9INE POINT MAG ISSUE 3

UNDERSTANDING COLLEGE ATHLETICS Keirsten Sires

Founder and CEO of LRT Sports

You're One Offer Away #Recruiting101

AN ATHLETE-DRIVEN MAGAZINE YOU'RE ONLY ONE OPPORTUNITY AWAY

MEET KEIRSTEN SIRES Founder & CEO of LRT SPORTS The former Skidmore College Soccer player that turned a senior year class project into a company helping thousands of student-atheletes Understand College Athletics

IN THIS ISSUE EDITOR'S NOTE: YOU'RE ONLY ONE OFFER AWAY

MEET KEIRSTEN SIRES WHAT IS LRT? LRT Mission & Values

VIP OFFER Athletes Create Athletes

STARTED WITH A DREAM PODCAST 5 WAYS TO DOMINATE YOUR FIRST COLLEGE SEASON

pg 9 pg 10

pg 12

Collin McAtee

TAKE FLIGHT, KAITY HEALY

pg 18

Kaity Healy

5 THINGS COLLEGE COACHES LOOK FOR IN RECRUITS?

pg 20

SHORT FILM SPOTLIGHT

pg 23

THE AAAC OF RECRUITING

pg 25

NCAA NEW RULE CHANGES 2019

pg 27

RECRUITING 101 WORD SEARCH

pg 33

EMBRACE THE UNEXPECTED

pg 38

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WORK TO GET RECRUITED?

pg 43

Kelli Prange

That day never came, part of it was because I had no clue how the recruiting process worked. This special recruiting issue features articles from LRT Sports and their CEO Keirsten Sires.

After the Game

I hope you are ready to start Understanding College Athletics.

pg 7

Ep. 75 with Keirsten Sires

Playing after high school is the dream for most athletes. I know for sure it was for me. The goal was to be D1 bound and have a huge signing day with the whole school watching me sign my national letter of intent.

I hope after reading this 9INE POINT Magazine issue you walk away with a little more knowledge on the recruiting process and what it is like to be a student-athlete at the next level.

pg 6

Chris Stack

Keirsten Sires

Karlie Smith

Jacolby Gilliam Founder/Publisher

Jacolby Gilliam

AN ATHLETE-DRIVEN MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER JACOLBY GILLIAM DESIGN TEAM 9INE POINT AUTHENTIC SPORTS DIGITAL PRODUCTION TEAM 9INE POINT MEDIA LLC THANKS YOU TO THIS ISSUE'S CONTRIBUTORS KEIRSTEN SIRES CAELYN ELWIN KELLI PRANGE CHRIS STACK AFTER THE GAME THE WINNING ELEMENT

BRYAN SOSOO KAITY HEALY COLLIN MCATEE DEANNA SCHNEYER KARLIE SMITH ATHLETE CREATE ATHLETES

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ARE YOU READY TO UNDERSTAND COLLEGE ATHLETICS?

5 WAYS TO DOMINATE YOUR FIRST COLLEGE SEASON WrItten Collin McAtee

First of all, congratulations — you did it!

You have either committed or signed with a school and you feel on top of the world. Trust me, so did I, and so have many players who achieved this feat years before you and I. I was lucky enough to commit to the University of Michigan during the summer of 2010, one year before I was going to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan from sunny San Diego, California. I remember going to school wearing a Michigan shirt or hoodie for probably half (or more) of my senior year.

I was very relieved that I did not have to attend any more recruiting camps, perform my best at another showcase or send any more emails to college coaches. It’s a great feeling knowing that you’ve achieved one of your lifelong goals and that you are about to enter the best 4–5 years of your life.

However, you must not be complacent. What lies ahead is going to be very difficult and it is key that you are prepared for your first season. How you perform and respond to adversity in your first season, will determine your career trajectory, so do not take it lightly. Just because you have achieved so much so far, does not mean anything to your future college coaches and teammates.

