NCSA Blog

by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President

As the hype and hoopla of the upcoming college football season gets ready to kick-off next weekend, and all of our time and attention here at NCSA focuses on a new class of high school athletes in all sports who are entering the stretch run when it comes to getting noticed by college coaches and hoping for a full-ride scholarship, I want to talk to you about being the perfect walk-on player.

“Walking on???”, you say.  “Why are you going to talk to me about walking on to play sports at the college level?”

Because for many athletes, it’s what they choose to do.  In fact, it was almost the road that I took when I was searching for the right school as a high school athlete.

Furthermore, having the right “walk-on attitude” can help you right now as you compete for scholarships while you enter the final year (or years) of high school. 

I was reminded of that certain attitude when I ran across a great article about the walk-on football players at Marshall University.  In the article, it talks about how important the walk-on player for the program.  The reporter talked to an incoming Freshman walk-on player, Chris Bowers.  Bowers’ attitude was off the charts…here’s what the 6′ 2″, 280 lb. lineman had to say about his grueling pre-season workouts at Marshall University:

“It’s a privilege certainly,” Bowers said. “There are a lot of guys who would have loved to have been down here. They gave me the privilege and the shot to come down and show them what I can do.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity. It’s a strange perspective since I’ve been around it all my life, basically. Actually being on the field with the guys you’ve been watching for a couple of years, it’s a strange perspective.”

“And as a walk-on I know it’s going to be really difficult, because I don’t have to be a little bit better than the guy in front of me. I have to be a lot better, because they brought him in for a reason.”

The thing is, no matter what happens in Bowers’ college football career, he’s going to be successful in life.  If he perseveres, he’s going to come away with a work-ethic and attitude that will make him unbeatable in his post-college career, whatever it is.

Marshall’s coach, Mark Snyder, agrees:

“It’s a rough road for them,” Thundering Herd head coach Mark Snyder said. “They’re paying their own way to school, and you’re relegated to scout team work. And you’ve basically got to make a way out of no way.

“But what we’ve found is that most of the time those guys become great leaders, because they’ve had the adversity. They don’t take things for granted.

“Those kids have done a great job. They’ve worked hard, and I’m glad they’re on our football team.”

After listening to Coach Snyder and Chris Bowers, here’s why I think every high school athlete should take on the attitude - right now - of being determined to be the perfect walk-on player in college:

• You will put yourself in control of the recruiting process.  Of course you want a full-ride scholarship.  But even for really good athletes, that sometimes doesn’t happen (especially in non-revenue sports at the college level).  Think about it: If you make up your mind that you’ll probably be a walk-on player in college, you can take control and choose the best school for you, rather than waiting for phone calls from your dream school.
• You will develop an unbeatable positive attitude.  That’s something that you will take with you your entire life.  Having a “can do” attitude is something that employers (and college coaches) look for in people.  Look back at the quote from Chris Bowers at Marshall: Does it sound like he’s unhappy to be a walk-on?  Absolutely not!  He’s a part of a program he loves, and even though it’s hard work he knows he will benefit in the end.
• You will develop GREAT leadership skills.  Why?  Because you will have to go through a little more adversity than some of your fellow athletes.  And I can tell you, as someone who has built a successful organization from the ground up and has gone through his share of adversity on the field and in the corporate world, you will draw on your experiences as an college athlete to power you through to success.  The walk-ons of today will be the CEO’s of tomorrow.
• You will be more grateful for the chance to play sports.  Walk-on athletes at the college level talk about the renewed passion that they have for their sport at that level.  Why?  Because they have to work harder to continue playing the sport they love, which propels them towards better performances in their sport.  Sometimes you have to go through a little adversity to launch you to the next level.
• Chances are, if you stick with it, you’ll earn a scholarship.  As you begin to hear from college coaches this year, don’t be surprised if they tell you that they have a policy of not giving incoming Freshmen scholarship money.  However, they will also talk about kids who stick with it, make the team, and then are awarded healthy scholarships for the rest of their college career.  My message here is that your hard work will pay off; usually with scholarship money, and almost certainly with new leadership abilities, more maturity, and with the ability to overcome obstacles in your life after college.

