NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

The Wall Street Journal reported this week about the new player conduct rules implemented by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. 

This sweeping new personal-conduct policy, which was announced before the 2007 season, allows the NFL to quickly and summarily fine and suspend players; not just for committing crimes, but for any act that’s deemed harmful to the NFL’s “integrity and reputation.” To guard against these unpredictable suspensions (there have been 10 so far), NFL teams are hiring former police officers and FBI agents as security chiefs, ordering up extensive background checks, installing video-surveillance systems in locker rooms, chasing down rumors and sometimes forbidding players from talking to the press.

Many NFL players feel the policy is an over reach, but the it appears here to stay.  This strict policy also outlines how recruits need to carry themselves at all times.  Just like the NFL is refusing to let character risks damage the league’s image, universities will continue to investigate a players background to ensure solid character.  If you plan on fulfilling your athletic scholarship potential, I recommend making sound decisions.

It is that time of year when every student-athlete, that is a senior, is deciding where to apply and more importantly when. There are so many options: Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Admissions. First and foremost before you apply to any school, you will always want to make sure you have done some research first. You should look up schools on-line and have made some unofficial visits-at the very least. The more you put into learning about your options, the better decision you will make and ultimately you will pick the right school.

Once you have done your research and made some visits, you should compile your top schools and rank them, whether it is two, five, or ten different colleges and universities. Remember everyone’s preferences are different. Next you will want to introduce yourself to the coaches and build a relationship with each. This will also help you rank each school on your list.

You then will want to know where you stand on the coaches list of recruits before you apply to a school. When you know there is mutual interest between you, the coach and the school this is when you should apply. Remember, you should always ask the coach if you should apply before you send in an application! You will want to ask the coach how to turn in your application and what the process is. The coaches may tell you to fill out an application and send it into admissions or they may ask you to give it to them to take to admissions themselves. Some coaches flag the application to let admission know that they are recruiting you and some coaches may work in admission as well. If you apply without talking to a coach, and you don’t get in–the coach can’t do anything thereafter.

Another thing to think about - if you are interested in a school and the coach is asking you to submit your application; you may want to consider asking the coach is they will waive the application fee. He/She may not be able to do this, however it’s worth asking, because college applications are expensive and the costs add up fast!

Now there is a very distinct difference between Early Action and Early Decision. Early Action is non-binding (key word here!) and allows you to submit your application earlier than waiting to apply Regular Decision in the spring. This way the college/university will let you know earlier (January or so, instead of March or April) if you have been accepted. This will give you more time to weigh your options or to make your decision early and have the chance to enjoy the rest of your senior year. On the other hand Early Decision IS binding, and is meant for students who know that the school is their top choice and if accepted, you will go there no matter what.

Make sure to follow these key steps: research the school, visit the school, reach out to the coach, ask questions, apply, get in and then make a decision! Make sure to do this with multiple schools. If you have followed these steps with numerous schools early, you should have the opportunity to apply in the fall. If you need to do these steps with more schools first, you can always apply in the spring. Good luck.

 1.  Dedication to the Classroom.

College coaches understand that not all student-athletes perform the same on tests.  They do, however, know the difference between trying hard and being lackadaisical.  The harder a student-athlete works in school along with his attendance record is strongly considered by colleges prior to a scholarship being offered.  Coaches do believe there is a correlation between effort in the classroom and effort on the athletic field of play.  Dedication and reliability go hand-in-hand.

2.  Communicate with the High School Coach.

It is important that the student-athlete let their high school coach know their intentions in relation to going on to the next level.  A student-athlete can not be afraid to let the coach know what type of academic interests they have and what colleges they are interested in possibly attending. The student-athlete should ask the coach to be honest about his talents and potential.

3.  Work to improve your physical skills.

Playing a sport at the college level demands great physical skills and discipline.  Each level of competition is more demanding and the student-athlete needs to continually improve.  In order to complete and to stay injury free, the student-athlete most stay in top physical condition.  It is absolutely vital for the player to work on improving their strength, speed, flexibility, agility and individual position skills.

4.  Make a positive impression on college coaches.

The way a student-athlete talks, dresses and carries themselves is important when talking with a college coach.  The student-athlete that comes across as arrogant, selfish, foul mouthed or rude is someone who will quickly be eliminated by college staff.  Colleges want team players who are a positive reflection of their program on and off the field.

5.  Be honest with recruiters.

College coaches like student-athletes to be honest during the recruiting process.  A student-athlete should not lead a school on if there is no genuine interest.  The student-athlete and the high school they come from are viewed more positively by the colleges if they are up front and honest during the recruiting process. College coaching staffs do not have time to waste on an athlete that doesn’t have a genuine interest in their institution and program.

