Alexis Smith - Chatham University
NCSA helped a lot in terms of pointing me in the right direction and helping me formulate ways to contact coaches via email, letters, or videos. They also helped when I had questions directed to coaches and they helped me with the appropriate ways to ask questions. Basically, NCSA helped me understand the process of recruiting and all the steps I needed to take in order achieve the outcome I desired. Most importantly, they guided my family and I on how to negotiate various awards and scholarships, what to look for in any offer before committing. They scheduled regular calls to review my status with my family and me. Along with working with NCSA, I also put time into becoming a well-rounded person. I played on two hockey teams, I had a part-time job, and I also worked on improving my GPA by receiving extra tutoring and taking extra courses. Additionally, in the off-season I was training with Velocity to improve endurance, skill and stamina as well as participating in skating programs offered by my Coach.
The best part of the recruiting process was seeing packages and responses from schools in the mail or in my email. Any kind of response from schools was the greatest feeling. Knowing that there were many to choose from certainly gave me a great comfort level. However this also led to the worst aspect. The hardest part of the recruiting process became staying on top of what schools I had contacted and what schools had responded. I also had to research Universities that may not have been on my list at the beginning but, through my NCSA posting, had contacted me.
My advice to student athletes would be to not be afraid to consider any school, even if you are the slightly interested. Also, write down any questions that come to mind so that you remember them when you meet with coaches. Take your time and make sure the Universities you are narrowing down to fit your needs. Try to visit all the Universities that you have on your short list since this will help you make the best decision.
