NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

 I was recently reading a few posts from blogs that I frequent and the topic that athletic scholarships are not guaranteed for four years but rather a renewable contract that is signed each year at the discretion of the head coach came up a number of times.  I suppose this information is new to many parents and student athletes, so I encourage you to read more about the specifics, but I would rather focus on a different aspect of this topic.

There are certain reasons for a college coach to not renew an athletic scholarship that most reasonable people would find understandable.  Failing to meet academic requirements, legal issues away from the field, and poor work ethic on the field all seem like logical reasons for a coach to decide against renewing a scholarship.  The most controversial and least publicized reason for a college coaching neglecting to renew the scholarship is the student athlete simply not being good enough to play for that program.  The reason this issue is controversial is because coaches do not take advantage of it enough!

The reality is that college coaches are fearful of negative publicity when they decide not to renew a scholarship which will frighten potential recruits in the future.  Rather than experience this backlash, the coach will often times become brutally honest (or manipulative in my opinion) with the athlete and let him or her know that the chances of them playing anytime in the near future are very slim in the hopes that this will discourage the athlete from staying with the program and maintaining their athletic scholarship.  To me this seems cowardly. 

***Warning…What I am about to write might upset many people***

I believe college athletics would be better served if the college coaches would simply tell the student athlete they are not good enough to play at their program and they have decided not to renew their scholarship.  While this might upset the student athlete, at least they will have an opportunity to pursue a school where they will have a realistic chance to play.  I realize the downside to what I am proposing, but I ask the naysayers this; is it that much worse than what is currently being done?  Wouldn’t we all prefer the coaches actually be honest with a student athlete rather than give some distorted version of the truth in the hopes that the student athlete will do them a favor and leave the program on their own accord, thus saving their reputation for future recruits?

Athletic Scholarship or pro contract?  That is the question.  Recently, Brandon Jennings has made headlines because he is going to play professional basketball in Europe rather than maintain his amateur status and play college basketball.  Many people have criticized Brandon for this decision, but I think it’s brilliant.  Brandon does not have interest in being a student athlete, he dreams to be a professional basketball player which is exactly what he will be.  Why should he spend a year in college in the U.S. simply because the current system requires that?

Basketball is not the only sport that regulates the process of being drafted into the professional ranks.  The NFLalso demands that players spend two years in college before they are eligible to enter the draft.  While their reasons are quite logical and pertain to the physical difference between the college and pro game, basketball does not have the same argument.  Many players have made the leap from high school basketball to professional basketball and found a great deal of success.  In fact, two of the best players in the game made that leap and do not seem to be having any problem.  Ever heard of Kobe Bryant and Lebron James? 

Rather than create a system that requires athletes who have no interest in being students play a year in college before entering the draft, the NCAA should focus on improving its basketball game and making high school athletes realize that playing college basketball will help their transition to the pro game.  If the NCAA were able to prove that through its coaching and personal development of its athletes that they have a higher probability of success both in professional basketball and the years following their pro career then more high school athletes will view that as the best option. 

If you look at the evolution of baseball, you will notice how this can work.  Each year, more college baseball players are drafted very high in the MLB draft because they have proven to have an impact quicker than the high school players who take years to develop in the minors.  High school baseball players have seen this and are now considering college baseball as the best option even when they are drafted out of high school. 

The reality is that there are a handful of high school basketball players who are actually capable of going straight to the NBA after high school and finding success immediately.  I realize that eliminating the requirements to enter the NBA draft will result in many high school players making a poor decision and entering the draft prematurely.  However, how many players have spent three or four years in college and still failed to find success in the NBA? The answer is a lot!  If the NCAA were able to prove that attending college for even a year or two will result in a better life then maybe those that consider making the leap prematurely will choose college instead of the NBA…This way the problem will fix itself rather than creating a system that hurts the most talented athletes in the world who truly belong in the NBA at age 18.

The college recruiting experience has many twists and turns.  There are many factors that play into recruiting for a student-athlete but one they have control over is doing the research.  Every student-athlete’s process is completely unique and different.  Doing research on the colleges and the process should be one of the top priorities!

Not only is the Stanford University one of the top academics schools in the country but it is also one of the best athletic programs (Stanford has won 14 consecutive Directors’ Cup).  The Stanford baseball program is a regulaly in the College World Series and is a two time National Champion. 

The Baseball Assistant Coach Dean Stotz at Stanford talks about the importance of research and choosing a college; “I have been doing this a long time, and if I may be so bold, I would like to help you simplify the process of selecting what college you will attend. First of all, please have respect for the magnitude of this college decision. You will live with this decision THE REST OF YOUR LIFE! This is not a “four year” decision, but a “FORTY YEAR DECISION”. There are no “mulligans”, no “do-overs”. Consider the task as if you are doing the most important research paper of your young life. The title of your research paper is: Where will I attend college? Now, how do you do well on a research paper?–RESEARCH!!!

There are three broad areas of risk in your college decision. You must decide what type of “academic challenge”, what type of “baseball challenge”, and what type of what I call “social challenge” you wish to take on.  In Coach Marquess’s and my 31 years we have not graduated 9 people who attended Stanford for four years.” What do you think?  Please post a comment on this topic!!

 The topic of character in the college athletic recruiting process becomes more relevant each day as the freshest news story about a college athlete being arrested is flashed across espn.com or reported about in the local newspaper.  While it’s hard to say whether college athletes are getting into more trouble or there is simply increased attention leading to a greater awareness, most people assume the former.  Due to the sentiment that college athletes are having more character issues in today’s age, college coaches have emphasized the role of character in their recruitment of student athletes.  Clara Aucoin from the Laurel Leader-Call writes about this in her column today.

