Archive for the “Commitments” Category
Ryan Friedman Feature Athlete Interview – Committed to Hamilton College
Posted by SportsForce in College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Lacrosse, Recruiting, tags: athletic scholarship, college coach, college lacrosse, college recruiting process, hamilton college, high school lacrosse, recruiting process, student athleteWe would like to congratulate Ryan Friedman on his commitment to Hamilton College! Here is Ryan’s recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as an Alex!
1. Share your recruiting story and status
I did not know how to go about contacting or being seen by coaches so I employed SportsForce to help guide me along and after about a year and a half I gave a verbal commitment to play lacrosse at Hamilton
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them? I am going to Hamilton because they have a beautiful campus, very strong academics and an open curriculum as well as a dedication to athletics as part of NESCAC.
3. How did SportsForce help in the process?
SportsForce helped educate me on what colleges I should consider myself a prospect for as well as what kinds of schools they were. Chad Hadlock, who helped me personally as an advisor with SportsForce regularly gave me advice on how to approach any aspect of the process from skill specific workouts to how to show myself at tournaments to how to speak to college coaches on visits. SportsForce also helped me maintain relationships with all the coaches I was interested in playing for as well as reminding them where and when I will be playing.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
I think highlights and early communication certainly help, however some players develop later than others, such as myself; make sure you are doing the things necessary in order to catch a coach’s attention.
5. How excited are you on your future in college?
I’m very excited! I could not be more pleased with the school I have committed to.
6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited ?
If I had not been recruited I would likely not have known about this school, which is going to be giving us a large amount of financial aid, which I may not have received at a different institution. Likely several thousand dollars per year.
7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?
Yes they help you remain relatively stress free during the process and help maintain your confidence as a prospective athlete. They also help keep you very organized and make sure you do not lose track of any communication or interest from college coaches.
Over the last five years SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
Marcus Yandall Feature Athlete Interview – Elmhurst College
Posted by SportsForce in College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Lacrosse, Recruiting, tags: athletic scholarship, college coach, College Coaches, college commitment, college lacrosse, college recruiting, Division III, elmhurst college, high school lacrosse, sportsforce, student athleteWe would like to congratulate Marcus Yandall on his commitment to Elmhurst College! Here are Marcus’ recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Bluejay!
1. Please share your recruiting story and status.
The process was very long but was very exciting at the same time. Towards the beginning of high school I was so set on playing at a division 1 school, until I realized all of the advantages of attending a smaller school at the division 3 level. On August 25, I verbally committed to Elmhurst College.
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?
I committed to Elmhurst College because I felt like it was the best all-around fit for me. I fell in love with the city of Chicago, the opportunity to be a part of the honors program and be involved in the biology program to prepare me for medical school, and the environment that coach Morrell and his staff are creating at the school was very intriguing.
3. How did SportsForce help in the process?
SportsForce definitely played a huge role in my recruiting process. It opened up opportunities with the schools that ended up being in my top 10 and allowed me to get in touch with coaches in a simple way. Also, the player profile that SportsForce sets up on their website for you helps a lot and makes it easy for the coaches to see everything they need from you in one setting.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
I would definitely recommend starting early and not being afraid of reaching out to college coaches. With kids as young as 8th grade committing, getting a highlight video out to coaches as early as possible is definitely a good start. Also, getting in contact with coaches of schools that you think you want to pursue is key; if they don’t know you, you have no chance of playing at that school.
5. How excited are you for your future in college?
I am extremely excited to be attending Elmhurst College next year. Living in Chicago is going to be a lot of fun and getting a great education at a high-achieving school and playing lacrosse for a program that is headed in the right direction are just a few of the exciting factors.
6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited?
I anticipate my family saving a total of around $80,000 over the course of my 4 years in college.
7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?
I would recommend SportsForce to any athlete looking to play a college sport because of all of the help their service provides. SportsForce really makes sure you end up at the best-fitting school and provides you the tools and resources you need to easily make contact with the coaches of your choosing.
Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
Jacob Benson Feature Athlete Interview – Committed to University of La Verne
Posted by SportsForce in Baseball, College, Commitments, Commitments, Recruiting, tags: athletic scholarship, college baseball, college coach, college commitment, college recruiting, college recruiting game plan, high school baseball, recruiting process, student athlete, university of la verneJack Pharies Feature Athlete Interview – Committed to Centre College
Posted by SportsForce in College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Inspiring Stories, Lacrosse, Recruiting, tags: academic scholarship, athletic scholarship, centre college, college coach, college commitment, college lacrosse, college recruiting, high school athlete, high school lacrosse, lacrosse DIII, recruiting process, recruiting story, sports scholarshipWe would like to congratulate Jack Pharies on his commitment to Centre College! Here are Jack’s recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Colonel!
1. Please share your recruiting story and status
I was actively recruited by over 20 colleges to play lacrosse. I narrowed down my choices to 3 colleges by the beginning of the summer before my senior year, and I committed to a college in July before my senior year.
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?
I chose Centre College, which competes at the NCAA Division III level in the Southern Athletic Association. Centre is a national liberal arts college located in Danville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1819, has a national reputation for the quality of its academics, and is the number 1 school in the nation of any size for its travel abroad programs. I realized from the beginning that I would not make a living playing lacrosse, so my main focus has been choosing a college I would want to attend even if I did not play lacrosse. I have been interested in Centre from the beginning because of its size, the relationship between the faculty and students, and its travel abroad opportunities. Centre is among many schools that do not actively recruit in California. I contacted Centre through Sportsforce, and luckily the coach liked my video and asked me to campus. I already had offers from other colleges by the time I visited Centre, but I was just blown away by Coach Sharbaugh and Centre. Everything seemed to fit perfectly with what I wanted. The academics are great, the campus is beautiful, and the lacrosse coach is terrific and has a clear vision for the program and my role in realizing that vision.
4. How did SportsForce help in the process?
Sportsforce played a critical role in my recruiting journey. The best way to put it is that Sportsforce allowed me to control the recruiting process rather than the recruiting process controlling me. Without Sportsforce, I would have to rely on being seen at a showcase as my primary recruiting tool. While showcases are important, and I was recruited by coaches who saw me at showcases, it limits the universe of potential colleges to those that attend particular showcases. Sportsforce allowed me to introduce myself to the colleges I wanted to attend, not just the ones that happened to be at this weekend’s showcase. I could target a school, use Sportsforce as a way to get noticed by the coach, and then drive the recruiting process from there. It also allowed me to get ahead of the recruiting cycle so that, at each school that gave me an offer, I was one of the first offers they gave to players in my class. This proved to be an unexpected benefit because nothing makes a coach want a player more than knowing that a competing school wants that same player. This gave me a big advantage in recruiting because it put me in the driver’s seat. Not only did Sportsforce give me the tools to control my own destiny, it guided me every step of the way. From producing my initial video to the first e-mail campaign, to campus visits, and ultimately to making my commitment, Coach Hadlock and Sportsforce have advised me, supported me, and encouraged me.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
First, recruiting begins with grades. One of the first question every college coach asked me was my GPA and test scores. To keep your options open, you need to keep the grades up and do well on standardized tests.
Second, choose a college that you would want to attend even if you couldn’t play lacrosse. After all, every player is only one injury away from becoming a spectator.
Third, get to know the coach and the lacrosse program well and make sure you share the same goals. Find out how the coach recruits – is he selective in who he recruits or does he recruit huge classes and let the Freshman fight it out when fall ball starts. What is the lacrosse team’s reputation on campus – both among other athletes and the student body at large? Do the coach and the athletic department support your academic goals? Does the team have an academic adviser who travels with the team? Will the coach support your academic goals even if they require an absence from some training (such as for study abroad if that’s important to you).
Fourth, do an overnight visit. It is important to meet the team, see what it’s really like on campus, and understand the issues the current players face.
