Is it time to take action??

Athletic Recruits
1

<p>Hi! I've posted on this section in a couple of months, but im beginning to really think ahead here. I am a rising sophomore and I'm a basketball player looking to play in the NESCAC or the Ivy league. I was wondering what I should do go about the recruiting process. Should I send in film, send a letter, call the coach, etc.? My name is on the ESPN recruits list now, so I'm hoping that maybe that will help me generate interest.</p>

<p>Any advice would be great.</p>

<p>Oh, and also, Im going right by Princeton (dream school) for vacation next week. Should I stop by and see the coach?</p>

<p>On another note, I was offered to play at a top 5 (in the country) high school (private). However, the thing is that I would have to leave the IB program which im in now, and im not sure how much playing time I will get there. But I know that i will be soo much better if I go there rather than stay at my current school.</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>xAxBxC</p>

2

<p>You are still early in your high school career. Right now you should be concentrating your efforts on learning about the schools you are interested in, that are a match for you academically and potentially athletically. Then figure out what you need to do to get there. It’s not a bad idea to stop by and talk with a coach at a school you are interested in, but realize this is very early in the process. Don’t expect too much.</p>

3

<p>Fishymom,</p>

<p>Thank you for the reply. Would you suggest for me to send in game film after my sophomore season concludes, or send him anything once my high school season ends, and my club team begins??</p>

4

<p>Too early. Just keep playing hard and working hard. You can’t even communicate with coaches until the beginning of your jr year.</p>

5

<p>I agree with Monster. Maybe this time next year! Enjoy your time now, play the game for the love of the game. Work hard and play hard. Make the most of your high school years. Don’t look back years from now thinking about all the fun you missed out on because you were looking too far ahead all the time.</p>

6

<p>If you are D1 material, it isn’t too early to make contact with the coach. An email, athletic resume is sufficient right now.</p>

<p>If you are D3/Ivy material, it’s too early. Plan to make contact in the Spring of your sophomore year with the same materials: email, athletic resume, fill out interest form on the colleges’ websites.</p>

7

<p>awesome guys thanks!!</p>

8

<p>It is not too early. Top DI recruits are identified very early. My son’s school has a top basketball program (New England Prep) and they have kids who are being looked at as sophomores. My son’s friend verballed in October of his junior year…had been being followed by the school for two seasons already.</p>

9

<p>^ Top D1 recruits…OP indicates he wishes to play at an Ivy/NESCAC.</p>

10

<p>Still not too early for basketball. The kid I was referring to is playing at Brown and was scouted as a freshman and sophomore. Also, he says he is invited to play at one of the top 5 private bball programs in the country - if it is a New England Prep there is some early recruiting going on. Ivies and other coaches come to not just games but practices.</p>

11

<p>no unfortunately it’s not a new england prep. It’s a private day catholic school. But many recruits from there end up at Duke, UNC, or Cornell. so I think its well known</p>

12

<p>If you want to play Ivy, the New England Preps are a route to look into. My son’s school sends several kids every year to Ivies for hoops. There are five kids on the current Harvard squad from his school.</p>

13

<p>wow! how would i do that? would i contact the prep school coach?</p>

14

<p>Keylyme is right about the benefit of getting positioned in a school that attracts regular visitation from college coaches during the fall and spring. The prominent NE prep she is referring to attracted over 55 schools last fall. One sophomore who saw very imited playing due the number of seniors and PGs on the team last year attracted and Ivy offer this summer based on his performance in open gyms at this school. Another sophomore that played more has attracted several offers.</p>

<p>My advice to you:</p>

<ul>
<li>Keep you eye on the ball academically.</li>
<li>Maximize your performance on your school and team and train hard to build your skills.</li>
<li>In the spring, put together an athletic resume featuring head shot, contact info for you, your family, your school and AAU coaches, guidance counselor, academic stats (GPA and SAT or PSAT), and basketball stats.</li>
<li>Based on your prior comments, put together your hit list of Ivies, NESCACs, UAA, Centenary League, and high academic mid majors and D3s. 10 - 15 tops. Send the assistant coach at each school the resume and follow up with a phone call. State your interest and ask them about elite camps they offer or camps they might be working.</li>
<li>Register for the top 4-5 Ivy League elite camps. Harvard, Princeton, Penn, Yale, etc. You not only get in front of these coaching staffs, but most of these camps use the coaches from high academic D3s as their coaches/counselors at the camps. At the Harvard and Princeton camps, there was a wide range of NESCAC and UAA coaches working or in attendence.</li>
<li>Get your AAU schedule and exposure camp for the July open period and forward it your hit list of coaches in early June.</li>
<li>Register for high academic exposure camps. Hoop Mountain All Academic Camp and Hoop Group Academic Elite Camp are both good. The Ivies, NESCAC, etc are in attendance.</li>
<li>June 15 before your junior year is the first date that college coaches can contact basketball players directly by phone. The level of attention you get in mid to late June is a good indicator of where you stand prior to the July open period.</li>
<li>Play well during exposure camps and the AAU open period.</li>
<li>If you made an impression during the elite camps, the exposure camps, and the AAU season, you will begin to get attention in late summer to early fall.</li>
</ul>

<p>Take this plan, adapt to your needs and discuss it with your school and AAU coach. Get their support. They will get the calls from the schools that start to follow you. Keep them informed of any contact you receive. Have a post summer debrief to assess where you stand with your target schools. Remember, they have to fall in love with you before you can fall in love with them. Be realistic and listen to your coaches.</p>

<p>Also, even if you are the best player in the world, many will not show strong interest until they receive a mid junior year transcript and SATs to see if you are even in their ballpark.</p>

<p>If you do all of this between now and next August, you will have done all you can reasonably do to initiate relationships with your target schools, get them to take a look at you and determine their level of interest, and position yourself for a good junior year.</p>

<p>Good Luck!!!</p>

15

<p>Bball dad,</p>

<p>WOW thank you soo much. This is literally the best advice I’ve received on this site!!</p>

<p>BTW, i remember you had mentioned that your son was attracting the ivies and NESCAC schools. How is he doing in his process?</p>