I have no doubt that college coaches are paying closer attention to the character of student athletes while they develop relationships in the recruiting process.  However, I am confident that coaches also feel the pressure to win and realize that recruiting the best talent is critical in building a winning program.  Faced with recruiting a blue chip caliber athlete with questionable character over a boy scout who volunteers at the local soup kitchen who runs a 5.6 40, I would guess that Urban Meyer will take a risk on the stud athlete.  Certainly character can be a differentiating factor if two student athletes are very similar athletically, but I feel as though this idea of “recruiting character” has been exaggerated. 

With that in mind, I believe student athletes should be encouraged to have good character because it’s the right thing to do, not because it will help them get recruited.  Good character will serve someone well throughout their entire life and rather than allow student athletes to think that character is simply a tool to earn something they desire (roster spot, job, etc.), we should be promoting good character because it will improve our society.  That being said, it certainly will not hurt to have good character if you want to play college sports, so long story short; be the best person you can be and it will serve you well regardless of what you are trying to do.

For most Americans July Fourth symbolizes hot dogs, fireworks and star spangled parades. For many of NCSA’s student-athletes, however, July Fourth equals recruiting season. Every summer thousands of college prospects travel to camps and showcases to better their skills and network with college coaches. If you are traveling near a college campus, the summer is a perfect time to take an unofficial visit.

Unofficial visits give student-athletes a perfect opportunity to meet college coaches on their turf and get a close-up perspective of the campus. Visiting a campus before senior year will help you get a sense for what you like or dislike about a school, coach or team.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your unofficial visits:

1) Remember that “unofficial” means the school can not pay for your trip.

2) Unofficial visits can be taken as early as freshman year of high school!

3) Contact the coach! Do not show up on campus unexpected and expect the coach to be accommodating. Call him/her in advance to schedule the visit.

4) When you talk to the coach, use the term “unofficial visit”. By using proper recruiting terms you will demonstrate that you are serious and informed about your college search.

5) Ask questions!

6) Pay attention. This is your insider glimpse into the school so be sure to keep your eyes wide open.

7) Send a thank you note. Always say “thank you” to the coach and any other member of the staff or admissions department who took the time to introduce you to their college or university.

8) Have fun!

 In the world of the college recruiting “market,” the college coaches represent the sellers and the student athletes (and their families) the buyers.  In this market, the currency is athletic scholarships and roster spots.  Much like the housing market right now, this is a buyers market!

The reason for this is not because there are far more scholarships than student athletes making them easy to receive and inexpensive.  The reason the college recruiting “market” is in favor of the buyer (student athletes) is because there are almost zero rules preventing them from researching and doing everything in their power to receive them. 

While the sellers (college coaches) are hindered with rules and restrictions placed on them by the NCAA preventing them from pitching their school as the perfect fit for hundreds of student athletes, student athletes face very few of those rules.  A student athlete can call, write, and visit a school anytime they want!  This is a huge advantage in the marketplace. 

When buying a car or house, rarely does the consumer sit at home and wait for a car salesman or realtor to knock on their door and offer them the perfect car or house.  With that in mind, why do so many student athletes sit around and assume a coach is going to write, call, or visit?  If you want a scholarship, you should become a proactive consumer, find the best product for you situation, and then use your strengths and abilities to buy it!

Facebook. MySpace. YouTube. Video conferencing. Web sites. Text messaging.

My oh my, how much recruiting has advanced in the last 15 years.

As Adam Diorio noted in his post, “Want Athletic Scholarships? Use Technology!”, recent technological advances have allowed NCAA college coaches to explore new methods of reaching out to potential student-athletes. It has also allowed them to tip-toe around quiet and dead period restrictions (what’s a “dead period”?).

Adam details two questions in his posting before jumping into the hi-tech hot tub. The one that I’m going to focus on is:

1. Do we know how technology can and cannot be used to maximize my student athlete’s recruiting process?  Basically, do we know the rules?

And for a good long while, the “can” heavily out weighed the “cannot.” Up until August of last year, text-messaging was a popular way for coaches to get recruits to call them. But slowly but surely, things are changing. As Paul Steinbach dictates in “Technology Rules”:

“Existing NCAA legislation limited how many calls a coach can make to a prospect, but placed no limits on the number of prospect-initiated calls, so coaches targeted the recruits with text messages that read simply, ‘Call me.’ The practice became intrusive, and often expensive, for highly sought-after athletes. (See ‘No EZ Answers,’ November 2006, p. 141.) The new rule, which went into effect Aug. 1, is just one of many related to technology found within the nearly 50 pages that address recruiting in Article 13 of the NCAA Division I Manual.”

That manual can be found here. The specific bylaw restricting text messaging, as well as other kinds of electronic communication, is found on page 99. But in addition to that, if you or your son or daughter is even considering playing a college sport, make sure you all read over most, if not all, of Article 13.

Also something to consider: New legislation is put into effect on Aug. 1 (one month away), so make sure you stay up to date with the ever-changing restrictions.

And of course, there are still a few loopholes out there and a couple of ways coaches can get around restrictions, such as not being able to track text messages or online social networking sites. But to put it into perspective, if technology has advanced so much in 15, 10 or even 5 years (Facebook became mainstream only four years ago), imagine how long it will take the powers-that-be to find ways of tracking the currently un-trackable.

Big Brother might not be watching right now, but could be soon.