The following article is sponsored by National Scouting Report. Visit NSR’s web site at nsr-inc.com
RECRUITING BLOG: DO YOU KNOW THE 4 PHASES OF RECRUITING?
By Gary Silvers
Ever wonder how the college recruiting process starts for coaches and prospects?
Wonder how it progresses -- step by step?
Wonder how it concludes with scholarship offers?
There are four phases of recruiting: identification and recognition; prospect evaluation; prospect comparisons; and offers.
Let’s review each phase:
I. Identification and Recognition
College coaches try to identify as many prospects as possible. They gather those names from a variety of sources, including national publications, well-connected high school coaches, newspaper/internet stories, personal scouting and well-respected scouting companies.
Once a prospect has been identified, a college coach likely will send a prospect a questionnaire to gather basic information. Then the coach often will request a video of skills and/or game action. As a potential prospect, it is important to get your name and information to as many coaches as possible. The earlier they receive that information, the better your chances of being recruited.
II. Prospect Evaluation
This is the start of the “weeding-out” process. Coaches will examine the qualifications -- academic, athletic and personal -- of all the prospects they have information on and eliminate those who don’t meet their criteria.
That is why it’s so important for prospects to submit complete academic and athletic information, statistics and an impressive video to each coach. They don’t want to be weeded out. If a coach feels a prospect is worthy of consideration, he or she will put that prospect on a list for further evaluation. Prospects who do not meet a coach’s criteria are eliminated from consideration.
III. Prospect Comparisons
All of the prospects who make it to this stage will be compared against each other. Several will be evaluated for the same position and scholarship. These comparisons will take place for the duration of the recruiting process, and prospects continuously will be weeded out.
Coaches will begin emailing, writing and calling prospects as soon as they are permitted under NCAA rules. Many coaches make personal visits to prospects during the senior year. They also invite prospects to campus for an official visit. Prospects are allowed to make five official visits – paid for by the colleges – during their senior year. Prospects can visit as many colleges as they want, anytime they want, if they pay their own way. During this pivotal phase of recruiting, prospects are ranked by position.
IV. Offers
At this stage, the coaching staff meets to decide which prospects should receive offers and how much money they should receive. Coaches commonly make verbal offers to several prospects for the same scholarship.
Coaches can make offers and prospects can make verbal commitments at any time. However, neither the early college offer nor early commitment is binding. Coaches and prospects can change their minds or retract their offers and commitments.
Nothing is official until the signing of a National Letter of Intent, a binding one-year contract between the prospect and college. The signing only can take place during specific times of the year, depending on the sport. Coaches go right down their recruiting lists, position by position, until the highest-ranked prospect signs.
Gary Silvers, Area Director of College Scouting for National Scouting Report, writes a weekly recruiting blog for SuburbanOneSports.com. He can be reached at (215) 480-8764 or gsilvers@nsr-inc.com. Follow him on Twitter: @GarySilversNSR
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