I had a lot of ups and downs during my career at Michigan. I red-shirted my Freshman season and had a few injuries (one pretty serious) that limited my play. Despite the adversity I faced, I was able to achieve some great successes, such as becoming a First Team all Big-Ten player, Team MVP and Team Captain.

BE THE FITTEST PLAYER ON THE TEAM NUMBER ONE

This may seem obvious, but I’ve seen so many Freshman come into captain’s practice unfit and they have suffered the consequences. This is one of the things you can control and have plenty of time to prepare for, so don’t leave it off until it’s too late. If you’re serious about earning the respect of your teammates, coaches and training staff then you should be determined to become the fittest player you can be.

It is not a coincidence that my best season came after the off-season I decided to be the most fit player on the team. Here is how I prepared: Played as much soccer as I could, with a focus on match fitness Completed an intense soccer-specific strength and conditioning program Changed my diet completely to become as lean as possible (Biggest key to my success)

BE THE MOST HUMBLE PLAYER ON THE TEAM NUMBER TWO A little humility never killed anybody and you should not let your ego get in the way of success.

Just because you were the best player on your high-school team does not mean you will excel as a college player. You have to earn it.

You are entitled to nothing.

Seriously — nothing.

You should not expect anything. The best approach to achieving success during your freshman year is to go in acting like you know

nothing and that everyone else is better than you.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be confident. I’m just saying that you should show how good you are with you quality of play.

Do not brag about your past achievements and complain how it is so unfair that you are not getting any playing time.

If you find yourself in a frustrating situation, suck it up, get back to work and earn it.

Having the grit to be humble and fight through tough times will get you to where you want to be.

BECOME THE LEADER OF THE FRESHMAN CLASS NUMBER THREE This one is certainly easier said than done, but at the same time you will never get this opportunity again, so if you think you have it in you to be a leader— which we all do, don’t let it pass.

How does one do this? It’s simple really. Even in programs with healthy and thriving cultures, Freshman are seen as the new guys in town and treated as such. You will be asked to clean up the locker room, organize and put away all equipment after training, perform embarrassing tasks in front of the whole team, etc.

To help get through these challenging times, you can help lead your peers through these realities.

Some examples of what you could do: Help create an organized list of tasks each Freshman is responsible for before and after training/games Meet with upperclassmen and coaches to discuss the goals of the Freshman class, how you are going to achieve them and how you are going to add value to the program’s culture Be an obvious voice at training. Demonstrating leadership on the practice field shows confidence and shows your coaches that you are developing into a leader.

At the end of the day, you just need to be proactive and rise up to the challenge. I know it’s not easy to take ownership in a new environment that you are not yet comfortable in. But at the same time, that’s the beauty of it. Everyone else is in the same situation, so there is no better person than you.

Become That Leader.

"So, you know what ended up happening with me and why I ended up starting my company LRT Sports is because I actually was in a situation where I went to school and I ended up not getting along with my coach."

- Keirsten Sire Ep. 75

The AAAC of Recruiting

By Chris Stack

Every college coach seeks different qualities or attributes in their recruits, whether it be athletic, academic, or a specific psychological trait. These characteristics vary from coach to coach depending on the sport, the school, the division, or the conference they compete in. In most cases, college coaches evaluate these four areas of a prospective student-athlete.

Academics

Character

Athletics

Attitude

BE PROACTIVE ABOUT IMPROVING EARLY AND OFTEN NUMBER FOUR Always be better than you were yesterday.

Or, as my coach Chaka Daley used to say — “You’re only as good as your last game”.

The point here is that if you have a great training, do not be satisfied. Ask yourself — “How can I be better tomorrow?”

Here are some things you can do to proactively improve: Before each pre-season, season and off-season make a list of things you want to improve on and achieve and review them with your coaches and teammates Ask a coach or teammate(s) to stay with you after (or come before) practice to get extra reps in. This is especially encouraged if you are not getting much playing time.

