High School Sports Recruiting

Your Online Guide To Gaining A College Athletics Scholarship

High School Sports Recruiting

Check Out These Key Training Tips

December 28th, 2008 · No Comments · Uncategorized

Make a plan then work the plan…You have to enjoy your training program or you probably won’t stick with it long enough to see results. Rather than picking a generic program or doing what your friends do, adjust your workout time and intensity so it fits your lifestyle, and your current fitness level and allows you push yourself as needed. Most importantly, find a workout routine that meets your personal goals. If you don’t know where to begin, working with a personal trainer is highly recommended, but it’s also a great way to fine tune your fitness plan if you are more advanced.

1. Simplify: Training is largely about consistency and focus. While a technical training program of heart rates, charts and graphs works for the most dedicated athletes, it may not be necessary for you. If you are feeling overwhelmed, simplify your training to hard and easy or long and short workouts and practice skills needed in your sport. Beyond that, try to enjoy your workouts and listen to your body.

2. Avoid Overtraining: Allowing your body to rest is as important as building strength and endurance. You don’t get stronger by constantly training hard. You’ll build fitness by alternating workouts with recovery. The best way to avoid overtraining is to listen to your body. If your heart rate remains elevated after a night’s rest, if your legs feel heavy, and your motivation fades, you may need more rest. For those who train year-round, it’s wise to take a week off every three months. This is also the time to change up your routine.

3. Variation: Vary your workouts, pace and intensity to enjoy a well-rounded fitness routine that is less likely to result in burn-out or plateaus. Alternate training intensity and time from day to day. No matter what your pace or goal, your training program should include a mix of training days. Even the best training programs will gradually lose efficiency if you don’t vary your routine. This may be fine for those who simply want to maintain fitness or keep healthy, but if you want to improve, you need variation. Ideally, workouts should be modified every month. Cross Training is another great way to vary your routine and improve you fitness.

4. Be Flexible: If you have to miss a training day, don’t worry, just continue on your training plan. It’s the consistency or your training, rather than one particular workout that is important

5. Set Realistic Goals: You may want to set a personal best in every race you enter, but it’s probably not realistic. Be honest about your current fitness and you potential. You may want to run a marathon next year, but if you don’t have time to train more than an hour three times per week, that goal is not realistic. It’s important to find a balance between what you want and what you’re able to do. If your new to a sport or fitness routine, be conservative in your estimates until you know what you can accomplish, otherwise you are more prone to injury.

6. Be Patient: It takes time and consistency to build up fitness and performance, so avoid falling into the more is always better mindset. You’ll only end up injured, or frustrated.

7. Be Consistent: Even if you’re starting with very short workouts, it’s important to do them on a regular basis, several days a week. Avoid falling victim to the weekend warrior syndrome of working out long and hard only weekends and doing nothing for during the week. Injuries are much more common for those who are inconsistent with exercise.

8. Nutrition is Critical: Eating well and hydrating goes a long way to improve your ability to exercise and train. If you are on a regular exercise routine, it’s a good time to reassess your eating habits and learn nutritious ways eating. Complex carbohydrates provide the best source of energy for sustained exercise.

9. Use Proper Equipment: No matter what sport or exercise routine you do, you need to make sure your equipment and footwear fits properly. Running in worn-out shoes increases injuries, as does riding an ill-fitting bicycle. Pads, helmets, mouth guards are made to help protect athletes and all appropriate sports safety equipment should be worn and fit you well.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

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Basketball Training

December 28th, 2008 · No Comments · Ladies Basketball

Specificity training…The secret to achieving lightening-quick speed, gravity-defying hops, bone-crushing strength, and energizer-bunny stamina on the basketball court, regardless of your current basketball skill level.

Are you getting pushed around on the basketball court? Do you feel out of breath practically minutes after joining a basketball game? Do you feel like you have the vertical leap of a worm? Or, do you find yourself getting left in the dust every time you try to keep up with the man that you’re guarding because you have the speed of turtle? If you answered “yes” to any of the preceding questions, there is no doubt that you need to develop either more strength, basketball stamina, better leaping ability, or speed. The good news is that there is a way to improve that specific “weak” area of your game, regardless of which one it might be. The answer: specificity training.

