FreeRecruitingWebinar Blog

NCAA Continues to Remodel 2016 Academic Standards

2013-05-07T15:16:14Z

Have you ever decided to remodel a room in your home? The process is time consuming. The research with your spouse is endless. What paint color, which fixtures and what type of cabinets will provide the desired results?

The NCAA has essentially been doing the same thing with its initial-eligibility academic standards for Division I. And, as is frequently the case with homeowners, when the work is done, the conceptual ideas behind the selected paint, fixtures and cabinets do not always match the anticipated results.

So, a year and a half into this process, here we go again.

Timeline:

October 2011 – The NCAA approves sweeping legislative changes for DI initial-eligibility standards for the class of 2015. Included are a higher minimum GPA of 2.30, plus 10 core classes required to be completed prior to senior year with seven of those classes coming from the English, math, and science subsections. In addition, the grades earned in the 10 core classes are “locked in” and may not be retaken during the senior year.

February 2012 – The NCAA announces its new SAT/ACT DI sliding scale. The minimum score increases by 180 points for the SAT, and a range of 14-17 points (sum score) for the ACT. The NCAA also announces a new term – Academic Redshirt. NCAA data reveals that 43% of basketball recruits and 35% of football recruits from the graduating class of 2009-10 would not have met these new academic standards.

April 2012 – Fearing that there is not enough notification time to educate high school coaches, counselors, parents and student-athletes about the higher academic standards, the NCAA delays the new academic requirements by one year. They will now begin with the class of 2016 instead of the class of 2015.

May 2013 – The NCAA Division I Board votes to drop the increased SAT/ACT sliding scale for the class of 2016 and will instead keep the current sliding scale in place. All other higher academic standards (2.30 GPA, 10 core courses prior to senior year, etc.) will remain in effect.

Here is the issue. When you and I decide to do some remodeling, the world isn’t going to know or care if we initially selected the wrong paint and then decided to tweak our new look. The NCAA, on the other hand, is a very large, public entity with more cabinets than Martha Stewart’s mansion. Constant changes to the NCAA’s published standards negatively impact millions of high school athletes, parents, coaches and counselors, who are often confused by the NCAA’s initial-eligibility process.

These changes were not made on a whim. They were discussed, researched, and further discussed by our some of our nation’s most influential and respected university presidents. So, why the most recent reversal on the sliding scale? Why now? The desired results haven’t even had time to play out.

It appears that once again the decision makers (college presidents) and those directly impacted by the changes (college coaches and athletic directors) were not on the same page. The often conflicting goals of higher academic standards vs. athletic opportunity collided, bringing us to this latest round of new paint.

Let’s just hope this latest step in the renovation is the last. For the sake of the millions impacted, it’s time to put down the tools and brushes and let the new color soak in.

Source: DI Board retains current initial-eligibility sliding scale (http://ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/resources/latest+news/2013/april/di+board+retains+current+initial-eligibility+sliding+scale)

Recruiting Lessons from Lance Armstrong and Manti Te’o

2013-01-25T16:42:57Z

So right now you’re thinking “this oughta be good” or “where’s he going with this?”

Hear me out.

The lies of Lance Armstrong and the bizarre fictional girlfriend of Heisman Trophy runner-up Manti Te’o have captivated the nation’s attention. Debates have raged with both incredible stories. How could Lance continuously lie like that? Why is he coming clean now? How could a young man fall in love with someone he has never met? How could he not be in on the hoax? Is he somehow starved for more attention?

From these tangled questions come clear lessons which every young student-athlete can learn from.

Case Study #1 - Lance Armstrong

After years of denials and steadfast rebukes, Lance finally admitted to what many accused him of being - a cheater and a liar. As a former friend of mine once told me, “liars begin to believe their own lies.”

Without getting into the details of my story, that statement rings very true. It turned out my former friend knew of this because he was living a lie himself, and it certainly seems Lance would find some truth in that statement as well.

