1. NCEA Webinar Putting Your Best Foot Forward – Recruiting Tips from NCEA Coaches
Dr. Leah Holland Fiorentino
Executive Director, National Collegiate Equestrian Association

2. Important Dates to Remember
September 1st of your rising Jr year of high school: Coaches are permitted to initiate communication and return communication at any time. This means that coaches can call, text, and you unlimitedly.
July 1st of your rising Sr year of high school: Coaches can have off campus contact with a PSA following your release from competition.
August 1st of your rising Sr year of high school: Coaches can provide written offers of aid. PSAs cannot sign any offers until the designated signing period.
Any time after your first day of Sr year of high school: Seniors can/may take an official visit to an institution after their first day of senior year. You may only take one official visit to an institution and you cannot take more than 5 official visits during your senior year.
November of your Sr year of high school: “Fall/Early Signing Period” – this is the first period in which Universities will issue NLIs and FACs. Fall Signing Period only lasts for 7 days.
April of your Sr year of high school: “Spring/Regular Signing Period” – this signing period lasts all the way through the month of August. PSAs can sign a NLI/FAC during this time.
Important Dates to Remember

3. Other Helpful Information Recruiting Materials
Recruiting Questionnaire: Check the NCEA links to the teams’ online questionnaire and complete the questionnaires for the teams that are attractive to you Most of the time, this is your first step in initiating interest in a program.
Introductory Send an introductory to coaches. Include some of your riding history/background along with your current level of competition and your coach’s/trainer’s name
Videos: Most coaches do the majority of their evaluations from video files. This is your opportunity to impress the coaches and showcase what you can do on a horse
Make it easy to review videos: Upload to YouTube and send the coach a direct link
Limit the length: Send multiple videos – none longer than 5 minutes
Hunter Seat: Include footage of flatting horses as well as jumping courses, schooling/riding horses at home is important in addition to videos from the horse shows.
Western: Include footage of specific event at horse shows in addition to riding/working your horses at home
Include a variety of horses
Other Helpful Information Recruiting Materials

4. Other Helpful Information Recruiting Materials
Resume: Include only your pertinent information; you do NOT need to include your entire USEF/AQHA/NRHA show record
High School Transcripts: Scanned and ed directly to the coaches (not be official copies). Transcripts that include your 5th & 6th semester coursework and grades are important to share with coaches.
Test Score Reports: Scanned and ed directly to the coaches. Submit official records to the NCAA Eligibility Center. This information helps the coach assess your academic ability
Other Helpful Information Recruiting Materials

5. Recruiting Tips: When Communicating
DO understand that coaches receive an average of 20 s from prospects a day.
DO send pertinent information – your resume should include your name, NCAA ID number, discipline specific (USEF, AQHA, NRHA) registration number, coach/trainer, high school name and graduation year. Also include some of your major academic and athletic accomplishments.
DO keep your videos concise and don’t fret over the “perfect” video.
DO make sure that your social media and networking sites are clean.
DO make sure you get requested information back to coaches in a timely manner.
DO be honest with coaches about your financial needs.
Recruiting Tips: When Communicating

6. Recruiting Tips: When Communicating
DON’T send your entire show record.
DON’T feel pressured to hire a ‘recruiting consultant’.
DON’T expect coaches to continuously check for updates on your YouTube channel or personal website.
DON’T feel pressured to sign during the fall/early signing period.
DON’T pressure coaches to make you an offer during the fall/spring signing period.
Recruiting Tips: When Communicating

7. Recruiting Tips: When Visiting
When you do meet with a coach,
DO talk about the opportunities you’ve had and what you’ve been able to accomplish.
DO lead with your best quality, not your biggest excuse.
DO give coaches a date & time window when you will be in the area/on campus.
DO make sure you confirm the date, time and location of the meeting. .
Recruiting Tips: When Visiting

8. Recruiting Tips: When Visiting
If you are offered an official visit:
DO accept/decline in a timely manner.
DO ask good questions.
DO be honest about your thoughts and feelings.
When coaches are trying to plan your official visit:
DO reply with information they request as soon as possible.
When on an official visit:
DO show excitement
If offered a place on the team or a scholarship:
DO be timely when replying to this offer.
DO follow up with a coach after a meeting.
Recruiting Tips: When Visiting

9. Recruiting Tips: When Visiting
DON’T feel pressured to commit to a team/university.
DON’T try to just ‘stop by’.
DON’T wait until you are on campus to schedule a time to meet with a coach.
DON’T schedule too many unofficial visits in a single weekend or you will wind up in a scheduling pinch and have to tell a coach that you can’t meet with them at the time they have available because you are visiting another school/coach at that time.
DON’T ask to meet on a weekend or a holiday.
DON’T string a coach along
DON’T make excuses for why you can’t show somewhere or why you don’t have a ‘fancy’ resume.
DON’T expect to have any sort of significant interaction with the coach if you visit during a home competition
Recruiting Tips: When Visiting

10. Contact Dr. Leah Holland Fiorentino, Executive Director
More Information?

11. Spring of Sophomore Year  Spring of Junior Year:
Initiate communication with coaches. You may need to make a couple of phone calls to coaches if you are interested in visiting prior to September 1 of junior year.
Schedule/Make unofficial visits to Universities that you are interested in
Start sending coaches videos (even if you are a sophomore)
Spring of Junior Year:
Send transcripts and test scores (unofficial copies are perfect and can be scanned and ed to the coaches you are talking with)
Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
If you haven’t made visits to campus yet, get on it!
Identify where you want to focus your efforts and resources getting recruiting
Continue communicating with coaches
High School Time Line

12. High School Time Line Summer before Senior Year:
Make any last unofficial visits to Universities you are interested in attending
Start working on your college application – apply early to the Universities you are most interested in attending
Stay in touch with coaches you have met with and COMMUNICATE – if you are still interested in their University and program, let them know. If you have identified a program that is a better fit for you, let them know.
Schedule official visits – if a coach offers you a visit, let them know your interest level. If you are not interested, let them know; if you are interested, start planning!
Fall of Senior Year:
If an Official Visit is planned, stay in touch with coaches
If you do not have an Official Visit planned, stay in touch with coaches. Keep them updated on your schedule, what shows you will be at during the indoor circuit and what you will be competing in.
December of Senior Year:
Follow up with coaches after the fall signing period concludes.
Ask for status updates and where you fit within their recruiting plan for the spring period
High School Time Line