Student-Athlete Recruitment & NCAA

Heather Brown- Hollywood High School College Center

What does it mean to be a college student-athlete?

Committing to a college athletic team requires great sacrifice; it means getting up at 5 AM when everyone else is still asleep; it means skipping the social even because you have a game the next day; it means writing your paper during your free time because you have a 2 ½ hour practice to go to. I chose to play basketball and in doing so, missed other opportunities. I know that what I gained as a college athlete is far greater than what I sacrificed in the moment. My experiences in college basketball were lifelong lessons. Being a part of a team made me mentally tough. Pushing myself and being pushed taught me how strong I really am. There is a distinct kind of confidence gained in adversity that is not found in the classroom; these are the lessons learned on the court, in the locker room, and on the bus. At times in my career and in my adult life, I have been faced with what at first glance seemed like impossible obstacles. I KNOW that my experience as a college athlete gave me the confidence to know that I could overcome those challenges. Mental toughness is getting it done regardless of how you feel that day, what happened the night before, or what will come; it is doing what must be done regardless of the situation. In short, the team made me a better person.

Student-Athlete (Basketball) at Kenyon College

NCAA Division I (D-1)

Highest level – most recognized and competitive

Athletic scholarships awardedEnormous time commitment

No ‘off season’ – year-round playFeels like sport is a jobPressure to perform

Examples: UCLA, USC, Michigan, Ohio St., Notre Dame

NCAA Division II (D-2)

Smaller schools with lesser-known athletic programs

Feature local or in-state athletesPay for education w/ combination of

scholarships, grants, loans, and jobsSubstantial time commitmentLocal examples are San Francisco St.,

UCSD, Sonoma St., Cal State LA

NCAA Division III (D-3) Largest number of colleges & universities within NCAA Athletes receive no scholarships related to athletic

ability Time commitment not as large as D-1 and D-2

Athletes play for the love of their sport Highly skilled and competitive

Impact of athletics placed on participants rather than spectators

Ability to play two sports Local examples: Cal Lutheran, UCSC, Chapman,

Pomona Some schools maintain membership in 2 different

divisions Johns Hopkins: D-1 in Men’s lacrosse – D-3 in other sports

Other Athletic Organizations NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate

Athletics Governing body of group of smaller colleges Time commitment and scholarships vary depending

on school and sport Azusa Pacific, Master’s College, CSU San Marcos,

CSU East Bay NJCAA – National Junior Collegiate Athletics

Association Governing body of 2-year college athletics ELAC, Cerritos College, Long Beach City College Members compete at the D-1, D-2, or D-3 level

Core Courses Division I – 16 Core Courses

4 years of English 3 years of Math – Algebra 1 or

higher 2 years of natural/physical

science – 1 year of lab 1 year of additional English,

math, or science 2 years of social science 4 years of additional courses –

any area above, foreign language, or religion

Division II – 14 Core Courses 3 years of English 2 years of Math – Algebra 1

or higher 2 years of natural/physical

science – 1 year of lab 2 years of additional English,

math, or science 2 years of social science 3 years of additional courses

– any area above, foreign language, or religion

This will be replaced by Division I requirements by 8/1/2013

GPA

Division II – 2.0 minimum

Division I – Sliding scale (GPA and test score); writing section on tests not used

Core GPA SAT V/M ACT sum E/M/R/S

3.55+ 400 37

3.525 410 38

3.500 420 39

NCAA Clearinghouse

Spring Junior year, register for the clearinghouse, send transcript, and initial test scores

Fall senior year, send final test scoresGraduation – send final HS transcriptwww.eligibilitycenter.org

Creating The College List

Identify appropriate schools Consider the following:

Location: urban/rural; distance from home; weather Size: small liberal arts college vs. large research university Academic Major Admission Criteria Level of Athletic Competition Avoid just looking at D-1 schools; give yourself more

opportunity If something happened, would you still be happy there?

The Admissions Process for a Student-Athlete

Can my athletic talent help me get into college?

What is more important, my grades or my athletic talent?

Will I be able to know all of my options before I decide?Committing early – Early Decision

Marketing Yourself

Communicate with College Coach ID and contact coaches from school’s website

Create an athletic cover letter and résumé Submit online questionnaire Email head and all assistant coaches expressing

interest/game schedule Highlight DVD/YouTube link Send copies of newspaper articles about you/team All contact should be from the student, not parent

Be seen! Club/Travel teams, tournaments, etc. Summer Identification (ID) camps

Freshman/Sophomore Year Tasks

Establish a 4-year plan for eligibility Maintain at least a 2.5 GPA Talk to coach about opportunities to increase exposure in

your sport Attend summer ID camps (the earlier the better) Film games/matches Create and update athletic résumé Keep records of athletic achievements, articles,

extracurricular activities, etc. Fill out prospective athlete questionnaires on college

websites

Junior Year Tasks Ensure academic eligibility Register for and take SAT/ACT Send scores to NCAA – 9999 Attend college admissions info sessions – on campus or local area Visit college campuses (5 official/unlimited unofficial) Register for NCAA Clearinghouse in spring Develop initial college list with college counselor Continue athletic résumé (send updates to coaches) Get an honest evaluation of talent from coach Send résumé and cover letter to coaches/fill out athletic

questionnaires Attend ID camps Keep a file on each school that shows an interest in you Film games – send DVD or YouTube link to prospective coaches Attend college games to assess level of play

Senior Year Tasks Continue to work hard in academics Retake standardized tests (SAT/ACT) Update athletic résumé File college applications/review with college

counselor before submission Update videos, if needed Continue to write, call, or email coaches Be prompt in responses to coaches (Caution!) Visit campuses – official and unofficial visits Attend sporting events/demonstrate interest

Student-Athlete Resume/Cover Letter

Highly important to develop earlyWriting cover letter introduces you to the

coach and expresses your interestRésumé is to inform coaches of your

abilities and accomplishmentsUpdating every year is highly important

For what do college coaches look?Athleticism / Love of the game Sport-specific skills Competitiveness and physical/mental toughness Athletic ability (skills, size, strength, speed, quickness, agility, etc.) Potential to grow and mature Team players, not players whose personal goals supersede team goals Team needs for the following year

Character Personal references Work ethic Leadership

Academics Competitive for admission Potential for academic success Ability to graduate on time Provide a positive image for the school

NCAA – Basics During high school, college coaches cannot and must

not speak to you You nor your parents must not accept any gifts from

coaches or ‘representatives’ You may only send stat sheets, videos, updates, etc.

coaches at schools that interest you and the coaches must not respond to your emails

College coaches will only speak to your HS/Club coach Assistants may speak with you Breaking any of these rules will result in elimination of

your scholarship/legal troubles/sport program restrictions Become familiar with NCAA regulations ASAP to be on

the safe side… Parents too must be familiar

Questions?