NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Also, I can’t believe how many coaches have been on Ty’s site. We sent a short thank you to every single coach. He has already heard back from several. U or Charleston basically said that he can play any position that he wants. I have to say – I am very happy we went with you at NCSA. Best move that we made!

I am letting you know that we signed with the Air Force Academy to run cross country and track. We did follow your program religiously. It was the major reason that we landed such a great scholarship. This was the best we could imagine particularly with all the costs we have endured over the last two years due to our losses. Shawn has everything paid for. An Academy scholarship is now valued at 500,000 dollars plus. Thanks for everything you and NCSA has done for us. We are so proud.

I have known ever sense I started playing softball that I wanted to play on a college level and without NCSA I could not have done it. NCSA will lead you step by step in the recruiting process and make it a great experience. My favorite part of my recruiting process was hearing the words “we would love to have you on our team”. There were also challenging times in my recruiting process such as trying out for a team but no matter the outcome I knew I did my best and that was a great feeling. Without NCSA I could not have done it and they make my recruiting process the easiest and best it could be.

Kyle is a great kid. You guys are far and away the best recruiting service. We use you exclusively. I have spoken publically among other coaches that you guys are the best service! Your rating system is spot on, as we usually are very excited about a 3 ranking or higher, and that is usually what we aim for.

I loved the whole experience and thanks a ton for all the help. I couldn’t have done it without you!

Thanks to NCSA my dream of playing lacrosse in college has come true. My parents and I were unsure how to begin the recruiting process, what the guidelines were and what to do during the recruiting process. After researching several other options, we spoke with a representative from NCSA and decided to make a commitment to use their services. It was a great decision! Having my video, educational and athletic background available on their website made it easy for me. One of the best services they offered was matching me with colleges and universities. Also, I liked the fact that I could tell which coaches had viewed my information and how many times. I would definitely recommend using NCSA for many reasons. They were always available if I had a question and with a busy schedule it helped me and my parents from having to do all the work. Last week I became the first women’s lacrosse player in my high school to receive a scholarship by signing with Tennessee Wesleyan College. I have worked hard in school and athletics to achieve my goals but thanks to NCSA my recruiting process was easier than we ever thought and successful.

Thank you. I am excited about playing basketball for Holy Names Univesity. One of my coaches for my high school team had a daughter that played at this university and by delivery of my ncsa web page to the HNU coach, he was able to watch film of my play. He became intersested in my abilities during our summer basketball program by watching a few of our games and I thought the campus would be a good fit for me. The university’s real selling point is the impression my family and I got about how the they could meet my academic needs.

My ncsa recruitment page was instrumental in the process. Without it, the coach may have never came to watch me play. My parents and I were able to learn about the recruitment process and we understood if I wanted to continue to play, we should look at specific colleges. We focused on Division II, Division III, NAIA and JC schools. What we discovered is the NAIA colleges were small and they offered decent scholarship packages.

The hardest part of the recruiting process is keeping all my records straight and understanding all the rules. My ncsa web page was real useful in obtaining a understanding of all the rules. The most difficult part of the recruitment process is the waiting game and wondering if anybody is interested in me. Especially my senior year, because I completely tore my ACL during our preseason alumni game and I thought no coach would want me at that point.

Suprise, we contined our conversations with the HNU coach and he was still interested. I have recently been accepted by the univeristy and committed to play basketball.

I would recommend to anybody that wants to continue playing sports in college that they first find a college they like that can meet their academic needs. Then work to communicate with the coach and see if you can spark an interest. It worked for me and ncsa was instrumental in the process.

Go Hawks!!

Bethany

The great thing about having NCSA on my side was they always knew the answers. I didn’t realize “going to college” was that detailed so the timeline they have set up helped a lot. NCSA put a great video out there for coaches to see. I ended up choosing a small college less than two hours from home. The best part THEY want me to play football for them and I am looking forward to playing at the next level with them.

If I had to do it again I would have chosen NCSA earlier in my high school career but it still worked out for me. They do go the extra mile for you.

