Understanding the College Athletic Recruiting Process

Transcription

1 Understanding the College Athletic Recruiting Process By Kelly Farland Loyola High School September

2 Dedicated to the students of Loyola High School and their families as they pursue their education. Acknowledgements: I would like to thank everyone that contributed and supported my efforts to create this document. This includes: Dr. Ricardo Pedroarias, Mr. Paul Jordan, Mr. Chris O Donnell, the entire Loyola High School Varsity coaching staff, Mrs. Cindy Cassutt, Mrs. Pat Salvaty, the Loyola High School Counseling Department, and Mrs. Melinda Wiggins. For their support and encouragement: Mr. Erik Ellefsen of Valley Christian School, San Jose, CA, Mr. Will Bufton of the Valor Christian School, Highlands Ranch CO, and Mr. Steve Bluford of the St. Ignatius School, San Francisco. And to my wife for her continued support allowing me to pursue my professional ambitions. Special thanks and appreciation goes out to the Loyola High School alumni and parents who support faculty Professional Development Programs through the Alumni Dinner. 2

3 Table of Contents Introduction and Explanation of this Document: page 4 The Student Athlete 5-6 The College Athletic Programs 7-9 Recruiting Strategies Recruiting Terms Loyola High School Form 48H (NCAA document) NCAA Eligibility Requirements NCAA Division 1 Academic Requirements NCAA Division 2 Academic Requirements for The Academic Index for the Ivy League The Sports-Including Recruiting Calendars for 2017 Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Lacrosse Soccer Swimming and Diving Tennis Track and Field Volleyball Water Polo

4 This resource has been designed to help Loyola High School prospective student athletes and their parents better understand the recruiting process for each sport offered at LHS for those who want to compete in college. There are thousands of personnel dedicated to managing the college athletic recruiting process. This document will help Loyola Cubs, and their parents better understand the athletic recruiting process for all 12-varsity sports offered at Loyola High School. The NCAA refers to high school student-athletes as prospective student athletes or PSAs. For the purposes of this document the acronym PSA will be used in place of the phrase student-athlete or LHS student-athlete. The college athletic recruiting process is not a science, it s a very human process involving college coaches who are often under a variety of pressures to win, compete or keep up with their competition. Most college coaches have significant experience recruiting high school student athletes, and they usually recruit multiple athletes for the same roster or scholarship spot. They control which athletes get offers and may make multiple offers for one roster spot. Understand that verbal offers are not binding to either party (the coach or the PSA) however most coaches are aware that their word is a valuable commodity and they are careful about how they engage in the recruiting process. It s probably good advice to remind the PSA to not buy the hype but rather to stay focused on his own talents and what he wants out of his college experience. There are hundreds of rules which govern the college athletic recruiting process, this document does not outline these rules; instead it s been designed as a guide to help members of the Loyola High School community anticipate and better understand this complicated process. Probably the most important information for a high school PSA to know is to. 4

5 Know Yourself Your Talents and Demonstrated Abilities It s important that you know what YOU want. Playing sports in college should be about what you want to do, where you want to spend your time and the people you want to associate with. Be realistic about your talent. Don t just to listen to one person; your parents love you, but they may not have an objective perspective on your abilities, your high school coach certainly has an opinion on your talents, it s important that you know what he thinks because college coaches may consult him as they decide to recruit you, your travel/club coach certainly also has an opinion about your talents and remember you are paying to play for him. Other coaches you ve played against may also have an opinion about your talent (they ve had to guard against you) but they are not likely to be able to help you get recruited. Your Potential: Size and/or Experience Sometimes physical size can make up for current talent, sometimes! If you have a recruitable body type college coaches may find you an attractive recruit. But remember even if you have the right size, if your skills don t improve you re not likely to keep your place on a team. Perhaps you just started playing the sport. College coaches may take a chance on an athlete who shows great promise with little technical experience. Again, the coach will expect that you commit yourself completely to the sport and that you continue to improve your talents. Your own Values: What type of institution fits your own expectations. What kind of college do you want to attend? The question to ask yourself is If I didn t play X sport at this college, would I still want to attend this college? If the answer is no, be aware that your love or passion for the sport may fade in college, and then what are you left with. Your Priorities in College: Time Commitments for college PSAs You need to know what your own priorities are in college. Are you looking to compete after college? Are you thinking your talents can help you get into a better academic institution? You need to talk with the people you respect in your life; your parents, coaches, guys a couple of years older than you are. 5

