NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Dear Coach T,

I was  injured last week, should I tell the college coaches that are recruiting me?

Dear Coach Taylor,

My high school team is not very good should I transfer high schools to play on a better team? I’m afraid college coaches won’t recruit me because my team is bad.

Signing day is about a week away and many athletes out there are wondering what Coaches look for when they offer student athletes scholarships. Coach Bob Chmiel discusses the three things he uses to evaluate players. Coach Chmiel spent seven years as Notre Dame’s Director of Football Operations and Recruiting Coordinator/Assistant Coach. Prior, Chmiel was the University of Michigan’s Football Recruiting Coordinator, where he also served as an assistant coach. He was named one of the “Top 11 Recruiting Coordinators of All-Time” in Tom Lemming’s book Football’s Second Season: Scouting High School Game Breakers.

What is the National Letter of Intent?

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

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

Penalty for breaking this contract

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

• Sit out for one season of competition in all sports

What is Signing Day?

• Signing day is the day you actually sign the NLI

Does every division 1 and 2 athlete sign an NLI?

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

In this article, you will learn the 4 Things one father has learned as he goes through the recruiting process with his son, and gain insights on how to find the right fit for your daughter on son to play the sport they love at the next level.

NCSA Recruiting Expert Charlie Adams

Mike O’Neill and his wife Laura came to hear me deliver NCSA’s “College Recruiting Simplified” in January of 2010. Elkhart Central Athletic Director Brian “Buck” Buckley set up the recruiting education so that Blue Blazer families would know more about the recruiting process.

“Sean’s freshman and sophomore seasons,” said Mike, “were good. We knew he was a decent swimmer but it wasn’t like he could swim in College, or so we thought. We went to your Talk thinking we had nothing to lose. We left going, ‘Okay, that was helpful’ and then were set up with College Scout Jim Sak. He walked us through what Colleges were looking for and where Sean would fit in. That opened up to us that he CAN swim in College. He is our oldest child. We had no idea. We took a couple of days and then got into the NCSA Network. That was almost two years ago. The other day my wife and I were on a walk and I told her that other than a highly recruited volleyball star at Elkhart Central, Sean (photo below) is one of the most recruited athletes in the school. He has over 20 Official Visit invitations.”

“Back in the winter of 2010,” said Mike, “we started Distributions with NCSA and that was powerful. We saw that College Coaches absolutely do use NCSA to find recruits. Michigan State looked at his profile and they were nice but his times were not a fit. We liked that kind of honest feedback.”

Sean, now a senior, has times of 55.27 in the 100 backstroke and 2:01 in the 200 back. He is 54:20 in the 100 Fly and 2:03 in the 200 Fly.

“We were down in Bloomington with friends,” said Mike, “and they asked why Sean wouldn’t swim for Indiana University. I told them, ‘Mark Spitz swam for IU! The top four swimmers in the state might be good enough for IU. If we tried to contact them they would say drop about five seconds off times and then we’ll talk.”

D1’s, 2’s and 3’s have looked at Sean through NCSA. Through the process he determined he wanted to go to a College with a highly rated chemistry program so he could be a research chemist one day, and that had a competitive swim program.

“At last count he had over 20 official visit invitations,” said Mike. “It is a good problem to have, and my wife and I will tell you besides his very good grades the main reason for all this attention is NCSA. We have done very good communication with all of these schools after they saw him through NCSA, but it all started with at least 90% of them finding Sean on NCSA.”
”Right now along with Oberlin he has accepted invitations from Washington and Lee University, Allegheny College, Ohio Northern University and Carthage College. Other colleges who have officially invited him for a recruit weekend include Case Western, Reserve, NYU, Brandeis University, Marist College, Iona College, Centre College and Lake Forest College”

It is so important for families to start taking Visits as underclassmen. The O’Neill’s took several Unofficial Visits during his junior year.

“We went to Ohio Northern during the day,” said Mike, the Dad. “We met with the coach. We did a trip down to Berry College in Georgia, up to Centre College in Kentucky and then Case Western in Cleveland.”

