An NCAA Initial Eligibility Trifecta

The last three episodes on my YouTube channel contain some VERY important information… actually some of the MOST important information regarding the Collegiate recruiting process… a Trifecta

The episodes discuss gaining Initial Eligibility at the NCAA DI, NCAA DII and NAIA levels.

It isn’t glamorous, or fun.

Learning how to increase your vertical leap or improving your speed is much more interesting… I know.

But if you are not familiar with, and do not keep on top of this (Initial Eligibility) information, you are putting your whole recruiting dreams at risk.

How to use the Recruiting Worksheet.

This post will follow along with, and supplement the information included in Episode 18 – Homework Assignment… so you can access that video and follow along there as well.

The first step is to download the Worksheet.  It is a Google Sheet, and can be downloaded via Episode 18 – Homework Assignment, or at this link:

Recruiting Worksheet

This will open up the Google Sheet titled Recruiting Worksheet.

In order to use/ edit the worksheet, the first thing you need to do is “make a copy”

To do this, click on –> File-> Make a copy

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Then give it a name (or just keep it Copy of Recruiting Worksheet) and select where you want to save it, the click –> OK

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Now you have a worksheet that is yours to keep… one you can fill in, complete and use to gauge where you are in the recruiting process.

A few words about what this worksheet IS and what it is NOT.

It is intended to give you a snapshot of where you are in the collegiate recruiting process right now… It is NOT a prediction of if, or at what level, you are going to get recruited.  It is designed to help guide you through a self evaluation segment, and guide you in regards to your Initial Eligibility status.

OK… Here we go in filling out and using this tool.

First… every field that is yellow is where you will be entering your information.

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The first question – What is your “Dream” school?

If you could get recruited, get a scholarship, and attend ANY college in the country, where would it be?  Type your answer in here:

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In the next section you will be evaluating yourself on the 9 different qualities that college recruiters will be looking at… I have called these “Purple Cow” qualities (you want to be like a Purple Cow… remarkable… not a brown cow… ordinary).

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If you are not sure what recruiters will be looking for in these areas, or want to better understand what will make you remarkable, you can click on any of these links to episodes on my YouTube channel where I discuss these qualities.

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The complete playlist of my YouTube channel is at this link:

YouCanDoMore YouTube all episodes

You will rate yourself 1-5 (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest) in each of these areas… typing in your rating in the corresponding yellow cell.

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A couple of things to keep in mind as you are rating yourself on these “Purple Cow” qualities:

  • Remember you are competing against student-athletes all across the country for scholarship aid… not just against athletes in your school, city, and state… so rate yourself accordingly
  • This is a rating on where you are right now… not where you want to be or think you will be at the end of this process

The worksheet will calculate an average rating, but more importantly, it will point out areas that you are strong in, as well as areas you might need to put some additional work and effort into.

The next section will help you determine where you are regarding the NCAA DI and DII Initial Eligibility process.

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The first thing the worksheet asks for (and will help you find) are how many Core Courses (and in what areas) you have taken.  If you do not have a list of your High School’s Core Courses, you can click on this link in the worksheet and it will take you a search engine that allows you to search by your school state and name.

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This is site that will allow you to search for your high school Core Core list.  You can also click on this link : Core Course Search Engine to see this site:

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Once you have your school’s list of Core Courses, you will enter the number of units you have taken in each area, English, Math (Algebra 1 or above) Science, Social Science and Other, in the corresponding yellow cell.  One year of a course equals 1 unit, One semester equals .5 units

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The worksheet will automatically calculate the total number of Core Units you have taken and display the number here.

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Keep in mind that in order to meet NCAA DI initial eligibility standards, you will need to earn 16 Core Course Units.  The breakdown of the number of units needed in each area can be found at this link:  NCAA DI Standards

In NCAA DII you will also need 16 Core Units, although the distribution of units in each area is slightly different.  The DII breakdown can be found at this link: NCAA DII Standards

Next, the worksheet will help you calculate your Core GPA… which is the only GPA that the NCAA uses… not overall GPA which includes non-Core Courses.