Take advantage of all the resources at your disposal. For example, leverage your team Strength and Conditioning coach and dietitian to get fitter and your team’s trainer to stay injury free and work on preventative exercises

GET REALLY GOOD GRADES YOUR FIRST SEMESTER NUMBER FIVE I shouldn’t even have to say it, but this is the main reason you are attending a university. This is an amazing opportunity and having a lack of focus in your academic and professional development will prove costly when you’re finished with your soccer career.

But, what if my goal is to become a pro player?

That’s great! I once had that dream too, until I tore both my PCLs during a game the summer before my senior season. I still managed to have a pretty successful senior season, but I was never the same player again.

There are many reasons you should strive to get amazing grades your first semester: It will likely be the easiest course load you have during your entire collegiate career — things will only get more difficult from here You will make your parents proud and the money they are spending well worth it. Paying for school yourself? You should have even more motivation to do well in the classroom so that you can pay off those student loans as quickly as possible You will be stress free and won’t have to worry about academic compliance issues like minimum GPA requirements Your coaches and teammates will respect you more and look at you as a leader on and off the field Some schools have competitive programs like business and engineering that require you to apply after your freshman year, and a great GPA is the most important factor

I hope this will help you as you start to seriously prepare for this season and seasons to come.

- Colin McAtee

KAITY HEALTY, SETON HALL UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALUM

TAKE FLIGHT, KAITY HEALY A Letter The Former Seton Hall Guard WroteTo Her Younger Self

Dear Kaity, “A bird sitting on a branch is never afraid of the branch breaking...

FRESHMAN YEAR THE YEAR OF ADAPTING. Your freshman year is your redshirt year you will not step foot in a game. Yet you will be challenged and tested mentally, physically and emotionally every day. Fight.

Fight to be the best you can be, fight to outwork all those ahead of you, fight for yourself. Appreciate the grind, respect the grind, the grind knows...

SOPHOMORE YEAR THE YEAR OF CHALLENGE. Little to your knowledge your hard work didn’t go unnoticed. The team named captain after your redshirt year. Sounds crazy, but you can do this! You were given this opportunity to impact the lives of your teammates and you were given this opportunity to discover an inner strength you

never knew you had. This is a gift as much as it is a challenge. You will be doubted, you will question your ability but YOU WILL DO IT. God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers...

JUNIOR YEAR THE YEAR OF DISCOVERY. Two years past, season and teammates come and go but now it is time to lock in on your future. Not only on the court but off the court find your “why”. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are athletically; use it to shape your future. Academically you can do anything you set your mind too, embrace the challenge and go for it!

Some say five, you say four... This is where you take the leap.

SENIOR YEAR THE YEAR OF GRATITUDE Four years. Three years captain. Two degrees. One word GRATEFUL. Kaity Healy at Senton Hall you were able to achieve beyond your wildest dreams, you were challenged, you

were discouraged, you were doubted but you DID IT! This year is where you fly...

because her trust is not on the branch but on her own wings”...

Believe in yourself because you are capable of much more than you think. Take flight and break more barriers, with all odds against you never stop don’t cheat the grind, appreciate those who stand by you, have faith in God’s plan and believe in yourself.Your wings are meant to fly, Kaity Healy Seton Hall Graduate

Athlete Dictionary

L RT Sports

/l r t spôrt/

NOUN: a leading provider of college coaches rating from current and formers players to help athletes understand college athletics.

MISSION

Our mission is to help athletes and their families, high school coaches, and guidance counselors understand college athletics. We also help guide the high school athletes by offering step-by-step details on the college recruiting process. Our full database contains thousands of college coach ratings and reviews which provide first-hand accounts of the coaches, schools, and programs. This information is exclusive.

VALUES

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TRANSPARENT

DETERMINE

HONEST

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5 THINGS COLLEGE COACHES LOOK FOR IN RECRUITS? BY: KELLI PRANGE

C

oaches have different teaching styles, but for the most part, toughness, competitiveness, playing hard, skill set, attitude, and basketball IQ are all important. We all know you need to be a skilled player to be able to grace the college basketball courts, so work hard on these skills.

