NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

 Limiting recruiting to within one state simply will not cut it with elite college programs these days.  ESPN took a look at the new Marquette University Basketball Coach, Buzz Williams, recent recruiting class and one of his quotes really stood out from the rest:

“In the Big East, you can’t just recruit a specific area — and yes, we’ll recruit the state of Wisconsin, and yes, we’ll go to Texas on an annual basis, but Wisconsin and Texas won’t be enough to compete in the Big East,” Buzz Williams said. “But you always go where you have relationships.”

Potential recruits in search of an athletic scholarship should take a look at his quote and realize that he is 100% correct.  Additionally, if a coach is open and willing to search nationwide, recruits need to do the same.  If you aren’t willing to travel or step out of your comfort zone, you have essentially cut your chances of being recruited by more than half.

The second part of Coach Williams quote stress that above all else you have to go where you have relationships.  Its why he was able to recruit several players from Texas to brave the cold all the way up in Milwaukee!  Recruits need to understand that building trusting relationships is the key unlocking their scholarship potential. 

How do you build these relationships?  You build them in any way possible!  Fill out questionnaires, send out tapes, talk to coaches on the phone, attend camps and more.  The other main way to build relationships is to turn to a reliable source.  A reliable source is someone a college coach trusts to identify talent.  For some that source may be a high school coach.  Others may get lucky and are spotted by scouts at a camp or in a game.  For many that source is NCSA.  NCSA has build thousands of relationships with coaches in all sports across the country and uses them to match with college coaches.  If you want to see where you might fit with NCSA don’t wait!

“How do I get discovered?”  It is the single most asked question I get from potential recruits.  Well, there are many ways to get “discovered,” but the easiest is to reach out proactively to college coaches.  I always recommend that players call college coaches directly to see where they stand on the recruiting board or how they can get evaluated.  Sometimes athletes express hesitation, worrying that they will be “bugging” the coach.  The fact is coaches love it when recruits have the confidence to pick up the phone.  After Ole Miss’ huge win over Florida this week coach Houston Nutt’s staff got bombarded by calls.  

”It’s already helped us,” Nutt said. ”We got more calls Sunday night, them calling us, than we’ve had since we’ve been here. Monday night is a good phone call night for us after film study, so I’m anxious to get on the phone. It can’t do anything but help.”

”We got a lot of Florida calls this past weekend from Florida athletes. It’ll help us. You can mark that down. That past Saturday against Florida helped us in recruiting, no question.”

NCAA rules limit the amount of calls a coach can make but not the number he can receive.  Make it easier on both coaches and yourself by picking up the phone!

 We’re just about wrapped up with the first month of the high school season. Many seniors have built relationships with college coaches throughout the country, but have not received a full-ride scholarship offer. What many high school athletes are asking themselves is: just how interested is a college coach in offering me a scholarship? With where we are in the calendar, it is late for a Division 1 school to offer. But don’t close the door on a school just yet.

Here are some different examples of how college coaches express interest:

1. “We want to see senior footage of you”

This is a way of telling a student-athlete we haven’t seen enough of you to make     an offer. It can also be a nice way of saying “we’re not interested.” College coaches can be apprehensive about hurting a kid’s feelings. But they have to do what’s best for the program. My best advice would be to play hard on every play and show your athleticism on the field. Help the coach who is recruiting you by getting the film in early and asking if he needs any additional information. Then ask where you stand on a coaches recruiting board. Right now, yes and no’s, are your best friend. This way you know where you stand.

2. What happens when you call?

Making a simple call to a coach can be a way of gauging interest. If the coach is interested he will stop a meeting to talk to you. However, if you are constantly getting voicemails and getting the secretary you should understand that you are lower on a school’s need list.

3. What happens on a visit?

If you are getting offered to take a later visit date, this means you are probably number 2 or 3 on their need list. Don’t take this personally. College football is a big time business and this is just another way of expressing where you stand on their board. Also, are you getting a tour to see the locker room after a game? If not, then this may be another way to see how interested a school is in you.

These all may seem like minimal situations, but they could help define where you plan on playing. There is nothing wrong with moving down a division to compete. A question I ask my student-athletes is “Would you rather play at a smaller school?” or, “Do you want to sit and wait at a bigger one?” The question is for you to decide. I recommend you go somewhere where you’re wanted. This will make for a great college experience.

by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President

O.K., so you’ve followed our advice over these past few months and now you’re hearing from colleges.

They’ve started by sending you letters.  And, they’ve included questionnaires with those letters. 

