Myths and Facts on Collegiate Soccer and Soccer Scholarships

1. Myths and Factson Collegiate Soccer and Soccer Scholarships Presented by the East Brunswick Soccer Club June 8, 2009 © 2009, East Brunswick Soccer Club, East Brunswick, NJ 08816

2. 1. Introduction Heard on the sidelines … Collegiate soccer by the numbers Myths and facts 2. The recruiting process Coaches’ perspectives: Glenn Crooks, head women’s coach, Rutgers University Julian Richens, assistant men’s coach, Rider University Players’ perspectives: Alyssa Sotomayor, junior, Ithaca College (D3) Evan Brandsdorfer, sophomore, Temple University (D1) Parent’s perspective: Ron Brandsdorfer, parent and president, East Brunswick Soccer Club 3. Athletic scholarships Numbers and dollars 4. What to do right now 5. Q&A Tonight’s program

3. "I moved my daughter to an elite team to improve her chances of getting a college athletic scholarship." Parent of a 9-year-old player "I know a player who got a full ride -- everything covered for four years." Parent "I really love soccer, but I’d rather be a student than a student-athlete." EBHS senior soccer player Heard on the sidelines …

4. Number of collegiate teams Men’s: D1 207; D2 185; D3 397 Women’s D1 321; D2 226; D3 423 Number of current athletes Men’s: 17,000 Women’s: 21,000 Number of high school soccer players Boys: 330,044 Girls: 270,273 Key fact: Just 5% of all boys and girls who play high school sports go on to play collegiate sports By the numbers

5. Myths and Facts • Myths and Facts • Colleges and the NCAA make it easy for athletes to do well – Basketweaving 101 • 6 a.m. weightlifting, practices, team meetings, study halls, long trips to games • New NCAA requirements -- graduation rates, GPA • There’s a lot of scholarship money out there, especially for women (due to Title IX) • Excluding the glamor sports of football and men’s basketball, the average NCAA scholarship: $8,707 • Typical baseball player, track and field: $2,000

6. Myths and Facts (cont’d) If you’re not playing for an elite team and paying $4,000 a year for youth soccer, you have no chance to play in college D1, D2, D3, NAIA, club, intramurals If you’re a good player, collegiate coaches will see you, recruit you Takes a lot of hard work – a family project 6

7. Coaches’ perspectives • How coaches recruit • What they look for • Where they see players • Club vs. high school soccer • Do’s and don’ts in reaching out to college coaches

8. Players’ perspectives • Collegiate soccer – yes or no? • Developing a visibility plan • Support circle – travel coaches, high school coaches, other • Researching and visiting colleges • What it’s like to be a collegiate athlete (time involved, commitment, ups and downs, balancing athletics and academics)

9. A parent’s perspective Supporting – not pushing – your child Not all collegiate players are actively recruited Taking responsibility for the process Do-it-yourself outreach Using a recruiting service Visiting coaches and schools What to look for Promises, promises 9

10. Athletic scholarships • D1 Men’s maximum – 9.9 scholarships • 330,000 high school players • 2,300 scholarships awarded • 6,000 students receiving scholarships • $8,533 yearly value ($16,698 for basketball; $12,980 for football) • D1 Women’s maximum – 14 scholarships • 270,000 high school players • 3,900 scholarships awarded • 9,300 students receiving scholarships • $8,404 yearly value ($20,540 for ice hockey) • What does that mean? • Head count vs. equivalency sports

11. Athletic scholarships (cont’d) How do coaches decide? The National Letter of Intent Myth of the “full ride” Important web site: https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/student/index_student.html 11

12. “Kids who have worked their whole life trying to get a scholarship think the hard part is over when they get the college money. They don’t know that it’s a whole new monster when you get here. Yes, all the hard work paid off. And now you have to work harder.” -- Villanova baseball player 12

13. What to do right now • Love the game • Maintain your commitment to excellence … on the field, in the classroom, in the community • Step back and think – right reasons vs. wrong reasons • Consider the options • Talk to collegiate athletes

14. Q&A • Any questions?

15. NCAA recruiting regulations • Freshman and Sophomore year of High School(and until Sept. 1 of Junior Year) • Coaches may: • Send questionnaires, sports camp brochures, and NCAA Educational Information • Accept phone calls placed by prospects at their own expense, but may not return voicemail messages from prospects. • Coaches may NOT: • Initiate phone calls to prospects. • Send any other written recruiting materials to prospects • Unofficial Visits • Prospects can make unofficial visits to campus • Can receive up to three complimentary admissions to a campus sporting event • May talk in person with college coaches only on the college campus

16. NCAA recruiting regulations • September 1st of your Junior Year • Coaches may send information about their school or program (personalized letters, photocopies of newspaper clippings, media guides, schedule cards, and official university academic and admissions publications) • Coaches may also reply to your emails or send email • July 1st after your Junior Year • Coaches are only allowed to make one phone call per week to you or your parents. (Coaches may accept unlimited phone calls that are initiated by prospects at any time) • A college coach may contact you in person off the college campus only on or after July 1st after completion of your junior year. Any face-to-face meeting between a college coach and you or your parents, during which any of you say more than "hello" is considered a contact.

17. NCAA recruiting regulations • Senior Year • Coaches can send written correspondence and make telephone calls as listed under July 1st after your Junior Year. • You are only allowed to make 5 Official - expense paid visits to college campuses. Your visit to the campus may not last longer than 48 hours. These visits can occur no earlier than your first day of classes of your senior year. • Coaches must have an official SAT or ACT score and a copy of your official high school transcript before this visit can take place. • Recruiting at Tournaments • At a tournament, if a coach does not talk to you, it's not because he is being rude. The NCAA has specific rules about recruiting which limits communication at tournaments. • At tournaments, coaches are not allowed to have any personal contact with student-athletes. It is, however, permissible to say "hello" in passing. Anything more than "hello" is considered a contact. • A conversation, other than a simple greeting, with a parent or guardian at a tournament site, is considered a contact. • A coach may sit down with a parent or guardian at a competition site. This will count towards one of the three in-person off-campus recruiting contacts a coach is allowed.