What’s the lesson for student-athletes? A reminder that all lies eventually unravel. Always be honest with yourself and coaches during the recruiting process. Be truthful about your physical abilities, academic record and athletic accolades. If you are 5’10’’, tell the recruiter you are 5’10’’, not 6’1’’ (hoping for a growth spurt). If you run a 4.90 forty, tell the recruiter you run a 4.90 forty, not a 4.50. And, if you are a “C” student, tell the recruiter you are a “C” student, not a “B” student (hoping you ace your final exams). Eventually, no matter how long it takes (and in Lance’s case it took a while), the truth will come out. And, any recruiting opportunities based on false premises will immediately disappear.

Case Study #2 - Manti Te’o

This story is a sign of the times. A time when keystrokes, tweets, posts and text messages often create a false reality. It’s very easy to create a fake or anonymous identity online, and Manti took the cyber bait hook, line and sinker.

What’s the lesson here? The internet is a powerful tool which helps connect the world, but it’s not a substitute for real human interaction. True relationships can only be formed through face-to-face contact. So, yes, use the internet to initiate contact with college coaches. With plenty of free online college search tools (such as bigfuture), free video hosting sites (such as YouTube and Vimeo) and readily available coach contact information on college websites, it has never been easier for student-athletes to self-promote their skills. But, ultimately, you still need to get in the car and visit the campus and meet the coaches in person. There is no substitute for that tangible experience. Just as viewing pictures of a campus is not the same as walking on it, emails and phone calls aren’t the same as a handshake. Plus, unlike official visits, there are no limitations to how many “unofficial visits” a student-athlete can take or when they can be taken (just avoid a "dead period" if seeking to meet the coach). So, don’t forget to put down the smartphone, back away from the keyboard, and enjoy some authentic human interaction.

Lance Armstrong and Manti Te’o. Two troubling stories, but two valuable lessons.

Academic Armageddon

2012-09-11T14:45:06Z

Well, here we are. For kids across America, school is in session. But, it’s actually the counselors, athletic directors and coaches who need to take a course this semester. And, that course would be NCAA Initial-Eligibility 101.

You see, the NCAA has levied massive changes in initial-eligibility standards, which are sure to have a profound impact on the class of 2016 (current high school freshman) and beyond.

How profound? How about NCAA research showing that 43% of basketball recruits could be ineligible for D1? Or, 35% of football recruits could also be ineligible? Across all sports, 15% of D1 recruits are staring at potential initial-eligibility issues in 2016.

So, instead of constantly reminding us that “there are almost 400,000 NCAA student-athletes and almost all of us are going pro in something other than sports,” maybe a better message from the NCAA would be, “Hey, class of 2016! Want to go D1? Then get your act together academically….NOW!”

Of course, the underlying challenge is, how can kids be held accountable for academic standards that their athletic directors, coaches and counselors are not even aware of?

In just the past two weeks, I have presented seminars to the Chicago Public Schools AD’s, Philadelphia Public Schools AD’s and counselors, and to Arizona AD’s at their state conference.

I asked the attendees at each presentation to tell me, by a show of hands, how many of them feel like they have a good working knowledge of the new 2016 NCAA academic standards. An estimate of 3% of the hands raised would be generous.

The fact of the matter is, neither the NCAA, nor our little 501(c)3 nonprofit, can get to all of the nation’s 39,000 high schools in person. But, everyone can find 60 minutes to view one of our free webinars and become better educated on the new NCAA academic standards, plus NAIA academic eligibility and other important recruiting topics.

So, I ask you to be proactive, and not reactive. Let’s not wait until the problem becomes front page news in the year 2016. Let’s get ahead of this “Academic Armageddon” and not chase it.

You can do your part by forwarding this blog to the high school student-athletes, teammates, parents, coaches and counselors in your life. Encourage them to view a webinar today and get educated on this impending academic problem. School is in session, and the clock is already ticking.

It's Just $5, Right?

