PEN ARGYL AREA HIGH SCHOOL

							COLLEGE ATHLETIC
 RECRUITING 101
           CREATED BY
      MR. DWIGHT REPSHER
  PEN ARGYL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
MESSAGE FROM THE
 COLONIAL LEAGUE
The information in this presentation has been
    accumulated and organized as a public
service to the student-athletes and parents of
   our member institutions. College athletic
 recruiting is complex and ever-changing. In
  view of this, we encourage you to use this
     information in coordination with the
resources cited throughout (as well as at the
  end of the presentation) in order to be the
  most informed consumer(s) possible. We
hope that you find this offering helpful as you
 embark on your journey through the college
           athletic recruiting process.
            TABLE OF CONTENTS
                      COLLEGE RECRUITING QUIZ
               WHAT ARE COLLEGE COACHES LOOKING FOR?
               THE RECRUITING PROCESS: DIVISIONS I & II

(Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse, Home-schooled Students, Amateurism Certification Clearinghouse,
      National Letter of Intent, Breach of the National Letter of Intent, Financial Aid (Scholarships),
                           Recruiting Behind-a-Player, Evaluating Opportunities)



                   THE RECRUITING PROCESS: DIVISION III
                      POINTS OF EMPHASIS AND ADVICE
                        GOVERNING ORGANIZATIONS
                      ACADEMIC & ATHLETIC WEBSITES
                        RELATED NCAA PUBLICATIONS
 COLLEGE RECRUITING QUIZ
Q: How many divisions does the NCAA sponsor?
A: Three: Divisions I, II, III

Q: Is the NCAA the only organization which governs collegiate
   athletics?
A: No. The NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and
   the NJCAA (The National Junior College Athletic Association) also act
   as governing bodies over their member institutions.

Q: When can colleges send recruiting materials to prospects?
A: Divisions I & II: On or after September 1 of the prospect’s junior
   year.
A: Division III: Are not governed by these NCAA rules, but typically
   make contact during the spring of the prospect’s junior year.
 COLLEGE RECRUITING QUIZ
Q: Which levels can offer full scholarships?
A: Division I

Q: What is the difference between official and unofficial visits?
A: Official visits are paid for by the institution. Unofficial visits are
    paid for by the individual prospects and their families.

Q: When can a prospect begin making official visits?
A: Official visits cannot be made until after classes start for the
    prospect’s senior year.
 COLLEGE RECRUITING QUIZ
Q: How long can an official visit last?
A: No longer than 48 hours.

Q: When can a prospect begin making unofficial visits?
A: They can be made at any time.

Q: What can the institution pay for during an unofficial visit?
A: Nothing.

Q: What can a prospect do during an unofficial visit?
A: Have a tour of the campus, meet with counselors, etc., but nothing
    can be paid for.
 COLLEGE RECRUITING QUIZ
Q: How many times can a prospect visit a campus?
A: An unlimited number of unofficial visits.


Q: Institutions can make scholarship offers to prospects during the
     recruiting process, that is grants-in-aid to attend said institution.
     What are some examples of prohibited financial offers?
A: Cash, the cosigning of loans, loans to a prospect’s friends or
     relatives, and employment arrangements for a prospect’s
     relatives.

Q: What types of benefits can colleges offer to prospects?
A: Job arrangements, assistance in obtaining educational loans,
     summer housing, and admission to athletic and alumni events.

     Note: Summer jobs may not begin prior to the end of the
     prospect’s senior year.
    COLLEGE RECRUITING QUIZ
Q: Given that SAT testing now consists of 3 components (critical
   reading, math and writing), does the NCAA include the writing
   component in the standards used to determine initial-eligibility?
A: No. The combined reading and math sections of the SAT, both of
   which are scored on a 200-800 scale, will continue to comprise the
   score used on the sliding scale determining initial-eligibility. At this
   time, the writing component is not being included in making this
   determination.

•   Note: The ACT is also adding an optional writing component to its
    testing format. Since this component is optional, it will not be used
    in determining academic eligibility.
 COLLEGE RECRUITING QUIZ
Q: What is the function of the “Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse”?
A: It determines the initial eligibility of student-athletes by reviewing a
     combination of their completed high school curriculum and
     college entrance examination scores.