So, right now in high school, develop the attitude of the perfect walk-on player.  Decide to have the attitude right now, before you need it, that you WILL play college sports no matter what.  And, if it comes to taking a walk-on opportunity in your sport, you will look at it as an opportunity to build yourself into not just a better athlete, but a better person as well.

To maximize your opportunities to play college sports, I’d love to have my team of more than 70 former college athletes and coaches here at NCSA be able to help you through the process.  If you haven’t registered your athletic qualifications with us yet, click here.

Before I begin this post, I want you all to see the infamous “Rudy”, when Daniel Ruettiger comes into the game on Georgia Tech’s final drive of the game and sacks GT’s quarterback, Rudy Allen. If you don’t want to watch the whole thing, feel free to forward it to the 1:30 mark to see the sack in all its glory.

I know what you’re thinking — “Where are the ‘RU-DY’ chants? Where is the dramatic solo sack and the entire crowd giving him a standing ovation? Where is the radio announcer praising Rudy’s name? And where is the triumphant Jerry Goldsmith score?”

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Only in the movies.” Well, this scenario definitely did not played out as advertised in the movie.

With regard to “Rudy,” multiple members of NCSA’s staff can be heard saying, “Great film. Bad story.”

Case in point, this article about Vanderbilt senior linebacker Bo Baggerley in the Tennessean. The article essentially praises the four-year walk-on for his dedication to Vandy’s program, despite not seeing an ounce of playing time, a la the movie namesake himself.

The difference here, however, is that Baggerley could’ve played somewhere else.

A two-time all-state selection and a four-sport standout at Stratford Academy in Macon, Ga., where he played with current Middle Tennessee State defensive tackle Trevor Jenkins, Baggerley was equally accomplished in the classroom. He graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average and a desire to attend an academically challenging university.

“He was looking at several different schools — Duke, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest,” Buddy Baggerley said about the oldest of his four children. “He wanted to go play football somewhere and go to a school that, when he got a degree, it would help him get into medical school.”

Despite his football credentials, though, the only recruiting interest came from smaller schools that didn’t offer athletic scholarships or the name recognition Bo sought. The son of two Auburn graduates, making the decision to walk on at an SEC school was an easy one.

And as much as I admire his work-ethic and dedication to prepping the first-team offense for Saturdays, I can’t help but wonder for him — “What if?”

What if he looked past the “BCS-mania” and the name-game? What if he got an athletic OR academic scholarship to a Div. II or III school with a fantastic and well-known pre-med program and actually got to play, or even start, for his school? 

Instead, Baggerley decided to walk-on at a big Div. I school with Rudy-esque expectations, figuring that if he worked hard enough, he’d get to play. And on top of that, his family has to pay about $25,000 per year for his education.

Needless to say, it looks as if this movie isn’t going to have a happy ending.

So here’s the thing: As a student-athlete, you get the opportunity to write, produce and direct your own screenplay. Make sure you do your research, and hopefully at the end, you’ll feel like you just won an Oscar.

The Pac-10 Conference is called the “Conference of Champions” for a good reason.  In 2007-2008 the conference captured 13 NCAA Team Championships far more then its runner up, Big Ten (5).  These 13 championships is one shy of the record 14 set in 1996-1997.  The Pac-10 has lead the nation in NCAA Championships 41 of the last 47 years.  They also finished second five times in that span.

College recruiting can be an intimidating entity.

It’s a long and elaborate process that is chock-full of questionnaires, phone calls, letters, brochures, summer camps, campus visit, interviews, etc. Don’t believe me? Check this story out.

What’s probably the most frightening, though, is what happens at the end of all this work — your final college decision. Take Zeke Motta in the story:

“I’m just trying to weigh out what ultimately I want to go to — a top-10 perennial school that is going to be competing for a national championship every year or going to a school that has great academics but is maybe only going to qualify for a BCS Bowl once every two years or something like that,” Motta said. “I am trying to find a mix of good academics and great football.

