Be Yur Own Recruiting Service! Hw t find the right cllege fr vlleyball and beynd Gretchen Hunt Head Vlleyball Cach Bethel University Gretchen-hunt@bethel.edu (651) 638-6790 1
Cllege Sprts Scene What are all these N s?? There are many different gverning bdies in cllege sprts. The recruiting and eligibility rules are very different depending n the gverning bdy. In additin, the level f play and cmmitment expected frm an athlete are very different. The NCAA The largest gverning bdy fr cllegiate sprts is the NCAA. The NCAA has three divisins based NOT n the size f the schl, but based slely n their philsphy regarding athletics place in the educatin system. Divisin I Divisin I schls must spnsr at least seven sprts each fr men and wmen and must meet minimum financial aid awards fr their athletics prgram. There are cntest and participant minimums fr each sprt, as well as scheduling criteria. There are abut 340 active Divisin I member schls. In vlleyball they are allwed t have a maximum f 12 players n the team n athletic schlarship. Divisin II Divisin II must spnsr at least 4 sprts each fr men and wmen. There are maximum financial aid awards fr each sprt that a Div. II schl must nt exceed. Divisin II teams usually feature a number f lcal r in-state student-athletes. Many Divisin II student-athletes pay fr schl thrugh a cmbinatin f schlarship mney, grants, student lans and emplyment earnings. Divisin II athletics prgrams are financed in the institutin's budget like ther academic departments n campus. There are abut 300 active Divisin II member schls. In vlleyball they are allwed t give ut the equivalent f 8 full athletic schlarships. This mney can be split between mre than 8 players. Divisin III Divisin III institutins have t spnsr at least six sprts fr men and six fr wmen. There are minimum cntest and participant minimums fr each sprt. Divisin III athletics features student-athletes wh receive n financial aid related t their athletic ability and athletic departments are staffed and funded like any ther department in the university. Divisin III athletics departments place special imprtance n the impact f athletics n the participants rather than n the spectatrs. The student-athlete's experience is f paramunt cncern. Divisin III athletics encurages participatin by maximizing the number and variety f athletics pprtunities available t students, placing primary emphasis n reginal in-seasn and cnference cmpetitin. There are abut 450 Divisin III member schls. Divisin III des nt prvide athletic schlarships; hwever they can give academic schlarships and need-based financial aid. The NAIA The NAIA (Natinal Assciatin f Intercllegiate Athletics) has abut 300 members ttal. The NAIA can ffer athletic schlarships, but such schlarships are cntrlled at the institutinal level and there are n natinal regulatins r minimums either fr schlarships r fr sprt spnsrship fr schls cmpeting in the NAIA. The NAIA is far less regulated than the NCAA and has very few restrictins n the cntact between caches and players during the recruiting prcess. In additin, their transfer rules between institutins are far less regulated. In general, all NAIA schls cmpete in the same divisin with the exceptin f basketball in which are identified as NAIA Divisin I r NAIA Divisin II. There is much greater access t the pstseasn champinships in NAIA due t the fact that the NAIA des nt fund their champinships. 2
The NJCAA Clleges in the NJCAA (Natinal Junir Cllege Athletic Assciatin) are tw year clleges. NJCAA Divisin I and II are allwed t ffer up t 14 athletic schlarships in vlleyball, NJCAA Divisin III schls are nt allwed t ffer athletic schlarships. The schlarships vary widely by institutin, as des the level f play. Often players will play tw years at a junir r cmmunity cllege and then transfer t a fur-year cllege r university fr their final tw years f eligibility. The schls in Minnesta cmpete in Regin 13 in NJCAA which als includes Nrth and Suth Dakta, Wiscnsin, and the UP f Michigan. All f the schls in Minnesta cmpete in NJCAA Divisin III. Ridgewater Cllege (Willmar) and Central Lakes Cllege (Brainerd) in Minnesta in particular have been natinal pwerhuses in NJCAA Divisin III and ften play in the natinal champinships. Hwever, even the tp players in NJCAA Divisin III will have truble earning schlarships at NCAA Divisin II r I levels. If yu want mre infrmatin n Divisin I r II NJCAA prgrams, lk at their website which is listed in the resurces sectin at the back f this packet. The NCCAA The NCCAA (Natinal Christian Cllege Athletic Assciatin) is an rganizatin whse members are Christian clleges. Schls can be members f BOTH the NCAA r NAIA and the NCCAA. The NCCAA has a ttal f 105 members there are 63 Divisin I schls and 42 Divisin II schls. Divisin I institutins are primarily Christ-centered liberal arts clleges and