Bill Conley worked at Ohio State for 17 years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

  Can’t pay for college? Maybe Uncle Sam can help you. Getting accepted into a military academy or ROTC (Reserved  Officer Training Corps) program may be the most rewarding experience a young man or woman can receive. In this blog entry I want to distinguish between the two elements of government academic training and possibly assist you in the benefits of applying and competing for a military academy or ROTC program.

The Academies

Acceptance: Military academies such as West Point and Annapolis have a prestigious history of fielding some of the best athletic teams our country has ever seen along with first-class education. One thing prospective student-athletes need to understand is that it is tuition free. That’s right it’s free! However, getting accepted into West Point, Annapolis, or Colorado Springs is not an easy task. The academies are very selective in the acceptance process and certain documentation needs to be in order before applying. These documents include letter of recommendations from your state congressman, outstanding GPA, test scores and proof that you are a leader in your community. If you are getting recruited by a coach from one of the academies, I highly recommend you communicate over what is needed to be accepted.

Commitment: Understand that this decision is a commitment. The next four years of your life will be dedicated to earning a degree of your choice and learning the principles of leading our country. After graduation you will be considered a commissioned officer and have a six year enlistment to your branch. The Naval Academy is the only academy where Midshipmen have the option of either serving in the United States Navy or the United States Marine Corps. To learn more about the academies click on these links below:

United States Military Academy

United States Naval Academy

United States Air Force Academy

Reserved Officer Training Corp

Acceptance: The ROTC program is also another great program offered by our military which gives prospective students the opportunity to select the college of their choice while the government picks up the tuition bill. The ROTC program is not as selective with prospective students as the academies, but it is highly recommended that an applicant have outstanding academics and athletic performance. During your four year college commitment students in the program will be enrolled in a series of military science courses and be required to attend military sanctioned events over the first two summers while attending OCS (Officer Candidate School) their third summer and TBS (The Basic School) in their fourth summer.

Commitment: Your commitment after you earn your degree is similar to that of a midshipmen or cadet. You will embark on a 6 year enlistment. If at any point you decide that the military is not for you, you will owe the government the money that was paid for your degree. To learn more about the Reserved Officer Training Corps Click below.

ROTC 

Your role as an athlete

Athletics play a huge role in the image of the military academies. Every year the Army versus Navy game is one of the biggest rivalries in our country. As an athlete, not only do you have your responsibilities preparing week to week against opponents, you also have a series of inspections, assignments, and studies.  Organization, time management, and being squared away will separate you from the pack.

Merchant Marine Academy, New Mexico Military Institute, The Citadel, & the Coast Guard

The Merchant Marine Academy, New Mexico Military Institue, United States Coast Guard Academy, and The Citadel are also fine insitutions that offer first class education. After speaking with representatives from each institution this is the information we found.

   Merchant Marine Academy: The Merchant Academy encourages their student’s to serve as civilians after graduation in the Maritime Industry. These positions include deck officers, engineers, security, and logistics. Students are required to serve an 8 year reservist enlistment which is broken down to 2 weeks per year. 75% of the Merchant Marine Students will be placed in this job industry while making lucrative salaries. 75% enlist in the Naval and Marine Reserve compononent, while 25% enlist into one of the four military branches. The Merchant Marine Academy has 23 varsity sports. Rugby is nationally ranked, and 85% of the student body participates in sports. To learn more about the Merchant Marine Academy click here

New Mexico Military Institute: All students who attend New Mexico Military Institute do not have a military commitment after graduation. They do encourage students to attend military academies after graduation and compete at the junior college level. NMMI offers an ROTC program where students voluntarily sign up and are required to serve a 4 year enlistment in the branch of their choice. To learn more about the New Mexico Military Institute click here

The Citadel: The Citadel is located in Charleston, SC and competes at the Division 1-AA level. There is no mandatory enlistment after graduation. They also offer an ROTC program that does not have a binding contract to serve after your schooling is complete. They do encourage students to serve in one of the four military branches. To learn more about The Citadel click here

The United States Coast Guard Academy

The United States Coast Guard Academy is tuition free. However, there is a $3,000 initial fee which includes a laptop and uniforms. There is a 5 year enlistment that is involved after graduation. Students will receive their military occupation specialty after their second year in the academy. Teams who compete for the academy compete at the Division 3 level. 65% of their students graduate from the academy. If at any point a student has a change of heart the situation is handled case by case and certain money will be owed back to the institution. To learn more about the United States Coast Guard Academy click here

 Serving our country was one of the best career decisions I have ever made. During my enlistment as a young Marine I learned discipline, leadership, and achieved goals I never would have done on my own. These tools helped me become the person I am today and set me up for a wonderful job. To learn more about military life or questions please comment on this blog below and an NCSA Recruiting Coach will be in touch with you.

