NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Coach Burdette from Kenyon College found time for NCSA to let recruits know a little more about their baseball program and recruiting. Here is what he had to say:

 1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I would describe myself as a player’s coach because I have walked a mile in their shoes. I went to a selective academic Division III institution, much like Kenyon, and competed at a high level on the baseball field. I understand the trials and tribulations they are going to go through on a day to day basis and throughout the four years.

2. What is unique about the experience at your school?
I truly believe that Kenyon is unique in the fact that it is a national campus, very selective academically and has been a tremendous baseball program. Not many places are able to offer all of that in one package.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?
Recruits need to know that I will ask them to be first-class in the classroom, on the field and in the community. In that same fashion, the baseball program will be run in a first class manner – from the way we run practice, to the schedule, equipment, uniforms and attitude we bring to the park every day.

4. What do you look for in recruits?
Recruiting at Kenyon encompasses the three major pieces that I’m sure all colleges have: academics, finances and ability to play baseball. However, my focus has to begin with the academic side because of the selectivity, and then it’s about how passionate and talented the student-athlete is playing the game.

5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?
Market yourself. I can’t possibly see or know about all the talented student-athletes that are out there but I will track down any lead that comes my way. (Call, Email, Video, On-Line Questionnaire).

6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?
I like recruits that are fearless – guys that are not worried about depth charts or the rigors of the academics. So questions that pertain to how successful they can be and not worried about how difficult the challenge might be.

7. What turns you off when you are recruiting a student athlete?
One turn-off is when a student-athlete remarks how he doesn’t like his coach or that his coach doesn’t know what he’s doing. Another big one is when the student-athlete is disrespectful to his parents.

8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?
Our program is about 100% graduation rates, scoring runs and winning big games. We have had some tremendous victories over some big-time programs and we want to continue our ascent to elite status.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?
A recruit should consider Kenyon because we care about the entire student-athlete. It’s not all about wins and losses, although we want to win all the games, but more about developing a great player, great student and great person.

10. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?
Contact me via e-mail (burdettem@kenyon.edu), phone (740-427-5810 – office), mail (Baseball Office, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio 43022) and fill out our on-line questionnaire (http://www.kenyon.edu/). Also send video if you have it and a summer showcase/game schedule.

We appreciate Coach Burdette’s time and effort in putting this information together. Feel free to reach out to him to learn more about his program by using the information above.

We recently caught up with the Head Coach of the co-defending champs of the New England Collegiate Conference, Mike Leonard. During this busy spring season he was generous enough to let us know more about the Blazer traditions and his coaching style:

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

As I coach I pride myself in being hard working, positive, energetic, consistent, and organized.  Our practices are always high energy and we utilize our time by following an organized and specific practice plan daily.  I expect a lot out of myself as a coach and therefore expect a lot out of my players.  The baseball players here at Elms are constantly being challenged as individuals and as a team which I believe bring out the best in them.

2. What is unique about the experience at your school?

Elms College is a small school which creates an outstanding environment for learning and athletics.  In a word I would describe as Elms as a “family”.  There is never a shortage of support for students dealing with academic, personal, or athletic issues and is a large reason for the success of our student athletes.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

Recruits need to know that when they come to Elms, they will get a full commitment from me to help them improve.  I always tell my players and future players that if they have the work ethic and the desire to improve I will do everything possible to help them achieve their goals.  Whether it’s in the weight room, in the batting cage, on the mound, in the field, or in the classroom, I am always willing to help them get better.  If players come to Elms with the work ethic and the desire to become a better baseball player, they will leave Elms a better baseball player.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

I look for work ethic and commitment in recruits.  I like recruits who shown dedication to their previous teams and have been willing do anything to help the team win.  I also look for recruits who have shown the ability to lead on and off the field.

