NCSA Blog

 Want a chance to really look inside a major Division I football team?  The University of Maryland made the decision in January 2007 to open up their program to a reality television series, Terrapins Rising.  Now almost a year and a half later they feel they have accomplished what they set out to do: Showcase the dedication of what it takes to be a Terrapin and develop a unique recruiting tool.

The Series had its Season 2 premier on June 17^th and The Baltimore Sun took an inside look at the show and its impact on the program.

The caution in this is that it should try to be as authentic as possible, because to turn it into manufactured, Survivor-like programming is something I think fans would smell out,” said Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. HBO has aired reality programs about the Ravens and other NFL franchises on the premium cable network but hasn’t focused on college teams.Maryland retains editorial control of the show. But Jess Atkinson, the former Terrapins and Washington Redskins kicker who coordinates filming and editing, says: “We’ve gotten to the point where they don’t say ‘Take this out’ or ‘Take that out.’ I have no desire to do infomercials. Last year, [quarterback] Jeremy Ricker quit the team, and they let me do that story.”

Friedgen told several hundred spectators at a special screening recently in Silver Spring that he considered the show an asset. “What we’re doing here is really cutting edge. It sells our players,” he said.

Terrapins Rising covers winter workouts and spring camp, but not the season. Maryland decided that the back story - the preparation and team bonding - would be more compelling and logistically easier to film than the season.

 Each morning a new article is written in some regional or national newspaper about how early the recruiting process begins.  Typically the article has a negative spin about the accelerated process and the young age at which college coaches are recruiting potential student athletes.  Only this morning, this article was written in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.  I am sure many people have heard about USC offering an eighth grade basketball a scholarship which has seemed to serve as the poster child example for the new early recruiting craze. 

While the vast majority of people will agree that recruiting student athletes this early has negative aspects, the fact remains that it is happening more and more everyday.  While administrators and parents can spend time trying to fight the new recruiting timetable, the smart parents will find a way to make this work in their son or daughter’s advantage.  Knowing how early the process starts, for those student athletes who are truly committed to playing collegiate athletes, would it not make sense to start becoming educated about the process as early as freshman year? 

Rather than spend so much time opposing what many consider a negative trend, some parents and families should simply learn how to begin successfully navigating this process immediately.  I have often related this new trend to career placement recruiting in college.  I would guess that 20 years ago, seniors in college rarely had job offers in hand first semester senior year and most likely waited until second semester.  However, aggressive employers and potential employers wanted to get a leg up on their competition and started seeking each other earlier.  Even though this might have certain drawbacks, knowing how important a job is, wouldn’t you want to start as soon as possible?

 Last Monday night NCSA got an excited call from Dion Dinsmore, one of our former recruiting coaches and scouts, telling everyone to make sure we had the College World Series on TV.  Dion was settling in at home to watch Game 1 when he realized the starting pitcher for Fresno State was NCSA alum, Sean Bonesteele.  NCSA’s eyeballs were glued to the television for the week watching Fresno cap off perhaps the greatest upset in the history of college sports.

I had a chance to catch up with Sean on Friday to discuss his incredible experience.

Brian: Any one moment that really stuck out?

Sean:  The whole thing was an absolute blast. You grow up as a kid, even all through high school I remember watching on ESPN thinking I wish I could be there, I wish I could be one of those guys.  I was thinking of taking the trip out there my senior year just to watch.

Just going to the field and seeing all the fans, signing autographs and playing with the guys that you spend hours and hours a day with. It’s just an awesome experience and then to see everyone play well is just amazing.

Brian:  What did you think of the much discussed skullet?

“I guess it worked for us, but I wouldn’t recommend it anyone doing it for karma purposes.

Brian:  How did your recruiting experience play out?

Sean:  I’m glad how it turned out in the end, obviously I wanted to go to a top 25 school so I could compete and try to get to a World Series. I guess I got kind of lucky.  But going to showcases and getting my name out there I think really helped in the process.

I remember you guys [NCSA] saying take every opportunity, take every chance and make the most of them. Play well in the showcases and make sure that I got my name out there for the coaches to see and that’s what I tried to do.

Brian:  Any advice you would like to share with future recruits?

Sean:  Dream big, Fresno St. wasn’t really on the map until this year. So if you see a school you are interested in and you see a school that you can play for and you think it has a shot to compete, go for it. Don’t just go for the big name schools in the Pac 10 there are a lot of other good teams out there.