6 What does balance mean in your life? What priority are academics in your life? You need to know your own talent and interests College coaches are going to expect a significant amount of your time. College athletes times are committed to games, practice time, weights time, diet, during the season, preseason, offseason, during spring break and Christmas break. If you plan to play at an NCAA Division 1 institution (D1), you can expect to spend 40+ hours a week training year round. Remember why you re going to college to earn a degree and develop skills to help you earn a job after you graduate. Committing to play at an NCAA Division 3 program (D3) or Ivy League athletic program will likely require significantly less time with the team. Just how much less depends upon the sport and the program. Typically, NCAA Division 2 institutions (D2) and Division IAA (IAA) programs require significant time commitments, typically a lot more than D3 or Ivy programs. NAIA schools vary based on the sport and the institution. You might be surprised College coaches are taking chances recruiting high school student athletes. They re going to collect as much information as they can about a PSA s CHARACTER. Way beyond the numbers or statistics, college coaches are always looking to assess determination, personality, effort and the depth of character of high school recruits. Typically, college coaches like to know your academics, perception on campus and the type of support your family provides for you. These factors can play a role in determining if a college coach will recruit a high school PSA. If your academic record doesn t match the standard determined by the college, most college coaches will stop recruiting a PSA. If the PSA is perceived as a problem on his high school campus, this factor might affect how hard a college coach recruits a PSA. College coaches don t want to have to manage a player off the field. And if a PSA s family members have a history of being difficult to manage, this also might affect how hard a college coach recruits the player. If your high school coach perceives family members as unsupportive or difficult to deal with, a college coach might decide to move on and recruit another PSA. College athletic recruiting is a fluid experience. College coaches rank and reprioritizing high school recruits all the time. It s important for the PSA to be clear about their own priorities and to find the college program that best fits their interests and talents. 6

7 Know the College Programs College Coach Expectations: Your time and commitment As you research your college recruiting you should be aware of how the coach conducts his business. When do they practice, where, how often, for which other commitments are the players accountable? Is the coach new to the school? Is he established at the school? Is he under additional pressure to win? Competition: Who s in their conference? Often it s the conference in which the school plays that determines the expectation to win or time commitments of the program. If one coach in the conference is interested in you, perhaps other coaches in the conference would consider you an addition to their program too. Pressure to Win: With pressure come expectations. More and more programs are getting TV time because conferences are creating their own networks, will this affect the pressure to practice, lift and win? The top programs are expected to win every year. This means the coaches are recruiting the top talent every year. Chances are they ll be recruiting someone next year that will compete with you for playing time in the future. Get used to it. College Student Life: What s a PSA s life like? Athletes at top tier programs don t spend their time like regular students. If you re interested in celebrating spring break out of the country, your coach may have other plans for you. Were you hoping to take an internship in college, perhaps your coach is expecting you to spend your time differently? Recruiting Commitments There are official recruiting windows established by the NCAA. College coaches are fully aware of the rules that govern their sport. Beware of coaches that don t follow established recruiting rules. If they re willing to bend the rules to recruit you, they might just as easily dump you if they get a better recruit for your position. Verbal commit vs. NLI Verbal commitments are not binding. They are an agreement with college coaches and their recruits. Either party can withdraw from the agreement without technical penalty. NLI is a binding contract between the PSA and a college program, for one academic year. NLI is accompanied by a financial aid agreement which is also binding on both parties. For the Student College represents your future, take care not to simply give it away to just anyone. 7

8 For the College College coaches understand that recruiting is the lifeblood of their success. For many coaches, recruiting is a year-round commitment, even if they can t formally recruit a student athlete. Don t be surprised if they continue to recruit even after they ve made you an offer. Promise of scholarship An offer of a scholarship (partial or full) is not an obligation until you ve signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI.) All college sports have a limited amount of scholarship dollars. Only the headcount sports (D1 Football and Basketball) are required to offer only full scholarships, while every other sport typically has to split scholarship money between a number of athletes. Only the most exceptional student athletes earn full scholarships for non-head count sports. Assistance in the Admission Process Sometimes LHS students hope to utilize their athletic talent to help get them into a good college. Be aware that college coaches have limited influence in the admissions process for selective colleges. Just because they are recruiting you, doesn t mean they ll have the influence to help get a recruit admitted. Don t put all your eggs in one basket unless you have a guarantee that the coach will be able to get you admitted into their college. Make sure your LHS coach; counselor and parents have been informed if a college coach guarantees admission to their institution. Time can be used both for and against you Offers made by college coaches usually come with a short window to make a decision. It s not unusual for college coaches to make a verbal scholarship offers with an expiration date. They typically recruit multiple PSAs for each position and given your talents you may be at the top or bottom of their list. Either way they need to fill the spot on their roster and the sooner they do it, the more time they have to recruit other PSAs. Offers to help a PSA in the admission process may come with requirements for the PSA to apply Early Decision or Early Decision II. Remember if you choose to apply Early Decision (I or II) to a college, that if you re admitted, you re obligated to attend that institution. Keeping in touch If a college coach contacts you, but you choose not to respond, your actions (or inactions) may speak volumes about how hard a college coach recruits you. College coaches don t typically want to spend time on PSAs that are not interested in competing for their school. If you re not interested in competing for a college, let them know; if you re not sure if you want to compete for them, it s advisable to 8