Being senior year, the Official Visits have started. This past week, on Thursday, they went to Oberlin College in Ohio, which is 3 ½ hours from their home in Elkhart, IN. “They matched him up with a swimmer as host. He spent two nights at Oberlin. He met with a Chemistry Professor who gave him a campus tour. He went to Chemistry classes. There were six other recruits there. At the end we met with the Coach. It was all very positive. Sean will take Official Visits to Alleghany the first week of October, to Ohio Northern the second week. He will visit Washington and Lee in November and Carthage as well.”

“As his times have become better,” added Mike, “it has expanded his choices. As a senior a few D1’s like Marist have looked at him and we are going to try to visit but the key is do they have a highly rated Chemistry program like some of these other schools?”

“One thing that has been very helpful,” said Mike, “is the recruiting education through NCSA. They have College Coaches come on Conference Calls and we dial in and ask questions and listen. The Coach tells it like it is and what they look for and what they don’t in recruits. They tell you what not to waste your time with.”

Sean is a bright young swimmer with outstanding work ethic. Top Colleges want students like him, and when they are a hard working athlete, that makes them more attractive.

“Sean is ranked 14^th out of 357 students at Elkhart Central,” said Mike. “He has a weighted GPA of 4.11 and unweighted GPA of 3.66. On the SAT he got a 680 on Math and 600 on Verbal. He is not the strongest test taker which is why I liked that article you put on your Facebook page, Charlie, about Universities like DePaul deciding to make ACT and SAT scores optional. Like their counselor said, grades and the quality of the High School courses are more of an indicator of how one will do in College than Test results.”

Heck, he seems like a pretty good SAT Test taker to me!

“What we have found,” added Mike, “is that if we had just applied to some of these top ranked Colleges as a student, Sean probably would not get in. As an athlete, it helps a lot especially since he has worked so hard on academics. We have found grades are everything. You are so much more attractive because of your grades and being a combo package of a true student and an athlete. We are telling our 9^th grade son to nail his academics because we are seeing how it is helping his older brother. We have also learned that if have an attractive package of grades and other things, the top rated private Universities will work with you on scholarships. At first you see they are $40,000 or $50,000 a year and you go there’s no way we are going there, but then the Merit based Scholarships kick in and the other ones. Sean just got something from Alleghany that he had already qualified for $23,000 a year. With many of these Colleges you would end up paying less than at a State University and the degree has a lot more clout.”

The O’Neill’s are putting in a lot of work and say at times it gets overwhelming, but they realize a lot is as stake with Sean’s future.

“What’s sad,” said Mike, “is that there are people out there still waiting for the College Coaches to recruit them. It’s tough to watch. They still go with the Old School line of thinking of the word will get out about them. For some, like Azariah Stahl (5’11” Elkhart Central sophomore volleyball outside hitter with 30” vertical leap) they will get chased. She is amazing and could be volleyball’s version of Skylar Diggins. The College Coaches will be all over her, but there are so many good athletes here not getting much of anything, and most of that is very local.”

“I am in marketing for a profession (Senior Marketing Manager for CIBER, Inc.) said Mike,” so I know how important it is to do it right. Doing NCSA and really working it is so worth the investment. NCSA markets you to the right levels. The education alone from NCSA has been priceless.”

In summary, Mike said there were four things they had learned over the past two years:

“One,” he said, “It is obvious that College Coaches turn to NCSA as a trusted source to find qualified student’athletes. Two, don’t wait for a Coach to reach out to you. Reach out to them and you will know from their reply or lack of reply if they have interest in you. Three, everything – no matter how good – needs to be marketed and NCSA markets Sean better that we can. Fourth, the package of ‘good times combined with good grades’ are what EVERY College Coach is looking for.”

Charlie Adams, Recruiting Expert and NCSA Educational Speaker

cadams@ncsasports.org

To Get in the Data Base that College Coaches Look at to Develop their Recruiting Lists, click here

Andrea Daley from Western New England College gives some insight into recruiting and the swim program there.  Read on:

1. How would you describe yourself as a coach?

I am passionate about swimming. I love watching athletes improve and reach their goals. I make it a point to make each individual feel important and take time for them as well as challenging them as a team.

