NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

The start of a new year brings the beginning of the end of your high school academic year.  You are already half-way through your year!  That may sound like good news if you’re anxious for spring and summer to arrive.  But if you haven’t been on top of your game in the area of college visits, it may mean you have some catching up to do.  
This weekend is a prime opportunity for you to get back in the game.  The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend is one of the most popular weekends of the year for College/University Open Houses.  It is almost a guarantee that if you log onto the website of your top choices for colleges, you will discover that they are holding an Open House this weekend.  
It may be too late in the game to travel to some of your out-of-town favorites.  However, you can still suit up and get over to one or more of your local schools.  This weekend is a perfect chance for you to see what great things may be waiting for you in your own backyard!  
Your moment has arrived.  MLK weekend is upon us.  There are just a few seconds left on the clock.  Get in the game and be the one who takes that final shot.  You never know.  When the weekend is all said and done – you just may be holding onto that ultimate prize – a college decision! 
Take a look at some last minute tips before you head to your visit.  

Tonight at Soldier field two former highly recruited Purdue Quarterbacks will face off in a crucial game with major playoff implications.  However, they almost weren’t connected at all.  Drew Brees was the former collegiate stud breaking into the NFL when he met Kyle Orton at an Elite 11 Football Camp, then a top recruit considering following in his footsteps at Purdue.  Orton was committed to Purdue at the time, but was starting to lean towards Colorado.  When Orton spoke to Brees those doubts were silenced.

“I told him, ‘You can do whatever you want to do, but, if you want to get a great education, want to have a chance to start four years, play in the Big Ten and throw the ball 50 times a game, then you should come to Purdue,”‘ said Brees, Purdue’s all-time passing leader with 11,792 yards. “It was really that simple.”

Orton recalled: “It was good advice.”

Hearing first hand about a program right from the horse’s mouth is an opportunity every recruit needs to set up.  Most recruits wont get the chance to meet former players at big time camps, but every recruit has the opportunity to take official and unofficial visits.  Every potential collegiate athlete should make sure they take the time to talk to players in the program so that get a real feel for how things operate.  Asking questions about the athletic, academic and social components in a student athlete’s life can give real insight into choosing the proper university.

How do you set up visits to schools?  The first step is getting colleges interested in you.  Start that process with NCSA now!

Visits, both unofficial and official, are a very important part of your recruiting process. There is only so much you can tell from a college website or from talking to the coach. In order to get a real sense of the institution you need to see the campus with your own eyes.

 First, you need to understand the difference between unofficial and official visits. An official visit will be paid for by the college/university. Typically, covered expenses will include lodging, transportation, meals and entertainment. You are not allowed to take official visits until the first day of classes your senior year and the NCAA allows you to take up to five visits to Division I and II schools combined and you can take an unlimited number of official visits to Division III and NAIA schools. At all levels you can only take one official visit per school and can not exceed 48 hours on campus. Make sure you choose these schools wisely and make the most out of each visit.

 When you take unofficial visits you will be responsible for paying for everything that is involved with the visit. If you have to drive to campus you will be paying for gas. If you have to take an airplane there you will be expected to purchase your ticket. The only paid benefit a school may provide are tickets to no more than three sporting events that cost under $100. You are allowed to take an unlimited number of unofficial visits to all divisions, but again, it will be at your expense.

 If you are seriously interested in a college/university a campus visit is a critical step. You need to meet the coach face-to-face, meet some of the players, see the facilities and the campus – all of these must be done before you make any final decisions.  You are going to be the one living on the campus and playing for the coach for four years so you should make sure that the people and environment are what you are looking for in a school and team.

Before you plan an unofficial visit you must let the coach know you are coming ahead of time. Call the coach and ask if they have some time to meet with you the day of your visit so they can plan accordingly. This will give the coach a chance to arrange a schedule of events for that day such as a tour of campus with a member of the team, interview with an admissions representative or lunch with the team. Take as many unofficial visits as possible to get a solid sense of what you like and dislike in a college/university. The more campuses you visit the more you will have to compare against!

When you are invited on an official visit the coach is telling you that you are a top recruit and that you are being seriously considered for a roster spot on their team. The official visit is their opportunity to convince you why their school is the best for you.