5. What is the one thing every recruit needs to do with the recruiting process?

Recruits need to know that if they are serious about a school, they should let the coach know that.  Nothing is more frustrating than communicating with a player and not getting responses or getting generic responses.  Recruits who do their homework on a school to know if it fits what they are looking for in a college and who can communicate that to the coach are always great to deal with.

6. What sort of questions do you really like to hear from recruits?

I always like to have recruits ask me how our practices are run, what our schedule is like, and how we have done in the past.  In addition, it’s always important for recruits to ask about the academic commitments of the school to see if it is the right fit for their academic needs.

7. What turns you off when you are recruiting a student athlete?

Arrogance and dishonestly are my biggest turn offs from recruits.  Even if a recruit has ability above our level of play, and they are not interested, I would rather them be an adult and say thank you for the call but I am not interested rather than pretend to be interested.  There is nothing wrong with telling a coach that the school is not what you are looking for, but be sure to at least listen to what the coach has to say and look over the schools website, you may be surprised at what a school you have never heard of has to offer.

8. What do you think your program is the most successful at?

I am in my first year as the head coach here, but I want to make it a priority that our program has success making our baseball players better people.  I believe in the division III philosophy of using athletics as way to enhance a student’s educational experience.  I want our players to have great baseball careers that will lead them to a college degree and help them be a productive part of society after college.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

Recruits should consider Elms if they are serious about the game of baseball and are looking for an environment where they can achieve their academic, social, and athletic goals with the help of great faculty and staff.

10. If a recruit is interested in your program, how should they reach out to you?

Recruits can contact me through mail, email or by phone.  Emails and letters are perfectly ok, but a phone call shows an elevated level of interest and will definitely be received with higher priority than a letter or email.

You can learn more about Elms College as well as reach out to Coach Leonard by going directly to their website below:

http://athletics.elms.edu/sports/bsb/index

I sat down with longtime Notre Dame head Volleyball Coach Debbie Brown in her office, as she shared powerful insights on recruiting during a 75 minute conversation. Though this is volleyball centered, it also has points that apply to all sports.

Brown has a Top 25 program. As a player at the University of Southern California, she was on some of the greatest teams ever, and was the co captain of the 1980 US Olympic Volleyball team.

This is what she had to say about a variety of Volleyball Recruiting Topics:

“Charlie, I think Volleyball is the most accelerated sport in recruiting, more than Football or Basketball. We are not completely done with our 2011 class (current 11th graders) but all are offered. Most top D1 programs are that way. Most parents of 11th graders think it is the time to begin the recruiting process. It’s not. Now, there are top D1 programs, mid D-1′s and lower D1′s. The timelines can be different.

There is a huge emphasis for coaches to be on the courts at Club events evaluating the 16 year olds. Five years ago, you’d never see us on the 16′s. It would be all 17 and 18′s.

(As we were talking in her office, one of her assistants was leaving to fly to Denver to evaluate 9th and 10th grade players at an event)

Charlie, the recruits that mean the most to us are the ones that contact us personally and tell us WHY they are interested in us, what they can bring, vitals, height, jump and so on. The last two weeks we got over 50 emails or calls letting us know what tournaments they will be in. It doesn’t have to be long. What we do is tag it with the University Athlete device we carry to events. We make an effort to see them in person.

Some parents get concerned about their kids being on Club teams that aren’t good. To me, that’s not as much of an issue as playing, getting good instruction, and playing the game. I do think the Club season is too long, but volleyball players do need to be working to get better. The analogy I use is our Admissions Department wants students to always be working on getting better academically. Same with us. Athletes should continue to get better.

A myth in volleyball recruiting is that you have to play for one of the Clubs that competes for a national title. However, if you want to be recruited nationally, you need to play on a Club team that plays more than a regional schedule. If you want to play College in your region, then a regional team would work.

On Grades:

Charlie, in our case at Notre Dame, you need to be above 3.5 but most are around 4.0 with all the Honors and AP courses they take. Class rank, reputation of the school, all of those are important. The thing young people need to know is the higher their GPA, the more doors will open for college sports opportunities! A misconception for athletes wanting to come here is that they will say they have a 3.0 GPA and that’s good. Well, it’s good, but not for here.

