THE RECRUITING PROCESS TIMELINE
FRESHMAN YEAR
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ACADEMICS – YOUR #1 PRIORITY. It’s impossible to overstate the importance
of good grades for student-athletes. Not
only does academic success keep you eligible for high school competition, it
provides a positive first impression for college recruiters. So you need to get off on the right foot,
beginning in your freshman year. Put as
much energy and discipline into achieving your academic goals as you put into
achieving your athletic goals.
·
HIGH SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE
COMPETITION. If you’re serious about
succeeding as a student-athlete, now is your chance to start proving it. Demonstrate your commitment to your coaches
by working hard, in practice, in games, and in your spare time. If it’s appropriate, you should begin
supervised weight training, speed and conditioning programs. And look for opportunities to improve your
skills outside high school competition, in programs like select soccer, travel
softball, summer baseball, Junior golf or AAU basketball.
·
CAMPS.
Well-run and reputable sports camps can improve your skills and enhance
your knowledge of your sport. They can
also give you a glimpse at your potential competition. You’ll see student-athletes from other cities
and other states, who ultimately will be vying for attention from college
recruiters.
·
RECRUITING. You become a “prospective student-athlete”
when you enroll in 9th grade.
You may receive general correspondence from colleges and universities,
but only in the forms of a questionnaire or email, and usually only if
initiated by a third party. Respond to any questionnaire promptly and
neatly. Attach a short personal note
(one or two paragraphs) thanking the coach for his or her interest. At this point, phone calls
from D-I & D-II coaches are not allowed. Remember: You can call coaches as often as you like.
·
COLLEGE LISTS. Begin to develop a list of colleges that
appeal to you and your family. Try to
identify schools at each level: NCAA Division I, II and III, and the NAIA. If you’re interested in junior colleges
(JUCOs), make a list of them, too.
Continuously update these lists as you learn more about other schools.
SOPHOMORE YEAR
·
ACADEMICS – YOUR #1 PRIORITY. By your sophomore year, you should have a
pretty good idea where you stand academically.
If you’ve kept your grades up through your freshman year, stick to the
same kind of study schedule. If not, you
still have time to raise your overall grade point average, so get cracking!
This year (usually Spring semester), consider taking the PLAN (preliminary ACT)
or PSAT (preliminary SAT). The higher
your grades and test scores, the better your chances for obtaining college
financial assistance.
·
HIGH SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE
COMPETITION. Stay focused and
committed. You should start seeing your
hard work paying off. If you’ve
convinced your coaches of your commitment, they should respond by giving you
more opportunities to display your talents.
You should also start seeing benefits from weight-training, speed and
conditioning programs. Continue to
pursue organized competition outside high school. Look for teams that are competitive, and
teams that provide you the best opportunity to play regularly. Nothing can replace experience.
·
GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND COACHES. Talk with your guidance counselor and coach
about your interest in pursuing your sport in college. Ask them for feedback. Take their advice to heart. Consult with your counselor to make sure you
are taking the appropriate classes to meet the NCAA Clearinghouse list of core
academic requirements.
·
CAMPS.
Again, well-run and reputable sports camps can enhance your skills and
knowledge of your sport. They provide
you the opportunity to test yourself against a wider variety of competition.
You may receive invitations to attend camps sponsored by various colleges or
coaches. If you do, choose special
“invitee camps” over “revenue camps.”
·
RECRUITING. You still may receive only general
correspondence from colleges and universities.
If you have submitted questionnaires, you may be placed on athletic
department mailing lists. At this point, phone calls
from D-I & D-II coaches are not allowed. Remember: You can call coaches as often as you like. If you have
begun to see some success at the high school level and/or in outside
competitions, you can write letters of introduction to the schools at the top
of the lists you’ve been preparing. When
appropriate, you can provide updates to the colleges that have contacted
you. This
is the time to consider a reputable recruitment services company.
·
COLLEGE VISITS. Try to visit at least three colleges from the
lists you have developed. But before you
go, make a checklist of the ten most important things that you’re looking for
in a college. As you visit each campus,
keep track of how well it meets your needs.
If you travel during the course of the year, on family vacations or with
any traveling team you’re on, try to make time for campus visitations in the
areas you visit.
JUNIOR YEAR
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ACADEMICS – YOUR #1 PRIORITY. As you enter your Junior year, take stock of
your grades. If you’ve been working
hard, you’ll have the kind of GPA that will make college coaches take a closer
look. If you haven’t achieved the kind
of grades you need, consider getting additional academic assistance from your
school or a private tutor. Plan to take
the ACT or SAT during the Fall semester.
