IS IT YOUR GOAL TO PLAY COLLEGE ATHLETICS?
"Being a Proactive Athlete will give you the best chance to participate in College Athletics."
By
Rick Anteau II
I find that many high school athletes have the goal to play college athletics, however, many athletes do not take a proactive role in their own recruiting. If you want to be a good high school athlete you must practice and prepare appropriately. The same goes for recruiting. The biggest issue in recruiting is exposure. What college programs know about you and your accomplishments? How many college programs know about you and your accomplishments?
When should I start taking an active role in my recruiting?
Most college programs start tracking athletes during their freshmen and sophomore years. Taking charge of your own recruiting during your freshmen and sophomore years will strongly broaden your college opportunities! This does not mean that if you have waited until your junior or senior year it is to late. If you take a proactive role in your junior or senior year you will still give yourself a great opportunity to play collegiate athletics.
How do college programs find student athletes?
There are 4 ways that a college program can find out about you.
1. College programs attend and recruit from National, Regional, and State competitions.
2. College programs receive recommendations from high school coaches, club coaches and other college coaches.
3. College coaches attend camps and clinics.
4. College coaches recruit student athletes who have contacted their program.
Capitalize on what you can control!
Within the four ways college programs find out about student athletes, there is only one that you have absolute control over. That is contacting the programs yourself. By contacting a collegiate program, you are taking a proactive role in your own recruiting. You can do this by putting together a personalized package and sending it to a college coach.
Personalize your recruiting efforts.
Athletes all have different personalities, abilities, and financial needs. Make sure that you keep these differences in mind when contacting college coaches. It is best to target schools in which you can prosper at academically, athletically, and socially. Below, I will list some examples of criteria for each.
Academically:
Does the college offer the major that you have interest in?
Do you prefer to have smaller class sizes or do you prosper in a more hands off , large classroom environment?
What are the academic standards to be accepted into the college / university?
Do I need or desire an academic scholarship?
Does this program have a good history of graduating its athletes?
Athletically:
What position will I play?
Will I redshirt my freshmen year?
Do I want to play NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, or Junior College athletics?
Do I desire or need an athletic scholarship?
Socially:
How far away from my home city am I willing to attend college?
Do I want to attend a college in a larger city or do I prefer a smaller town atmosphere?
What are my housing options?
Exposure is key!
As spoken about previously, the #1 reason why high school student athletes do not participate in college athletics is lack of exposure. This is because recruiting budgets of colleges and universities do not afford recruiters to have the means to travel to every state and recruit extensively. Recruiters have many different strict guidelines to follow. However, it is perfectly legal to contact college programs on your own. Do what you have in your own power to give your self the very best chance to achieve your dream of playing college athletics!
THE ALMIGHTY SCHOLARSHIP DOLLAR
by Cathi Aradi
A lot of smoke billows and swirls around the great and powerful Wizard of Scholarships. Yet behind the smoke-screen, behind the bells and whistles is an ordinary little piece of paper--and it's one that 50% of college softball players will never even see. Nonetheless, parents must understand the writing on that piece of paper and what it means for their athlete.
If your athlete is on an athletic scholarship at an NCAA school, certain things will be true. Scholarships are renewed each year. Technically, there is no such thing as a four-year or five-year guaranteed athletic scholarship. While it is true most coaches will honor their commitment--e.g., they will renew a player's scholarship each year as long as she's doing what they ask her to do---it does have to be renewed annually, and there is always the potential for it to be taken away.
When coaches are recruiting, some will tell you what you want to hear. Others tell it like it is, knowing you're going to hear what you want no matter what they say. In either case, the result is often a parent who insists his/her athlete has a guaranteed four-year scholarship. But keep in mind, athletes can lose that "guaranteed" scholarship. Here are some ways that might happen.
Colleges do occasionally drop a sports program. So if the player's school decides to drop softball when she's a sophomore, her family may have to pickup the tab from then on if she stays there. (Some schools that drop programs will honor scholarships or will try to find alternate funding, but many will just cut the kids loose.)
A school might be forced to cut back scholarships due to a revenue shortage, or they might take one scholarship from several well-funded sports to fund another sport that doesn't have any money. An athlete might get caught in this crunch; and even if she doesn't have her scholarship completely taken away, it might be reduced.
There are also a few clear cut reasons why a coach may revoke a scholarship. If an athlete consistently fails to meet the minimum academic requirements for eligibility, she may simply "flunk out," and lose her scholarship. Or if she has substance-abuse problems--e.g., drugs, alcohol--she runs the risk of having her scholarship taken away. Some coaches might cut a scholarship athlete if, in their opinion, she is a legitimate behavior problem--disrupts the team, doesn't follow rules, causes problems for other players.
