Effective Communication with College Coaches: The Introduction
By Tom Kovic
If there is one area of the college recruiting process that stands above the rest, I believe it is the way prospects effectively communicate with college coaches. Let’s face it, the majority of boy’s and girls in any given active recruiting pool will not be blue chip prospects and a reluctance to proactively communicate with college coaches will oftentimes result in an undertow that will likely drag a prospect and family backward in the college search. Below are simple tips to consider when making an introductory contact with college coaches.
Define Yourself
Before you take the plunge and either pickup the phone or e-mail college coaches I strongly suggest you take the time to define who you are. This may appear on the outside as a daunting task, but once you wrap your arms around it and understand the importance of self awareness in college recruiting the easier it gets…And it’s fun!
Remember, first impressions are always remembered and you want to prepare best for the initial communication with the coaches. The simplest way to define you is by developing a personal profile or resume. Keep it to 1 page and clearly list your academic, athletic and personal accomplishments during the past 2 years. Include an area at the top that lists your contact information and an action photo. Accomplish this task and you’re half way there!
Know Yourself
Now that you have yourself defined on paper, be proud of what you see. Think about it for a moment…You have poured countless hours of sweat, frustration and glory into your training and sometimes it’s nice to smell the roses and give yourself a proverbial pat on the back!
OK, you have yourself neatly defined; you are happy with what you see, but now you need to know it, engrain it and make it a driving part of developing your college quest momentum. Remember, there are 3 qualities that college coaches are looking for in prospects: Fine students, strong athletes and self-aware individuals who bring a strong character component to the table. When you connect with the college coaches you do not want to “hope” to know yourself, you have to be able to express yourself seamlessly and with confidence.
Initial E-mail
Coaches receive hundreds and hundreds of emails from high school prospects and they develop personal filtering systems to root out prospects to place in their active recruiting file. The college search for athletes is tremendously competitive and you will need to prepare your e-mail communication carefully and with the intent to easily assist the college coach in doing an initial evaluation.
I suggest crafting your initial e-mail by using the following rule of thumb: Keep it simple, short and informative. You don’t have much time to make an impression, so make your effort count. Let the Coach know who you are, where you are from, what high school you attend and the year you will graduate. Let Coach know you are excited with the college search and that you have sincere interest in his program. Depending on the year you are currently in high school, I encourage you to let Coach know you will follow-up the e-mail with a phone call in the very near future. But remember…Do what you say you are going to do!
Phone follow-up
Communicating with college coaches by e-mail has a chance in being effective, but unless you are that blue chip kid that many coaches are evaluating, you will need to roll your sleeves up and get busy. Remember, college coaches are receiving hundreds or recruiting correspondences and they simply do not have the time to respond to all of them. Taking a proactive effort in “keeping the ball alive” will give you the best chance in moving forward.
NCAA rules clearly restrict (most coaches) from initiating phone contact with prospects until July after the completion of the junior year. Although this is true, it does not preclude the prospect from calling the Coach and discuss your sincere initial interest in his program. You need to be well prepared for this conversation and don’t just call to say hello! Develop a short bullet list of topics you want to cover and practice your delivery until you reach a comfort level before calling Coach.
Frequency in Communication
Is there a point where a prospect can force too much communication with the college coaches? Yes! You don’t want to ping them incessantly, but you do want to keep them posted with significant updates (academic and athletic) and with specific intentions (unofficial campus visits etc.) without bugging them.
How frequently you communicate with the coaches also depends on what high school year you are in, the sport you play and the season you participate. So, as an example, if it is September and you are a junior in high school and play lacrosse, it would be a good idea to keep the coaches posted every 2-3 weeks regarding your fall tournaments, updated PSAT scores and interest in making a campus visit in October.
Effective communication between the family and the college coach can be critical to the decision made by the coach to pursue a prospect. It can make or break a coach’s decision to offer an athletic scholarship or to provide that extra “push” in the admission process.
If your mission is clear, communication becomes the vehicle to move with definite purpose in your chosen direction. On the other hand, ill-prepared communication can cause confusion and misdirection. Your ship moves, but with a weak rudder.
Tom Kovic is the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. He is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. Kovic delivers college recruiting presentations nationwide and he is a regular contributor to several online magazines and professional organizations. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com
Monday, December 6, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Launching the College Athletics Recruiting Effort
Launching the College Athletics Recruiting Effort
By Tom Kovic
The college experience is, in many cases, the most important four years in our children’s lives, as it will shape their future personal and professional direction. That being said, securing admission to a college or university that best match students’ desires, strengths, and aspirations is essential.
Whether it happens to be that long awaited home improvement project, saving for a summer vacation or preparing for retirement, I think we can agree that any worthy project will go through a “launch phase.” This phase consists of a time of dreaming, planning and targeting specific time-lines to hit as you begin to “execute” your plan. The same holds true in the college search for athletes and below are snapshots of general suggestions that might just help you along the way.
Gather Information
Gathering information is critical to the successful organization of any worthy project. Building a college recruiting information base can begin as early as the ninth grade as a family hobby and increasingly grow into a highly organized, disciplined project by the end of the junior year.
Begin by gathering information on the student-athletes colleges of choice including team and coach profiles, statistics, ranking, and academic offerings. Continue to update and maintain individual e-files on these favorite college programs.
Develop your initial college list
This is where the fun begins! You have built an initial knowledge foundation about the college search and you have a pretty good idea of what you are looking for in a college experience. Now it’s time to develop a grouping of institutions that potentially meet that end.
Peterson’s College Search (www.petersons.com/collegesearch) is a great resource where you can input specific information about what you are looking for in a 4 year college experience and up comes a listing of colleges and universities that initially “match.” Investigate both the general and athletic college websites. From there you can begin to put together a more detailed list of coaches and their contact information.
Build your Team
Parents, prospect, high school/club coach, college advisor, guidance counselor and a personal mentor could all be part of your team in the college recruiting process. Each team player will have a specific role to play in order to ensure the prospect’s best chances in navigating the college search with confidence. Advance goals should be set with clarity and purpose that compliment the organizational structure of the recruiting process.
By selecting the team approach, the responsibilities are equally distributed to the area experts. All assignments should be clearly spelled out and communication between the team members should be frequent and consistent. This will help streamline the college quest and assist in avoiding any confusion that could contribute to unclear thinking, misdirection and potentially poor choices.
Define Yourself: The Profile
It is important to streamline your portfolio into a comprehensive and efficient format that stands above the rest. Keep your profile simple, neat and professionally formatted. Make the job of initial evaluation easy for the college coach by highlighting pertinent information including:
• Personal and school contact information
• Academic standing, awards, and test results
• Physical characteristics
• Athletic clubs and level, showcase tournaments, and elite camps
• Athletic Statistics, Records, and Awards
• Mission Statement
• Coach’s Comments
Show your Stuff: The Video
A videotape, DVD or web stream are means of developing a first impression and trust me when I say that first impressions are remembered. Typically, a coach will roughly evaluate a recruit within the first 2 minutes of a video. They need to! Along with the hundreds of profiles, they are also being bombarded with hundreds of videos!
Make your video succinct, professional, and yet attention grabbing. Keep in mind that as individual collegiate sports differ, it is important to communicate with the individual college coaches about their requirements for DVD footage.
Develop your Plan
A knowledgeable consumer will have a clear edge in the pursuit of the attainment of any worthy product. I believe that the same holds true in the college search and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize pertinent information regarding this process and to execute well-designed plans.
Develop timelines that will target general events in the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your data base, and attending competitions) and continue with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as time progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the recruiting process.
Similar to a NASA Space Shuttle launch, the beginning phase of any college recruiting plan will be time consuming, demanding and require the greatest effort. That said, once you break free of that “gravity” and you remain persistent with your plan, you will give yourself the best chance in building and maintaining momentum toward your ultimate goal.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
By Tom Kovic
The college experience is, in many cases, the most important four years in our children’s lives, as it will shape their future personal and professional direction. That being said, securing admission to a college or university that best match students’ desires, strengths, and aspirations is essential.
