Pre Reads

Athletic Recruits
21

My D was being recruited by 6 D3 schools. She had prereads done at all six and was invited for OV’s. She did 5! Yes five all over the country visits in Sept. of her senior year. It was costly and hectic. Her #1 choice waffled and would not commit to giving her support in Sept. Those OVs really helped D sort and rank her list. But, D really wanted to play for and attend her #1 choice. I was in the car when D was talking to the coach from #1 mid Sept. I wanted to cry when I heard the coach tell D she was waiting on a couple of other girls to decide before she could support D’s app. arrggh. D stuck it out and kept all the coaches informed. Then in the middle of Oct, a couple weeks before the ED1 app was due, D got the call (again in the car) and she got the nod and support she needed from #1. Obviously D was not coaches #1, but D didn’t care. She wanted to attend that school. 3 other coaches really, really wanted my D and told her let them know if things change and she does not get in ED1. if they still had spots they would support her for ED2. It becomes a game of musical chairs for the lessor players like my D. Not saying your S is a lessor player, just that the “list” is fluid and players commit and coaches options change. I think for D3, many of the students are looking not only at the sport, but academic fit. My D took one school off her list after a horrible OV, and another because the students were not motivated enough about academics. My favorite school fell down on the list because while D loved the coach and players, it was obviously a very stressful environment academically. While my D wanted to attend a school where kids were motivated, she did not want to attend where everything outside of her sport was about academics and students were stressed over every little grade. But, it was still on her list til the end.

And I agree with what others have said. You should be there during at least one coach visit, ask the questions your S may not. “Where does my S stand?, Have you given support and not had kids get accepted?, etc.” I was in one coaches office during one of those visits and she had every recruit listed on her white board with details about each. While it was interesting, it should not have been out there for me or my D to see, imo. But, maybe it was there so we could see it and contemplate. haha.

Best to you and your son.

22

@mamom, We experienced one of those white boards as well, and I think it was intended to help the recruiting process. The coach actually referred to one of the recruits who had decided to go Ivy, suggesting the position was open for my kid.

@anon145, the reason that I suggest asking where your kid is on the list is that it is important at the margins. Yes, there may not be a formal ranking, but I did have NESCAC coaches as much as tell us where we were on a list. I think you need to know if your kid is number 6 on a list of 5, as @mamom suggests. It is very easy to just hear the good things the coach is saying. It is harder to critically analyze everything the coach says to make sure there are no misunderstandings (and a lot of people misunderstand what a coach says).

23

@gointhruaphase we never got into lists, we never saw a whiteboard but the coach said in his/her >10 years in the job a kid with my DD’s grades and scores and coaches level of support has never not gotten in.(and she did) Also, I know for NESCACs that sports teams for everything but men’s basketball and football are much,much whiter than schools like williams/amherst regular students, and minority kids who are reasonably qualified don’t even count against coaches tips/slots. Iikewise student’s above school average also don’t generally count even though they still need coach’s support. So if a kids is #5 or 6 on the list but is a minority or top student he/she may be more likely to get in then #3 who is a subpar student.

So fine to know a number, but odds of getting in are ultimately the most important info to get from coach!

24

It all ended well. He accepted a likely letter from another even more academic school. You are right; the pre read is just an early step in a crazy but rewarding adventure.

25

Congrats!