 You don’t want to wait until senior year to learn about the recruiting process. You can start taking serious recrtuiintg steps as a freshman. National Collegiate Scouting Association president Chris Krause’s simple timeline that everyone can follow:

 ”You can’t expect coaches to keep the process moving all the time, because the average coach [is] very limited in time by the NCAA and by recruiting budgets,” Krause says. “It’s up to you to keep the process moving.”

Freshman Year
Get the ball rolling early, because “college coaches are recruiting the world,” Krause says. “If [your] competition is being proactive and [you’re not], they’ll assume you’re not interested.” Understanding NCAA recruiting rules is crucial to the success of this first step. The rules and regs constantly change, and staying abreast will save you from breaking them-and the headaches and heartaches of being penalized.

Also know the measurables for your sport [e.g, Football: 40-yard dash, vertical jump; Volleyball: standing reach, touch jump; Softball: pop times, ray and jug guns]. “Those are the types of little things [to know], so you know where you stack up.” 

Krause also recommends going to a D-I, -II and -III game or competition to learn the differences between the levels of play. You’ll benefit from this experience as you graduate to sophomore status.

Sophomore Year
Resume the recruiting process by starting your athletic résumé, noting the essentials. “[Coaches] want to know how tall, strong and fast you are [and] what you’re doing academically,” Krause says.

A paper evaluation isn’t the only analysis you need at this point. A scouting evaluation-from your high school coach or an independent third party-is also necessary to help you realistically determine where you stack up against higher competition.

By this time, look into compiling a skills tape, which you can send to a coach after writing a personal letter. “Don’t send videos unsolicited,” Krause warns. “Let the coach know you’re interested [in his program] and why.

“Recruiting is about relationships. The more chance you can help a coach build a relationship with you, the easier you make the process on him, and the more likely you’re going to be recruited.”

This year is also when you should be calling D-III coaches, who, unlike D-I or -II coaches, aren’t prohibited from calling you back. “[This] can really be a great tune-up for you, so by the time you get to your junior year, you’re really prepared for those phone calls.”

Junior Year
This stage is intense because as Krause explains, “what you do during your junior year really makes up a lot of minds.” 

If you’re not receiving letters by now, better start putting ink to paper. “Writing a letter is critical,” Krause says. Be specific when addressing the coach [e.g., write “Dear Coach Smith,” not “Dear Coach”], and share what you like about his/her program and why you’re interested in playing for the team.

Open the [phone] lines of communication. For most sports, this is the year you can start receiving calls from D-I and -II coaches. Always return calls in a timely manner and be fully prepared for phone conversations by knowing about the school’s academic background, its athletic conference and the team’s style of play.

Krause recommends focusing on 10 to 20 schools you think could be a realistic fit, then proactively start talking to those coaches and scheduling unofficial visits.

Senior Year
“For bigger D-I programs, most scholarships are offered during the junior year,” Krause notes.

Didn’t get the offer you wanted? You can still take your game to college. “Keep the level of schools in your recruiting pool open at all times,” Krause advises. “For D-III, most of those coaches are waiting to see who signed D-I and who didn’t. And most of the time, tons of studentathletes weren’t recruited by D-I schools, and now they need to follow up with [coaches from other divisions].”

 Any relationship/friendship if it is to be beneficial to both parties must be based upon trust and loyalty. This quality definitely applies to your relationship with the coach that is recruiting you. Even as a young person you need to “get a feel” for the coach who is attempting to attract you to his or her school. Basically this is an initial instinct as to how comfortable you are with this individual.

Recruiters are as diverse and different as all people are different from each other. Initially parents or guardians need to interact with the recruiting coach.  When they are comfortable with the recruiter and the young person is ready, they can turn the brunt of the relationship over to the recruit and watch from basically role as a moderator.

Being comfortable with the relationship, it can mean that the conversations with the recruiter are not just based upon a hard sell for their school, but are actual conversations concerning academics, friends, life goals and other topics. The constant hard sell can become annoying, and indicative of a recruiter who is inexperienced, or who is “not doing their homework.” The best recruiters that I had the pleasure of working with knew their respective recruits almost as life long friends. Again, “the best” recruiters I worked with. It really sent up a red flag for me when on our recruiting call evening I would go down the hall and hear one of our coaches begins the conversation with, “So how is it going big guy, who do you guys have this weekend,? Great, I will call you next week!” I could only think about what the young person on the other end of that call thought of such an impersonal call.