Q: Which divisions of NCAA competition require clearance from the
     NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse prior to participation?
A: Divisions I & II.
      WHAT ARE COLLEGE
    COACHES LOOKING FOR?

                  ACADEMICS

                   ATHLETICS
From This Point Forward, CLICK To Proceed.
       THE IMPORTANCE OF
           ACADEMICS
Too many student-athletes think that they don’t need to challenge
themselves academically in high school.

Academics and good citizenship are far more important than most people
think.

ACADEMICS -will determine the schools into which the student-athlete will
           be admitted.
           - will determine the schools at which the student-athlete can
           succeed.
           -will determine eligibility through the “NCAA Initial-Eligibility
           Clearinghouse”.
           -will determine whether the student-athlete will remain in
           school as well as his/her future success.
                ATHLETIC TRAITS

    College Coaches Look For:

•   Players who fill team needs.
•   Athletic ability (i.e. skills, size, strength, speed, quickness, agility).
•   Sport-specific skills.
•   Potential to grow and mature
         (not potential to grow up and be mature).
•   Team players, not players whose personal goals supercede team
         goals.
•   Competitiveness and physical/mental toughness.
•   Personal traits.
   THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
        DIVISIONS I & II

                               Phase I
Recruiting letters begin the recruiting process.
Colleges can send out recruiting letters after the prospect has started his/her
junior year. Hand written notes are a sign of genuine interest.
After July 1, following your junior year, coaches can begin making phone calls.
Division I & II schools are allowed one phone call / week. Division III schools
are unrestricted in this area.


Note:   Any prearranged electronically transmitted correspondence between an
        authorized institutional staff member and one or more prospects, or the use
        of a pager to contact a prospect (and leave a message longer than a greeting)
        is considered a telephone call.
THE NCAA INITIAL-ELIGIBILITY
     CLEARINGHOUSE
 All student-athletes who have aspirations to play at the NCAA Division I or Division II
 levels must register with the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. This will determine
 whether the prospective student-athlete has taken the appropriate high school
 courses in order to be eligible as a college freshman.

 -The Division I and Division II initial-eligibility requirements have changed:

 Student-athletes entering Division I and II NCAA institutions in 2005,
 2006 and 2007 must have 14 core courses (instead of the 13 previously
 required) to be eligible to practice, play and receive financial aid.
 For the class of 2008, 16 core courses will be required when entering a
 Division I institution.

 Note that Initial Eligibility is based on a sliding scale of Grade Point Average and SAT
 (or ACT) scores.

 (Additional information can be found in the “Guide for the College- Bound Student-
 Athlete” @ www.ncaa.org under the "Helpful Links” portion of the Academics and
 Athletes - “Eligibility & Conduct” section.)
HOME-SCHOOLED STUDENTS
 AND THE CLEARINGHOUSE
Home-schooled Students must also register with the
Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.

Students who were home-schooled for any part of high school (grades nine
through 12) must now register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility
Clearinghouse. The clearinghouse will determine whether they will be
eligible for practice, competition and institutional financial aid at an NCAA
Division I or Division II institution during their freshman year.

Register with the clearinghouse by visiting the clearinghouse Web site
at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. From there, click on "Prospective Student-
Athletes," then "Domestic Student Release Form" and follow the prompts.
      NCAA AMATEURISM
CERTIFICATION CLEARINGHOUSE
 Beginning fall 2006, incoming freshmen (both domestic and international)
 as well as transfer students seeking initial eligibility at an NCAA Division I or
 II institution must register with the NCAA Amateurism Certification
 Clearinghouse in order to determine/verify their amateur status.

 Applications for this initial class of student-athletes will be accepted
 beginning in spring 2006.

 Registration may be made via the internet.

 Registration for prospective student-athletes seeking certification for the
 2007-08 academic year and future classes may be made as of the
 beginning of their junior year in high school.

 Final certification will occur 2 or 3 months prior to attending their chosen
 institution of higher learning.
   THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
        DIVISIONS I & II

                          Phase II
Coaches come to evaluate. In-person, off-campus recruiting
“contacts” are not permitted during an evaluation period. (Recruiting
calendars and terminology can be found at www.ncaa.org under the
heading “Recruiting” in the Academics and Athletes - “Eligibility &
Conduct” section.)