You’re probably reading this blog because you or someone you know wants to play a sport in college. Either that, or you’re really bored (but good choice on how to keep yourself occupied).

I tell every family I talk to that getting recruited to play sports is a great outlet for obtaining a scholarship and getting into college. But is that the reason to go to college? It’s a simple case of “Now, so then” – what are you doing now to affect what happens later?

Are you playing a sport so you can go to college, OR are you going to college to play a sport?

Matt Bracken, a reporter for the Baltimore Sun and writer of “Recruiting Report”, wrote about University of Maryland signee Bradley Johnson and how he decided to become a Terp. And believe it or not, Johnson, who received offers from prestigious programs such as Virginia Tech and West Virginia, chose Maryland because of what they didn’t talk about: football. From the posting:

The outside linebacker prospect said his conversation with Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen about everything but football helped seal the deal.

“I talked to the head coach and all we really talked about was my future during college and after,’ Johnson said. ‘That’s basically what pushed Maryland on top.”

Johnson said his discussions with Friedgen dealt mostly with academics and internship opportunities.

“He encourages his players to find … their niche, and that’s really what stood out,’ Johnson said. ‘I can get internships during the summer, good job opportunities. … They’re in like the fourth largest media market [in the country]. Where they’re located, I can basically [have the opportunity to get] any job. There are a lot of opportunities around the area to help me find out what I want to do.”

As my colleague Melissa Babb-Renta wrote on Friday, “There is so much more that goes into attending a college and playing a sport …”

A large chunk of that “so much more” is getting an education. In the above story, Johnson chose Maryland because of its superb school of journalism. He understands that a microscopic percentage of student-athletes go on to play professional football, so he picked a school that had a tremendous program of his liking (how do you find that school?). And even if Johnson were to get drafted in four years, he has an education to fall back on. In addition to meaning “National Football League,” the NFL is also commonly known by many to mean “Not For Long.”

Even if you don’t aspire to playing in the pro ranks, competing in a varsity sport is a huge time commitment, one which, at times, will tempt you to make it your top priority. Remember that college is referred to as ”higher education“, and that your ability to balance school and sport makes you that much more exceptional.

Tomorrow is Tuesday, July 1st.  That’s a pretty big day in the life of a lot of college recruits.

Why?  Because for many athletes, it’s the first day a college coach can call a new prospect that is entering his or her Senior year in high school.  If you’re going to be a Junior in high school, you’ll be noticing a big increase in the mail that you receive from a college coach come September 1st if you are one of their serious prospects.

Both are big events when it comes to getting recruiting.  Both events are great indications that you are on a coach’s list as a serious recruit.  Both events mean you are one step closer to getting a chance to play college sports at the next level.

So what happens if you don’t get a call?  And, if you are heading into your Junior year, what happens if you are not seeing more recruiting mail getting stuffed inside your mailbox come September?

What happens if all of your dedication to your sport is being overlooked by college coaches?

Before I answer that, let me tell you two things that every high school athlete needs to know when it comes to these recruiting timelines we’re talking about today:

1. If you are heading in to your Senior year in high school and you don’t get a call on July 1st or earlier (depending upon your sport), you probably aren’t being seriously recruited.  Period.  You need phone calls from coaches.  Phone calls are what counts.  And if you are a Senior who isn’t getting a phone call from a college coach soon, don’t fool yourself: You are not being seriously recruited by that coach.
2. If you are heading in to your Junior year in high school and you don’t start getting letters as Fall begins, college coaches don’t know about you.  Or, they know about you and aren’t interested.  There are only two possibilities here.  And. in today’s ultra-competitive world of college scholarships and early recruiting, not getting letters as a Junior should be a red flag that isn’t ignored.

One of the number one misconceptions that athletes have as we start working with them at NCSA is that they will get “discovered” sometime during their Senior year and everything will magically end happily ever after.  That very rarely happens…it’s not impossible, but it is improbable.

