Helping the Student-Athlete

1. Helping the Student-Athlete NCAA Clearinghouse & Considering the Next Step

2. Where to begin… • What is the NCAA Clearinghouse for? • Determines student eligibility to play sports in college • Created so there are minimum academic standards for student-athletes • For students who plan to play one or more Division I or II college sport (s)

3. What’s the process? • Students must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse • By completing the Student Release Form (SRF) AFTER their JUNIOR year • will be rejected if less than 6 semesters • Includes a $50 fee • PSA’s may not receive scholarship money, practice, or compete until certified by NCAA Clearinghouse

4. Registration Process • Log on to website www.eligibilitycenter.org • Students create a new account and complete all sections • After registering: • #1- Complete a transcript request form • #2- Send transcript via guidance counselor to NCAA Clearinghouse • #3- Send SAT scores • Must send SAT scores directly to NCAA • Contact collegeboard to have them sent (Scores on H.S. Transcripts – DO NOT COUNT!!)

5. Eligibility is determined using… • Core courses(14 min) • A list of approved courses are available on-line • School specific • Test Scores(See chart)- SAT OR ACT • Can use highest sub-scores from SATs from different testing dates • Writing score is not used • Div. 1- sliding scale chart • Div II- min. SAT 820/ACT-68 • GPA Requirement • Div II- 2.0 • Div. I- sliding scale chart

6. Remember The NCAA academic rules DO NOT guarantee your admission to a College!!! Check for the specific requirements for each college you wish to consider.

7. Recruiting Rules & Regs. Just the basics!

8. Recruiting Regulations Recruiting rules differ at each level (i.e. Div. I, Div. II, and Div. III) Example: Div. I allows a senior 5 official visits Div. III official visits are unlimited for a senior Recruiting rules and calendars differ for each sport

9. Official Visit • A visit to a member institution by a PSA that is financed in whole or in part by the member institution • Institution can only provide ONE official visit to their campus • PSA’s can take ONLY FIVE total Official visits • Each to a different school • Regardless of the number of sports played by the PSA • First visit can be no sooner than the first day of the PSA’s senior year

10. Un-Official Visit • A visit to a member institution by a PSA that is made at the PSA’s own expense • Exceptions: • complimentary admission to on-campus event • transportation to view practice/competition home competitions • Unlimited Un-Official Visits are permitted

11. Recruiting 101 • Key Terms • Red Shirt • A PSA who does not compete for an entire year (can practice); do not lose a year of eligibility • National Letter of Intent • A binding agreement between a PSA and an institution • PSA is ensured by the institution, an athletics scholarship for one full academic year • Institution is ensured that the PSA will enroll at the institution • Penalties exist for breaking this agreement!!! • Once signed, no other institution may make recruiting contact/calls to said student

12. Time Periods • Contact period-permissible to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations • Dead period-not permissible to make in-person, recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off-campus or permit official or unofficial visits • Evaluation period- permissible to be involved in off-campus activities to assess qualifications of psa. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts with psa allowed • Quiet period- permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institutions’ campus

13. Contact vs. Evaluation • Contact • Any face-to-face contact with the psa or psa relative & college coach/rep. that extends beyond a greeting • Any pre-arranged meeting at a practice, competition,… regardless of if a conversation occurs • Evaluation • any off-campus activity designed to assess academic or athletic abilities of a psa • Visit to psa’s school (even if no contact is made) • Number Allowed • 7 total for each PSA (Contacts & Evaluations combined) • Only 3 Off-campus in the Senior Year, excluding official visits

14. In-person Contact • In-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall NOT be made with a PSA or the PSA’s relatives before July 1 following the PSA’s completion of the JUNIOR YEAR of high school • Junior Year- 1 phone call by coach in March • Senior Year- 1 phone call per week ONLY from COACH (PSA has to call them back) • At PSA’s institution • Permission must be granted by the h.s. first • At Competition Site • No contact at the site prior to the contest or during the day of the contest • No contact after the competition until PSA is released by their coach • No contact while competition over several days is taking place until final competition is over

15. Recruiting Prospective Student-Athlete Things to Consider

16. Taking the next step Prior to your junior year: • Consider the NCAA core courses as you prepare your schedule • Begin the college search & consider schools at each level of play (D I, II, III) • Challenge yourself in course work by taking honors & AP courses • Take the PSAT’s & continue to take practice tests on line especially during the summer months

17. Junior Year: • Continue the college search & make a list of those to visit • Take the SAT’s in Dec. or Jan. • Prepare your academic/athletic profile & junior highlight/game film • Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at www.eligibilitycenter.org at end of year • Make contact with coaches before touring each campus • Send e-mails, letters, highlight film, student athlete profiles to each of the colleges you are considering • Always remember to thank coaches for their time after a visit

18. The Final Stages-Your Senior Year • Revisit colleges of interest • Continue to maintain contact with coaches • Retake the SAT’s and/or the ACT’s • Update and maintain student/athletic profile • Send updated profile & include transcript, newspaper articles, & senior highlight/game film • Monitor your status with the NCAA Eligibility Center website • Get recommendation letters • Make application to colleges on-line • Remember to send a final transcript to the NCAA Clearinghouse

19. Questions to Ask Yourself: • Are you informed about the college & know why you want to attend there? • What level of play are you looking to attain? What are your goals as an athlete? • What role do you expect to play? All four years? • How important are your academics? • Where do you see yourself after graduation? What does your life look like?

20. Resources to help • www.eligibilitycenter.org • Scholarship Searches, College Searches & Testing Help • www.princetonreview.com • www.finaid.org • https://access.bridges.com • www.collegeboard.com