NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Nobody enjoys writing about saddening events, especially when these events occur in the world of sports. Sport, at its very core, is merely a game played by people of all ages. Regardless of the ability or the age, anyone involved in a sport is there for their passion and love of the game. To mix sports with tragedy is seldom necessary, but when it occurs, it should be discussed to learn valuable lessons. I feel compelled to write about a recent piece of news that has shocked the sporting world across the country and it occurred on the campus of the University of Connecticut. UConn junior cornerback Jasper Howard was killed over the weekend, on campus, after a school event had let out. Apparently, Howard and a few of his teammates were involved in an altercation and he was stabbed to death. Howard was only 20 years old.

Again, this is a sad and tragic story that has left an entire football team, an entire campus and an entire nation in mourning. Perhaps Howard wasn’t the most known player in the NCAA and maybe he wouldn’t have gone on to play professionally, but he was a student-athlete just the same as any other kid playing at the collegiate level. However, there are lessons to be learned from this horrible event and these lessons can be applied not just to sports, but to everyday life.

Everyday, we here at the National Collegiate Scouting Association help high school student-athletes fulfill their dreams of playing their sports at the collegiate level. Remembering back to my youth, I was ecstatic to be playing the sport I love at the next level. I can only hope that today’s student-athletes share the same passion and fervor that I had when it came to playing sports. With that being said, student-athletes need to realize the importance of maximizing every opportunity they are given, whether it’s on the playing field or in the classroom. If a coach gives you the opportunity to perform, play like there is no tomorrow and make the most of it. If a teacher gives you an extra credit opportunity, take full advantage of it and boost your grade in the class. If your parents are willing to give you opportunities like playing a sport or attending a certain school, embrace that opportunity with open arms.

I feel I can say this having played my last collegiate baseball game, but there will come a time in every athlete’s life when they are no longer playing the game they grew up with. I had been playing baseball since the age of 5 so when I played my last collegiate baseball game at age 22, I felt a huge emptiness afterwards. After I graduated I took a summer off of baseball for the first time in 17 years and concentrated on my professional endeavors. This turned out to be more difficult and painful than I had ever imagined as I yearned for the game more than ever. What the time away from the game showed me was that I was so glad that I had no regrets when it came to maximizing every opportunity I was given from family, teachers, coaches and friends. From my parents introducing me to the game to getting an early opportunity to fill in for a struggling upperclassmen my freshman year at college, I took full advantage of every opportunity to play the game I love.

It is truly unfortunate that it usually takes something drastic and eye opening to bring us back to reality and realize how grateful we should be for everything that we have. In this case, it happened to be the death of an NCAA athlete that makes us realize how lucky we all should be. For all student-athletes out there, take advantage of the opportunities you have been given and don’t ever take anything for granted. Always carry yourself with respect and humbleness because there will be a time in your life when you no longer have the sport you play to fall back on. Someday your priorities will shift drastically and you will want the confidence and knowledge that you have no regrets about the way you went about it.

I would like to personally send my condolences to the family of Jasper Howard, the UConn football team and the rest of the UConn student body. They may never read this article or receive these condolences, but the message of Jasper’s untimely death is clear; make the most of your opportunities and abilities, be humble and respectful and be appreciative of the time you are able to spend playing the sport you love because there will be a time when you no longer have that sport to play. Make the most of it!

The fall sports season is truly one of the most exciting times in all of the sporting world from the high school level, collegiate level and on to the highest ranks of the professional sporting leagues. As Major League Baseball enters their postseason play, the National Football League kicks off their season and the puck drops for the National Hockey League. High school athletes are in mid-season form for their respective sports and the same goes for college athletes across the country. What is so magical about this time of the year is that while so many sports are going on congruently, at so many different levels, one major lesson is to be learned by everyone participating in these sports. Whether you are taking the field as a professional athlete or waking up early for off-season training for your high school or college, one thing is happening to all athletes. They are being taught the values of hard work, commitment and dedication by their parents, coaches, teachers and teammates. To many, sport is merely that; a game that is played by people of all ages and that it is merely a game. However, those who understand sport at a much deeper level know that it is so much more than just a game. The lessons that are learned and the work ethic that is instilled in athletes are truly amazing. Let’s take a look at a few examples of how athletes use what they’ve learned in sport and have applied them to everyday life.