                       Phase III
The home visit. (Most often used by Division I coaches.) Should you
get to this point, it is an indication of very serious interest.
   THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
        DIVISIONS I & II

                       Phase IV
Official campus visit. Schools are limited by association affiliation
(NCAA, NAIA, etc.) or money allotted to that sport by the institution.
Prospective student-athletes are allowed 5 official campus visits.


                       Phase V
Decision on whether or not to offer a scholarship.
      NATIONAL LETTER OF
            INTENT
The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a binding agreement between
a prospective student-athlete and an institution.

The student-athlete agrees to attend the institution for at least one
academic year.

The institution agrees to provide the student-athlete with financial
aid for one academic year.

All colleges and universities which participate in the National Letter
of Intent program agree to cease recruiting any prospective
student-athlete once they have signed a Letter of Intent with
another institution. http://www.national-letter.org
     BREACH OF THE
NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT
 Should the student-athlete fail to attend the signing institution (or
 attend that institution for less than one academic year) and then
 enroll in another college that participates in the National Letter of
 Intent program, a loss of eligibility may result.

 The penalty for not adhering to the terms of a signed NLI may
 result in as much as a two years of athletic ineligibility (in all sports)
 at the latter institution.

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Special Note: Most Division I & II institutions employ one or more
 “Compliance Officers”. These professionals are experts who deal
 with NCAA regulations on a daily basis. In the event you have
 questions concerning the recruiting practices of a given institution,
 need to inquire about the appropriateness of a given practice, or
 NCAA rules in general, contact the Compliance Office at the
 institution with which you are involved.
               FINANCIAL AID
              (SCHOLARSHIPS)
Financial Aid (Scholarships) at Division I and II Institutions, which
is based in some degree on athletic ability, can be awarded on a
term-by-term or year-by-year basis, but not for more than one
academic year.

It may be either reduced or canceled prior to the end of the period
for which it has been awarded under certain circumstances (such
as the misrepresentation of information, serious misconduct,
failure to participate, etc.).

It may not be reduced or canceled based on athletic performance,
failure to participate due to injury, or for any other athletic reason.

Each year the financial aid authority of the institution must inform
the student-athlete in writing on or before July 1 as to whether
financial aid has been awarded for the upcoming academic year.
                          PRIORITY LISTS:
                    RECRUITING “BEHIND A PLAYER”
     Bob James / Family                                           Valley State
1.       Valley State                                        1.     Adam Miller
2.       College of Idaho                                    2.     Jesse Smith
3.       Belmont University                                  3.     Bill Sampson
4.       College of Montana                                  4.     Bob James
5.       Eastern College                                     5.     Walt Johnson

     It is extremely important to know where you stand on the college coach’s list of preferred players. As we
     can see in the example, Bob James has narrowed down and ranked his list of preferred institutions. He’s
     quite aware that HE would like to attend and play for Valley State. However, he hasn’t given any
     consideration as to where he stands on Valley State’s list of preferred players. (Probably because he
     thinks he’s the best and can play there for sure!) Well, it happens. Valley State offers Bob James a
     scholarship and Bob accepts. However, Bob fails to realize that he was actually fourth on Valley State’s
     list of preferred players. One of two things now happens: 1) He only starts at Valley State for one year.
     He keeps his scholarship and remains on the team for all 4 years, primarily as a back-up and practice
     player. Next year coach recruits and gets a player of the quality he really wanted at that position when he
     recruited Bob. The coach recruited “Behind Him”. 2) The coach decides not to renew his scholarship
     and recruit a player “Behind Him” because he needs a top notch player at that position in order to be
     competitive. Bob wasn’t it. He allowed Bob to think what he wanted, used him for a year and recruited
     “Behind Him”. KNOW WHERE YOU STAND ON THE COACH’S PREFERRED LIST! DON’T
     HESITATE TO ASK! WHERE AND HOW DO YOU FIT IN? IT’S YOUR CAREER!
                  EVALUATING
                OPPORTUNITIES:
    IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW
• How well you fill their needs.
• How badly they need someone at your position.
• Whether you are the player they really want.
• The coaches history of bringing in players as a necessity and then
  recruiting behind them.
• How you fit into the program, into their future plans. How their
  needs may change over time.
• The coach’s history of reneging on scholarships.
THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
       DIVISION III
The NCAA does not regulate the recruiting practices of Division III Institutions to the
degree that it regulates those of Division I & II Institutions. In spite of this, the
phases of the recruiting process remain very similar, but with variations with respect
to their order of occurrence.