What is specificity training? Basically, it’s a way to target-train certain muscle groups in your body in a specific way regularly, consistently, and frequently in order for those muscle groups to perform and react the way you want them to under pre-determined situations or duress. For example, since basketball is such a fast-paced sport, your body should be able to keep up with a sudden change of direction while in motion or in a situation where you suddenly had to dive on the basketball court to get a loose ball. With the help of a qualified trainer, you could design different types of training regimens that would condition the different muscles in your body that are often activated or triggered and needed when you’re playing a game of basketball; the type of exercises incorporated into a workout regimen to achieve specificity training varies depending on the type of sport. For example, the way you would train to get ready for basketball season would be different from how you would prepare for football season. And, depending on your personal goals, there are various types of specificity training programs that can be designed to meet your sport-specific needs such as, core training, speed training, vertical-jump training, strength training, endurance training, and flexibility training. For the purposes of this article, we will only discuss core training.

Core training: An important component to any specificity-training exercise program.

If you don’t do anything else, you should at minimum include core training as part of your overall basketball training regimen. Core training involves developing the core muscles in your body. Just like the foundation of a house supports the entire structure and prevents it from collapsing over time, the core muscles of your body serve as the foundation of your body; they support your entire body by providing stability whenever you’re performing any physical activity from something as simple as walking or bending down to tie your shoe laces to a more physically demanding activity such as leaping up several feet into the air to dunk a basketball. Regardless of the type of activity you’re trying to perform, it all starts from your core or sometimes referred to as the “center” of your body. If your core muscles groups are not sufficiently developed to especially withstand the rigors of your specific sport (in this case, basketball), you will be more susceptible to muscle injuries with the most common injury being lower back pains. Also, your posture will be negatively affected.

Now that you have discovered that your core muscle groups play a significant role in how well you perform on the basketball court, what are the exact muscles in your body that makeup your core muscle groups? If you have not already guessed it, the muscles that combined makeup your main core muscle groups are your abdominal muscles (Transversus abdominis, Rectus abdominis, and External oblique), your back muscles (Multifidus and Erector spinae), and your hip flexor muscles (Psoas major, Illiacus, Rectus femoris, Pectineus, and Sartorius). Therefore, you should perform exercises that would target the preceding muscle groups as part of your core training regimen. Some basic exercises that would help strenghten your core muscles include: Squats, abdominal crunches, push-ups, back extensions, russian twists, hip lifts, lunges, and row exercises. Proper nutrition is also essential to making sure that your core muscle groups are not compromised. This is because, you want to prevent excess fat from accumulating around your midsection, which would not only compromise the performance of your heart but most likely also put a strain on your lower back. Therefore, try not to eat high-calorie-junk fatty foods. Do not drink excessive amount of alcoholic beverages, and try not to eat late at night.

The importance of core training cannot be emphasized enough. Nothing happens unless you have a strong, properly developed core muscles. The longer you wait, the more difficult it would become later to develop your core muscle groups. Start today. Don’t delay.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

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Preparing for a Skill Footage Session

December 27th, 2008 · No Comments · Uncategorized

Be ready for a tough workout… You have one shot at making a great initial impression on a college coach. One. Blow that chance and a perfectly good opportunity may go out the window. When shooting skill footage tapes, keep this important point in mind – college coaches will be evaluating your every move. It is all there for the coach to see, so take heed of the following advice when going through a skill footage video session:

• Preparation: Warm up thoroughly prior to taping – approach this workout as if fifteen college coaches were in the bleachers watching you prepare and perform

• Mindset: Get in the mindset that you are going to work hard during the shooting – anything less is cheating yourself out of an opportunity

• Appearance: You should look your very best. Be sure to wear a clean uniform. A uniform is preferred over workout gear, but if that is all you have to wear, make sure it is clean and sharp. No wrinkled, holey shorts or shirts, or cut off T-shirts.

• Attitude: Stay positive. Don’t let mistakes or body language sabotage you on film. Stay positive and energetic at all times.

• Pace: The quicker your pace, the better results you will get. Remember: coaches are watching EVERYTHING you are doing on this tape. Hustle every step.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

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A MUST READ – The Athletic Scholarship

December 23rd, 2008 · No Comments · Uncategorized

NCAA Division I and II Recruiting

Are you one of the more elite, highly recruited high school athletes in the country? If so, you will likely have several scholarship offers to ponder from colleges and universities all over the country.

If your talent is a little less than elite, then perhaps college recruiters will acknowledge your talent with personal letters, an occasional phone call, or extend an invitation for you to attend a home athletic contest. Unfortunately, this scenario does not always translate into a sure scholarship offer from a Division I or II school.