You should never make a college commitment unless you have stepped foot on campus. Every athlete has a different situation and every family differs financially. You must find a way to make visits happen and you should start by gauging the interest from the coach and then going to your top schools first.

I talk with a lot of baseball student-athletes and ask a pretty simple question, but receive a lot of the same answers:

“Have you seen this program, that you are interested in, play yet?”

Unfortunately, an overwhelming answer to that question is NO.

The fall baseball season is wrapping up, but the good news is colleges are starting to set their schedules for the spring of 2009 season. What does this mean to you? You need to start thinking about visiting your top colleges and watching a game at the same time. I say this now because when the season begins you will be playing, too. Times are busy right now without baseball, how will you manage to find time when you are playing at the same time?

Remember, you are not just visiting to watch the game. Here are just a few things you should be accomplishing as well:

1. Take a tour of the campus
2. Set up a meeting with the admissions department
3. Possibly visiting with the coaches
4. Ask yourself two big questions:
   1. “Would I go to this school if I wasn’t playing at this college?”
   2. “After researching this team’s roster and watching them play, would I be able to play at this level?”

Start scheduling and managing your time now, NOT LATER.

Yesterday, I wrote twice about athletes committing to schools too early and having to change their decision (here and here).  Today I would like to compare those rushed decisions with this quote from top recruit Jheranie Boyd: 

“You get tired from all the traveling, but it feels good going on these official visits,” Boyd told SN Today. “This year, all the colleges recruiting me say they need a playmaker receiver now … All of my top five have said I could play as a true freshman.”

Playing as a freshman is obviously important to Jheranie, so he is taking his time to evaluate all of the schools recruiting him.  When you are in a position do the choosing, you should make sure to take your time to make a proper evaluation of all your options.

Video Posted from Jheranie’s Gallery on Takkle.com

When a college coach offers an official visit, as I told you last week, it means that you are being seriously recruited by that program. Coaches bring prospects to campus for official visits in order to show off their school and team, but also to evaluate you. They want to see how you interact with their players and faculty and how you respond to the campus surroundings that you may be calling home for the next four or five years.

Today I will focus on the steps you should take before and after an official visit has been offered. If you follow these simple rules you will make the most of your forty eight hours on campus.

• Ask college coaches if you will receive an official visit to their school.  Now, you do not want to ask this question during a first conversation. This is why you spent so much time and effort building a relationship with coaches for the last few years. Once you are a senior and have a relationship with a coach you should not hesitate to bring up the official visit topic. Some coaches will invite you for a visit but may not clarify whether it will be official or unofficial. Remember what I told you last week about the big differences between official and unofficial visits: If you take an unofficial visit to a school you are going to have to pay for your own travel and your own lodging expenses.  If they offer to bring you in on an official visit that usually means the college will pay for your travel and lodging. If you are not sure which type of visit a coach is offering – ask!

• Find out what you’ll need to bring.  College trips will vary from school to school, especially when it comes to accommodations.  Make sure you’re prepared for each individual college visit.

• Don’t forget your transcript!  NCAA rules dictate that before you take your official visit, you will need to provide a copy of your official high school transcript to the college before you arrive on campus.  Make sure you get that important task completed before you leave for your official visit.

• Dress for success. You will never have a second chance to make a first impression so your campus visit is not a time to wear your ripped jeans and backwards hat. Dress like the mature and responsible young man or woman that you are.

• Take Notes. Always bring a copy of your NCSA Game Plan and/or paper and a pen to review and take notes. If you think of a question while you are travelling to campus, chances are you can find an answer in your NCSA Game Plan. You definitely should bring note taking materials for your meeting with the coach. Write down some questions you have prior to arriving on campus.

• Do not hesitate to discuss other schools. Before or during an official visit a coach may ask you what other schools are recruiting you, or what other schools you are visiting. When you respond to this question you should always list better, or comparable, athletic programs and schools.  That might just give that coach a little extra incentive to go all-out in trying to make your visit to his or her school the best it could be.

• Soak it all in. When you walk around campus during your tour, try to picture yourself spending the next four or five years living at the school and competing for their program.  Is it a place you want to be?  Do you feel comfortable, both with the campus layout and the people on campus?  You will also want to try to visit with the admissions department, sit in on a class, and watch the team practice or compete in a game. If you could not play your sport would you still be happy at this school?