Nothing has changed for Trevor Heffernan in terms of his schedule since he graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. During his days at WMU, he would wake up at 4 and 5 AM for early morning skate with the Men’s Ice Hockey Club Team where he played goalie, and then head off to school for a full day of classes. This routine was engrained within Trevor so when it was time for graduation, he was well-practiced in the ability to be a hard worker no matter what he was doing. Whether it was working down at the Chicago Board Options Exchange upon graduation or working on his family’s farm in upstate Illinois, Trevor always put 110% into whatever it was he was doing.

“The bonds I formed with my teammates playing hockey are unbreakable. It was these bonds that taught me the value of counting on the person next to you, whether it’s on the ice or working on my family farm. You need to commit and work towards your goals regardless of what they are.”

Today, Trevor’s main priority is preparing his family farm, Susanna Farms, for the annual harvest, which is a month long celebration of the history and natural beauty of the vast acreage of their farm. To be more specific, Trevor spends countless hours making sure things are prepared for hayrides, pumpkin picking and his pride and joy, the First Annual Haunted Hayride.

“I understand and appreciate the great history that this farm represents. Everything I learned about respect and dedication, I put towards this farm and getting it ready for other people to enjoy it as I have.”

Trevor is a true example of how playing college athletics can not only mold you physically to perform at a high level on the fields, courts and rinks, but more importantly, mold you mentally to be an all-around better person.

Kellen Kmiecik began his collegiate career playing baseball at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. He soon found opportunity elsewhere at Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina. During his college years, Kellen competed in several prestigious summer leagues including invite-only leagues in Alaska and South Carolina. In January, Kellen will head to Arizona to compete in an invite-only league so professional teams can evaluate his talent. However, Kellen brings the same passion and determination to the baseball diamond that he brings when he helps his father run the local Recreational Center in Elmwood Park, Illinois.

“I enjoy my time at the recreational center because it is a great way to give back to the surrounding area and it’s so enjoyable to see all the kids come in here and play the sports they love to play.”

When I asked Kellen if playing baseball, especially at the collegiate level, had anything to do with this, his response was precise.

“I learned everything I know about respect, focus, hard work and dedication from playing baseball. I was always taught from an early age that playing baseball is about ability and respect. There is a right way and a wrong way to play the game, and I play the game the right way. I try and live my life the way I play the game.”

Parents often worry about their student-athlete as they head off to college for their freshman year in terms of academics and athletics. Will they play enough? Will they get a good education? Will they make the right decisions? Both Trevor and Kellen are great examples of student-athletes becoming upstanding, respectful citizens upon graduation. So much goes into being a collegiate athlete that is behind the scenes, and those who can’t handle the responsibility of hard work, dedication, commitment and respect will quickly make the adjustment or fade away.

The first step towards finding the right school for your son or daughter is through an aggressive and meaningful recruiting process. We here at the National Collegiate Scouting Association understand what it takes to not only be a student-athlete, but also be a well-rounded citizen. We understand the process and the requirements better than anyone in the business and we urge you to take that first step towards starting that recruiting process. The road may seem long and harrowing, but what lies beyond it for your future student-athlete is truly amazing and will make you proud.

It’s always great to hear from a student-athlete and gain some insight on their perspective during the recruiting process. The NCSA caught up with a softball player from Massachusetts who has recently committed to a top academic NCAA Division III school.This young lady began her recruiting process in January of 2008 and just signed this past May. We asked her what kind of work she had to put into the process in order to be successful. She answered, “The work I put in mostly to respond to inquiries from coaches and providing details on my summer schedule.”