2012-06-29T02:37:11Z

The NCAA recently released the 2012-13 version of the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. It’s chock-full of useful information including recruiting calendars, recruiting rules and core course requirements. But, one thing is noticeably different from the last year’s version - the NCAA Eligibility Center registration fee will increase in September from $65 to $70.

It’s just five dollars right? Well, multiply five dollars by 180,000 (roughly the number of student-athletes who register each year with the Eligibility Center) and that equates to an additional $900,000 in revenue for the Eligibility Center. Some portion of applicants will qualify for fee waivers. But, any way you slice it, it’s a 7.7% revenue increase for the Eligibility Center, which is part of an organization that had 2010-11 revenue of $845 million.

Hmmm. I can sense the look on your face right now. The same blank stare I get when speaking to parents, high school students, high school coaches, high school athletic directors and high school counselors around the country. A stare that translates to, “When is enough, enough?”

I can’t speak for the Eligibility Center on how the revenue is utilized, but I can suggest a radical idea of reform. After all, if DI football can finally adopt a playoff system, why can’t other areas related to college athletics change as well?

Understand that when a student-athlete registers with the Eligibility Center it often becomes a badge of honor for many parents, providing plenty of fodder for them to gloat over their child’s athletic abilities, be it around the water cooler or in the stands at a high school game.

The truth of the matter is that many high school student-athletes who register with the Eligibility Center are wasting their time and money. Why? Because, out of the 180,000 student-athletes who register with the Eligibility Center annually, only about 76,000 appear on a college IRL.

What’s the IRL? It’s the Institutional Request List. Every DI and DII school in the nation is required to submit to the Eligibility Center a list of students they have an interest in recruiting. It’s a list known only by the Eligibility Center and the DI and DII schools, but if a student-athlete is not on it, they are not getting an athletic scholarship.

So, the NCAA has the ability to save families money and better manage parent and student-athlete expectations by providing one simple reform.

What is it?

Require the Eligibility Center to notify a student-athlete when they are placed on an IRL. Issue them an IRL number, which the student-athlete must then provide when registering with the Eligibility Center. No number? No registration.

Would this reduce the Eligibility Center’s revenue? Of course. But, that lost revenue would result from many parents no longer unnecessarily spending $70, which is a positive financial impact for families.

This would also help foster more realistic expectations among parents regarding their child’s chances of getting an athletic scholarship. Not on any school’s IRL? Then it’s probably time to have more serious discussions about academics and other financial aid options.

It would be a win-win for many families that you can’t place a price tag on – worth much more than five dollars.

Source: NCAA Eligibility Center up to the task (http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/Resources/Latest+News/2010+news+stories/November/NCAA+Eligibility+Center+up+to+the+task)

Upon Further Review, NCAA Calls a Timeout

2012-04-27T03:40:07Z

Sometimes a no-huddle offense creates more problems than it’s worth.

This past October, the NCAA essentially rolled out its no-huddle offense by moving swiftly to institute higher initial-eligibility standards for the high school graduating class of 2015. That class was in the midst of their freshman year when the changes were announced.

Upon further review, the NCAA huddled up and realized what many high school administrators have been telling us at no fewer than 10 state conferences we attended this spring - the changes were taking effect too quickly. Most high school administrators felt there simply wasn’t enough lead time to properly communicate the dramatic changes to student-athletes and high school counselors and coaches.

On April 26, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors took heed and called a timeout by delaying implementation of the new standards until the class of 2016.

The NCAA was clear that this is a delay, not a lessening of the new academic requirements. "There is no thought anywhere of reducing those standards. The commitment to these standards is rock solid," said NCAA President Mark Emmert.

Click here to review the new DI academic requirements which will now take effect with the class of 2016.

Keys to Making the Most of Summer Sports Travel

2012-03-14T15:31:50Z

It’s that time of year again. Time to map out the summer athletic travel circuit.

Gone are the days of the family loading up the wood paneled station wagon and driving cross country to Wally World. For families of student-athletes, summers are now largely built around showcases and tournaments – travel ball baby!

