NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

What is the National Letter of Intent?

The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student athlete and an NLI member institution

• A prospective student athlete agrees to attend the institution full time for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters
• The institution agrees to provide financial aid for one academic year 

Penalty for breaking this contract

• Student athletes have to serve one year in residence at the next NLI member institution

• Sit out for one season of competition in all sports

What is Signing Day?

• Signing day is the day you actually sign the NLI

Does every division 1 and 2 athlete sign an NLI?

• Most people will say that every D1 and D2 athlete will sign an NLI, but this is not the case.
• It is not so much about being in a certain division as it is whether or not the school is a member of the NLI program.
• There are 600 schools who participate in the NLI program
• All D1 schools are involved with NLI except for service academies and Ivy league.
• A majority of D2 programs participate in the program
• No D3, NAIA, Prep schools or 2 year colleges participate
• For a complete list of schools who participate in the NLI, visit the NCAA’s website (more…)

Bethel College (IN) men’s basketball coach Mike Lightfoot recently shared extremely important information for families to know about recruiting, and specifically about opportunities at the N.A.I.A. level (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). NCSA speakers tell audiences, “The better your grades, the more opportunities for scholarships!” Lightfoot, who is in the NAIA Hall of Fame, verifies that here.

Bethel College men's basketball coach Mike Lightfoot

With over 630 victories at Bethel, Lightfoot made college basketball history by reaching 500 wins faster than any coach in history, including Coach K and John Wooden.

At the NAIA level, they have athletic scholarship money and other ways for young people to have their college education funded.

ON WHY ACADEMICS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO GET SCHOLARSHIPS!

“When we say we have six athletic scholarships to offer at our level of N.A.I.A, think similar to the salary cap in pro sports. If a student athlete is a 3.5 GPA or higher in High School and maintains that at the College level, that athletic scholarship money he or she receives does not count towards those six athletic scholarships. If we can find a young man or woman with a 3.5 or higher and they maintain it in College, that becomes uncountable aid and we look at that person as a free scholarship for us and use that athletic money for someone that doesn’t qualify with a 3.5.

(more…)

Lamond Murray lit up Duke for 28 points and 10 rebounds in the 1993 NCAA Tournament, as his Cal team, led by Jason Kidd, knocked Coach K’s team out of the Big Dance. Duke had won the 2 two National Championships, had been to 5 of the last 6 Final Four’s, and featured Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill. Lamond is one of the team of Recruiting Experts for NCSA that speak on Developing Athletes into Leaders and the recruiting process at High Schools, Clubs, Camps and other events.

Former Cal and NBA player Lamond Murray with Charlie Adams

The 6′ 7″ 12 year NBA veteran was in the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network offices in Chicago recently where I had a chance to talk with him about the recruiting process.

Because of Lamond’s physical size, skills and abilities, he was one of those players that ranked in the top 100 of the nation. Those athletes will be chased. Everyone else cannot afford to wait to be recruited. As Tom Lemming says, if you are not in the top 100 or 200 players in the nation in your sport, you cannot sit back and wait to be recruited. “I remember at one event they literally put the top 100 in one gym and all the college coaches went there to watch,’ recalled Lamond. “I was in there with other High School players like Jason Kidd, Glenn Robinson and Chris Webber.”

As a speaker on recruiting, I am all for athletes shooting for D1 if they have the God given physical size, ability, and commitment level. I spoke at Heritage Christian High in Indy, and folks there talked about alum Kelly Faris, now a big success for Geno Auriemma at UConn. At 5′ 11″ she has the physical size, strengthand ability to play at the highest level. With Lamond, look at his arms in the picture below He has, a a 7 foot wingspan. That kind of thing attracts high level D1.

Lamond Murray 7 foot wingspan

His arms (and overall basketball ability) made him an effective high-level player because of reach, ability to disrupt passing lines, and on and on.  Now, look at his hands. The picture down below is of Lamond’s next to a NCSA employee. When he palms a basketball, the basketball doesn’t look like a volleyball. It looks like a softball. Again, those are the kind of things that make an athlete a legit high level D1 prospect. That is why it is important to get a realistic 3rd party evaluation. If you have not had a verified, 3rd party evaluation, or if you have not had one in over a year.

