Parent's Corner - Getting Started

PARENTS’ CORNER

by Ryan

Ryan’s daughter is a XC/T&F distance runner going into her senior year. Her top six college choices are four Power 5 DI schools, a top 50 DI XC program, and a top 5 DIII program.

When my daughter said to me last year, “I want to be recruited to run at a Division I school”, I had no idea what that really meant. Even though my oldest daughter had recently graduated from West Point, where she ran competitively for two years, I simply could not have imagined how my life was going to change in order to help her achieve her goal. Forget that researching, applying, and choosing the right college is already a daunting, high-stress, nerve-racking challenge in its own right, but to add being recruited took it to another level.

What I hope to share with you, on a weekly basis, is the recruiting process we have gone through over the past year; the good, the bad, and the ugly. You’ll also get to experience the conclusion of this journey when my daughter makes her final college decision this Fall.

There are so many different aspects of managing the recruiting process I did not even consider, or were simply unaware of when we started one year ago. There were so many questions and little answers at that time. Here’s a list of questions that come to mind:

……when should we start, how do we start, do we get help, what kind of help. which schools should she consider, which division should she target, how good was she compared to other athletes, how do we reach out to coaches, which coaches should we contact, how should we contact, how much athletic money can we get, do the schools stack athletic/merit/need, what IS stacking, how does this mold into the admissions process, how does the coach get involved with admissions-whether my daughter needed support or not, what about the connection with or feeling about the coach, did the coach recruiting her leave before her senior year and what to do next, what about the official visits from being invited to attending, should she target NLI day or not, should she apply ED or not, and so many more……..

With so many questions to consider, I decided to share my insights and learnings with you, regardless of where you are in the recruiting process.

Our first question last year was related to the TIMING of the recruitment process, and when to begin, and what specifically to do. As she was entering her junior year, were we too early, too late, or right on-time? I will cover this topic in next week’s post. I’ll also share real-time updates on what’s happening at this very moment. I’ll share next week how we are currently MANAGING OFFICIAL VISITS. Feel free to send any additional questions you might have to add to the above list, and I’ll try to answer them as best I can.

Until next time! Ryan

Track and Field Recruiting Tip of the Week - Identify Viable Options

COLLEGE TRACK AND FIELD RECRUITING

Do your research and have an idea what schools and programs are truly viable options for you based on your current and projected athletic and academic achievements. Track and Field is unique in that a tangible comparison if often possible. Do your research and see how your PR’s compare to the previous year’s recruits at the schools you are most interested in. A quick perusal of the school’s track and field website and Milesplit will allow you to gain an honest perspective of how you stack up. Look further into how your GPA and test scores measure up to the profile of the incoming class. However, if you are being recruited by a particular school, you should realize that most coaches have quite a bit of leeway with the Office of Admissions – so don’t be scared away if the numbers seem daunting.

Realistically assess your academic and athletic numbers and start form there. For example, a high school girl who has run 13.00 for 100m or a young man who has run 2:03 for 800m cannot expect to compete in the SEC. Along the same line, a student with a 21 on the ACT should not expect to be admitted to NYU or Harvard regardless of a coach’s support.

It is important to identify the schools and programs that are the best fit for you. And, although it is imperative to dream big and shoot for the stars, it is also important to be realistic about your current athletic and academic abilities to find the vey best fit for you!

Track and Field Recruiting Tip Of The Week - Find Your Best Fit

TRACK & FIELD RECRUITING TIP OF THE WEEK

TIP #1 – FINDING THE BEST FIT FOR YOU

To get started, determine the most important factors in choosing a school. Consider quality of education, cost, team environment, program success, level of competition, coaching style/philosophy, location, major and such. Obviously, you should prioritize these factors to ensure you are finding the very best fit for you.

For example, the cost of attendance will be very important for many families and will therefore drive the recruiting process. For another family, the academic reputation of the university or college may be the most important factor in determining which schools to pursue. Obviously, as a track and field recruit the college coach and the team environment will be important factors in your decision.

My suggestion to you is create a list identifying your most important factors in rank order. For all families, there will be more than one factor impacting the decision. Identify the factors that are important for you and let that list guide you through the recruiting process.

EXAMPLE GIVEN:

1600m / 3200m Boy with PR’s of 4:22 and 9:30 as a junior. He has SAT scores of 1210 and wants to attend a NCAA D1 school with a solid academic reputation in the Midwest that the family can afford.