Whether it happens to be that long awaited home improvement project, saving for a summer vacation or preparing for retirement, I think we can agree that any worthy project will go through a “launch phase.” This phase consists of a time of dreaming, planning and targeting specific time-lines to hit as you begin to “execute” your plan. The same holds true in the college search for athletes and below are snapshots of general suggestions that might just help you along the way.
Gather Information
Gathering information is critical to the successful organization of any worthy project. Building a college recruiting information base can begin as early as the ninth grade as a family hobby and increasingly grow into a highly organized, disciplined project by the end of the junior year.
Begin by gathering information on the student-athletes colleges of choice including team and coach profiles, statistics, ranking, and academic offerings. Continue to update and maintain individual e-files on these favorite college programs.
Develop your initial college list
This is where the fun begins! You have built an initial knowledge foundation about the college search and you have a pretty good idea of what you are looking for in a college experience. Now it’s time to develop a grouping of institutions that potentially meet that end.
Peterson’s College Search (www.petersons.com/collegesearch) is a great resource where you can input specific information about what you are looking for in a 4 year college experience and up comes a listing of colleges and universities that initially “match.” Investigate both the general and athletic college websites. From there you can begin to put together a more detailed list of coaches and their contact information.
Build your Team
Parents, prospect, high school/club coach, college advisor, guidance counselor and a personal mentor could all be part of your team in the college recruiting process. Each team player will have a specific role to play in order to ensure the prospect’s best chances in navigating the college search with confidence. Advance goals should be set with clarity and purpose that compliment the organizational structure of the recruiting process.
By selecting the team approach, the responsibilities are equally distributed to the area experts. All assignments should be clearly spelled out and communication between the team members should be frequent and consistent. This will help streamline the college quest and assist in avoiding any confusion that could contribute to unclear thinking, misdirection and potentially poor choices.
Define Yourself: The Profile
It is important to streamline your portfolio into a comprehensive and efficient format that stands above the rest. Keep your profile simple, neat and professionally formatted. Make the job of initial evaluation easy for the college coach by highlighting pertinent information including:
• Personal and school contact information
• Academic standing, awards, and test results
• Physical characteristics
• Athletic clubs and level, showcase tournaments, and elite camps
• Athletic Statistics, Records, and Awards
• Mission Statement
• Coach’s Comments
Show your Stuff: The Video
A videotape, DVD or web stream are means of developing a first impression and trust me when I say that first impressions are remembered. Typically, a coach will roughly evaluate a recruit within the first 2 minutes of a video. They need to! Along with the hundreds of profiles, they are also being bombarded with hundreds of videos!
Make your video succinct, professional, and yet attention grabbing. Keep in mind that as individual collegiate sports differ, it is important to communicate with the individual college coaches about their requirements for DVD footage.
Develop your Plan
A knowledgeable consumer will have a clear edge in the pursuit of the attainment of any worthy product. I believe that the same holds true in the college search and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize pertinent information regarding this process and to execute well-designed plans.
Develop timelines that will target general events in the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your data base, and attending competitions) and continue with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as time progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the recruiting process.
Similar to a NASA Space Shuttle launch, the beginning phase of any college recruiting plan will be time consuming, demanding and require the greatest effort. That said, once you break free of that “gravity” and you remain persistent with your plan, you will give yourself the best chance in building and maintaining momentum toward your ultimate goal.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Rising above temporary setbacks in the college search for athletes
Rising above temporary setbacks in the college search for athletes
By Tom Kovic
The college recruiting process can be a daunting effort if it is not well planned and executed with organization and enthusiasm from start to finish. In addition, one’s mental approach to the college search, especially when checkered with roadblocks, can make the difference between a fair and a great experience. What follows is a “snapshot” on how prospects and families can proactively prepare for and effectively deal with personal setbacks that will undoubtedly surface along the way.
College recruiting roadblocks come in different shapes and sizes. Whether it is a direct communication from Coach to inform you his athletic scholarships have been exhausted, or a difficult phone call to inform you that you just don’t have what it takes to impact his team, a good college coach will be honest and forthcoming with prospects and families.
If you happen to be that blue chip athlete that most coaches have their sites on, your recruiting effort will likely have fewer barriers. Conversely, if you are the prospect who sits in the “mid-pack” of athletes where recruiting is brutally competitive’ you will need to prepare better and more effectively to rise above the rest.
As a college advisor for athletes I use a number of exercises to help my families organize for the best and prepare for the worst. Presenting yourself as a worthy candidate needs to be at the top of the list and this can be done in many ways. Whether it is by developing an easy to read personal profile, streaming an eye catching highlight clip, or by cultivating a solid relationship with a college coach through regular communication, the manner in which you present yourself will determine the level of “grip” your recruiting effort will have.
Develop Thick Skin
OK. You have brilliantly crafted your recruiting plan and you are regularly providing the coaches with academic, athletic and personal updates and you have made an unofficial visit to campus. You are feeling confident about the effort you have made and you’re confident it will have some impact. Unfortunately, this is 50% of the battle and the next question is simply…How does Coach see me?
There are going to be some tough questions you will eventually present college coaches, especially when it comes to roster availability, admissions support and financial aid. Before you jump in, I suggest you firstly develop some “tough skin.” Compare the recruiting process to a job interview and I think you’ll see my point. If you have lined up 10 job interviews and they all go brilliantly, do you think you will receive 10 offers? Probably not. Just as the company’s you will eventually interview with, the college coaches are looking for specific candidates to fit specific roles.
If a college coach has to communicate bad news to a prospect, it is not because you have a character flaw and you should never take bad news personally. Considering the volume of recruits that coaches are cultivating, they need to develop a filtering system that will help them trim down their list to a more manageable grouping. A good college coach will be upfront with families and offer truthful and honest communication from start to finish.
Letting go and moving forward
If and when (and you most likely will) receive that phone call from Coach explaining politely that you will no longer be part of the active list of recruits, you have to be able to accept it, let go and move forward. There is no doubt that this can be a hurtful moment, but the prospect that has the ability to “take it,” saddle up and get back “in the moment,” will have a greater chance in grabbing that brass ring.
Everything in this world happens for a reason and where one family may see a negative experience as devastating; another family will see it as an opportunity. One prospect might break down from bad news, while another athlete will rise up, a little tougher, with a little more drive and determination to move on.
For most prospects and families, the college search will not be a straight line, nor will it be a downhill run in finding that right college match. In most cases, it will be a struggle and in that struggle will be intangible life lessons to be learned, hurdles to cross and heartaches to suffer, but in the end and with a proper and realistic approach, the right match is out there and waiting for you to snatch.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting (www.victoryrecruiting.com), where he provides advisement and counseling for prospective student-athletes and families in preparing for the college search.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
By Tom Kovic
The college recruiting process can be a daunting effort if it is not well planned and executed with organization and enthusiasm from start to finish. In addition, one’s mental approach to the college search, especially when checkered with roadblocks, can make the difference between a fair and a great experience. What follows is a “snapshot” on how prospects and families can proactively prepare for and effectively deal with personal setbacks that will undoubtedly surface along the way.
College recruiting roadblocks come in different shapes and sizes. Whether it is a direct communication from Coach to inform you his athletic scholarships have been exhausted, or a difficult phone call to inform you that you just don’t have what it takes to impact his team, a good college coach will be honest and forthcoming with prospects and families.
If you happen to be that blue chip athlete that most coaches have their sites on, your recruiting effort will likely have fewer barriers. Conversely, if you are the prospect who sits in the “mid-pack” of athletes where recruiting is brutally competitive’ you will need to prepare better and more effectively to rise above the rest.
