NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Is swimming indoors hazardous to one’s lungs and breathing? That was the topic of a recent study in Quebec City. The concern is about chemicals associated with pools that have contributed to young swimmers breathing problems as compared to young soccer players.

It is concluded that the environment of the high humidity mixed with the high levels of chlorine are contributors to one’s lung health.  Some pools have chemical overload and can be smelled before seen – which is definitely not a good sign.

Research does support that the benefits from swimming and exercise are more positive than the risks from being in indoor pools.

When it was reported that Michael Phelps lost a race and his world record in the 200 meter free style it shocked the swimming world. Soon after, however, it was brought to light that the reason Germany’s Paul Biedermann was able to dominate Phelps was through the use of a new high-tech suit called the Arena X-Glide (pictured right).

Biedermann said after his 400 free win that the suit made him two seconds faster, but Phelps passed on the chance to wear one of the latest-generation suits. He’s been sponsored by Speedo since he was a teenager and wasn’t about to abandon the company that paid him a $1 million bonus after he won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.

Shortly before the race, FINA confirmed that a ban on bodysuits will go into effect by May 2010, making this the last major competition where buoyancy aiding suits are allowed.

Now the NCAA has announced new regulations on swimsuits according to ESPN.

The NCAA is placing restrictions on high-tech suits in college competition similar to the ones swimming’s world governing body enacted this week.

The NCAA said Wednesday that its swimming and diving committees for all three divisions have endorsed rules that limit coverage and the type of material used. The Playing Rules Oversight Panel must still approve the changes, which could go into effect for the start of the season in September.

Suits cannot go past the knee, men’s suits must stop at the waist and women’s at the shoulder. Materials must be completely permeable to air and water and be no more than 0.8 millimeters thick.

The NCAA said it was not influenced by FINA’s decision. Like their counterparts on the international level, college coaches balked at seeing the new high-tech suits rewrite the record books.

Seventy NCAA meet records were set in 2009. But after much discussion, the committees decided not to wipe those marks from the books. Heat sheets at the 2010 NCAA championships, though, will include the pre-2009 records for context.

The impact of these rulings is yet to be seen, however it is safe to assume that fewer records will fall during the 2010 NCAA swim season.

How much impact could a visit to a college campus have on a young athlete? It can only be positive as you never know what it could lead to down the road in recruiting.Coach Neal Studd, Florida Gulf Coast University, has a Junior Olympics event on his campus with swimmers ranging in ages from 14U to 8U. It is a huge event and Coach Studd is hoping that he can reap some benefits down the road for his program with potential recruits by having this event at his venue.  He will be around the pool to meet people and talk about his school to anyone who has questions.

In 2005, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University was forced to drop eight sports from it’s intercollegiate athletic program. Located in the heart of New Orleans, Tulane suffered greatly from Katrina, having to close the school for the Fall Semester. A number of students transferred to other schools and Tulane was left with an overwhelming economic burden. One of the eight teams cut from the Green Wave athletic program was women’s swimming.

Just 2-years old, the women’s swim team had quickly made a name for itself, garnering a Conference USA Championship in March 2005. But the celebration was over. In December of the same year, just 3 months after Katrina hit, the women’s swim team disbanded.

However, after a 4-year hiatus and much fundraising and rebuilding, the Green Wave is gaining strength again and working toward restoring it’s once 16-program athletic department.

For the women’s swim program, there was one important person they wanted and needed to restart the program: Lisa Guarriello. A former assistant coach for the Green Wave, Guarriello never lost her love for Tulane University. Having lost her job after the program was dropped in 2005, Guarriello continued to pursue her passion for coaching at the high school level. But her thoughts were never far from Tulane and the success they had built in a short amount of time.

The newly-named Head Coach of the Tulane University Women’s Swim Team, Guarriello has worked tirelessly to recruit student-athletes. “There were a few who shot me down on the first phone call,” she said. “All I could tell them that was that if I hadn’t been convinced the athletic department was ready to bring the program back, I wouldn’t be there. And that they should feel at ease trusting me with their daughters for the next four years. I felt that we were pretty well received.”

The results of her effort have been staggering. Guarriello signed eight swimmers in the early signing period during the fall of 2008 and has added five more this spring and summer.

Those 13 women will enter the pool this fall with high expectations. Guarriello has her sights set on another conference championship, as well as getting some swimmers qualified for the NCAA championships. Whatever the final results will be, there is already a great victory being celebrated in New Orleans. The restoration of Tulane University and it’s athletic department.

Colleges and universities all over the country are feeling the pressure due to our current economy. More specifically, their athletic departments are trying to manage budgets and make decisions that will allow their programs to stay afloat while remaining competitive. Unfortunately, this often leads to having to cut teams and programs. And no one is feeling the effects of those cuts more than the swimming and diving world.

