Starting the College Recruiting Process For High School - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Starting the College Recruiting Process For High School Student-Athletes (SAs) and Parents Presenter: Matt Griffiths Varsity Baseball Coach at Joel Barlow Former Division 1 Baseball Player 3 years as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting
For High School Student-Athletes (SA’s) and Parents
Mattgriff50@gmail.com 845 546 5341 cell
Coaches inboxes are inundated with prospective student athletes inquiries and simply do not have the time or resources to vet every single player that expresses interest. Showcase events and camps can be a significant financial burden for SA’s and parents Facebook and other social outlets can have a very negative impact
While coaches are more readily accessible, ineffective communication from SA’s can end the recruiting process before it begins Number of students competing for spots (athletically and academically) is larger than ever SA’s can easily become
collaborative process
With a little bit of know how, planning, and process the student athletes can put themselves in the best possible position to find a college that meets all objectives. Knowing what you want (specifics) Organization and Planning Showcasing, Skills Videos, Visits Effective communication Admissions and Academics Tracking and follow through
Create a list of at least 20 schools that fit YOUR criteria. Considering factors might include: Distance from home Academic programs are a fit (ask guidance counselor for help) Size of school Cost Level of academic support Competitiveness of athletic programs and coaching staff Scholarship / Non Scholarship
ü Gather all coaches contact information and create one single database where all pertinent information is in one spot for quick reference and tracking.
Unofficial (Informational) On your dime Admissions tours Informational, coaches may or may not be available to meet Official (Recruiting Event) School is paying for transportation and/or meals Stay on campus for up to 48 hrs with current athletes See a practice/game and/or attend a class Deep dive tour of all facilities Great chance to ask players questions Home Visits (Mostly high level D1 Recruiting Event) Coach is traveling to your home, sometimes will make on spot Good indication you are a top recruit
follow-up. Continue to follow-up with updates. Initial contacts should be brief, personal, and to the point. State your purpose in reaching out. Provide opportunity for coach to see you play (showcases, games) Include info such as class, position, contact information, and grades. Make it easy for coach to respond Record ALL interactions good or bad in database
How many players are you looking to bring in next years class, positions? How much academic support is offered to student athletes? Travel and missed classes? Practice schedule and format? Time commitment in season vs out of season? Expectations on field, classroom? When are recruiting dead periods? What do you look for in a player? How do you rank your recruits? Do Athletes typically house together, is it expected or mandated? *Important for the SA to take the driver seat with questions vs parent, most especially for questions relating to playing time or similar inquiries *Appropriate for parents to ask about academics, scholarship info, department support, fundraising, game schedules, logistics, and travel
Contact Period: This is pretty much what you would expect. During this time coaches can have face-to-face contact with athletes including visiting schools and watching competitions. Evaluation Period: During this period, coaches can watch athletes compete, visit their high schools, and write or phone
contact with the athletes. Quiet Period: The only face-to-face contact allowed during this time is on the college campus. Phone and email/letter contacts are allowed. Dead Period: No face-to-face contact allowed on or off
Division I, Sophomore Year: Coaches can send mailed publications about the school, the athletic program, and the NCAA to students. Students can call coaches at any time. Coaches generally cannot call students, but there are a few exceptions for specific sports (men’s basketball, women’s ice hockey, and men’s ice hockey). Students and coaches cannot meet in person if they are not on the college’s campus. Official visits are not allowed, unofficial visits ok. Junior Year Coaches can send dedicated recruiting materials to most prospective student-athletes beginning September 1. Students may begin receiving emails, texts, and faxes from coaches on September 1 of their junior years (with the exception of men’s basketball players who can receive electronic correspondence
their sophomore years). Students can continue to call coaches at any time. Coaches can begin to call students; calls may be limited in number. Coaches and students can meet in person off campus within NCAA guidelines, with the exception of football players. Men’s and women’s basketball players can make official visits to colleges. No other sports are permitted official visits at this time. Student-athletes can visit up to five Division I colleges, but cannot visit the same college twice. Students can, however, visit as many Division II colleges as they’d like. Students can continue to make unofficial visits, provided the visits do not take place during dead
Senior Year: Students can continue to call coaches at any time. Coaches for men’s and women’s basketball can make an unlimited number of calls to prospective student-athletes. Football coaches are permitted to call students once per week starting on September 1; calls are unlimited after a student signs a National Letter of Intent (agreement to attend an institution) or during a contact period. Women’s ice hockey coaches are permitted to call prospective students once per week beginning the summer before the student’s senior year. All other coaches are permitted to contact student-athletes any number of times provided the student has signed a National Letter of Intent, received a written offer of admission, received a written offer of financial aid, or submitted a deposit to the college. Off-campus meetings between coaches and students are allowed for all sports, but, the number
acceptance is received, an offer of financial aid is accepted and signed, or a deposit is paid to the college, meetings are unlimited. All students-athletes can be invited on official visits to colleges. Student-athletes can visit up to five Division I colleges, but cannot visit the same college twice. Students can, however, visit as many Division II colleges as they’d like. Students can continue to make unofficial visits, provided the visits do not take place during dead periods. Division II Students can receive brochures, campus publications, and NCAA publications at any time. Coaches cannot send dedicated recruiting materials until June 15 after a student completes his or her sophomore year. Coaches can call students any number of times following June 15 after a student completes his or her sophomore year. Students can call coaches at any time.
Students can receive brochures, campus publications, and NCAA publications at any time. Coaches cannot send dedicated recruiting materials until June 15 after a student completes his or her sophomore year. Coaches can call students any number of times following June 15 after a student completes his or her sophomore year. Students can call coaches at any time. Coaches and students can meet off campus starting June 15 after a student’s sophomore year. Meetings are unlimited. Students can make unofficial visits at any time except during dead periods. Official visits are authorized on or after June 15 during the summer before the student’s junior year. Students can make one official visit to each college, visiting up to five Division I schools. Visits to Division II schools are not limited.
Division III Students may receive brochures and other mailed publications at any time. Coaches can call student-athletes any number of times at any point during their high school careers. Students can call coaches at any time. Coaches can have off-campus meetings with students who have finished their junior years of high school. Meetings are unlimited. Students can make unofficial visits at any time. Official visits are authorized after January 1 of a student’s junior year. Students can make one official visit to each college, visiting up to five Division I schools. Visits to Division III schools are not limited.
Know application deadlines for your top schools Be sure clearinghouse, unofficial transcripts, test scores are up to date, accessible, and digitized for emailing The amount of influence a college program has with admissions varies by institution, do not be afraid to ask coach for help Unless a high level D1 don’t expect a huge amount of help with admissions Important to challenge yourself Senior year with course load in case of wait listing or late decisions Always keep coaches up to date with your admissions status Explore all options as it relates to academic scholarships and grants
Create your Initial list of at least 20 target schools and rank it if possible (cast biggest net possible) Gather all coaches contact information and create a database where all info is in one spot for quick reference and tracking. Create a skills video and/or basic athletic resume if applicable to sport Make sure unofficial transcripts, test scores, clearinghouse paperwork is easily accessible and digitized for e-mailing Put together a rough recruiting timeline with some target activities and benchmarks based on your sport (Initial Contact, Unofficial Visits, Official Visits, Application phase, Decision Phase) and stick to it Ask coach for help and begin contacting coaches via e-mail and phone and tracking all interactions
summer showcases Send up to date game
Skills video, Unofficial visits, update coach with newest grades/ test scores, send skills video. 20-50 list of schools, database, begin to send initial e-mails Narrow list further, showcases, schedule fall visits, up to date transcripts Official visits top 3-5 schools, applications Admissions, decisions Final Decisions