Our partner Matt Hunt from College Hunt helps students successfully navigate the college selection process. In his latest blog post he explains the new NCAA academic requirements for Division 1, 2, and 3.

Planning on, or dreaming to one day participate in NCAA Athletics? Before you step onto the field or court you must first complete the required academics to be eligible for participation. Beginning in August 2016 the NCAA is increasing the minimum academic requirements student-athletes must meet to participate in Division 1 and 2 athletics. While these changes may seem minor, it’s important to remember all students planning on playing Division 1 or 2 athletics must meet these requirements or they will be academically ineligible.

Before we dive into the specific academic requirements we should first understand the purpose of the NCAA Eligibility Center. Think of them as the checks and balances for coaches as well as colleges/universities on whether or not the student has met the established requirements. Keep in mind, they are separate from admissions; a student still applies to individual schools during senior year. A common misconception from students is they believe if they’ve met the NCAA Eligibility requirements they are good to go, but in reality, they have only met the standard to play.

What is a Core Course? The NCAA Eligibility Center requires students earn a specific number of Core Courses by a certain point in high school as part of meeting eligibility. Now, there are some differences in the amount and timeline per level (D1, 2, & 3), but the definition of a Core Course remains the same. A Core Course is one that counts towards graduation in the core curriculum: English, Math, Natural or Physical Science, Social Science and World Language or Comparative Religion. Students must earn at least a D or higher in these courses. I know what you’re thinking, the NCAA allows D’s? Correct, but remember four-year colleges and universities do not.

The NCAA Eligibility Center has clearly defined specific academic requirements for Division 1, 2, and 3. Here is a breakdown of those requirements for each Division….

Division 1: minimum 2.3 GPA, increase on the SAT & ACT sliding scale, 10 of the 16 core courses must be met before the start of senior year.

Division 2: minimum 2.0 GPA, combined 820 on SAT or sum 68 on ACT, & 16 core courses completed.

Division 3: the college or university, not NCAA Eligibility Center, determines eligibility for admission, financial aid, practice and competition.

What happens if a student fails to meet the academic eligibility requirements? It will first depend on which division they’re being recruited by and how they’ve missed the requirement. The results may range from delayed opportunity to play, having to sit for an extended time or worse- being ruled academically ineligible.

Remember, the number one focus should be earning successful grades throughout high school to meet the requirements to play and more importantly too give yourself the opportunity to earn admissions into the college or university you’re desiring to attend.

For more information about the college selection process check out his blog!

With this year’s summer club seasons complete and fall tryouts proceeding through late August and September, we thought this was the perfect time to take a look at NCAA DI recruiting schedules for college lacrosse and see where they fit in our fall recruiting plan. Additionally, we’ve provided the NCAA definitions of each recruiting period on the calendar. You can find all the information below, straight from the NCAA, at the following links:

NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Recruiting Calendar:

https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/June2016_DIMensLacrosseCalendar_20160613.pdf

NCAA Recruiting Calendar FAQs:

http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/resources/recruiting-calendars?division=d1

 

Contact Periods

A contact period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.

During a contact period a college coach may have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, watch student-athletes compete and visit their high schools, and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.

Contact Defined: A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete’s relatives, guardian(s) or individual of a comparable relationship and an institutional athletics department staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged (e.g., positions himself/herself in a location where contact is possible) or that takes place on the grounds of the prospective student-athlete’s educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete’s high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs. Any communication (e.g., face-to-face, telephone call or electronic transmission) with a prospective student-athlete at the site of organized competition involving the prospective student-athlete by athletics personnel who are attending the competition or who are aware of the competition also shall be considered a contact.

Evaluation Periods

An evaluation period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to be involved in off-campus activities designed to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospective student-athletes. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall be made with the prospective student-athlete during an evaluation period.

During an evaluation period a college coach may watch college-bound student-athletes compete, visit their high schools, and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents. However, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college’s campus during an evaluation period.

Evaluation Defined: An evaluation is any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic qualifications or athletics ability of a prospective student-athlete, including any visit to a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution (during which no contact occurs) or the observation of a prospective student-athlete participating in any practice or competition at any site.

Quiet Periods

A quiet period is a period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the institution’s campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.

