Coach Richie Schueler explains the recruiting process from the coaches point of view.  To get started connecting with college coaches make sure to CREATE A FREE PROFILE.

In the college athletic recruiting business we have our own March Madness.  This is the time of year when Seniors scramble to find that last minute fit for college or wrap up financial aid packages.  March is a busy month!

CURRENT CLIENTS- Please let your personal representative and the Home Office know of your recruiting status.  This time of year coaches will ask us who we have left unsigned, and we want to make sure we are being as helpful as possible to them.  We don’t want to recommend kids who are already committed or not interested.  If you are committed (or there is some circumstance that is preventing you from desiring to play in college), we want to know that ASAP so we can help you and help the coaches as well.  Please e-mail [email protected] and call your personal representative and let us know your status and how we can help!

POTENTIAL CLIENTS- If you are an unsigned 2013 and want last minute help getting recruited, please fill this out, http://blog.studentathleteworld.com/create-a-free-profile.  We can’t do miracles at the 11th hour, but we can surely help you get your name out to the right colleges.  Einstein called insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  If you don’t have any offers now and you don’t plan to change your approach, you fit Einstein description!  Don’t be insane, let us make a plan for success with you.

Recruiting 101 Video Series

For those of you who missed our workshop for future college athletes titled, -”Preparing to Be a College Athlete” here is the video replay.  The topics covered include college recruiting, nutrition, and training.

Richie Schueler, a former NCAA D2 Head Men’s Basketball Coach, talks about college recruiting to a group of potential college athletes.

When it comes to what to say to colleges coaches the best advice is to be yourself and be honest and friendly.  Most often STUDENTathletes and parents make the mistake of asking or saying too little, not too much.  There are, however, a few things you do want to stay away from saying….

1. “How much Scholarship money can I get?”-  This actually is a great question for further on in the process, but it is NOT something you should be bringing up in your first conversation.  Of course you want a scholarship, every recruit that contacts them does.  Bring this up only after you have developed a relationship and their interest in you has been brought up and examined.  You also want to do so tactfully so as not to put the coach on the spot.
2. “Dear Coach” or “To Whom It May Concern”- It’s always best to be as personal as possible!
3. “Anything you can easily find on their Website”- The goal in the recruiting process is for coaches to connect with recruits where there is mutual interest.  If you ask a coach, “What city is your college in”….you are telling them that you know nothing about them.  Of course, if a coach called you and you didn’t have time to prepare for the call, you may be backed into this question and in that case you want to be honest.  When possible, do some research first so you make a great impression.
4. “ANYTHING negative about your high school coach”-  You may think that telling a college coach that your high school coach is not helping you get recruited or is not a good coach will make you look like you have more ‘potential’ as a recruit…IT DOESN’T!  It tells them that you are the type of person that makes excuses and doesn’t get along with your coaches.
5. “My top choice is (other school)”-  Colleges want to recruit kids that are interested in them as well.  You want to remain open to all options.  Telling them you have a dream school could encourage them to give up on recruiting you in favor of someone else they feel they have a better shot at getting.
6. “I will go anywhere”-  While you do want to keep an open mind to every school, telling this to a coach may make it appear there is nothing special about THEIR school.  Do some research and let them know why their school is one of your top choices and a good fit for you.
7. “How long/tough are your practices?”-  If you are worried about the commitment level a better way to phrase this question is “I’m concerned about being able to balance my academic, athletic, and social life while in school.  Tell me what an average day or week is like for your athletes”.
8. “How much time will I get off for vacations?”-  Same reasons as above.  Coaches want athletes who want to practice and work hard. While you may be asking the question for purposes of balance in your life, you may appear to the coach as someone who cuts corners and doesn’t want to work hard.
9. “Will I start or get playing time as a Freshman”-  A better way to ask this is along the lines of “How do you see me contributing to the program right away?”  Most of the time coaches couldn’t answer this if they wanted to as they don’t even know who will be on the team or how hard you will work between now and then.  Also, any coach who promises you playing time will probably do the same to a high school kid once you are on the team!
10. “Can you help me play professionally?”-  If you are good enough to warrant that topic they will bring it up to you and you all can talk about it.  If they don’t bring it up is it because you are not at that level yet, and you asking that question will make you look delusional and difficult.

For more information, please visit http://www.studentathleteworld.com/

• When Should I Commit? WATCH
• Q and A with Coach Schueler WATCH
• 5 Most Common Recruiting Mistakes WATCH
• How to Talk to College Coaches WATCH
• Summer Exposure Circuit WATCH
• Top 20 List (Seniors Only) WATCH
• Financial Aid Packaging WATCH
• Determining if a School in Interested in You WATCH
• Being Realistic in the Recruiting Process WATCH
• Using Video in the Recruiting Process WATCH
• How Coaches Narrow Down Recruits WATCH

For more information, please visit http://www.studentathleteworld.com

In case you missed our August Client Q and A Webinar, you can watch the replay here, http://www.anymeeting.com/timryerson/EB55DD80874E.  We touched on topics including communicating with high school coaches, official visits, and committing to schools.

RECRUITING 101 SERIES VIDEO- “When Should I Commit?”

RECRUITING 101 SERIES VIDEO- “Q and A with Coach Richie Schueler”-  Coach Schueler shares his knowledge from 10 years as an NCAA men’s basketball coach at the Division 1, 2, and 3 levels.