That may seem like an unimportant start to the recruiting process, and a few letters and fill–the-blank questionnaires may seem like meaningless busy-work that doesn’t deserve your serious attention, but I am here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth.

Let me tell you about two big rules you need to know about those questionnaires that are still sitting around at your house:

1. They are the first step in the recruiting process.  And, since they are just the first step, there may not be a second step in the recruiting process unless you fill them out and send them back to the coaches that sent them to you.  Which brings me to the second big rule you need to know when it comes to questionnaires…
2. Many college coaches won’t start seriously recruiting you until they receive your completed questionnaire.  Many coaches will assume that you aren’t interested in their university and program unless they hear back from you.  In addition, they need to see some of the answers on your completed questionnaire to know whether or not you will be right for their program. 

For those of you who are already NCSA verified student-athlete prospects, you are probably receiving more of those letters and questionnaires than other athletes.  And while the extra attention is great, it won’t mean anything unless you get that paperwork back to those coaches.  You need to take it seriously.

When we talk with student-athletes, our recruiting coaches here at NCSA advise them to remember these important things when it comes to responding to college sports questionnaires from coaches:

Fill out the questionnaire neatly and accurately.  Always be honest in your answers.  Even if you get tired of sitting down and taking time to answer the same questions over and over, you have to stay focused and give them the information that they need.  If you don’t have an answer to their question yet (for instance, if you haven’t taken your SAT test yet), just let them know that the answer is “pending” or “not applicable”. 

When you return your questionnaire, include a personal thank you note and a copy of your NCSA scouting report.   Coaches want to know that you are interested in hearing what they have to offer, and some personal contact is a great way to do it.  By including your NCSA scouting report, you will give them everything they’ll need to initially evaluate you.

When filling-out an online application, follow-up with an email note and a link back to your NCSA scouting report.  That way, they can view your streaming video highlights at the same time they are getting your completed questionnaire.  Good video that highlights your athletic abilities can be a key component in the recruiting process.

Remember the consequences for not returning a questionnaire:  The coach will assume you are not interested, and probably not seriously pursue you as a recruit.  And at this point in the process, you want every possible opportunity to be considered for a college sports scholarship.

Does it seem smart to neglect filling-out and returning a simple questionnaire that might mean the chance to play college sports?  Of course it doesn’t.

My advice to you is to complete every questionnaire you receive from every college, and return it immediately to the coach that sent it to you.  Next to getting noticed by college coaches, it’s one of the most crucial parts of the recruiting process.

  Now that football is in full swing, many teams are having great success on Friday nights and others are seeking out their first win. I have heard from many families that their high school coach is not helping them get recruited. Word to the wise: Your high school coach is not in charge of your recruiting! Many families feel that a coach has a say in this process. I can tell you from first hand experience that the only person in charge of your recruiting is YOU! You are responsible for getting good film, getting your name out there, and marketing yourself to college coaches. When a college is interested, the first person they will refer to is your high school coach. So do yourself another favor: Get along with your high school coach until you graduate!

Once you get your diploma, you never have to speak to the ole’ball coach again. Unfortunately, not all high school coaches make good role models. At times, they may use harsh language and belittle players. Don’t focus on the language they are using understand how they are trying to coach you. Every coach has a different style of teaching. Listen to what they are saying, not how they are saying it. From personal experience, my high school coach did nothing for me in the recruiting process. I soon realized that if I wanted something done the right way, I would have to do it myself. For many high school players in the country this is your last season on the gridiron. Make it a great one by staying positive and having fun! A great attitude will spread throughout the team which in return will show up on the film.

  Since joining NCSA I have spoken with hundreds of families and heard every recruiting story under the sun. I’ve heard stories that made me proud to be a recruiting coach and others that left me in frustration. With all my experiences I have composed a list of recruiting etiquette that will help you in your quest to find a college that’s right for you.

Do: Start calling coaches and find out how much they know about you. Get your name out there and use all your resources to gain exposure.

Don’t: wait for a college coach to call you. By initiating contact you will accelerate the recruiting process and find out what coaches are interested.

Do: give every college the respect they deserve regardless of the level they compete at.

Don’t: put the letters or e-mails in the “small school” shoe box. By not responding to college coaches says “I’m not interested.” Keep every school in the mix until you are 100% positive. Remember that your last choice may be your only one!

Do: be as professional as possible during this time. There is no second chance at a first impression. Look and act respectful. By doing the right thing when no one is looking, people will always have good things to say about you.

