A mother’s thoughts on the athletic recruiting process and how a season ending injury can factor into things

I had a chance to email back and fourth with a mom who has been through a lot during the recruiting process. Her son was a highly rated player in the Midwest and could have added multiple scholarship offers if not for an injury in his first game of his senior year. This is the a nightmare for any recruit who does not have any scholarship offers. Her son’s ACL was torn and his missed the majority of his senior year. But in the end, it worked out and he was able to stay in state at a strong program.

This gracious and helpful mom answered some of my questions about what her family went through. This is a very interesting take because this is the exact opposite of what anyone wants to happen during their final year of prep football. But as I mentioned, luckily for them, it all worked out in the end and her son will be paying very little for his college education. Here is this in-depth question and answer.

Describe how the recruiting process went for your son?
“My son would probably be the best person to ask on this but I think it was okay until it got to be November of his senior year. He was another one of those kids who had gotten a lot of mail from all around and was going on about his fourth large shoe box full of stuff. He seemed to be getting a lot of attention from four main Division I schools with no scholarship offers but all of them interested in watching his senior year. With all of the junior day visits he was invited to, spring games, and camps he attended the frustration started to set in when others started getting offers and none for him. He tried to be patient and understanding and kept working hard; then got hurt the first play of his season and he knew everyone was wanting to see how he would do his senior year, and getting time in at defensive back. Many schools wanted to see him at that position so he was going to do that his senior year in addition to running back.”

What was the highlight of the process?
“In the beginning when he still had hope of getting some offers he just enjoyed the visits and getting to see games and tour campuses and getting to know coaches. After he had gotten hurt and when it got to be later in the season his biggest highlight was having an in home visit and then eventually getting an offer from that same school. Early he really enjoyed the attention until it started to turn into frustration.”

What was the toughest part of the process?
“Just not understanding how the whole recruiting process goes and why schools do what they do and pick the kids that they pick. Also after finding out that several of the Division I schools that were recruiting my son still had offers out there to other kids who had also torn their ACL so it wasn’t just because of that. I’m sure there are several factors but you just never know. Having several great years of camp at one particular Division I school, good camps this past summer, and even getting MVP at running back for the Nike Camp didn’t seem to be enough. His position is also a hard position to get recruited it seems; he was going to show what he could do on the other side of the ball with his speed and athleticism but never got the chance.”

How much time did the family spend traveling to visits?
“We went to so many visits to one particular school that I could have given the tour myself. There were junior day visits and spring games at a variety of schools. Then the Army Combine in Texas, the Nike Camp, camps at a number of colleges. In addition to more games in the fall to all of the above including a Division I-AA and II school. It was a lot of traveling for almost a year but at the time was very enjoyable and exciting.”

When your son tore his ACL and was out for the majority of his senior year, was the family worried about a scholarship?
“We were not as worried about getting an actual scholarship as much. We were probably more worried about him not getting an offer from a school that he really wanted to attend. However, it all worked out and he did get that offer from a school that he was hoping to get one from and cannot wait to get there. It has been his dream to play Division I football (or Division I-AA) so he felt that he would walk on to a school of that size even if he got a scholarship from a Division II school just to try and see what he could do.”

Did the injury turn schools away?
“Yes to a certain extent. I do believe it wasn’t just this injury however. I feel that if he had a chance to play on the other side of the ball, or would have thought to do that his junior year that would have helped him out with the schools that were wanting to see him play at that position and never got the chance to. And then whatever other factors schools look at when recruiting. It is hard to tell for sure.”

Were all coaches straight forward with you during recruiting?
“Some were and some weren’t.”

Did any coaches lie to you or your son during the recruiting process?
“I wouldn’t say that any of them “lied” to him that I know of. However it was hard to read them and also to find out they didn’t want him bad enough to make him an offer in the end but really seemed like they did in the beginning of the process and when working with them at camps.”

How does it feel to know your son is getting his college paid for?
“It feels great that he is getting a very cheap education and gets to play football along the way. I don’t even think it has really sunk in yet but I know it is a great thing!”

If you could do it all over again, would there be anything you would change?
“Probably not go to SO many unofficial visits to all the same schools without even knowing if that is where he would end up. One would be plenty until you know there is an offer on the table or that he wants to go there no matter what happens.”

Do you have any advice for other parents reading this?
“Enjoy the whole process while not letting it consume you and your family. Also, if you get stressed out about the whole thing your kid probably will too. Try not to figure it out either as far as who schools recruit and why. Even our son’s coach said he cannot figure out how it all works and once he thinks he knows he just gets confused all over again.”