The odds of receiving an NCAA Division I or II scholarship are somewhat overwhelming. In the sport of Football, consider that 98 percent of all scholarship offers are complete by Christmas. Yet there remain hundreds of high school seniors who maintain the slim hope of a scholarship offer through the signing date in early February.

To better understand the complexity of athletic scholarships, look closely at the following table:

NCAA Division I Football

85

Scholarships allowed by NCAA per school

110

Certified NCAA Division I schools

9,350

Total scholarship players nationally

7,150

Approximate number of returning players each year

2,220

Scholarships available each year for approximately one million high school seniors

NCAA Division I Basketball

13

Scholarships allowed by NCAA per school

298

Certified NCAA Division I schools

3,874

Total scholarship players, nationally

1,788

Approximate number of returning players each year

2,086

Approximate number of new scholarships for 500,000 seniors

The Division I and II recruiting process has intensified for all sports over the years as budget constraints and Title IX have impacted the scholarship scene. Some athletic programs such as women’s basketball, soccer and softball have prospered under Title IX. Today, more colleges and universities have started new soccer programs, offering more new scholarship opportunities for female athletes. Other programs, such as football and wrestling, have been adversely affected through the loss of scholarships or discontinuing the program altogether.

Coaching points …

  • Have your academic credentials in order (grades, test scores,class rank, etc.).
  • Keep your parent(s) and/or guardian involved and informed.
  • Be responsible for your actions and develop a strong, moral character.
  • Ask tough questions in the recruiting process.

Division I and II recruited athletes now experience more intense scrutiny as coaches make final decisions on scholarship offers. When a scholarship offer is extended to an athlete, it occurs only after a thorough review of the athlete’s ability (academic and athletic) and personal character is determined.

Scrutiny is, however, a two-way street. In other words, you must recruit the college as hard as the college is recruiting you. What is the best way to do this? Be prepared.

Throughout the recruiting process, there will be times when your scholarship status is unclear. To help clarify exactly where you stand with a coach, ask hard questions of the person(s) recruiting you. For example:

  • How many players are you recruiting at my position?
  • If I decide to visit, are you asking me to commit right away?
  • How long do I have to accept or decline your scholarship offer?
  • Are you offering the same scholarship to other players?
  • Are you offering me an official campus visit?
  • Where am I on your priority list?
  • If you offer one scholarship to me and to others, will it go the the first player who commits?
  • What percentage of all students graduate in four years? What percentage of all athletes graduate in four to five years? What percentage of athletes from your team graduate in four to five years?
  • What are the placement rates of your athletes into graduate school? Professional schools (i.e., medical school, law school, etc.)? and/or professional jobs?
  • Of the athletes who do not turn pro, what are their outcomes after graduation? What post-graduate successes have they experienced?

You are entitled to ask the questions you deem necessary to help you and your parents understand the recruiting process better. It does not ensure that you will always get straight-forward answers. It is imperative that you and your parents understand how to communicate with college recruiters. College recruiters are masterful at evaluating your athletic ability; you must be equally as masterful at evaluating their professional ability and integrity.

 

NCAA Division II Athletic Recruiting

If the odds of earning a Division I scholarship are slight, imagine the difficulty of earning a full Division II scholarship. Just as there are qualifiers and partial qualifiers for Division I and II, there are full scholarships and partial scholarships. Unfortunately, a majority of scholarships in Division II are partial scholarships.

 

There are student-athletes who earn full scholarships in Division II, but in no way to they compare with the number of full scholarships in Division I.

Division II Baseball

11.7

Total scholarships allowed by NCAA per year

$7,000

Total cost of tuition, room and board, books

$81,000

Total dollars in scholarship pool

25

Total team roster

15

Total of senior players and transfers to replace

The head baseball coach in the above scenario has to manage a pool of $81,000 and distribute scholarship money accordingly. Some of his incoming players might receive full scholarships. The coach obviously can not afford to give full scholarships to all 15 incoming players. Some of his incoming players might be transferring in from junior college programs and will need two to three years of scholarship assistance. The coach will have to decide whether that player will receive a full or partial scholarship.

Often, the coach will base his decisions on the ability of the player to secure federal and/or state financial aid. If the difference between the cost of the school and the financial aid offer is moderate, a coach might decide to make up the difference with athletic scholarship money. Look at the following example:

Theoretical Baseball University

Tuition

$5,000

Financial Aid

$5,000

Room & Board

$2,000

Baseball Scholarship

 $2,500

Fees

$500 

    

Total cost

$7,500

Total Award

$7,500

Of course, a coach has the sole authority to make decisions on the amount of athletic scholarship money to award strictly on the basis of athletic ability.