You will enter the grades you received in your Core Courses here…. entering the number of A’s B’s C’s and D’s in each of the corresponding yellow cells.

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Remember these two things

  1. The NCAA does not use + or – grades in determining GPA
  2. The grade for a year-long course is 1 unit, for a semester class it is .5 unit

The worksheet will calculate your Core GPA based on the number of Core Course units you have taken, and the grades (quality points) you earned in each of those courses.  Your Core GPA will be displayed here:

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The next factor determining Initial Eligibility is your score on either the ACT or SAT standardized test.

On the worksheet answer the question if you have taken either test, and if you have, enter your score in the corresponding yellow cell.

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If you have not taken the ACT or SAT tests, clicking on the worksheet link will take you to this site that lists the national testing dates for the ACT and SAT in 2018-19.

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You can also get to the site by clicking this link: ACT/SAT test dates

Determine a date you will take (or retake) the test and enter the date in the corresponding yellow cell

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Enter the date!  This is like making a contract with yourself and will increase the likelihood that you will take the test in a timely manner.

Now, using the NCAA DI and DII sliding scales you can determine what test score (or Core GPA with your current test score) you will need in order to meet NCAA Initial Eligibility standards.

Clicking on the worksheet link that says “NCAA DI Sliding Scale”

 

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Will take you to the sliding scale used by the NCAA to determine you eligibility

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By using the Core GPA that has already been calculated by the worksheet

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And cross-referencing that value on the sliding scale, you can determine what test score (ACT or SAT) you will need to achieve to gain Initial Eligibility at the NCAA DI level.

Episode 16 – Your Academics – Part 1 – Explains how to use the NCAA DI and DII sliding scales.

Enter the test score you need (based on your Core GPA) in the corresponding yellow cell.

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The process for figuring out the test score you will need at the NCAA DII level is identical.  Clicking on the worksheet link that says “NCAA DII Sliding Scale”

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Will take you to the sliding scale used by the NCAA to determine your DII eligibility.

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By using the Core GPA that has already been calculated by the worksheet

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And cross-referencing that value on the sliding scale, you can determine what test score (ACT or SAT) you will need to achieve to gain Initial Eligibility at the NCAA DII level.

Enter the test score you need (based on your Core GPA) in the corresponding yellow cell.

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You can now see exactly where you are in regards to your Initial Eligibility at both the NCAA DI and DII levels… and determine if you …

  • Are Eligible at the NCAA DI and DII levels
  • Need more Core Courses in order to be eligible
  • Need Core Courses in a different area to be eligible
  • Need a higher Core GPA to be eligible
  • Need a higher ACT or SAT test to be eligible
  • Or need a combination of these items to be eligible

The next section of the worksheet looks at the process of registering for either (or both) the NCAA or NAIA Eligibility Centers.

Answer the question on the worksheet “Have you registered with the NCAA or NAIA Eligibility Centers?”

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If you have NOT registered with the Eligibility Centers, clicking on the worksheet link “NCAA Center”

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Will take you to the registration page for the NCAA Eligibility Center

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And click on the worksheet link “NAIA Center”

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Will take you to the Play NAIA site, which is the registration page for the NAIA Eligibility Center

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You can also navigate the the Eligibility Centers by clicking on these links below:

Well, thats it!

A lot of information, clicking, calculating, evaluating…. I know!

But information that will help put you in the drivers seat when it comes to your (or you son or daughter) recruiting.

If you have any questions on how to download, save, navigate or use this worksheet in any way, please give me a shout… I will help!

As always, thanks for your support!

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Be Ready for Your Signing Day

Today is the NCAA National Letter of Intent Signing Day.  Thousands of young student-athletes today officially signed their contract for scholarship aid to their NCAA institution of choice.  And yet, along with those thousands, there will be possibly thousands more very good players that did not have that opportunity today because they did not meet NCAA initial eligibility standards; they did not take care of business.