universities. Divisin II institutins are primarily Christ-centered Bible clleges. The NCCAA spnsrs its wn natinal champinships in additin t the NCAA and NAIA champinships. Fr mre infrmatin check-ut their website in the resurces sectin. Finally T judge the quality f an athletic department, r a specific sprts prgram, requires a lt mre than knwing what Divisin in the NCAA r what gverning bdy they belng t. Many f the tp DII and DIII prgrams wuld beat lwer tiered DI prgrams, and the range f cmpetitin in all divisins is WIDE. T help yu srt all f that ut; here are the next steps t take. Nw let s get started! Step 1: What am I lking fr? Between all f the gverning bdies and divisins that are listed abve, there are almst 2000 schls t chse frm! Yu can t just wait fr thse caches t apprach yu and end up chsing yur schl by wh happens t shw interest in yu. Smetimes it might seem as if n caches are interested in yu, and smetimes it seems verwhelming because yu are being cntacted by a lt f peple. Yu need t take cntrl f the situatin! Start ut by thinking very seriusly abut what YOU want in a schl. Even if yu are ne f the lucky nes t get an athletic schlarship, if yu hate the schl, all that mney will hardly seem wrth it. In the Appendix is a questinnaire fr yu t fill ut t help yu start answering the questin, What am I lking fr? Step 2: Determine which schls match yur prfile Once yu ve spent sme time determining what yu want; nw yu need t find clleges r universities that match that prfile. Use the internet t lk up clleges r t search fr schls n the NCAA r NAIA websites, buy cllege bks describing schls, talk t caches that yu ve had, attend summer camps at 3
schls where yu are interested. MAKE SURE TO WATCH THEIR TEAM PLAY A MATCH IF YOU CAN! Step3: Cntact them Dn t wait fr the cach at the schl f yur dreams t walk int the gym and pick yu ut f hundreds f ther girls. It just desn t happen that way! 1. Start with an intrductin via email r mail with a letter, sent directly t the Head Cach. In the letter, tell the cach why yu want t attend their schl and why yu want t be a part f their vlleyball prgram. 2. Include a Player Prfile with the fllwing infrmatin: Height and weight Standing reach Blck jump and apprach jump abslutely necessary! Psitin Right r left handed Vlleyball and any ther sprt hnrs Academic interests GPA, class rank, ACT r SAT Camps attended High schl and club caches names, phne numbers, and email Upcming high schl r club schedule 3. Send vide whenever pssible. If a schl has seen yu play extensively at turnaments, they might nt need a vide, but make sure t ask the cach. Sme schls have VERY specific things they want t see in a vide, s be prepared t create a vide fr such schls. Otherwise, here is a pretty standard vide package: Intrductin name, psitin, high schl and club, number that yu wear, ACT/SAT scre and anything else yu want them t knw. Either d this by standing in frnt f the camera and saying the infrmatin, r by entering the infrmatin n the screen if yu have the sftware. Skills sectin r highlight clips Ttal f 3-4 minutes! Game ftage Against quality cmpetitin, and frm BEHIND yur curt s that the viewer can see the entire side f yur curt. D nt edit (unless there are time-uts r breaks, r yu are ff the curt) let the game film run. 4. Phne calls Yu may call a cach at yur expense at any time. I strngly recmmend calling a cach and telling them abut yurself t find ut if they are interested and t ask them what they want frm yu. There are different rules abut when caches can call yu based n their assciatin and Divisin. Step 4: The Visit The NCAA has classified a cllege visit as an Unfficial r Official. These designatins d nt apply t NAIA schls, but generally d apply t NJCAA schls. 1. Unfficial visit An unfficial visit is ne where yu pay all f the csts f visiting a schl. Yu can take these visits at any time yu wish and make as many f them as yu want. Yu shuld take these visits whenever pssible befre yur senir year t narrw dwn yur list f schls. Attending a vlleyball camp in the summer is 4
a great way t make this visit. Make sure t cmmunicate with the Head Cach abut whether he/she wuld like t put tgether yur visit schedule, r whether yu shuld wrk thrugh the Admissins Office. 