During a quiet period, a college coach may only have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents on the college’s campus. A coach may not watch student-athletes compete (unless a competition occurs on the college’s campus) or visit their high schools. Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.

Dead Periods

A dead period is a period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution’s campus. It remains permissible, however, for an institutional staff member to write or telephone a prospective student-athlete during a dead period.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Institutional staff members may receive telephone calls placed by a prospective student-athlete at the prospective student-athlete’s own expense at any time, including before July 1 following the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school.

So please use this information to plan your fall/winter recruiting cycle. Form your plan early, then just play hard, have fun, and good luck!

We’ve launched a brand new podcast to help parents and student-athletes understand the challenges, strategies, and tactics required in order to navigate the recruiting process with confidence.

Introducing The Realties of College Recruiting Podcast. Each week we will tackle some of the most important questions about the college recruiting process. Hosted by former collegiate athletes, The Realities of College Recruiting Podcast will give you expert advice and insights into the world of college recruiting.

In our first episode, Ryan Thompson (former college baseball player and MLB Scout) discusses when the best time to get started in the recruiting process is…

How early is too early?
When do colleges begin the recruiting process?
How do you get noticed in the first place?

Find out all of the answers to these questions and much more in this week’s episode!

This podcast episode will also cover:
– How athletic and academic ability factor into the recruiting process
– The differences between NCAA division levels
– Finding the best college fit for you
– Getting an unbiased evaluation is key

Don’t want to miss an episode?

About the Realities of College Recruiting Podcast:
The Realities of College Recruiting podcast, brought to you by SportsForce, will tackle some of the toughest college recruiting questions. Our college recruiting experts will share their personal expertise and key insights that will help you maximize your college recruiting efforts. This is a weekly podcast that is hosted by former MLB scout for the Cleveland Indians, 2x coach of the year (Junior College) and current recruiting advisor for SportsForce, Ryan Thompson The Realities of College Recruiting podcast will bring you interviews with some of the top college coaches from around the country in order to help make your college goals a reality! Raise your game with SportsForce!

In the last decade or so, a number of camps, showcases, tournaments and club teams have grown exponentially. Year-round lacrosse has become the norm, even in colder weather states. This includes play for both high school programs and club teams. With this trend of the ever-expanding season, there has been an increase in a number of players either getting injured or burning out at a young age. In this regard, the volume and accessibility of events, teams, and programs aimed at aiding with development and providing exposure to college coaches has been both a blessing and a curse.

With this newfound accessibility and today’s technology, more players are getting opportunities to be recruited by schools they would have previously never considered, even 10 years ago. Players can be recruited on a national level more easily, which gives student-athletes a better chance to find their best-fit college program. Players are getting more informed on the recruiting process and exposed to the different levels and divisions of college lacrosse. In general, it is easier to find a good athletic/academic/financial match than in previous years.

Our “regular season” is typically where we want to be at our best, as we have a daily practice and can play a brand of lacrosse more like the college game. The challenge that we all face, as both players and coaches, revolves around the schedule. The LEAST convenient and LEAST realistic time for colleges to see you play is during your high school season. Coaches may occasionally be able to make it to a local game or to a game while on a road trip, but they are consumed with their own seasons, which puts a live evaluation on the back burner. So naturally, coaches are most actively recruiting and evaluating from late May-January. As it happens, the bulk of quality recruiting showcases and tournaments are scheduled during that period as well.

The most elite professional athletes in the world have a schedule that includes stretches of time devoted to rest (not complete inactivity, but a break from the repetitive motions required to compete). It’s literally scheduled into their training plans by most professional sports teams’ training staffs. So why do so many high school lacrosse players think it’s ok to have a longer season and less rest than professionals? High school athletes are not done growing and developing. They have likely not prepared themselves physically to handle the strain they are putting on their bodies. They haven’t given their bodies any sufficient, extended period of time to heal, recover, and grow.

It’s a good idea that physical and mental rest be factored into every family’s plan for their growing student-athlete. Whether it be private lessons, camps, showcases, tournaments, club teams, training programs, or other specialty events, sometimes the correct answer is no. Families are dedicating increasing amounts of time and money every year hoping to find that golden ticket at the next event that gives their son a lacrosse scholarship. It is not uncommon to see high school players who never take a break from playing tournaments, high intensity camps, or other showcases for longer than a few weeks.