As a college advisor for athletes I use a number of exercises to help my families organize for the best and prepare for the worst. Presenting yourself as a worthy candidate needs to be at the top of the list and this can be done in many ways. Whether it is by developing an easy to read personal profile, streaming an eye catching highlight clip, or by cultivating a solid relationship with a college coach through regular communication, the manner in which you present yourself will determine the level of “grip” your recruiting effort will have.
Develop Thick Skin
OK. You have brilliantly crafted your recruiting plan and you are regularly providing the coaches with academic, athletic and personal updates and you have made an unofficial visit to campus. You are feeling confident about the effort you have made and you’re confident it will have some impact. Unfortunately, this is 50% of the battle and the next question is simply…How does Coach see me?
There are going to be some tough questions you will eventually present college coaches, especially when it comes to roster availability, admissions support and financial aid. Before you jump in, I suggest you firstly develop some “tough skin.” Compare the recruiting process to a job interview and I think you’ll see my point. If you have lined up 10 job interviews and they all go brilliantly, do you think you will receive 10 offers? Probably not. Just as the company’s you will eventually interview with, the college coaches are looking for specific candidates to fit specific roles.
If a college coach has to communicate bad news to a prospect, it is not because you have a character flaw and you should never take bad news personally. Considering the volume of recruits that coaches are cultivating, they need to develop a filtering system that will help them trim down their list to a more manageable grouping. A good college coach will be upfront with families and offer truthful and honest communication from start to finish.
Letting go and moving forward
If and when (and you most likely will) receive that phone call from Coach explaining politely that you will no longer be part of the active list of recruits, you have to be able to accept it, let go and move forward. There is no doubt that this can be a hurtful moment, but the prospect that has the ability to “take it,” saddle up and get back “in the moment,” will have a greater chance in grabbing that brass ring.
Everything in this world happens for a reason and where one family may see a negative experience as devastating; another family will see it as an opportunity. One prospect might break down from bad news, while another athlete will rise up, a little tougher, with a little more drive and determination to move on.
For most prospects and families, the college search will not be a straight line, nor will it be a downhill run in finding that right college match. In most cases, it will be a struggle and in that struggle will be intangible life lessons to be learned, hurdles to cross and heartaches to suffer, but in the end and with a proper and realistic approach, the right match is out there and waiting for you to snatch.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting (www.victoryrecruiting.com), where he provides advisement and counseling for prospective student-athletes and families in preparing for the college search.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Dynamic Exchange in Communicating with College Athletic Coaches By Tom Kovic
Dynamic Exchange in Communicating with College Athletic Coaches
By Tom Kovic
Whenever I lecture on college athletics recruiting, a primary area I focus on is using “deliberate” communication with college coaches in an effort to build sincere personal relationships. Although eligibility, financial aid and contacts and evaluations are all very important, I am convinced the area of communication is very important to the likelihood of success in the college search for athletes.
I choose the phrase “dynamic exchange” to help differentiate between normal communication and effective communication with college coaches. The aim is simple: Whenever you communicate with college coaches you want to create “impact” and with the aim of continuing the momentum you have developed in advancing your recruiting effort.
Dynamic and Exchange (Defined)
Dynamic: 1. adj. active, energetic, capable of giving a sense of power and transmitting energy.
Exchange: n. the giving or receiving of one thing in return for something else.
If we view the college recruiting process from its simplistic state, I think we can agree that in the end, both coaches and prospects are looking for the right match. That said, I strongly feel that the prospect and family that are willing to develop a “give and take” and an “ebb and flow” strategy in developing their recruiting tactics will have the best chance in carving out their college search…And with communication as the tool.
Preparation
Remember, college coaches have their sites set on recruiting and retaining the top prospects on their list, but as they move down the list they will be looking for “grey area components” that divide the best from the rest and they need your help.
Whether it is an on campus visit, phone conversation, or e-mail correspondence with the coaches…Make it count. The old adage is true: Measure twice, cut once. The better prepared we are before we communicate with college coaches, the more tangible the results will be. College coaches are grounded, common sense individuals who pick up on the little things that can make a big difference.
Practice
Practicing communication skills is the same as doing your homework or spending 4 hours working drills in the gym or on the playing field. The more diligent and sincere your effort, the better prepared you will be to communicate with confidence. Remember, the manner in which you express yourself, your interests and your intent can have a direct effect on the level of interest college coaches will offer.
Keep accurate contact logs of all phone calls, e-mails and face-to-face contacts you have with college coaches. This will help families organize information that will assist them in future planning. It will also help prepare follow-up communication that will generate fresh “action” items to be discussed in future contacts.
Cultivating relationships
If you want to separate yourself from the rest of the recruiting pack, then I strongly suggest you make it your goal to communicate with college coaches about your sincere interest in their program. If you give the coaches every reason to believe that you are attempting to cultivate a reciprocal relationship with them, it sends a positive signal that will, in most cases, cause Coach to take a second look at your recruiting file.
Remember, there are three key qualities college coaches are looking for in prospects: Quality students, strong athletes and kids that bring a high character component to the table. Never underestimate the character component in your recruiting effort. It could very well be your ace in the hole.
The “scratch your head” syndrome
If you are that “blue chip” kid that most college coaches are pursuing, your recruiting journey will probably be a little less bumpy. On the other hand, if you are grouped into the active recruiting file of prospects that need to compete more aggressively for athletic scholarship, an admissions component or walk-on opportunity, you need to go above and beyond and find a way to rise above the rest.
The “scratch your head syndrome” is a typical crossroads most college recruiters approach each year and with few exception. They are either stumped to how their recruiting list should be ranked, or, for some reason, they are giving a prospect a second and third look for intangible reasons. They are “scratching their head” in a worthy struggle to give a kid every opportunity to fit into the “team puzzle” and it typically happens with prospects and families who have pushed the envelope in their recruiting effort.
I encourage every family and athlete I work with to begin with the end game and work backwards to the beginning of the college search. Just like that magical season, win or lose, you can proudly look back and say you gave it your best shot. The same should hold true in the college search and using dynamic communication with college coaches that has “grip” will open up new and exciting parts of your character that coaches will pick up on and appreciate greatly.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I Head College Coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
By Tom Kovic
Whenever I lecture on college athletics recruiting, a primary area I focus on is using “deliberate” communication with college coaches in an effort to build sincere personal relationships. Although eligibility, financial aid and contacts and evaluations are all very important, I am convinced the area of communication is very important to the likelihood of success in the college search for athletes.
I choose the phrase “dynamic exchange” to help differentiate between normal communication and effective communication with college coaches. The aim is simple: Whenever you communicate with college coaches you want to create “impact” and with the aim of continuing the momentum you have developed in advancing your recruiting effort.
Dynamic and Exchange (Defined)
Dynamic: 1. adj. active, energetic, capable of giving a sense of power and transmitting energy.
Exchange: n. the giving or receiving of one thing in return for something else.
If we view the college recruiting process from its simplistic state, I think we can agree that in the end, both coaches and prospects are looking for the right match. That said, I strongly feel that the prospect and family that are willing to develop a “give and take” and an “ebb and flow” strategy in developing their recruiting tactics will have the best chance in carving out their college search…And with communication as the tool.
Preparation
Remember, college coaches have their sites set on recruiting and retaining the top prospects on their list, but as they move down the list they will be looking for “grey area components” that divide the best from the rest and they need your help.
Whether it is an on campus visit, phone conversation, or e-mail correspondence with the coaches…Make it count. The old adage is true: Measure twice, cut once. The better prepared we are before we communicate with college coaches, the more tangible the results will be. College coaches are grounded, common sense individuals who pick up on the little things that can make a big difference.
Practice
Practicing communication skills is the same as doing your homework or spending 4 hours working drills in the gym or on the playing field. The more diligent and sincere your effort, the better prepared you will be to communicate with confidence. Remember, the manner in which you express yourself, your interests and your intent can have a direct effect on the level of interest college coaches will offer.