But for what? Ultimately it’s a matter of “keeping up with the Joneses” and the constant pursuit of the magical college scholarship.

About ten months ago in the grocery store checkout I overheard someone talking about their summer travel plans to meet the demands of their young baseball player. “Next week we are headed to Atlanta, and the week after that Denver, and the week after that Orlando, and the week after that Timbuktu for cardio training.” Ok, I made the Timbuktu part up, but you get the point.

For many sports, travel ball has become a necessary evil. For athletes in volleyball, softball, baseball, basketball, field hockey, and pretty much every sport but football, the summer has become a key time “to get noticed” in the minds of many parents. And, even in football, the advent of 7-on-7 camps and tournaments has become a lightning rod of conversation and controversy.

A better bet for football players is to attend instructional camps hosted by universities. This is a sure-fire way to get in front of coaches and receive an honest evaluation of their athletic ability and college potential. Most importantly, working with college coaches provides a great opportunity to improve their skills and become better players.

What most families do not realize about tournaments and showcases is that the vast majority of the college coaches on hand are there to scout a player who is already on their radar, and the kid usually knows it. The rest of the team members who fill in the rosters can only hope that by association they will be “discovered.”

To be fair, at times, that does indeed happen, particularly with lesser-known collegiate programs. But, I don’t recommend reliance on this “needle in the haystack” approach. Instead, if you are looking to “get noticed” this summer, my advice is to get on the radar first, before the travel begins. By doing so, the summer camp/showcase/tournament becomes a second or third impression with a college coach and greatly reduces the reliance on random “discovery.”

How do you do that?

Decide what part of the county is the best fit for you and focus on it. Don’t go to Atlanta just because there is a large event there. Go to an event in Atlanta because there are colleges in the area that interest you.
Visit the websites for area colleges and complete the “Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire.” This provides the college with your essential information and lets the coaches know you are interested in attending their school.
Research college rosters for your sport. Rosters filled with juniors and seniors mean more potential scholarship opportunities in the near future, while rosters loaded with freshman and sophomores may not.
Contact colleges in advance to let them know you are attending an event in their area. Whether they plan to attend or not, be proactive and set up an unofficial visit to experience the campus firsthand (you can take as many unofficial visits as you like, whenever you like). Keep in mind, strict recruiting contact rules might prevent a college coach from returning your call/email, but there is no rule against you contacting them.
Be prepared to market yourself at the event. Create your own recruiting profile and always have multiple copies with you. Your profile is your college prospect resume. It should include your academic standing (including your core course GPA), athletic accomplishments, civic activities, personal contact information and your coach’s contact information.

Finally, remember to also focus on creating memories, not just chasing college exposure. Visit each city’s historical landmarks, try the local cuisine and plan excursions to mountains, beaches or lakes.

In other words, don’t let the process consume you. Get back to summertime fun! Load up the wood paneled SUV, program the GPS, and enjoy playing the sport you love.

NCAA Reduces Wiggle Room for Class of 2015

2012-02-15T16:14:10Z

Ever talk with an accountant around the water cooler? Ever ask them about all the rules concerning the IRS tax code? For high school student-athletes, the NCAA’s initial eligibility and recruiting rules are their IRS equivalent. And the code just got even more convoluted and confusing.

Meet the new D1 academic requirements that take affect for the class of 2015 and beyond:

The minimum core course GPA has increased from 2.00 to 2.30
10 of the 16 core course requirements must be satisfied prior to the start of the seventh semester (senior year)
7 of those 10 core courses must be from the English, Math and Science subsections
Grades earned in the those 10 core courses are "locked in" for the purpose of calculating the final core course GPA
Any retakes of the first 10 core courses for grade improvement must be completed prior to senior year

Confused? It gets better.

There is a new NCAA term. Meet the "Academic Redshirt." Que? (Que is Spanish for "what?" By the way, Spanish and all other foreign language courses will not count for 7 of 10 core courses required by the end of the junior year.)