2. Official visit An fficial visit is ne where the schl pays all r part f the cst f yur visit. Yu are restricted n the number f fficial visits yu can take depending n the Divisin. When yu visit a campus, yu need t make sure t leave yurself enugh time t d everything yu want t d! Dn t shrtchange a schl by squeezing them in when yu dn t really have time fr a full visit. Here are sme peple yu shuld hpe t meet with during yur visit: Caching staff Current players very imprtant! Prfessrs in yur desired majr Admissins cunselr Pssibly an academic advisr if yu have specific academic cncerns Pssibly an athletic administratr Here are sme questins yu shuld ask during yur visit: Athletics Describe the practice and cmpetitin schedule. Describe the atmsphere f a typical hme match. Hw much des the team travel in-seasn? Is there a spring seasn, and if s, what des the team d? What psitin/s d yu prject I will play n yur team? What ther players might be cmpeting at the same psitin? Will I be redshirted my first year? (DI and DII) D all team members travel? Describe a typical rad trip. What is the quality f yur cmpetitin schedule? What expectatins d yu have t training and cnditining? What team rules d yu have during the seasn and during the ff-seasn? Hw wuld yu best describe yur caching style? Hw lng as the head cach been there? When des the head cach s cntract end? Hw lng des the cach intend t stay? Hw many assistant caches wrk with the prgram? What are their rles? What are invited and uninvited walk-n situatins? Wh else are yu recruiting? What trainers, dctrs, and medical facilities are available? If I am seriusly injured while cmpeting, wh is respnsible fr my medical expenses? What happens if I transfer t anther schl? Has the schl r vlleyball prgram had any issues with respect t NCAA (r NAIA) rules and cmpliance? Hw many players have transferred ut f the vlleyball prgram during the tenure f the current cach? Academics What academic supprt prgrams are available t student-athletes? If I have a diagnsed disability, what kind f academic services are available? Hw many credit hurs shuld I take in seasn and ut f seasn? Hw many hurs are t much? Are there restrictins in scheduling classes arund practice? What is the current team s GPA? Hw wuld changing majrs affect prgress tward a degree? 5
If I am nt sure what I want t study, hw are undeclared majrs handled by the institutin? I have a very specific majr in mind, tell me abut what graduates frm yur university in this majr are ding nw. Hw many players graduate in fur years? Hw clsely are grades and classes mnitred? Describe the access available t cmputer labs, study rms, library, etc. Cllege life What is a typical day like fr a student-athlete? Where d athletes eat? Is there an athletic drm? D mst students and/r student-athletes live n campus? Are athletes required t live n campus fr any perid? Describe a typical weekend n campus when yu are NOT cmpeting. Which are the mst active student rganizatins n campus? Wuld yu describe this schl as a party schl? Financial Aid What des a schlarship cver? Tuitin? (all r part) Rm and bard? Bks? Summer schl? Travel t and frm hme? Hw lng des my schlarship last? What are the pprtunities fr emplyment while I am a student? Under what circumstances wuld my schlarship be reduced r canceled? Are there academic criteria tied t maintaining the schlarship? What schlarship mney is available if I suffer an athletics career-ending injury? Is there any kind f fundraising required when yu are part f the team? Finally, in additin t the visits t the schls, a cach might d a hme visit t meet yu and yur family at yur hme. Caches nly d this if they are very interested in yu! This is anther great time t ask questins and t find ut hw yu might fit int their prgram. The cach will generally take the initiative t suggest a hme visit, but if yu are very serius abut a schl, yu can always invite them t yur hme. Step 5: They make an ffer Smewhere during this prcess, a cach might make a schlarship ffer r ffer yu a psitin n their team. If yu are ffered a schlarship, yu need t think it ver very carefully. Any ffer yu receive prir t the natinal signing date is a verbal ffer, which means it is nt binding fr either the schl r the player. Only after the signing date has arrived can yu fficially make a binding agreement (see sectin belw n Natinal Letter f Intent). Smetimes yu may be ffered a schlarship, but nly if yu accept by a certain date. Otherwise they will make the ffer t anther player. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE TERMS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP OFFER AND BE CLEAR ABOUT WHEN YOU MUST MAKE YOUR DECISION. Remember, athletic schlarships are nly guaranteed fr ne academic year. Schls decide each year if they want t renew yur schlarship. Make sure yu knw what things might keep yur schlarship frm being renewed. Even if yu are nt ffered a schlarship, a cach might ffer yu a recruited walk-n psitin n their team. This means that yu wn t be getting an athletic schlarship, but yu will be part f the team withut having t g thrugh a tryut prcess. Smetimes yu can earn a schlarship in future years. Make sure t ask if that is a pssibility, and what the likelihd is f that happening. 6
