When Do Coaches Offer Official Visits?

<p>Just to make a slight correction to OldScarecrow’s excellent posts–Colgate and Holy Cross compete in the Patriot League and are Division 1 programs, not Division 3.</p>

<p>Okay. I visited the schools in which I was most interested. I got different reactions from different coaches, but the responses from my top 2 schools, Upenn and Dartmouth, were positive. I’ve been working out, and have pulled 2 2ks, but failed to PR.</p>

<p>The UPenn coach told me that he could not promise anything, but that I was in a very good position, and that he wanted me on the team. I know that I’m going on an OV with the highest priority athletes (a bunch of Belmont Hill guys), including my club’s summer A boat stroke. We talked about likely letters, and said that he would start issuing them/offering specific athletes spots on the team around the HOCR (late Ocotober, about a week before the ED deadline).</p>

<p>The Dartmouth coach gave me a more lukewarm response. He seemed interested, but not overenthusiastic. He suggested that I take the SAT I once more to improve my superscore (my superscore is the same as my second test sitting score - CR 720 M 710 W710), and advised me to improve my 2k by the end of September. I told him that my goals were dropping 2-3 seconds in the next few weeks, being elected captain, and securing a spot in 1v. </p>

<p>Going forward, my goals are to be elected captain (don’t know how much this will help, but I have a good shot at it), drop 2 seconds by beginning of October, improving SAT I superscore by 50 points, a solid spot in 1v, and performing well at HOCR. I’m also taking a challenging course load at my high school. </p>

<p>Thanks for all the advice.</p>

<p>Good luck man! Good news from upenn. Keep all the options open and keep trying. That’s what I’m doing haha.</p>

<p>Yes, definitely keep all the options open. </p>

<p>Just because it’s a likely letter doesn’t mean anything until you get the letter in your hand offering you admission. </p>

<p>Remember, the coach may be recruiting multiple kids for 1 spot, so don’t stop looking. Or applying. </p>

<p>Is financial aid going to be a big deal for you? If so, you will want to make sure you have multiple options in that area, too.</p>

<p>^^The likely letter is an offer of admission.</p>

<p>And yet, a likely letter doesn’t mean he will get a spot on the team. </p>

<p>Most of us have heard a horror story or two about this. I know I have. A well known Ivy school sent one of these out to a friend’s kid who was being recruited to play a sport. </p>

<p>However, even though the kid got in, the coach changed direction.</p>

<p>Unfortunately for my friends kid, he got so excited about it, he sent his deposit in right away. Then the coach stopped calling him. Yes, he was in, but he really wanted to play his sport. </p>

<p>If Historian is interested, he should keep all the options open as a hedge against his bets.</p>

<p>Well if you get a likely letter in hand be happy, youre in. But until then, keep the options open and keep practicing.</p>

<p>I’m staying as open as I can with other coaches. It’s definitely a bad idea to box yourself in. And the research I’ve done on likely letters says that 98% of applicants who get one get in. Basically either your grades have to tank, or you have to be suspended or caught cheating to screw it up.</p>

<p>^^that’s right, thehistorian. Samurai, I’m not sure how any recruit can be certain he will be a starter in college, what his performance trajectory will be like, or even how the coach is planning to fit him into the program. Your point is well taken that these things should be sorted out with the coach to the extent possible, before accepting a LL or making any other commitment to a school or coach.</p>

<p>There’s always an anecdotal story about some catastrophe or another, but likely letters are fairly precious things and coaches generally don’t waste them on kids that they don’t want on the team. If you get one you’re probably in the school and on the team. Not too many things in life are 100%, but a likely letter is a pretty sweet thing.</p>

<p>True. No guarantees about anything, riverrunner. </p>

<p>I am probably being cynical - we never always know the full story, only one side of it. My friend’s kid could have blown the first semester grades of senior year. </p>

<p>I do think coaches want to be as straightforward and honest about the process with recruits, but there are some that are more honest about a recruit’s chances of playing than others.</p>

<p>In my experience, Likely Letters are almost always honored. There are exceptions (e.g. the athlete has an injury, etc.), but they are generally solid. That said, coaches will often lead recruits on as long as possible before a Likely Letter is issued. It is important that a recruit ask very direct questions coming off an OV as to where he or she ranks in terms of a coach’s support with the ADCOM. You can always ask to speak with the ADCOM’s liaison to the athletic department to get a second perspective. </p>