There are two things that will determine your initial NCAA eligibility coming out of high school.  The first, as was discussed in my previous post on College Entrance Exams, is your score on your ACT or SAT test.  The second factor that I will detail today is your GPA in what are classified as your Core Courses.

ncaa_eligibility_center_logoNeither your high school, nor the college you are entering determines your eligibility; an independent body called the NCAA Eligibility Center determines it. The NCAA Eligibility Center certifies the academic and amateur credentials of all college-bound student-athletes who wish to compete in NCAA Division I or II athletics.  The NCAA Eligibility Center also determines what courses from your high school are classified as Core Courses.  The Core Courses are very specific, essentially college prep courses, in Math, English, Science, and Social Studies.

As discussed in a previous post, NCAA Division I schools use a sliding scale to determine eligibility.  The minimum in either a NCAA DI or DII school is a 2.0 GPA in 16 Core units.  In the NCAA requirements for both the college entrance exam and the GPA in 16 Core units must be met.  The NCAA initial eligibility guideline brochure can be downloaded here: NCAA Eligibility Requirements

In the NAIA, the initial eligibility requirements are slightly different.  There are three factors.

  1. As mentioned previously, a minimum test score of 18 on the ACT or 860 SAT
  2. Overall high school GPA of 2.0 and
  3. Graduate in the top ½ of your high school class.

If an incoming student-athlete meets 2 out of the 3 requirements, they are eligible their freshman year at an NAIA institution.

The NAIA also has an NAIA Eligibility Center that you will need to register with prior to being certified for competition your freshman year.

In order to put yourself in a situation insuring you will meet either (or both) the NCAA or NAIA initial eligibility requirements, it is important that you make good progress through your high school career.  Typically, student-athletes who find they have not met these requirements have not done the necessary work through the entirety of their high school years.  Typically, they wait until it is too late to start planning.   Here are some suggested steps from the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Freshmen and Sophomores

  • Start planning now!
  • Work hard to get the best grades possible.
  • Take classes that match your high school’s List of NCAA Courses.
  • The NCAA Eligibility Center will use only approved core courses to certify your initial eligibility.
  • You can access and print your high school’s List of NCAA Courses at http://www.eligibilitycenter.org. Click the NCAA College- Bound Student-Athlete link to enter and then navigate to the “Resources” tab and select “U.S. Students” where you will find the link for the List of NCAA Courses.
  • At the beginning of your sophomore year, complete your online registration at www.eligibilitycenter.org.
  • If you fall behind, do not take short cuts. Classes you take must be four-year college preparatory and must meet NCAA requirements.

Juniors

  • Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the NCAA Eligibility Center code“9999”as a score recipient. Doing this sends your official score directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
  • Continue to take college prepratory courses. Double check to make sure the courses you have taken match your school’s List of NCAA Courses.
  • Ask your high school counselor to send an official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center after completing your junior year.
  • If you have attended more than one high school, the NCAA Eligibility Center will need official transcripts from all high schools attended. (The NCAA Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed or emailed transcripts/test scores.) The NCAA Eligibility Center does accept transcripts electronically through Docufide/Parchment, e-Scrip Safe, ConnectEdu, National Transcript Center and Xap.
  • Before registering for classes for your senior year, check with your high school counselor to determine the number of core courses that you need to complete your senior year.

Seniors

  • Take the ACT and/or SAT again, if necessary. The NCAA Eligibility Center will use the best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your best cumulative score.
  • Continue to take college-preparatory courses.
  • Check the courses you have taken to match your school’s List of NCAA Courses.
  • Review your amateurism responses and request final amateurism certification on or after April 1 (for fall enrollees) or October 1 (for spring enrollees).
  • Continue to work hard to get the best grades possible.
  • Graduate on time (in eight academic semesters).
  • After graduation, ask your high school counselor to send your final transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center with proof of graduation. The NCAA Eligibility Center accepts transcripts electronically through Docufide/Parchment, e-Scrip Safe, ConnectEdu, National Transcript Center and Xap 6 COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETE

A very helpful document with all of this stuff can be downloaded here:  Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete

Another source of information, especially to athletes in grades 8-11 is my recently launched YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

Questions or Comments are always welcomed… I will  answer!  Just shoot me an email or leave a comment.

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

 

The Choice is Yours

I get asked this question…

A LOT.

“What can I do to get a college to notice me… what should I do to get recruited?”

