gyms. I introduce myself, tell them what our program is about and then let them make the decision on what is the best fit.

Discuss your 1st call strategy for a recruit: It’s about relationships. First calls are always tough so I make them very light-hearted. I want to build that relationship with the recruit and get to know him better.

How often do you communicate with your recruits? I’m not one for hounding recruits. They’re just kids and I try to let them experience their high school careers before it’s gone. I normally check in with them every now and then, but I do feel there is such a thing as “over-recruiting.”

How do you close a recruit when you want them to commit? I don’t force it. I let the recruit take the time he needs with his family to make the right choice that’s best for him. This is a huge decision in anyone’s life. Getting the opportunity to work with young men at a place like Bethel is a real privilege. To see a recruit choose Bethel and then watch him mature and develop gives me great satisfaction and when you realize that these kids are finding their mission and ministry in life– that’s what makes coaching and recruiting special!”

What tips would you give coaches just getting started with recruiting? Be patient. Do what you do best and don’t sell something that you’re not. Be straight forward and willing to answer all their questions honestly.

One of the biggest points I emphasize when brought in to educate families on recruiting is the importance of finding the ‘right fit’ in college to play the sport their athlete loves.

Constantine High School in Michigan brings NCSA Athletic Recruiting in each year to educate their families. I had a great talk with Athletic Director Mike Messner about one of the greatest athletes in school history, Pete Moe. He was a 6’5″ quarterback in the 1990′s who could make every throw. He was an outstanding guard in basketball. He was First Team All-State in Class C in Michigan in both sports. The University of Michigan did look at him in football but felt his frame was not strong enough to handle the pounding a Big Ten quarterback would take, so that wasn’t the right fit. Former IU Coach Bobby Knight sent assistant coach Dan Dakich up to Constantine to personally evaluate Moe. IU didn’t feel he was quite what they were looking for to play at the Big Ten level.

I remember being in the Plymouth High (IN) gym one time when Dakich personally evaluated former Kevin Ault of Warsaw, who would go on to win the prestigious Mr. Basketball Award in Indiana. Even though Ault was a remarkable shooter, Dakich didn’t see him as a Big Ten player. I would imagine he didn’t think he was tall enough or quick enough. Ault eventually signed with Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) and coach Steve Alford. That was still Division One, but a different level of it. Families have to understand there are levels within levels at D1, 2, 3 and so on.

Getting back to Pete Moe. He was a remarkable athlete. He won the state championship in the 300 IM Hurdles. Still, Division One was not the right fit for him. He and his family could have been bullheaded and ended up with something D1, but he probably would have rode the bench. Moe eventually signed a full athletic scholarship with Division Two Northern Michigan University. He was a four year starter at point guard. Get that? He started all four years. He even played receiver on the football team after his basketball eligibility was up. He squeezed everything out of his experience. When he turns 50, he will have no regrets because he got the most out of his abilities. Moe is now successful in Sales in Oregon. His resume has always played up his college athletic accomplishments because he knows that separates him.

As outstanding an athlete as Moe was, he was not quite a high level D1 athlete as far as playing significant minutes. For him, D2 was the right fit.

A few days after speaking in Constantine, I was in Valparaiso, IN to speak at Wheeler High School, a class 2A school. Athletic Director Randy Stelter told me that since he had started as AD there in 1998 they have had two Division One athletes.

Two. Out of hundreds, make that thousands of athletes.

One was Vic Sikorski, who was the school’s first state champion in swimming, winning the 50 yard Free in 2008. He signed a partial scholarship with Valparaiso University over Purdue. His reason was he wanted to be a big fish in a small pond. Valparaiso was in the early stages of their swim program. He liked the fact that he could be a part of something in the building stage, as compared to going somewhere where things were established. Another swimmer might look at in a different perspective, preferring to go after the challenge of swimming in the Big Ten. Again, these are things every athlete and family have to go over, so that they find the right fit for their athlete.

The other D1 athlete in the past twelve years from Wheeler HS is Becca Bruszewski, who is in her senior season as a key player for the national powerhouse Notre Dame women’s basketball team. In many ways, she is an example of what a “D1″ athlete is. Physically, she stands out as Becca stands six feet one inch tall. She made All State three times in High School. She set eleven school records in basketball, including most points with 1808. She spent three seasons with Indiana Elite AAU team (through the Midwest Basketball Academy of Rod Creech in Mishawaka,IN)

Becca was such a remarkable athlete that she could have easily secured a high level volleyball scholarship. In volleyball, she was a three-time All-State selection, earning first-team honors as junior and senior. In that sport she owns school records for career kills (2,042) and blocks (452), as well as single-season kills (657) and blocks (139), and led. led Wheeler to four sectional volleyball titles and regional tournament berths.