Keep accurate contact logs of all phone calls, e-mails and face-to-face contacts you have with college coaches. This will help families organize information that will assist them in future planning. It will also help prepare follow-up communication that will generate fresh “action” items to be discussed in future contacts.
Cultivating relationships
If you want to separate yourself from the rest of the recruiting pack, then I strongly suggest you make it your goal to communicate with college coaches about your sincere interest in their program. If you give the coaches every reason to believe that you are attempting to cultivate a reciprocal relationship with them, it sends a positive signal that will, in most cases, cause Coach to take a second look at your recruiting file.
Remember, there are three key qualities college coaches are looking for in prospects: Quality students, strong athletes and kids that bring a high character component to the table. Never underestimate the character component in your recruiting effort. It could very well be your ace in the hole.
The “scratch your head” syndrome
If you are that “blue chip” kid that most college coaches are pursuing, your recruiting journey will probably be a little less bumpy. On the other hand, if you are grouped into the active recruiting file of prospects that need to compete more aggressively for athletic scholarship, an admissions component or walk-on opportunity, you need to go above and beyond and find a way to rise above the rest.
The “scratch your head syndrome” is a typical crossroads most college recruiters approach each year and with few exception. They are either stumped to how their recruiting list should be ranked, or, for some reason, they are giving a prospect a second and third look for intangible reasons. They are “scratching their head” in a worthy struggle to give a kid every opportunity to fit into the “team puzzle” and it typically happens with prospects and families who have pushed the envelope in their recruiting effort.
I encourage every family and athlete I work with to begin with the end game and work backwards to the beginning of the college search. Just like that magical season, win or lose, you can proudly look back and say you gave it your best shot. The same should hold true in the college search and using dynamic communication with college coaches that has “grip” will open up new and exciting parts of your character that coaches will pick up on and appreciate greatly.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I Head College Coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
College Athletics Recruiting: The Initial Assessment
College Athletics Recruiting: The Initial Assessment
By Tom Kovic
Organization is an important component in the college search for athletes and completing a college bound assessment for what you would like to achieve is a great way to start! Think of the assessment as the seed you want to plant to grow your recruiting effort. What grows will be determined by how you cultivate it from start to finish.
Looking at the “big picture” can be a tall task for most high school athletes, but if you can begin with the end game in mind and work backwards in developing your personal plan for success, you will most likely run into the college assessment near the beginning of the checklist.
Assessment Defined
I use a generic assessment with each of the prospects I advise and I have to tell you, it works beautifully. The questions may be the same, but the answers are very different for each athlete and exciting for me to read. Simply defined, the assessment is a tool that should provide prospects and families with a broad aim to the direction their college quest will take.
As an advisor for athletes, my assessment questions are equally loaded on the academic and athletic side, with additional emphasis on the social and cultural component. Basically, I’m trying to get a feel about the college experience my boys and girls are currently aiming for based on academic strength, athletic level, geographic location and undergraduate makeup.
Assessment Questions
My initial assessment goal is simple: Get the kids “thinking for themselves.” Not only is this a necessary skill to determine potential college choices for my families, college coaches pick up on kids that have a grasp on the recruiting process. Remember, there are 3 important qualities college coaches are looking for in a recruit…Good students, strong athletes and self aware individuals. Below are 10 questions I feel will “fuel the tank” and kick start the college search:
1. Describe in 2-3 sentences how you envision the college experience best unfolding for you?
2. Are you looking for a school environment that is Urban, Rural, or College Town?
3 How far are you willing to travel from home to attend college?
4 How important is the athletics “component” of the college experience? Are you looking for a true “student-athlete” experience?
5 Are you looking for a college environment that will “push you” or allow you to “explore” independent options?
6 Are you looking for a small, medium or large undergraduate population?
7 What area of educational studies are you leaning toward?
8 What excites you most about the college experience?
9 What worries you most?
10 Are you willing to take personal responsibility for every independent decision you make as part of the college experience?
Direction
The answers to the assessment questions should now provide the prospect and family with a general idea about the type of institution they are aiming toward. Now it’s time to draw up an initial list of colleges!
I use the Naviance network, which is an awesome tool that allows me, based on the assessment information the prospect filled in, to determine an initial grouping of schools that potentially match with the prospect. From here I simply plug pertinent college recruiting information (website, coaches contact information etc.) into an Excel spreadsheet for easy reference. Now the prospect is ready to accomplish 2 tasks: Investigate the college list and communicate directly with the college coaches.
Ebb and Flow
As families navigate the college recruiting process, it is natural to experience highs and lows, moments of exhilaration and frustration and everything in between. You learn to develop tough skin quickly!
As prospects become more familiar with the recruiting process; communicate more effectively with the college coaches and develop a resourceful educational base of information about the college search, the “ships heading” will naturally change. Slightly at first, but it will surely change! A simple “road trip” to a college on your “C” list can become an eye opening experience where you connected strongly with the Coach, with campus and grow a greater appreciation for the overall experience. I believe we need to be open to each new opportunity in the college search and meet that opportunity head on.
Defining a “starting point” in the college search for athletes will not only initiate direction to the project, it gives it purpose and the initial assessment is a great way to assist in creating “lift-off.”
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and “NCAA Rules Simplified.” For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
By Tom Kovic
Organization is an important component in the college search for athletes and completing a college bound assessment for what you would like to achieve is a great way to start! Think of the assessment as the seed you want to plant to grow your recruiting effort. What grows will be determined by how you cultivate it from start to finish.
Looking at the “big picture” can be a tall task for most high school athletes, but if you can begin with the end game in mind and work backwards in developing your personal plan for success, you will most likely run into the college assessment near the beginning of the checklist.
Assessment Defined
I use a generic assessment with each of the prospects I advise and I have to tell you, it works beautifully. The questions may be the same, but the answers are very different for each athlete and exciting for me to read. Simply defined, the assessment is a tool that should provide prospects and families with a broad aim to the direction their college quest will take.
As an advisor for athletes, my assessment questions are equally loaded on the academic and athletic side, with additional emphasis on the social and cultural component. Basically, I’m trying to get a feel about the college experience my boys and girls are currently aiming for based on academic strength, athletic level, geographic location and undergraduate makeup.
Assessment Questions
My initial assessment goal is simple: Get the kids “thinking for themselves.” Not only is this a necessary skill to determine potential college choices for my families, college coaches pick up on kids that have a grasp on the recruiting process. Remember, there are 3 important qualities college coaches are looking for in a recruit…Good students, strong athletes and self aware individuals. Below are 10 questions I feel will “fuel the tank” and kick start the college search:
1. Describe in 2-3 sentences how you envision the college experience best unfolding for you?
2. Are you looking for a school environment that is Urban, Rural, or College Town?
3 How far are you willing to travel from home to attend college?
4 How important is the athletics “component” of the college experience? Are you looking for a true “student-athlete” experience?
5 Are you looking for a college environment that will “push you” or allow you to “explore” independent options?
6 Are you looking for a small, medium or large undergraduate population?
7 What area of educational studies are you leaning toward?
8 What excites you most about the college experience?
9 What worries you most?
10 Are you willing to take personal responsibility for every independent decision you make as part of the college experience?
Direction
The answers to the assessment questions should now provide the prospect and family with a general idea about the type of institution they are aiming toward. Now it’s time to draw up an initial list of colleges!
I use the Naviance network, which is an awesome tool that allows me, based on the assessment information the prospect filled in, to determine an initial grouping of schools that potentially match with the prospect. From here I simply plug pertinent college recruiting information (website, coaches contact information etc.) into an Excel spreadsheet for easy reference. Now the prospect is ready to accomplish 2 tasks: Investigate the college list and communicate directly with the college coaches.
Ebb and Flow
As families navigate the college recruiting process, it is natural to experience highs and lows, moments of exhilaration and frustration and everything in between. You learn to develop tough skin quickly!