Permit me to digress a bit. When I say recruiting coach, I am referring to the coach who is the primary contact with the recruit. Initially it is usually a coach who is assigned to a geographical region of the prospective student athlete. The recruit may also hear from the coach of a particular position on the team assigned to that recruit, the recruiting coordinator or even the head coach as the process continues.

The coach assigned geographically to the area is usually the initial contact and usually the main conduit to the athletic program for the recruit and the family. This is usually the relationship that becomes the strongest and most lasting. And this is usually the coach that will “have the recruits back” as the young person moves from prospect to recruit to signee, to team member to college graduate. And in all candor, this is the coach who if he or she leave the school for another position at another school will have the biggest affect on the athlete.

And, if this individual should move on during the recruiting process it is critical for the family to immediately call the head coach to determine the status of the recruit in the process with the main contact in the program no longer in the picture. It is an honor to be recruited, it is indicative of hard work and dedication, but remember this is a two way street. It is also an honor to be called ‘coach.” And as you are moving through the process remember that you have a lot to bring to the table, and that as you are being evaluated, you are also evaluating the coaches and schools that are recruiting you. It is critical that once again you “get a feel” for these individuals.

Can you live with these people during the next four years of your life that will determine the next forty years of your life? And when I say “live with” it is just what I mean. A commitment to a school is huge undertaking. Hours, days, weeks, months, years of practice, being coached, competing, and every athletic moment along the way you will be in the charge of the coaches who have recruited you. It sounds like a long road and it is, but it can be just so rewarding, and the ride of a lifetime. Make sure that the coaches who will accompany you on that ride are people,” that you can live with.” Go for it! And always remember that you will be going through this process only once. At NCSA you will be dealing with people who have gone through it so many, many, times. And remember that we are here to assist you. No question is too unimportant; it is about you and about your future. Use us to make that future as bright and as profitable as possible.

Coach C.

 Creating mismatches is what good X and O coaching is all about.  At NCSA we try to help potential recruits to create their own mismatches.  What is a mismatch in recruiting?  It’s an athlete with options.  The more offers from different schools the more likely that scholarship dollars will increase and the athlete will find the right school fit.  Why?  Because schools don’t want to lose out to their rivals.

I am always stunned when I talk to athletes that draw a 2 state buffer around their hometown and refuse to consider any further schools.  Talk about decreasing your options!

Only a few years ago coaches usually took the majority of their recruits from inside their state borders.  That has drastically changed.  Right now the Wisconsin Badger 2009 recruiting class has only 4 in state commits as opposed to 12 out-of-staters.

If coaches are willing to look further out, then recruits should take advantage and do the same.  By using technology like NCSA’s Scouting Report athletes can easily promote themselves across the country.  If you want to maximize your options, I suggest getting started today.

This is an excellent read from an NCSA swimmer (Katleen Lyon, ‘09, King George, VA).  A great example of what one can do to help themselves get a competitive advantage and gain valuable lessons of character building.  I as a former coach, would love to see a high school athlete take on this type of adventure for their summer training! 

I was never expecting to spend my whole summer in Colorado to train high altitude with my former coach. I was planning to go on several college visits and spend my summer the way a normal seventeen year old would. Everything changed at the beginning of April when my swim coach, Damon, told my swim team, the Potomac Raiders (Virginia) that he was leaving at the end of April. He was planning on moving out to Colorado to be closer to his family. Damon would reside in the Glenwood Springs area and coach the Sopris Barracudas.

After having my coach leave at the end of April I was stuck to train on my own. There was not another coach to take over but the Raiders board was searching frantically for another coach to take Damon’s place. Halfway through May and still no coach stepped in for the team. I was a little worried because what if I didn’t get one till winter? Thoughts such as that were running through my head.

My good friend and swim buddy, Jackie, came up with the idea to follow our coach out to Colorado. When I first heard this idea, I thought she was crazy. I had been on training trips several times for a week but not a whole summer! I kept thinking what am I going to do about college visits and what will happen when July 1st comes around and my parents aren’t with me to talk to these colleges?

Over the next several weeks my parents and I discussed the pros and cons of this trip. In the end I decided to take the trip. I think what really convinced me to go was I was emailing two college coaches and they said I should take the trip because it would change my life for the good. By the middle of May all of my plans were final. I was to leave June 8th, the day after school ends, spend seven weeks in Glenwood Springs, and have three separate host families. I would spend two weeks with my first two families and three weeks with my last. And each family had younger children, so I would be the adult in the family and it was going to be something new considering I am the youngest in my family. I never really dealt with younger siblings so it would be an experience.