If either of those two scenarios play out for you as we begin the heavy recruiting season this July, here are a few tips that I have for you:

• Don’t panic.  You still have time to get noticed, but you can’t assume that it’s just going to happen on it’s own.  If that were the case, it would have happened by now.  That being said, don’t panic.  Instead, formulate a plan and take action.
• Call or write a coach.  O.K., so it hasn’t happened on it’s own yet.  If that’s the case, take matters into your own hands and be proactive.  If you are a NCSA client, you probably don’t have the problem of not getting coaching contacts.  You’re doing a lot to manage the recruiting process.  However, if you do - or if you haven’t heard from your “dream” school yet - then talk to your personal recruiting coach.  They are here to help you, and love guiding you through the process.  If you aren’t a NCSA client, and want to do this on your own, then begin the process of contacting at least five to ten coaches immediately.  This week.  Do it by phone, or by e-mail or regular mail.  But time is of the essense, so make it a priority.
• Re-evaluate your target schools.  If you’re not getting phone calls or letters as you begin school, you need to ask yourself this:  “Am I pursuing the right colleges at the right level?”  That’s a serious question, and you need to re-read it right now and answer it.  Why?  Because you may be the perfect D3 athlete that’s shooting for a D1 opportunity.  If that’s the case, you’ll be disappointed.  Correctly targeting the proper division level for scholarship consideration is crucial if you hope to play at the next level.  Perhaps the reason you didn’t get a call from a coach this Summer is because the information that you did send out went to the wrong audience?
• E-mail a coach your information, and tell them that you are interested in their program.  If calling a college coach sounds too intimidating, at least e-mail them.  Give them your information, a video if possible, and - most importantly - tell them that you want to see what kind of opportunities there are for you at their school.  You might just find a coach who is striking out with the prospects that he or she had on their early recruiting list, and is looking for a fresh start with new athletes.  If you’re the one who is being pro-active, you might be the one that captures the coach’s attention.

I’ll say it again:  July, and the rest of this Summer, is a great indicator of what coaches think of you and your abilities so far, and how high on their list you are.

Want some encouraging words?  O.K., here it goes…

This is just the beginning of your recruiting story, not the end.  You have time to make it better, keep it going strong or watch it fall apart.  It all comes down to you, and who you have in your corner helping you through the process.  Make sure that you evaluate your situation, be realistic and stay focused.

Have you downloaded the free Official Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete?  It has all of the official contact periods for your sport, which can help erase the confusion when it comes to when and how a college coach can contact you.  You can download this free guide from the NCAA by clicking here.

 I just read an article about a student athlete who signed a Letter of Intent to attend Marquette University solely because he wanted to play basketball for the coach there. Unfortunately, the coach took a better job at Indiana. When this happened, the student athlete wanted to get out of his contract, which was completely up to the University if he could or not. It took longer than it should have, but finally the student was released from his contract.

The article went on about how the rule should be changed and the Letter of Intent should not be so binding. If the coach is allowed to leave, the student athlete should be free to leave as well. I agree entirely.

The article was a good article and the issues talked about are definitely prevalent, but the student athlete should have never put himself in that situation in the first place.

What I mean is why choose a school based on the coach. That’s like choosing a car because of its color. You really like it one day but the next day it breaks down and surprise! you are stuck with a useless hunk of pretty metal.

There is so much more that goes into attending a college and playing a sport that going to a school because of one person simply doesn’t make sense. When it comes to the point where you are seriously being recruited, of course the coach is going to seem perfect for you… he/she is telling you everything you want to hear because they want you to go to their school. He/she may run the perfect offense or their past winning record is something you want to continue and be a part of, but the coach didn’t do that all on his own.

He/she had to have the athletic department’s support or even enough pressure on them to make it happen, assistant coaches on board, the right players who are academically eligible, and the list goes on. That is a lot of people that contribute to success that the student athlete is not taking into consideration.

And even if the student athlete takes all of this into consideration and not too much about the school itself, what if they have an injury? Or what if the coach you are so fond of brings in a stud recruit that takes your spot? What if your team has a losing season?

There are so many things that could happen, you want to make sure you like where you are at. Just like a car. You are stuck with that set of wheels for years, if it does not with stand you and your driving habits you can’t return it. So you make sure before you make the investment that it suits you.

Your college decision is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. There is more than the coach you should consider!

The real kicker of the whole story was the student athlete who only wanted to play for this particular coach signed with another team. The coach moved to Indiana and the student athlete signed with Kansas.       

Fresno State is your new Baseball National Champions with the lowest regional seed and the most loss ever to win a national title.  This solidifies how tough the baseball is in the west.

Last year’s champion, Oregon St., was a three regional seed and was one of the last teams in the tournament out of 64.  Stanford was picked to finish sixth in the Pac 10 this year and was in the College World Series.  At one point this year at least 10 teams from California ranked in the top 25 (Stanford, Cal, Fresno, Long Beach, San Diego St., U. of San Diego, Irvine, Pepperdine, UCLA and Fullerton).  Other teams included in the west are Oregon St., Arizona St., and Arizona.