The LRT Sports Team spoke with Coach Jenna Eckleberry, who is the head basketball coach for Shepherd University, a Division 2 school in West Virginia. I n her first season at Shepherd Eckleberry led her team to a 22-10 overall mark. She also shares the MEC title with a 17-5 record in conference play. To no surprise Eckelberry guided the Rams to their second NCAA II regional appearance, this is where the Rams upset 11th-ranked Indiana (Pa.) in the first round. Eckelberry also received the MEC Coach of the Year, MEC Women’s Sports Coach of the Year, All-J.A.Y. Coach of the Year and BennettRank.com D2 Women’s basketball Coach of the Year honors.

Coach Ecleberry was responsible for helping to mentor 2012 WVIAC Player of the Year, Atlantic Region Player of the Year, and Second Team All-American Kaitlyn Snyder. Snyder was also a firstteam All-Region choice as a senior and was the program’s all-time leading scorer. We sat down with Coach Eckleberry and asked her about what qualities will make a basketball athlete a superstar on the court.

Coach Ecleberry tips next page

5 THINGS COLLEGE COACHES LOOK FOR IN RECRUITS?

1. Winning habits

“Coming into my program, I want someone who has had a winning experience and a winning mentality, which will help them bring a winning devotion to my school.”

2. Passion

“When I look at an individual, I want to see every ounce of passion they have. I want to see them dive on the ground for loose balls.

I want to see them get into their teammates face if they turn the ball over, I want to see them strap down on defense preventing their opponent from scoring.”

3. Fit

“When going to recruiting tournaments, I look at everything. I want to see how you interact with your coach, how you talk to your mom after the game, or if you are on your phone too much. These things all play a factor in how I think you will fit into my program.”

4. Confidence

“When you are on the court, I want to see the confidence you have. I want to be able to see you confidently shooting your shot or confidently locking down your opponent. Off the court, I want to see you have your shoulders back and head held high no matter the outcome of the game.”

5. Academics

“When I finally see what I like on the court, I research to see if you can provide our school service by completing all the required courses for your degree. I want to know that you will be able to finish your college career on full excel leading into the workforce.”

Resource: https://shepherdrams.com/coaches.aspx?rc=203

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WORK TO GET RECRUITED? Jacolby Gilliam I had the recruiting game all backwards. Maybe it was from playing too much NCAA Football on Xbox.

The Road 2 Glory mode it made it look easy.

I thought I just had to show up, make good grades, stay out of trouble and the offers would fly in. Only to find out that’s the bare minimum, those are the given; the foundation of being a student-athlete.

I’m Jacolby Gilliam, what university wouldn’t want me? That question may have been true but no one outside of Richardson, Texas knew my name. How many athletes do you know think that way? They have a lofty athletic dream, but naive when it comes to knowing the work that goes into achieving it.

High school Jacolby did not understand the situation. I was one of the better players on the team and there were other guys getting letters and calls that were barely touching the field. In my head thinking what are they doing that I’m not?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WORK TO GET RECRUITED? The moral of this story is I was looking at everyone else to do the work for me to achieve my athletic dream, except at myself in the mirror to see it was on me. By the time I did it was my senior year. I’m playing catch up yet alone I tore my ACL in October so I’m not helping my case to college coaches.

So for any athlete that reads this learn from my mistakes. There is a school out there for you, give yourself the best opportunity to earn that offer.

“THERE MAY BE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MORE TALENT THAN YOU, BUT THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR ANYONE TO WORK HARDER THAN YOU DO.” –DEREK JETER CAMPS & COMBINES I never thought it might be a good idea until right before my senior to attend camps and combines. Why I did...wish I knew. Thinking now, it's colleges way of saying athletes come to our University meet our coaches and show what you can do. When I finally did the summer going into my senior year I felt like I was getting my name out there doing the Nike Combine, the Football University (FBU) camp

IT’S NOT YOUR COACHES JOB I thought it was my coach's job to coach football, teach history and get me offers.