Brandon Patenaude

Stillwater High School Class of 2010

Hartwick College Class of 2014

I am getting set to head to southern California later this week. NCSA provides recruiting education for Cal South Soccer events. This past weekend I had a chance to educate parents and athletes at the Schuman National Underclassmen Football Combine in Columbus, IN. Here are some insights from that event.

I was talking with a mother who is a paralegal. Her boss, a lawyer, asked her to sit in on his space at a Board Meeting at a major university. She said the topic of the meeting was on the importance of recruiting student-athletes.

“They emphasized how vital it was to recruit true student-athletes, the smart kids,” she told me. “Their perspective was these young people would come back and help fund the school one day with donations. They talked about how federal funding wasn’t as much anymore, and how many true student-athletes go on to be successful and give back to the university. I think that’s why the athlete with the 3.3. gpa has an edge over the athlete with a 2.7.”

That is one of the reasons the popular book “Athletes Wanted” is entitled “Athletes Wanted.” They are wanted on campuses. I say this all the time in my Talks. These sharp kids are going to acquire the life skills, through college athletics, to be more successful in life. Many will be 44 years old and more than happy to help fund the ol’ alma mater.

There are over 1700 colleges and universities that offer athletics. The most important thing is finding the right fit for your athlete. As I walked around Columbus North High School, the site of the Combine, I saw a framed sign of some of the soccer players that had signed in recent years to play college soccer. I thought it was a great example of the variety of fits that are out there. The players were:

Lee Hagedorn, Indiana University

Nate Downing, Univ. of Illinois Chicago

Alex Russell, Macalester College

Lee Mihay, Franklin College

Carl Woszcyznski, Univ of Alabama Birmingham

What jumped out to me was that there were various levels, from major college D1 Indiana University of the Big Ten Conference to D3 Macalester College in Minnesota. Some of the kids from the high school had stayed close to home. Some went to schools a few states away. One went one state away. One went 30 miles away. One went way down south to Birmingham. As I looked at the sign, I thought that sums up college recruiting: finding the right fit athletically, academically, geographically and socially, and making sure you like the college so much that if your athletic career suddenly ended, you would still be very happy there.

As the football players went through combine drills on the field at Columbus North, I talked with parents in the stands. I ran into Clint Yoder, father of Anthony Yoder, quarterback at Concord (IN) High School. They have been in NCSA.

“NCSA opens the doors a lot wider than what you can do on your own,” Clint said. “A lot of colleges go to you guys. The way we see it, serious players and families sign up. I had another son who played QB. We learned we were a year late. He had walk on offers, and did go to St. Francis. There is money out there, it’s just a lot of these kids can’t look past D1.”

Later, I talked with Clint’s son Anthony, the QB at Concord (photo below). He had just finished getting verified height and weight from the Schuman folks.

“What I like about NCSA is you can send off your link rather than having to send film everywhere,” Anthony said. “Plus, they look at your profile. I have had over 30 different schools, including 3 or 4 that have looked at my profile over 10 times. That lets me know they are really interested. I followed up with Lafayette and am going to go to their Camp now. I like that the transcript is right there. I am really interested in Ivy League schools and that is big for top academic schools to be able to see your verified grades and Test scores. I want to focus on Environmental Science in College. My Uncle owns that kind of business in Brownsburg, IN. Somebody has to take over it one day!”

Anthony’s girlfriend Lexie Balyeat of Elkhart Central was there supporting him. She is going to play college volleyball on the east coast. I asked her what she took away from recruiting in volleyball. “It is so important to be on a list,” she said. “Also, I found a lot of college coaches would rather sign someone who emotionally wants to play for their school, that really has an interest in that school. It’s almost like they would rather have someone with less talent but who really wants to be at their school.”

Anthony said Lexie keeps him in line. “Plus, her Dad is Asst. Police Chief of the County,” Anthony said. “That really keeps me in line!”