If I get a letter or email from a prospect and it doesn’t have a GPA, my assumption is ‘not good.’

On Sizes:

For top D1′s, height above the net is huge! Your reach. Vertical jump is important but it comes down to how high you can play above the net. An outside hitter would be 10 feet or above, maybe 9′ 10″ range. When we look at sophs, a lot may be in the 9’4″ range, and we can project to when they will be seniors. Middle hitters, 10’2″ and above.

The Commitment it takes to play a high level of D1:

You have to play volleyball because you love it at this level, because of the time you will spend at it. If you don’t love it, it’s not worth it. You will spend the minimum of 20 hours of week that the NCAA allows, plus to and from practice, to the training room. For kids that understand that, they have a great experience. For young people that are interested in the ‘quote unquote’ college experience of going out three to four nights a week, it wouldn’t be for them. Our players understand it, and love the commitment. It’s like walking by the basketball gym here and seeing a player shooting free throws on his own. He is driven by excellence. He wants it.

On Video:

A Recruiting Coordinator for us will look at it, and let me know if I should look at it, and then we would want to see the person live. A short skills portion is okay, highlights. There absolutely has to be some continuous game film. Anyone can look good on highlights. The skills part can be in practice. Sometimes that part is too long. Five reps of each skill would be fine. If possible, game vid should be shot from behind the court and not moving. I know that’s hard to get elevated at Club events sometimes, but we don’t like the side court moving shot. From behind the court, make sure you are on the near court, and not shooting vid of your athlete where they are through the net.

Signs a Recruit Knows Notre Dame is interested:

We can send out Questionnaires freshman and sophomore years, but of course they can’t be personal. From there, it’s up to them. They can stop by our office (unless it is a Dead Period). One piece of valuable advice is if they are going to a Club event, or traveling in general, call a coach ahead, set up a visit, stop and see them.

When they get to be juniors, the letters or emails can be personal back and forth. We do more email because you send it on Sept. 1, it gets there on Sept. 1 (first day of Jr. year coaches can write). We have a top group, a second group…

July 1st before the senior year, that’s when they can call us. Again, recruiting is so accelerated at our level of Volleyball, we’re done! That call is to talk about the details of what is to come with their scholarship offer.”

*******************

Thank you, Coach Brown. One of the things we talked about is that there are even different levels of Division One. A School like Notre Dame or Florida would have different timelines than say, an Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne, which is also Division One.

A school like Valparaiso University is Division One, but is it the same level as Penn State? No. That’s one of the reasons families need to have a realistic evaluation of where their volleyball player fits in the recruiting process.

Editor’s Note: If you have questions on recruiting or would like to bring Charlie Adams in to speak at your Club, High School or Event, email cadams@ncsasports.org

Let’s look at the following facts:

1)       The average cost of a college education is over $140,000

2)       There are over 20,000 high schools with athletic programs

3)       Only 5% or high school athletes will play in college

4)       The internet has made it so college coaches can look at kids from all over the world

How competitive is it to secure a college roster spot with some funding attached to it?  In the last 10 years, the competitiveness has increased exponentially because of the above 4 facts and these points.   When you examine how competitive it is, when do you think you should be competing for a college roster spot?  Senior year, junior year, sophomore year, freshman year, or younger?   If you said younger, that’s the correct answer.  If you’re a sophomore, junior or senior, it isn’t too late, but I bet you wished you had begun earlier, right? 