As prospects become more familiar with the recruiting process; communicate more effectively with the college coaches and develop a resourceful educational base of information about the college search, the “ships heading” will naturally change. Slightly at first, but it will surely change! A simple “road trip” to a college on your “C” list can become an eye opening experience where you connected strongly with the Coach, with campus and grow a greater appreciation for the overall experience. I believe we need to be open to each new opportunity in the college search and meet that opportunity head on.
Defining a “starting point” in the college search for athletes will not only initiate direction to the project, it gives it purpose and the initial assessment is a great way to assist in creating “lift-off.”
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and “NCAA Rules Simplified.” For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Friday, May 28, 2010
USA Project 2012
Project 2012: a Web Event for Coaches, highlighting
the essential techniques for gymnastics success in the next
quadrennium. This web event brings the best coaches in the United
States to your computer screen doing LIVE lectures and demonstrations
on the most important cutting-edge information in our sport.
...
NEW! 2010 Summer Sessions begin June 15! Sign up for for one session at $199 or all four at $699.
TERM 1: June 15 - July 13 •
TERM 2: July 20 - August 17
Terms 1 & 2 will be Tuesday evenings, 6pm PST / 9pm EST
TERM 3: August 24 - September 21 •
TERM 4: September 28 - October 26
Terms 3 & 4 will be Tuesday mornings, 9am PST / 12pm EST
the essential techniques for gymnastics success in the next
quadrennium. This web event brings the best coaches in the United
States to your computer screen doing LIVE lectures and demonstrations
on the most important cutting-edge information in our sport.
...
NEW! 2010 Summer Sessions begin June 15! Sign up for for one session at $199 or all four at $699.
TERM 1: June 15 - July 13 •
TERM 2: July 20 - August 17
Terms 1 & 2 will be Tuesday evenings, 6pm PST / 9pm EST
TERM 3: August 24 - September 21 •
TERM 4: September 28 - October 26
Terms 3 & 4 will be Tuesday mornings, 9am PST / 12pm EST
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Working the “Grey Areas” in the College Search for Athletes
Working the “Grey Areas” in the College Search for Athletes
By Tom Kovic
The college search for athletes is a very “individual” quest. A winning strategy for one prospect could be a losing strategy for another. I think we can all agree that when it comes to recruiting, the “blue chip” kids are going to be found…It’s just a matter of when.
That being said, the majority of the prospects looking for a home on a college campus and as part of a varsity team are NOT the blue chip kids. Firstly, this needs to be understood and realized. Secondly, these prospects need to develop and execute a separate plan of attack and begin to tackle what I call the “grey areas” of recruiting.
When I speak of grey areas, I am alluding to alternative tactics that could strongly assist families and their children reach a little higher and with a better chance of success in the college search.
Self Realization
A great way to start the process is to do an objective evaluation as a prospective student-athlete. Based on your current core courses, GPA and standardized testing, take the time to realistically define yourself “in the moment” from an academic standpoint
Use the same exercise and do a critical athletics evaluation. Are you that star on the horizon? That hard working, dedicated athlete who contributes on occasion to the team? Or are you somewhere in between?
Target your schools
Based on this evaluation, it’s time to develop your “rough list” of potential college institutions that match. I suggest sitting down with your guidance counselor, who most likely has access to the Naviance network that allows you to plug specific information (potential major, geographic location, size of undergraduate population, sport information) into the system. In a matter of seconds, up comes a listing of schools that potentially meets your criteria.
Next, begin to develop a listing of college websites (list both the academic and athletic websites) in an effort to “take a look under the hood” and explore a variety of colleges and universities that potentially match.
Gather Specific Information
OK. You have poked around on a number of college websites and have gotten a “feel” for each institution. Now it’s time to divide and conquer! I suggest creating two lists for the schools that have peaked your interest (A file) and for the schools that are still “in the running” (B file) and develop a specific contact list (Coach’s name, e-mail, phone number) for each school.
Communicate
If there is one area of college recruiting that, in my mind, stands above the rest in importance, its effective communication with college coaches. This is a critical “grey area” component that you need to practice and develop over time. Whether it is initiating phone contact with the recruiting coordinator, grammar checks on written or electronic correspondence, or face to face meetings, the prospect that makes a sincere commitment to be at the top of his game will have a better chance in remaining on Coach’s radar.
Organize
A knowledgeable consumer will have a clear edge in the pursuit and the attainment of important goals. I believe that the same holds true in the college search and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize information regarding this process and execute well-designed plans.
Develop timelines that will target general events in the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your data base, and attending tournaments) and continue to move forward with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as your search progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the process.
Persistence
The one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish. Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a "pushy" attempt to get on the radar and it could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed.
The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with our kids, coaches’ welcome and encourage them to drop an e-mail or pick up the phone and call. That said, it is equally important for prospects to have a realistic view of their potential athletic contribution to a particular program.
You have the drive and the desire to take your athletic talent to the next level. You are confident and dedicated to participate as part of a college program and making your athletic pursuit an important compliment to your overall college experience. You are half way there!
Remember, your college search is a personal quest, where maintaining “momentum” will make the difference between a fair and great college recruiting experience. Don’t be afraid to work the “grey areas” of the recruiting process and leave nothing to chance. Make the commitment to treat the college search as you would treat your goal to experience a championship season and you will give yourself the best chance in grabbing the brass ring.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and “NCAA Rules Simplified.” For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
By Tom Kovic
The college search for athletes is a very “individual” quest. A winning strategy for one prospect could be a losing strategy for another. I think we can all agree that when it comes to recruiting, the “blue chip” kids are going to be found…It’s just a matter of when.
That being said, the majority of the prospects looking for a home on a college campus and as part of a varsity team are NOT the blue chip kids. Firstly, this needs to be understood and realized. Secondly, these prospects need to develop and execute a separate plan of attack and begin to tackle what I call the “grey areas” of recruiting.
When I speak of grey areas, I am alluding to alternative tactics that could strongly assist families and their children reach a little higher and with a better chance of success in the college search.
Self Realization
A great way to start the process is to do an objective evaluation as a prospective student-athlete. Based on your current core courses, GPA and standardized testing, take the time to realistically define yourself “in the moment” from an academic standpoint
Use the same exercise and do a critical athletics evaluation. Are you that star on the horizon? That hard working, dedicated athlete who contributes on occasion to the team? Or are you somewhere in between?
Target your schools
Based on this evaluation, it’s time to develop your “rough list” of potential college institutions that match. I suggest sitting down with your guidance counselor, who most likely has access to the Naviance network that allows you to plug specific information (potential major, geographic location, size of undergraduate population, sport information) into the system. In a matter of seconds, up comes a listing of schools that potentially meets your criteria.
Next, begin to develop a listing of college websites (list both the academic and athletic websites) in an effort to “take a look under the hood” and explore a variety of colleges and universities that potentially match.
Gather Specific Information
OK. You have poked around on a number of college websites and have gotten a “feel” for each institution. Now it’s time to divide and conquer! I suggest creating two lists for the schools that have peaked your interest (A file) and for the schools that are still “in the running” (B file) and develop a specific contact list (Coach’s name, e-mail, phone number) for each school.
Communicate
If there is one area of college recruiting that, in my mind, stands above the rest in importance, its effective communication with college coaches. This is a critical “grey area” component that you need to practice and develop over time. Whether it is initiating phone contact with the recruiting coordinator, grammar checks on written or electronic correspondence, or face to face meetings, the prospect that makes a sincere commitment to be at the top of his game will have a better chance in remaining on Coach’s radar.
Organize
A knowledgeable consumer will have a clear edge in the pursuit and the attainment of important goals. I believe that the same holds true in the college search and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize information regarding this process and execute well-designed plans.
Develop timelines that will target general events in the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your data base, and attending tournaments) and continue to move forward with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as your search progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the process.