Often the student-athlete does not like what I have to tell them.

First, let me say, that if you are an “elite” athlete, you are going to get noticed.

But, if you are like the majority of student-athletes that get recruited… and are NOT an “elite” athlete, then the margin between getting recruited and not is relatively small.

It really is a fairly simple concept… how to get recruited.

The actual doing tends to be much harder… but here is how you do it.

choiceYou have to make good choices.

Throughout the four years you are a student-athlete, there will be literally a thousand different choices you will need to make…

  • In the classroom
  • In the weight room
  • At home
  • During practice
  • In the halls at school
  • During games
  • Socially
  • With your friends
  • By yourself

Now, you don’t have to make every correct choice in your lifetime… everyone makes mistakes. But know that the more good choices you make… choices that have your end goal of being a collegiate athlete in mind… the greater your chances of success.

And know, too, that there are some choices you simply have to make correctly or you are done.

I see it happen every year…

  • A great athlete, in their senior year, that is missing too many core courses.
  • An off the field “incident” gets reported on by the local paper.
  • A recruitable athlete neglects to take the ACT until their senior year.
  • An athlete gets an offer rescinded because of an inflammatory tweet.

What should you do to get recruited?

The choice is yours.

More information for athletes, parents and coaches regarding the collegiate recruiting process at these links:

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel

Featured

There is a very detailed explanation of my new YouTube channel project at a previous post,  Project Launch!, but this will be a little more succinct description with links to the videos that already reside on YouTube.The channel will have a series of tutorial videos, each 6-8 minutes, that will discuss some aspect of the collegiate recruiting process.  There will eventually be around 30-35 videos on the channel.

Some of the topics will be:

  • Why the playing field is not level
  • How to market yourself
  • Expanding the scholarship pool
  • NCAA Clearinghouse
  • Gauging level of interest

… and many more!

This video is the latest episode, Episode 19 – Size – Does it Matter?

Here is a playlist that includes all of the YouCanDoMore channel videos.  Right now there are 20 videos in the playlist… more will be added at the rate of about 2-3 per month.  I recommend that you watch in order, as many will build on previous knowledge/ episodes.

In this video I explain the platform, Patreon, and how it works.

The content on my YouCanDoMore channel is and will always be free.  If you choose to become a Patron of team YouCanDoMore you can join here : The YouCanDoMore Patreon Page.  Becoming a Patron will unlock additional content and services that will not be available on my YouTube channel.

A few simple ways to help me with this project:

  • Subscribe to the YouCanDoMore channel…. Just click on the button in the right hand column of this page and you are finished!
  • “Like” (thumbs up) the videos that you watch
  • Leave a comment or ask a question on the videos you watch
  • Share the YouCanDoMore YouTube channel with your cohorts via social media
  • And… the ultimate support, of course, would be visiting my Patreon Page and becoming a Patron!

As always, thanks for your support!

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Project Launch!

I hope you take the time to read this post… it is important to me.

Since I started this blog several years ago, I have written over 400 posts… with the intent of helping colleagues and their athletes by sharing some of my experience.

Many of the tools (film grade template, defensive game plan material) that I have shared via this site have been downloaded nearly 50,000 times!

I have not asked for anything in return… that is the nature of our profession.

Today I am asking for some help with a new project of mine that I think will be of interest to you, and hopefully gain your support

Today I am launching my YouTube Channel, YouCanDoMore.

Level the pLaying field!-23This channel is for Coaches, Parents, and Athletes, and will deal specifically with the recruiting process.  It will essentially be the same information that is contained in the presentation I have given many times (and is on my blog), only in bite-sized segments … probably 8-10 minutes.  Each segment will deal with a different aspect of recruiting (ie gauging level of interest, making a highlight video, ACT testing, etc) and I plan on airing about one new segment each week for a total of around 25-30 videos.

The videos will be professionally done, and will include great content and information.

This is not a recruiting service… quite the opposite.  It is intended to teach athletes and parents how to use various tools and concepts I will supply, to do the work that a recruiting service would ask $100’s to do.

I have chosen this format for a few reasons.