When asked what the most challenging part of the recruiting process was, she mentioned two of her biggest challenges. First, “Time Management in your senior year was much more challenging than I anticipated. I was a starting player in three varsity sports (Soccer, Basketball and Softball). We made the State Tournament in all three and were rated 7th in Eastern Massachusetts in Basketball (highest ever for our school) and 5th in Softball. We were eliminated by the EMASS finalist in hoop by 3 points and The State Champions in Softball (2-1 in extra innings). Going deep into the State playoffs and dealing with local media both newspapers and television required unexpected preparation on top of schoolwork, the powder-puff bowl, the prom, senior night, awards and recognition nights, community service and finally graduation in addition to the recruiting process.” And secondly, “Prioritizing which school among the choices had the best balance of “level of play”, playing time and the best educational opportunity.”
The best part of the recruiting process, according to this softball player was, “The availability and persistence of the NCSA coach helped me stay focused on the goal. The website was an easy reference tool for coaches.”

When asked how the NCSA impacted her recruiting process, she answered, “I think the best part of the NCSA coaching was the reminders both by phone and through email. It forced me to think about what I wanted not just what the school’s assistant coaches wanted.”

Lastly, we asked her to offer some advice to student-athletes who are still in the midst of the recruiting process. She had a lot of great thoughts to share. “Start early. Do as much “prep” work as possible in your “off-season” or in the summer. Do NOT get hung up on DI, DII or DII – that is secondary to your education. Do not procrastinate like I did and then get swamped with multiple schools and coaches all calling at the same time. If the “log” is too cumbersome make a simpler “excel” spreadsheet and then update the “log” after you edit and prioritize your school choices. Visit schools you are interested in while you are in the area playing in “Exposure” Tournaments. Pick the best fit academically and do not be afraid of a “stretch” school. You’ll be surprised the doors that are opened for athletes – especially female athletes strong in math and science.”

While for the average student summer may be a time to sit back and relax after a long school year, for the committed athlete it is time to get to work. A recent ESPN article shows the commitment displayed by many high school athletes in an effort to prepare themselves for their upcoming seasons.

On a humid summer night, the gymnasiums at Harper College in Palatine, Ill., may not be cool enough. The scorekeepers and officials may be somewhat inexperienced. And with no chairs to sit on at the bench, standing the entire game may be rather tiresome for the Huntley (Ill.) High School varsity boys’ basketball team.

But what matters is that the players get in some practice and face good competition.

To many dedicated athletes, the summer offseason has become extremely significant for improving and staying in shape.

The varsity basketball team practices weekdays from 5 to 8 p.m. They also play summer league games on Tuesday and compete in local tournaments on weekends.

Sometimes schedules can be grueling with summer camp from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then two games in the evening. By the end of the day, the girls find themselves exhausted, but they also will have a feeling of accomplishment. They understand that improvement in the summer is extremely important when it comes to finding success in the regular season.

“It’s important to work on individual skills in the summer so that when the season comes around we’ll be able to work together as a strong team,” said junior point guard Carly Goede.

The high school is not the only place where athletes are working hard at their games.

Senior Jenna Mychko, who has verbally committed to the University of Illinois for softball, plays travel softball for the Orland Park Sparks.

Mychko practices six days a week with the Sparks and plays tournaments on weekends. She has traveled to tournaments in Minnesota and Kentucky, and will be playing in Colorado on the Fourth of July.

Varsity baseball player Carlos Alvarez, a junior, keeps busy in the summer playing on a travel team – the McHenry County Hurricanes – and playing summer league games for the high school.

“I practice four times a week for four to five hours, and in total I have six games a week,” Alvarez said. “Baseball is my life.”

Summer camps and leagues are a great way for athletes to step up their games a few notches, keep active in the offseason. In the dire heat, staying hydrated becomes just as important as working hard. If athletes are dedicated enough, they are able to persevere – neither the hot weather nor the inexperienced referees will slow them down.

Hard work and dedication are key if an athlete wants to succeed at the next level. Now that school is out, you have a prime opportunity to put in those extra hours in the gym in order to meet the goals you set for yourself.

USA Swimming will host their National Championships and World Championship Trials this July 7-11 in Indianapolis, IN with big adjustments as they adhere to FINA’s new rules regarding swimsuits.  On, June 1st, USA Swimming announced an amendment to it’s rules that reflect the changes that FINA made back in May.  Earlier this week, USA swimming also confirmed that it has adopted the newly revised list of approved suits released by FINA. 