Finally, if yu are lking at a Divisin III institutin that cannt ffer athletic schlarships, that desn t mean that they wn t ask yu fr a cmmitment. Divisin III caches spend just as much time, r mre, recruiting athletes and they need t knw where yu stand. Once yu have decided n a Divisin III schl and yu accept their ffer f admissin, usually by putting dwn a depsit, yu are n lnger cnsidered a prspect but are cnsidered a signed player. Other schl cannt cntinue t recruit yu. Frequently-Asked Questins n the Natinal Letter f Intent/ Financial Aid What is the Natinal Letter f Intent? The Natinal Letter f Intent (NLI) is a binding agreement between a prspective student-athlete and an institutin in which the institutin agrees t prvide a prspective student-athlete wh is admitted t the institutin and is eligible fr financial aid under NCAA rules athletics aid fr ne academic year in exchange fr the prspect's agreement t attend the institutin fr ne academic year. All clleges and universities that participate in the NLI prgram agree t nt recruit a prspective student-athlete nce he/she signs an NLI with anther cllege r university. Therefre, a prspective student-athlete wh signs an NLI shuld n lnger receive recruiting cntacts and calls and is ensured an athletic schlarship fr ne academic year. The NLI must be accmpanied by an institutinal financial aid agreement. If the studentathlete des nt enrll at that institutin fr a full academic year, he/she may be subject t specific penalties, including lss f a seasn f eligibility and a mandatry residence requirement. Additinal infrmatin can be btained thrugh the NLI Prgram web page http://www.natinal-letter.rg What happens if I sign a Natinal Letter f Intent then decide t g t a different cllege? If yu sign a Natinal Letter f Intent, yu are cmmitted t attend that institutin fr yur initial year f cllegiate enrllment. If yu d nt attend the signing institutin r attend that institutin fr less than ne academic year, and yu enrll in anther cllege that participates in the Natinal Letter f Intent prgram there may be eligibility ramificatins. The basic penalty may preclude yu frm representing the secnd cllege until yu have cmpleted tw academic years in residence at the latter institutin and yu may lse tw seasns f cmpetitin in all sprts. Can a cllege r university reduce r cancel my schlarship during the academic year? If a student-athlete is receiving institutinal financial aid based in any degree n athletics ability, that financial aid MAY be reduced r canceled during the perid f award (e.g., during that year r term) nly if the student-athlete: Renders himself r herself ineligible fr intercllegiate cmpetitin; r Misrepresents any infrmatin n an applicatin, letter f intent r financial aid agreement; r Cmmits serius miscnduct which warrants a substantial disciplinary penalty (the miscnduct determinatin must be made by the university's regular student disciplinary authrity); r Vluntarily quits the sprt fr persnal reasns. In this case, the student-athlete's financial aid may nt be given t anther student-athlete during the term in which the aid was reduced r canceled. Institutinal financial aid based in any degree n athletics ability MAY NOT be reduced, canceled r increased during the perid f award: Based n a student-athlete's ability, perfrmance, r cntributin t a team's success; r Because an injury prevents the student-athlete frm participating; r Fr any ther athletics reasn. 7
Hw lng des a schlarship last and can the cllege cancel my schlarship after the first year? Aid based in any degree n athletics ability cannt be awarded in excess f ne academic year; the decisin f whether a student-athlete is awarded institutinal financial aid is made n a year-by-year r term-by-term basis, depending n the regulatins f the institutin. If a student-athlete is receiving institutinal financial aid based in any degree n athletics ability, the institutin must ntify the student in writing n r befre July 1 whether the aid has been renewed r nt renewed fr the next academic year. This written ntificatin cmes frm the institutin's financial aid authrity and nt frm the athletics department. If the institutin decides nt t renew the aid, r is ging t reduce the aid, the institutin must ntify the student-athlete in writing that he r she has the right t a hearing. This hearing is held befre the institutinal agency making the award. Keep in mind that the decisin t renew r nt renew the financial aid is left t the discretin f the institutin, t be determined with its nrmal practices fr students generally. Okay, I knw what I want hw d I cnvince the cach t want me? Caches like t see athleticism, hustle, leadership, psitive attitude and explsiveness n the curt. Caches want t see intensity and cmpetitiveness, but als smene wh lves t play the game and wh has fun with her teammates. They want t see smene wh listens during timeuts and wh respnds with a cachable attitude. Caches d want strng and lean athletes at every level. The higher the level f play, the taller yu need t be, in general, and the higher yu need t be able