Intro to College Sports Recruiting and NIL

Earlier this month, our CTK team was at Orange High School in Newark, New Jersey, where we support the junior and senior year counseling team with college advising for a diverse, heavily first generation and low income group of students. In response to this year’s student survey, one question popped up several times: “How can I play my sport in college?” This reminded me of the questions our students and parents ask us about what can be a mystifying process. 

Over the years, our team has worked with students seeking to compete in college sports as varied as swimming, lacrosse, volleyball, fencing, football, tennis, track and field, and baseball. I am now navigating this space with my own junior son, so this topic is especially top of mind. Whether we are working with a sophomore with promising stats as a sabre fencer or an All American senior still seeking a recruited spot as a volleyball setter, we field questions like these: 

• When can I start talking with college coaches under the NCAA rules? 

• How does the recent Supreme Court ruling about NIL affect college recruiting for my sport?

• Should I work with a sports recruiter to help me reach out to college coaches?

• What should I say when I talk to a college coach? 

• Does attending recruiting camps/events at colleges help me get recruited?

• How do my grades and test scores affect whether I can be recruited for my sport?

When can I start talking with college coaches under the NCAA rules? 

NCAA rules govern when college coaches can contact high school student athletes, and the rules vary depending on the sport and the division (I, II, or III). Certain sports, like football, basketball, softball, baseball, and lacrosse, have different recruiting timelines and rules.  Look up your individual sport here: NCAA Recruiting Rules: When Can College Coaches Contact High School Athletes 

• For most Division I sports, college coaches can reach out to high schoolers on or after June 15th after the student’s tenth grade year. High schoolers can do official recruiting visits to Division I schools starting August 1st after tenth grade. 

• Division II coaches can reach out to athletes at any time and can send printed materials and hold official visits starting June 15th after sophomore year. Unofficial visits can happen at any time and are unlimited. 

• Division III rules: coaches can communicate with athletes at any time, and official visits can begin January 1st of junior year. 

In addition to official rules, different sports have different customs. A competitive Division I lacrosse recruit will have her phone ringing on June 15th. Track and swimming, however, tend to happen later, and I have known many of those athletes to still be talking with coaches well into senior year. Talk with trusted advisors in your sport: your high school coach, your club coach, and any college coaches you know can guide you on the right time frame for your sport. 

What are the NCAA rules for academic eligibility?

Ensure you meet NCAA requirements for academic eligibility by checking your high school course list against NCAA’s rules: https://www.ncsasports.org/ncaa-eligibility-center/ncaa-core-courses 

Note that rules vary by division. Most high schools have a list of NCAA-approved courses, and your high school may have a NCAA coordinator with whom you can speak to check that your high school coursework satisfies NCAA requirements. 

Do I need to register with the NCAA? What if I am only seeking a Division III spot? 

You can create a NCAA profile page at any time. If you are actively being recruited for Division I or II, you will need to upgrade to a certification account. https://www.ncsasports.org/ncaa-eligibility-center/register 

How does the recent Supreme Court ruling on NIL affect college recruiting, transfers, scholarship money for my sport?

This is a complex answer, but, in short, some athletes will now see more athletic scholarship money, and some will see less.

• Learn about what NIL is here: What is NIL? NCAA Name, Image, Likeness Rule Explained

• Read more here about how this is affecting recruiting and college scholarships: Changing the Game: How NIL is Reshaping College Football

• NIL’s Impact on College Sports from a Funding, Facilities and Student-Athlete Perspective - HOK

Once I am eligible to talk with coaches, how should I reach out? 

In addition to responding to coaches who reach out to you, you can contact college coaches. The typical approach is to fill out the recruiting form on the college team’s web site and to follow up with an email to the coach. If a coach responds, you should reply promptly. The next step is often a call. 

My son and I created a spreadsheet of colleges that have the right academic and athletic fit and keep it updated when he fills out a recruiting form and/or talks to a coach. He handles all communication– coaches want to speak with athletes, not parents– and I answer his questions on how and when to respond. 

What should I say to a coach during my first call?

Be ready to talk with the coach about the following topics:

• The college team’s recent season - read up on it and show interest in their accomplishments. Find out the coach’s goals for coming seasons and think about how those align with your goals athletically. 

• Your own recent and current season - talk about your goals and your team’s goals. If you are a captain, speak to what you hope to accomplish with your high school team. 

• Ask the coach what the team is looking for in a recruit both athletically and academically. 

• Ask the coach for next steps– how would the coach like you to follow up and how often?

If my student is recruited for a sport, will we get a full-ride scholarship? How do we know what the scholarship amount will be? 

A word of caution: I have seen many recruiting relationships fall apart when a family assumes there is scholarship money available that does not materialize. Ask so you and your athlete understand the process at each school. When my son had an unofficial visit with a DI college coach recently, the coach was upfront about next steps when my son asked: 

• They will stay in touch throughout junior year with updates; 

• After junior year, my son will send his academics (official transcript and test score– the coach was clear about what test score would be attractive at this test-optional school) for a pre-read by admissions; 

• If he passes pre-read, my son will be invited for an official visit in fall of senior year; 

• If that goes well, and he and the coach want to proceed, he will have a financial aid pre-read (if applicable) and academic scholarship pre-read (this college does not give athletic scholarships). 

• If everyone wants to move forward, my son would apply early decision. 

All of this is contingent on my son staying in touch with this coach (and all the other coaches at schools where he is interested) and keeping his academics in shape. I have seen families apply early decision without clear information about financial aid/academic merit/athletic scholarship commitment, and that is a mistake. As a family, you need to know what the financial picture is before you commit to a school. 

Should I work with a sports recruiting broker/coach?

Every sport is different, and I have seen families navigate both with and without a broker. Ultimately, the student needs to be motivated and in charge of the process and ready to speak directly with college coaches, whatever way a family approaches this. 

Does attending recruiting camps/events at colleges help me get recruited?

As with working with a broker, this can vary. In some sports, these events are an effective way to be seen by coaches. In other sports, they are really just an opportunity for the college team to make money off of hopeful high school athletes. Talk to your trusted advisors about what is right for you. 

How do my grades and test scores affect whether I can be recruited for my sport?

This depends on the selectivity of the college, the level of play (division), and the athlete’s competitiveness as a recruit. On one extreme, I have seen incredibly competitive student athletes not make it through admissions at highly selective colleges like MIT; on the other hand, I have seen athletes who were on the lower end of academic competitiveness (but in range) for a college get offers in sports like basketball and football. 

A coach will be clear with the student about what is expected academically, so be honest about your grades, test scores, and courses. If you are not quite in range academically, you can ask what you can do to improve your academic profile. Before the end of junior year, make sure you have a pdf of your three-year transcript to upload with recruiting forms. 

The bottom line: pay attention to what you want and be flexible as you learn through the process

Ultimately, a student seeking to play sports in college will learn a great deal through the recruiting process. Some students realize they don’t want to commit to that level of training and competition; others will be confirmed in their interest as they talk with coaches. In the end, be sure the student has the right social and academic fit, because if your athlete is injured or changes their mind about athletics, you want them to still be at a college where they will thrive.