The protocol for swimmers and swimsuit manufacturers will change dramatically this year and this should be quite evident as they all gather for the USA National Championships.  Swimmers will have to undergo a swimsuit evaluation before entering the water.  

Swimsuit manufacturers will be limited to bringing only FINA/USA Swimming approved suits to the Championships.  

Attention all underclassmen: Summer camps are right around the corner! This is the best opportunity to perform in front of college coaches and generate interest at the next level. Due to several NCAA rules that prohibit college coaches from evaluating student-athletes, summer camps have been a hotbed for college recruiting nationwide. Did you know that other schools may attend one summer camp? That’s right! This could be a prime opportunity for you to compete in front of a large crowd of coaches which can increase your odds of getting recruited! I have added some quick tips that can help you perform at your best this camp season:

1. Be well rested!
Don’t drive long hours and then stumble into camp. Try to get there the night before. Walk around the facility if possible and get acquainted with your surroundings. Get a good nights rest, proper meals, and most important be hydrated!

2. Perform at your best!
Understand you are being evaluated from to the time you set on foot on campus until the time you leave. From the time you start stretching until you break the final huddle, college coaches are watching your every move. My advice is giving 100% on every drill! Sprint from station to station and show these coaches you are serious about playing at the next level.

3. Reps, Reps,Reps!                                                                                                      

Getting to camp is a critical event in your recruiting efforts!

One of the biggest problems I see at camp is student-athletes not getting enough reps. Word to the wise: Take every rep as an opportunity to perform! The more reps the more opportunities you have to get evaluated. Have fun out there and understand this is your time to shine!

4. Build Relationships
Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to coaches after camp. Student-athletes who get out of their comfort zone tend to make a great first impression with a college coach. Shake hands and thank him for the opportunity. Have a copy of game and highlight film if available and be sure to follow up with the coach after the event. It can make a world of difference by just doing to the small things.

5. Be well rested (not a typo)!
That’s right student-athletes, I can’t stress enough how important it is to get proper rest in between camps. I see it time and time again when a student-athlete goes from one to camp to another without proper rest. You never know what school may be the most interested. Poor performance from lack of rest can seriously hinder your opportunities of getting recruited. Proper rest, big meals, and fluids are highly recommended!

Summer camps are where college coaches may find student-athletes who have the potential of being the right fit. Take these quick tips with you to camp and generate some serious buzz about yourself!

Last week, April 15th to be exact , marked a significant recruiting ”first down measurement” for football players in the class of 2010.  It was the first day that they could receive phone calls from DI college football coaches.  While the date that a college coach can call a prospect for the first time varies depending on the sport and level of play…that initial phone conversation is a big step in developing a recruiting relationship.  Unfortunately, many prospects have no idea what to expect from that phone call and we figured this was a good time to shed some light on how prospects in ALL sports can prepare for a phone call from a college coach…Before we get into what a recruit can expect from a phone call from a college coach, here are a few important ideas to keep in mind:

- The first day a college coach can call a prospect is not always the first time they have spoken on the phone.

• As we have pointed out many times in the past, prospects are able to call college coaches at any time. The prospects that are farther along in the process might have already made phone calls to college coaches and spoken with them prior to the initial period which makes it permissible for a college coach to call the prospect. In cases like this, the phone call might go a little differently than for the prospects who are speaking with a coach for the first time.

- By the time the first day a college coach can call a prospect rolls around, many student-athletes already have offers!

• This is very important to realize. DI college coaches in just about every sport have already begun to offer scholarships to 2010 (junior) graduates…and some might even be finished recruiting the class of 2010 completely. This has all taken place and coaches haven’t even been able to call them yet in some sports! This should be a strong indicator of how early college recruiting takes place and why freshmen and sophomore year are so important in the process.

- Know the dates for your sport!

• The first thing every recruit should do is to learn when a college coach is able to call them for the first time. Although April 15^th happens to be the first time a DI college football coach can call prospects, we realize many of you do not play football…so find out that date for your sport. If you are unsure when this date occurs, be sure to download the “Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete” Here.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about some of the most common questions prospects can prepare for when speaking with a college coach.  Obviously every staff will ask different questions, but many will have an actual script of questions and topics to assist the coaches in their phone call…It might be a good idea to have a script of your own, or at least some answers prepared in advance.  Here a few of those questions as well as some advice for answering them:

Q:  How are you doing in school?  What is your GPA, test scores, etc?