“It’s a big decision.”

Indeed it is. But luckily, it doesn’t have to be the only decision. Let me explain.

Here at the NCSA, the end goal is for all of our student-athletes to attend a college with the right academic and athletic fit. And the vast majority of the time, that happens.

But sometimes, something goes wrong — the head coach who recruited you leaves, you’re not getting enough playing time at your current school, you decide you don’t want to play your sport anymore, you want to attend a larger school, your sport takes up too much time. Whatever the reason, people will change their mind about things, including what college to enroll in.

But does that mean you have to be miserable for however many years you have left of college? Of course not. If you don’t like the situation you’re in at your current university, transferring always is an option.

This isn’t to say that every time something doesn’t go your way, it’s time to back your bags and head for the hills. College is designed to prepare you for adulthood, and part of that means learning how to make the best of a not-so-great situation. And with transferring comes the chance of having to sit out a year, losing a year of eligibilty or not being able to play your sport at all, so definitely make sure to do your research and talk to the college coaches at the other schools you’re interested in.

Ultimately, however, if you’ve found yourself unhappy with your college choice for an extended period of time, transferring to another school that has what you’re looking for might be, and usually is, the best path to take.

The college recruiting experience has many twists and turns.  There are many factors that play into recruiting for a student-athlete but one they have control over is doing the research.  Every student-athlete’s process is completely unique and different.  Doing research on the colleges and the process should be one of the top priorities!

Not only is the Stanford University one of the top academics schools in the country but it is also one of the best athletic programs (Stanford has won 14 consecutive Directors’ Cup).  The Stanford baseball program is a regulaly in the College World Series and is a two time National Champion. 

The Baseball Assistant Coach Dean Stotz at Stanford talks about the importance of research and choosing a college; “I have been doing this a long time, and if I may be so bold, I would like to help you simplify the process of selecting what college you will attend. First of all, please have respect for the magnitude of this college decision. You will live with this decision THE REST OF YOUR LIFE! This is not a “four year” decision, but a “FORTY YEAR DECISION”. There are no “mulligans”, no “do-overs”. Consider the task as if you are doing the most important research paper of your young life. The title of your research paper is: Where will I attend college? Now, how do you do well on a research paper?–RESEARCH!!!

There are three broad areas of risk in your college decision. You must decide what type of “academic challenge”, what type of “baseball challenge”, and what type of what I call “social challenge” you wish to take on.  In Coach Marquess’s and my 31 years we have not graduated 9 people who attended Stanford for four years.” What do you think?  Please post a comment on this topic!!

by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President 

I ran across a really interesting article today, and wanted to share it with you.

I think it does a good job describing the different challenges that you, as a prospective college athlete, face in choosing the right school and making the transition from prep sports to the demands of college sports.

The article, from the Great Falls Tribune in Montana, caught-up with four Montana athletes now playing college sports.  Each one of them took a different path in getting to the next level, and their observations and advice can give you some great insights as you find yourself in the middle of the recruiting process that they have already completed.

What They Said About Going to a Junior College

Colby Tognetti went the Junior College route after initially getting recruited to a Division II school, according to the article.  The one quote that stuck out for me?  Tognetti now observes:

“I went in my freshman year thinking I was pretty good, but it’s a whole different game with the speed and the hitters.”

In my opinion, junior college athletics can be an ideal option for athletes who either don’t have the high school academic performance to go on to the four-year level right away, or who want to develop their skills further before going on to the four-year level.  And, J.C. athletics can lead to great opportunities: Better scholarship offers from larger schools, a chance to get used to college academic requirements, and the possibility of more playing time right out of high school.

What we try to do at NCSA is guide our athletes, and their parents, towards the right opportunity that would be a good match for them based on their individual situation.  Sometimes, playing at the four-year level right away makes perfect sense.  In other cases, junior college is a smart choice.  Like Tognetti said in the article, “It worked out. I was going to a Division II school, but after junior college I’m going to a Division I school.”