An “Academic Redshirt” may receive a scholarship and practice with their team, but may not participate in game competition as a college freshman. Students with a GPA of 2.30 or above may achieve either “Academic Redshirt” or “Full Qualifier” status, depending on their SAT/ACT test scores. Students with a core course GPA between 2.00 and 2.29 cannot attain “Full Qualifier” status but may achieve “Academic Redshirt” status by meeting minimum sliding scale test score requirements.

Speaking of the sliding SAT/ACT scale, it has also increased. Significantly.

Here are two examples of the changes to the new SAT/ACT sliding scale requirement for D1 students in the class of 2015 and beyond:

Current Standard: 2.00 core course GPA + 1010 SAT or 86 ACT = Full Qualifier
Class of 2015: 2.00 core course GPA + 1020 SAT or 86 ACT = Academic Redshirt

Current Standard: 2.50 core course GPA + 820 SAT or 68 ACT = Full Qualifier
Class of 2015: 2.50 core course GPA + 1000 SAT or 85 ACT = Full Qualifier

Remember, the NCAA does not include the writing component of the SAT or ACT and the ACT score is a sum (not average) of the English, math, reading and science sections.

Finally, just because a PSA meets the minimum NCAA academic standards, it doesn’t mean they will be admitted to play sports at the college of their choice. Many universities have academic standards for incoming freshman athletes that are much higher than the NCAA minimum requirements.

So what is the moral of the story? Start tracking early. Very early. PSA’s should calculate their initial core course GPA at the conclusion of their first semester in high school and continue to do so each semester thereafter.

I would also recommend that 8th graders begin to familiarize themselves with their high school's list of approved NCAA core courses. Why? Because 8th graders will soon be registering for freshman classes and the first high school semester is critical in starting on the proper academic path. It is not uncommon to satisfy up to 33% of the NCAA core course requirements during the freshman year. Without knowledge of their school’s core courses and the NCAA’s requirements, it is very easy to dig an academic hole that could ultimately cost an athlete a scholarship opportunity.

And that’s definitely not what you want folks talking about around the water cooler.

529 Plans – A Surefire “Full Ride”

2012-01-30T03:45:57Z

The heat is on! Are you trying to figure out how to pay for the ever escalating cost of a college education for your child? For many parents, their savings plan is investing time and money into their child’s sport, with the hope and dream of obtaining the magical "full ride."

First, let’s attempt to dispel the "full ride" myth once and for all.

The ONLY sports that can cover 100% of tuition, room and board in the form of an athletic scholarship ("can" being the operative word, as 100% funding is optional) are the following:

D1 Men: football (FBS) and basketball
D1 Women: basketball, tennis, gymnastics and volleyball

And, even these scholarships don’t cover the full cost of a college education. Travel and other ancillary costs can add up. That is one reason the NCAA recently approved legislation which allows for athletes of these D1 sports to also receive an annual $2,000 cash stipend.

All other sports, on both the D1 and D2 level, provide "equivalency" scholarships that are divided up among several student-athletes. In these sports, an athlete is lucky to receive a scholarship covering 30% of the costs of tuition and room and board. Plus, these scholarships are only guaranteed for the first year. Oh, and did I fail to mention that only about 3% of high school student-athletes receive any type of athletic scholarship?

Moving on.

Many families spend inordinate amounts of money on their children’s athletic endeavors. In many cases, this investment is justified by parents who hope it pays off in the form of an athletic scholarship. This plan makes the odds of winning in Las Vegas look very appealing.

Let’s look at some simple math to explain.

Research shows that nowadays it is not uncommon for a family to spend upwards of $10,000 annually on sports fees, equipment, airfare, gas, hotel, rental car and food. Trickling down to younger and younger athletes each year, this practice now often begins with children as young as 8 or 9 years old.

Ten years of these expenditures equals $100,000 of potential lost college savings, which instead sits in the coffers of various equipment manufacturers, hotels, restaurants, airlines and team and event organizers.