2. What’s unique about the experience at Western New England College?

WNEC is a great place for swimmers to come to grow as student athletes. Our team is small enough to allow us to give each athlete individual attention and support while being big enough to allow for a fun team atmosphere to exist. We have a cohesive group of athletes who take care of one another in an outside of the pool.

3. What do recruits need to know about you?

I have high expectations for every athlete who walks through the door and I am excited to work with anyone who is willing to put forth an effort. I want athletes who will work hard and be mentally tough.

4. What do you look for in recruits?

Positive attitude, open mindedness, and a willingness to push beyond their comfort zone and a desire to succeed. I don’t want okay to be good enough. Mediocre should not be a goal or be satisfying. I love it when athletes have what I call a “fire in their belly” to do well. I love someone with a competitive drive balanced with a strong work ethic.

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

Stay in touch throughout the school year, not just at the beginning or the end.

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

Any question that shows a genuine interest in the program and the school is welcome. I like to hear athletes acknowledge that this is a team environment and not just an individual sport.

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

Being closed minded- thinking that the only way that she can be successful is if she continues to do whatever she has been doing in previous competitive situations. Also, coming in thinking that they can’t change strokes or events. It is good to shake things up and try new events to decrease stagnation and burn out.

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

Our program is strongest at harnessing individual improvement. Once an athlete comes to us, if they put in the time, they will become faster. We have been fortunate to have success in all events throughout the year. I think that this environment helps athletes to grow as people and develop strong ties to their teammates as well.

9. Why should a recruit consider your program?

We are a growing program looking to expand. We are willing to work with athletes who are willing to work.

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

Email is the fastest/ most efficient way to contact me.

Coach Taylor, when sending highlight videos to colleges you’re interested in, should a cover letter be enclosed or just a note stating my interest. If so, what exactly should it state besides my desire to play for their organization?

I would definitely recommend including a cover letter. The only reason you might not include a cover letter with your video is if you already have sent one to this particular coach. It is a good idea to keep track of what you send to each coach.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when constructing your cover letter to coaches:

1. Most every coach now relies on e-mail to both contact and receive contact from potential recruits. That is the preferred method of communication. To find out the e-mail addresses for the coaches you are looking to contact, simply go to the college’s athletic website and look for a staff listing of names and e-mails or ask your Recruiting Coach.

2. Be brief. Coaches at all levels receive dozens and dozens of e-mails/letters from high school-aged players. All you are trying to do is show you have interest, pass along all of your contact information, your resume, and provide each coach with an upcoming schedule of your matches so he can see you play.

3. NEVER HAVE ONE OF YOUR PARENTS WRITE TO A COACH. You are the one the coach might be recruiting, so he/she wants to hear from you directly. (If the relationship develops and it appears that you might be attending that college, they’ll be plenty of time for your parents to have contact with the coaching staff.)

4. Provide contact information for yourself and your coaches. Nothing is worse for a college coach than to have to track down your coach’s e-mail or phone number. By having both an e-mail address and a phone number listed after his/her name, it allows for the college coach to quickly e-mail or call your private and/or high school coach to follow up.

5. Always include basic information about yourself such as grad year, high school, athletic history, GPA, SAT/ACT scores. Tell the coach why you are a good fit for their program.

6. Do not send a form letter that starts out with “Dear Coach” and does not mention anything specific about his/her program and school. The bulk of your e-mail will be kept the same for correspondence you send out to various coaching staff; however a portion of it should be personalized. Bring in something specific about it that you learned by going through the website. State your interest in the school and specific reasons (like “my Dad went to Madison and I want to carry on the tradition” or whatever fits you personally)

7. Detail is important! Be sure that you use spell check and proper English. This is a reflection of your ability. You may send your letter to NCSA to revise.

8. If you are emailing rather than regular mail, DO NOT mass email a bunch of coaches. This comes across as lazy and shows the coach that you didn’t take your time to personalize for them. Make sure to address the letter Dear Coach [[last name]].