I often talk about how it is not the job of the HS coach to get your kid a scholarship. It is also not their job to take the lead in the process. That said, some do. It’s different at every school and every sport. I have known coaches that bend over backwards to do what they can to help. At the Combine, I talked with a husband and wife whose son passionately wants to play college football. He is at Paoli High School. They said his h.s. football coach Brian Balsmeyer was on his way to go camping in Alabama on Spring Break. On the way down, he went out of his way to drive to to Western Kentucky Univ. to talk to the coaches about the kid. It goes to show you how deeply so many coaches care. However, always understand it is the families responsibility to be proactive in recruiting. Don’t end up frustrated thinking every coach is like the Paoli Coach.

I knew I wanted to play soccer in college but just didn’t know where to begin. My mom found a web site for NCSA so we thought we’d see what it was all about. After gathering as much information from the site my parents and I decided to make an appointment with a recruiter and see what this was going to entail. After a long and detailed phone call we all felt like becoming part of NCSA was right for me. We really felt that there was a school out there that would be a good academic and athletic fit for me!

I will say that the recruiting process for the average teen does take a lot of effort. My family helped me all the way, otherwise I don’t know if I would have been able to do it. We searched for colleges, with the help of my recruiting coach, that had the major I wanted, the location I felt I wanted to be in and of course a team that I could have a good fit with and contribute to. Each contact with a coach had to be logged into my web site so we could keep track of how much interest was generated in me. So, every email, every call, every letter had to be entered, which did take a lot of time. I must say that it was exciting getting letters, packets and emails from coaches all over the country. I didn’t think so many coaches would actually be interested in me!

I think that my recruiting coach and NCSA made the recruiting process more enjoyable and helped keep me on track for what I should be doing to move forward. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who wants to continue playing a sport after high school. The best advice I could give is that if you have a passion to play, there’s a school out there that is a good fit for you!

The best part of the recruiting process was finally committing. I spent a lot of my time talking and e-mailing coaches… and when I think about it, the hardest part of this process was devoting my time to contact them. I regret not being 100% honest on how interested I was in their school. My advice is to tell them no (from the beginning) if you are not interested. It will save so much of your time, and their time as well. So, committing was a big relief. Words cannot even describe how relieved and excited I am for next year at Wyoming!

The biggest thing that NCSA helped me with was the making of my track video. Having the video completed helped so much! My open times were nothing spectacular; so, I wanted college coaches to see how much potential I had based off of my split relay times. The video gave me the opportunity to show Division I coaches how much promise I had. They weren’t judging me on my open times; they were judging me on my split times. The video, mixed with my profile, was a great way to advertise myself.

My advice to the athletes going through this process is: to sit down and make a list of everything you wish to take out of your college experience. List the things that are most important to you such as, being close to home, being able to play/run your freshman year, and of course… your major of interest. Once you start to go on official visits I guarantee you will be caught up in the flashy offers and exciting atmosphere. That is what your sheet is for. The important things may be concealed by the excitement of choosing a college; but with that sheet in front of you, you will never forget what is truly important.

I have been told since the age of 12 that I would be playing football in college if that was something I wanted to do. I love the game and have enjoyed every level of it and figured things would just happen and I would be noticed. I attended camps each summer and was told by several coaches that offers would be made and that I would have options based on what they had seen. I had a very successful year my junior year and had not heard from any scouts and I was starting to worry because my senior year was approaching with no offers and it seemed the people that showed interest the prior year had vanished.

My father was contacted by NCSA and asked if their services would be something I would be interested in. We researched it and talked with the representatives and decided to join them and hoped that it would get us in front of some coaches.

It was overwhelming in the beginning there was so much information required to get started, but we managed. After we finished my highlight video they placed it with my profile and suddenly things started happening. I cannot tell you how many coaches have viewed my videos and I had several that made contact with me. I went and visited several teams in different parts of the country and was made offers everywhere I went. So the message here is do the work, fill in as much of the information as you can. Follow-up with every coach that makes contact, and do not panic after national signing day because there is a lot of action after that day. It is April now and I just signed my letter of intent with a wonderful NCAA II school that is going to give me a chance to continue playing this great game and I will have a college education when it is over. I do not believe I would be doing this without the help of NCSA. So don’t wait for things to just happen for you. Join NCSA and let them help you in so many ways to find a good school for you.