Persistence
The one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish. Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a "pushy" attempt to get on the radar and it could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed.
The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with our kids, coaches’ welcome and encourage them to drop an e-mail or pick up the phone and call. That said, it is equally important for prospects to have a realistic view of their potential athletic contribution to a particular program.
You have the drive and the desire to take your athletic talent to the next level. You are confident and dedicated to participate as part of a college program and making your athletic pursuit an important compliment to your overall college experience. You are half way there!
Remember, your college search is a personal quest, where maintaining “momentum” will make the difference between a fair and great college recruiting experience. Don’t be afraid to work the “grey areas” of the recruiting process and leave nothing to chance. Make the commitment to treat the college search as you would treat your goal to experience a championship season and you will give yourself the best chance in grabbing the brass ring.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and “NCAA Rules Simplified.” For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Avoiding Culture Shock in College Athletics Recruiting By Tom Kovic
Avoiding Culture Shock in College Athletics Recruiting
By Tom Kovic
Like it or not, we are a society of rapid change and the rate we effectively adapt to that change can make the difference between a good and great experience. The same holds true in college athletics recruiting. The question is: How do we come to grip with this rapidly mounting culture shock in the college quest for athletes?
Today’s college athletic climate is much different than it was 30 years ago. Coaches are under tremendous pressure to achieve two important goals: win and raise money. The one directly affects the other and successful recruitment is the college coach’s key that unlocks the door.
The college search for athletes has accelerated to new heights compared to 30 years ago when I was a 2 sport prospect. It has become a “force” that needs to be understood, accepted and embraced if families and young athletes plan to grab the brass ring and reach their goals.
This new culture has effected the majority of today’s prospects and families largely and simply because it is “new” and for the unprepared visitor, it can be a bewildering and frustrating journey. Gaining a working understanding, for instance, of the current NCAA rules is one thing…An altogether different skill to hone is to understand how each individual college coach “ticks” and where you, as a prospect, register on the radar. Remember, even the slightest “misread” while communicating with college coaches, could derail a prospects recruiting plan.
Is this an exaggeration? I do not think so. Am I trying to drive fear into recruits and their families? No…I am just trying to get your attention! That said, if we embrace the change around us, along with the acceleration that the college recruiting process has reached, we at least get a clearer idea of the “real” landscape and with that, we position ourselves better to develop more accurate plans of attack.
Education
Gathering information is critical to the successful organization and navigation of any worthy project. Building a college recruiting information base can begin as early as the ninth grade as a family hobby and increasingly grow into a highly organized, disciplined project by the end of the junior year.
Start by gathering information on potential colleges of choice including team and coach profiles, statistics, ranking, and academic offerings. Continue to update and maintain individual e-files on your favorite college programs. Learn the NCAA rules as it applies to recruiting and eligibility (you can access the NCAA college manuals at: www.ncaa.org). Remember, an informed and educated consumer will have the best chance at success.
Communication: The critical link
Effective communication between the family and college coaches is an important component in determining your final college choice. If your mission is clear, the manner in which you communicate becomes the vehicle that drives your plan forward in your chosen direction. On the other hand, ill-prepared communication can cause confusion and misdirection. Your ship moves, but with a weak rudder.
Communication should be initiated early on by the family, and preferably by the prospect. Coaches are bound by very strict contact rules, but a prospect may call or e-mail a coach at any time, with rare exceptions. An initial letter of introduction is a great way to begin, but follow-up by e-mail and by phone is equally important. The point here is simply: Prospects who practices “persistence with respect” when communicating with coaches will have a better chance in grabbing their attention.
Proactive Contacts
I believe many prospects are under the assumption that the college coaches will routinely contact them by phone or by e-mail in an attempt to recruit them. This may be true for some prospects, but for the majority of athletes who are waiting for the phone to ring, it could be a long wait. Coaches are initially recruiting hundreds of prospects and need to utilize a filtering system to organize their list into a manageable and functional grouping.
Whether you communicate by phone, email or face to face, “preparation” is the operative word. When you are well prepared to communicate with the college coaches, your level of self confidence increases, your communication has “grip” and the coaches sense this. Remember, college coaches are certainly looking to attract the best student-athletes, but just as important, they are looking for self aware individuals who bring potential leadership skills to the table.
Getting inside the “Head” Coach’s Head
College coaches are under tremendous pressure to not only manage a successful athletics program, but to win consistently and often. In short, college athletics is big business and the head coach is seen by his AD as the CEO of an organization that must succeed.
That being said, I think it is important for folks to get a glimpse of the head coach from a mental and emotional standpoint and make an effort to get inside their heads!
Coaches and recruiting coordinators work tirelessly to prepare for each new recruiting cycle, sometimes years in advance. They have to. Competition for the top scholar-athletes is fierce. Simply put, the better prepared and persistent the coach is, the greater the chances of matriculating a winning class.
The volume of information that college coaches receive annually is overwhelming and growing. They not only need a system to filter all of this stuff, they need help from the prospects and families. Whether it is submitting your introductory e-mail with profile attachment of initiating phone contact with Coach about a pending tournament, the rule of thumb is simple: Keep it short, sweet and make sure your communication has value.
Gaining an understanding and appreciation of the ever changing college athletics climate is essential to a productive college quest. As daunting as this “culture shock” may appear, there are resources that surround us that will help us understand this accelerated change in college recruiting. By taking a grounded, educational and persistent position in building and executing a well designed plan of attack, we give our boys and girls the best chance at success.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families in college recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com).
Copyright © 2009 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
By Tom Kovic
Like it or not, we are a society of rapid change and the rate we effectively adapt to that change can make the difference between a good and great experience. The same holds true in college athletics recruiting. The question is: How do we come to grip with this rapidly mounting culture shock in the college quest for athletes?
Today’s college athletic climate is much different than it was 30 years ago. Coaches are under tremendous pressure to achieve two important goals: win and raise money. The one directly affects the other and successful recruitment is the college coach’s key that unlocks the door.
The college search for athletes has accelerated to new heights compared to 30 years ago when I was a 2 sport prospect. It has become a “force” that needs to be understood, accepted and embraced if families and young athletes plan to grab the brass ring and reach their goals.
This new culture has effected the majority of today’s prospects and families largely and simply because it is “new” and for the unprepared visitor, it can be a bewildering and frustrating journey. Gaining a working understanding, for instance, of the current NCAA rules is one thing…An altogether different skill to hone is to understand how each individual college coach “ticks” and where you, as a prospect, register on the radar. Remember, even the slightest “misread” while communicating with college coaches, could derail a prospects recruiting plan.
Is this an exaggeration? I do not think so. Am I trying to drive fear into recruits and their families? No…I am just trying to get your attention! That said, if we embrace the change around us, along with the acceleration that the college recruiting process has reached, we at least get a clearer idea of the “real” landscape and with that, we position ourselves better to develop more accurate plans of attack.
Education
Gathering information is critical to the successful organization and navigation of any worthy project. Building a college recruiting information base can begin as early as the ninth grade as a family hobby and increasingly grow into a highly organized, disciplined project by the end of the junior year.
Start by gathering information on potential colleges of choice including team and coach profiles, statistics, ranking, and academic offerings. Continue to update and maintain individual e-files on your favorite college programs. Learn the NCAA rules as it applies to recruiting and eligibility (you can access the NCAA college manuals at: www.ncaa.org). Remember, an informed and educated consumer will have the best chance at success.
Communication: The critical link
Effective communication between the family and college coaches is an important component in determining your final college choice. If your mission is clear, the manner in which you communicate becomes the vehicle that drives your plan forward in your chosen direction. On the other hand, ill-prepared communication can cause confusion and misdirection. Your ship moves, but with a weak rudder.
Communication should be initiated early on by the family, and preferably by the prospect. Coaches are bound by very strict contact rules, but a prospect may call or e-mail a coach at any time, with rare exceptions. An initial letter of introduction is a great way to begin, but follow-up by e-mail and by phone is equally important. The point here is simply: Prospects who practices “persistence with respect” when communicating with coaches will have a better chance in grabbing their attention.