Send your recruiting questions to askcoachtaylor@ncsasports.org

You can also get your questions answered directly by contacting an NCSA Recruiting Coordinator at 866-579-6272.

Charlie Adams brings 23 years of experience covering the recruiting process of high school athletes who reached their dream of playing college sports. Adams was an award winning sportscaster at television stations and a longtime professional speaker. He is also one of NCSA’s Recruiting Experts.

As a speaker, I have a few thousand conversations a year with families and coaches that are going through, or have been through, the recruiting process. I often share them in this blog.

During my son’s 12th grade season, I was at a top Cross Country Meet. A veteran South Bend (IN) High School Coach came up and told me one of his sophomore runners had recently done a Recruiting Analysis with NCSA. The Coach said it had an immediate positive impact on the young man.

“This athlete wants to compete at a high level in college,” the coach told me. “During the Recruiting Analysis he told the NCSA College Scout his times. The Scout told him they projected to be D3 or NAIA times. Well, that put a fire in him because he wants to eventually run at a higher level. Then the kid told the Scout he has a 2.5 GPA. The Scout chuckled slightly. It wasn’t in a rude way, but in a way where he was challenging the athlete that he could do better than a 2.5 and that he would need to do better to be in better position for scholarships. Ever since that Recruiting Analysis, the runner has been more focused in practice and has immediately started improving his grades. I have seen a distinct difference in his focus, even as a sophomore. I tell athletes these things all the time, but when it comes from that third party, it’s big.”

THAT can be the power of a Recruiting Analysis. It is important to do one to see where you stand in recruiting. If you have not done one yet, or never set up a time after hearing a NCSA speaker, contact us

Charlie Adams

cadams@ncsasports.org

Charlie Adams brings 23 years of experience covering the recruiting of high school athletes who reached their dream of playing college sports. Adams was an award winning sportscaster at television stations and is one of NCSA’s Recruiting Experts.

I was driving near Indianapolis this week and heard former Indiana University Basketball Coach Dan Dakich hosting his daily talk show on 1070 the Fan. A caller called in a little ‘bent out of shape’ that IU Basketball Coach Tom Crean had recently received two commitments from players that had yet to play a second of High School basketball. Two highly rated 9th graders had made their decision to attend IU. The caller just could not understand how they could be doing that at such a young age. Dakich, who was an assistant coach at IU for years and knows recruiting inside and out, wasn’t surprised. He said back when he was evaluating talent he could often tell if a 7th grader could play at a major D1 level like Indiana and the Big Ten. In recruiting, basketball is especially accelerated and seasoned evaluators like Tom Crean can project early if a kid can play. Back in the 1980′s, Bob Knight went down to Bedford, IN to watch a legendary 8th grader named Damon Bailey play a game. In the book, “A Season on the Brink” Knight made a comment to the author John Feinstein that “Bailey is better than any guard we have right now. I don’t mean potentially better, I mean better today.” Bailey ended up going to Indiana and was a very good player at that level.

It’s not that way for every basketball player that eventually plays D1, but it is for the special ones. Trey Lyles is one of the two players to commit to IU. He stands 6’9″ as a 9th grader. The other one is James Blackmon, Jr. His Dad was a very good player back in the day at Kentucky. Tom Crean and his staff have no doubt those two project to be winning Big Ten players. As Dakich said on his radio show, the IU coaches know what they are doing because they are seasoned evaluators. They have been watching those kids in the July evaluation events.

Less than 1% of the High School athletes will get this kind of “fawning over.” The rest have to be proactive in recruiting, and understand the process starts early whether you are a 6’9″ ninth grader or not. A 5’9″ 9th grade basketball player that is not even on the varsity team needs to understand how important it is to make his baskets in the classroom so that he can have more options in recruiting when he is a junior or senior. That kid may never get a D1 offer, but if he and his family get educated in recruiting and he works his tail off, by the time he is a junior and senior he will have more options in recruiting.

Charlie Adams

cadams@ncsasports.org