Like “Yo, you got one job!” Not considering that our high school varsity football team had possibly about 60 or more kids plus if we add JV and freshman that’s a lot of athletes. Plus, I never even mentioned to them about my college goals.

After my mom signed me up with a plan with

and a few others that led to cool opportunities.

NCSA, I saw how I could get in contact with

My advice: Put yourself out early give coaches a

media it was all at my fingertips.

chance to see you develop over your HS career.

How can you know where you stack up against the best athletes in the country if you aren’t putting in the position to be on the same field as them?

coaches myself. Emails, phone calls, social

I started cold calling like I worked at a call center. Most calls went to voicemail, but I remember the day I called the University of Colorado.

The defensive coordinator or the secondary coach answered. I was a little shocked, we had a brief conversation where I told him a little about myself. He later told me that they had all of their offers out, that I could still send over my tape if I wanted to consider walking-on.

No lie that was a lot most like getting an offer because he was willing to hear me out.

My advice: Control your faith. Make that call, network with your coaching staff for who they know, or make a highlight tape for social. Do something. However, in all make sure you know the rules when it comes to when coaches can contact you.

BE OPEN-MINDED My mindset was D-1 or bust. To be more specific Big 12/ Oklahoma or bust. I guess it worked out since I walked-on at Oklahoma. Going back I would have opened my eyes to see that there were more Division 1 Universities needing football players outside of the Big 12.

Matter of fact there is nothing wrong with playing Division I-AA, Division II, Division III, NAIA or JUCO. My ego made me think I had to go DI. My advice: Don’t pigeon hole yourself by focusing only on one school or conference.

There are plenty of schools out there looking for athletes like you. If your dream school doesn’t want you; well when you get an opportunity to play them make sure they remember your name.

All you need is one school to give you an opportunity

“WHEN I LOOK AT AN INDIVIDUAL, I WANT TO SEE EVERY OUNCE OF PASSION THEY HAVE. - Coach Ecleberry

After the Game Directed by: April J. Abeyta

33 | TRIPMAG.COM

SHORT FILM SPOTLIGHT

Short Film Spotlight

AFTER THE GAME SMALL TIME ATHLETICS. BIG TIME IMPACT.

SHORT FILM SPOTLIGHT After the Game is a first-of-its-kind feature-length documentary that spans nearly 20 years to unveil the long-term empowering impact of sports on women.

The film follows three young women on a 1999 collegiate basketball team as they test their limits to reach their athletic potential and seek NCAA glory at a small university. Nearly 20 years later, these same women each find themselves applying lessons learned from their playing days to different professional off-the-court challenges today.

Weaving together the stories of two college basketball players, Michelle and Polly, and their head coach Mary, After the Game gives perspective into the world of small-time college athletics and what motivates women without professional aspirations to keep playing. By moving between intimate stories from their 1999 college basketball season and those of them facing career challenges today as adults, After the Game aims to make connections between sports participation and professional success.

PRESS PLAY TO WATCH TEASER

DIRECTOR | PRODUCER | EDITOR .

APRIL J. ABEYTA .

PRODUCER KIM NUNLEY

Episode 75 Keirsten Sires

LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE

THEWINNINGELEMENT.COM LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE

EMBRACE THE UNEXPECTED KARLIE SMITH

Photo by East Carolina Athletics

An East Carolina University freshman

graduation. It’s easy to go back and

journey through trials and triumphs that

reflect upon satisfactory experiences, but

face the life of a student-athlete. Advice

in reality, it’s the struggles that develop

from Karlie Smith a ECU softball player.

the grit and perseverance, both of which are built into a person’s character.