Advice: Make sure you are always aware of your current academic standing.  Always know your GPA (both core and cumulative), class rank, and test scores.  Even if your GPA or test scores are lower than you would like, be honest with the coach and let them exactly what you are doing to improve.  Tell them you are receiving extra tutoring or taking a SAT / ACT prep class to raise your scores.  The worst thing a student-athlete can do is simply not know their academic information.  If you don’t know your GPA, what do you think a college coach will assume? (Hint…they are not going to assume you are earning straight A’s)

Q:  What are your strengths as a player?

Advice: Do not be modest here!  This is your chance to shine and tell the coach what you do best.  Be informative and honest.  You have been working your whole life to develop these strengths…be proud of them and communicate their value with answers that consist of more than one word.

Q:  What areas of your game are you working to improve?

Advice: While this can be a tricky one, it is important to be honest.  Do not spend too much time discussing your weaknesses, but rather let the coach know how your off season workout is going to address those areas and how you are going to turn them into strengths.

Q:  What are your goals for the upcoming season?

Advice: This is something every student-athlete should think about.  We encourage student-athletes to set measurable goals and write them down to hold themselves more accountable.  Make sure to mention both team and individual goals.

Q:  Do you think you are capable of playing at our level?

Advice: Always Yes!  Explain why you think you can compete at their level or what you are doing to ensure you would be an asset to a team at any level of play.

Q:  What improvements have you made over the past couple of years?

Advice: Focus on things you have done to improve your game over the years.  Do not be afraid to tell the coach how much better you are now than a year or two ago!

Q:  What type of scholarships are you looking for?

Advice: This is your chance to bring up financial issues if they will be a determining factor in your decision making.  Be open to options and always ask about other types of aid besides athletic scholarships.  Never directly ask for a scholarship, but rather let the coach know what sort of impact that need will have on your decision.

Q:  What are your interests or hobbies?  Do you have a  girlfriend, boyfriend, etc?

Advice: This is the coach’s attempt to get to you know you on a personal level.  Remember, in many cases, these coaches are many years older and they are doing their best to relate to the prospect.  Let the coach know more about you!  This will help you connect on a more casual level and also give the coach something to ask you about next time you speak.  Have some fun with this question!

Q:  Who is going to help you make your college decision?

Advice: Let the coach know who will be a part of the decision.  Will your high school coach play an integral role?  Will the decision be made by you and your parents?  Are your parents involved?  This information will greatly help the coach understand who needs to be included and involved.

***This is the million dollar question***

Q:  What other schools are recruiting you?

Advice: Let them know who else is interested…and be honest!  If the coach finds out that many other schools are recruiting you then you will immediately look like a better recruit.  Try to let them know about schools that are similar to the one you are talking to.  For example, if you are speaking with the coach at Yale and you have heard from four other Ivy League schools, make sure you go into detail about their interest.  No coach wants to lose a recruit to a rival school.

This is your chance to show off how wanted you are by other coaches with the hope that it motivates the coach you are speaking with at that time to take action.  If you have offers, let the coach know.  In order to create this type of leverage, you must have a number of options.  If you are concerned about the number of options you currently have, be sure to expand your search and let more coaches know about you.

Q:  What questions do you have for me?

Advice: Be sure to check back next week when we explain what sort of questions prospects should be asking when they have the opportunity to speak with college coaches.  This is your chance to find out valuable information…don’t pass it up!

While college recruiting for many student-athletes is a rewarding and educational experience, the process can also be extremely frustrating and overwhelming.  Unfortunately, this frustration often times results in too many student-athletes wondering “what could have been” and leaves everyone involved pointing the finger at someone else at the end of the process.  Typically, there is no “one person” to blame and the common excuses are entirely understandable given the lack of experience most families have with recruiting.

The good news is that due to changes in recruiting in the last decade, many of the common excuses for recruiting failure can be easily avoided…

Do any of the following statements sound familiar?