So what is the solution? These events/teams are not going away anytime soon, and likely they will only continue to increase in number and frequency. The burden of this responsibility really lies on players and their families to make smart, responsible decisions. Each player’s calendar will likely be unique to his situation.

Here are some tips to help set you up for success and health…

1. Plan your calendar in advance for the entire year. Start with the active playing seasons (high school/club) and carefully select additional events and training as they fit in your schedule.
2. Do not enter an event where you are expected to perform at max speed/intensity without preparing physically. Getting ready to play requires at least a week or two of cardio, agility, and flexibility workouts.
3. Plan a few periods of consecutive (2-3 minimum) weeks of rest throughout the year.
4. Use your down time for strength/conditioning training, stick skills, and light lacrosse activity. Get back to fundamentals and lower intensity drills aimed to maintain and develop skills/mechanics.
5. It’s ok to say no. It is flattering to be invited or chosen to play or participate in many events. Sometimes, however, it is not necessary. Plan in advance and try to avoid spur of the moment decisions on events you are not ready for physically, mentally, or financially.
6. PLAY MULTIPLE SPORTS! It creates a natural off-season. Even if it is recreational or you will never play in college, it gives your mind and body a break. In most cases, the skills and coordination learned in other sports translates to you being a better athlete and lacrosse player.

We would like to congratulate Jacob Benson on his commitment to the University of La Verne! Here are Jacob’s recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Leopard! 1. Please share your recruiting story and status. The recruiting process for me was about as lengthy as gets. There were a lot of ups and downs along the way, some days had me feeling doubtful and stressed out while others left me feeling like I could do no wrong. Overall, I am very satisfied with the way things worked out. I committed to La Verne in the middle of July going into my freshman year of college and I couldn’t be happier about it. 2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them? I chose the University of La Verne because I felt that it suited me academically and athletically. It’s a pretty tough school to get into, and I really enjoy the fact that they have small class sizes. As for baseball, they have a really good history of winning and the coaches and facilities are one of a kind. 3. How did SportsForce help in the process? Sportsforce really helped in the process of organizing emails and helping me give a clear path of what schools were a good fit. Along with this, they did what I needed the most, which was getting me exposed to many schools through tournaments and showcases. 4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process? I would tell parents and their players to not rush the recruiting process. It’s good to be able to have a lot of options in front of you, and if you commit too early, you might be missing out on a better offer you could have had in the future. There were a lot of factors that went into choosing a school for me, so I would recommend not being too anxious to commit after receiving that first offer. Enjoy the ride, it’s a once in a lifetime experience! 5. How excited are you for your future in college? I’m beyond excited to get going, I always loved watching the pace and intensity of a college baseball game, and I can’t wait to finally be a part of that. 6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited? I would say my family is going to save around $70,000 due to me being an athlete. If you can manage to keep good grades in high school, it really opens up a lot of opportunities to get into prestigious schools and earn more scholarships to go along with it. 7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why? I would absolutely recommend Sportsforce for any high school athlete looking to play in college. I truly believe they’ve created a reliable and efficient formula to get kids recognized and exposed to whatever school they desire. I cannot thank them enough for all they have done for me!   Our Mission at SportsForce Baseball: We are on a mission to help our select number of qualified and evaluated players maximize their recruiting offers and make the best college decision. Started by CEO & founder Andrew Beinbrink, SportsForce Baseball is a nationally recognized college recruiting advisory group with over 40 former college coaches, players, and MLB scouts in 10 different states. During the last 11+ years, we’ve helped over 1,000 players make their college commitments. Read below, why we are different from every recruiting group in the country. Why SportsForce is Different: * View our Home Page Video Unlike most recruiting companies, we do not just partner with anyone for our hands-on recruiting programs. Instead, we only partner with qualified players who meet our Five academic, athletic, and coachability selection factors. We evaluate between 10,000-12,000 players each summer and fall at top showcases and selectively advise, and advocate for only a limited number of players each year by directly contacting college coaches to help them maximize recruiting offers. Each of our expert college recruiters is limited to how many players they will advise so there is the best combination of hands-on guidance and personal recruiting outreach to college coaches. Social Media Exposure: We also utilize our growing Twitter following at @SportsForceBB which is followed by over 500 NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide and growing fast. To Get Evaluated by Our Expert College Recruiting Staff: Option 1: Complete our Recruiting Questionnaire Option 2: Email us at scouting@sportsforceonline.com Options 3: DM us on Instagram @SportsForceBB or Twitter @SportsForceBB and share recent video, stats, or measurables (velocity, 60, exit speed, pop time, etc…) for our scouts to evaluate. Find out if Your Son’s Qualifies for One of Our Hands-On Recruiting Programs? Twitter Recruiting Education & College Needs Posts: We post ongoing recruiting education and post NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC needs year around. Follow us on Twitter @SportsForceBB account and join over 500 hundred NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide that follow us and growing fast. Tagging us: If you have some good video to share with us, make sure to tag us @SportsForceBB or DM us and we will review it.