Good Luck,

Scotty Hamilton

Our high school football journey began during Shavarez’s Junior year at Eagle’s Landing High School in McDonough, Georgia. His new , first year head coach did not have a tailback. He demanded that Shavarez play tailback due to his natural athletic ability and speed. Shavarez had always considered himself to be a wide receiver. I convinced him to play tailback, against my better judgment and despite knowing that as a Junior, his scholarship recruiting goals would be affected. Three games into his Junior season, Shavarez broke his big toe playing tailback and would miss the rest of his Junior season. We are now, really behind the “power curve”. Therefore, I asked the head coach to agree that since he played tailback this year, that he would return to his natural position during his Senior year to compete for a scholarship.

The next series of events, while unfortunate, led to my introduction to NCSA and much unfamiliar recruitment techniques. The coach refused to honor his end of the bargain to return Shavarez to wide receiver and chose to sideline him during spring training and not play him at all. As a parent, I became concerned about my son’s morale and future. I decided to transfer him to Henry County High School also in McDonough, Georgia. I met with the coach and shared my concerns and goals. The head coach needed a wide receiver and was very supportive and impressed with Shavarez during combines and camps earlier in the summer.

It was then that I decided that I must find professional resources and quick means of exposing Shavarez’s skills despite having no high school film to share with recruiters. I signed him up for several well known camps in the area as well as out of state. It was at the Mark Richt Georgia Football Camp that another parent told me about NCSA. I researched information on NCSA. Then I attended a Nike combine in Atlanta where an NCSA representative, Joe Burns gave an overview of NCSA. I took the pamphlets and application and enrolled immediately. Now, it was critical to get video from the camps and then hope that Shavarez has a good Senior season at wide receiver. I invested in a very good camcorder to produce quality footage to submit to NCSA and college recruiters. NCSA immediately constructed our site and Scouting Report following an informative phone interview with my family. Remember, earlier in my journal, I mentioned that we need a process that was quick and would expose Shavarez’s skills and accomplishments. Well, I am honest when I say that, when NCSA got the first three game highlight video and circulated the footage to multiple schools throughout the country, great things happened immediately. The responses were not all from D-1 schools, but we understood that most schools recruit one year to three years out. So realistically, D-1 was not of primary concern. Shavarez had a stellar season and received many honors at wide receiver. We received many calls and/or letters from D-II, and Junior Colleges, and a few from D-1. I began feeling confident that we would at least get an all paid college placement somewhere. NCSA allowed me to have a second video on the site. I chose to wait until the end of the season to post that video. That strategy proved most effective as the signing period does not end until April 1st, allowing much time to peek the interest of late recruiters. The most impressive thing about NCSA is the constant contact and inquiries from the NCSA recruiting staff. Also, they responded promptly to all my questions and ensured my Scouting Report was always updated.

As a parent, I had a conversation with my son and asked what your goal in athletics and academics is. Once I understood that he wanted to play college football, I began scheduling ACT tests and getting with counselors to ensure that the core courses were covered. It is imperative to enroll with NCAA Clearing House (Eligibility Center) and get your ID #. Nearly all coaches will ask about your Clearing House status. Failure to enroll could turn-off some recruiters. The best advice that I can add at this point is to never give up or feel hopeless. If scholarship does not look imminent you may want to inquire about getting recruited in preferred walk-on status. It’s not as bad as it sound. In preferred walk-on status, the athlete is guaranteed a spot on the team roster. You may have to foot the cost during enrollment to the college but the athlete has an equal opportunity to compete for a scholarship and starting position. In the traditional walk-on status, the athlete has to earn a spot on the roster and is not guaranteed the spot up front as is the preferred walk-on.