9 respond to their outreach and to maintain communication with them until you know for sure where you ll be going to college. Being officially recruited A PSA should register at the NCAA Eligibility Center, during his junior year. Registering with the Eligibility Center will allow a PSA to participate in all aspects of the recruiting process including taking official visits to college campuses. Official Visits A PSA can only take five official visits, which are paid for by the college. However a PSA can unofficially visit a campus as many times as they d like. These unofficial visits should be coordinated with the college coach, but the PSA needs to fully understand that they (not the program) are responsible for all of the costs associated with an unofficial visit. 9

10 Recruiting Strategies Communication Work with the known (These are your current coaches) It s common for college coaches to reach out to high school coaches about players they should recruit. So it s important that you speak to your LHS coach about your plans to play in college. Let them know which college coaches have reached out to you, and which schools you d like to play at. It s very possible that they can help you in the recruiting process. LHS coaches are respected and experienced working with college coaches. It is wise to enlist their assistance. Work with the less known (These are the coaches recruiting you) The college coaches are in the driver s seat and it s important that you remember that owe you nothing until the NLI is signed. There s a huge difference between talking with a recruited athlete and recruiting an athlete. There are lots of rules governing what a coach can do when recruiting a student athlete. But just because they ve sent you a letter expressing interest in you, doesn t mean that that coach is prepared to offer you a scholarship or a spot on his team. It s recommended that you engage with coaches at institutions where you really want to go to school, even engaging with multiple coaches. There are very few rules regarding a PSA reaching out to a college coach, via phone, text or taking an unofficial visit (paid by the PSA) to a campus, with the exceptions of Dead or Quiet periods determined by the NCAA. Exposure Play in front of them For most sports, it s going to be helpful for a college coach to watch you play in person. Consider visiting college campuses where you hope to be recruited. Attend summer camps or regional camps where they might be able to watch you play in person. Filling out athletic questionnaires Get on their radar! Go to their websites and fill out an athletic questionnaire. Respond to their s, phone calls or letters. Have other resources site your talents and abilities Athletic resume Sometimes it helps to have a one-page document that contains your accolades, times (progressions) upcoming events where you ll play, your NCAA ID number and coach contact information is super helpful to college coaches. Make sure to include your contact information as well. 10

11 Highlight reel/full game tape Many college coaches want to see highlight reels. Sometimes they want video from an entire game. Be prepared to deliver this information to multiple coaches. Update your highlight reel regularly. LHS has a HUDL account, make sure you know what type of information is posted for college coaches to review. Timing Every sport has a different recruiting timeline. Remember that timing is also a tool to be used by college coaches. Your LHS coach is familiar with this timeline. This information is also available on the NCAA website. Where possible, this information is also included in this document. Time Line All NCAA sport have official recruiting calendars, it s important to know yours and to understand what college coaches can and cannot do in the recruiting process and when and how they are allowed to communicate with you. 11

12 Recruiting Terms: This list of recruiting terms may help you better understand the recruiting process. Blue Chip: Blue chip refers to a highly south after PSA; usually a PSA who is among the top players in his position across the nation. Calendars: College coaches are restricted to certain times during the year when they can contact players. The type of contact is also delineated. The NCAA determines calendar dates. Terms used with regard to a recruiting calendar include: contact periods, dead periods, evaluation periods and quiet periods. Camps: There are two types of camps: instructional and showcase. Instructional camps can last from one to eight weeks where players undergo intensive training to improve their skills. Showcase camps are usually held at universities where recruits display their athletic abilities in front of college coaches. Clearinghouse: Now known as the NCAA Eligibility Center, is the governing body that determines if a PSA is eligible to be recruited by college coaches. Every PSA must be initially cleared by the Eligibility Center before they can participate in official visits. Commitment: An oral or verbal commitment made by a PSA to a college athletic program. This commitment is non-binding and does not obligate either the PSA or college to offer a scholarship or spot on an athletic team. Only an official National Letter of Intent (NLI) is binding for a college program or PSA. Contact: When a PSA and college coach meet face to face. Contact Period: A period of time, determined by the NCAA Recruiting calendar (which varies by sport) when a college coach can meet with a PSA in person. Dead Period: A period of time, determined by the NCAA recruiting calendar (which varies by sport) when college coaches are restricted from contacting a PSA. Evaluation: An evaluation is when a college coach assesses a PSA s academic or athletic abilities. Evaluations usually involve a coach or recruiter observing a game or practice. Evaluation period: A set period of time, determined by the NCAA (which varies for each sport) when college coaches are permitted to make LHS campus visits (or other off-campus venues) to evaluate a PSA s abilities. This usually involves a college coach visiting an LHS practice or game. In person evaluations are only permitted during set evaluation periods. 12

