One of the most popular ways to market yourself for potential coaches is to attend athletic showcases. These showcases have gained popularity in recent years, but aren’t without some negatives. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons before enrolling in one of these programs. Often times, your money is better spent in summer camps or other development programs. Also, remember that beRecruited offers you an opportunity to upload videotapes highlighting your skills to thousands of prospective coaches without shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars

Showcase Pros:

• Good for athletes who might not get the visibility from their high school sports program
• Good for athletes who were injured during their junior year, but are now given another opportunity to prove what they can do
• Provide a measuring stick for how your skills match up against others on a regional or national level

Showcase Cons:

• Expensive
• Some are just “moneymakers” and don’t have success in getting athletes recruited

Tips for Athletic Showcases:

• Invite prospective coaches to your showcase
• Be sure to arrive early and be prepared
• Dress well and carry yourself with professionalism
• Wear a jersey that has your name on the back to facilitate identification
• Show composure- don’t be a “hot head”
• Show humility and be a good sport regardless of your performance
• Network- introduce yourself to fellow players and coaches alike

The National Letter of Intent is a letter than you sign to commit to an institution for an academic year in return for an athletic scholarship or other financial aid. It marks the end of the recruiting process and prevents other schools from contacting you. Although these letters can be signed at any time during a signing period, many are finalized on National Signing day in February. Signing periods vary based on the sport. National Signing Day celebrates new recruits in many major collegiate sports, including: football, field hockey, soccer, and water polo.

Basic Information

• The institution offering you the athletic scholarship will mail, email, or fax you two copies of the letter to be signed.
• Sign both copies, sending one back to the institution and keep the other for your records.
• If you verbally committed to one institution, you are allowed to sign a letter of intent with a different school.
• You only sign a letter of intent once, although it is renewed annually.
• If you are under the age of 21, you need a parent to sign the letter of intent to make it legally binding.
• Your potential coach may not be present during the signing of your letter in accordance with NCAA rules.
• You may sign the letter even if you have yet to qualify with the NCAA Clearinghouse. If you are not cleared, the letter is nullified.
• Your letter is also nullified if you fail to be accepted to the institution academically.

Signing your letter of intent is usually a happy time. It marks the end of the recruiting process. Pending acceptance to the university, you can rest easy knowing where you are going to school next year. It is important to understand that simply signing with a team does not guarantee playing time. You still have a lot of hard work ahead of you both in the classroom and on the field to earn playing time. Athletic scholarships are the result of a lot of hard work. When you sign your Letter of Intent, you should be proud of how far you’ve come and excited about where you are going!

Earning an athletic scholarship is not an exact science. Therefore, there are common mistakes that are made by many prospective athletes. Avoid these pitfalls and you will increase your chances of earning an athletic scholarship to the school of your dreams.

1) Taking the recruiting process for granted

One of the most common pitfalls is taking the process for granted because you think that schools are going to aggressively recruit you. Many athletes receive letters from schools, but that doesn’t mean that they are recruiting you. You need to follow up with these coaches and express a mutual interest. Only a select few athletes actually get personal visits from coaches. It is simply too expensive and time consuming for coaches in most sports. Don’t take anything for granted and market yourself aggressively.

2) Underestimating your chances of getting an athletic scholarship

You don’t need to be the best athlete on your team or in your league in order to earn an athletic scholarship. Of course, you need to be skilled at your sport, but not necessarily the star. Many athletes don’t even attempt to get a scholarship, despite thousands of scholarships being at their fingertips. Talk to your coach to assess your chances and get some advice on how to proceed with the recruiting process. Register with beRecruited, and get your name out there to hundreds of prospective coaches in your sport.

3) Making poor decisions off the field

You can severely damage your chances of earning an athletic scholarship by getting trouble with the law and abusing drugs and alcohol. Although everybody makes mistakes when they are young, these decisions reflect your true character to a prospective school. If you don’t exercise discipline and good decision-making off the field, you probably aren’t going to on the field. Drugs and alcohol also dramatically affect the body’s recovery time and double the chances of injury.

4) Letting your grades slip

As any coach will tell you, schools are looking for a complete package in their recruits. Of course they want excellent athletes, but they also desire recruits that perform in the classroom. Do not assume that your athletic prowess trumps your academics. Do your best in the classroom until you graduate.