Schools to consider:

Bradley University Butler University Drake University Xavier University

Tagged: track and field recruitimg, college track and field recruiting

Recruiting Advice For Current Junior Track and Field Athletes

You are already halfway through your junior year of high school and you will be a senior in eight months. Many programs have completed their recruiting classes for this year and are now focusing their efforts on next year's class -- this year's juniors. As it is now permissible for college coaches to call juniors, the recruiting process has already begun. To ensure that you take full advantage of this process, here are a few suggestions to help you find the right fit for you.

1. Cast A Wide Net

Your junior year is about seeing what's out there and what kind of school might be a good fit for you. If you have not yet done so create an expansive list of schools/programs that meet your specific needs and desires. Among factors to consider are affiliation (NCAA I, II, III, NAIA and JUCO), competitiveness of the program, cost of attendance, quality of education, geographical location, intended academic major, enrollment size, public vs private, and other factors that matter to you.  

Think about what may impact your athletic experience the most like coaching style, athlete retention, and success of the program. Determine if you are a good fit athletically -- many schools post their recruiting standards online.  

Know what the academic requirements are for the schools you are considering to determine if you are potentially admissible.  

Continually revise your list. During my coaching career, I often saw recruits close doors too early. They would rule out programs in their junior year of high school based on a variety of factors and then end up scrambling in the end when Plan A did not work out. Make sure to keep Plan B in play as to not have to settle for Plan C at the last minute.

2. Fill Out Online Recruiting Questionnaires

The online recruiting questionnaire is a good first and simple means to initiate communication with a program. It allows the coach to assess if you are a good fit for their program. In a recent interview with the Recruiting Code, Duke University head women's cross country coach Rhonda Riley was asked, "What are the important steps for an athlete to get noticed by you?" She responded, "The two ways to get on my radar are to fill out our online questionnaire and to follow up with an email. When a high school athlete takes the time to send an email with their contact information, personal best marks, academic information etc. it means they are serious about considering Duke as a potential university." Online recruiting questionnaires are typically very easy to find on individual schools' track and field websites.

3. Contact College Coaches

Over the span of my 30-year coaching career, I learned that communication is the most important element to reaching your goals. If you have not yet started -- start reaching out to college coaches from the schools on your list. You will be surprised at how effective personally reaching out to coaches will enhance your recruiting experience.  

Proofread every email before hitting send. A great deal of communication in the early phases of the recruiting process is going to be cut and paste on both sides, however, making a simple mistake can dehumanize the process and render the remainder of your communication less credible. Make sure you are addressing the proper institution and coach. I cannot tell you how many emails I received from recruits specifically addressed to a rival coach expressing their interest in a rival school.  

Send updates on a regular basis.  Most coaches receive dozens of emails from recruits each day so it's important that you keep yourself on their radar.

4. Take The ACT / SAT

Register and take the SAT/ACT during your junior year. If you feel adequately prepared, I would suggest taking the test in the fall of your junior year. This will allow you plenty of time to take it for the second time in the spring. Everyone's test prep is going to vary based on their own strengths, weaknesses, schedule, and goals. At the very minimum, though, all students should try to put in 10 hours of focused test prep, at least to get familiar with the format and timing of the test. Realistically, you would need to put in much more time over a sustained period to do well.

However, if you are not ready to take the test do not view it as a test-run. Do not take the test until you have prepared to do so at a level that is reflective of your academic potential.

If you are considering attending a highly selective academic institution taking the test earlier will significantly enhance your recruitment. Most selective schools will not vigorously pursue a potential-student athlete without test scores to determine admissibility.

5. Utilize Unofficial Visits

Unofficial visits can help you gather significant information about individual programs and schools. This time will allow you an opportunity to meet the coach in person, tour the college, check out the athletic facilities, and possibly meet current team members.

Do your homework - know who and where you are visiting. Have a keen understanding of the unique strengths of each school and team, as it will show the respective coaching staff how serious you are about their program. Use this time to learn as much as you can about the program and coaching staff. Identify the factors that will be most important to you in determining if you will return for an official visit. Have a short list of specific questions ready that address the most critical factors in your college decision.

There is no imposed limit on the number of unofficial visits you may take, so take as many as possible. There is no better tool to help you hone in on the best school/program for you.

In summary:  

Your junior year is quickly passing and it is time to start seriously considering where you want to continue your academic and athletic pursuits. Do not be passive -- start reaching out to college coaches now. Be aggressive in your outreach and email every program that you are interested in, regardless of the perceived reach. Be your own greatest advocate and take charge of your future.