Were you often stressed by the recruiting process?
“Yes. Just not knowing what was going to happen and to have all that stress on my son as well. One example is that he had gotten a call from the coaches at one of the Division I schools recruiting him the week that they were going to come and watch him play. That was a stressful week knowing that he wanted to impress them, then he ended up getting hurt the first play (of his first game).”

*A special thanks for this mom’s help for this article.

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I am a senior in the football recruiting process without any offers but I have interest. What should I be doing in November (Part One)?

I have to say that I assume that a good portion of the football recruits out there reading this are in this exact situation.  They currently are scholarship-less but have recruiting interest from a variety of schools.  Those programs still have not pulled the trigger in offering a scholarship and are likely boasting the same cliché lines that you are tired of hearing.  They could include we are still evaluating prospects, we are waiting to see how many players we need at your position, be patient, and so many other ones.

So for you out there that are in the situation described, this article is for you.  As I talked about very recently, if a college coach is really seriously evaluating you for a scholarship offer, you should know (see the article by clicking here) by a few things that they do.  If you haven’t read that article, I would strongly advise checking it out quickly.

If your football season is still going on, I would focus on that for the time being.  My guess is that you are extremely busy and the last thing you want to do is invest a ton of time in the football recruiting process right now.  Visits are fine but your focus should be on school and football.  I know this may set you back a week or two but that won’t kill you right now.

We are going to assume that your team made a great playoff run but fell short to your rivals from Valley and now your season is over.  As I have talked about, now is not the time to rest and assume that college coaches will come flock to you.

What you need to do now is take a few hours on a week night or a weekend and really focus on what is going on with the football recruiting process.  Since you have taken detailed files (you did, right?), you should have what schools called, when, what they said, information about all the schools, who has been sending mail, and things along those lines.

This will give you a better feel of where you really sit with the schools that are recruiting you.  Remember, a school that is sending mail and inviting you to games is not promising you anything.  Until you get the official scholarship paperwork, don’t really believe that there is a scholarship on the table.

Inventory where you sit with schools and please, don’t but the “they are in season so they just are not recruiting me as hard” line that I seem to frequently hear.  There is a good reason why you are not hearing from the coaches and it has nothing to do with them being busy.

If you are happy with the attention that you have, then I assume the coaches are calling you frequently (there is a problem is you are happy and they are not calling you).  On the next call, ask them about the evaluation process, reviewing your tapes, what you need to send, official visits, and everything that will help you get a better overall grasp of where you sit.

Talk to them about your position, their recruiting, how their process works, and anything else you haven’t asked before.  This really is a lot to put on the shoulders of a 17 or 18-year old but should be done.  And mom and dad, give your son an opportunity to ask these questions himself.  This is an opportunity for him to grow as a person by stepping out of his comfortable zone.  I don’t care if you have to write the questions down, your son needs to take this opportunity and run with it.  And I don’t care how bad their social skills are.

The answers should give you a better feel for what these schools are thinking.  Yes, he is likely to hear a number of different lines about how their evaluation process is different and that you need to be patient, blah, blah, blah.

What you want to hear, especially from Division I-A (FCS) and II coaches is when they offer scholarships and how official visits work.  For 90% of recruits at the Division I-AA (FCS) level and 95% of recruits at the Division II level, offers do not come until at least December and most colleges make you come for an official visit in order to get the package that they are offering.  There are obvious exceptions but most coaches make recruits wait it out (which is very stressing and makes things much harder but is how it works).

Look for part two soon!

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What is a Junior Day during the athletic recruiting process and are they worth going to?

For junior recruits across the country, there is no doubt that taking the time and making the trip to Junior Days is worth it. These are held for football, basketball, baseball, and I am sure other sports as well. The basic definition of a recruiting Junior Day is where a college brings in a number of their sought after recruits in the current junior class.

Bringing these juniors allows the athletes to see the school, meet the coaches, get a tour of the facilities, and learn more about the program in general. Because it is still early in the recruiting process for these juniors, it is a good time to get to know some of the coaches and learn more about them and what their school has to offer.

Even with Signing Day still months away, college programs are starting to send out invites for their Junior Days. If these invites are sent out during the winter, chances are good that the coaches will take the recruits to a basketball game as well. What this does for the recruits is it gives them a chance to see what the fan support of the school is all about.