Proactive Contacts
I believe many prospects are under the assumption that the college coaches will routinely contact them by phone or by e-mail in an attempt to recruit them. This may be true for some prospects, but for the majority of athletes who are waiting for the phone to ring, it could be a long wait. Coaches are initially recruiting hundreds of prospects and need to utilize a filtering system to organize their list into a manageable and functional grouping.
Whether you communicate by phone, email or face to face, “preparation” is the operative word. When you are well prepared to communicate with the college coaches, your level of self confidence increases, your communication has “grip” and the coaches sense this. Remember, college coaches are certainly looking to attract the best student-athletes, but just as important, they are looking for self aware individuals who bring potential leadership skills to the table.
Getting inside the “Head” Coach’s Head
College coaches are under tremendous pressure to not only manage a successful athletics program, but to win consistently and often. In short, college athletics is big business and the head coach is seen by his AD as the CEO of an organization that must succeed.
That being said, I think it is important for folks to get a glimpse of the head coach from a mental and emotional standpoint and make an effort to get inside their heads!
Coaches and recruiting coordinators work tirelessly to prepare for each new recruiting cycle, sometimes years in advance. They have to. Competition for the top scholar-athletes is fierce. Simply put, the better prepared and persistent the coach is, the greater the chances of matriculating a winning class.
The volume of information that college coaches receive annually is overwhelming and growing. They not only need a system to filter all of this stuff, they need help from the prospects and families. Whether it is submitting your introductory e-mail with profile attachment of initiating phone contact with Coach about a pending tournament, the rule of thumb is simple: Keep it short, sweet and make sure your communication has value.
Gaining an understanding and appreciation of the ever changing college athletics climate is essential to a productive college quest. As daunting as this “culture shock” may appear, there are resources that surround us that will help us understand this accelerated change in college recruiting. By taking a grounded, educational and persistent position in building and executing a well designed plan of attack, we give our boys and girls the best chance at success.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families in college recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com).
Copyright © 2009 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Successful Independent Search in the College Recruiting Process By Tom Kovic
Independent navigation in college recruiting can be a daunting effort. Whether it’s investigating NCAA rules and recruiting time-lines or developing and implementing tactics to “get on the radar” of the college coaches on your “A” list of schools, an organized and informed approach to the college quest will give prospects and families the best chance at success.
Gather Information
Gathering information is critical to the successful organization of any worthy project. Building a college recruiting information base can begin as early as the ninth grade as a family hobby and increasingly grow into a highly organized, disciplined project by the end of the junior year.
Begin by gathering information on the potential colleges of choice, including team and coach profiles, statistics, ranking, and academic options. Continue to update and maintain individual e-files on these favorite college programs.
Set Goals and Develop Your Plan
A knowledgeable consumer will have a clear edge in the pursuit of the attainment of important goals. I believe that the same holds true in the college search and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize pertinent information regarding this process and to execute well-designed plans.
Develop timelines that will target general events in the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your data base, and attending tournaments) and continue to move forward with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as your search progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the process.
Run the Offense (Execute)
OK. Your plans are complete, well constructed and clearly spelled out in a language everyone understands. Your calendar is updated and you have listed everything from the next round of SAT’s to the fall homecoming dance! Now it’s time to take the plunge.
You can have the best organized and most highly detailed approach to the college quest, but it won’t amount to a hill of beans if you lack confidence, the desire, and the ability to “execute the plan.” If your strategy is to wait by the phone for the coach to call, in most cases, it’s going to be a long wait. Top prospects will get their fair share of attention, but the majority of athletes will increase their chances in getting on the radar screen of the college coaches by taking a proactive stance and initiating communication with college coaches.
College coaches are strictly bound by a myriad of NCAA contact and evaluation rules that limit them in initiating contact with prospective student-athletes and their families. What few families realize is that although college coaches may have their “hands tied” to some degree, prospects may initiate contact with the college coaches, early on and with very few exceptions
Persistence
The dictionary definition of persistence is: Continuing in spite of opposition; Enduring, lasting or recurrent. In a nutshell, I feel strongly that a persistent effort in every aspect of the college search for athletes will, in the end, give them and their families the greatest chance at success.
The one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish. Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a "pushy" attempt to get on the radar. It could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed.
The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with prospects, coaches’ welcome and encourage kids to drop them an e-mail or pick up the phone and call. That said, it is equally important for prospects to have a realistic view of their potential athletic contribution to a particular program.
Work as a Team
The team approach during the college athletics recruiting process is suggested to maximize efficiency and minimize individual pressure and stress as families navigate a potentially daunting effort. Forming a trustworthy group of individuals who play specific roles during the recruiting cycle will increase your chances of reaching pre-determined goals.
When working your recruiting plan within a team (prospect, parents, club/high school coach, and college advisor) dynamic, the responsibility in effectively executing your recruiting plan is equally distributed to the area experts. All assignments should be clearly spelled out, and communication between team members should be often and consistent. This will help streamline the complete operation of the project and assist the family in avoiding any confusion that could contribute to unclear thinking, misdirection and potentially poor choices.
You have the drive and the desire to take your athletic talent to the next level. You are confident and dedicated to participating as part of a college team and making your athletic pursuit an important compliment to your overall college experience. You are half way there. Remember, your college search is a personal quest, where maintaining “momentum” will make the difference between a fair and great college recruiting experience. Leave nothing to chance and make the commitment to treat the college search as you would treat your goal to experience a championship season.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and 120 Q and A’s about College Athletics Recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Gather Information
Gathering information is critical to the successful organization of any worthy project. Building a college recruiting information base can begin as early as the ninth grade as a family hobby and increasingly grow into a highly organized, disciplined project by the end of the junior year.
Begin by gathering information on the potential colleges of choice, including team and coach profiles, statistics, ranking, and academic options. Continue to update and maintain individual e-files on these favorite college programs.
Set Goals and Develop Your Plan
A knowledgeable consumer will have a clear edge in the pursuit of the attainment of important goals. I believe that the same holds true in the college search and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize pertinent information regarding this process and to execute well-designed plans.
Develop timelines that will target general events in the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your data base, and attending tournaments) and continue to move forward with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as your search progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the process.
Run the Offense (Execute)
OK. Your plans are complete, well constructed and clearly spelled out in a language everyone understands. Your calendar is updated and you have listed everything from the next round of SAT’s to the fall homecoming dance! Now it’s time to take the plunge.
You can have the best organized and most highly detailed approach to the college quest, but it won’t amount to a hill of beans if you lack confidence, the desire, and the ability to “execute the plan.” If your strategy is to wait by the phone for the coach to call, in most cases, it’s going to be a long wait. Top prospects will get their fair share of attention, but the majority of athletes will increase their chances in getting on the radar screen of the college coaches by taking a proactive stance and initiating communication with college coaches.
College coaches are strictly bound by a myriad of NCAA contact and evaluation rules that limit them in initiating contact with prospective student-athletes and their families. What few families realize is that although college coaches may have their “hands tied” to some degree, prospects may initiate contact with the college coaches, early on and with very few exceptions
Persistence
The dictionary definition of persistence is: Continuing in spite of opposition; Enduring, lasting or recurrent. In a nutshell, I feel strongly that a persistent effort in every aspect of the college search for athletes will, in the end, give them and their families the greatest chance at success.
The one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish. Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a "pushy" attempt to get on the radar. It could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed.
The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with prospects, coaches’ welcome and encourage kids to drop them an e-mail or pick up the phone and call. That said, it is equally important for prospects to have a realistic view of their potential athletic contribution to a particular program.