<p>Remember too that Lkely Letters are often only given after a recruit has verbally committed to applying ED/EA. It is an interesting game of musical chairs that can sometimes leave a recruit without a chair. Strategic gamemanship is required.</p>

<p>Yes, Oldscarecrow. Agreeing to accept a likely letter is a commitment to attend by the athlete, in almost all cases. CC has documented only one exception lately (offered LLs with no strings attached) and that was for an athlete who was in the top few prospects in the country and had grades and stats to match. Coaches can’t have more promises of admission floating around than they will actually be allowed to recruit to the team.</p>

<p>Historian - have enjoyed following along. Hope your Penn visit solidifies things for you. Curious as to when your OV’s are scheduled (with Penn or others.) Sept.? Oct.? Good luck on the erg!</p>

<p>From a reading of his posts, I believe that Historian has one scheduled OV – Penn. </p>

<p>Columbia and Dartmouth coaches have requested better erg times and/or higher SAT scores before committing to an OV. </p>

<p>For sense of what Greg Myhr at Penn is looking for see last year’s recruited class. There are a bunch of big guys joining the squad.</p>

<p>[Heavyweight</a> Rowing Announces Recruiting Class - PennAthletics.com—The Official Website of University of Pennsylvania Athletics](<a href=“http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&ATCLID=205175121]Heavyweight”>http://www.pennathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1700&ATCLID=205175121)</p>

<p>I’ve expressed consistent, top-priority interest in Penn for months now. I believe asking about likely letters at my interview/unofficial visit effectively took the next step in showing my seriousness about Penn. My OV is scheduled for the weekend of September 16-18. The coaches told me that that was the first weekend of practice, and that things might be a bit hectic because of the number of potential walk-ons. Will being elected team captain change my prospects much?</p>

<p>Captainships are typically awarded to the strongest rower(s) who also demonstrate leadership qualities. To the extent this characterizes you, it is helpful.</p>

<p>Getting your ERG time below 6:30 is the most important thing you can do at this point.</p>

<p>Historian,</p>

<p>What are dates of your ERGs? When did you pull the 6:34? Coaches will want to see a pattern of improvement. It gives them a sense of your potential.</p>

<p>Getting a sub-6:30 is possible to do by the end of September. If you can do this, it will increase the odds that Myhr will go to bat for you with the ADCOM. </p>

<p>Pulliing a sub-6:30 with your frame would be impressive. It would also show persistence and hard work.</p>

<p>OldScarecrow - for Historian to shave 4+ seconds off PR, what, in your experience, is his best bet in terms of preparation? How many 2ks should he attempt within the next 30 days? With the rowers you’ve coached in the past, what type(s) of workouts would benefit Historian the most to help him shave time within a calendar month?</p>

<p>Focus all energy on ERGing just one more time. </p>

<p>Over the next 30 days:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Build up quadracep muscles by doing leg lifts and squats every other day, slowing adding more weight. Focus on getting the form of these exercises right</p></li>
<li><p>Also build up the lats, they are among the biggest muscles in the body</p></li>
<li><p>Alternate long runs at a quick pace to build up cardio with sprints. Sprint a mile twice a week. </p></li>
<li><p>If the OP is in Boston, do at least one ‘stadium’ a week; two if possible </p></li>
<li><p>Ensure that protein intake is sufficient to build muscle mass. Eat 5-6 times a day.</p></li>
<li><p>Work with a coach who knows you well to advise on proper ERG technique</p></li>
<li><p>Target a day when you think you’ll be feeing well, get a good night sleep the night before</p></li>
<li><p>On ERG day, exfoliate thoroughly to increase the body’s ability to sweat efficiently, wear spandex shorts and make sure that your shoes are not tied too tight. </p></li>
<li><p>Do a power ten every 500 meters. Pull like your 'ffing life depended on it </p></li>
<li><p>Bump up the pace with 500 meters to go. When you have just 200 meters to go, pull as hard as you can. Each stroke is about 10 meters, so the 200 meter mark is your last twenty strokes.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Good luck.</p>