We 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.

We would like to congratulate James Percival on his commitment to Hill College! Here are James’ recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Rebel! 1. Share your recruiting story and status My recruiting story is probably very different when compared to the norm. Being from Australia, not too many people have the opportunity to play college baseball and this story somewhat exemplifies the “different path” that many Australians have to take to progress in the baseball world. My process began around February/March 2016 and I had officially signed in June 2016. Obviously, the process was fast-tracked in order to ensure that I would be attending college in the fall of 2016. SportsForce were very diligent in creating a process that would allow me to realize my dream. They were very hands-on via Skype calls and constant messaging which allowed both parties to bounce information of each other in order to expedite the process. All in all, the process was very full, a bit of a blur, and somewhat disjointed but at the end of the day, I will be leaving to pursue a dream next month. 2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them? I have committed to Hill College in Texas. I ultimately chose this school because I felt as though it was the right fit for me. Knowing that there would be fellow Australians attending my school certainly aided in my choice. I also felt that Texas has a climate which is similar to that of Australia’s and this will certainly help me feel comfortable in my new home. Another reason for choosing this college was knowing that there have been Australians, both past, and present, who have been in the program which testified that the program was excellent and that I would certainly enjoy my experiences playing in another country. 3. How did SportsForce help in the process? SportsForce were very helpful in the process. They put in a lot of hard work and many hours into helping me make this commitment. SportsForce were involved the whole way from the initial emails to finalizing my highlight video and player profile. Their network of knowing and speaking to coaches all over the country allowed me to ultimately achieve the best deal for me and my family. 4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process? I would say that it is never too late to begin the recruiting process and that if this is something you are serious about, then there are no boundaries. Obviously starting the process much earlier than I did would’ve made the whole timeline a lot easier, but in saying that, anything can result from whenever you begin. Also, having a very good quality highlight video is crucial. This is the main way that a coach can form an opinion on you and what you can bring to their team. Diversifying your footage from both offensive and defensive aspects is also key. 5. How excited are you for your future in college? I am very excited to be beginning my college career next month. It was only a few months ago when I was wondering if it was all too hard and that I should just begin university in Australia. Now, I have my short-term future settled and not everyone has the opportunity to move to a foreign country, study whilst there, and have the opportunity to play a sport which they thoroughly enjoy. I can’t wait to get over there and see what the future holds for me. 6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited? Based on my scholarship, I am expecting my family to save around $20 000 – $30 000. Having to pay this out of our own pockets wouldn’t have been an option ad saving this amount of money has allowed me to have one of the great life experiences. 7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? I certainly would recommend SportsForce to others based on the positive outcomes that have resulted for me. I only heard about SportsForce through a fellow teammate and they raved about this company, and so do I. Their vast networking potential and skills in creating highlight videos, etc. have allowed me the opportunity to travel to the USA and play college baseball. I’ve already told many Australian baseballers who are aspiring to play college baseball about SportsForce and I will continue to do so.   Our Mission at SportsForce Baseball: We are on a mission to help our select number of qualified and evaluated players maximize their recruiting offers and make the best college decision. Started by CEO & founder Andrew Beinbrink, SportsForce Baseball is a nationally recognized college recruiting advisory group with over 40 former college coaches, players, and MLB scouts in 10 different states. During the last 11+ years, we’ve helped over 1,000 players make their college commitments. Read below, why we are different from every recruiting group in the country. Why SportsForce is Different: * View our Home Page Video Unlike most recruiting companies, we do not just partner with anyone for our hands-on recruiting programs. Instead, we only partner with qualified players who meet our Five academic, athletic, and coachability selection factors. We evaluate between 10,000-12,000 players each summer and fall at top showcases and selectively advise, and advocate for only a limited number of players each year by directly contacting college coaches to help them maximize recruiting offers. Each of our expert college recruiters is limited to how many players they will advise so there is the best combination of hands-on guidance and personal recruiting outreach to college coaches. Social Media Exposure: We also utilize our growing Twitter following at @SportsForceBB which is followed by over 500 NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide and growing fast. To Get Evaluated by Our Expert College Recruiting Staff: Option 1: Complete our Recruiting Questionnaire Option 2: Email us at scouting@sportsforceonline.com Options 3: DM us on Instagram @SportsForceBB or Twitter @SportsForceBB and share recent video, stats, or measurables (velocity, 60, exit speed, pop time, etc…) for our scouts to evaluate. Find out if Your Son’s Qualifies for One of Our Hands-On Recruiting Programs? Twitter Recruiting Education & College Needs Posts: We post ongoing recruiting education and post NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC needs year around. Follow us on Twitter @SportsForceBB account and join over 500 hundred NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide that follow us and growing fast. Tagging us: If you have some good video to share with us, make sure to tag us @SportsForceBB or DM us and we will review it.

