NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

 Two nights a week when I leave the NCSA campus I morph into my other role as a girl’s travel hockey coach. I have been a coach for the last ten years and during that time I have noticed some major changes in the young athletes I work with. One of the biggest shifts is the way these student-athletes communicate.

When I began my coaching career cell phones were a rare sight on college campuses let alone on grade school playgrounds. The thought of an eight year old child with their own mobile device seemed preposterous. If a player was sick and could not make a practice or game they were forced to pick up the phone and call their coach. If a player was stuck in traffic they knew they would have to face the consequences once they arrived at the rink because there was no way to notify their coach or teammates. My, how the world has changed! On a typical night I receive two or three text messages from my players telling me they are running behind, and sometimes their texts ask detailed questions.

“Call me so we can discuss this,” I say.

“Ok latr,” is usually the response.

My phone rarely rings. Yesterday, I received an email from a player who was ill and could not make it to practice. The email arrived at 7:55pm, five minutes before practice was scheduled to begin.

Modern technology has made it too easy for us to avoid human interaction. The trend to write an email when it would be simpler and quicker to pick up the phone pervades offices, campus and even homes across the country. As coaches, parents and educators we must help our youth learn the value of a genuine conversation. As our youngsters turn into college prospects they must have solid communication skills in order to interact with college coaches. I recommend that high school athletes follow these basic steps when interacting with their coaches.

1. Call, don’t text: Texting is fine in some situations, but if a player is communicating with an adult chances are the adult is more comfortable with old fashioned verbal dialogue.
2. Call, don’t email: Even if a coach is on-line all day at work, a phone call will always receive more attention than an email. It is often difficult to interpret tone and emotion when communicating through email so the phone is always the safest bet.
3. Use proper grammar/spelling: If an athlete must text or write a coach they should always use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. Student-athletes should treat coaches the same way they would treat a teacher.
4. Be timely: If a student-athlete needs to miss a practice or a game they should always give their coach enough time so they can plan for the absence. Do not call a coach two hours before your practice is scheduled to begin unless it is an absolute emergency.

Another critical mistake many student-athletes make is relying on their parents to act as a mediator between the athlete and the coach. Many high school students tend to hide behind their parents and coaches who do not force athletes to speak up for themselves perpetuate this communication breakdown. Most high school and club coaches, like my self, prefer to be approached directly by one of their players rather than a parent, even if the parent has good intentions. College coaches have the same mentality so communication at the high school level is actually practice for the recruiting process. When a student-athlete communicates directly with his or her coach it ensures that the message is not lost in translation and it also shows the coach that the young man or women is serious and passionate about their athletic career.

Never approach a coach immediately after a game. Whether their team won or lost, coaches and players will have high emotions following a competition and it is always wise to wait twenty four hours before initiating a serious conversation. The coach deserves time to cool down, relax or clear their head, and sometimes players will have a different perspective after removing themselves from an intense situation.

Listen. Any conversation with a coach is an opportunity for a player to learn something about his or herself, their team and sport. Let the coach talk and hear what he or she says. Even if one disagrees, they should try to remain calm and speak rationally. Most coaches want to help their players, although they may not always be able to provide the exact answers the athletes seek. Remember that even the most intimidating of coaches are involved for their love of the game and their desire to help young athletes improve.

High school student-athletes will be ahead of their peers if they can master verbal communication skills at an early age. Whether an athlete is concerned about playing time, coaching style or wants to ask some basic questions, it is important that they address their coach in a mature and respectful manner. Mastering the art of communication early on will help student-athletes as they advance in school, social situations and eventually in the working world. Don’t wait until it is too late to teach these valuable lessons to your young athletes.

 As spring comes student athletes across the country will be flooded with various brochures and letters inviting them to combines.  Almost every single student athlete can greatly benefit from attending a combine.  Why? To get coaches verified data.  Unfortunately, college coaches just can’t trust data from a high school coach or a family.  Both parties have been known to fudge numbers to give their athlete a slight boost, and even the best attempt to provide accurate data can be viewed by factors like timing equipment and running surface.   By attending a combine an athlete can squash any doubt that his numbers are 100% legit. 