Don’t: use inappropriate e-mail addresses, have prank voice mails, or explicit ring back tones. Recruiting is very similar to an interview process. Don’t do something immature to turn a college coach off.

Do: start building relationships with college coaches (and maintain them). Just because you received a letter from a big school doesn’t necessarily mean they are recruiting you. By following up and checking in with college coaches will express interest and find out where you stand on their board.

Don’t:leave a voicemail and let 3 months go by. I called 5 schools a day in the recruiting process leaving voicemail after voicemail. This is the kind of persistence we want our student-athletes to have. Remember, you are not trying to date this college coach. It’s ok to leave a voicemail and call again. (Persistence, persistence, persistence)!

Do: all the leg work involved in recruiting and NO ONE else!

Don’t: expect your parents to write e-mails or make phone calls on your own behalf! College coaches do NOT want to speak to parents (until the time is right). By making calls on your own shows courage and determination. The bottom line, you are going to be the one on the field playing for that coach and not mom or dad.

Do: be realistic on your athletic ability and where you can compete at the next level. Understand that there are millions of high school athletes in our country. Do your homework and know where you can play early and get a great education.

Don’t: automatically think you are a 5 star prospect and that college coaches will be begging for your services. College coaches recruit off potential and how you can help them win games. I have seen too many families with unrealistic expectations. Would you want to go to a big school and ride the bench, or play at a smaller school?

Do: your homework on every school that is in contact with you.

Don’t: play the name game. I see too many student-athletes get caught up with what schools play every Saturday on T.V. There are hundreds of schools that offer competitive sports with great educations. I encourage student-athletes to take visits, research what schools offer your major and find a place where you will be happy for the next 4 or 5 years.

You go through this process one time in your life. Don’t leave any stone unturned. I believe following these quick tips will make your recruiting experience a lasting memory.

by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President

Parents who feel like they are “on the outside looking in” when it comes to seeing their son or daughter go through the recruiting process have great opportunities to be a huge help.

So why do we hear horror story after horror story about over-bearing parents (who do more harm than good) instead of real-life examples of moms and dads who give their child the edge in the whole recruiting process?

In my years working with parents and athletes to help them understand and navigate the confusing maze that is college sports scholarships, I’ve found that it’s usually the little things that tend to separate the good examples from the bad ones.  What I mean by that is parents have the ability to do some simple things that add up to big advantages for their son or daughter.

Here’s a list of some of the “difference makers” I’ve seen over the years that I would classify as being important things every parent can do to help give their child the edge in the recruiting process:   

BE INVOLVED IN THEIR ACADEMIC LIFE.  That sounds like a no-brainer, but many parents make the mistake of sitting back and not being proactive in making sure their student-athletes are succeeding on the field, and in the classroom.  Insist on academic excellence.  Why is this important in recruiting?  Two big reasons:  First, if a student-athlete isn’t academically eligible by NCAA standards, it won’t matter how talented they are in their sport.  They won’t get the chance to show their stuff at the college level.  Secondly, solid academic performances show college coaches that they can juggle the demands of both school and sports, which is vital at the next level.  College coaches don’t want to have to baby-sit their athletes and make sure that they stay out of trouble and do their college school work.  Show them that you are an athlete that can handle the work load that you will be given as a college athlete.

DON’T JUST SIT THERE.  DO SOMETHING!  Being involved is one thing.  Taking action is another.  If your child is struggling in school, take the lead in getting them extra help.  If you can get them involved in getting extra training from a private coach or camp in your area, do it as often as you can.  The point I am making here is this: Don’t be a parent who sits around and waits for someone else to come to you and your child with an offer of extra help.  Go out and find it.  That goes for recruiting, as well…don’t sit around waiting for colleges to come knocking on your door.  Go knock on as many of their doors as possible.  (Click here if you haven’t told us about your athletic ability yet).  Even more importantly, parents need to make sure that they enable their son or daughter to be the one to pick up the phone and talk to a coach, or email a coach, themselves.  Coaches want to hear from the athletes they are recruiting, not the athlete’s parent.  Be proactive!

GET YOUR CHILD TO START THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE NOW!  One of our trained staff of former college athletes and coaches came to me with a story late last Spring about the parent of a student-athlete who was a Senior in high school.  The athlete had been on a state championship basketball team and was a solid student.  But in focusing on all of the good things that were going on in the here and now, he and his parents had done little to prepare for the next level: College.  Every family of a high school athlete should be talking about, and looking at, college options.  I think that prospects should take the SAT and ACT tests in the second half of your Junior year instead of waiting until the last minute in your Senior year (like the athlete I was just telling you about did).  Be proactive in getting in front of as many coaches as possible.  Apply to schools early, and keep tabs on your high school transcript throughout your high school career to ensure that you have the right classes and the right grades to make it to the next level.