We 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.

We would like to congratulate Tyler Hazlett on his commitment to Hawaii Pacific University! Here are Tyler’s recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Shark! 1. Share your recruiting story and status I play for a small Division 5 high school team in Temple City, California. I began participating in baseball showcases in December of my junior year. While attending a baseball camp at USC, I met the General Manager for Trosky Baseball and later that year was asked to play for the Trosky 18U team the next summer. Playing for Trosky was the best experience of my high school career and consistently put me in front of dozens of college coaches. We quickly realized that even starting the recruiting process as a junior we were somewhat behind. Some of my Trosky teammates were committing as sophomores and juniors. We felt behind in the process from the beginning. My coaches and I knew I would play somewhere but we didn’t know where. I didn’t commit until the middle of my senior year. 2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them? I committed to attend play baseball for Hawaii Pacific University in February of my senior year. I was being watched by many colleges and actively recruited by a handful. I visited the campuses and met with the coaching staff of the schools that were actively recruiting me. This was a very important experience and all I can say is I just knew that HPU was the right college for me. I considered the education, campus, location, team, coaching staff and the opportunity to make an immediate impact. The home field is not the best and the campus is not very traditional, but it all feels right to me. I met several families from Hawaii while playing for Trosky and the love and kindness they showed me and my family also influenced my decision. 3. How did SportsForce help in the process? My mom heard a presentation from SportsForce at a college showcase and told my dad we needed to look into their service. We set up a phone call with Andrew (Beinbrink, CEO/Co-Founder of SportsForce) and he gave us some valuable advice about the recruiting process and what was required to be marketable. We decided to sign up because it seemed like Andrew really understood the process and we felt like we were already behind. My dad tells his friends that the recruiting process is another full-time job. My initial list had 50 possible schools from NCAA Division I to Division III. In baseball, there are only so many coaches and even fewer opportunities for them to see you play. Communicating to coaches when and where they can see you is the most important piece of the puzzle. SportsForce helped us email every single coach on the college staff on my target list before every game or tournament. SportsForce also helped us determine if a coach was really interested in me or just marketing their program. An invitation to a camp is not the same as a phone call or text message from a coach. 4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process? The process is different for every single person, start early but don’t be discouraged if you do start late. It’s hard to believe early means freshman year or earlier for some, but that’s what it means in baseball. A highlight video is a must and has to be short and focused, but playing or showcasing in front of coaches is most important. Be flexible, schools I thought I wanted to attend didn’t feel right when I actually visited the campus. Grades are also extremely important. A GPA of 3.5 and above puts you in a different category for coaches and impacts the amount of academic money a college can offer you. A coach has a lot more flexibility when he can rely on your academic achievement. My offer was stacked with an academic scholarship and an athletic scholarship. The process is not easy! Responding to emails from coaches can take hours after a game or tournament. You need to be organized and I relied on my parents a lot. My dad had his friends call me as mock college coaches so I would be prepared when the phone calls came. Research the schools you are interested in and be able to talk about yourself and what you like and don’t like about a school. Be honest with the coach and yourself and make sure it feels right to you. 5. How excited are you for your future in college? I am extremely happy with my choice and look forward to a great college experience. I love the campus, the coaches, the people and the food. And hey, the location is Hawaii. 6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited? My offer is for $18,000 a year, so we will save $72,000 over the four years. 