 It’s all the rage in college recruiting: The early commitment.

For several years now, we have been inundated with press coverage about big time recruits from all sports who verbally choose a school early in their junior year, late in their sophomore year, or even at some point during their freshman year!

Of course, these decisions are just “verbal” commitments.  They are not binding, and they can be changed before an official Letter of Intent is signed at some point during an athlete’s senior year.  More and more frequently, college coaches are finding out that today’s recruits aren’t afraid to change their minds and take back their coveted early verbal commitment.

Our recruiting experts on the NCSA Blog have been writing about this topic a lot recently.  There is the story of linebacker Mark Herzlich, who is now at Boston College but originally had given an early verbal commitment to the University of Virginia.  In addition, we highlighted a conversation with nationally renowned recruiting expert Tom Lemming.  He thinks that athletes today are making decisions way too early, hurting their chances at having a positive college sports experience.

So, what are some keys to avoiding the potential pitfalls of committing to a college early?  Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Ask yourself how an early decision benefits you?  Are you thinking about committing early because you see everyone else doing it?  Or, is there a real, tangible benefit for you giving a coach at a college an early verbal commitment?  Unless there is something that you point to that gives you a real advantage in the recruiting process, you should take your time and make a thoughtful decision that weighs all the factors of all the possible programs that you are considering.
2. Is there a college program you would regret not contacting once you gave your commitment?  Is there any college that you wish you had the chance to talk to or consider, but haven’t yet?  Don’t commit early until you know without a shadow of a doubt that all of your options have been explored.  This is a once in a lifetime decision, and you need to make sure you approach it carefully.
3. Are you basing your early decision on athletics, academics, or both?  Is it strictly a decision based on potential playing time, the other players at your position, or some other team factor?  That certainly has to play a part in deciding which college is best.  However, you also need to make sure that you’re looking at what the college offers you academically before you commit early.  For most of us, our athletic careers end after we graduate from college.  Make sure that the institution you are thinking about committing to will prepare you for the real world after your sports career ends.

My message to you, whether you are a talented student-athlete or a devoted parent, is to approach the idea of committing early very carefully.  Don’t get wrapped up in the buzz of players signing early…some are making the right decision, and others are making the wrong one (as we showed you earlier in this article).  Your decision should be based on answers to the three questions I asked you above, as well as getting the advice of your parents, your coach and those around you who will help you take a realistic, honest view of this really big recruiting decision.

 I’ve been getting a lot of calls recently from families complaining that they haven’t heard from any coaches. My first question to them is, “Well, have you contacted any coaches?” to which they generally reply, “Um, no. But they’re supposed to call me, right?”

The answer to that question is as simple as it is tricky - yes, coaches are supposed to contact you….if they KNOW about you. But that coach isn’t going to find out your name, your contact information, what type of player you are by divining it from the Sports Gods - they are going to get that information from YOU. Even some of the most gifted and talented athletes can be un-recruited or under-recruited, so it’s important to be proactive in contacting coaches. Coaches want and need to hear from you - just think about how many other student-athletes there are in your state, then multiply that by 50. Sometimes the coach is the only one doing the recruiting (that is often the case at smaller schools), and that’s just not enough manpower to go out and actively seek recruits.

On our Welcome Calls we emphasize the importance of being proactive in the recruiting process, but somehow I’m not sure how important our families realize that is. One of my favorite recruiting stories is not my own, but that of one of our NCSA speakers, two-time gold medal Olympian and former WNBA Sacramento Monarchs point guard Ruthie Bolton.

Ruthie spoke most recently to us at our NCSA annual meeting that we call NCSA University. I knew Ruthie had been, and most likely still is, an amazing basketball player. But her career not only got off to a rocky start,  it almost didn’t happen.