THERE’S your D1 athlete. As Sullivan High School Athletic Director Otto Clements told me in August, “families sometimes don’t understand how elite the high level D1 athlete is.”

I was at Glenn High School in Walkerton, IN. Their last D1 athlete was Andy Groves almost a decade ago. He went on to pitch for Purdue on a partial baseball scholarship. You would have to go back forever for their last “fullride” D1 kid.

There are seven million kids playing High School sports. Less than 1 percent will get a full athletic scholarship at the Division One level. Your kid may not be a D1 athlete. If not, get over it. There are remarkable opportunities at all levels of college sports. I covered college athletes for 23 years as a Sports Anchor at TV stations across America. While I covered many D1 athletes that loved their experience, I found that the small college athlete usually had the better college experience. That’s why I get so frustrated with families and athletes that think D1 or nothing.

I had a long conversation with the mother of a very talented 9th grader who projects to be D1. The player is very tall, talented, and smart. She is one of those that stood out so much in Middle School that it is reasonable to project her to be a D1 prospect. One of the major reasons they are in NCSA is to help with the management of the process all four years of High School. One of the reasons I encourage people to start the PROCESS of recruiting early is so they can start putting a lot of thought into the eventual right fit. One in four college athletes quit after their freshman season, primarily because they screwed this up.

Even though this young lady could very possibly eventually play for one of the top D1 college basketball programs in America, that may not be the right fit for her. At this point, the mother told me, her daughter was much more motivated to still play D1, but at a strong academic school that is not one of the Top 25 programs, where pressure is constant. For example, Tulane. That’s a great academic school that plays D1. Are they going to be in the Final Four? Not likely, but it’s still D1. It’s good that the mother and daughter are starting to sort these things out early, rather than waiting until 11th grade.

Kids want different things. I was talking to the coach of a girl that is the Sectional champion in Cross Country. I asked him what his elite runner was thinking about as far as running in college. He looked right at me and said she would be interested, but not at some place where the pressure would be intense to maintain low times.

Another kid may want that pressure. This girl, according to the coach, wants no part of that stress. For her the right fit might be a top academic college where she could run at a very competitive level, but not at a place where the running expectations are all consuming.

Whatever is the right fit, I am a strong proponent that if you have been blessed by God with the physical ability to play your sport somewhere in college, you should look very seriously at doing so.

I attended a luncheon to celebrate the start of the basketball season for a NAIA school. I talked with one of the assistant coaches about their players that were seniors on last years team. He told me that all of them had been hired by outstanding companies and were employed in good jobs.

Remember, we are in a bad economy. Jobs are tough. This coach told me company leaders had watched them as student-athletes and wanted them in their companies. He told me how alums at the school look out for each other. It’s one of the major reasons to go to college, but when you have the God given athletic potential to be a college student-athlete, go for it because it will put you in better position for careers upon graduation. As Chris Krause’s book says, Athletes are Wanted.

I had the opportunity to speak to a group of wonderfully talented 8th grade soccer players as the U 14 Jr. Irish Fire Premier Soccer team of Craig Horvath. They asked me to speak to them after practice. I asked them where they wanted to play. Several said they wanted to play for North Carolina or Notre Dame. Those are the Giant’s of D1 women’s soccer. For them, recruiting really does start early. Programs like that identify prospects so early that they practically look at Ultra Sounds. I remember speaking at the Mizuno Mid East Regional Volleyball qualifiers in St. Louis. NCSA was brought in to deliver Recruiting Education to the families.

Several bigtime D1 coaches were watching an 8th grade travel team from Florida that had a girl that was a tremendous talent. She was so smooth I thought she was a 12th grader. I was courtside talking with an assistant coach from a SEC school that told me they had identified her when she was in 6th grade (!). Do I totally agree with how accelerated recruiting has become at the D1 level? No, but as one coach said, “that is the world we live in today.”

These are insights from being out there speaking on recruiting and constantly talking to families and coaches that are in the crosshairs of it. I hope you find these observations helpful. You can always reach me at cadams@ncsasports.org

Also, please share your insights down below. We all learn from the experiences of others that have gone through the process.

Charlie Adams

Senior National Educational Speaker – Bring Charlie to your School HERE!

Submit your Recruiting Information to the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network HERE!