Football – Senior – November

Time To Get the big picture!

 You are not just competing for a football scholarship against the athletes in your city, or even your state.  You are competing against football players from high schools all across the country.

 Only the 120 NCAA D-1A schools guarantee full ride scholarships.  These schools will offer yearly from 2400 to 2760 full ride scholarships.  To put this in in perspective for you, there are some 127,000 athletes that want to go on to play college football every year.

 These numbers should tell you that most high school recruits will be getting scholarships at schools that are not required to offer full ride scholarships.

 With those numbers in mind, it is crucial for senior football recruits to focus on finishing their recruiting process in a good solid position.  If you have not already done so, this is the last season you will have to give the coaches the impressive numbers that convince them that you are scholarship material.

Why The Playoffs Are Important To Senior Recruits!

• They give you a chance to put up better numbers.  The top thing you can do is help your team make it to the state playoffs.  Why?  Again it is a numbers game, the more games you play, the more opportunities there will be for you to put up the numbers that could ratchet up the coaches interest enough to make them want to watch your highlight video.

• There will be many more college recruiters, scouts and coaches attending these games.  This is particularly true of the state playoff game; they make it a priority to attend these games.

• The college coaches know that the playoff games are the best places to see athletes play under pressure and they realize that these games are often the first time that many high school athletes will see their best competition.

• The playoffs give you a chance to grab some honors (such as all-state) which always look good on your profile.

How To Tell If A football Program Is Really Serious About You!

• First, is there a football scholarship on the table?

• Are you getting any legitimate interest from the coaches?  Are you getting any phone calls?  If not, like we said last month, quit dreaming, get a move on, and broaden your search to more schools and include schools where you know you would be a fit academically and athletically.  The important thing is that you get a college education and you get it  paid for, isn’t it?

• In football, if a coach talks about an ‘official’ visit where your travel, room and meals are paid for, you can think you are among his top recruits, but if on the other hand he shies away from the topic, it is time to focus on other more promising programs where you would be a more realistic fit.

How To Narrow Down The Pool Of Potential Schools

1.  Think long range!  If you have more than one scholarship offer on the table, pick the school that will most nearly let you get the education that will give you a real career in life.  Remember that most college football players DO NOT go on to play professionally.  Additionally, what if you get hurt during your early college playing days, would you like to be just a student at the school you select?

2.  You should have a recruiting notebook where you keep detailed notes about the different schools, the coaches calls, the emails, and any snail mail you have received. If you are being recruited by several different schools, write down the impression each school made on you. Take the notebook with you on any unofficial or official visits so you can keep track of notes and what was said.  This is a very useful way to focus in on the schools where you would really enjoy going.

3.  This month is good for making unofficial visits to schools where you would really like to play.  Don’t waste your time and your parents time and money if the school is not a realistic fit for you.

When No Coach Is Knocking On My Door, How Do I Create Interest At This Late Date:

  Look at lower level schools, even the Division II and III schools, and look at many more schools, but don’t desperately contact every college coach you can think of.  Rather, take the time with your parents to do genuine research and only contact the schools that would be a good fit athletically and academically.  Make your emails to the coaches personal using their name instead of  “Dear Coach”.  Mention your desire to play there and any news about his school, give him the feeling that you really want to play for his team.

  Develop a sense of urgency with this project keeping in mind that signing day is just around the corner, the first Wednesday in February, and while most slots have been filled, there will still be some where you might be a fit.

  The key to being considered for these empty slots is to get the coaches to watch your highlight video.  There may not be time to go through the channels and send videos, but you can email the coach with a link to your video on YouTube.  If he is short a recruit in your position, he will welcome the opportunity to hear from you and see your talent.

  Although you may have been rejected by your dream schools, DO NOT GIVE UP.  Full ride scholarships may not be available but there are many, many more schools that offer other types of scholarships where you can still play and get your education paid for.

Add these tips to your Financial Aid Tips file.

Remember, there’s plenty of money out there that has to go to someone. Let’s make sure that some of it goes to you!

Seven Great Financial Aid Tips

 If you submitted early decision applications, contact the admissions offices at those schools to make sure they have everything they need from you.

 This month continue submitting regular admission applications to the colleges of your choice. These applications are due the end of December or early January.

 Check your calendar of application and financial aid dates and deadlines frequently to avoid missing and important deadline.

 Continue searching for scholarships and grants for which you may be qualified. Consider whether you are a member of an underrepresented group, in financial need, or interested in certain fields of study. Scholarships are available for those with special talents in many areas including art, science, music and of course sports.

 Check the free online scholarship search sites like FastWeb.com and collegescholarships.com first.

 Additionally you might try one of those premier paid scholarship search sites that typically have a much more comprehensive scholarship database of scholarship information and listings.

 The Scholarship and Grant Guide, with its enormous scholarship data bank is easy to use and navigate. You’ll have immediate access to more than 20 million scholarships and grants. It’s been rated, ranked and reviewed as the number one scholarship guide since 1997.

Buckle down and keep your GRADES up.

This is not the time to let up. Yes, you have a lot to do this month, but it is very important that you don’t neglect your grades.

Stay in touch with your high school counselor. While it is a fact that much college bound information is available online, your counselor may have access to something important that could cost you your college dreams. High school counselors have information on hand for all the colleges in the area and they can gain access to applications and information regarding any college you may want to attend.

Follow up with your teachers to ensure that letters of recommendation are sent on time to meet your deadlines.  Remember to send thank-you notes to each person who writes you a recommendation.

Submit college applications, especially the early decision and early action ones.  Include applications fee, sign the application, send supplemental materials if needed and confirm receipt of application materials.  Be sure to submit all your applications before their deadlines.

Make and keep a photocopy of everything you send to each college.  Put everything you send to each college in their respective file folder so you’ll be able to locate it when you need it.

 NOTE:  Mail applications as early as possible for colleges with rolling deadlines. Why?  Admissions decisions are made as applications are received.

Have your high school send your transcript to each college where you are applying.

Contact each college to make sure they have received all application materials.  This precaution will prevent anything from slipping through the cracks.

Things To Do This Month

Take the SAT and Subject Tests if you haven’t already done so.  Do not leave these important tests until later.  December is the last month you can take the tests if you plan to enroll in college next fall.

When taking the ACT or SAT, request that test scores be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center (code is “9999“)

How to Develop a Healthy Supply of Courage

 Most of us have a vague idea of what courage is, but exactly what is courage as it relates to football?

When you approach the game of football with courage, you are both emotionally and mentally prepared when you take the field and you have the ability to handle challenging, difficult or even seemingly impossible conditions or circumstances.

You also have the ability to confront problems, intimidation, fear, pain, uncertainty and danger.

Why is it important to have or develop courage? When you develop courage you’re building the psychological strength to confront anything from minor negativity to outright adversity in the locker room, on the practice and playing field and in the game of life.

Develop courage and you will possess the skill and power to deal with challenges head on. Courage equips you with the internal fortitude to bounce back from your mistakes; you’ll have the resilience to keep on playing even when faced with extreme hardship.

“Great Techniques For Developing Courage.”