To see Ruthie you would know immediately that she is an elite athlete - she has the graceful carriage of an athlete, and the muscles to go with it! She is an engaging and effervescent speaker, both enthusiastic and sincere in her manner of speaking, and it’s great fun to hear her tell her story, and to hear some of her anecdotes, some of which are hilarious. Ruthie is one of 20 children, and the daughter of a Reverend. In the beginning of her talk, Ruthie joked that her father used to call her “daughter”, instead of by her name, because he couldn’t remember which one she was!

But the most important part of Ruthie’s story is her long-running and road-bump filled basketball career. Ruthie was very close to her older sister, and growing up both she and her sister played basketball. Ruthie said that her sister was always the better player and that she had better natural ability, but Ruthie said the fact that she always worked harder and tried harder than everyone else helped bridge the gap between natural ability and learned skill.

When her sister began getting recruited by Auburn, Ruthie began to realize that basketball was more than just the sport she loved - it was a way for her to go to college. Ruthie’s sister said that she would only go to Auburn if Ruthie could play there as well, and of course the coaches agreed. So Ruthie’s sister went to Auburn with a scholarship, and Ruthie was promised the same when her turn came.

All that changed, however, when it was Ruthie’s turn to get recruited. The coaches told her that while she was a good player, she wasn’t good enough, and that she wouldn’t play  until at least her Sophomore year. Ruthie was extremely disappointed, to say the least, but her father told her not to let it get her down. Ruthie said that he stressed the importance of PMA - Positive Mental Attitude - and said that if she really wanted to play, that she should go and try. Her alternative was to play at a smaller local school, where she would most definitely be a star and immediate standout, but Ruthie felt she was up to the challenge of trying to earn a playing spot on her sister’s team. So while she ended up getting a scholarship to Auburn, since they had promised her one when they promised her sister a scholarship, there was no guarantee that she would ever see any court time. Ruthie vowed to practice and work as hard as she could to prepare for the upcoming season, so that she could earn some playing time by her Sophomore year.

Fast forward two years- Ruthie not only got playing time during her Freshman year, but was a starter, three SEC Championships, and two-time runner-up for the National Championship. She didn’t take no for answer, and worked hard to make it impossible for coaches NOT to play her. But the story doesn’t end there.

When it came time to form the 1996 Olympic team, Ruthie felt she had a very good chance of being invited to try outs, however she did not receive an invitation to try out for the team in Denver, Colorado. Discouraged by this set-back, Ruthie talked to her father, and he again asked her what she really wanted to do. Ruthie wanted to be on the Olympic team more than anything, and she felt that she was good enough to make it. So she took all the money she had left at the time, just enough to pay her own way to get to Denver, and began tryouts. Ruthie said that there were plenty of players there that may have been a bit better than her in terms of natural ability, but again, she worked harder and tried harder and when all was said and done, the coaches decided to give her a chance, and she ended up being a starter in 8 games in the 1996 Olympics with a 13 PPG average.

But again, the story gets better! Ruthie had been playing for the WNBA Sacramento Monarchs, and was enjoying a very successful career when she tore her ACL. The doctors did not give her a good prognosis, and she was told that she would most likely need to retire. This was right before the 2000 Olympics, and there was no way that Ruthie was going to miss those games. So she worked on rehabbing her knee, getting back in shape and sharpening her skills…and again helped the US National Team win another gold at the Sydney Olympics. She also continued to play professionally a few more years, despite that knee injury, before retiring in 2002.

Bottom line- Ruthie didn’t sit and wait for things to happen to her, Ruthie made it happen for herself. Despite those setbacks, bumps in the road, and being told she wasn’t good enough, Ruthie persevered and created her own path. Like the vast majority of student athletes, your recruiting story is going to go much like Ruthie’s story - you may not have people calling you and inviting you to visit. You may not find that coaches know your name - yet. But by being PROACTIVE and PERSISTENT, you can and you will make things happen for yourself. We all get discouraged, and we all suffer from setbacks, but the thing that separates us from being a regular Joe athlete and being someone like Ruthie Bolton is perseverance.