While most coaches won't do it, it is still within a coach's rights to cut you or take your money away at the end of the year just because the coach feels he's recruited a better player to replace you. At schools that don't give scholarships, players can be replaced without any explanation, and it occasionally happens at colleges that do give scholarships. Most coaches try their best to recruit players honestly and fairly, and most coaches do everything they can to honor their commitments to their athletes. But if a coach recruits you expecting a certain level of performance and doesn't feel you've lived up to his or her expectations, you may lose your scholarship or have it reduced.
The NCAA requires schools to renew or cancel scholarships by a certain date each year--generally by July 1. Athletes must be notified and sent the appropriate paperwork. Most coaches will have conferences with their athletes at the end of the season, and if the scholarship isn’t going to be renewed for some reason, the coach should let you know right away.
When you are being recruited, you and your parents need to listen carefully to what a coach is telling you, and you should read the "fine print" carefully. Ask detailed questions about your scholarship--e.g., how and when it's renewed each year; under what conditions it could be taken away; how often does the coach cut scholarship athletes; what happens if you're injured and can't play; and so on.
I also often hear college coaches complaining about the fact that while some schools can offer certain athletes the opportunity to have a "fifth" year at the school, not all schools can. And even those colleges that can may handle this fifth year in different ways. Some may keep the scholarship intact; others may reduce it. Many schools will expect the athlete to work in some capacity--for example as a student assistant or by helping out in the Athletic Department. But remember, not all schools can afford to offer you a fifth year, so don't assume it will be part of your scholarship, and don’t think coach is being "cheap" if that extra year isn’t offered.
You also need to understand the difference between a scholarship offer and a financial aid package. Parents will often tell other parents their player got a "full ride" when actually she’s getting very little softball money. The aid package might cover nearly all the player’s expenses, but technically, it can’t be considered a "full ride" softball scholarship. In this situation, the softball coach might offer her only $2000 in softball-based aid; the rest might come from other grants, academic scholarships, loans, work-study, and so on.
When this player gets her National Letter of Intent to sign, it will reflect only the softball money--in this case $2000; the balance of her school costs--let's say $8000---will be reflected on her financial aid offer which she wouldn't receive until spring in most cases. One big advantage of receiving an "aid" package--instead of or in addition to a scholarship--is that even if you stop playing ball, are cut from the team, or lose your softball scholarship for some reason, you should still be able keep the non-athletic funding and stay in school!
When you are in the midst of recruiting, and particularly if you are being heavily pursued, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and glamour of the moment. But pay close attention to details. Make sure when you choose a school, it's because it's the right one for you and can meet all of your collegiate needs. Don't be blinded by dollar signs. And if you do accept a scholarship, be sure you know all the conditions attached and the circumstances that might cause these conditions to change. That way you won’t be in for any surprises!
* * *
Playing
Up -- Getting Recruited
by
Rob Gensch
In order to properly discuss
"Playing Up", girls and parents should know sample experiences
parallel to the choices at hand. Speaking as a parent of a daughter who just
recently finished her 18U eligibility, I will equate what I saw on both the 16
and 18 circuit. This is meant as a factual account to help other parents and
players. For the sake of this thread. I will assume that the litmus test will
be college recruiting and a desire to be noticed.
At 16's, my daughter played for the Eastview Lightning team for two years, and
with the Minnesota Irish 18's for two years. Because she has a December
birthday, she was in summer before 10th and 11th grade years at 16's and summer
before 12th and College at 18's. This is an important factor.
Her teams went to Nationals somewhere each of these four years. At 16's, a
scant few D-3 coaches came out to watch any teams I saw at State, and a few
from all levels at U-16 Nationals. The only time I ever saw D1 coaches at
U-16's was in Illinois 3 years ago. There were several Chicago area D1's
present at many games. That year, coaches had the luxury of watching U-16 AFA
Nationals and U-18 ASA Nationals in Rockford, IL. back to back.
As a coach of that U-16 team, I recall a couple conversations with coaches at
several levels. They took a few rosters and made notes, and were always there
to watch somebody who had contacted them or that they knew of that was a
"stud" (60+ mph pitcher, known power hitter, or old U-16 Senior to be
eligible for early signing the following fall). One coach said that she used
some of the U-16 National games to find the Seniors to be that didn't play at
18's. To find a "diamond in the rough". There is no doubt in my mind
that if my daughter had been an old U-16, it would have been far better for her
exposure to "play up" in her last year of eligibility.
At 18's, especially at the caliber that her team played at, there were college
coaches present at most every tournament that was played. This was probably the
case for most all of the top 3-4 teams in Minnesota at U-18. And if a team
wasn't a high level U-18, EVERYONE KNEW the best players on those other teams,
where they were from, etc. It would have been difficult for any decent prospect
on any somewhat good U-18 team's player to not have been known.