The first day I stepped foot into my dorm room, I had no idea what to expect out

I like to refer to freshman as sheep. A

of my voyage as a Pirate. The amount of

large herd of beginners that need to be

growth that a person can experience in a

guided and taken care of. I relied on the

period of four years is beyond what a

study hall, my counselors, dining halls,

newcomer could ever imagine. As a

friends for transportation and a coach to

freshman, the idea of finding a purpose

create my fine-tuned schedule. I lied,

in life is mostly reliant on the college

one of my biggest challenges that I’d

experience. My first year I imagined I’d

have to face in my collegiate career hit

play a lot of softball and along the way

me out of the blue. Just months into the

find what makes my heart tick.

2014-15 season East Carolina University’s Head Softball Coach was

The student-athlete experience entails a

removed from the program due to

fair share of trials AND triumphs, all of

personal family matters, putting the

which mold players into the people that

entire program in what seemed like a

will step foot into the real world post-

whirlwind. The sheep now we’re left

Find what passions drive you and obsessively work on perfecting those tasks. After I realized that it was not up to my coach but up to me to push my talent to a higher standard I engrossed myself in every aspect that I could fit into my schedule. (Student-athlete Advisory committee, student-editor positions and internships to name a few.)

Finding outside activities other than merely playing a sport is what turns a college experience into college growth.

After the head coach left the program, the interim head coach stepped in but the ECU softball team was still left without a coaching staff. For everyone that knows college sports, it takes a community to have a successful team.

Our record for that season proved to be PHOTO: INSTAGRAM @KARLIESMITH_17

without a Shepherd.

less than satisfactory. Both on a team and personal level, an aura of disappointment hung over the program.

This disappointment became the driving

One crucial ‘need-to-know’ lesson for

force behind the improvement.

incoming freshman is: college normally does not go the way you planned it to,

The following season ECU Softball

and that is OKAY. What I thought was a

welcomed an entirely new coaching

disaster in losing my head coach turned

staff, one that would benefit the

out to be a blessing that only

program in more ways than one. As a

constructed me into the student-athlete I

unit, we were pushed to a new level in

am today. By going through this trial, I

all realms of life. Mentally and physically

was able to learn a few life lessons that

I was tested. Academics became a vast

I’m going to share with you. To succeed

area of focus, and I quickly realized that

in life, one must go to work every day

how you carry yourself off the field is

with the intentional purpose to take it

equally important to how you do on it.

upon yourself to get at least 1% better.

That season we suffered the usual aches

Still, to this day the team is trying to put all the puzzle pieces together, but without being continuously pushed outside of comfort zones, I’d never have experienced personal growth.

So in a nutshell, freshman year is hectic and embodies everything you never expected.

Yes, freshman year is full of ups and downs, emotional roller coasters and mental breakdowns. However, freshman year is a period of growth, through which failures only produce stronger people. It is a year to build a strong foundation for the final three years, knowing that regardless of the chaos, student-athletes find a way to get the job done. Finally, it is a conglomeration of events that bring laughter, sweat, sometimes tears and a lot of joy.

In high school, I would’ve never guessed my first collegiate season would have panned out to be the way it did. However, looking back I wouldn’t change the course of events because what I thought at the moment was a nightmare, turned out to be my testimony.

This being my senior year, I am primarily focused on taking the time to value and appreciate the time I have left. My advice for those who are entering the process is to embrace the unexpected. Whatever is around the corner, whether it be hardships or incredible triumphs, is meant to make you into a better version of yourself. Trusting the process can sometimes be difficult, but know that commitment will yield powerful rewards.

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM @KARLIESMITH_17

“FRESHMAN YEAR IS A PERIOD OF GROWTH, THROUGH WHICH FAILURES ONLY PRODUCE STRONGER PEOPLE. - Karlie Smith

NCAA Redshirt: What Recruits and StudentAthletes Need to Know

BY VICKIE SAUNDERS & THE SPONSORSHIP CONSULTANTS

Before you read this…… we just want you to know that you do not need to be an elite athlete to get sponsored! More and more ‘everyday athletes’ are getting sponsored….because they are able to be real and authentic, and sponsors LOVE this!

