<p>S is a XC runner and distance track runner. He is an incoming junior at a very small school.</p>
<p>I know that I will have to be the proactive one, as his coach(es) won't be. </p>
<p>S will not be a strong academic applicant (current gpa is 3.5, no standardized tests yet)</p>
<p>So, I am wondering where to begin. S is not a super star, but looks to have a very good XC season this year (aiming to finish top 10 in state - small schools)</p>
<p>I'm not sure what the rules are about coaches contacting athletes or athletes contacting coaches. I know there are a bunch of rules in place though.</p>
<p>If there is already a thread on this topic, please point me there if it is easier than replying to this one :-)</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any help :-)</p>
<p>I would learn to navigate the [TFRRS</a> | Track & Field Results Reporting System](<a href=“TFRRS | College Track & Field Results”>http://www.tfrrs.com/) site. Enter a school name and scroll down to their regional meets. Those are the ones where every school is well-represented and also trying very hard. If you do this for Davidson College you get</p>
<p>[TFRRS</a> | Track & Field Results Reporting System](<a href=“TFRRS | NCAA Division I Southeast Region Cross Country Championships - Meet Results”>TFRRS | NCAA Division I Southeast Region Cross Country Championships - Meet Results)</p>
<p>You can also enter a conference if you know them by name.</p>
<p>^ While that is interesting, how does S use a meet? Does he walk up to a coach and say “Hi, my times are X”? </p>
<p>Need more help :-)</p>
<p>It depends on what kinds of schools you’re looking at, but for XC they will be looking for placings and not times. If you are in a small division, he should be looking to win the state meet. Even in large states, top recruits will be top 5 or so through all the divisions. Times mean little to nothing, unless it’s a very well known course. Depending on area of the country, terrain, and such, a runner could run anywhere from 15:20-16:20. </p>
<p>Junior year track times are much more important though. For the Ivies, it should be ~9:15 3200, ~4:15 1600 and ~1:53-54 800. For elite D3s, a little slower, though I’m not sure exactly what cutoffs are. </p>
<p>Another thing to consider is that testing/grades are more important at D3s. SATs should be 2100+, and ACT should be 32-33+.</p>
<p>Tanboy - thanks. I didn’t realize that placements mattered so much. The times however that you posted are not well heard of in the small schools in the state. Winner was 15:48 and 2nd place was 16:22 (for state last year). For large schools in our state, same course, winner was 15:02. First place small schools would have been 15th and 2nd place would have been 50th for the large schools.</p>
<p>I appreciate the feedback on times for track as well.</p>
<p>I do know that admissions to D3s require better scores, etc. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Also still wondering - when/how does my S get on coaches radar? Should he be contacting coaches this year (his junior year)(before, during, or after the XC season)? Should he just be waiting for the phone to ring and the email inbox to flag? 
If I’m right, coaches cannot initiate contact yet.</p>
<p>I am a parent of an incoming junior swimmer so it may be different. One thing that you should probably do is register for the NCAA clearinghouse. It pretty much is a registration for any athlete that wants to be recruited at NCAA. In swimming, college coaches can start contacting by email or regular mail athletes directly starting Sept 1st of their junior year. Can not call until July 1st before senior year. There are also athletic recruit questionnnaires on college websites that your son can fill out now. This will get them on the radar. He can also email the coaches if he wants - as long as he makes the first contact. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Yes, that helps. I thought it was too early to do the clearinghouse. But I’m trying to do it now, but the email isn’t making it to my inbox.</p>
<p>Right now S has no idea of which colleges may be of interest to him, but I’ll encourage him to contact some as “practice” :-).</p>