To Learn What Level of College Sports You Evaluate to at this Stage (more…)

The University of North Carolina is polling as the number one team in men’s college basketball. Their highly respected head coach, Roy Williams, shares valuable recruiting insights in his book HARD WORK (Algonquin Books), which I recently read. I highly recommend it, and wanted to share with you some of the parts that specifically deal with recruiting.

NCSA Speaker Charlie Adams speaks with parents after a Talk

Williams started his rise through coaching ranks as an assistant coach at North Carolina. He worked the Tar Heels’ summer camps, then coached by the legendary Dean Smith. Williams writes about how they always wanted to get top prospects to their summer camps so they could watch them in person – and possibly offer a scholarship.

Williams had heard from trusted sources about an up-and-coming young player named Michael Jordan, and invited him to a summer camp. After watching Jordan’s every move during his first scrimmage, Williams told the rest of the staff that Jordan was the best 6’4′ player he had ever seen. Williams writes that Dean Smith had breakfast with Jordan one day, lunch another, and offered Jordan a scholarship before the end of the camp. Jordan didn’t accept the offer, but when he attended the prestigious Five Star camp, he found he had a new shadow: Roy Williams.

“When Jordan went to one court, I followed him. When he moved to another court, I followed him. It was like there was nobody else there. I watched every step he took.”

The next year, Jordan signed with North Carolina.

Williams was an assistant coach at North Carolina for many years, then served as Head Coach at tradition-rich Kansas. He returned to UNC in 2003 to be Head Coach there, and has won two National Championships (and counting) since then. In his book, he writes at length about recruiting:

“I recruit through a process of elimination. If I see a big guy who can’t run, I don’t recruit him because I want our team to run. If I see a point guard who can shoot, but has no savvy, I won’t recruit him, because I need a point guard who makes great decisions. Whenever I go out and recruit, I’m thinking, ‘This is the way I want to play. Can that kid do what I want him to do?’”

“If I am there to watch one individual, I’ll watch every move he makes. If I’m watching a group of players at an All-Star Camp, I wait for somebody to jump out at me and I’ll write his number down on my pad every time he does something I like. One summer I was at a tournament in Louisville and they had four games going at the same time. My assistants had me watching a player on Court 2. Every time the play would stop on my court, I would glance over to Court 3, and number 34 was just killing people. I kept writing down the number 34 over and over. He was so outrageous with his effort and rebounding and how he could run. At some point in the second half I just turned away from my court and started watching number 34. That player’s name was Richard Scott and he ended up being a three-year starter for me at the Kansas.”

Of course, at a top-tier basketball program like the University of North Carolina, a coach has to make talent his number one priority to field a competitive team. Character is his number two priority – ahead of Academics.

“I once had an elementary school principal in Wichita, Kansas, tell me, ‘Coach, I wish you’d say academics is the second priority.’ “No, ma’am,’ I said, “because if he’s a great player and a 4.0 student but he’s going to be a pain in the rear end, I want it to be somebody else’s rear end.”

“I remember going to recruit Marvin Williams, and in one game he had 36 points. But that wasn’t what sold me on him. Marvin fouled out of that game, and while the crowd was giving him a standing ovation, he walked over to the end of the bench and grabbed five cups of water and handed them to the five guys who were going back into the game. I said to myself, ‘I really want this kid.’”

“They have to be kids that I’m going to enjoy being around every day. Since I became a head coach, I’ve had three recruits visit campus that my players thought wouldn’t fit in, so I stopped recruiting all three.”

At the Division One level, recruiting is so competitive that coaches like Williams go all-out to let their top prospects know how much they want them.

“During warm-ups before we (Kansas) played the 1991 national championship game against Duke, I went around the corner from our locker room to a phone and made a recruiting call to Jason Kidd.”

“Shane Battier had the most organized recruitment I’ve ever been involved in. He selected six schools and said he was going to have phone calls every Monday night. Each coach had 15 minutes. I made the phone call every Monday at 9:30.”

Recruiting has accelerated over the years, with coaches identifying prospects at an earlier stage than ever before. Williams writes about it.

“The whole thing is an insane experience. Players are being recruited when they are still just kids. There are guys in 9th and 10th grade thinking about making commitments, and our admissions office will say, ‘How can we decide if a kid should come to college when he hasn’t taken sophomore English?’”

