June 2004 – Athlete’s Advisor Newsletter…in this edition                  Subscribe!

New Articles - Summer Camps -  Campus Tours - Admissions News -  Conditioning - Recruiting Quiz - Links -

New Articles -
Mobile SAT - finally, something to make those cell phone pay off!
Summer Motivation - published on Compusportsmedia.com
Successful Coaching - book review
Mistakes in the recruiting process - some things to look out for
Atkins Diet and Athletes - Nancy Clark, RD

Summer Camps. How to use them for your recruiting advantage!

   Depending on your year in high school, a summer camp is one of the best ways for you to get a first person look at a campus, the facilities and the coaching staff. On the flip side it is the best way for the coaching staff to evaluate you, your skills and if you will fit into their style of program.  For those reasons, attending a camp (or a few) at schools high on your interest list is a good idea. But keep these things in mind…

1)    Avoid camps at schools which play at a level beyond your reach/ability. If you would be a good Division III athlete then generally speaking a D-I camp will  not help you get recruited. (Note: some D-III coaches work at D-I camps and use them for recruiting purposes). Before you go, find out what schools the coaches are from to make sure you are a fit academically as well as athletically.

 2)       If you are using camps to enhance recruiting and a few of the camp dates conflict, see if you can attend for just one day.  Football camps encourage this.  They all just want a closer look and one day will suffice – it also tells them how interested you are by the effort you make in attending.

 3)       Show good character at camps – Coaches look at more than your skill. In most cases, being difficult to coach, or a poor sport with teammates and officials will work against you in the process.

 4)       Contact coaches working the camp prior to attending. Let them know who you are, your grades, some athletic history facts and most importantly that you are interested in their program. Letter, email, even a phone call. Just get in touch

Not enough time for campus tours this summer?  Are you are looking for a resource to help whittle down your list before you decided where to visit? You can now order campus tours on video at www.collegiatechoice.com.  I received a sample video and the tape is of a real campus tour, not a polished, high end marketing piece from the college. The tapes are made during actual tours and you hear the tour guide speaking and answering questions. For around $15 this service is worth it, especially if it saves you hundreds of $$$ in plane tickets.

Schools looking for less applicants.  According to the Boston Globe (June 13) colleges are looking to decrease the number of applications they receive.  The qualified applicants are being shortchanged due to the strain of processing so many applications, many of which come from students who are not qualified for admission. An example of Boston University receiving 29,000 applications for 4,000 spots was cited!

Strength and Conditioning.  Rest is vital…BJ Baker a trainer at Athletic Performance facility Trainboston in Wellesley MA, says that most young student athletes fail to get enough sleep by 1-2 hours per night and this deficit hurts recovery from intense exercise and training, thus limiting gains. All that hard work and your parents money not paying off as much as it could would be a shame. Get your zzzzz’s!

Recruiting Quiz…How well do you know the rules of recruitment put forth by the NCAA…visit our friends at Varsityedge.com to find out!  

Timely Links :
Clearinghouse – Rising Seniors if you are going to play Division I or II athletics you MUST be registered with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse

What schools have the most students on athletic scholarship?
Check out this US News listing!

Did you know?  That one of the easiest ways to start the recruiting process at a school you are interested in, is to go the Athletic Department section of the school web site, find a section commonly called 'Recruiting Information" or "Prospective-Student Athlete Information"  and fill out the on-line form with all the information it asks for.

A good place to start is a conference web site which will link you to all schools in the conference.

Something to think about… I got wait listed!...Getting wait listed, at many colleges, is just delaying the inevitable. A rejection!  Colleges publish the number of students admitted off the waitlist and the number can be staggeringly low.  My old college, Hamilton, waitlisted 518 and admitted a whopping 5 applicants (cited in Newsweek/Kaplan Guide to College) What factors can weigh in your favor?  Unofficially, a full-paying applicant might stand a greater chance than someone with a high $$$ need.  Also, one former Dean of Admissions indicated that colleges are desperate for Male students and being a “guy” might tip the scale in your odds. 
 
Regardless, my advice for waitlisted applicants is to mentally move on to your next choice.

Until July...have a great start to summer!

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