Those are three simple things that almost every parent can do.  The trouble is, many parents get so tied-up in the fun and excitement of their child’s high school career that they are left scratching their heads after the last prep sports season is over wondering “where do we go from here”? 

So, my question for any parent reading this article is this:  Are you doing everything you can for your child to prepare them for the next level?

 Have you checked your mail box today? If not you should. The fall is an exciting time in the recruiting process and it brings with it a lot of opportunities to build upon your relationships with college coaches. One item that may show up in your mail box a few times this fall is an invite to a game. It’s ok to feel confused about what you’re next steps should be, most families have little to no experience dealing with these sorts of events. It’s important you handle this opportunity properly; this article should help you with the basics on visiting a school on game day.

The first thing you need to do once you receive an invite is to decide whether or not you want to go. Pretty basic I know, but all too often most recruits waver on whether or not they are going to attend and unfortunately end up throwing in the towel on the event before they’ve thought through whether or not they want to go. I know there’s a lot of logistics to work out with attending an event like this, but trust me it will be worth it in the long run. Take your time, think about whether or not you can go and more importantly fill in the coach on your decision.

The most common mistake recruits make when dealing with game day invites is to not communicate effectively with the coach. I speak with recruits on a daily basis, and everyone is always searching for a reason to get in touch with a coach. You won’t really come across an easier scenario to contact a coach. So call them up, talk about the invite, and ask if they have any advice to give regarding your travel plans. Use this as an opportunity to get in a personal touch with the coach. It will help you build your relationship with them.

Now if you can’t make the trip for any reason I don’t want you to worry. You probably have a good reason why you can’t attend, and you shouldn’t by shy about that. If you can’t make the event it is even more important that you contact the coach. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard college coaches tell me how interested they were in a prospect but things died out because they never responded to anything they sent them. Don’t let this happen to you. Call the coach, explain that you can’t go, and more importantly, tell him that you are still interested in their program.

Once you’ve decided to attend the event it’s important that you review the information thoroughly. You don’t want to mix up dates or times of the games. Ideally the materials will include some sort of itinerary for the event, if it doesn’t you should call the coach and ask for one. Keep the materials with you on the day of travel. Save any phone numbers that are included in the materials. It’s important that you know where you’re supposed to be and when you’re supposed to be there. In many cases this might be your first face to face meeting with the coaching staff, don’t be the guy walking in an hour late because you couldn’t find the building.

It’s important to note that typically most game day visits are considered an unofficial visit to the campus. The college or university will not pay for transportation to or from the event, any meals that are served or any lodging that is required. If you are unclear on whether or not this visit will be considered an unofficial or official visit make sure to ask the coach directly. He will clear up any confusion that you have.

At this point you’re probably wondering what actually happens on the visit. Typically most events you attend will be run the same way. They involve a tour of the facilities with a host, a lunch in the players club or at the stadium, and front row seats to the game (often times you will find yourself on the field). What most visits don’t include is a lot of one on one time with the coaching staff. This is normal; their number one concern that day is to win the ball game. So don’t be offended if you can’t spend as much time with the staff as you would have liked. I can guarantee you, they don’t mean to offend you, it’s just apart of the process.

You’re probably asking yourself, “If I’m not going to be spending time with the coaching staff, what should I be concentrating on at the event?” The answer to this question is, gathering up information. Take note of who’s in the stands. Does the school have the sort of following you’re looking for? Is the game day atmosphere up to par with what you were looking for out of your college experience? Drive around campus before and after the game. Take note of the setting the school is located in. This trip will tell you more about your future athletic experience then just about every other event you will attend during the recruiting process. So keep your eyes and your ears open. Take as much away from the event as possible. It will help you make a more educated decision as to which school is truly the right fit for you.

by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President

Getting recruited to play college sports means paying attention to all of the important dates that are a part of the process.

Earlier this past week, we reached one of those important dates:  September 1st.

That’s the day that Juniors – the class of 2010 – can start receiving detailed recruiting information and materials from colleges that are seriously considering them for their programs, according to the NCAA recruiting calendar:

• Personalized letters from coaches at the college.
• Photocopies of newspaper articles about the team, the school, or the coach.
• College media guides.
• Schedule cards for the team.
• Official university and admissions publications and paperwork.