Her team went to Hall of Fame in Oklahoma each of her two U-18 years and there
were VERY FEW coaches present at this tournament. This was surprising. I have
heard there is far more exposure at the Colorado tournaments. Yet most of the
coaches there are from long way from Minnesota and were watching kids from
their areas. At State and Nationals, several D2's and D3's were there watching
every game. And at Nationals, the number of coaches at times could reach 5 or
more at any one game. At 18's, the U of M (MN's only D1 school) came to some
games to watch both in state and out of state. They recruited and have now
signed (or have had verbal commitment) from 3 players on the Irish team from
this past year. Two other players signed or committed to Creighton, one at
DePaul, two at NDSU, one at Wisconsin, two at St. Cloud State, and one at Moorhead.
My daughter did recruiting camps (at least five, some out of state in some in
state), many college clinics, and one unbelievable National Recruiting
Tournament.
The recruiting camps, although never highly attended by college coaches, and
arguably pricey money makers, at least showed her the type of players she would
be up against...and challenged her competitiveness. The clinics showed her the
different types of things that college coaches look for and helped her
understand the differences in coaching styles that exist. No regrets. All good
learning experiences if they can be afforded. College coach clinics sponsored
by the HS booster club, and the U of M camps at their campus were especially
helpful and rewarding in the long run.
The Plantation Tournament in Florida was the ultimate recruiting opportunity
for any Minnesota player that I have ever seen. Tim Johnson (Rosemount Irish)
deserves much credit here by getting his team in the tourney and negotiating
them into a bracket where they played competitively with the best 18 Gold Level
teams in the country.
The highlight was unbelievable: Seven Big 10 coaches at a single game!
Conclusions from this parent.
1. Girls who want to play college softball that are still eligible for U-16's the summer before their senior year should play up to 18's. This will maximize exposure and competitiveness. If college ball is not desired or reasonable, go where the fit is best to the goals desired (friends, community, fun, etc)
2. Girls should attend at least one recruiting camp for the experience, and to help both parent and player get a fair peek at where darling daughter stands in comparision with others. Managing expectations is important.
3. A girl should strive to find the best U-18 team, coach and fit possible for her position and ability.
4. Travel a bit to help determine whether going away to school, what type of school (and how far away) is a good fit. As a parent, don't underestimate this factor!
5. None of the above events or decisions will matter unless you do the basics of getting noticed. It is imperative th make and send out skills videos, visit campuses, and contact coaches of programs that fit your daughter's academic and realistic athletic skills and goals. There are no promises based on "playing up". No number given will help make the decision that best fits any one player or one situation.
Here is some additional
information I would recommend to parents and athletes just getting involved
with the recruiting process.
Many people can be helpful to athletes. High School coaches, pitching coaches,
recruiting services, summer coaches, parents, and friends. But the best person
to help the athlete is the athlete herself and her parents.
Researching and developing the collateral materials is the first step.
1. Write up a resume of accomplishments to format a player profile. Experiment with several formats and show them to college and summer coaches who may have seen several of them before. Update profiles as accomplishments are added. It is best to have times of throwing/pitching/running speeds, etc from an accredited tryout camp.
2. Do a skills video, 7-8 minutes in length before your Junior year starts at school. This is basicly a workout video that showcases your strengths. There are people out there to help people with this.
3. Attend camps, clinics and recruiting camps or tournaments where college coaches are present.
4. Identify some preliminary prospective schools and send them a profile, video, and cover letter. Follow up with an email to the head coach of the team. Select schools that are parallel to your daughter's abilities, goals, and REALISTIC expectations. Likely the coach will give you a reply that will help you understand what they are looking for at your daughter's entrance year and if the school may or may not be a good fit.
5. Watch some college games at various levels to get a feel for the ability level required.
6. Notify your mentors (coaches at all levels) of your goals and aspirations and ask them for guidance and help with the process.
7. Select college teams to pursue that parallel your abilities and goals.
8. Notify your prospective school coaches of major tournament dates and locations. (Like Vicky said, understand that even if the coach wanted to come all the time that there are restrictions on number of dates, days, etc.) Don't pester that coach with too much communication. You will get a pretty good idea of the interest level relatively early on. If they don't appear interested, they probably aren't!
9. Don't give up. Things change and players that may be ahead of you on a particular school's list may select another school. For players not recruited early, be patient as many colleges sign players even in the late Spring or early summer before college when they know what players from their team will return the next year. If you want to play softball, some opportunities come up late in the process.
10. As the song goes, "Money isn't everything"! Available money varies between schools even at the same division. And some schools will increase schloarship money as the player's contribution grows within the program. Very few players get full rides anywhere. Manage your expectations!