 June 8th came by quickly and before I knew it I was leaving my home for the airport and I would be in Glenwood Springs later that night. I was looking forward to the whole trip except when I arrived at the airport my coach told me that it was going to be about eleven when you arrive to your family’s house and there is practice at five-thirty in the morning, so be ready! I was not expecting that but I knew that training early in the morning was what I came out here for. Finally, after a three-hour flight and driving for another two hours, I arrived to my first host family. It was around eleven o’clock and the young ones were sleeping so the parents showed me my room and said they would see me in the morning.

Morning was rough because I was sleep deprived and I wasn’t ready for the cold weather. I walk outside in shorts and a shirt and didn’t realize that it was maybe a high of forty at that point. I ran back into the house and grabbed my sweatshirt. My coach ended up picking me up every morning because he lived maybe a mile away. Around 5:30 we arrived at the pool and it was empty which didn’t surprise me at all.

Jackie was already there and within five minutes our coach was yelling at us to jump into the pool. I figured the water would be refreshing but it was actually freezing! It got my body moving until I swam one length and realized I couldn’t breathe! I completely forgot that I was about 5,000 feet above sea level and my body was not used to it! I wanted to ask my coach if he could find me an oxygen tank or some sort of oxygen device that would give me air to breathe. I knew from that point on that this training was going to be harder than expected. It was one day down and fifty-six to go.

As the first week wrapped up I was becoming more comfortable with my first family. It was hard being the older sibling because I have never dealt with little kids and I have never been the oldest sibling in the family. Actually, looking back at it now I am so happy I am the youngest in my family! Then, my first weekend in Colorado my coach had a dual meet up in Aspen, but I did not participate in it because my coach felt that I was adjusted to the altitude yet. So I sat there with the younger kids and made sure that they got to their events and that relays were put together.

 During the older kid’s session when my coach did not need me, my friend Jackie and I decided that we needed to tan so when we get home we look nice and brown. BAD IDEA!! We laid out there for a good two hours and afterwards we were extremely burnt. I realized then that we were closer to the sun and that made us burn even more then we normally would in Virginia. I ended up going back to my host family’s house looking like a lobster.

 I ended up swimming my first meet the second weekend I was in Colorado and surprisingly enough I did exceptionally well in the meet. I swam the 800 free on a Thursday night and I dropped over fifteen seconds while taking first place, obtaining the fastest time throughout the whole meet and taking the pool record. That was more than likely my best swim throughout the whole weekend. The meet lasted till Sunday and I think my coach was extremely impressed considering it was only my second weekend training in high altitude.

Two weeks went by quickly and before I knew it I was off to my third family. This next family was going to be a little different because there were two twins that were fourteen years old and another that just turned sixteen. I was no longer taking care of younger ones so it was kind of nice. I actually ended up sleeping on a pull out bed in the basement, but it was in front of a huge screen T.V. so I couldn’t complain.

By then practice was running smoothly, I still had to practice from 5:30-8:00 every morning and 5:00-6:30 every night. It was a struggle and I was extremely exhausted every day but I kept thinking how this is going to greatly improve my swimming.

 Half way through my journey I was ready to go home. I was exhausted from having a meet every weekend, swimming at 5:30 in the morning, and I was just home sick. I was really missing my family and friends. At that point I was starting to count down the days until I returned home, but it never seemed to make the days go by faster. Luckily, I made new friends out in Glenwood and they were extremely supportive and always made me feel better.

Among the many reasons to enter the college sports recruiting process earning an athletic scholarship to pay for college is always at the top of the list. Playing in college offsets the burden of paying for college. After all, who wants to be paying for college 10 years after they graduate because of student loans? In May 2007, testimony before US congress revealed that a quarter of all students graduate with too much debt to pay back on a starting teachers salary. That is way too high.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t you be knowledgeable in the ways of Financial Aid?

I earned my MBA from one of the top business schools in the country and traded sophisticated financial instruments for over 20 years. I thought I could figure this financial aid thing out. I couldn’t. I needed help. I’m very glad I invested in professional advice that helped maximize the grants and scholarships my daughter received. One of the great things about NCSA is that their advice on how to maximize scholarship dollars actually works. And it continues to work. Except for the less than 1% of college athletes who have “full rides” (tuition, books, room & board, fees, transportation), most families must negotiate their financial aid package on an annual basis. Paying for that expert advice helped - a lot! As she enters her junior year, my daughter has received over $135,000 in financial aid. Not one penny of that is a student loan. It’s all grants that don’t have to be paid back. Do you think I’m happy with the professional advice I received? My return on that investment was over 6700.00 per cent!