 

NCAA Division III Athletic Recruiting

There is a myth in Division III athletics that athletes do not receive scholarships. In fact, many athletes in Division III do receive numerous undergraduate and post-graduate scholarships, though they do not receive them as a result of their athletic talent. Their scholarships are primarily based upon financial need, leadership and/or academic merit.

And while rivalries and intense competition thrive in Division III, the athletes at this level compromise nothing. If they suffer unfortunate career-ending injuries or simply lose their passion for the sport, they do not lose their scholarship(s) and/or financial aid. Division III is perhaps the last domain for true, amateur athletic competition where the student-athlete competes for the genuine love of the sport.

In general, Division III can be as, if not more, intense than Division I or II. Numerous visits from college coaches at the recruit’s high school, phone calls from coaches, letters from the colleges and recruiting visits to college campuses are exhaustive, time consuming and expensive. This is fast becoming the norm in Division III recruiting, yet there will never be an offer of an athletic scholarship. A majority of families have no choice but to wait on the financial aid package before deciding on which school to attend. Unfortunately, choices are often made on the size of the financial aid package without regard to the quality of a school. Schools fortunate enough to complete a competitive financial aid package ahead of the competition usually have the upper hand in the recruiting wars.

 

NAIA Division I and II

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is not affiliated whatsoever with the National Collegiate Athletic Association. NAIA Member Schools are divided into Divisions I and II. The total number of NAIA member schools pale in comparison to the NCAA. There are approximately 200 in Division I and 200 in Division II. Although NAIA schools offer athletic scholarships in Divisions I and II like their counterparts in the NCAA, there are very few schools offering full scholarships to athletes. Most NAIA scholarships are a combination of partial athletic scholarships and financial aid.
The NAIA does not require its student-athletes to be certified academically, and schools within the association come in all shapes and sizes. Yet, each school may offer a unique experience to your career as a student-athlete. Consider the coaching points to the right about an NAIA school:

Here are some tips on handling the Division III recruiting process:

Coaching points …

  • The NCAA’s Clearinghouse does not apply to non-scholarship schools.
  • Be sure to have academic credentials that match those of the school recruiting you.
  • Follow up on all admission and financial aid deadlines and time lines.
  • Visit the campus admission office … meet with an admission counselor, financial aid counselor and coach.

 

Thinking of Turning Pro?

The odds of turning professional as an athlete from any level of the NCAA or NAIA are not encouraging. If you have your heart set on going to college with the intention of turning professional, consider the following statistics:

 

  • Out of approximately one million high school varsity football players in the country, approximately 150 will make an NFL roster: 6,000 to 1 odds.
  • Out of 500,000 high school basketball players, approximately 50 will make NBA rosters: 10,000 to 1 odds.
  • For every 1,223 high school senior football players, 44 will become “major college” players. Just one will make an NFL roster.
  • Fewer than 30 percent of all NBA players graduate from college. Less than one percent graduate after turning professional early.

 

Final Thoughts

Perhaps now, it is clear that it is important to have distinct goals and a game plan for the future. A college degree should figure prominently in your educational plans regardless of whether you are a scholarship athlete, future pro prospect or just an amateur. Choosing the right college is the most difficult part of the recruiting process. It is a process that has evolved into a science rather than an art these days.
Even if you are fortunate enough to receive an athletic scholarship, there is no guarantee that the school offering the scholarship will be a good fit for you. In the long term, it is imperative that you choose a college that will benefit you in all phases of your undergraduate and post-graduate plans.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

 

 

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Understanding the Recruiting Cycle

December 22nd, 2008 · No Comments · Uncategorized

Each sport ebbs and flows…We occasionally hear from parents and prospects that they have not heard from any coaches for awhile. There is reason for this worth noting. Each sport has what we can call a Recruiting Cycle. The cycle for your particular sport depends on several variables such as recruiting rules, when college teams participate in their seasons and the preferences as well as organizational skills of individual head coaches. Coaches are more active in reaching out to prospects immediately following their seasons and during or directly after club or travel team seasons. They are also typically very proactive at the start of the college academic year. They are less likely to reach out to prospects during pre-season practice time frames, during the first several weeks of their teams’ seasons and at the start of summer vacations. In the first too cases, they are just too busy getting their team prepared for the season. As to the latter, many coaches, especially from smaller colleges, are on nine- or ten-month contracts, so the summertime is when they spend time with family, take personal vacations, operate their camps or are instructors at camps on other college campuses. And, some coaches are simply more or less organized than others, stay ahead or lag behind in the recruiting process and are more assertive or passive in their recruiting activities according to their experience and personality. Keep these things in mind when wondering why coaches are not contacting you as much as you thought they might. Regardless, clearly your role is to keep your profile up-to-date so that when coaches are in their Recruiting Cycle, they can quickly evaluate you based on current info.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

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Bowling Scholarship Funding

December 20th, 2008 · No Comments · Uncategorized

Is Your Bank Account in the Gutter?