Student-athletes aspiring to participate at this level are not required to submit
applications to the Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse or the Amateurism Certification
Clearinghouse, and they are not bound by the National Letter of Intent. However,
these institutions set very high standards for their students and determine amateur
status at the institutional level.

The biggest difference between scholarship and non-scholarship institutions is:
Division I & II Institutions try to sell their programs, with the climax being the
decision to offer a scholarship. Given that Division III schools are not working with
scholarship money (everyone who qualifies gets a financial aid package), the process
is driven by alternating demonstrations of interest. (Hopefully, this statement will
become more easily understood as we proceed through the phases.)

Note: Greater explanation is given to this level of college athletics because a greater
number of high school athletes are recruited to play at this level than at any other!
THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
       DIVISION III
                                     PHASE I

Initial Contact: This typically comes in the form of a questionnaire.


                                     PHASE II

Evaluation: If the student-athlete returns the initial questionnaire, many coaches will
make telephone contact and (if the prospect appears to be interested) attend a
regular-season game in order to evaluate whether this level of play is appropriate for
the student-athlete’s abilities. Head coaches tend to see players who are known
quantities, or top priority recruits first. Assistant coaches tend to see lesser known
quantities first.

                                     PHASE III

Campus Visit / Application: Once the coaching staff has attend a couple of games
(The more they want you, the more they’ll see you.), they will make a serious
attempt to get the student-athlete onto campus for a visit. The visit typically consists
of a tour, lunch and a meeting with the head coach. Coaches will often invite higher
profile recruits for overnight visits. Coaches hope that by this point, application for
admission has already occurred.
                                         PHASE IV
THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
       DIVISION III
                                      PHASE IV

Financial Aid Package: Packages typically consist of grant, loan and work study
monies. THIS IS WHERE ACADEMICS REALLY MATTER! The attractiveness of the
package which a student receives is pretty much dependent upon how well the
student fits the profile of the school. (Notice that I did not use the term “student-
athlete” in this section. By NCAA rules, students at the Division III level are not to
even be designated as “prospective student-athletes” because financial aid is not to
any degree based on athletics.) The better the student, the more grant money, and
less loan and work study money received. The lesser the student, the less grant
money and more loan and work study money received. Nobody likes to pay money
back, so students who don’t meet the profile/standards of the school (although they
could or probably would be admitted, if there were no one better qualified) are
actually discouraged from attending by the nature of the financial aid package.
Conversely, everybody likes free money. Thus, those students who are academically
attractive to the institution receive the most grant money, thus are most encouraged
to enroll.