5) Getting bad advice

You will find that everyone has advice for you during your recruiting process. Some of it will be good advice, but not all of it. Consider your sources carefully, and be sure to evaluate their expertise before following their advice.

6) Over/under reliance on your coach

Your coach is one of your biggest assets in the college recruiting process. Often times, coaches have connections that can help you in your search. Experienced coaches are also good judges of talent and may be able to give you an idea of your level of competition. Don’t forget to use them as a resource. However, don’t assume that they know everything, or that they will do anything for you. You need to ask for their help, and you will need to follow up with them. Remember that they have a lot going on in their lives besides you. Few coaches will aggressively market you to colleges. Consider your coach as being a crucial part of your recruiting process, but not your only resource.

One the most important factors in the recruiting process is finding the right coach. A coach is more than someone who gives you an athletic scholarship; he or she serves as a mentor and as a motivator. No matter how skilled you may be, a good coach should be able to teach you new skills while perfecting your existing ones. The process of finding the right coach involves asking the right questions and evaluating the most critical aspects of your prospective coach’s philosophy, communication style, and personality.

The following is a list of some questions that will help you decide whether a coach is a good fit for you. While you listen to his or her answers, try to determine how comfortable you are with them and their personality. If you choose this school, you will most likely have a close relationship with this person for four years- choose wisely!

• What is a typical day in the life of one of your players?
• How can you and your school help me balance my academics with my athletics?
• What is your graduation rate?
• What are the characteristics of a good program in your mind?
• What characteristics to you value in your players?
• How would you describe your personality both during games and during practice?
• Where do you see me fitting in with the team?
• How is playing time determined?
• Have you ever had any NCAA rules infractions?

Undoubtedly, choosing the right coach also requires a great deal of soul searching for you, the athlete. In order for you to evaluate the answers to these questions, you need to have a good understanding of your own personality and what motivates you. Do you respond better to discipline and structure, or do you respond better to someone who is more sensitive and nurturing? If you have an open personality, will you feel comfortable sharing your feelings with the coach? Can you handle being criticized in front of your teammates? Once you determine your compatibility with a prospective coach, you will have a better understanding of whether a particular program might be a good match

Choosing the right coach is just one of many important factors in choosing your school. Don’t let the coach be the sole determining factor in your school choice. You are going to college to get an education. You need to ensure that you are going to a school that meets your academic, social, and athletics needs. Consider the coach as being just one piece of the puzzle.

Hazing is defined by the NCAA as:

“Any act committed against someone joining or becoming a member or maintaining membership in any organization that is humiliating, intimidating or demeaning, or endangers the health and safety of the person. Hazing includes active or passive participation in such acts and occurs regardless of the willingness to participate in the activities. Hazing creates an environment/climate in which dignity and respect are absent.”

Hazing is a subject that can cause anxiety for many prospective athletes. Many athletes have already experienced or witnessed forms of hazing at the high school level and worry that it is even worse at the college level. Upperclassman have experienced hazing and feel that it is now their time to push around the underclassman. Many see it as a rite of passage and a way to build respect for those who came before them.

Fortunately, numerous anti-hazing measures have been put in place over the past few years to help deter athletes from hazing. Hazing is now a crime in 41 states. Most schools also have a zero tolerance policy against hazing by their students. Participants in hazing can be suspended, expelled, or even criminally prosecuted for their actions. Although well-intentioned, it isn’t clear how effective these measures have been since hazing is underreported by both athletes and coaches.

In February 2008, the NCAA issued a 58-page handbook, Hazing Prevention in College Athletics, to college administrators to help eliminate hazing. The handbook highlights the risks of hazing as well as increasing hazing awareness. Some of the strategies outlined in the handbook include the following:

• Conducting educational sessions for student-athletes during orientation and in team meetings.
• Scheduling speakers to discuss the topic with coaches.
• Including hazing prevention on the agenda of student-athlete advisory committees.
• Involving student-athletes in anti-hazing policy and program development.
• Cooperation with broader campus hazing prevention efforts.

Hazing is certainly a negative aspect of our collegiate sports environment. Hazing causes more mental distress than actual physical harm-something that is hard to quantify. Fortunately, these recent steps to outlaw hazing by the NCAA, state governments, and the schools themselves look to have a profound effect on building teams through empowerment and dignity and not degradation and humiliation.