No onto The 3 Secrets To Becoming A Sponsored Athlete Like anything that is worthwhile doing (because the results might just be life-changing!) sponsorship requires just a little bit of time and effort on your part….to make sure you connect with the right sponsors…..in the right way!

JUST SO YOU KNOW…….WE ARE THE WORLDS LEADING EXPERTS IN ATHLETE SPONSORSHIP (We’ve been working with athletes (of all levels and in all sports), sports organizations (like the USA Olympic Committee, Sport England) and brands (from local to global and in all industries) and want to share with 3

We’ve been working with athletes (of all levels and in all sports), sports organizations (like the USA Olympic Committee, Sport England) and brands (from local to global and in all industries) and want to share with 3 Secrets of how to create success for yourself when seeking sponsorship! Keep an eye out for our SUPER SECRETS too…there are 3 in this article!

N C A A

N E W

C H A N G E S

R U L E

2 0 1 9

As a student-athlete, the responsibility of knowing NCAA rules and regulations falls on your shoulders. Keeping up-to-date with changes is critical to having success in the college recruiting process. The next page is a detailed list of rule changes in the NCAA that impact the recruiting process and the field of play. Current collegiate athletes across all NCAA divisions weighed-in on these new rules.

Keirsten Sires

REACHING OUT TO A COACH: Old Rule (NO longer in effect for most sports): Student-athletes can reach out at any time, however, the coach cannot call you back, so make sure you call them back if they do not pick-up.

This loophole in the recruiting process has been eliminated by the NCAA. A student-athlete CANNOT engage in communication with a DI coach until June 15th after sophomore year.

Football, baseball, men’s and women’s basketball still allow for incoming calls from players to coaches at any time

There are NCAA recruiting rules that limit when college coaches can reach out to you. Check the NCAA Rules for your sport and when coaches are allowed to reach out.

When you have a good idea of what institution you would like to attend, only then should you reach out to a coach. Private messages for football, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, and lacrosse cannot begin until September 1 of junior year. Emailing the coach is a good place to start.

Don’t just copy and paste emails from coach to coach.

Be clear and concise; don’t bombard them with information.

Be personable and proactive.

The following new NCAA rule pertains to all sports except D1 football, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s women’s lacrosse: Coaches can reach out to you immediately following June 15 after your sophomore year No verbal offers or commitments from student-athletes until June 15 after sophomore year

NCAA NEW RECRUITING

Clinics and Camps:

Recruits and coaches can NOT converse about the recruiting process with you before June 15 after your Sophomore year. A coach can only say to the club or camp coaches that he or she is interested in an athlete.

RULES: Official Visits:

You can go on an official visit starting August 1 of your junior year.

Unofficial Visits:

College coaches and athletic departments are not allowed to be involved in unofficial visits. Make sure when you are on campus that you do not talk to the coach about the recruiting process. The college or coach can NOT purchase anything for you.

Photo by Kari-Beth Steiner

1.

For a potential student-athlete to take an official visit, they must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center (DI/DII Schools), have taken the SAT/ACT, and submitted unofficial transcripts to the school.

GUIDELINES FOR OFFICIAL VISITS:

2.

Division 3 and NAIA schools allow for an unlimited amount of visits.

3.

5.

An official visit cannot last longer than 48 hours.

A maximum of 3 meals per day during the visit.

4.

A student-athlete can only make one official visit to each school including multiple sport athletes.

6.

The student host is given $30 per day for entertainment.

7.

A student-athlete is allowed a maximum of 5 official visits for Division 1 and Division 2 Schools in total from September 1 of your junior year through your dead period.

Take a step towards catching your dream of being a college athlete by registering with the NCAA Clearinghouse Use the checklist to make sure you have all required information ready to enter.

View Checklist

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