If possible, you should take the test a second time later in the
year. Once you receive your scores, you
can register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly the NCAA Clearinghouse) 1-877-262-1492 or at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net or www.web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter. Remember, the better your grades and test
scores, the greater chance you have for college financial assistance.
·
HIGH SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE
COMPETITION. The Junior year is the most important year in the recruiting
process. By now, your hard work
should be paying dividends in success at the varsity level. If not, don’t panic. Just keep working hard and preparing to take
advantage of your opportunities. During
your Junior year, college coaches will seriously evaluate your development,
performance, and accomplishments. In
some cases, coaches may actually see you compete. Their evaluations will be the foundation for
your recruiting campaign. Continue pursuing outside competition at the highest
level available (ODP, select ball, AAU, etc.).
·
CAMPS.
Plan to attend a camp or showcase event in your sport. This is the time when you may start receiving
several invitations to camps, showcases, and/or clinics. Carefully evaluate each invitation. The top invitee camps and showcases are great
places to demonstrate your talents.
Consider especially those invitations from colleges that have shown an
interest in you, and are at the top of your list of prospective schools.
·
RECRUITING. Handwritten communication by college coaches
is permitted during your Junior year.
The following phone call timelines vary by sport and by men's/women's programs (particularly basketball and football), but in general: Phone calls are allowed once per week starting July 1 following your junior year (except in football, where there is a one call "window" for phone calls between April 15 and May 31, then none until September 1; men's basketball can receive one call per month during the entire junior year through July 31; Women's basketball can start receiving phone calls in April following the Women's Final Four tournament). Also, a college coach may contact you at your high school campus in person starting July 1 following your Junior year - this date is different for football and basketball.
Remember: You can call coaches as often as you like.
(go to NCAA.org for the complete Recruiting Calendar schedule)
Prepare a videotape of competition footage that showcases your strengths. If you
haven’t already, consider a reputable recruitment services company.
·
COLLEGE VISITS. Try to visit as many campuses as possible
during the summer, holidays, spring break, etc.
(Don’t let these visits interfere with your study schedule or
commitments to your sport.) Target those
schools that you are interested in and that have expressed an interest in
you. In most cases, these visits will be
“unofficial” in nature. That means you
and your family pay the expenses. A college may invite you to attend a
game. The school may provide
complimentary tickets, but nothing else. It’s still an “unofficial” visit.
SENIOR YEAR
·
ACADEMICS – STILL YOUR #1
PRIORITY. Based on your ACT and SAT
scores, identify academic problem areas and work hard to improve them. If you scored well on the SAT or ACT,
consider taking the SAT II.
(You can also combine your best SAT subject category scores - CR & M, from multiple (different) tests to create your best over-all score).
Update your status with the NCAA Clearinghouse. If
you haven’t received confirmation from
them, find out why not and address any problems immediately. Don’t let up.
You need to finish strong. The
higher your grades and test scores, the greater chance you have to receive
college financial assistance.
·
HIGH SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE
COMPETITION. Continue to work hard in
competition and practices. There may be
several occasions for college coaches to see you compete. Don’t let that throw you. Always give your best effort and show good
sportsmanship whether or not you’re being scouted. You may still have a few opportunities to
showcase your abilities in outside competition (fall leagues, select holiday
tournaments, etc.).
·
CAMPS.
There may be special camps, like holiday and senior camps, which you can
consider. They may provide additional
opportunities for exposure to colleges looking to fill voids in their various
programs.
·
RECRUITING. College coaches can now call regularly,
usually a maximum of one time per week.
There are dead periods, quiet periods, and evaluation periods that can
alter this routine. Remember: You can call coaches as often as you like. Of course, you only want to call coaches at
the programs where there seems to be a potential “fit”. Determine the National Letter of Intent
signing dates for your sport. If you haven’t already, consider a reputable
recruitment services company. It can
advise you about the options available at this stage of the process.
·
COLLEGE VISITS. You and your family should only be visiting
schools where there is substantial mutual interest. You may begin to receive offers for
“official” visits (where the school picks up the tab). If you receive such an offer, that’s a strong
indication of interest on the part of that school. If you don’t receive offers for “official”
visits, don’t worry. Many non-revenue
sports don’t have the budgets to justify “official” visits. You’re allowed a maximum of five “official”
visits, so choose carefully. Accept only
those from schools that meet your academic and athletic criteria.
SELECT A COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY. For four years, you’ve worked hard to do your best, academically and athletically. Now, you’re prepared for a new and exciting challenge that will reshape your life. You can feel confident that you have made the best decision for your future. CONGRATULATIONS!
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