If you understand what you need to do to compete, then you’ll understand why college recruiting begins as early as 7^th and 8^th grade.  And if you don’t know anyone who are doing these things, that doesn’t mean there aren’t thousands of your peers around the country who are.  They are ahead in the recruiting race right now.  So here’s what you need to do to compete:

There are 3 legs that lead to a college scholarship, 1) academics, 2) athletics, and 3) college recruiting.  You can work real hard on those first 2 legs and that means nothing if a college coach doesn’t know about you.  When you delay working every day on college recruiting you are making a HUGE mistake that thousands of your peers are not.  Every day you wait to do something about college recruiting you lose ground to the kids who are doing something.

College coaches tell us that if they’ve known a kid since 7^th or 8^th grade and they find out about a similar student-athlete when that one is a sophomore or junior, he’ll offer the scholarship to the kid he has known the longest. 

Remember college recruiting is putting you in a position to earn a spot in a $140,000 job.  If you’re not making the effort to be recruited, what you do academically and athletically doesn’t matter.  You won’t get that job.  And waiting only hurts your chances.

The beauty of NCSA is we’ll take care of all of the heavy lifting on your recruiting effort.  That way you can focus on your work in the classroom and improving your athletic skills.  You’ll also get on the radar of college coaches so your hard work on those first 2 legs are being followed by those coaches. 

 If you want to play college sports and you’ve already played a season in high school, you’re beginning the recruiting process late.  If you need to catch up to your peers or don’t want to be left behind go here to be competitive.

Recruiting testimonial from Allison Kippers who will be a freshman on the McNeese State University women’s golf team fall 2010.

When I first began playing golf, I never would have thought that I would have advanced to the game I have today. Before joining with NCSA, I was emailing colleges like I was supposed to. I sent them my transcript, my resume, and a nice statement of interest, but I never got anything back.

Once I joined with NCSA, they told me that the reason I was not getting anything was because the emails being sent weren’t from someone of professional stature: being NCSA. They took the same material I sent before, and sent them to colleges, again. The change in responses was phenomenal. I was getting actual scholarship offers rather than simple letters of interest. It was amazing.

The only regret I have with joining with NCSA my senior year is that I wish I would have joined my sophomore year. The amount of colleges that would have shown interest would have been significantly different. Once with NCSA, the recruiting process of simple. I just sat back and watched the emails roll in.

 The only tough part was letting the colleges that had interest in me know that I had just signed with another college, and would not be attending their college.

If you are questioning whether or not to join with NCSA, do join. They will get you signed with a college. They actually care about your success and future, which was a bright surprise for me. So keep up the hard work, improve your game, maintain a good GPA, and join NCSA. You are guaranteed to get a scholarship with them.

NCSA recently had a chance to attend the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Convention held in Nashville. The time at the convention allowed NCSA staff to network with the college coaches and build on those relationships allowing us to help our NCSA student-athletes find the right college fit. NCSA speaker, Bridget Venturi, joined me in attending the convention meeting over a 100 coaches on the two days of the exhibitor event.

Talking with the coaches at the event to find out what needs they have and where they are in the recruiting process was very valuable. A topic with many of the college coaches was about communications during the recruiting process. It reinforced the things that we at NCSA teach our student-athletes in our coaching sessions:

Coaches emphasized:

• They do want to hear from the student themselves – the high school athlete needs to be prepared to talk and communicate with the college coach by answering questions thoroughly and having some questions of their own to ask. Some coaches have mentioned that they have stopped recruiting students when parents are too involved and the students are not the ones communicating with the colleges.

• Getting back to the coaches in a timely manner and also providing information that the coaches request from the student-athlete.

• Grades are essential and coaches emphasize the students taking the honors and AP classes through out high school.

• Be honest in communication – hear the coach out before saying ‘no’. Learn enough about the college and softball program before declining an invitation for a visit. Best is to take a visit to know for sure if the school is a good fit or not.

• Coaches said the intangibles such as: character, maturity, leadership and how they treat their teammates are often the best way to separate potential recruits.

• It is more about overall fit with the student-athlete and the college than just about how much money that the school gives them to play softball. They want student-athletes who want to come to their school and want to be a part of their softball program for all the right reasons.

