More Recruiting Questions

It seems the collegiate recruiting process is a popular topic to write about these days.  I have received a lot of positive feedback from families and throwers about my latest blog post about the subject, as well as podcast.  I appreciate those of you that have taken the time to read, listen, and respond to my thoughts on the subject.

You can read my past articles about recruiting here and here.  You can also listen to my recent podcast about the recruiting process by clicking this link.  Or, you can listen to my first podcast about the recruiting process.

Since my last post, I have engaged in some interesting conversations about my initial thoughts on the subject.  Those follow-up conversations have led to additional thoughts I’m going to share with you below.  At Nazareth College, we are in the middle of setting up our recruiting databases, contacting potential student-athletes, and scheduling campus visits and tours for the classes of 2019 and 2020.  I do not believe there are many differences in recruiting between Division I, II, and III.  In all fairness, at the DIII we are not able to provide athletic scholarships, but besides that I think the divisions are more similar than often initially thought. 

Ultimately, in my opinion, I believe athletes make the decision on which college they want to attend based on their intended major/academic program and how comfortable they feel on campus (even if they decided one day that they didn’t want to compete in that particular sport).  Included with their comfort level is how comfortable they feel with their event coach(s), head coach, and current athletes on the team.
 
Practice for the summer with one of my club athletes wrapped up yesterday afternoon.  The thrower’s dad and I were talking about upcoming recruiting visits his son had, where, and the types of programs offered.  To give you some additional background on this thrower, he threw at the New York State Indoor Track & Field Championships this year. He also threw at Indoor and Outdoor New Balance Nationals.  He is a 60’ 25# weight thrower, has a personal best of 180’ in the hammer, and throws the discus 150’.  Each DI program he has talked to has told him and his family that he is able to walk-on, and that a scholarship would not be offered to him with the current distances he is throwing.  The topics dad I discussed follow below and are not in any particular order of importance. I have encouraged the family to ask these types of questions when they meet with coaches and/or recruiting coordinators in the future.

1. Redshirt his freshman year—ask the current coaching staff if he would be able to train with the team, travel to meets, and compete unattached
2. If he is going to walk-on, will he be able to train with the current athletes once he arrives on campus
3. Are there departments on campus that can provide academic scholarships to ease the burden of walking-on without a scholarship
4. Ask the staff how many throwers will be joining the team in the fall of 2018. Follow-up with their thoughts about the fall of 2019
5. How far does he have to throw during his senior season to be offered scholarship money
6. How far does he have to throw during his redshirt season to be offered scholarship money
7. If he applies for early decision, will that give him a better chance to receive athletic scholarship money and/or academic money
8. If a current thrower decides to transfer after the fall semester, would that make scholarship money available during his freshman year
9. How many throwers on the team are currently on some type of scholarship
   
10. What is the most amount of scholarship money a thrower receives on the team
    
11. Are there any athletes on the team that are on 100% athletic scholarships
    

 
I’m not sure if these are the politically correct questions to ask a coaching staff, however I will be asking similar questions if my wife and I are fortunate enough to have one of our boys have the athletic prowess to be recruited at the DI level.  On a few occasions our coaching staff was asked if an athlete would receive more financial aid and academic money if they achieved All-American status.  Does this occur at the DI or DII level?  

I've been asked some interesting questions over the course of the past 10 years.  One of my favorites is, "Coach, will you be able to give me more money if I play two sports here?"  My response was, "We are not able to give you athletic or academic scholarships for playing multiple sports."  Her response back was, "<Insert school in the same conference> said they are going to give me $5000 more if I play a fall sport and compete in indoor and outdoor track."  I didn't know what to say.

What is the most interesting question you have received from a recruit?  How did you handle it?

As always, thanks for reading ~ Charles