In February, citing the “current economic environment and the need to reduce its budget,” Pepperdine University announced they were dropping women’s swimming & diving, as well as track.

In March, Pennsylvania’s Kutztown University dropped men’s swimming and men’s soccer from their institution. “This move is ultimately a proactive attempt to reduce costs in the current economy based on the anticipated budget,” said University President Dr. F. Javier Cevallos.

In May, the Pac-10 powerhouse University of Washington eliminated their men’s & women’s swimming programs, effective immediately. Athletic Director Scott Woodward stated, “We have a number of serious issues that have arisen out of the recent economic crisis. It is with great regret that we are discontinuing our swimming programs and we will do everything possible to assist the student-athletes and coaches who are affected.”

Earlier this month, Western Illinois University cut their men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs to try and remain economically sound. “We are committed to maintaining a successful broad-based, gender-neutral athletics program, and this move will economically allow us to continue that commitment. As a department we have been working through a very difficult budget situation for some time now, and unfortunately we have been forced to make some hard sacrifices, ” said Director of Athletics Dr. Tim Van Alstine.

This recession has caused everyone to make sacrifices and financial decisions that are not easy. It’s just a shame to see swimming programs nationwide taking such a hard hit. These schools are only a few examples of the eliminations made in 2009. And it proves that no one is safe from the crunch of these economic times, from NAIA to NCAA Division I.

However, tough times can also produce some pretty hopeful stories. On June 29th, only 24 days after announcing they had cut their programs, Western Illinois University re-instated both men’s and women’s swimming & diving.

“We are grateful for the Leatherneck swimming and diving family and the greater swimming community, who have provided input, assistance and financial support during this process,” said Van Alstine. “It is very apparent, now more than ever, that the support for swimming and diving on a national scale is alive and well. Without that support we would not be able to continue our success in the pool and in the classroom.”

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.  

If you’re a student-athlete who wants to play your sport in college you will have to work very hard to become the best student and the best athlete you can be.  It’s too competitive for you not to give 100% effort in both of those areas you have total control over.  If you give any less, there are plenty of others who are out-working you today.  Now that is a very challenging proposition in which you expect to be rewarded for that hard work.  Unfortunately, after all of that hard work, you DO NOT get to choose your school.  The school chooses you. 

Now there are exceptions to this reality.  One percent of student-athletes are “blue-chippers” who are recruited by the top-tier, name-brand schools.  However, the vast majority will not be able to choose their number one choice school.  This harsh reality is more harsh for those of you living west of the Mississippi River.  The vast majority of athletic programs at 4-year colleges and universities are located east of the Mississippi River.  As an example, there are only 28 four-year colleges who play football in California.  Whereas, in Pennsylvania, a state with less than half of California’s population, there are 82 four-year colleges who play football.  There are a lot of talented football players in Arizona.  However, that state only has 3 four-year colleges who play football.  

A student-athlete can find a GREAT school that is the perfect fit.  But they have to be willing to play anywhere that has their required academics.  If you are not willing to play at any school that matches your academic needs, you’re really not serious about playing in college.  You should quit spending your parents money on travel ball, camps, lessons, equipment, etc.  The flip side, if you’re serious, you need to be involved with hundreds of schools – just so you’ll have a chance.  Are you serious about playing in college?  Are you sure?

I’m always amazed at what people’s definition of recruiting is.  Some think they are getting lots of interest when in fact they are among thousands on a college coach’s mailing list.   Below is a list of check points to see where you are.  If you’re a 2010 student-athlete and you’re not at a 4, 3, 2, or 1, you’re behind your peers.  If you’re a 2011 graduate and you’re not at a 7, you’re behind your peers.  If you’re a 2012 grad and you are not at a 10, you’re behind your peers.  If you wish to catch up, click here.

YOU means the student-athlete, not the HS coach or club coach.

1. Have YOU received a full or partial scholarship or grant & aid offer in writing from your dream school?
2.  Have YOU received a full or partial scholarship or grant & aid offer in writing from any school?
3. Have YOU received a full or partial scholarship or grant & aid offer made verbally from any school?
4. Have YOU been offered or taken an official visit?
5. Have YOU received a video and/or transcript request from a college coach?
6. Have YOU received phone calls from college coaches?
7. Have YOU been offered or taken un-official visits? 
8. Do YOU receive personal, handwritten letters from college head coaches on a regular basis?
9. Do YOU receive emails from college coaches on a regular basis?
10. Have YOU received questionnaires or camp information from college coaches?

College swim programs continue to be on the short end with athletic  budget cuts.  The University of Washington has announced that they will be cutting both the men’s and the women’s swim programs.

Pepperdine had released a statement in February that they were cutting their women’s swim program.  Recently they announced that they will get one final season as outside assistance has been offered to fund the year.