13 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS): NCAA Division 1A football programs. 85 full scholarships are available per team. Football Championship Subdivision (FCS): NCAA Division 1AA football programs. 63 scholarships are available per team. Scholarships can be divided, not all roster players get full scholarships. Gray shirt: A term used to describe a PSA who delays college enrollment until the spring semester, typically used by NCAA football programs. PSA: Prospective Student Athlete. Any high school student athlete that s considering to possibility to compete in college. A student is considered a PSA when they start 9 th grade. The NCAA defines a male basketball player as a PSA at the beginning of 7 th grade. National Letter of Intent (NLI): An NLI is an official agreement between a PSA and a college athletic program. NLI is a financial agreement. This agreement is binding and pertains only to one year of athletics. Once a PSA has signed an NLI with a college program they can no longer be contacted by other college programs. NLIs always include some level of scholarship. National Signing Day: The first Wednesday in February is the first time a recruited football PSA can sign an NLI. NLIs can be signed after this date. Official Visit: When a college pays expenses for a PSA to visit their campus. These expenses include: transportation, room, meals and entertainment. Official visits shall not exceed 48 hours. Quiet Period: A period of time, determined by the NCAA when college coaches may make in-person recruiting contacts only on the college campus. Recruit: A PSA is considered a recruit when he engages in off-campus, in person contact with a coach; receives more than one telephone call from a college coach; is issued an NLI or makes an official visit to a college campus. Redshirt: When a college PSA extends their eligibility to compete in college. Redshirts are required to sit out games, but may practice and take classes at the college they attend. Unofficial Visit: When a PSA pays to costs to visit a college campus. The PSA may not receive any compensation from the college. Walk-on recruit: A term that refers to a PSA who does not receive a scholarship as a recruit. The college program is not obligated to guarantee a roster spot on the team to a walk-on recruit. 13

14 Loyola High School Form 48H: High school PSAs need to fulfill NCAA eligibility requirements around academic rigor. The list below outlines the LHS courses the NCAA has approved to fulfill the 16 Core requirements. Check with your Counselor to assure you are taking the correct classes. Loyola High School 2016 Form 48H Loyola High School Form 48H Course Weight English Courses COLL READ/WRITE ENGLISH 1 ENGLISH 2 ENGLISH 2/H ENGLISH 3 ENGLISH 3/AP ENGLISH 4/AP MOD AMER NOVEL POETRY RHETORIC & COMP SHAKESPEARE SHAKESPEARE 2 SHORT FICTION WORLD LIT S Course Weight Social Sciences Courses AFRO-AMER STUD AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY AP MACRO ECON AP MICRO ECON ECONOMICS EUROPEAN HISTORY/AP GEN. PSYCH. GOVERNMENT/AP HIST OF MEXICO HISTORY OF GERMANY HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II HUMAN GEOGRAPHY MODERN US PSYCHOLOGY/AP 14

15 US HISTORY US HISTORY/AP WORLD HISTORY WORLD HISTORY/AP M Course Weight Mathematics Courses ALG 2/H ALGEBRA 1 ALGEBRA 1A ALGEBRA 2 AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES CALCULUS CALCULUS AB/AP CALCULUS BC/AP COLLEGE ALGEBRA GEOMETRY GEOMETRY/H PRE-CAL/HON PRE-CALCULUS 1 PRE-CALCULUS 2 STATISTICS/AP Natura Course Weight Natural/Physical Science Courses Lab ANATOMY & PHY AP PHYSICS 1 ASTRONOMY/H BIOLOGY BIOLOGY/AP CHEM/H CHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY/AP ENVIRON SCI/AP GEOLOGY/H OCEANOGRAPHY PHYSICS PHYSICS MECH/AP X X X X X X X X X X X X X Additiona Course Weight Additional Courses Max Credits FRENCH 1 FRENCH 2 15

16 FRENCH 3 FRENCH 3/H FRENCH 4/AP HIST DE MEXICO HONORS LATIN 3 LATIN 1 LATIN 2 LATIN 3 LATIN 4/AP MANDARIN 1 MANDARIN 2 MANDARIN 3 MANDARIN 3/HON MANDARIN 4 SPANISH 1 SPANISH 1/HON SPANISH 2 SPANISH 2/HON SPANISH 3 SPANISH 3/HON SPANISH 4 SPANISH 4 LANGUAGE/AP SPANISH 4 LITERATURE/AP 16

17 Basic NCAA eligibility requirements: If you want to compete in NCAA sports at a Division I school, you need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to make sure you stay on track to meet initialeligibility standards. If you have questions about your eligibility or the registration process, call the NCAA toll at Grade 9 and 10 Consult with your counselor for a list of your high school s NCAA core courses to make sure you take the right classes. Grade 11 Check with your counselor to make sure you will graduate on time with the required number of NCAA core courses. Take the ACT or SAT and submit your scores to the NCAA using code Spring semester: Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org At the end of the year, ask your Counselor to ask Mrs. Morales to upload your official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Grade 12 Finish your last NCAA core courses. Take the ACT or SAT again, if necessary, and submit your scores to the NCAA using code Complete all academic and amateurism questions in your NCAA Eligibility Center account at eligibilitycenter.org. After you graduate, ask your counselor to submit your final official transcript with proof of graduation to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Division I Academic Eligibility To be eligible to compete in NCAA sports during your first year at a Division I school, you must graduate and meet ALL the following requirements: Complete 16 core courses: Four years of English Three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) Two years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it) One additional year of English, math or natural/physical science Two years of social science Four additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy Complete 10 core courses: including seven in English, math or natural/physical science, before your seventh semester (by the end of your junior year.) Once you begin your seventh semester, you may not repeat or replace any of those 10 courses to improve your core-course GPA. 17

