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Recruitment

RECRUITING INFORMATION FOR ATHLETES AND PARENTS

This page is designed to be a resource for players and their families as they go through the recruiting process. Please email any questions to Recruiting Coordinator, Whitney Adams, at fsjrecruiting@gmail.com
 
Everything that is necessary within the recruiting process (creating film/video, communicating with coaches, etc) can be done for free. Paying for a recruiting service is an unnecessary expense. College coaches want to hear from prospective student athletes - not a service or parent!
 
Make sure to check out the additional pages that include:
  • Where Do I Fit:
    • Typical physical characteristics (height, vertical, etc.) organized by position of each division (NCAA DI, DII, DIII) and governing body (NJCAA, NAIA, NCAA)
    • Preferred academic standards of prospective student athletes
    • Scholarship statistics by division and governing body
  • Addt'l Recruiting Links:
    • NJCAA, NAIA and NCAA 
      • List of programs
      • Programs by location
      • What to expect at each level
STEPS TO THE RECRUITING PROCESS:
 

1. Determine the schools you would have an interest in by your academic interest, location and corresponding playing level.

  • Geographical area - how close or far away does your athlete want to be? There is a top 25 DII team in Alaska so you could literally go anywhere and be a part of a competitive team! 
  • Location of campus - Does your athlete want to be in a huge metroplex like Dallas - Fort Worth? Or something more similar to Fort Smith? Is the campus in a safe area within the city? 
  • Campus Life - Does your athlete want to be a part of a student organization with a focus on a certain religion? Be a member of student government? Go to baseball games? Live on campus? 
  • Major - if she doesn’t know what she wants to do, this obviously won’t be much of a factor! If it’s something very specific like archaeology, that will seriously narrow down your list.

One of the best recruiting tips that we can give: do research and cast a wide net when looking at schools! This means that you should be adding schools to your list that are part of the NCAA DI, NCAA DII, NCAA DIII, NAIA and Junior College organizations with an emphasis on where your athlete would most likely find her best athletic fit. Unsure of where your daughter would most likely fall? Ask her coaches!

Once you have your list (that should be evolving over time), check out the volleyball page of the school website and fill out the "Prospective Student Athlete" form. Filling out this form will get the athlete's information into their system and you will now be on the mailing list for camp information, etc. 

Below are links that contain all of the NCAA, NAIA and NCJAA Volleyball Programs within the US. 

*A great way to see college campuses and familiarize yourself with their school, team culture, coaches, etc. is to attend camps that the school is hosting. Many coaches offer high level camps during the summer in order to see the best talent in the area!*

2. Send an introductory email or message to your list of schools. 

- Include your name, height, position, grad year, high school and club and highlight videos or game film. Be sure to express interest in their school and volleyball program. Address the coach by name to start the email (ex. Coach Lindstrom). Include a link to your profile page or video.

- Do not be afraid to send multiple emails over your season(s) to update with new film, schedules for a tournament, etc.

-NCSA has a detailed page of what to include when contacting a coach and what to do when you are contacted.

https://www.ncsasports.org/recruiting/contacting-college-coaches


3. Make a Video and/or gather Game Footage

-If coaches are not able to see you play in person or have not had a chance to yet, a great way to capture their attention is with a video. The video should include your name, grad year, height, position(s), etc. When including a highlight film, make sure that your best plays are at the beginning of the video. 

-NCSA has a great page that has additional info on making a recruiting video and what should be included, even breaking it down by position.

-It's recommended that there is a public page that houses film - both game and highlight videos that is updated frequently. The easiest to create would be a Youtube channel.  

https://www.ncsasports.org/womens-volleyball/recruiting-video-highlights

4. Send your Video to those coaches that request it and to your list of schools

- You can upload the video to your email and/or to YouTube

5. Schedule visits

- Once a coach watches your video and or sees you play live and if they like you, they will ask you to schedule a visit. 

6. Consistently check in with coaches

- If a school expresses interest, continually check in with them with updates on your schedule and/or team. Building a relationship with the coaches is a key to success!

7. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly the NCAA Clearinghouse) and/or NAIA Eligibility Center

-All 10th grade college-bound players should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center by the end of the school year, and confirm with their school counselor that they are on-track to meet the NCAA academic eligibility requirements.

Graduation requirements for each state are different than what may be required by the NCAA Eligibility Center. Ignoring what is required could result in your student athlete NOT being eligible to play in the NCAA. 

They should also sign up and take both the ACT and SAT to determine which test format you prefer. Once you choose which test format is better for you, take a prep-class for that exam and then start testing for a high score.

-As Juniors, players should take the ACT or SAT a couple times to try and improve their score. Choose the exam with the best format for you. Universities accept either exam. Players who choose to look at NAIA programs should register with the NAIA Eligibility Center before the end of their junior year in high school.

- Families need to make sure they meet the deadlines for the following: NCAA Amateurism Certificate, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), college applications, NCAA and NAIA Eligibility Center registration, final transcripts and proof of graduation. 

Interested in one of our players?

If you would like information on one of our players or would like to  contact one of our players, please email Josh Stark fsjrecruiting@gmail.com