“I play for a small high school and college coaches will never find me…”

“I am stuck behind a talented, older student-athlete and will never get the playing time I need to be recruited…”

“My high school team is 0-15 and they are killing my chances at getting noticed…”

“My high school coach has done nothing to help me with the recruiting process…”

For those of you who have gone through the recruiting process as a parent or student-athlete, you have undoubtedly heard one of the above reasons for recruiting disappointment.  While these factors certainly have an impact on a prospect’s recruiting process, they do not make or break success the way they once did.

As a minor disclaimer…I thoroughly appreciate why these sentiments would frustrate a student-athlete and like I said, they will have an affect on the process, but….

Think about all the advances in technology and how they have made the exchange of information between recruits and college coaches much easier than in the past.  The internet has opened new lines of communication, created efficient distribution channels, and quite simply, changed the way college coaches recruit.  The recruiting playing field is more level than ever…you just need to know how to take advantage of it!

Let’s address the traditional recruiting frustrations one at a time…

“My high school coach has done nothing to help me with the recruiting process…”

Although we have discussed why your high school coach cannot get you a scholarship in the past, it’s certainly worth reviewing again because every year it seems to be a common source of contention.  20-30 years ago, the high school coach played a much different role in college recruiting.  Much of this role centered on the access to game footage. 

Back in those days, high school coaches were almost always the only ones who had film, which forced college coaches to partner with them.  College coaches would plan recruiting trips that included stops at high schools that allowed them to review film.  This forged relationships that did in fact have a strong influence on recruiting. 

Today, college coaches have a variety of ways to review film.  Families can now film their own games with affordable video equipment and distribute it directly to college coaches.  While the high school coach can still be very helpful in this part of the process, they are no longer required.  As a result, any authority they might have had over a college coach has been greatly diminished.

Make sure to develop a strong relationship with your high school coach, because they can serve as a great mentor and a reliable reference, but keep in mind the average coach has fewer than 5 contacts with the college coaching community.  Recruiting responsibility ultimately lies with the student-athlete and no one else!

“I play for a small high school and college coaches will never find me…”

This seems to be the recruiting frustration most affected by the developments in technology.  Simply put, geographic location used to have a huge impact on college recruiting based on the difficulty coaches had in receiving information about prospects from rural areas.

However, with the internet and subsequent recruiting resources that have emerged, geographic location can be overcome to a certain degree with even the slowest of internet connections.  There are countless websites and online avenues that a student-athlete can utilize to gain exposure to college coaches. 

Think about this scenario…

The year is 1980 and a student-athlete is interested in sending their information to 50 college coaches.  Here is the process they would have to go through: First they would have to create a physical, paper athletic and academic resume.  The next step would most likely include a trip to the local library to search through a college guide to find the addresses of each college program on the list.  Once the list of addresses had been gathered, the student-athlete would have to put together a mailing list and send it out through the traditional mail…Seems rather tedious, doesn’t it?  To top it off, since the college coaches had most likely never heard of that student-athlete before, who knows if the information would have been reviewed at all?

Today, a student-athlete can create an athletic and academic resume on line in a matter of minutes.  They can then find the email addresses of most the college coaches in the country online and then put together an email campaign and send the information out.  Now that sounds a little better, doesn’t it?

“My high school team is 0-15 and they are killing my chances at getting noticed…”

While there are unquestionably some exposure advantages that can be had from playing for a state powerhouse with a tradition for winning, even student-athletes at a weaker quality high school program can gain exposure.  Using the internet as we have talked about and having a properly edited highlight and skills video can go a long way towards overcoming this obstacle. 

In the past, playing for an awful team might have truly hindered a student-athlete’s potential to play at the next level.  However, a student-athlete can now generate the initial exposure using the internet, and a college coach is ultimately looking for a qualified prospect regardless of the team’s success.  If a college coach were to watch film on a baseball player who is throwing 90 mph or a quarterback who can throw the ball 65 yards, they are going to recruit that student-athlete regardless of how many wins the high school team has.