HARD WORK is out in paperback and it has a lot of valuable content that would benefit parents coaches and athletes, especially those who have set playing Division I as their goal. The book also has a companion website with more resources. The video on Coach Williams’ background is inspiring, and will motivate young people to understand the power of a hard work ethic

The Roy Williams Book site

Charlie Adams, Speaker, NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network

cadams@ncsasports.org

‘Stoke the Fire Within!’

To learn more about what level of College Sports you would qualify for at this stage of Recruiting, click here

When NCSA’s team of over 30 Recruiting Expert Speakers deliver hard hitting Presentations, a point of emphasis is finding the “right fit” for athletes at the next level. This article will give you powerful examples of how one young man is nailing the “right fit.”

Bo Calhoun of Washington High committed to D1 Ball State University before his seniors season. Here is a break-down of key factors:

Bo Calhoun of Washington High in action

The “Realistic Fit” Factor: Ball State is mid level D1. Bo Calhoun is 6’7″ and 210 with long arms. He averaged 18 points a game as a junior for Washington High, located in South Bend, IN. As recruiting went along, schools most interested in him were schools like Ball State and Western Michigan. North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky and those big boys were not wound up about him. Bo had the wisdom and discernment to see what was a realistic fit athletically for him at the next level.

Rod Creech is the highly respected President of the Midwest Basketball Academy and Director of MBA Select Boys Basketball. He and his staff have been with Bo during this whole process.

“With Bo,” said Creech, “we talked to him about the difference between the College coaches love you and the ones that simply like you. Western Michigan University and Ball State really loved him and a lot of others liked him. Ball State and Western wanted him to commit early because they loved him so much. When you find those kind of schools, you don’t get lost in the shuffle with other players and end up eventually transferring.”

“We talked to Bo about finding the right fit for him,” added Creech. “Take Visits, listen to coaches, get to know them, their teams and Universities. His 6’7” frame and athleticism put him in play with a lot of Universities. He ended up being the number one recruit target of Ball State.”

The “Work Ethic, Character and Academics” Factor: When a person has a combination of God given size, and athletic ability like Bo, and a work ethic, look out! His High School Coach, Chad Johnston, said this to the Star Press:

“He’s got a great work ethic. In the summer I told him he needs to take a week off to let his body recover a little bit. A couple of weeks ago when it was super hot out, I got a call about him working out on the track. I took a Gatorade out to him and said, ‘What are you doing?’ He told me, ‘I’m working to get better, coach.’”

Rod Creech is passionate about preaching fundamentals and work ethic to players MBA works with in their development. It is vital that young athletes talk with their High School and/or Club Coaches at a fairly young age and state what their dreams or goals are, and ask to be held accountable in reaching them.

“Bo has always been a great kid with big dreams,” said Creech. “As a freshman he met with me and made me promise to help him and hold him accountable to do the things it would take to get a scholarship. He knew basketball was a way. He wanted to be a College player so bad, and he knew his family could not afford to pay for College, so basketball was a way to get that Scholarship. We held him accountable with his work ethic and told him the door of opportunity will open and shut quickly. You have to have the character, academics, and stay out of trouble.”

Athletes: Meet with your coaches and guidance counselors, tell them your dreams, and ask them to help hold you accountable to reaching those dreams!

Bo carries a strong 3.1 GPA. He is getting it done in the classroom. No excuses! Through Visits and Research, he also knows enough about Ball State to know he wants to enter their School of Business. While someone with his physical abilities could possibly think NBA or Pro Basketball overseas, he knows the odds are stacked so high that he wants to make sure he gets his education and degree first. Bo comes from a strong Conference, the Northern Indiana Conference, that is close to another strong Conference, the Northern Lakes Conference. These Conferences include power High Schools such as Penn and Warsaw, the South Bend and Elkhart schools, and more.

Know how many of their products are currently in the NFL, NBA, Major Leagues and WNBA? Two. None from his city of South Bend. From where Bo comes from, about 0.0005 % of High School athletes are making the NBA, NFL and MLB.

The “Know Your Weakness” Factor:

College Coaches go to trusted, verified sources to get the scoop on recruitable athletes like Calhoun.