Hope my journal is informative and appreciated. Don’t waste time. Now is the time regardless of the athlete’s school grade. Your hard work and perseverance will pay off in some capacity.

Steven Smith

Our high school football journey began during Shavarez’s Junior year at Eagle’s Landing High School in McDonough, Georgia. His new , first year head coach did not have a tailback. He demanded that Shavarez play tailback due to his natural athletic ability and speed. Shavarez had always considered himself to be a wide receiver. I convinced him to play tailback, against my better judgment and despite knowing that as a Junior, his scholarship recruiting goals would be affected. Three games into his Junior season, Shavarez broke his big toe playing tailback and would miss the rest of his Junior season. We are now, really behind the “power curve”. Therefore, I asked the head coach to agree that since he played tailback this year, that he would return to his natural position during his Senior year to compete for a scholarship.

The next series of events, while unfortunate, led to my introduction to NCSA and much unfamiliar recruitment techniques. The coach refused to honor his end of the bargain to return Shavarez to wide receiver and chose to sideline him during spring training and not play him at all. As a parent, I became concerned about my son’s morale and future. I decided to transfer him to Henry County High School also in McDonough, Georgia. I met with the coach and shared my concerns and goals. The head coach needed a wide receiver and was very supportive and impressed with Shavarez during combines and camps earlier in the summer.

It was then that I decided that I must find professional resources and quick means of exposing Shavarez’s skills despite having no high school film to share with recruiters. I signed him up for several well known camps in the area as well as out of state. It was at the Mark Richt Georgia Football Camp that another parent told me about NCSA. I researched information on NCSA. Then I attended a Nike combine in Atlanta where an NCSA representative, Joe Burns gave an overview of NCSA. I took the pamphlets and application and enrolled immediately. Now, it was critical to get video from the camps and then hope that Shavarez has a good Senior season at wide receiver. I invested in a very good camcorder to produce quality footage to submit to NCSA and college recruiters. NCSA immediately constructed our site and Scouting Report following an informative phone interview with my family. Remember, earlier in my journal, I mentioned that we need a process that was quick and would expose Shavarez’s skills and accomplishments. Well, I am honest when I say that, when NCSA got the first three game highlight video and circulated the footage to multiple schools throughout the country, great things happened immediately. The responses were not all from D-1 schools, but we understood that most schools recruit one year to three years out. So realistically, D-1 was not of primary concern. Shavarez had a stellar season and received many honors at wide receiver. We received many calls and/or letters from D-II, and Junior Colleges, and a few from D-1. I began feeling confident that we would at least get an all paid college placement somewhere. NCSA allowed me to have a second video on the site. I chose to wait until the end of the season to post that video. That strategy proved most effective as the signing period does not end until April 1st, allowing much time to peek the interest of late recruiters. The most impressive thing about NCSA is the constant contact and inquiries from the NCSA recruiting staff. Also, they responded promptly to all my questions and ensured my Scouting Report was always updated.

As a parent, I had a conversation with my son and asked what your goal in athletics and academics is. Once I understood that he wanted to play college football, I began scheduling ACT tests and getting with counselors to ensure that the core courses were covered. It is imperative to enroll with NCAA Clearing House (Eligibility Center) and get your ID #. Nearly all coaches will ask about your Clearing House status. Failure to enroll could turn-off some recruiters. The best advice that I can add at this point is to never give up or feel hopeless. If scholarship does not look imminent you may want to inquire about getting recruited in preferred walk-on status. It’s not as bad as it sound. In preferred walk-on status, the athlete is guaranteed a spot on the team roster. You may have to foot the cost during enrollment to the college but the athlete has an equal opportunity to compete for a scholarship and starting position. In the traditional walk-on status, the athlete has to earn a spot on the roster and is not guaranteed the spot up front as is the preferred walk-on.

Hope my journal is informative and appreciated. Don’t waste time. Now is the time regardless of the athlete’s school grade. Your hard work and perseverance will pay off in some capacity.

Steven Smith