“I am stuck behind a talented, older student-athlete and will never get the playing time I need to be recruited…”

This one is tough.  Yes, playing behind a quality athlete who might have the advantage of seniority can have an impact on a student-athlete’s recruiting.  However, if the student-athlete who is on the receiving end of this lack of playing time is truly a qualified student-athlete, there is no reason they cannot distribute their information to college coaches.  It will be important to capture any varsity game footage possible, even if its limited, and combine that with the athletic and academic information that college coaches would be interested in to get your name on their recruiting list.  This way, come senior year, the college coaches will already know your name, you will have started a recruiting relationship, and they can make sure to monitor your progress.  Waiting to get involved with college coaches until you begin playing every second of the game will significantly hamper the recruiting process.

Just as example of how you can use the resources available to overcome the playing time issue, here is a wonderful recruiting story that recently happened at NCSA.

We began working with a senior football player out of Texas.  Due to quality competition, this student-athlete was not even starting at the varsity level as a senior.  Although he received playing time, mostly late in the game when the outcome was not in question, based on his size and his willingness to pursue opportunities at all levels, our football department felt like he was someone we could help.  Using the limited game footage, we introduced him to a number of DII and DIII colleges.  Within weeks, this student-athlete, who hardly played at the high school level, had received two DII scholarship offers.

Does this happen to every backup varsity athlete?  No.  Is recruiting tougher if you are not playing full time as a Junior or Senior?  Yes.  However, if you are realistic in the level of competition you can play and you take advantages of all the resources that are available online and through technology, you can overcome many of the difficulties recruits once faced. 

Finally, your high school athletic experience no longer defines your recruiting success.  Club experience is now more accessible and more necessary than ever in many sports.  College coaches love club experience.  They view this experience as a higher level of competition and in some sports might not even recruit a student-athlete who lacks it.  Sports such as soccer, volleyball, softball, basketball, and baseball all have strong club and travel team presences.  Involvement with these types of teams in many cases will trump the high school experience all together, if not at least make up for a poor quality high school team. 

The recruiting process will indubitably cause some sort of frustration for even blue-chip recruits.  That reality is an unfortunate product of the current system.  However, families should be optimistic that there are resources readily available, if they are willing to be proactive, to help get past a few of the traditional roadblocks that have plagued recruits in the past. 

 As coaches and mentors of young men and women you will be looked to for guidance with what some consider the most important decision of a young person’s life. Guiding a high school student athlete through the recruiting process and ultimately helping them find the perfect fit for their college experience can be a difficult process. With the recruiting process changing on a yearly basis it’s understandable that some coaches feel unsure as to when their athletes should get started with their search for a college. It’s important that your student athletes and families understand that not all doors remain open forever, rosters are filled, scholarships are given out, and opportunities can be missed, regardless of the talent level their son or daughter possess.

It’s a common theme amongst high school athletes and parents to wait until their senior year before thoroughly exploring the option to extend their athletic and academic career. In an ever changing, fast paced world, this decision can leave families not only behind, but out in the cold all together. Starting the recruiting process early will give families an opportunity to thoroughly review each and every option that presents itself and ultimately make a more informed decision on which school is the best fit for them.

Your families should have time to work this process as thoroughly as possible. They need time identify schools of interest, gauge the recruiting needs at these universities, research each university thoroughly, make visits to see their future campuses first hand, readjust when set backs occur and build relationships with potential future coaches. Having time to do these things will allow your players to identify the school that will provide them with not only the best athletic fit, but the best academic and social fit as well.

Making this decision is something that should definitely not be taken lightly. It is often said that the decision on where to go to college will not only have an effect on the following four years of a students life, but the next forty years as well. In most cases this will be the largest decision your athletes will be making in their life so far. Whenever making a potentially life changing decision the one thing everyone would like on their side is time, time to think, review, review and scrutinize every single facet of the options that are in front of them.

Ideally your student athletes should start this process as early as their freshman year. And while the early years of the process will be far less active then the later years, it’s the foundation of knowledge about the process and an understanding of what they are truly looking for out of their college experience that your athletes will come to understand during these early years that will set them up for success later on.