Bowling can truly be defined as a pure intercollegiate sport. Regardless of division, region, or athletic association, bowling has become fiercely competitive. Non-scholarship, Div III teams are often able to compete side-by-side with some of the top NCAA bowling teams in the country.

NCAA Scholarships for Women

The NCAA is the largest athletic association in the U.S. If you are good enough to bowl for a Division I or Division II school you may be able to squeeze some scholarship dollars out of the programs. There are 43 member schools that offer Div 1 or Div 2 Women’s Bowling and only 2 schools that offer scholarship bowling for Men, but there are plenty of men’s college bowling teams.

NJCAA

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) represents collegiate competition in the junior and two-year college sector. There are some very competitive athletic programs in this association, so do not miss your possible options here.

NAIA

Bowling is unrecognized as a “championship sport” by the NAIA. In spite of that a number of very good bowling programs exist, including favorites Pikeville College, Lindenwood University, and Lindsey Wilson College. You will see these otherwise unknown colleges delivering enviable showings in competition.

The Appeal of Div III Athletics

Here’s the deal: there are 24 NJCAA schools that have bowling teams, all Division III (NJCAA Division III is not to be confused with NCAA Div III) and Div III schools do not award athletic scholarships. There are 6 NCAA Div III schools that offer women’s bowling, again—non-scholarship. That’s quite a bit of good collegiate bowling competition. Just because they are Div III schools does not mean they don’t make plenty of scholarship money available through merit and need based scholarships to good bowlers/students.

Many smaller off-scholarship schools attract talented athletes with academic money and state of the art facilities. If this appeals to you, combine it with the fact that at this level of play there is almost none of the same kind of performance pressure you’d find for a scholarship athlete at a Div 1 or Div 2 school.

Top Bowling Schools

The race for championship hardware is anyone’s bet in any given year, but a few of the really solid bowling programs include:

·                     Wichita State University

·                     University of Nebraska

·                     New Jersey City University

·                     Vanderbilt University

Best resources for bowling scholarships, other than colleges and universities:

·                     Community bowling leagues

·                     Regional and state bowling associations

Our List of Bowling Scholarships

See if any of these scholarships work for you. Or use this list as a brainstorming kick-start. Remember, pure bowling scholarships are few and far between. Search smarter. Here are some hands down winning scholarships that may help you optimize your search.

Elmira Youth Bowling League

Elmira Youth Bowling Scholarships are open to student bowlers in the Elmira, New York youth bowling league. Applicants must be under 21 and enrolled in a post-secondary educational program. Awards are $500 each.

Wisconsin Dells Family Bowling Scholarship Team Tournament

The Wisconsin Dells Family Bowling Scholarship Team Tournament invites family teams consisting of two junior bowlers and two adult bowlers to compete for student scholarships. USBA rules apply and winners receive scholarship money when they have actually enrolled in a post-secondary college or university.

United States Bowling Congress Scholarships

The USBC is a virtual clearinghouse for bowling scholarships. Check these out:

·                     Pepsi USBC Youth Championships is an annual United States Bowling Congress-Pepsi Sponsored international youth bowling competition at which over 300,000 scholarship dollars are offered at the state/zone level.

·                     The USBC Junior Gold Championships compete for more than $70,000 in college scholarships. Enrollment in an undergraduate program at an accredited college/university is required. High School students are not eligible. You may also contact the youth director at your local bowling center to get current information regarding how to enter the Pepsi USBC Youth Championships.

·                     Gift for Life Scholarships honor the heroes of September 11, 2001 and all who regularly risk danger to save the lives of others. Scholarship amount is $1,000 and applicants must be USBC high school students with a GPA of at least 2.0. Two of the twelve awards are set aside each year for a son and a daughter of police, fire and emergency rescue personnel. Selection is also based on financial need.