When coaches do their college athletic recruiting, they are looking for individuals who will be a good fit for their program.  Most often, the coach has established what the goals are for the upcoming season and want to be certain that the student-athletes they bring in will be on board to reach those same goals.  During the recruiting process, the coach may also ask the student-athlete to have some personal goals they would like to meet.   Perhaps earning a college scholarship is one of the first goals you’ll set in your collegiate career.  So, what happens if you meet and EXCEED the goals you set, but ultimately fall short of the grand prize?  I am sure that the biggest goal for any team in Major League Baseball is to win the World Series.  But, as my college coach taught me, goals have to be realistic! They have to be measurable (so you know if you reached them or not) and they have to be realistic.  We never started a season by saying, “Let’s try to win the Women’s College World Series this year.”  We worked toward something we knew was attainable: a conference championship. When the Tampa Bay Rays came into Spring Training this year, manager Joe Maddon presented them with this goal: 9=8.  Nine Players playing hard for nine innings would be enough to gain one of the eight playoff berths.  This was not going to be easy, but was certainly realistic.  The year before, the Rays finished 66-96 and last in their division.  The goal was to make it to the post season, either by winning their division or earning a wild card spot.  I think it’s fair to say that very few had their eyes on that ultimate prize - winning the world series.   But, there they were.  Fighting for their chance to take home the coveted prize.  1 of only 2 teams left in all of Major League Baseball.  So, when the final out was recorded and the Phillies rushed to the mound in celebration this past week, what do you think the Rays were thinking?  They met their pre-season goal.  They far exceeded their pre-season goal. But they sat in that dugout in Philadelphia and looked totally disappointed.  I think when the dust settles and they have some time to process everything and reflect on their season, they will see that all of those smaller victories add up to one amazing victory.  Even if they are missing that ultimate prize.  And now, they go into the off-season and soon after, a new spring training, with new, bigger and definitely realistic goals.  I am certain it will have something to do with winning a World Series!  So, be realistic. Set attainable goals. You will find that it’s much easier to work toward new goals when you have already been successful in the previous ones.  It’s a process.  And if you meet them and perhaps even shatter them, as the Rays did, then celebrate!   And when its time to start planning for next season, you’ll know that it’s time to aim higher!   

 Youth soccer in the United States is making a change. Last August the United States Soccer Federation launched its new program the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. The US Soccer Federation took the initiative to form a nationwide development academy to improve the development for players across the country. Last year this academy consisted of 64 elite club teams from around the country.

The 64 team Development Academy is made up of teams from eight conferences based on geographic location. Each team competes in 30 matches throughout the eight month season with the winner of each conference being invited to the Academy Finals at The Home Depot Center in California. It is important to note that these academies will compete against only other teams in the academy and will not play in any other leagues or tournaments. The main reason US Soccer started the academy was to develop a system which puts the development of the players, not results in games, as the number one priority. All teams in the Academy are required to have at least 3 training sessions and 1 day of rest each week.

The rosters of these academies will contain the nation’s top players learning and developing together with top club and national team coaches. This collection of talented players and coaches will in turn provide an improved scouting environment for college, professional and U.S. National Team scouts. If a future in soccer is something you desire a team in the US Soccer Development Academy is the place to be!    

For more information check out the following sites:

• http://www.ussoccer.com/teams/acad/index.jsp.html
• http://ussda.demosphere.com/

If this trailer to the new documentary Six Man Texas doesn’t get you excited to play sports, I don’t know what will.  The importance of the game is no lower than the Divsion I Championship to the high school athletes and potential recruits in this film.  Its the same type of feeling thousands of athletes feel that compete at Division II, III and NAIA feel.  It is the reason NCSA encourages all of our athletes to explore all the college possibilities in order to fin the right fit.

 When the majority of student-athletes think about having to take “college” courses it can be very intimidating and scary. As a former student-athlete I would like to shed some light on this topic and hopefully take away some of that uneasiness.