7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why? I play for Trosky Mizuno and we play and travel a lot in the summer. My Dad said we would not have been able to manage the email communication without SportsForce. SportsForce started out sending over two hundred emails at a time for me when we started. Darrell (Mazon, Co-Director of Client Team at SportsForce) kept me on task and made sure I got my emails to coaches in time so they would be able to schedule a time to see me at games and tournaments. When communication and offers started coming in, Andrew was there to provide advice. One of the best parts was that I was able to see which coaches watched my video and which coaches opened my emails.   Our Mission at SportsForce Baseball: We are on a mission to help our select number of qualified and evaluated players maximize their recruiting offers and make the best college decision. Started by CEO & founder Andrew Beinbrink, SportsForce Baseball is a nationally recognized college recruiting advisory group with over 40 former college coaches, players, and MLB scouts in 10 different states. During the last 11+ years, we’ve helped over 1,000 players make their college commitments. Read below, why we are different from every recruiting group in the country. Why SportsForce is Different: * View our Home Page Video Unlike most recruiting companies, we do not just partner with anyone for our hands-on recruiting programs. Instead, we only partner with qualified players who meet our Five academic, athletic, and coachability selection factors. We evaluate between 10,000-12,000 players each summer and fall at top showcases and selectively advise, and advocate for only a limited number of players each year by directly contacting college coaches to help them maximize recruiting offers. Each of our expert college recruiters is limited to how many players they will advise so there is the best combination of hands-on guidance and personal recruiting outreach to college coaches. Social Media Exposure: We also utilize our growing Twitter following at @SportsForceBB which is followed by over 500 NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide and growing fast. To Get Evaluated by Our Expert College Recruiting Staff: Option 1: Complete our Recruiting Questionnaire Option 2: Email us at scouting@sportsforceonline.com Options 3: DM us on Instagram @SportsForceBB or Twitter @SportsForceBB and share recent video, stats, or measurables (velocity, 60, exit speed, pop time, etc…) for our scouts to evaluate. Find out if Your Son’s Qualifies for One of Our Hands-On Recruiting Programs? Twitter Recruiting Education & College Needs Posts: We post ongoing recruiting education and post NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC needs year around. Follow us on Twitter @SportsForceBB account and join over 500 hundred NCAA D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JC coaches nationwide that follow us and growing fast. Tagging us: If you have some good video to share with us, make sure to tag us @SportsForceBB or DM us and we will review it.

If your high school son or daughter is seriously interested in playing their sport in college, then they have already begun climbing the college recruiting mountain.

If your son or daughter are:

• not hearing back from college coaches,
• attending top showcase tournaments and camps, or
• only receiving questionnaires and generic coach email responses…

this means they are NOT being “actively” recruited by college coaches. It also means they are at the base of the recruiting mountain and may have a considerable journey ahead of them to reach the top and secure a roster spot or scholarship offer.

One of the keys to successfully climbing the college recruiting mountain and securing multiple offers is to begin developing meaningful and ongoing relationships with college coaches.

Listed below is an email sent last week from a NCAA DI college coach in Southern California to a SportsForce client that illustrates this point:

“We have heard great things about you. I wanted to let you know that we are very interested in building a relationship with you and your family.

I would love to get on the phone with you today or tomorrow. Please pass this message along to your parents/guardians, as I would love to speak with them as well.

Let me know a good time to call.

This is my cell number so please lock me into your contacts and feel free to call/text anytime.”

The SportsForce client that was the recipient of this email has scheduled a college visit and has begun building a strong relationship with this coach and staff. Although it may take some additional time to ensure there is a mutual fit between this coach and our student-athlete, they are clearly off to a great start on their journey to the top of the college recruiting mountain.