·                     Who’s Who Sports Edition All Academic Bowling Team is an honorary team comprised of USBC youth selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship award based on community service and academic achievement. USBC members published in the Who’s Who Among American High School Students – Sports Edition are eligible to compete.

·                     The Earl Anthony Memorial Scholarships recognize 5 USBC youth members based on academic achievement, community service and financial need. This award is for $5,000.

·                     Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Scholarship is annually presented to a male high school senior or undergraduate student who competes in the sport of bowling. Selection criteria include academic achievement, community involvement and distinguished bowling performances on the local, state and national levels. Award is for $1500 renewable for up to 3 years. Applicant must be a USBC member in good standing and have a GPA of 2.5.

Colleges/Universities Offering Bowling Scholarships

This is only a partial list of scholarship bowling:

Wichita State University – Wichita, Kansas

Any entering freshman, transfer student or currently enrolled WSU student may apply for the bowling scholarships. Bowling scholarships at Wichita State are given to the best student bowlers who have demonstrated elite student skills such as teamwork, loyalty, work ethic and commitment and willingness to learn and improve as well as overall bowling skills. Scholarships are typically $650 for in-state recipients and up to $2800 for out-of-state recipients. There are also 3 memorial/honorary scholarships given to outstanding bowlers.

University of Florida

Gator Bowling Scholarships are awarded to full-time student bowlers. Candidates must maintain 2.0 GPAs, apply for renewals each semester and commit completely to the demands of the UFL varsity bowling team.

Vincennes University – Vincennes, Indiana

Top notch bowlers may be offered scholarship money to bowl for Vincennes University. The school recruits both men and women for its bowling programs. Scholarships vary based on athletic and academic merit.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

 

 

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SOFT DRINKS CAN BE HARD ON ATHLETES

December 20th, 2008 · No Comments · Sports Nutrition, Uncategorized

SOFT DRINKS HAVE TAKEN a definitive place in our lives. Over the past two decades there has been a great increase in the consumption of these beverages. The market has been flooded with a number of brands targeted at various age groups. In addition, soft drinks are easily available at highly affordable rates. In many places soft drinks have taken the place of water to quench thirst. The sizes of the bottles have also grown thus again increasing their intake.

SOFT DRINKS HAVE TAKEN a definitive place in our lives. Over the past two decades there has been a great increase in the consumption of these beverages. The market has been flooded with a number of brands targeted at various age groups. In addition, soft drinks are easily available at highly affordable rates. In many places soft drinks have taken the place of water to quench thirst. The sizes of the bottles have also grown thus again increasing their intake.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

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I Didn’t Sign Early – Now What?

December 19th, 2008 · No Comments · Uncategorized

Ony about 20 percent of all prospects sign their letters of intent early, so the rush to get your name on the dotted line is sometimes overrated. The most important thing is that you find the right college situation for you. “Fit” is the term we use. Like a pair of new shoes, they may look great on the wall of the store and they may feel okay walking back and forth in front of a mirror, but it’s how they respond to your feet and you to them in the first week or so that really matters. So, signing with a college early for the sake of saying you signed early can lead to a hasty decision.

Your responsibility to yourself is to find the college that is right for you in the following ways:

• Academically

• Athletically

• Financially

• Geographically

• Socially

Instinctively, you will probably know which college is right for you. It just feels right when you walk around campus, when you talk to the coach and when you intermingle with the team members. The dorm rooms look and feel comfortable. The classrooms suit you, too. It’s affordable for your parents. And, it’s within the range from home that you were searching for. To find all these things in a college takes time and patience and you have to be willing to do the things necessary to discover the best things for you by visiting as many campuses as possible, communicating with coaches and developing relationships with them, exploring colleges in terms of their philosophy, educational offerings and ability as well as history for keeping students safe.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE RECRUITING IN GENERAL, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

hssportsrecruiting@yahoo.com

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Women’s Basketball Recruiting Guidelines

December 18th, 2008 · No Comments · Ladies Basketball, Recruiting Guidelines

NCAA DIVISION I: 

Point Guard (5′8″ +) 

*Great ball handling skills
*Great passing skills
*Ability to knock down open shots from the perimeter
*Displays exceptional floor leadership
*Excellent court awareness
*Exceptional athleticism and lateral quickness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Shooting Guard (5′10″ +) 

*Exceptional shooter from the perimeter
*Extremely athletic with very good lateral quickness
*Good ball handling skills 
*Good passing skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Good court awareness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Small Forward (5″11″ +) 

