Transcript GUIDE FOR THE COLLEGE BOUND STUDENT ATHLETE

GUIDE FOR THE COLLEGE
BOUND STUDENT ATHLETE
Presented by: Jennifer Evans
Broadneck High School
Annapolis, MD
Terms to Know
 NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association
 NJCAA – National Junior College Athletic Association
Organization of Intercollegiate Athletics
 NCAA Division I
 NCAA Division IAA
 NCAA Division II
 NCAA Division III
Division I
 This is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics
 Includes many of the big universities with televised games
 Colleges with football teams are further classified as IA or
IAA.
 Enormous time commitment for athletes (no “off-season”)
Division II
 Includes small schools with lesser-known athletic reputations
 Usually feature a number of local or in-state athletes.
 Most athletes pay for school through a combination of
scholarships, grants, and employment
 Still a fairly large time commitment
Division III
 This is the largest division within the NCAA
 Athletes receive no financial aid related to athletic ability
 Athletes generally love their sport and want to play, are not
looking for prestige or recognition
 Many Division III athletes are highly skilled and competitive
 Some colleges maintain concurrent enrollment in more than
one Division.
NCAA Eligibility Center
 The Eligibility Center is responsible for determining the
eligibility of every prospective student-athlete in Divisions I
and II
 Students should register with the Clearinghouse in June of
their junior year
 www.eligibilitycenter.org
What is a “recruited athlete?”
 One who has been on an “official” visit
 One who has spent time with a coach away from a college
campus (initiated by the coach)
 One who has been called by a coach on a coach’s initiative
more than once
How do I get recruited?
 In junior year, write a cover letter and resume (with athletic
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references) and send to coaches
If you don’t hear back in three weeks, follow up with coach
via email.
Respond immediately to anything the coach sends you.
Send a videotape of an actual game
Talk to your current coach about realistic expectations and
suggestions
Getting recruited - continued
 Ask coaches for an application to school and see if you can
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get one that codes you as an athlete.
Send coaches your game schedule with a note saying you
hope they can attend a game.
Send clippings where you are highlighted.
If a school is your number one choice, tell the coach
Most importantly – BE PERSISTENT!
What if I am not recruited?
 Remember you can still apply to college on your own and try
out as a walk-on, but many walk-ons are by invitation only.
 Many students still are able to play sports in college even if
they are not a scholarship-athlete.
Basic questions for the coach
 Describe your coaching style
 Describe preferred, invited and uninvited walk-on process.
 What role do you see me playing on the team?
 What are the physical requirements and how much time is required?
 How many players are you recruiting at my position?
 What percentage of players graduate in four years?
Financial Questions
 What is the length of my scholarship and what does it cover?
 Is there financial aid available for summer school?
 If I get seriously injured and I am unable to participate, what
will happen to my scholarship?
Helpful Resources
 www.ncaa.org
 www.eligibilitycenter.org
 www.njcaa.org
 www.womenssportsfoundation.org
 www.nflhs.com
 www.national-letter.org
 “NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete”
 National Directory of College Athletics