“The first thing College Coaches ask me about are character and academics,” said Creech, who played College Basketball and is also a College Referee, “then once that is cleared the rest can almost be easy if the kid has the ability.”

As we talked about this point, Creech elaborated on how he and other trusted third parties like the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network have to develop a realistic evaluation of a recruit.

“When College Coaches call me about a kid,” said Creech,” I tell them the truth. I tell parents of players that my credibility is on the line and I have worked hard for 15 years to develop trust with a Network of College Coaches. I tell College Coaches about the strengths AND weaknesses and something that is important for athletes to know is that I tell the College Coaches if the kid is working hard on the weakness. With Bo Calhoun, his weakness used to be his jump shot, but he worked so hard on it. I also told the College Coaches about his upside. The weight program isn’t the greatest at his High School. When he adds 20 pounds to his 6’7” frame he will explode.”

Remember, College Coaches project when recruiting. You think they are looking at you as you are, but they are often picturing you at age 20 after being in their weight program.

The “College Coaches are Watching more than your Athletic Abilities when they see you in Person” Factor:

Understanding the importance of being at the right kind of recruiting events is important. Bo really shined at July Showcase events for his MBA Select team, and the College Coaches were there to see him. While Ball State coaches were evaluating him, the South Bend Tribune reported that his team was not doing well and he couldn’t buy a bucket. Calhoun stepped up in a leadership role and righted their ship.

“(The Ball State coaches) knew he could play,” Coach Johnston, his High School coach, told the newspaper, “but when they saw him handle a tough situation, they became very interested.”

That is a HUGE point. The College coaches went from interested to VERY interested based on leadership skills displayed. College coaches know if they want to win they not only have to have kids that can play and handle the academics of college, but that have the leadership skills, competitive fire and the other elements that make up championship teams. If you are at an Exposure Event and on the Lists of Colleges, know they are watching all kinds of things, from how you carry your bag from the bus to how you ask your parents for a sports drink.

“In that game,” said Creech, “he wasn’t playing well offensively but rallied his team with his words. At MBA, we talk daily with kids like Bo about leadership, mental toughness and about TEAM. Offensive won’t always be there, but the ability to support the team in other ways will always be there.”
The “Knowing Who Else is on the College Roster” Factor: The Ball State Coaches have told Bo that he projects to possibly replace 6’9″ BSU senior Jarrod Jones. He has a chance to compete for playing time early. Part of finding the right fit is studying rosters to see who they have coming back. A glut of young players at your position is not the best situation to enter into in College. Bo knew there were only three other post players on Ball State’s rosters and their coaches expect him to play a lot as a freshman. Notice they didn’t promise, but expect, which is the way it should be.

The “factors” that Bo nailed are ones that you need to be thinking about as well. They really go on and on. In talking with Rod Creech, he shared these other valuable insights:

Charlie Adams is one of over 30 NCSA Speakers that can come to your School or Club

“Charlie, parents often think because they get a letter their kid is being recruited. That College may have sent 10 or 200 or more letters out. It’s a start but unless you do the work and the marketing of your child, that may be all you ever get.”

“Charlie, parents also often think that when they get their kids to these recruiting exposure events that everyone there is to watch them. They don’t understand what it takes when they get to these venues. A kid has to be prepared. A lot of parents think you play on a team and go and success finds them there. You have to work hard and be prepared to take advantage of being in that situation.”

Parents have got to understand that College Coaches go to these events primarily to evaluate prospects that they have learned of through trusted, verified third parties like a Rod Creech, the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network and other credible sources. SO many parents trot their kids to various basketball, volleyball, soccer and other Showcases thinking their kid will get discovered. When Bob Chmiel, a NCSA Speaker, was Recruiting Coordinator for Michigan and then Notre Dame, he “discovered” two kids in all his years. Tim Biakabutuka, who flew under the radar from Zaire, and Rocky Boiman. Chmiel always had a list that he developed through trusted sources. It is critical you understand this concept if you want to have maximum success in the recruiting process.

To Talk with a College Scout to See if You Qualify for a Recruiting Evaluation click here

Charlie Adams

Educational Speaker and Recruiting Expert

cadams@ncsasports.org

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