18 Earn at least a 2.3 GPA in your core courses. Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the Division I sliding scale, which balances your test score and core-course GPA. If you have a low test score, you need a higher corecourse GPA to be eligible. If you have a low core-course GPA, you need a higher test score to be eligible. What if I don t meet the requirements? If you have not met all the Division I academic requirements, you may not compete in your first year at college. However, if you qualify as an academic redshirt you may practice during your first term in college and receive an athletics scholarship for the entire year. To qualify as an academic redshirt, you must graduate and meet ALL the following academic requirements: Complete 16 core courses: Four years of English Three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) Two years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it) One additional year of English, math or natural/physical science Two years of social science Four additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy Earn at least a 2.0 GPA in your core courses. Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the Division I sliding scale. If you are concerned you may not meet the Division I academic requirements, consider taking the following actions: Ask for advice and accountability from your high school counselor. Check in with the admissions or compliance office at the college you hope to attend. Get tutoring or other study help. Graduate on time. Division I schools allow college-bound PSAs who graduate on-time to take one core course during the year after they graduate high school. Avoid quick fixes through credit recovery programs. These courses may not be accepted by the NCAA. Keep your coursework. If the NCAA Eligibility Center needs to review your record due to irregularities, you may be asked to provide your coursework. Follow your high school's policies. The best thing to do is work within the rules. 18

19 Amateurism The NCAA promotes amateurism to create a level playing field for all PSAs. The young men and women who compete in college sports are students first, athletes second. If you want to compete in NCAA sports at a Division I school you must be an amateur athlete. Additional Resources Play Division One sports: Guidebook for the College-bound student-athlete: Additional NCAA Resources: 19

20 Division I Academic Requirements College-bound student-athletes will need to meet the following academic requirements to practice, receive athletics scholarships, and/or compete during their first year. Core-Course Requirement Complete 16 core courses in the following areas: 4 years of English 3 years of math (Algebra I or higher) 2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered) 1 year of additional English, math or natural/physical science 2 years of social science 4 years of additional courses (any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy) Full Qualifier Complete 16 core courses: Ten of the 16 core courses must be completed before the seventh semester (senior year) of high school Seven of the 10 core courses must be in English, math, or science Earn a core-course GPA of at least Earn the ACT/SAT score matching your corecourse GPA on the Division I sliding scale (see back page) Graduate high school Academic Redshirt Complete 16 core courses Earn a core-course GPA of at least Earn the ACT/SAT score matching your core-course GPA on the Division I sliding scale (see back page) Graduate high school Full Qualifier: College-bound student-athletes may practice, compete and receive athletics scholarship during their first year of enrollment at an NCAA Division I school. Academic Redshirt: College-bound student-athletes may receive athletics scholarships during their first year of enrollment and may practice during their first regular academic term but may NOT compete during their first year of enrollment. Nonqualifier: College-bound student-athletes cannot practice, receive athletics scholarships or compete during their first year of enrollment at an NCAA Division I school. Updated: January 12, 2016 Page 1 of 2 20

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22 2018 Division II New Academic Requirements Initial-eligibility standards for NCAA Division II college-bound student-athletes are changing. College-bound student-athletes first enrolling at an NCAA Division II school on or after August 1, 2018, need to meet new academic rules to practice, compete and receive athletics scholarships during their first year. Core-Course Requirement 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra I or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered) 2 years of social science 3 additional years of English, math or natural or physical science 4 additional years of English, math, natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy Full Qualifier Complete 16 core courses. Earn a core-course GPA of at least Earn the ACT/SAT score matching your core-course GPA on the Division II sliding scale (see back page). Graduate high school. Partial Qualifier Complete 16 core courses. Earn a core-course GPA of at least Earn the ACT/SAT score matching your core-course GPA on the Division II sliding scale (see back page). Graduate high school. Full Qualifier: College-bound student-athletes may practice, compete and receive athletics scholarship during their first year of enrollment at an NCAA Division II school. Partial Qualifier: College-bound student-athletes may receive athletics scholarships during their first year of enrollment and may practice during their first regular academic term but may NOT compete during their first year of enrollment. Nonqualifier: College-bound student-athletes may not practice, compete or receive athletics scholarships during their first year of enrollment at an NCAA Division II school. Test Scores If you take the current SAT before March 2016 and then take the redesigned SAT at a later date, the NCAA Eligibility Center will not combine section scores from the current and redesigned SAT when determining your initial eligibility. The NCAA Eligibility Center will only combine section scores from the same version of the test. Because the redesigned SAT varies in design and measures different academic concepts than the current SAT, a numerical score on the current test may not be equivalent to the same numerical score on the redesigned test. Updated: January 12, 2016 Page 1 of 2 22

