The Recruiting Paradox

1. The Recruiting Paradox NAIA can offer 24 scholarships per team • Recruiting is a business – With the cost of college, any athletic scholarship is a precious commodity and you • must look at each opportunity as a job interview. • It is an expensive journey. • 1 day Camps range from $40 - $150 • 3 day Camps can range from $200 to $750+ • Application fees range from $50 to $100. • ACT/SAT/fees • NCAA Clearinghouse fees • Travel/Accommodations • College Recruiters are sales people! • Expect to be told all of the right • stuff up until the time a decision is • made. • Technology has changed recruiting D2 150 Schools 36 Tot Schol. 9 per yr ~1350 Nationwide JUCO’s can offer 85 scholarships per team D3 Schools cannot offer D1-AA Schools 124 Schools 63 Tot Scholarships 16 per yr ~1953 Nationwide D1-A Schools 120 Schools 85 Total “Full Ride” Scholarship 21-25 per yr ~2,550 Nationwide Approx High School Sr. Football Players in US = 254,000 Approx HS Jr/Sr. Football Players in US = 510,000 • Recruiters interact directly with the players versus the parent via FaceBook, text, cell. • Keep your PRIDE in check • Unless you already have an offer – understand that there is talent everywhere, there are 10 more players just like you that every college is looking at. • Behind every #1 player, on every college board there is a #2, #3, #4… that are a phone call away… If a schools tells you they need an answer by a certain time, they mean it. • Any interest from any college should be treated with respect, no matter the Division or the school – IT IS GOOD TO HAVE OPTIONS!!!!!

2. Things to Know about the recruiting experience • Be honest with yourself and where you measure up, the clock and tape do not lie. • Research your metrics against others in your position – be informed! • Establish goals and together set the right expectations. • Film – Every HS player interested in the next level should have film started. • Organize film to show your strengths as a player. (speed, agility, big hits, pancakes) • Use sites such as Scouting Ohio, Rivals to get exposure. Good film can save you. • Camps are the way to “show” a lot of different coaches your potential: • As 8th grade and Freshmen – go and watch a camp this summer – see and learn • As Soph/Jr’s and Jr/Sr’s you need to be in camps if you are planning to play up. • An opportunity to impress = good since most colleges know who they want to look at. • An opportunity to not impress = bad – and bad follows you around. • Combines – Be very wary of combine’s it is a RISK/REWARD situation. • Understand where you measure up with your competition before you go, as combine scores like Nike SPARQ, are widely shared and will follow you around online. • Types of recruiter contact • Blast emails – you are 1 – 2000 other players receiving it – understand it is what it is. • School visits = ok – they are there to talk to coach and get that first impression of you. • Personal contact from coaches/return visits/hand written notes = good interest. • Personal requests from coaches to go on a school visits = definite interest. • Communication • Cannot stress the importance on treating each personal contact with a coach as a job interview, because it is a job interview – these schools are thinking of paying you to come play for them!!!!

3. Once you have a list of schools you are interested in.. Or that are interested in you…. (Note: If you have a D1 FBS offer a lot of the below will not apply) Step 1. Automaticallycreate a PLAN B list of schools not tied to football offers. Step 2. Schools that are interested in you will ask you to apply – Do not consider this an offer – Applying will cost money, and some schools will ask you to enroll for early decision (Ivy League is a good example). Before you start applying - rank the schools in the order of preference (Pro’s/Con’s of each, cost, Division, etc…). Note – Make sure you are using schools “Net Price Calculator” The “Net Price Calculator” will estimate what your out of pocket cost will be. Step 3. Don’t forget to think about some Plan B schools! – since many application deadlines fall before 2/6 signing day. Step 4. Fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) information, which will port your current tax information into the FAFSA tool and produce what is known as your EFCI, or the number that college financial aid staff uses to determine how much financial aid you would receive if you were to attend their school. NOTE – To put it in perspective – to get full Federal/State Aid you must make less than $26k a year (before taxes). Step 5. Schools that you have applied too albeit and offer or not, will send you a financial package that outlines the cost of the school (minus) money you are getting in grants/merits/aid/loans/scholarships. Note – and unfortunately - the D1AA, D2, NAIA and D3 funding models all differ. Some use a matrix for Merit and Grants – They can give out partial scholarships, so you will not know what you have until you get the package. A D3 cannot offer athletic aid – same goes with any non-scholarship schools that have football.