The schedule you have now in high school will be similar to the schedule you have in college, however there is no one there to hold your hand. I think as student-athletes we take for granted how much help and support we receive from our parents. They wake us up in the morning if we are running late for school, they remind us about that project we have due next Monday, they come to our tournaments and make sure we have water in our bottles etc.

The cold hard fact is you need to learn to take care of yourself in college. College is hard. College is not easy. You can’t just show up and expect that to be enough. You need to go to class, get your homework done on time, eat right, attend all Team workouts, get adequate sleep, and STAY organized.

This was a lesson that I learned the hard way. I didn’t write down appointments with my guidance counselor, homework assignments, quizzes, tests etc. and I started off on the wrong foot with my coaches. It wasn’t serious, but if I didn’t learn to stay organized and on top of things I would have been in major trouble. So instead of repeating the process I learned to take care of myself.

The first thing I recommend EVERY student-athlete to utilize is a PLANNER!! This is what kept me on track in class, outside of class, on my team and planning my time. As an athlete you don’t get a lot of free time, so you need to plan out your day accordingly. If you have class from 8:30AM-3:00PM, practice 4:00-7:00, you better make sure you schedule time to get your homework and studying done. As athletes it’s very easy to envy the “normal” college students who don’t have to worry about working out, keeping their grades up and getting enough sleep. But without a strict schedule when are they going to get their homework and studies done?

I stopped envying these students when I realized how amazing it was to represent my school. The normal student doesn’t have that opportunity and it’s something I wouldn’t have traded for the world.

So if there’s something you can take away from this, its college is hard.  But, college is hard if you let it be. So be prepared! Use your planner, use the resources available to you, ask for help, stay dedicated and GRATEFUL for the opportunity presented to you. No one is there to hold your hand so hold your own. It will be the best experience of your life.

Throughout the recruiting process you may come across websites that may be helpful. I advise bookmarking these to make sure you don’t lose track of them. One I use on a regular basis, along with our College Search Map, is the NCAA Division II Baseball Home Pages site.

This website brings you directly to the baseball website for quick reference. They also have links to all of the conference websites. Throughout your time in high school you should be setting time out, at least each month, to do a little research on colleges. Or when you are contacted by a program you may not be familiar with your first step should be to research them. This is when these quick websites help a ton.

Focusing all of your attention on one sport in high school may seem like the right thing to do. You can devote all of your time to training for that particular sport year round. It may help you in achieving what you want. A successful high school career, awards and honors, maybe even an athletic scholarship.

Let’s take football for example. During the season, you are busy with school, practice, lifting, and games. If you were a multisport athlete growing up, but now know you are in high school and are considering turning your attention to your favorite sport only, after the season it is time to make this decision. I mean think about it, you can take every single day if you’d like from the time the season ends, to the time next season begins, and prepare yourself for it. School, lifting, running, agilities, position drills, film, study, and then go to bed. The bright side of this routine is that you can to get up the next day and do it all over again! It sounds like a lot of fun, right!? If that is not enough and if you do have the opportunity to play football at the next level, you can just keep that routine going!

For some, this is a perfect life, and there is nothing wrong with this. If you do go on to play football in college, especially at a high level, this really is a realistic lifestyle. That is why I would encourage anyone who is contemplating playing one sport in high school who has passion and has played other sports growing up, to just think about it. You cannot go back to high school to play your senior year of basketball. You cannot go back and try to become the state champion in wrestling, break the school record in the shot put, or be the starting pitcher on the league champion baseball team. Enjoy high school athletics, they go by fast and they are fun!

 I am not trying to scare anyone away from only playing football in high school, but playing football in college is very challenging. You have to love the game, plain and simple. There is a lot of hard work put in and it is done on a daily basis. Plus, college coaches like to see student athletes playing other sports in high school. You help develop skills in other sports and the best thing, you are competing! Compete, compete, compete! There are a lot of sacrifices that athletes have to make, but there are also a lot of rewards as well. In the end, the reward is worth it.