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24 New SAT test and the Academic Index in the Ivy League January 15, 2016 The new 2016 SAT test has changed the Academic Index calculation for Ivy League athletes. The Athletics Academic Index calculator, will still have the original Academic Index calculator based on the 2400 point scale, but Page 2 will have the formula for the new version of the SAT. Since the Ivy League treats the Academic Index as a confidential internal tool, the AI calculator (or any other online calculator) isn t authorized by the Ivy League or endorsed in any way. People who have used it, however, have reported that the index number they have calculated has generally been within 1-2 points of the number calculated by an Ivy League coach. It remains to be seen how the new SAT scores correlate with the old. It s possible that after some data is collected that the correlation formula between the ACT and SAT may change. We ll keep up on this and change it if necessary as we hear more. Interpreting the Academic Index Number for Ivy League Athletes November 5, 2012 The number that you have calculated using the Academic Index calculator should only serve as a general guideline to help you plan your recruiting. Hitting certain numbers does not mean that you are assured of admission since many different factors go into determining admissibility. The Academic Index is really a tool to evaluate large groups (teams, overall athletic cohort and entire student body.) It s helpful to be able to see where you stand in relation to other students and athletes. 24

25 Below are interpretations of the strength of different AI ranges. These are based on interviews, articles and statements, but you should not consider them to be any sort of official guideline or standard. Under 176 An Academic Index under 176 is below the minimum generally required to be recruited in the Ivy League This range as possible, but weak. Nationally known, big-time recruits in high profile sports may be okay with an AI in this range This is still on the weaker side, but scores in this range may be adequate for highly desirable athletes in certain programs This equates to about combined (on the old) SAT and 3.5 unweighted GPA and should put a recruit on fairly solid academic footing. Teams that tend to attract kids with stronger academics may want a little bit more. Over 210 This is really where you want to be. With an AI over 210, it s pretty unlikely that academics will be a deal killer in your athletic recruiting. Using the Academic Index Number It s important to understand that your academic index doesn t mean you ll be admitted. It is, however, a useful yardstick to help you determine if your grades and test scores are in range to make you a potential recruit. Interpreting your Academic Index score An excerpt from The Essential Guide to Ivy League Athletic Recruiting 2012: 25

26 By mutual agreement, the minimum Academic Index to be admitted as an athlete in the Ivy League is 176. This was revised in The AI floor used to be 171. It s very important that you realize this number is not a standard that will make you eligible to be admitted into an Ivy League school. Consider this number a minimum. In reality, a much higher AI is generally required of most athletes. To make it even more confusing, each school within the Ivy League has a different AI requirement. The rule states that the mean AI of all athletes on campus must fall within one standard deviation of the mean AI of the whole student body. If, for example, the average student on the Princeton campus has a higher Academic Index than the average Penn student, the Princeton athletic recruits must also meet a higher standard. The general consensus is that SAT scores of 700 or better per section and a 3.5 GPA put the potential recruit on solid academic footing to be recruited just about anywhere. Ivy League coaches are looking for athletes who can make the grade with admissions, and just as importantly, they are looking for athletes who can compete and win at the Division I level. 26

27 Baseball 11.7 NCAA scholarships available Baseball at Loyola High School has a long and storied history. Hundreds of Cubs have continued to play baseball in college and at the professional level. LHS Coaches are well connected with college baseball coaches and professional scouts. Freshman Year Performance Typically freshman play on the LHS freshman team, but talented players may make the Junior Varsity team. What s most important is getting playing time and at bats. Playing against older and stronger players can be helpful, but not always necessary as it might lend itself to poor fundamental execution. Baseball is a speed game! Player need to be able to run fast, throw hard and swing quickly. Core strength development can help, but because there are some many other physical changes happening, it s important not to do too much weight training, as you don t want it to get in the way of normal physical development. It seems like everyone is playing travel ball. Travel teams can start earlier than 6 th grade, but it s important to be careful about over training, baseball burnout or throwing out your arm. Travel baseball takes place outside of high school season. Many entering Cubs hire private coaches to help them with the fundamentals of the game. Developing the proper swing and footwork is critical to do as a younger player. Recruiting Rarely do college coaches consider looking at 9 th graders, there s usually too much physical development happening at this age, and it s difficult for college coaches to know how eventual development might affect a players upper end capacity to play at an elite level. At this age, going to Showcase Camps is really a moneymaker for the camps. Typically college coaches don t attend travel ball tournaments at this age either. Playing at Junior Olympics is just an opportunity to play against elite competition, which is always a good idea. Playing against elite talent will help a player understand where their skills put them against same aged talent. 27