                                     PHASE V

If the coaching staff regards you as a top recruit and believes you are “on the fence”
in terms of enrolling, the head coach (and possibly a top assistant) will conduct a
home visit in an effort to show the prospective student-athlete the high degree to
which they are interested.
   POINTS OF EMPHASIS AND
           ADVICE
•Colleges control the recruiting process, not the high school students and
their families.
•College recruiters are professional recruiters. Parents are often going
through the process for the first time. This is part of the reason the
recruiters control the process.
•Parents are often in awe of the process, confused by what is going on, and
naïve about the business of college athletics. (The more you can learn, the
better off you’ll be!)
•Be objective about your son’s/daughter’s abilities. Although this is often
difficult, failure to do so can be extremely detrimental to your son/daughter in
the long run. If the appropriate level of play is not accurately determined,
they will be much less likely to choose the program which will best satisfy
their educational and athletic needs. The issue here is to find the right fit, to
help your son / daughter meet their goals and prepare them for adult life.
     POINTS OF EMPHASIS AND
             ADVICE
•Marketing high school players is to no avail, if the appropriate level of
collegiate competition is not correctly determined.
•Recruiters like effort. You never know who’s watching.
•It’s downright stupid for a player (or the parents for that matter) to be at odds
with the high school coach. A college coach’s first contact is the high school
coach.
•Ask the high school coach what level of college athletics will be most
appropriate.
•Ask the college recruiter how they see you fitting into their program.
•The 3rd or 4th question recruiters ask is: “What kind of a student is he/she?”
IT’S A MAJOR CONCERN! Coaches don’t want players who will be
academically ineligible. They need players who are going to play.
     POINTS OF EMPHASIS AND
             ADVICE
•Character is also an issue. Coaches don’t want players who will either be a
disruption/problem to the team/coaching staff because he/she is incapable of
behaving outside of athletics. Remember, the definition of “character” is “who
you are when no one’s around”.
•The more prepared you are for college, both academically and athletically, the
better off you’ll be.
•College athletics is much more demanding in terms of both physical and time
commitments. If you’re not prepared, be prepared to struggle in both areas.
•THERE IS LIFE AFTER ATHLETICS! BE PREPARED!
    GOVERNING ORGANIZATIONS
•   NCAA – The National Collegiate Athletic Association
    6201 College Blvd.
    Overland Park, Kansas 66211-2422
    phone: 913-339-1906
    NCAA HOTLINE: 1-800-638-3731
    General Information / Publications website: www.ncaa.org
    Graduation Rates: www.ncaa.org in the Academics and Athletes -
    “Eligibility & Conduct” section under “Helpful Links”
    Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse: www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
    Academic Question, e-mail address: academics@ncaa.org

•   NAIA – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
    6120 South Yale Suite 1450
    Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136
    phone: 918-494-8828
    Information website: www.naia.org
GOVERNING ORGANIZATIONS
•   NJCAA - National Junior College Athletic Association
    P.O. Box 7305
    Colorado Springs, Colorado 80933
    phone: 719-590-9788
    Information website: www.njcaa.org

•   The National Directory of College Athletics
    c/o Collegiate Directories, Inc.
    P.O. Box 450640
    Cleveland, Ohio 44145
    phone: 1-800-426-2232
    Information website: www.collegiatedirectories.com

•   College Recruiting Service: www.CollegeRecruiting.com
    ACADEMIC & FINANCIAL WEBSITES
•   www.collegeboard.com – General information and CSS/Profile financial aid
    online application and registration.
•   www.collegeispossible.org – Preparing for college, both academically and
    financially.
•   www.ed.gov – General information on federal student aid from U.S.
    Department of Education.
•   www.fafsa.ed.gov – Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Apply and
    submit online.
•   www.fastweb.com – Free scholarship search from extensive database of
    scholarship information.
•   www.finaid.org – The Financial Aid Information Page providing free,
    comprehensive, independent, and objective information to student financial
    aid.
•   www.nasfaa.org – The National Association of Financial Aid Administrators
    includes a wealth of information to help with planning to invest in a college
    education.
                MORE WEBSITES
•   www.patap.org – Pennsylvania Tuition Account Program (TAP) information
    on saving for college.
•   www.pheaa.org – Information for parents and students from Pennsylvania
    Higher Education Assistance Agency.
•   www.savingforcollege.com – General information on college savings plans
    (IRS Section 529 plans).
•   www.ustreas.gov – Information on U.S. Savings Bonds
•   www.irs.ustreas.gov – Information on federal tax credits and deductions
    related to education.
•   www.ifap.ed.gov – Explains U.S. Department of Education’s federal student
    aid programs, encourages “at risk” students to continue their education
    beyond high school, provides guidance in completing FAFSA, lists websites
    and publications about financial aid.
•   www.national-letter.org – National Letter of Intent website.
      RELATED NCAA PUBLICATIONS
            @ www.ncaa.org
•   NCAA General Information Brochure
    One copy free by calling 800/638-3731
    View/Download

•   2005-06 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete
    One copy free by calling 800/638-3731
    View/Download

•   NCAA Transfer Guide
    One copy free by calling 800/638-3731
    View/Download

•   CHAMPS/Life Skills Program
    View/Download