*Extremely athletic with good lateral quickness
*Very versatile all-around skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Power Forward (6′0″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket or facing the basket
*Very good rebounding skills
*Extremely athletic
*Ability to run the floor extremely well
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Center (6′2″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket
*Very good rebounding skills
*Ability to run the floor extremely well
*Extremely athletic
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

NCAA DIVISION II: 

Point Guard (5′7″ +) 

*Very good ball handling skills
*Very good passing skills
*Ability to knock down open shots from the perimeter
*Displays very good floor leadership
*Excellent court awareness
*Very good athleticism and lateral quickness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Shooting Guard (5′8″ +) 

*Exceptional shooter from the perimeter
*Very good athleticism with very good lateral quickness
*Good ball handling skills
*Good passing skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Good court awareness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Small Forward (5′10″ +) 

*Very athletic with good lateral quickness
*Versatile all-around skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Power Forward (5′11″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket or facing the basket
*Very good rebounding skills
*Very Athletic
*Ability to run the floor well
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Center (6′0″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket
*Very good rebounding skills
*Ability to run the floor well
*Very Athletic
*Minimum of 7 PPG with the exception of student-athletes who are 6′3″ and above 

NCAA DIVISION III: 

Point Guard (5′5″ +) 

*Good ball handling skills
*Good passing skills
*Ability to knock down open shots from the perimeter
*Displays good floor leadership
*Good court awareness
*Good athleticism and lateral quickness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum 7 PPG 

Shooting Guard (5′7″ +) 

*Exceptional shooter from the perimeter
*Athletic with good lateral quickness
*Good ball handling skills
*Good passing skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Good court awareness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum 7 PPG 

Small Forward (5′8″ +) 

*Athletic
*Versatile all-around skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum 7 PPG 

Power Forward (5′9″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket
*Good rebounding skills
*Athletic
*Ability to run the floor well
*Minimum 7 PPG 

Center (5′11″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket
*Good rebounding skills
*Ability to run the floor well
*Athletic
*Minimum 7 PPG with the exception of student-athletes who are 6′2″ and above 

NAIA DIVISION I: 

Point Guard (5′6″ +) 

*Very good ball handling skills
*Very good passing skills
*Ability to knock down open shots from the perimeter
*Displays good floor leadership
*Very good court awareness
*Very good athleticism and lateral quickness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Shooting Guard (5′8″ +) 

*Exceptional shooter from the perimeter
*Very good athleticism with very good lateral quickness
*Good ball handling skills
*Good passing skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Good court awareness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Small Forward (5′9″ +) 

*Very athletic with good lateral quickness
*Versatile all-around skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Power Forward (5′10″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket or facing the basket
*Very good rebounding skills
*Very Athletic
*Ability to run the floor well
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Center (5′11″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket
*Very good rebounding skills
*Ability to run the floor well
*Very Athletic
*Minimum of 7 PPG with the exception of student-athletes who are 6′2″ and above 

NAIA DIVISION 2: 

Point Guard (5′5″ +) 

*Very good ball handling skills
*Very good passing skills
*Ability to knock down open shots from the perimeter
*Displays good floor leadership
*Good court awareness
*Good athleticism and lateral quickness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Shooting Guard (5′7″ +) 

*Exceptional shooter from the perimeter
*Good athleticism with good lateral quickness
*Good ball handling skills
*Good passing skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Good court awareness
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Small Forward (5′8″ +) 

*Good athleticism
*Versatile all-around skills
*Ability to score the basketball from different areas on the floor
*Ability to break defenders down off the dribble
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Power Forward (5′10″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket
*Good rebounding skills
*Athletic
*Ability to run the floor well
*Minimum of 7 PPG 

Center (5′11″ +) 

*Ability to play with back to the basket
*Good rebounding skills
*Ability to run the floor well
*Athletic
*Minimum of 7 PPG with the exception of student-athletes who are 6′2″ and above 

Preferred Grades for All Divisions:
3.0 GPA + 24 ACT + 1000 SAT (out of 1600)
(No scores needed for underclassmen)  

In an effort to better serve our basketball recruits, we recently surveyed DI, DII, DIII, NAIA and JUCO Women’s Basketball Coaches about the role that statistics play when reviewing college recruits. 
The overall feedback from the survey was that coaches highly value statistics, from average points and rebounds per game to assists, so keep your information updated as much as possible, especially when you are logging higher stats. For example, Division I Coaches said that on a scale of 1 – 5, with 5 being very important, they rank statistics as a 4 in terms of overall importance. So what numbers are college coaches expecting to see?  