5. How excited are you on your future in college?
It is the perfect school and team for me. The academic environment, with small class sizes and an exclusive focus on undergraduate education, will challenge me and allow me to reach my goal of going to law school. The lacrosse team is always competitive in its conference and I’m going to travel throughout the South during conference play. I can’t wait to experience a different part of the country. In short, I am very excited. Go, Colonels!!
6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses?
My school is NCAA Division III, so there are no athletic scholarships. However, I have been told that I will receive nearly $20,000 per year in academic scholarships.
7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?
I strongly recommend Sportsforce. It provides the tools to allow the player to control the recruiting process. Most players and parents go into the recruiting process with no idea of what it entails or what to expect. All of the coaches, however, do this every year and know exactly what they are doing. This necessarily puts players at a disadvantage. Sportsforce helps to not only level the playing field with their knowledge and guidance, but they help put the player in control of that process by giving the player the tools to target schools, get noticed by the coaches, and to get ahead of the recruiting cycle.
Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
Delanie Sheehan Feature Athlete Interview – Committed to UCLA
Posted by SportsForce in College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Recruiting, Soccer, tags: athletic scholarship, college commitment, college recruiting, College Soccer, highschool soccer, recruiting prcess, recruiting story, sports scholarship, SportsForce team, student athlete, UCLAWe would like to congratulate Delanie Sheehan on her commitment to UCLA! Here are Delanie’s recruiting story and interview after her commitment. Good luck as a Bruin!
1. Share your recruiting story and status
The process of getting recruited was really stressful and overwhelming for me. I felt lost, especially at first when I didn’t have professionals helping me. However, into my junior year, my options started opening up and I became more excited than stressed! It was fun to learn about all the different programs and hear their philosophies and learn about the schools. I ended up signing May of my junior year.
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?
I will be attending UCLA in the fall of 2017. UCLA has been my dream school for as long as I can remember, so when they contacted me back it was like a dream come true and I was determined to play there, no matter what! I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away from me. Their amazing soccer program, along with the academics, has always been what I dreamed of when considering what college I wanted to attend. I want to be pushed in every aspect of my life and this is the perfect fit for it. I feel UCLA will not only help me academically and athletically, but it will help me grow as a person as well. The school’s standards and beliefs are inspiring to me.
3. How did SportsForce help in the process?
SportsForce was a huge help in this process. Schools get hundreds of emails every week and sometimes don’t even open them. SportsForce helps you stand out from the rest and give you a professional look. It allowed me to focus more on choosing a school, rather than getting in contact with the school. I would tell them which schools I was interested in and they would find a way to make it happen. I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I had without it.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
I would say it’s never too early to start. I started really focusing on the recruiting process at the beginning of my junior year, and even this was late. Top programs are ahead of the game and you must be aware of that. Also, highlight videos are important. I caught UCLA’s attention with my highlight video and then they came out to watch me play. When contacting coaches you need something to separate yourself from the rest and a video usually does the trick. My last piece of advice would be not to be scared to contact the coaches. I struggled with this and was always nervous to call, but all the coaches I met were awesome and always willing to give me the time of day.
5. How excited are you for your future in college?
I am so excited to attend UCLA; it feels unreal to me sometimes! I’m proud to say I accomplished my goal of attending my dream school and can’t wait to be repping the Bruins on and off the field!!
6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited?
I anticipate my family saving about half the cost of college because of me being recruited.
7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes?
Yes, I would recommend SportsForce to other student-athletes because for most families the recruiting process is new and confusing. It is important to have professionals who know what they are doing on your side. You may miss out on opportunities that you could’ve had. SportsForce gives you an organized plan of action and is willing to help you reach your goals.
Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
James Percival Feature Athlete Interview – Committed to Hill College
Posted by SportsForce in Baseball, College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Recruiting, tags: athletic scholarship, college baseball, college coach, college commitment, college hill, high school baseball, recruiting process, recruiting story, SportsForce team, student athletePayoff at Division III is Greater Than You Think
Posted by SportsForce in College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Recruiting, Tips & Advice, tags: academic scholarship, athletic scholarship, college levels, Division I, Division III, Divison II, financial aid, grants, NCAA, sport programs, sportsforce, student athletes, student loansIn our work with families, it’s common for student-athletes to be drawn to the NCAA Division I experience. It makes sense. Whether they are true DI level student-athletes or not, that’s typically the only form of collegiate competition they see or hear about on TV or in the media.
NCAA DI and DII sports programs offer the most competitive landscape for securing roster spots and athletic scholarships. Only about 2 percent of players are offered DI or DII scholarships, and many of these are relatively small amounts. It is extremely rare for DI or DII student-athletes to secure full ride scholarships.
Due to this intense competition, it’s normal for many players at these collegiate levels to ultimately land at DIII schools. According to the NCAA, Division III is the largest division in terms of a number of schools and number of participants and is comprised of more than 190,000 student-athletes and represents 450 colleges and universities throughout the country. Division III is also the only division that does not award athletic scholarships; however, more than 75 percent of Division III student-athletes receive financial aid or have earned a merit scholarship for academic talent and accomplishment.
Although there are many, the three most often repeated benefits our families mention when attending and competing for DIII programs is that it allows the student-athlete:
- To maintain a well-rounded collegiate experience. Although the sports programs are very competitive and place a strong emphasis on winning, there is an opportunity for the student-athlete to participate in extra-curricular activities like semesters studying abroad, student government and Greek life.
- To attend strong academic institutions with advanced and well-positioned internships for future careers.
- To secure significant merit-based scholarships for academics or other special talents they may possess.
Many Division III institutions have extraordinary supplies of money to attract high-performing student-athletes and can offer exceptional value to families. Listed below is a recent email from a DIII soccer family to share as an example:
“Actually, we did quite well with her grants, scholarships, and loans…
She received the following package:
GRANTS/ SCHOLARSHIPS (four-year grants, spread equally over the four years):
- The University Scholar Award – $72,000
- Board of Directors Grant – $33,716
- Residency Grant – $8000
Total Grants: $113,716
PRE-APPROVED GUARANTEED UNIVERSITY STUDENT LOANS:
- $14,000 subsidized (no interest)
- $8000 unsubsidized (very low interest)
Total Loans: $22,000 (to be repaid after graduation and full-time employment)
WORK STUDY:
$6000 – guaranteed position in the federal work study program all four years
So they delivered a total of $141,716, which represents approximately 75% of her entire undergraduate education ($191,064), including tuition, books, room & board.
Another great bonus, based on her major (International Business), is that they will send her abroad her sophomore year… at their cost.
Finally, they guarantee graduation in four years.
As it turns, she was their top female soccer recruit, but we did not know that until after she committed (her new teammates let the cat out of the bag).
Note: She improved her GPA and her SAT scores during the application process, and she promptly notified the University, and they increased her financial package accordingly, which I also liked.
In fact, there is now one other scholarship that she is academically eligible to apply for, but she missed the February deadline (because she hadn’t even visited the school yet then, and they really weren’t even on her radar), so they sent her a letter, and they want her to apply next year (the Provost Scholarship), and if she gets it, she will get another $6000 in scholarship money ($2k per year for the last three years), and they will adjust my payments.
She is very excited for the opportunity, and I hope that it all works out for her. I will keep in touch to let you all know how she does.
Thank you for your assistance.”
Whether your son or daughter has the desire to compete in their sport at NCAA Division I, II or III college levels, Division III institutions may present significant academic and athletic opportunities that you did not know existed.
For a personal college recruiting evaluation and honest estimate of your potential to compete at the next level, contact us at:
Phone: 1.888.9787084
Email: scouting@sportsforceonline.com
Caroline Goudy Feature Athlete Interview – Committed to Elon University
Posted by SportsForce in Athlete of the Week, College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Soccer, tags: College Coaches, college commitment, College Soccer, elon university, highschool soccer, NCAA division I, recruiting process, recruiting story, soccer scholarship, sportsforce, student athleteWe would like to congratulate Caroline Goudy on her commitment to Elon University! Here are Caroline’s recruiting story and interview after her commitment. Good luck as a Phoenix!