28 Sophomore Year Performance Summer before sophomore year, you should be looking to play for the LHS summer league team. This can be done in coordination with other travel or club teams. It s important for pitcher to watch their pitch count. Young developing arms are particularly susceptible to injury do to over pitching. LHS and travel team coaches need to coordinate; so that pitchers don t over pitch. Players and parents should be paying attention to over pitching. It s possible for a player to compete at the varsity level with LHS. Being accustomed facing bigger and stronger pitching is critical. Playing elite travel ball against older, stronger players can help prepare you to compete at the Varsity level. Physical development happens at different times. It s important to have core strength, proper nutrition and flexibility. Working with private coaches working on fundamentals, can be helpful, but be careful about over training. It s also important to continue to develop one s baseball knowledge. Baseball is a game of details and nuances, and sharper players can take advantage of others if they have a superior knowledge of the game. Most sophomores should be at least be everyday JV players, contributing significantly. Pitchers need to understand the talent of older players. Pitching at the JV level as a sophomore depends upon how heavy the varsity pitching roster is. Always watch your pitch count. Recruiting College coaches do not go to JV games, but they do attend travel ball tournaments during the summer. Performing against elite players during summer travel ball tournaments can get a sophomore noticed. Performing well at JO s is also important. There are large regional showcase events happening during the summer, it s advisable to joint a team that competes at these showcases (Atlanta and Phoenix) Put together an athletic resume, highlight video, and fill out recruiting forms. Go to summer college camps if you re interested in playing for the school. coaches your athletic resume and grades. Rarely do college coaches make verbal offers to sophomores, but if you re developing into someone special, physically, or with specific skills, verbal offers from college coaches are possible. Blue Chips recruits get the most looks, but college coaches know that these guys may get drafted. Keep competing at the highest level possible. Follow up right away with any college coach you might be interested in playing for in college. 28

29 Junior Year Performance Play against the best talent you can! Elite showcases, top tier travel teams. You ll need to be a varsity contributor, but just because you are a contributor, this doesn t guarantee the PSA will be offered a chance to compete in college. The LHS coaching staff is going to make decisions that help the program be successful, so it s important to understand that success on the field may or may not result in future opportunities for any particular PSA. It s helpful to have private coaching to polish fundamentals, to engage in weight training to develop your core muscles, to understand nutrition and how to get the most of your body, to develop and maintain flexibility, and to continue to develop your understanding of the game. Keep playing for elite travel baseball teams and with the LHS summer team. Coordinate practice and game schedules and maintain pitch counts for the guys on the hill. Your performance in games against elite competition is very important. Recruiting Baseball is a spring sport so junior year is an important time to get noticed because scholarship offers will likely happen after your junior year season but before your senior LHS season. Talk to your coaches about your goals to play at the college level, and be realistic about your skills and ability. Update your highlight video (5 minutes max), athletic resume, and keep your grades up. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center during the spring of your senior year. Know your NCAA Clearinghouse ID number and put it on your Athletic Resume. Your highlight video should include skills, grounding balls, swinging, jumping on fly balls. Show them your hand and footwork. Have your fundamentals polished. College coaches are going to want to know basic baseball metrics that include: Arm strength, home to first time, velocity numbers and 60-foot time. Show progression and development of these metrics on your athletic resume. Your performance against other top talent is important. Statistics can be deceiving. College coaches will go to top-level baseball games where they can assess top talent, against top talent. College coaches will make verbal offers after the season, like to see summer time competitions as well. Scholarship money is very limited per NCAA rules so college coaches often split scholarship money into smaller amounts to give a little bit to more players. Pitchers usually get the most money, but not always. LHS coaches will call college coaches for you and speak frankly about your talents and interest 29

30 College recruiting windows start July 1 through November. Verbal offers are usually made during the senior year. College coaches will attend regional showcases and elite tournaments during the summer. Performing well at these events can get you noticed. 30

31 Senior Year Performance During the summer play at elite showcases and for top tier travel teams. Coordinate with your coaches so you can play for LHS summer team too. Work with trainer to develop core muscles and foundation strength. Continue to maintain your nutrition and flexibility. Private coaching can be helpful to continue to polish fundamental skills. Recruiting Go to college summer camps where you want to play! Being a recruited walk-on is common and may lead to making a team and earning a partial scholarship to play for the team the following years. College coaches may help get you into school but there may not be scholarship money for you as a freshman, but as a recruited walkon you ll be given a true try out and consideration to play on the team. Talk to the LHS coaching staff about your plans regularly. LHS coaches will call college coaches for you and speak frankly about your talents and interest. Keep in touch with college coaches throughout your senior year. Updated your athletic resumes and highlight videos with your fundamental skills and update your baseball recruiting metrics. Send transcripts to coaches too. It s appropriate to show your progression from sophomore to junior year on your athletic resume. Headfirst Camp is an opportunity for elite rising seniors to show their talent against elite talent. The professional baseball draft happens in June and may loosen up space on college teams or within high school recruiting charts and may mean college coaches will be looking at new high school recruits to fill the space cleared by other players signing with professional teams. College coaches will continue recruiting throughout the summer after the senior year, but it s not advisable to count on recruiting at this time as your primary strategy for getting recruited to play at the college level. Websites for consideration: Perfect game Baseball factory Good information preparing-college-baseball/?utm_source=abca+press+box+-+august+30, &utm_campaign=press+box &utm_medium= 31

