For most parents, the recruiting process is a mystery wrapped in a maze. Even those who’ve been through it themselves once find that the rules, the timelines, and the strategy have all changed by the time it’s their own kids’ turn.
That’s exactly the position one Texas father found himself in.
Tony Overpeck been recruited to play college football himself. But when it was time for his sons, Anthony and David, to go through the same process, he quickly realized everything had changed. Both boys were undersized for their positions in high school football, which meant they’d need more than talent alone to get noticed. They’d need strategy, guidance, and someone who actually knew the modern recruiting landscape.
The Problem: Too Much Advice, Not Enough Expertise
Like most families navigating recruiting for the first time, or even the second time, this dad found himself relying on a patchwork of secondhand information.
“As a parent, you’re stuck with really only knowing what other parents tell you, what AAU coaches tell you, what high school coaches are telling you,” Overpeck explained. “And none of those people are experts.”
It’s a familiar bind for families across the country. Everyone around you means well. But well-meaning advice isn’t the same as expert guidance, especially in a recruiting environment where the rules can shift year to year, and where knowing how to get in front of the right coaches matters just as much as talent on the field.
Read more: Recruiting Guide For Parents
The Turning Point: A Recruiting Coach Who Knew the Family, Not Just the Stats
When the family turned to NCSA, the experience looked different from what they expected. Instead of being handed a generic list of schools or a cookie-cutter recruiting plan, they were paired with a recruiting coach who took the time to actually get to know them.
“The recruiting coach was amazing,” he said. “He asked a lot of questions about our family and tried to get to know us personally, and so that made a big difference in helping us pick down the line where we were going to end up.”
That personal investment turned out to be the difference-maker. Because their coach understood what mattered to the family not just athletically, but personally. He was able to help guide his sons toward programs that were genuinely the right fit, not just the biggest name or the most aggressive recruiter.
What NCSA Actually Provided
According to the family, two things stood out above everything else:
An advocate who worked for them. “What NCSA gave us was the confidence that we had an advocate for us that was only worried about our family,” he said. In a process where it’s easy to feel like just another name on a list, having someone whose only priority was their family’s best interest changed how they approached every decision.
The tools to evaluate colleges the right way. Beyond the personal relationship, NCSA gave the family real tools to compare and assess college programs. It that helped turn a confusing process into a clear, informed one. As he put it, “you just can’t get that anywhere else.”
The Result: Two Letters of Intent, Two Paid Scholarships
The work paid off. Both Anthony and David signed letters of intent to play NAIA football, earning paid scholarships that changed the trajectory of their family.
“I can’t tell you how proud I was when Anthony and David signed their letters of intent,” their father said. “It changed our family and NCSA put us in a position to do that.”
Perhaps most striking is what he said next: “I wouldn’t have even known that college existed.” Without NCSA’s network and guidance, an opportunity that ultimately shaped his sons’ futures might never have crossed their radar at all.
Related: See more NCSA success stories.
His Advice to Other Families
For families weighing whether recruiting support is worth the investment, his message was direct:
“This has results. Hire someone who can take care of your family and put you in a position to be successful. And that’s what NCSA gave us.”
Ready to find your family’s version of this story?
NCSA connects student-athletes and their families with expert recruiting coaches who take the time to understand what matters most to you — and the tools to turn that understanding into real opportunities. Get started with NCSA today with a free profile.