What do you think about the cuts and where the athletic programs need to make some savings?

As a review, you know the need to market your child in order for her/him to be recruited.  You know that you could do this yourself or you could use an expert.  In either case, you’ll have to invest time and money into the process.  The need for this service is even greater than it was in the 1980’s for several reasons.  Among these are:

1. the cost of college today
2. the even greater restrictions the NCAA has placed on college coaches. 
3. The internet.
4. The accelerating recruiting calendar.
5. The misinformation about recruiting from so called experts like HS coaches, Athletic Directors, and parents who went through it 15-30 years ago.

But whether a family chooses to navigate the recruiting waters by themselves or chooses to hire professional help, they are going to have to spend time and money on this process.  They are also going to have to coach their kids on how to speak to college coaches.  No college coach will offer any student-athlete a college scholarship without knowing that child.   So where do you allocate your marketing dollars?

You could choose to go to a lot of college camps.  As you’ve learned from the 5 things you need to do, your child must be involved with at least 100-200 realistic possibilities.  How many camps will you be able to attend?  Are they the right ones?  How much will they cost including transportation?  What makes you think your child will stand out from others at that camp in a college coach’s eyes?  My child received recruiting interest from 145 college coaches.  She never attended a college camp after the 8^th grade.  We went to one and that was all it took to realize that the camps are money makers for the coaching staff at the school.  Can a kid improve their skills?  Maybe.  But don’t expect to get your child recruited by attending camps.

You could market your child on our own.  You’ll have to research 100-200 realistic college opportunities.  You’ll have to determine if they have roster openings.  You’ll have to get your child’s information in front of that coach.  You’ll have to hope that information is believed and isn’t trashed.  You’ll have to put video together and do it the right way.  I’ve seen college coaches turn video off after 5-10 seconds of viewing.  Would you want that to happen to your child’s video?  You need to update coaches as your child makes progress.  And, Mom and Dad, the most important thing you need to do is to teach your child to be the “front” person with the college coach.  If you are the one calling and writing college coaches on behalf of your child, that raises a huge red flag in the coach’s mind of how serious this is for the child.  A coach will recruit a lesser athlete that is articulate, serious, and a team player over a child who relies on mom and dad to do the talking. 

As you navigate the process, how are you going to advise your child on maximizing his financial aid package?  How are you going to advise him on what happens if a college coach ceases communications?  How are you going to advise her/him on how to make the best choice for them?  All parents want their children to make the best choice.  Empowering a child to make that choice is the best gift a parent can give their child.  Do you want amateurs who have never been through recruiting in the internet age advising your child?  Or do you want a professional, whose expertise is navigating this process and have seen over 25,000 recruiting situations, advising your child?  If you choose to navigate this yourself, you must read this book.

Finally, you could choose professional help.  If you choose a recruiting company, find out the following:

• 1) Are they organized as a franchise? Are you speaking with the franchise owner? How long has the owner owned his franchise/territory? If they are not a franchise organization, what year was the first recruiting class they worked with? (Hint, if 2005 or later, they haven’t been in business long enough to develop an impact with the college coaching community.)
• 2) How are their student-athletes marketed to college coaches? Is it a targeted approach to the right schools? Or, is it a shotgun approach to all colleges? Is 21^st century technology used, or is it still snail mail and faxes? Can you track which college coaches reviewed your child’s resume and video?
• 3) What is that organization’s true relationship with college coaches? If that organization doesn’t attend college coaches’ conventions, do they really have relationships with those college coaches? College coaches are not allowed by the NCAA to endorse recruiting companies. But those coaches do request student-athletes from those companies. Ask to see a list of those college coach requests with dates.
• 4) Who are the partnerships of that recruiting company? Companies who partner with recruiting companies do a lot of due diligence before putting their good name with someone. See who those partners are.
• 5) Find out about the client service after signing up. Find out the contact information and expected response times to your questions.
• 6) Find out about the financial aid advice the recruiting company offers.
• 7) Find out about the standardized test preparation a recruiting company offers.
• 8) Find out how your student-athlete can determine what college coaches are truly interested in your child.
• 9) Find out about what happens if a child suffers a career ending injury and can’t play in college. Do you get your money back?
• 10) Some recruiting companies like to do the “up-sale”. They’ll entice you with a low price and then constantly ask for more money as you move forward. Make sure your recruiting company spells out exactly the service you’re receiving and the time frame that service is available.
• 11) As with all businesses, make sure the company has been in business long enough to ensure that it’ll remain in business. If the company has been in business less than 5 years, be careful.

Doing your due diligence with any decision involving your child is important.  The most important due diligence a parent can help their child with is their college choice.  Getting professional help is a great way to help your child with their college decision.  To choose the right professional help ask those due diligence questions listed above.

Good luck to all of you who have the good fortune to be the parent of a talented student-athlete!