Much of the information we received from the college coaches reaffirmed the value of finding the right overall fit. This means looking at the college for the right

Few coaches in the history of collegiate athletics have been able to accomplish what Anson Dorrance has done with the University of North Carolina women’s soccer program. This past weekend the lady Tar Heels capped off their 20th National Championship in 28 years of the NCAA women’s soccer tournament. UNC has worked toward an impressive 673-33-21 all-time record since the program’s inception in 1979. Dorrance has been at the helm for the lady Tar Heels for 31 years. His impressive tenure calls to mind the famous line from Field of Dreams, “if you build it, they will come”. Through his skillful recruiting efforts and impressive work ethic, Dorrance has put himself in a position that any college coach would envy. He has set himself apart in his method, his astounding statistics year after year, and his overall character. He has had his pick of the nation’s top prospects for more than two decades and has coached numerous players who have gone on to compete on the world’s biggest stage, at both the World Cup and the Olympics. But the majority of college coaches are not living in such a fairy tale and recruiting does not come so easily – especially in this day and age.

There are very few programs that are in the comfortable position of being able to pick from the nation’s cream of the crop to fill out their roster each year. It is a highly competitive world out there for the college coach, as well as the prospective student-athlete. Finding the student that meets your program’s needs, meshes well with team chemistry, and helps to bring your team to the next level is an extremely difficult task when there are thousands of athletes to choose from. College coaches are always trying to find a way to market their program so that they can draw in highly talented student-athletes from all over the country. Their jobs are dependent on results and this makes for a tricky game when they are operating within a tight budget.

For prospects who are hoping to play in college, the game is just as tricky. There are over 3 million high school student-athletes nationwide who are looking to play at the next level. In an increasingly competitive market, what sets YOU apart? This is a question that we help student-athletes to answer every single day at NCSA. Each and every athlete has their own strengths, and it is important to recognize and promote these. Our team is here to help you distinguish yourself in a vast sea of talent and empower you with the knowledge you need to skillfully navigate through the recruiting process. Not every coach is in a position like Dorrance, and therefore recruiting efforts require a good amount of time, energy, and money. NCSA is matching qualified student-athletes with college coaches on a daily basis. There are more opportunities out there than most people realize. We are here to educate you about these opportunities and help give you exposure to programs that will be the right fit for you.

For more information, call (866) 579-6272 to speak with one of NCSA’s Collegiate Scouts and take your career to the next level.

Coach Taylor – Should student athletes request a letter of recommendation from their coaches and a high school instructor? The coaches have asked for transcripts and personal information through a questionnaire, but have never asked for a letter of recommendation.

Great question.  Coaches are always interested in objective third party evaluations, however letters of recommendation are only a small piece of that puzzle.  When returning a questionnaire I would also recommend a hand written note expressing interest in the university as well as your athletic and academic resume.  The final piece to the puzzle is an honest evaluation and introduction to the coach from a trusted and objective third party like NCSA.

NCSA helps deliver all of these aspects to a coach in an instant with our Verified Recruiting Profiles.  In an instant you can supply a coach with your transcript, ACT or SAT scores, academic accomplishments, athletic data, highlight video, full game video and letter of recommendation.  You can start building your Free Scouting Profile here.

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

If you would like to speak with a NCSA Recruiting Coordinator about your personal recruiting situation, call 866-579-6272.

I recently had an opportunity to ask Steven Fisher, of San Marcos High School in California, a few questions about his experience at the Team One Futures Game which was recently played on October 23^rd in Peoria, Arizona. Here is the quick interview:

It is quite the honor to be invited to play in the Team One Futures Game. How did you receive the invitation?

I was noticed for the Futures Game at a Team One event located at Orange Coast College. From there I was invited to play in a Team One All American preseason event where I was a standout among others from across the nation. The Team One preseason event was a compilation of all the best kids from this 36 team, preseason event. Again, all the kids from the pre-season event were seen somewhere in the nation and were the best from whatever state they came from. From there the best kids from the pre-season event were selected for the Team One Futures Game.