And, the contact for Juniors is not restricted to just mailings.  September 1st is also the date that coaches can send e-mails to you, and reply back to the e-mails that you send them.

So, with those facts in mind, it’s a good time to do a little self-assessment in terms of where you stand in the recruiting process today:

Have you received mail from a college coach yet?  If you are a Junior, be on the lookout for mail from colleges.  If you are a top prospect, it’s likely that you will be hearing from a college coach soon.  

The rules allow for even earlier contact if you are a men’s basketball or men’s ice hockey prospect:  College coaches within those sports can contact prospects as early as June 15 after a prospect’s Sophomore year.  

It’s certainly safe to say that if you are a Senior, and you haven’t yet received any mail or any contact from a college coach, you are not being recruited.  I would advise you not to wait to hopefully be discovered at some point during your Senior year.  Coaches at the college level need your information as soon as possible.  Click here to start the process.

Have you received an e-mail from a college coach yet?  If the answer is “no”, and you are a Junior or Senior in high school, that is a possible red flag as well.  E-mail is a very convenient, inexpensive way for coaches to communicate.  Many college programs opt for e-mail communication over regular mail, and any recruit that is on a coach’s radar is probably going to be receiving e-mail by now.  If you aren’t, you are probably not being seriously recruited by any schools (yet).

Whether you are getting initial contacts from colleges, or you find yourself on the outside looking in when it comes to recruiting, there are a few things that you can do to ramp-up your recruiting activity:

• Register with NCSA to ensure that coaches are matched with your athletic and academic skills.  It’s one of the best ways to make sure that every possible opportunity is uncovered.  Plus, you’ll have a former college athlete and recruiting expert from our staff personally assigned to you to answer your questions and help you through the process.  Doesn’t it make sense to have an experienced guide help you through the process from start to finish?
  
• Call a coach yourself.  The recruiting rules placed on coaches by the NCAA allow them to accept phone calls from prospects of any age, at any point in their high school career.  The advantage to picking up the phone and calling the coach yourself is that not many athletes do it.  They are intimidated, shy or just plain lazy when it comes to the idea of being proactive and getting in touch with a coach at the college level.  If you can overcome these things, you’ll really stand-out in the mind of a coach that you call.  And, you’ll really jump-start the recruiting process.
  
• Get highlight info, academic info, and a letter/e-mail of interest out to coaches immediately.  If you don’t want to register with NCSA as a verified student-athlete prospect, you will need to do some of this important work yourself.  Coaches need to see what you can do competitively, what kind of grades and test scores you have, and they’ll want to hear from you with some kind of personal statement so they get a sense for who you are and why you would be valuable to their program. Make sure you gather that information and distribute it to as many potential college coaches as possible.

September 1st has come and gone for 2008, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t take action to enhance your opportunities to hear from a college coach.  

The date does, however, give you a good indicator of where you sit on a college coach’s recruiting priority list.  Use that information to make sure you are where you want to be when it comes to getting the chance to play at the next level.  
 

This post will be the most incredible thing you’ve ever read.

It will open up the heavens, align the planets, clear your pores and allow your pets to communicate with you.

After reading that introduction, you’ll more than likely fall into two groups. The majority of the people are going call my bluff.The others will be really excited to read this post – so in advance, I apologize for the let down you would receive.

Let’s try this again.

This post will probably be beneficial to you. It will educate you, guide you and potentially open your eyes to ideas you might not have previously been aware of.

What’s the biggest difference between the two introductions? In the first, I’m cocky. In the second, I’m confident.

During my evaluations, I tell the student-athletes that I want to know every thing about them as a student-athlete – any accolades, any awards, any reason why if I were a coach, I’d want to recruit them.

Occasionally, I’ll get someone who falls under the first introduction. He’ll try to make me believe that he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

What I get more commonly is a student-athlete that I can obviously tell is uncomfortable talking about his or her achievements because he or she doesn’t want to come across as cocky.

So he or she will leave information out, which luckily for them in this case, usually is added by the parents.

That – omitting vital information – also leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

It’s like I said a couple paragraphs above – If I’m a coach, I need to know why I should want to recruit you! Don’t oversell me because I either won’t believe you or I’ll more than likely be in for a letdown. But don’t undersell me either because then you might not have the qualifications I’m looking for!

Both instances ultimately would lead to me not recruiting you. Instead, go through year-by-year, being honest about your statistics and the awards that you’ve received in a confident tone. Coaches will appreciate it, and after you’ve received a scholarship or an opportunity to play, you’ll appreciate it as well.