32 NCAA Division I Baseball Recruiting Calendar August 1, 2016, through July 31, 2017 (See NCAA Division I Bylaw for Baseball Calendar Formula) (a) August 1-21, 2016: Contact Period (b) August 22 through September 8, 2016: Quiet Period (c) September 9 through November 6, 2016: Contact Period (d) November 7-10, 2016: Dead Period (e) November 11, 2016 through February 28, 2017 [except for (1) below]: (1) January 5-8, 2017: Quiet Period Dead Period (f) March 1 through July 31, 2017 [except for (1) below]: (1) April 10-13, 2017: Contact Period Dead Period intra.ncaa.org/sites/ama/information/recruitingcalendarsandguides/ /di/narrativecalendars/baseball_051716_lz_kh 32

33 Basketball 13 NCAA scholarships available The success of the Loyola High School Basketball program has always based on the team concept, grounded in a strong grasp of basketball fundamentals, communication skills, understanding of game situations and self awareness of one s own ability and willingness to fit into your role. Freshman Year Performance Most incoming freshman have previously playing competitive basketball prior to their arrival on campus, but this is not required to make the team. There is no real organized LHS summer program prior to the start of your freshman year. Due to the competitive nature of tryouts, it s critical for players to have strong fundamental basketball skills and understanding of team concepts. Ball handling, rebounding, passing, shooting skills, as well as individual and team defensive concepts are critical if you plan to contribute to the Loyola basketball program. Players will be expected to work on all facets of the game and to improve their basic knowledge of the game and how it s played. Coaches will encourage players to play above their age if possible and to work on their personal areas of weakness in the game. It s possible for highly talented freshman to make the Junior Varsity or Varsity team. Decisions about where to place a player are based on the amount of game playing time the player will get therefore maximizing his potential and enjoyment. Recruiting Very few high school freshmen will catch the attention of college coaches. It s important for a player to begin to understand his current strengths and potential as it relates to reach his goals about playing at the college level. A very small percentage of high school basketball players will be recruited to play at the NCAA Division 1 level; there are many other levels of basketball to consider beyond the top Division 1 programs. For some players, using their basketball skills to gain admission to a top academic school might be a more suitable goal. While being realistic about his skills, a player should surround himself with people who can realistically assess his skills, as well as help him map out a course of action to improve to garner attention. Attending college camps may provide an opportunity to play against top competition in front of college coaches, however these camps can be expensive and attending them does not guarantee playing in front of college head coaches. 33

34 Sophomore Year Performance Many Loyola basketball players play on summer AAU or Travel basketball teams. But LHS also fields a summer team at both the Junior Varsity and Varsity levels. Players are expected to coordinate their schedules to accommodate the LHS summer schedule, as well as other great basketball experiences. Playing together with LHS teammates helps foster knowledge of each player s strength and builds stronger communication between players. Competition is a key to basketball growth and development of any player and this is why it s important to play for the highestlevel summer team that allows you significant playing time. Physically teenage bodies are developing which why it s also important to develop core strength, anaerobic endurance and explosiveness, mobility and to continue to focus on basketball fundamentals. The basketball program offers a summer lifting and conditioning program coordinated through Strength and Conditioning Coach Andre Woodert. During the season a player needs to earn as much playing time as possible. Contributing at the varsity level is important as long as the player is getting playing time. Practicing against older, stronger and better players is also important to improving one s game. If the player is not on the Varsity team, it s important that he be contributing significantly to the JV team. Recruiting This is the year to start filling out college recruiting questionnaires, putting together an athletic resume and building a highlight video. It s advisable to play at college summer camps at this age. It s even more important to be realistic about one s talent. Typically only Blue Chip athletes are invited to Elite college or Shoe Sponsored summer camps. College coaches are allowed Viewing periods during the month of July for club basketball programs. Take notice that they may be at AAU or travel team games and tournaments. Fall viewing periods for College Coaches start in early September and run through mid October. College Coaches may stop by LHS practices during this window to watch the Varsity team up close. Spring Viewing periods happen in April and May, this is when College Coaches start looking at juniors and sophomores. Seniors player that are getting recruited can expect to have college coaches offer them official college visits, where they will be invited to campus at the expense of the college, as well as be offered home visits, a opportunity for the college coaches to come to the home to pitch their school, in the fall for the November Early Signing Period. 34