• Do not expect an offer, but be prepared just in case. Just because you are taking an official visit doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to be offered a scholarship by that school.  This is an evaluation process for the coaches at the college, and they may end up determining that another athlete would be a better fit for their team.  With that in mind, be as respectful and courteous as possible.  Don’t give the coaches or players any reasons to cross you off their list. Be prepared in case an offer is extended. If you are at your top choice school and want to commit – go for it! If you are not sure and need a little more time, it is always okay to thank the coach, let him/her know how excited you are, and ask when they need your official answer. This is a huge decision and it is perfectly fair for you to ask for a little time to consider your options and discuss your decision with your parents.

• Write a thank you note. Always, ALWAYS, write a thank you note immediately after your visit.

Because nothing in life – or recruiting – is guaranteed, it is smart to have as many choices as possible when it comes to college programs.  The more colleges that know about you and your athletic talent, the more chances you will have to compete at the next level.  If you are an NCSA verified student-athlete, you’ve given yourself a tremendous advantage in getting as much attention and as many opportunities as possible.  If you haven’t had us review your credentials and begin matching college coaches with your talents and abilities, you should strongly consider doing that as soon as possible.

Part I here

Over the last few weeks I have discussed unofficial visits. The tips I provided should help you build relationships with college coaches and experience different types of college campuses. Unofficial visits are a great way to jump-start the recruiting process.

For seniors who are actively being recruited the next step is an official visit.

What do you do if you are getting asked to take official visits?  What does that mean?  How should you approach the situation so that you can maximize this once in a lifetime chance to play college sports?

First, you need to understand the advantages that come with being invited to take an official visit to a college:

• It means that you are high on that school’s recruiting list.  You are, without a doubt, being seriously recruited.  Not every athlete receives an official visit invitation.  In the world of college recruiting, an official visit invitation should be viewed as an honor.

• It means that the college is most likely going to pay for your travel to their campus.  This is a huge difference compared to the unofficial visit, where you are required to pay for your own travel and accommodations.

• It means that the coaching staff is looking for indications that you are interested in their program.  The coaches are bringing you in for a reason: They want you to seriously consider what they have to offer you.  In return for that visit, be prepared to make some decisions as to your interest in their school and program.

Let me focus on that last point in detail for a moment.  On the one hand, an official visit offer is something that you should get excited about.  It’s one of the rewards for all of your hard work as a high school athlete! 

On the other hand, look at the situation from the coach’s point of view.  The coach is trying to make some important, and difficult, decisions.  They are bringing you to their campus to judge two things: Whether you are a good fit for their program, and whether their program is a good fit for you.

They want to see how you interact with the team and if you connect with the players at the college.  They want to give you the chance to see what their campus offers student-athletes, and if it’s a good match for you.

When you take an unofficial visit, as we’ve discussed the past few weeks, your visit to a college is more about you selling your abilities to the coaches and taking an initial glimpse of the campus.  When you take an official visit the tables are turned…the coaching staff is anxious, and focused, on selling you on their program. You also will need to examine the school, the team and the coaches very closely to figure out whether or not it might be a place you want to call home for the next four years.

Most NCSA student-athletes receive more official visit opportunities than the average high school athlete. While that’s something that we’re proud of, it also means there’s an extra burden placed on the shoulders of our athletes. They must understand exactly how to make the most of their forty eight hours on campus.

Next week we will review recommended steps for setting-up official visits, and what you can expect once you step foot on campus.

 by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President

The final piece to the unofficial visit puzzle is actually contacting the school and the coach to arrange a trip to the campus.

You might be reading this as a student-athlete with hopes and dreams of competing in college by winning a college sports scholarship.  Or, you might be a parent who wants to see their son or daughter use their talents to help pay for school and continue their athletic career at the next level.  Whatever the case, I want you to understand why getting in front of a coach is so important for you:  It is your chance to sell the coach on you.

When a coach brings an athlete in for an “official” visit, it is really their chance to focus on selling that athlete on their program.  The coach knows that the athlete is someone who they want on their roster, and that coach is going to put their best foot forward in trying to convince that athlete to choose their program.