It sounds like a lot of fun; can you describe your time at the Futures Game?

The Futures Game was tons of fun, not only did I have the chance to show my talents in front of many college recruiters, I also got to play against the best kids in the nation that are my grade. We started the night off by going through a major league style workout. First we stretched, took batting practice, took grounders and prepared for the game. We played in the Peoria Stadium Complex where many great major leaguers have played.

Did you learn anything while you attended the event?

Oh yes, one thing that I learned while I was there was that baseball is such a fun and simple game and can be seen in so many ways. We were around coaches from around the nation and they knew so many little things about the game. Just being around those coaches rubbed off and created a relaxing atmosphere and brought the fun in the game out. Even though this was the biggest event I had been to the coaches seemed to really lighten the mood and bring the best out of us, keeping the game loose and competitive. I really enjoyed myself.

What kind of exposure did you receive while playing there?

There were more than 30 college recruiters sitting in the stands with radar guns pointed directly at home plate all writing. It was pretty neat.

Since you have gained experience playing in a big game with a lot of scouts, what advice can you give to other student-athletes if they ever have an opportunity like that?

Take a step back and look at the big picture. The game of baseball is very simple and hasn’t changed much since it was created. When you step into the batter’s box and see your name on the score board, go ahead take in the moment, it’s pretty awesome, but make sure you step out of the batter’s box and clear your head before the at bat begins. Go out there with confidence, but remember to play your game and not try to impress the scouts.

Tell us about what you’ve learned since being with NCSA. 

Since I have been with NCSA I have learned many valuable tips from the coaches and advisors there, but most importantly I’ve learned from the coaching calls where I had a coach or player or somebody talk to me or the group about their lifetime experiences and what they would do if they had a second chance. Now, as I am getting older, I am starting to understand that you only get one chance at life. This is definitely one thing that drives me to continuously get better and to chase my dreams full speed ahead. NCSA is definitely a place that can help me if I have questions about college, future, or daily life.

My name is Megan Mayfield and I’m going on a softball scholarship to Lynn University.  Being recruited isn’t something that just happens overnight and you can’t just rely on talent alone, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes.  Between team and individual practices, the hours spent on the practice field are uncountable. If you’re struggling with something, work on it until you get it. Go out with a coach, a parent, or even one of your teammates and practice it until you get it. Playing softball is only part of the process; you can’t be recruited if no one knows about you.  You have to get your letters out, get them out early, and make them personal. No coach wants to get a mass email; if you can’t take enough time out of your day to personally contact them, why do they want to take time out their day and personally come watch you?  When you get to the tournament, you can’t do anything more so relax and just do your best.  Make yourself standout from the rest of the team, my coach will tell you that the only reason she started watching me was because she saw me take off on a dead sprint to my position in outfield. Do something to get yourself noticed, be loud, be focused, hustle, or wear bright crazy sunglasses anything to make them look at you, because they’re looking at you they’re watching you.

There are ups and downs to be recruited.  Being denied is the worst part about the recruiting process and I was denied like there was no tomorrow.  I’ve been told that I was too small to play college ball since I was a kid, but when a college coach says it, it can be discouraging. However, I was determined to get recruited so I shook that stuff off and kept doing my best. The first time a coach waits behind the dugout after your game to talk to you is the most exciting part of being recruited. In your mind you’re thinking I did it, I got recruited and now all those practices, games, batting slumps, everything else pays off. The NCSA did the best they could’ve done for me, they put reality in perspective. They made me realize how competitive being recruited was and they helped me have a chance in that competition by telling me what I needed to do. They gave me an upper hand on all the other athletes that didn’t have someone walking them through the long process.  The only thing I can tell anyone wanting to get recruited is never give up, hustle everywhere you go, be competitive,  challenge yourself, and most importantly have just have fun.