Women’s Basketball Results 

 

 

Level of Play  Importance of Statistics*  Avg Points 
Per Division 		 Avg Rebounds Per Division  Avg Assists Per Division 
NCAA I  3.25 out of 5.00  12.4  6.2  3.7 
NCAA II  3.60 out of 5.00  11.0  3.5  2.5 
NCAA III  3.11 out of 5.00  8.3  5.9  3.6 
NAIA  3.40 out of 5.00  9.0  4.3  2.8 
JUCO  3.50 out of 5.00  7.0  4.0  4.5 

 

* Scale of 1.00 – 5.00, with 5 being Very Important 

Although statistics are an important factor, they do not tell the entire story, especially in regards to specific positions and overall playing performance. Our feedback indicates that coaches are looking for wing players to be able to score, point guards to distribute and lead and post players with great size, footwork and hands. In some instances, these skill sets are as important, if not more important to college coaches than statistics. Level of competition also plays an important role in stats. In addition, work ethic, attitude, leadership and a winning mentality are all factors that gain the attention of college coaches.  

AAU is one of the biggest recruiting tools for college coaches. Finding a quality AAU team that competes nationally will allow student-athletes to gain maximum exposure. 

 

Basketball by the Numbers

 

Schools Offering Basketball
NCAA Division I  331 
NCAA Division II  289 
NCAA Division III  436 
NAIA  228 
Junior College  392 
Total  1,682 

Athletic Scholarship Opportunities
NCAA Division I  13 
NCAA Division II  10 
NAIA Division I  12 
NAIA Division II  6 
NJCAA (*varies per school)  15 

Student-Athlete Participation
NCAA Division I  4,744 
NCAA Division II  4,206 
NCAA Division III  6,202 
NAIA  3,511 
Junior College  4,801 
HS Student-Athletes  456,967 

IF YOU THINK YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER IS A CANDIDATE FOR COLLEGE SPORTS THEN IT IS UP TO YOU TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP. PLEASE VISIT THE BLOGROLL LINK IN THE LIST TO THE RIGHT TITLED A. YOUR FIRST STEP TO PLAYING COLLEGE SPORTS TO START THE PROCESS

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Wrestling Recruiting Guidelines

December 18th, 2008 · No Comments · Recruiting Guidelines

Division 1

 

·                  State champion or placer multiple times

·                  Junior or Cadet National champion or placer

·                  Tournament of Champions winner or placer multiple times

·                  4x Varsity Starter

Placed at top tournaments such as: 

1.                Delaware Beast of the East

2.                Reno Tournament of Champions

3.                Five-Counties Invitational (Most difficult tournament in CA)

4.                PowerAde Christmas Tournament

5.                Easton-Phillipsburg (PA) National HS Wrestling Duals

6.                Manheim (PA)

7.                Iron Man Invitational (OH)

8.                Clovis “Doc” Buchanan Invitational (Central CA)

9.                Minnesota Christmas Tournament

10.             Virginia Duals

Division II/NAIA Recruiting Guidelines

·                  State placer

·                  District and Regional champion

·                  District placer multiple times

·                  3x Varsity Starter

·                  Win several HS tournaments

·                  Experience in Greco and Freestyle

Division III/NAIA Recruiting Guidelines

·                  District placer

·                  2x Varsity Starter

·                  Win or place at several HS tournaments

 

Preferred Grades
3.0+GPA, 24+ACT, 1000+SAT (out of 1600)
(No scores needed for underclassmen) 

 

Wrestling by the Numbers

 

Schools Offering Wrestling
NCAA Division I  86 
NCAA Division II  45 
NCAA Division III  92 
NAIA  26 
Junior College  45 
Total  294 

Athletic Scholarship Opportunities
Division I (per school)  9.9 
Division II (per school)  9 
NAIA  12 
NJCAA (*varies per school)  16 

Student-Athlete Participation
NCAA Division I  2,615 
NCAA Division II  1,225 
NCAA Division III  2,387 
NAIA  685 
HS Student-Athletes  257,246 

IF YOU THINK YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER IS A CANDIDATE FOR COLLEGE SPORTS THEN IT IS UP TO YOU TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP. PLEASE VISIT THE BLOGROLL LINK IN THE LIST TO THE RIGHT TITLED A. YOUR FIRST STEP TO PLAYING COLLEGE SPORTS TO START THE PROCESS

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