1. Share your recruiting story and status
I started my recruiting process the summer going into my junior year of high school. Truthfully, the process was pretty stressful, but with the help from the SportsForce team, the burden of emails and profile/video links was lifted. Once I found the right fit for me the process was pretty easy. I committed in March of my junior year and am looking forward to signing next year!
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?
I will be attending Elon University in the fall of 2017. I chose this university because of the great academics, close relationships between the teachers and students, small classes, Division I athletics, and the beautiful campus.
3. How did SportsForce help in the process?
SportsForce helped me narrow down my options and pick the schools that fit my needs as a student-athlete. After zoning in on a handful of schools, the SportsForce team assisted me with emailing coaches before games, tournaments, ID Camps, etc., configuring my recruiting profile, and forming a video with a medley of game film highlights.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
I would advise any player looking to be recruited to definitely start as early as you can by going to ID camps, sending out emails, and configuring recruiting profiles and game film videos. The highlight video that was located on my profile was very helpful for coaches who were viewing my profile. The coaches were able to view my video and decide whether or not I would be a good fit for their program. Lastly, I would advise players to keep sending college coaches emails with their most recent schedules or just to say hello and update them on your game. Try to build relationships with the coaches and make them know you for your consistency and persistence.
5. How excited are you for your future in college?
I am very excited to further my academic and athletic journey at Elon University. I cannot wait to continue playing the game I love at a college that I love! I am also excited to get involved in clubs, Greek life, and form bonds with new friends, coaches, and teachers.
6. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?
Yes, I would definitely recommend SportsForce to any student-athletes who are looking to be recruited by colleges! This team helps you narrow down your options, assists you with emails, profiles, video highlights, and guides you on how to speak with coaches personally to help promote you as a player and student.
Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
Saben Lee: Over 20 NCAA Division I Offers…
Posted by SportsForce in Basketball, College, Commitments, Commitments, High School, Inspiring Stories, Planning, Recruiting, Tips & Advice, tags: college basketball, college commitment, college propsects, college recruiting, college recruiting game plan, highschool basketball, ncaa division, Saben Lee, sportsforce, target listCongratulations to SportsForce client Saben Lee. Saben is a 2017 Point Guard from Phoenix, AZ. We began introducing Saben to college basketball coaches in his sophomore year of high school. Within about the first year of our working together, Saben received more than 20 Division I offers, including Stanford, Nebraska, Louisville, Utah, Pepperdine, Boise State and many others. His final commitment was made to Coach Bryce Drew at Vanderbilt University of the SEC.
Regardless of your sport, the 5 Critical Elements to Securing Multiple Offers include:
- Good Communication: top college recruits understand how to effectively communicate with college coaches by asking strategic questions that uncover a coaches’ true interest in them, while also being uniquely prepared for those questions college coaches will ask of them.
- Appropriate Target-Lists: top college recruits focus on proper target-list schools and sports programs that match their athletic and academic skill-set, instead of wasting valuable time and energy on collegiate opportunities that most likely will never be realized.
- Take Control: top college recruits avoid the trap of relying solely on external factors to generate offers, such as assistance from high school or club team coaches, and only attending viewing tournaments, or camps in order to be “seen” or evaluated by college coaches.
- Stay Disciplined: top college recruits prepare for, and are diligent in the use of appropriate follow-up strategies with college coaches, even when some opportunities appear to be going nowhere. They spend time researching best-fit schools and make it easy for coaches to communicate with them.
- Game Plan Execution: top college recruits learn the importance of creating and then executing a well-thought out plan to beat the competition, and the competition is fierce in order to achieve your college recruiting goals. They know the absence of a well-developed plan creates uncertainty, misdirection and lost recruiting opportunities.