Work as a Team
The team approach during the college athletics recruiting process is suggested to maximize efficiency and minimize individual pressure and stress as families navigate a potentially daunting effort. Forming a trustworthy group of individuals who play specific roles during the recruiting cycle will increase your chances of reaching pre-determined goals.
When working your recruiting plan within a team (prospect, parents, club/high school coach, and college advisor) dynamic, the responsibility in effectively executing your recruiting plan is equally distributed to the area experts. All assignments should be clearly spelled out, and communication between team members should be often and consistent. This will help streamline the complete operation of the project and assist the family in avoiding any confusion that could contribute to unclear thinking, misdirection and potentially poor choices.
You have the drive and the desire to take your athletic talent to the next level. You are confident and dedicated to participating as part of a college team and making your athletic pursuit an important compliment to your overall college experience. You are half way there. Remember, your college search is a personal quest, where maintaining “momentum” will make the difference between a fair and great college recruiting experience. Leave nothing to chance and make the commitment to treat the college search as you would treat your goal to experience a championship season.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and 120 Q and A’s about College Athletics Recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Jonathan Horton at NEI 2010
Jonthan Horton, World Champion and Olympic Gymnast, gave out awards at DGS' 2010 NEI in Hartford, CT on Sunday, January 17, 2010.
DGS 2010 NorthEast Invite
Congratulations to all of the teams winners of “The Spirit of the Sport Award” in Memory of Joan Hicks.
Also, Congratulations to Alexandria Bishop of Shoreline Gymnastics in Connecticut ...the winner of the free week at the USGTC camp and ticket to Visa Championships!!
Also, Congratulations to Alexandria Bishop of Shoreline Gymnastics in Connecticut ...the winner of the free week at the USGTC camp and ticket to Visa Championships!!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Persistence: A Critical Component in College Recruiting
Persistence: A Critical Component in College Recruiting
By Tom Kovic
The dictionary definition of persistence is: Continuing in spite of opposition; Enduring, lasting or recurrent. In a nutshell, I feel strongly that a persistent effort in every aspect of the college search for athletes will, in the end, give prospects and their families the greatest chance at success.
I work with athletes throughout the country in assisting them in putting their plans together for the college search. From place kickers in Southern California to midfield lacrosse players from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish.
Competition in the college quest for athletes has increased dramatically during the past 15 years. Whether you are looking for an athletic scholarship or attempting to gain assistance in admission to an academically select, non-scholarship institution, it is important to plan strategically and have the courage to approach this challenge in ways you might think are contrary to your current thinking.
As a former college coach, I valued greatly the importance of effective recruiting in an attempt to grow my program to the next level. I certainly desired a team that could win championships, but I grew to appreciate more, the importance of attracting athletes who brought a high level of personal integrity to the table. I was after potential “strong links” in an already worthy and dedicated team chain.
Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a "pushy" attempt to get on the radar. It could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed. The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with prospects, coaches’ welcome and encourage kids to drop them an e-mail or pick up the phone and call.
Prospects and families should avoid calling coaches just to say "hello." I always encourage the students I advise to orchestrate their communication with coaches in a way that will advance the relationship and maintain momentum in the recruiting process. It needs to have "grip."
Whether you are sharing information with Coach about a sensational game you had over the weekend, or your math score on the SAT that jumped 30 points, give Coach something that will grab his attention and make your personal profile shine a little brighter.
Maintaining a persistent approach in the college recruiting process is a very broad concept. Below are just a few examples where exercising a persistent approach will assist athletes navigate the college search with more confidence:
• Initiate primary contact with college coaches. For example: Develop a personal profile and attach it to a well constructed introductory e-mail.
• The recruiting process is a journey that requires constant effort where "follow-up” in every communication is essential.
• Coaches are bound to very strict contact rules as it applies to recruiting. Prospects and families on the other hand, have very little restrictions when it comes to initiating contact with coaches. Get the ball rolling.
• If you plan to initiate a phone call to a college coach, it may take you up to 10 try's before you connect. Do not get frustrated!
• If you plan to attend a showcase or tournament where several coaches on your "A" list of schools will be in attendance, don't "hope" they will be evaluating you... Let them know you will be there and encourage them to observe you.
• If you happen to be a senior and you are a bit behind in the college search, cultivate a relationship with the coaches and always be sincere in your interest in their institution. You will position yourself best when you reach the point in asking Coach if you can take take that overnight visit to campus and spend time with the team.
Maintaining a persistent and diligent approach in college recruiting can be both frustrating and daunting. In most cases, it takes courage, mental toughness and the ability to develop thick skin! What seems tremendously unfamiliar in the beginning stages of developing this habit will become more comfortable with practice and time and soon you will realize that coaches are educators, moms, dads and just plain, regular people. They “know the score” and only want the best for prospects as they move forward in the college search.
Tom Kovic is the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. He is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. Kovic delivers college recruiting presentations nationwide and he is a regular contributor to several online magazines and professional organizations. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com
By Tom Kovic
The dictionary definition of persistence is: Continuing in spite of opposition; Enduring, lasting or recurrent. In a nutshell, I feel strongly that a persistent effort in every aspect of the college search for athletes will, in the end, give prospects and their families the greatest chance at success.
I work with athletes throughout the country in assisting them in putting their plans together for the college search. From place kickers in Southern California to midfield lacrosse players from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish.
Competition in the college quest for athletes has increased dramatically during the past 15 years. Whether you are looking for an athletic scholarship or attempting to gain assistance in admission to an academically select, non-scholarship institution, it is important to plan strategically and have the courage to approach this challenge in ways you might think are contrary to your current thinking.
As a former college coach, I valued greatly the importance of effective recruiting in an attempt to grow my program to the next level. I certainly desired a team that could win championships, but I grew to appreciate more, the importance of attracting athletes who brought a high level of personal integrity to the table. I was after potential “strong links” in an already worthy and dedicated team chain.
Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a "pushy" attempt to get on the radar. It could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed. The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with prospects, coaches’ welcome and encourage kids to drop them an e-mail or pick up the phone and call.
Prospects and families should avoid calling coaches just to say "hello." I always encourage the students I advise to orchestrate their communication with coaches in a way that will advance the relationship and maintain momentum in the recruiting process. It needs to have "grip."
Whether you are sharing information with Coach about a sensational game you had over the weekend, or your math score on the SAT that jumped 30 points, give Coach something that will grab his attention and make your personal profile shine a little brighter.
Maintaining a persistent approach in the college recruiting process is a very broad concept. Below are just a few examples where exercising a persistent approach will assist athletes navigate the college search with more confidence:
• Initiate primary contact with college coaches. For example: Develop a personal profile and attach it to a well constructed introductory e-mail.
• The recruiting process is a journey that requires constant effort where "follow-up” in every communication is essential.
• Coaches are bound to very strict contact rules as it applies to recruiting. Prospects and families on the other hand, have very little restrictions when it comes to initiating contact with coaches. Get the ball rolling.
• If you plan to initiate a phone call to a college coach, it may take you up to 10 try's before you connect. Do not get frustrated!
• If you plan to attend a showcase or tournament where several coaches on your "A" list of schools will be in attendance, don't "hope" they will be evaluating you... Let them know you will be there and encourage them to observe you.
• If you happen to be a senior and you are a bit behind in the college search, cultivate a relationship with the coaches and always be sincere in your interest in their institution. You will position yourself best when you reach the point in asking Coach if you can take take that overnight visit to campus and spend time with the team.
Maintaining a persistent and diligent approach in college recruiting can be both frustrating and daunting. In most cases, it takes courage, mental toughness and the ability to develop thick skin! What seems tremendously unfamiliar in the beginning stages of developing this habit will become more comfortable with practice and time and soon you will realize that coaches are educators, moms, dads and just plain, regular people. They “know the score” and only want the best for prospects as they move forward in the college search.
Tom Kovic is the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. He is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. Kovic delivers college recruiting presentations nationwide and he is a regular contributor to several online magazines and professional organizations. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com
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