 I have not mentioned the quality DII, DIII and NAIA programs in the area.  Also, lets not forget all the great college players across the country that have to leave the area to get a chance to play. What region do you think plays the best baseball in the country?  College or High School?

A great article from “March Madness All Season,” written by University of Delaware student Jeff Borzello.

For those of you who don’t like reading 2.300-word articles in their entirety, in a nut shell, Borzello describes his angst toward student-athlete’s rights, or lack there of, to rescind their letter-of-intent once a school’s head coach decides to leave a job. The story highlights a Marquette basketball recruit named Tyshawn Taylor, who, after multiple requests and forms for a release, was finally let free after he learned of Marquette former coach Tom Crean’s departure from the university.

Borzello’s main point is that it’s unfair for student-athletes to be stuck in a situation they weren’t intending on happening, whereas coaches seem to be able to hop from team-to-team at their discretion.

While I agree with Borzello that student-athletes should be allowed to terminate their commitment if a not-so-ideal situation comes up (he sites a clause that Indiana University basketball recruits had allowing them to terminate their commitment if former coach Kelvin Sampson was fired … which he was), I can’t stress enough that at times, these situations can be avoided.  As Lisa Meyers noted in her post “What will you say when college coaches call?”:

“5) Ask questions! Prepare a list of questions in advance.”

On page 23 in the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, there is a list of some sample questions to ask the coaches concerning athletics, academics and college life. And, sure enough, the NCAA has a few really big questions they list to help you avoid scenarios like the one above. I quote:

• When does the head coach’s contract end? How long does the coach intend to stay? The answer could be helpful. Do not make any assumptions about how long a coach will be at a school. If the coach leaves, does this change your mind about the school/program?
• What happens if I want to transfer to another school? You may not transfer without the permission of your current school’s athletics administration. Ask how often coaches grant this privilege and ask for an example of a situation in which permission was not granted.

Of course, this way isn’t necessarily fail-safe. Like you and me, coaches might say something one day, and nine months later, change their mind. But still, asking these questions at least improve your chances of not getting caught in a school’s web if the head spider leaves for a new job.

This is what college sports is all about!

Every year on the center stage of collegiate sports, we hear the story, often told by television announcers, of the touching tale of the courageous walk on.  Visions of Rudy instantly come to the forefront as the journey of the underdog warrior starts to unfold.  “He was never recruited out of high school by any of the major programs . . .” says the announcer during his crescendo to the game breaking play.  “He has waited his whole life for this moment, battling disappointment after rejection.”  It is heartwarming.  Life is fair again. That could have been me.

There are few stories that compare in nature.  There are fewer that compare in occurrence.  The closest relative to Rudy would be the 71 year old retired truck driver who on his last few dollars cashed in on millions playing the random pick’m game at the local gas station.  The only difference is, that story happens more frequently!

For the serious competitor, walking on to a collegiate athletic team can be compared to earning a medical degree and then working as a custodian.  You both work in a hospital but unlike all of your classmates, you’re not actually doing what you trained so hard to do for so long.  Most collegiate athletes have played their sport since before they could remember, years and years, always starting, usually better and often in the spotlight.  To cash in a lifetime of hard work and natural talent for a dream that was forged from within a child’s perspective seems foolish.

Take football for example.  There are over 800 colleges that offer football as a varsity sport.  Most sports fans in this country can name up to fifty.  In baseball there are over 1000 colleges that offer the sport.  How many can you name?  There are numerous opportunities to explore if the desire to actually play exceeds common ignorance and childhood fantasies.

Walk-ons, just like custodians in hospitals, have vastly different experiences than the scholarship players.  First, the ceremonial National Letter of Intent signing day - that does not happen.  Next, the preferential class scheduling - no.  The second, third, or fourth pair of coaches’ eyes watching you to make sure that you’re taken care of - not so much.  You are a necessary tool to help the real players practice, rarely taken serious, rarely awarded a scholarship and sparingly shown respect.  Rudy was a great film but I hope it is not your story.  Below is a short video of how USC treats its potential walk ons.  There are a few questionable language choices in this clip so do not watch if you will be offended.  USC Walk On Clip

In summary, if you work your entire life to achieve the goal of becoming a college athlete, find a place where you are wanted.  Find a school where you will play and make an impact.  Go somewhere that will set you up to have a great experience while you earn your degree, an environment that will help provide you with teammates for life.  Step outside of your comfort zone and learn all you can of what is out there.  You just might find something that is priceless.