As far as numbers go, some Junior Days will have fifteen recruits or less while others may bring in over fifty high school athletes. From the perspective of a recruit, the smaller the group, the better. This shows that you are one of their elite prospects and that they will give you a serious look during the next twelve months.

Here is a good example of the difference in invites for Junior Days. Both of these schools are in the same state but they took a completely different approach to inviting kids for Junior Days. One school ended up inviting a handful of kids in-state and some other major Division I athletes from the surrounding states. After following these kids after that visit and eventually making college decisions, only a few in-state athletes ended up at the school that had invited them. However, everyone of them signed a Letter of Intent and ended up with a scholarship at the next level. Some were other Division I-A schools, I-AA schools, and one was even Division II. But this shows that at a place like this, getting an invite really does mean a great deal.

The other in-state school focused primarily on bringing in-state kids to their school. Even though the coach had been there a while and could have had a good feel for the top prospects in State, they invited over one hundred players to the event. The problem with this mass invite is that many of them were not big enough for the Division I level (6-foot-1, 200 pound defensive lineman for one). It was probably fun for the kid to get a chance to see the facilities but the percentage of him getting a scholarship there was very, very low. Many of the players at this event ended up playing Division III football and only a small number went on to play at that school. This coaching staff took the wide net approach to the Junior Day while the other was ahead of the ball game and knew what kids they were going to evaluate further.

While I think a Junior Day invite is a good thing, how good it is really depends on the school. You need to factor in how many other recruits are there and if they are highly rated. If you have questions about what level you can play at in college, that alone should help you figure it out.

Usually a school will hold a Junior Day at one of two times. The first is during the winter where they can bring the recruits on campus. They get a tour, get fed, and they could eventually go to a basketball game if the team is at home. If they are playing at home recruits will be given court side seats so you can see the game up close and get a chance to see the fans as well.

The other time Junior Days happen is when spring football practices are in session. Some schools allow recruits to sit in on their position meetings during the spring practices. If you are a quarterback recruit, you will get to see what the other quarterbacks go through everyday in a normal practice situation. As a high school recruit, it is a great chance to see what the college game is all about. There is no doubt that you will be impressed because these are likely the players at the school that you have been watching on TV during the last few years.

My overall thoughts on Junior Days is that you should go. Outside of a potential lengthy travel, there is no reason not to. They give you a chance to see the school, learn more about the program, and likely get a free meal. Some schools are more prone to offer scholarships but don’t be surprised if you hear the phrase, “keep working hard and we want to evaluate you at our summer camp.

 

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Take the scholarship or decide to walk on in the athletic recruiting process – Part Two

I recently had the chance to email with a parent who has a son with this current dilemma.  The son has been offered a preferred walk-on spot at a Division I-A (BCS) school that is close to home.  The program has not had a great deal of success over the long term so there is always the opportunity to step up, play, and eventually earn a scholarship.  But with Division II offers on the table and the potential from Division I-AA (FCS) programs to offer a scholarship it is a tough decision.

This article will be the second piece of two that breaks down the pros and cons of taking a scholarship at a smaller school versus going to the bigger program and walking on.  This second article will focus strictly on why taking the walk-on offer should be the decision that is made.  In this situation, there is no right or wrong but we will provide information and insight on both.  Click here to read the first article (although the order of the articles really doesn’t matter much).

So why should an athlete pass up scholarship money?  The first reason may be that they have dreamed of playing college football at the highest level possible.  You may have spent the last ten years of your life watching State University hoping and dreaming that you may eventually get the potential to play for them.  With their full amount of scholarships already being spoken for, your only chance is to take the walk-on spot at the school has to offer.

This walk-on spot may not be a scholarship but Division I-A (BCS) college coaches do not go throwing around these walk-on spots.  They have to be earned and you must show the college coaches either at camp or on video that you can play.  While these coaches are not promising you anything, they do feel that at the very least you can help the team improve as a practice player.  From there, you may see time on special teams and hope that you could break the lineup as you get older.

Again, there is no promise of playing time but you will get to live the dream.  You may have spent your childhood wondering what it would be like playing for State University and now the opportunity is in front of you.  Your name will be on the roster, you will get a jersey, and even more important is the fact that you may eventually get to play as yourself in an updated video game.

There is no doubt that you are taking a chance but this is something you have full control over.  You are basically betting on yourself that you have the ability to eventually make your way up the depth chart, get playing time, and earn a scholarship offer.  It will be up to you to decide if you want to have fun with friends on weekends or be so dedicated that you skip the parties and instead go for a run.  The amount of time and hard work that you will have to put in is not easy.