What is different about the “unofficial” visit?  Much of the time, the athlete is the one trying to get the coach’s attention and showing that coach why you should be a serious consideration for a scholarship or opportunity to be a part of the coach’s roster in the years to come.  That’s why it is so vital that you be proactive in setting up your own unofficial visit.  If you don’t do it, no one will.

So what steps should you take to set up the unofficial visit?  Here is what we recommend here at NCSA:

• Call or email the coach.  Let the coach know that you intend to visit their campus, and you would like to set up some time to talk with them.  Arrange a specific time to meet…don’t just ask if you can “drop by” their office while you’re on campus.  You want to make plans to meet at a specific time and place.
• Be direct when talking to the coach.  We recommend that you say something like, “Coach, I am in the process of scheduling my unofficial visits and would like to visit your university.  Would you be available to meet with me next Saturday or Sunday?  And, is there anything you need me to get to you ahead of time?”  Keep it simple, and make it your goal to get the meeting time with the coach.
• Send the coach your video highlights.  The coach you will be visiting with during your unofficial visit is going to want to see you perform in your sport.  The best way to do that is to send them your NCSA Scouting Report that includes your streaming web video that they can view immediately on their computer.  If you aren’t a verified NCSA student-athlete, you will want to mail a DVD or VHS tape to the coach in advance of your visit so that they can review it and have some ideas on how you might fit into their program before you come on campus for your visit.
• Set up an admissions office meeting.  Part of the process of continuing your academic and athletic career at college is making sure you have everything in order when it comes to being admitted to the college.  That is something that the coach will be concerned with, and it’s something that is your responsibility to coordinate while you are on campus.  Make sure you sit with someone in the admissions office to review what you will need to give them in order for them to move forward with your application.

As a part of any visit, you may get to take part in a game day visit at the college.  This takes place quite often in football, but it is becoming more common in other sports as well.  If you are invited to take part in a game day visit, keep in mind that the coaches and athletes are going to be busy preparing for the game.  Sometimes, visiting prospects don’t get the same level of attention that you might during a normal campus visit.  If that happens, don’t be discouraged or disappointed.  And, it’s always a good idea to send a thank you note or email to the coach that you just visited during your unofficial visit.

Remember, this is your chance to get a coach’s attention.  You are taking this visit not only to find out more about the school and the sports program, but also to sell yourself to that coach that is letting you visit.  If you don’t lose sight of that primary purpose, you just might make a great impression in the mind of that coach and become a prime recruit for his or her program.

It’s amazing to me how many high school athletes DON’T pay attention to what is going on with their particular sport on the collegiate level.  I’ve even found that some college athletes don’t know what teams are ranked nationally or what schools are playing in the championship tournaments.  What better resource could you have then watching your sport being played at a higher level?  

If you are serious about competing and are looking to succeed in college sports, then start paying attention. One of the best places to start is your local universities and colleges.  Go online and find the schools in your area and start checking out their schedules.  Even the sports that compete in the spring are playing some sort of fall schedule to prepare for their season.   

Here in Chicago, softball players are surrounded by several teams that are nationally ranked and competing at the highest level.  DePaul and Northwestern have both been at the Women’s College World Series in recent years.  Expand your search a bit beyond the Chicagoland area and you can find schools like Michigan, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Olivet Nazarene and many more that are nationally ranked at all NCAA and NAIA levels.  The Midwest is exploding with great softball right now!  

Even if the schools in your area are not of interest to you, it would be silly to pass up the chance to see the level of competition you are striving to play at.  So, do a little research.  You’ll probably be surprised at how many games are going on right around you.  In the end, you get to watch the sport you love and who knows, you may just learn something! 

 Now how does this relate to the recruiting process? In a big way! Trust me!

Many of you will be making unofficial visits as the school year progresses. For most of you this will be your first personal encounter with various college coaches, and most important event indeed.

How you present yourself may determine if a school continues to show interest in you. This first encounter impression can actually be of a most significant determiner that may place you in a priority position with the coaching staff.  My advice is to use the visit to separate yourself from the field.

For many years I greeted young people and their families as they entered the initial reception venue.  I would automatically begin to put together a puzzle and pieces of that puzzle that would either fit for our program or would be set aside for another program.