What They Said About Preparing for Life During (and After) College Athletics

Life as a college athlete is demanding.  Just ask Lauren Beck, who is playing basketball at the University of Montana.  In the article, she talks about the commitment to off-season workouts that she will be facing this summer, as well as the demands on her time during the school year.  Practice, conditioning, travel, games…and, yes, school.  Throw in community service requirements and you have a lot of your calendar filled-up, not leaving much time for anything else.

Beck advises today’s high school athlete to be prepared for the demands on their time, and to focus on academic success while at college.  “Stay on top of school because your four years are going to run out pretty quick”, says Beck.

My advice for athletes that we work with at NCSA?  The same as Beck’s advice: Make sure you understand the demands that will be required of you, and be prepared to commit yourself to the academic side of your college experience.  Are you ready to take on those two challenges?

What They Said About Walking-On

Tyler Corwin, now at the University of Montana, talked about what it was like for him as a walk-on at the college level:

The coaches had called the Great Falls High School graduate a week earlier and said there was a spot for him on the team. Corwin attributes the invitation to luck, but the 6-foot, 3-inch 230-pound linebacker, who is expected to appear on the starting lineup this fall, has proved that talent may have prompted the invitation, too.

“A lot of the other kids had scholarships and came in on recruiting trips and knew everybody. I just kind of showed up and had to meet everybody. It was intimidating,” Corwin recalled.

Entering his fourth year of college, Corwin said time management is his biggest challenge. The football players set aside four hours each day for team meetings and practice, and they are expected to lift weights between classes.

“It’s pretty much almost a full-time job. It’s a discipline thing,” Corwin said. “I came to school for an education. At the same time, I knew I could (play football), and I knew I could succeed.”

Corwin said college athletes are bigger, faster and stronger, but the jump from high school to college football is also a mental one.

“Definitely make priorities and make schedules. The hard thing about college is the freedom. If you really want to succeed, you have to focus, and it’s really, really hard,” Corwin said.

Do you know what one of the first questions college coaches ask us here at NCSA after we notify them of a pre-qualified athlete we are working with?  It is, “Can they handle the demands of playing college sports?”  Today’s high school prospect needs to understand that playing college sports is a lot more than just having superior athletic ability.  It is also about the mental make-up of an athlete, and how that athlete handles the pressures and demands of playing college sports.

By the way, walking-on is definitely the harder road to take as a student-athlete.  The odds are against you from the start.  However, as Tyler Corwin demonstrates, there are times when walking-on is a good option.

What They Said About Picking the Right School

Samantha Sheble chose a smaller school, Montana Tech, to play college volleyball.  Samantha felt right at home when she visited the school and loved the campus atmosphere.  In the end, Sheble advises today’s high school prospects to look at more than wins and losses, the size of the stadium, and how nice their uniforms are:

“When you go out on a trip to visit, see if you can see yourself fitting into the team because the team is like your family.”

Do you know why you hear about so many college athletes leaving the original school they signed with in favor of a different program?  It is because they picked the original school for the wrong reasons.  Take Samantha’s advice and make sure you will enjoy the team, the coach, the college campus and the surroundings.  In the end, those things will become much more important than the athletic side of your college life. 

Summary:  What It All Means

The reason I wanted to highlight these four athletes for you is because they all talk about important subjects that a lot of high school athletes don’t think about until after they get to college.  That is when we hear athletes say, “I wish someone would have told me about what was really important when it came to choosing a college.” 

Now we have told you.  Actually, four current college athletes are the voices we’ve highlighted for you.  They’re talking to you, and they are giving you some really great advice. 

Are you going to listen to them?

To read the entire original article, click here. 

Have you completed your free online registration for your NCSA evaluation yet?  Now is the time.  Click here.

So you think you are being recruited because you received a questionnaire?Did you know that the Mississippi State baseball program sends out an average of 1,500 prospect questionnaires each year?

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.