As you begin to guide your student athletes and families through this process it’s important to educate them on what to expect. First and foremost they should understand that this can be a difficult and frustrating process. Like anything else in life it takes hard work and preparation to prepare yourself for success. Your families should be ready to put in the work if they are expecting results. Another difficult aspect of the recruiting process is that it is ever-changing. Coaches are constantly developing new ways to reach out to recruits. NCAA recruiting rules changes on a yearly basis. One of the common mistakes that families make is relying off of a parent for the main source of guidance who went through the process twenty plus years earlier. As a coach you need to reach out to your families to explain that like just about everything else in the world, things have changed in the last few decades. It’s not the same process that they went through and they need to be aware of that. Competition for athletic scholarships is fierce. Knowing which schools to target, and marketing the student athlete properly is really only half the battle. Keeping up with rule changes and the current time line of the process is a job unto itself.

As I mentioned previously your student athletes should really begin to undertake this process during their freshman year. And while there are critics out there that will tell you that making the comment to become a college athlete is one that should not be made during a player’s freshman year. I would ask you to consider this, it is not a commitment to play in college that your athletes will be making during their freshman year of high school; they are simply making the commitment to still have the option to make the commitment at a later point in their high school career. And while many athletes will decide that they no longer want to invest themselves in their respective sports during college, it is far better to have the opportunity to make that decision, then to not have the option because they failed to put themselves in a position to have the opportunity to make that decision.

During your players freshman year they should begin to research schools. Have them focus on schools at all levels. It’s important that they begin to understand that there are options outside of the division one level. The reality of college recruiting is that less than one percent of all high school athletes will go on to compete at the division level. The sooner your athletes can start to become realistic about what their opportunities might be, the easier it will be for them to begin to move towards finding out which schools might be the best fit for them. Ideally your players should leave their freshman year with a short list of colleges at all the different division levels that they want to begin to target during their sophomore year. In addition to identifying possible schools of interest, it is important for you players to review the NCAA guide for college bound student athletes. This will give them a general overview of the recruiting process and more importantly it will open their eyes to the idea that they also need to focus on their academics as well, as there are specific standards they most meet to become eligible to play at the next level.

As your players start to enter their sophomore year it will be time for them to start to reach out to the programs on their short list. It’s a little known recruiting rule that student athletes, regardless of their age/grade level, can initiate contact with coaches at any time. Although coaches will have to wait until players reach their junior year before they can start to send out recruiting materials, there is no reason why players can’t begin to call schools to introduce themselves and express interest in their programs. Ideally your players should be looking to schedule an unofficial visit with these universities to get on campus and experience the schools first hand. It’s important to note that their may not be much contact with coaches on these visits, but they still should be viewed as a valuable way to educate themselves on the potential school of interest. Remember the earlier your players can figure out what they’re truly looking for out of their college experience the easier it will be for them to narrow their options down at a later point in the process, allowing them to more effectively deal with the volume of schools that will begin to contact them.

Once your players enter their junior year there should be no more red lights with the recruiting process. Coaches can begin to contact players both through mail, and during the latter part of the year through phone calls. After your players junior season is complete they should deliver their game film to any and all coaches that they have an interest in playing for. Starting early will allow them to have already initiated contact with several programs and the coaches should be expecting their film. This will allow coaches to get a jump on their evaluations of your players, and they should hopefully receive some early decisions on where they stand on the coaches recruiting board.

It’s important to remember that collegiate recruiting is a process. It’s not an event; your players will need to work through the various steps to find success. Getting started early will allow them to take all the necessary steps to put themselves in position for success. You wouldn’t expect to show up in the third quarter of a game and expect to win, apply the same logic to recruiting and your players will be in a better position for success.

I enjoy Texas high school football in all of it’s glory – mythic and real.   My nephews’ alma mater, Katy High School, just won their second consecutive 5A (largest schools) DII State Championship.  To say I’m a huge fan even though I live in Chicago is an understatement.  Another reason I admire Texas high school football is that all participants are learning great life lessons by participating in the ultimate team sport and by being mentored by coaches who have outstanding character.  Here’s a great example.  I defy anyone to read this article written by Rick Reilly and not tear up.  As Reilly states at the end,

“Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it’s nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.

Hope.”

I’d love to see what you thought of this article.  So post a comment.  Happy Holidays!