Remember this: If I decide that I am going to recruit you, I have decided that I am willing and enthusiastic to have you join my program and yes, to live with you for the next four years. We will live in the same dorm for camp, we will travel on the same airplanes and buses, you will spend a great deal of time in my office and on special occasions you will visit my home.

I can assure you that every person from the school that you visit may and will have some opinion of you as a person. It may be the security guard in the area that you park, it may be the people in the catering department that serve the lunch, it may be a recruiting secretary who presents you with visitors credentials, it may be the ticket department where you sign for your tickets, and in a most important way it may be the academic people or the admissions people. All of these people and more assist the athletic programs on weekends and evenings because they have a vested interest in athletics and want to help. Each and every one of the aforementioned departments communicates with the athletic department and can actually be a part of an evaluation meeting when your time on campus is over. Why take a chance of doing anything but making a great impression from the minute you arrive until the time that you depart. How do you make that great initial impression? Here a few important and fundamental suggestions from me and our staff at NCSA.

First, let’s talk a bit about the goals of the visit. What do I want to accomplish on this trip? The answer is that your goals should be to present yourself in a manner that permits the particular school not only to continue to recruit you, but to make it so positive that they “need” to recruit you. Arrive well rested, enthusiastic and most of all “on time.” If the trip calls for a two hour car ride give yourself three hours. If you have slept on the way, stop before arriving on campus and give yourself time to refresh and adjust yourself, so when you arrive you don’t look like you just got out of bed. Bring along your itinerary so you know exactly where to go, where to park and where to meet the coaches and staff. Also get cell phone numbers or contact numbers of the coach and staff members who are your contact people. Unavoidable travel delays make cause you to be late. Calling to let the coaches know of the delay shows a sense of responsibility and care, and reflects fine character.

When you meet are introduced to people give a firm hand shake and look them in the eye, and yes practice this greeting before you leave. Once again, practice the firm handshake and greeting before you leave. Sounds like a bit of peculiar coaching?  Perhaps, but why take a chance that this will not make a difference. I have been on the other end of the initial “sleep walk” introduction and I did not like it!

What should you wear? Before I write another word. Leave the jewelry at home! This not a fashion show. This is a business trip that may influence the next forty years of your life. If you are wearing a cap, wear it with the lid directly in front, wear it like Derek Jeter wears his Yankee cap.  Caps on backwards or off to the side for me in this venue are unacceptable. You do not need a tuxedo or suit for the visit, just wear clothing that is neat and creates a good impression. If you have to ask yourself, should I really wear this? Don’t!

Next, shut off your cell phone! Again, shut off your cell phone! Never, ever take a call on your cell phone while someone is speaking to you or when your are in an audience. There will be time to check your messages, and anyway what could be more important than the mission at hand.

Who do I bring with me on the visit? My suggestion is a parent or guardian. Someone who can assist you or coach you during the visit, or someone who will be a part of your decision making process, perhaps your high school coach or an assistant coach who you are close to.

It is obviously acceptable for a young man to have a girlfriend or a young lady to have a boyfriend, but for this trip leave them at home. I am not attempting to be rude, but explain to that important person in your life that this is a business trip and that you will share the details of the trip with them when you arrive at home. Why do I say this? I have stood in front of large groups on unofficial visits and have watched as I spoke young men talking to their girlfriends during the presentations, I have watched as my academic people spoke and the same distraction occurred.

This is a business trip. As you move from one presentation to another, remember to sit straight up in your chair, both feet on the ground and if the venue calls for it ask questions. Especially in the academic segment. Show strong interest in academics. It is important.

Finally enjoy the trip. Attempt to remember names of people that you have met. Ask various people for their calling or business cards. Keep those cards, and yes even drop a note or email of thank you. That gesture could make a huge difference. Lastly, thank the coaches for their invitation and let them know that you appreciated the opportunity. And once again a note or email of thank you will go a long way. If for some reason you have to leave a game early for many reasons let someone in authority know, don’t let an early departure suggest that you have lost interest. Follow these suggestions and the trip home will find you confident that your first chance at a good impression was successful! Good luck and know that I and the NCSA staff are here for you should other questions arise.

Coach C. Bob Chmiel

In our final part of this series next week, I’ll talk about the questions that you should be ready to expect from the college coaches you are visiting, and how to make the most of the answers you give them. -Chris Krause