That is $100,000 which could have been invested in a 529 plan.

What is a 529 plan?

A 529 plan is an investment plan which allows families to save money to offset the costs of a college education. Every state offers at least one such plan. There are tax benefits and the opportunity to grow your money significantly over time. So, the $100,000 invested over a 10 year span could easily grow to twice that amount.

How would you like to have $200,000 saved when your child is ready for college?

I’m not stating unequivocally that athletes shouldn’t participate with these teams. They do have benefits, and there are times when college coaches do take notice of an athlete that was previously unknown or lesser known. However, I encourage families to make that decision for the right reasons, not due to a mindset of "we have to in order to get a college scholarship." Enjoyment of the sport, playing against top competition and seeing different areas of the country all have intangible value that each athlete and family needs to consider. As the final litmus test, families should ask themselves, "If the allure of a college scholarship is taken completely out of the picture, are the costs and time invested still worthwhile?"

As a young athlete, I traveled throughout the Northeast. The competition and camaraderie with my teammates created memories I cherish to this day. But the concept of playing for a college scholarship never entered into the equation. I am thankful that my parents afforded me that opportunity, but also that it didn’t come at the expense of saving for my college education.

It’s never too late to get started with a 529 plan. You can learn more about the options available in your state at http://www.collegesavings.org/.

National Signing Day – Are You Ready?

2012-01-23T20:00:28Z

By now I’m guessing the folks at Hallmark have come up with a few cards for the occasion…Happy National Signing Day!

National Signing Day (NSD) has become another one of our nation’s athletic passions. An entire recruiting industry has been built around it. It certainly is a day that John Hancock would be proud of.

Yes, there are other signing days, but the first Wednesday in February is, by far, the most celebrated of the National Signing Days. It is the first day high school football players (and some other less celebrated sports) can put their verbal commitment to paper. It is the student-athlete equivalent of Christmas morning. By comparison, athletes of earlier or later signing days are merely celebrating Festivus. But for what?

The fact is 26% of the student-athletes who sign on NSD will no longer be on athletic scholarship by the start of their sophomore year of college.

Why do such a high number of kids fall off the scholarship radar? The reasons are numerous: student gets home sick, misses their boyfriend/girlfriend, realizes college is a lot of work (particularly with the demands of playing D1 or D2 ball), or the coach that recruited them leaves and they don’t fit into the new coach’s philosophy. Remember, student-athletes sign with the school, not the coach. Imagine what Oregon football recruits and current players were thinking the past few days when news broke that Chip Kelly was close to becoming the Tampa Bay Bucs new head coach.

But, I also attribute some of it to the pressure of signing with a school on the first day possible, even if they’re not quite ready to do so. Many colleges put that pressure on the student-athlete by saying, “We need to know now or we are going to allocate your scholarship to someone else.”

With new pending NCAA legislation that would allow D1 schools to offer multi-year scholarships, there is some hope that the 26% number will decrease, at least slightly. According to the D1 programs I have spoken with, the norm will be to guarantee five years on those scholarships. But, the bottom line is, if you’re not ready to sign, don’t sign! Make 110% sure you have done all of your research and only sign when you, and only you, are fully comfortable with the decision from both an athletic and academic perspective.

A good example is the story of University of Georgia tight end Orson Charles. Orson was a top flight, blue chip football recruit as a member of the Plant High School (Tampa) Florida state champions in 2009. But, while several of his fellow teammates signed on the first Wednesday of February, Orson waited until weeks later to commit to the Bulldogs. Just last week he declared for the NFL draft and is projected to be a second round selection.

The calendar says National Signing Day is just days away. The reality is your NSD can be whenever you are ready for it.

Guest Blog at Hudl.com

2012-01-13T23:05:14Z

Thank you to Hudl.com for providing me an opportunity to be a guest blogger. You can read my entry - "Four Things You Should Know About the Recruiting Process" - at http://www.hudl.com/blog/comments/four-things-you-should-know-about-the-recruiting-process/.