College Recruiting X's and O's

It's a new month, a new year, a new decade.  Everything you want is right in front of you. Can you see it?  You have to be able to envision your future.   Vision is a vivid mental image of what you want your future to look like based on your goals and aspirations. ... A vision statement captures, in writing, the essence of where you want to be and it can inspire you to reach your goals. So, what is your recruiting vision?   If your just getting your recruiting process started or are well into the process you need to set your goals for the next few months.   You need to focus on what you really want from your college experience, academically, athletically, and personally.   As you begin creating a list of schools you have to discover which one of those schools will provide you with the best college experience, the school where you will develop in the classroom, on the field, and in your personal life.   And t...

There are millions of young kids playing sports who hope someday they will get an athletic scholarship.  Do you know there are approximately 8 million high school student-athletes in the US and about 7% make it to play in college and only 2% will receive an athletic scholarship?   We need to stop emphasizing athletic scholarships as some holy grail to these kids and focus on what is important, the experience and opportunities that college sports can offer. When you set your sights on playing college sports,  your goal should not be to get an athletic scholarship but to find a school that will help you become a better student, a great athlete, and an extraordinary person.  Approximately 160,000 college student-athletes are awarded athletic scholarships. So for the graduating class of 2020  40,000 High School graduates will earn an athletic scholarship for the fall.  And if we want to discuss Full Athletic Scholarships that number is...

The college recruiting process is a marathon, not a sprint. Just as there are different stages when running a race there are different phases in the college recruiting process. In order to navigate through the process successfully it is important you understand each phase and the role that they play. Each phase of the recruiting process has checkpoints or tasks that you must complete before you reach the finish line which in this case means you are a college bound student-athlete. The ultimate goal is to find the school that will provide you with the best college experience, academically, athletically, and personally or socially. Whenever we enter a new stage in our life, whether it’s a new school, a new team, a new job, or a new relationship, there is so much excitement that we may sprint out of the gate. We are anxious for how the journey will undoubtedly change us for the better and we’re excited to get there as fast as we can. We often make the mistake of trying to get to the d...

Being a College Student-Athlete is one of the greatest experiences of my life.  It provided me a life full of great moments, memories, and friends.  But it wasn’t easy.   Playing college sports is very demanding on the body, mind, and soul.   There are many demands of being a college student-athlete,  academic demands, physical demands, the time demands, and psychological emotional stress you will have to endure throughout your career. The biggest challenge that student-athletes face is how to balance the 3’s of Being a Student-Athlete, School, Sports, and your social life.  College is about the overall experience, you just don’t want to be a student-athlete, you want to be a successful student-athlete who excels in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. Academic Demands Playing college sports allows you the opportunity to play a sport you love while building an educational foundation for your future.   As the NCAA sa...

Do you want to continue your academic and athletic career at the NCAA level?  Before you go making any decisions you should know what is the difference between NCAA Division I, II, and III.  The myth is that the best players play Division I, the next best play Division II, and so forth.  That is not always the case.  There are DIII players that have the ability to play Division I but they chose DIII to focus on their academics or have a more balanced college experience.  The Student-Athlete experience is different for each level.    What makes a NCAA Division I School a Division I Member? Division I member institutions have to sponsor at least seven sports for men and seven for women (or six for men and eight for women) with two team sports for each gender. Each playing season has to be represented by each gender as well. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport, as well as scheduling criteria. Schools that have football ...

The college recruiting process is an exciting time for a high school student-athlete, its a journey full of adventure.  It's important that the student-athlete is looking for the "right fit" for them and nobody else.  That does not mean the parents are not a part of this journey with their child.  The parents should focus on what is right for their son or daughter, academically, athletically, and personally.  Parents should not push them in a direction they think would be a good fit for their child.  Parents should help their kids look at the big picture when it comes to looking at colleges. Remember, it is important to understand that college coaches are recruiting your child not you.   However, college coaches don't want to recruit a student who has overbearing parents also known as helicopter parents.  Hand the Recruiting Keys over and let your child drive the car in the recruiting process.   Don't contact the college ...

Playing intercollegiate athletics is an experience that provides student-athletes with the opportunity to excel in a sport they love, while building an educational foundation for their future. However, being a student-athlete is  much more than going to class and playing sports. College is meant to provide young adults an experience to learn, grow, and develop in all aspects of their life. In order to be a successful student-athlete who excels in the classroom, on the field, and in the community you must master “The 3 S’s”,  School, Sports, and Social Life. The First S, and most important, is the School. The reason to attend college is to gain a solid education that will help you find a career path in order to help build a life for yourself after graduation.  Balancing your academic responsibilities will be important if you want to be successful in your athletic endeavors.  If you are not doing what you need to do in the classroom, you will not g...

There are many kids who dream of playing college sports around the country.  Those same kids have visions of that big time signing day with the fan fare and press. Those events are very real.  But for most high school student athletes the decision and opportunity to play in college is a daunting and confusing task.    HERE IS THE TRUTH Recruiting is just as much the responsibility of the student-athlete as it is on the athletic program.  Coaches cannot possibly identify every athlete no matter how many events they attend, no matter how many camps they attend, and no matter how many programs they sign up for to guarantee recruitment.  Simply put, athletes and programs need to find each other.  College Recruiting is a 2 Way street.  As much as college coaches are recruiting student-athletes, the student-athlete has to recruit the coach and the program.  The athlete will do most of the work, but for something as incredible as pla...