NCAA ELIGIBILITY WORKSHOP

CHALLENGES FACING COLLEGE BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETES Families may lack an understanding of the recruiting process, including eligibility rules Determining if the students have the passion to continue competing once they are on their own Getting students to see themselves beyond their role as an athlete Ensuring that a successful academic experience is the overriding consideration in the decision

GOALS FOR THIS WORKSHOP Provide a brief overview of the college divisions Describe the athletic recruitment process Review NCAA athletic eligibility Share strategies on how counselors can assist Answer any questions about the recruiting process

“BLUE CHIP” ATHLETE A highly skilled, accomplished, visible athlete who is already known to college coaches. Recruiters initiate contact.

“YELLOW CHIP” ATHLETE A skilled athlete who can continue competing beyond high school but is less visible to college recruiters and might have to initiate contact.

NCAA DIVISION I Highest level of competition Most of the “big time universities” you see on television Athletes face an enormous time commitment Usually have to be a “blue chip” athlete to play there

NCAA DIVISION II Small sized schools with lesser known athletic reputations Usually feature a number of local or in-state student/ athletes School is paid through a combination of scholarship money, grants, student loans and employment earnings

DIVISON III Largest division in the NCAA Division III athletes receive no financial aid related to their athletic ability Generally, athletes compete because they love the sport. The time commitment is not as huge as Division I.

NAIA The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is the governing body of a group of smaller colleges. Time commitment and scholarships vary depending on the school and the sport

NJCAA (JUCO) The National Junior College Athletic Association is the governing body of two- year college athletics NJCAA members compete at the Division I, II, or III level Must graduate from JUCO before gaining eligibility at a four year school

COMPARING THE NCAA DIVISIONS Division I Division II Division III Number of Member Institutions 323 283 424 Average Undergraduate Enrollment 10,054 3,306 2,146 Total Operating Expenses for Athletics $23.2M (I-A) $6.8M (I-AA) $2.3M (Football) $1.5m (No Football) $1.25M (Football) $.66M (No Football) Average Expense per Athlete $42,000 $8,000 $3,000

OVERVIEW OF THE RECRUITING PROCESS

COLLEGE COACHES EVALUATE RECRUITS IN THREE WAYS Athletic Ability Academic achievement Quality of character

HOW COLLEGES IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE STUDENT- ATHLETES Evaluations from high school and club coaches See athletes play in person or on tape Newspaper clippings Recommendations from current student-athletes, alumni or community members Reputable recruiting services Student-athletes “introducing themselves” to the coach

HOW COLLEGE COACHES INDICATE THEIR INTEREST Typed letters, handwritten letters or other mailings (e.g. questionnaires, brochures, etc.) Talking with the high school, summer league or club coach Phone calls to the home School and/or home visits Invite the prospect to visit campus (official vs. unofficial visit)

STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GAUGE THE RECRUITER’S LEVEL OF INTERST BY THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF THE CONTACTS FROM COACHES

ESTIMATED PROBABILITY OF COMPETING BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL

MEN’S BASKETBALL 1 in 35 high school senior boys will go on to play college basketball Approximately 3 in 10,000 high school senior boys will be drafted by an NBA team

FOOTBALL About 5.8 percent of all high school senior boys will go on to play college football About 9 in 10,000 high school senior boys will be drafted by an NFL team

BASEBALL Less than 3 in 50 high school senior boys will play college baseball Approximately 1 in 200 high school senior boys will be drafted by a MLB team

WHAT IF YOUR STUDENTS DO NOT HEAR FROM A COLLEGE RECRUITER THEY NEED TO MARKET THEMSELVES!

MARKETING YOURSELF A THREE-STEP PROCESS Assess athletic ability Identify appropriate colleges Communicate with the college coach

ASSESS ATHLETIC ABILITY MOST IMPORTANT! Student-athletes must be realistic about their athletic talent. “Broken leg” test-Would you still love the school if you didn’t participate in athletics?

IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE COLLEGES Identify what the students are looking for in a college (e.g. location, size, academic major, campus setting, level of athletic competition) Make a list of schools that meet that criteria The final choice should be based primarily on the quality of academics and overall fit, not just athletic interests Think beyond the next four years

COMMUNICATE WITH THE COLLEGE COACH Create an athletic resume that summarizes academic and athletic accomplishments Identify head coaches and establish communication through phone or e- mail Provide college coaches with game tape Earn the recommendation of the high school coach (the college recruiter’s main contact) Athletes should be seen (e.g. summer camps, travel teams, summer leagues, showcases, etc.)

NCAA ELIGIBILTY RULES

MEETING THE NCAA ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU ADMISSION INTO A COLLEGE. EACH COLLEGE HAS ITS OWN ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS. YOU MUST STILL APPLY FOR ADMISSION.

CORE COURSES An academic course in English, mathematics, natural/ physical science, social science, foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy Four-year college preparatory At or above your high school’s regular academic level (no remedial or special education) Must be completed not later than the high school graduation date of your class

TEST SCORES Division I has a sliding scale for test score and grade- point average Division II has a minimum SAT score requirement of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68 The ACT score used for NCAA purposes is a sum of the four sections of the ACT: English, math, reading and science

HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR CORE G.P.A. Assign a number value to each core letter grade- A=4 points, B= 3 points, C= 2 points, D= 1 point Sum total of all core courses and divide by the number of courses (16 for Division I and 14 for Division II) This is your core G.P.A.

ACADEMIC GAME PLAN

9TH AND 10TH GRADES Take a strong academic course load to prepare for college level work and meeting NCAA requirements Take advantage of study skills courses that may be available Take the PSAT in October of sophomore year

11th GRADE Continue to take rigorous academic courses Start developing a list of colleges Take the PSAT, SAT and ACT and have scores sent to Clearinghouse. Meet with high school coach to discuss their potential to play in college Register with the Clearinghouse at the end of the year

11th GRADE Visit college campuses (Try to arrange a meeting with a coach) Develop an athletic resume and cover letter

12TH GRADE Retake the SAT or ACT as needed Review the college list and double-check eligibility status Retake any D’s or F’s in core subjects Contact college recruiters to re-state interest Visit more college campuses in the fall Have high school mail final transcript after graduation

HOW CAN SCHOOL COUNSELORS HELP? Know how to calculate a core G.P.A. Answer any questions about eligibility requirements Can assist in processing Clearinghouse applications and mailing final transcripts Help students identify schools that fit Help families develop an academic game plan

Thank You for Coming “Everyone has the desire to win, but only champions have the desire to prepare. “ Author Unknown