t jump. Mst Divisin II schls r abve will nt be interested in yu if yu cannt tuch 9 6 r s n yur apprach jump (the net is 7 4 high), unless yu are a Liber nly. Caches want lean athletes as well this desn t mean skin and bnes, but it means being high in muscles and lw in bdy fat. Caches want an athlete wh is aware f what is happening n the curt. They are always ready fr the ball; they knw where they are suppsed t be and what their respnsibilities are. They want t see a high vlleyball IQ a smart player wh makes gd decisins and wh finds ways t scre pints. In additin, here are sme skills that yu need t have develped befre entering cllege vlleyball: Passing Hw t pass the ball utside yur bdy line and t the target Hw t cperate, cmmunicate and crdinate passing with yur teammates in a 3- persn serve receive Hitting Hw t make the right selectin f shts t hit different areas f the curt at t hit at different temps Hw t use different ftwrk and timing patterns t perfrm quick and cmbinatin attacks, 1-ft take-ffs, and inside-ut and utside-in appraches Hw t react against blckers Hw t attack effectively frm the back rw Setting Hw t jump set and get the prper timing between yur set and the hitter Hw t set a hittable ball cnsistently t all psitins Hw t set using the frearm pass 8
Hw t set frm ff balance and away frm the net Hw t be creative in running yur ffense and getting the ball t the hitter with the greatest chance f scring Serving Hw t serve either a tpspin r tugh flat serve t different znes n the curt Hw t apply yur serving strategy t attack yur ppnent s weaknesses Blcking Hw t read the ncming attack and time yur blck with it Hw t wrk with yur teammates t frm a duble blck and t adjust t different attack ptins and angles Hw t blck aggressively and direct the ball dwn fr a stuff Digging Hw t crdinate yur back rw defensive psitin with the frnt rw blckers Hw t see the attack cming and be ready t mve aggressively fr any ball in the prper time sequence: verpass, setter attack, then first, secnd and third temp attacks Hw t mve frm base psitin t the area f the dig Hw t develp a defensive attitude t pursue any ball relentlessly Game skills Hw t recgnize and understand the strengths and weaknesses f the ppsing team and yur wn team and use them t yur advantage Hw t fcus n yur game/match gals and maintain that fcus thrughut the ups and dwns f the cmpetitin Life between cntacts hw t actively supprt yur teammates when they are playing the ball Cnclusin Taking the time t decide what yu want in a cllege is the first step! Dn t wait fr caches t apprach yu, they dn t knw abut yu! Learn all that yu can abut a schl, and nce yu have decided it might be right fr yu, be yur wn recruiting crdinatr. Cmmunicate with caches, attend camps, send letters, send vide, invite them t watch yu play and give them a gd shw when they are there. Be ready t wrk HARD nce yu have made a cllege team, and be ready t make sacrifices that ther cllege students dn t have t make. Being a cllege athlete is a hard jb but it als can be ne f the greatest times in yur life! 9
Appendix A Resurces NCAA Clearinghuse Infrmatin/Eligibility Center (fr DI and DII) www.ncaaclearinghuse.net 1-877-262-1491 *2014-15 NCAA Guide fr the Cllege-Bund Student Athlete GREAT RESOURCE! https://www.ncaapublicatins.cm/p-4354-2014-15-ncaa-guide-fr-the-cllege-bund-student-athlete-sldas-a-package-f-25.aspx The Natinal Junir Cllege Athletic Assciatin (NJCAA) http://www.njcaa.rg/ The Natinal Christian Cllege Athletic Assciatin (NCCAA) http://www.thenccaa.rg/ The Natinal Assciatin f Intercllegiate Athletics (NAIA) http://naia.rg PrepVlleyball.cm membership fee f $29.95 per year http://www.prepvlleyball.cm/ American Vlleyball Caches Assciatin http://www.avca.rg/ 10
1. D I want t stay clse t hme? Appendix B Questins t help me narrw my chices 2. D I want t g t schl in a large city r a small twn? 3. D I want a metr r rural campus? 4. D I want a small, medium, r large campus? 5. D I want a religius schl? 6. D I want t graduate in fur years? 7. What extracurricular activities utside f vlleyball d I want t be invlved with? 8. D I want a campus that is residential, r is cmmuter kay? 9. D I want a campus with an active weekend calendar n-campus, r will I be fine finding my wn things t d? 10. Will I be kay with a party schl? 11. D I want a private r public schl? Can I affrd a private schl? 12. What d I want t majr in? 13. D I want t g t graduate schl? If s, d I need specific preparatin in my undergraduate wrk? 14. D I need a schlarship? 15. What level f athletic cmpetitin d I want? What level is reasnable given my athletic ability? 16. Am I willing t be a walk-n? 17. Am I willing t be redshirted? 18. D I want t be a starter immediately? 19. Will I play fr any team r d I need a certain level f cmpetitive success? 20. Is the weather a big factr in chsing a cllege? 11