You will also have to be lucky during those years that you have in college.  Your body must hold up and be able to avoid injuries that could set you back and hurt the eventual quest for a scholarship offer.  But if you can do it, this will be a story you can pass on for the rest of your life how you beat the odds and were able to play at State University.  Again, this won’t be easy but you are beating that you have the ability to eventually see the field at a school you may have dreamed of playing for.  Is that worth passing up a scholarship offer?

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Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

These Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are a dreamy treat for the fall and winter season! The pumpkin cupcake base is warmly spiced with a hint of vanilla, while the cream cheese frosting swirls in a fluffy cloud on top. And this frosting is just the right amount of 'sweet.' These are my go-to cupcakes for November and December! Hope you can give them a try! Get the vegan recipe ahead...Read more »

This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

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CHMC Releases Its Eagerly Awaited 2018 Consumer Survey

As expected, the Bank of Canada increased its overnight rate on Wednesday to 1.75%.  Canadian banks are responding by announcing increases to their Prime Lending Rate. The Bank Prime is now at 3.95%.  For those in a Variable or Adjustable Rate Mortgage, your lender will be notifying you of when their increase will take effect.

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The role of your high school coach in the athletic recruiting process and what to expect

One of the things that I have always talked about to athletes, parents, and their families is that they need to take control of the recruiting process themselves.  When they starting learning more about to get their son or daughter recruited and do it themselves, it is a great relief for these families that they don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have a recruiting service help.

But one important character in the recruiting process no matter how much your family tries to include them in is the high school coach.  The role of the coach varies greatly from case to case but if college coaches are inquiring about an athlete, the high school coach is the one that they talked to.  This is a perfect example why have a rocky relationship with a high school coach can hurt the recruiting process no matter what sport an athlete plays.

The majority of high school coaches are going to be completely honest when college coaches ask them questions about you.  These questions are not simple can he or she play.  They will be about your work ethic, how much you love the game, and your character.  If you have spent the season butting heads with the coach because you are not mature enough to handle him or her, do you really think they are suddenly going to be shy on the phone to a college coach?

What this shows is the importance of the relationship that you have with your coach.  No matter how wrong you and your family may think the coach is, they are the head coach for a reason.  It is prudent to listen to them and do what they say.  They are in charge of the team and it is not worth getting into battles with them because it could factor in later on.

The overall role of the high school coach can vary from situation to situation.  I will give three examples of coaches that I have seen over the past few years and most coaches normally fit in to at least one.  Let me stress that before you get mad about what your coach is or isn’t doing, realize that they have a lot going on in their lives.  They have a teaching job (likely), a family, a wife/husband, kids, a social life, and a head coaching job.  Throw in the number of athletes who want to get recruited and that makes it difficult.

Coaching situation #1 – The coach who recruits his players to colleges
This is the desired high school coach to have but it rarely happens.  If you have a coach like this, you will know.  This is the type of person who calls college coaches about you and helps to get your name out there.  He or she gets your highlight video done himself (or by an assistant) and the product is finished quickly and done professionally.  If you ask the coach about a certain school, they are willing to call right away for you.  This coach will also tell you what schools are calling and keep you informed about the recruiting process.  Again, this is extremely rare.  In a state that I am familiar with that has 400 head football coaches, only two to four are like this.  If you have a coach that does this, thank your lucky stars.

Coaching situation #2 – The coach who helps his players but does it on their time
If you are hoping that your high school coach will get the recruiting process going for you (which you shouldn’t do in the first place), this is the type of coach that will be extremely frustrating.  He or she will definitely do some work for you but it may be calling a school because they are friends with the coach.  It may be harder for them to call a new school because they don’t know the staff.  As for the highlight video, the hope is that they give you the tools via hudl to put it together.  Chances are if the coach is expected to do the video, it could take some time.

Coaching situation #3 – The coach who doesn’t care and is lazy
If coaching situation #2 is frustrating, just think about having a coach like this.  They won’t call college coaches for you and won’t help with a highlight video.  If mail comes to the school through him or her, it is either lost or takes weeks to receive.  They are lazy and just don’t care what happens in your recruiting situation.  They also know very little about the recruiting process, which definitely makes things worse for them and you as well.

If I had to guess, there are 2% of the #1 coaches, 70% of the #2 coaches, and 28% of the #3 coaches.  These numbers show exactly why it is normally up to you and your family to control the recruiting process yourself.  You can expect the world from your coach but realistically, unless you get really luck in that 2%, your family will be doing most of the work.

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