  1. It extends my reach
  2. The video format allows for better understanding than just the printed word (my blog)
  3. This format will allow for comments and questions after each segment.  As you know in a large auditorium setting, students (and parents) often feel intimidated/ inhibited asking questions.  I WILL answer every individual question after each segment airs.
  4. When I have given this seminar, it is an “all day sucker”… lasting about 4-5 hours. Being bite-sized chunks allows for consumption and digestion at the viewers own pace.
  5. I am also planning on including interviews with current coaches (College and HS in a variety of sports) regarding the recruiting process.

ExampleThe channel itself will be free,  BUT I am also including a way that viewers can help compensate me for the videos… if they feel the content is worthy, and the are financially able.  I will be using a platform called Patreon that allows viewers to become Patrons (for a really small fee) of my work.  The Patrons WILL have access to additional content.

How can you help?   Here are a couple of ways….

  • I always welcome your input, and will be calling on some of you to share your expertise regarding the recruiting process via video interview.
  • Please share links to my YouTube Channel (YouCanDoMore) and encourage your athletes to begin the video series.
  • Use your social media connections (Twitter, Facebook, Hudl, Instagram, etc) to help get the word of the channel out to your players and colleagues. ReTweet, Share, Like…. All of the above.
  • Visit my Patreon page and consider becoming a Patron of this project.

What’s in this for you as a Coach?

One of the main points I make in the series (to both athletes and their parents) is that although your coach will be the main conduit to college recruiters, they will not GET you a scholarship… It is up to the athlete to do everything in their power (off-season workouts, practice, academics, character, etc) to make themselves a remarkable, recruitable athlete in their coach’s and recruiter’s eyes.

This information will be applicable for athletes, parents, and coaches in all sports. I make the point that if you are a senior, it is late in the process, but there will still be information in the series that can help you… if you are in 8th grade, it is not too early to start thinking about the collegiate recruiting process, and what it will take to realize your goals.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post, and thanks for your continued support of this blog… nearly half a millions views!

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Related Posts:

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Rocket Science

It is not… getting recruited, that is. It is not Rocket Science.

launch1bHere’s the deal… the concepts are simple, the actual “doing”, tends to be much harder.  There really is no “magic bullet”, sure-fire single thing that will get you a college scholarship.  There really is no “miracle pill” that will get the college recruiters lining up at your door.  Well, there really is a “miracle pill” that you can take, but it just takes four (or more) years and a lot of hard work to swallow!

fork in roadWhat it boils down to is that over the next four years (if you are a freshman) you will be given literally thousands of choices that you will need to make. The result of these choices will either get you closer to your goal of being a college athlete and being rewarded for your hard work, or put you further away from your dream.

The sneaky thing, the really insidious thing, is that most of these choices by themselves aren’t “deal breakers”… making the right choice will not automatically earn you a college scholarship, and making the wrong choice will not prevent it.  So it is easy to think at the time you have to make the choice, “oh, this is no big thing”.  And you are right, this one single choice probably is NOT a big thing, but making these choices, good or bad, is incremental and cumulative.

I have seen student-athletes make these same types of choices over the last 30 years of my career.  The athletes that make the majority of choices that positively impact their goal are FAR more likely to achieve that goal.

Here are some choices that bombard a typical high school athlete…

  • You decide to skip the Friday after school off-season program because you want some extra time to get ready for your date tonight…. It Matters!
  • You decide to take a Team Sports class next semester instead of Advanced Strength Training for Athletes because it is easier… It Matters!
  • You work out with a group of 4 at a rack instead of 3, knowing that there will be more rest time… It Matters!
  • You chat with your friends in the evening instead of reading your literature assignment, which you will be tested over in the morning… It Matters!
  • You miss a summer-school strength and conditioning class session because you were “just too tired”… It Matters!
  • You stand at the side and talk to a teammate while others are practicing and coaches are coaching instead of getting a “mental rep”… It Matters!
  • You take your scouting report home, but don’t study it like the coach asked you to because your favorite TV show was on… It Matters!
  • Your mom schedules a dentist appointment on the day of practice, but you say “It’s OK, we just have practice that day”…. It Matters!
  • You decide to go to a party where you know there will be alcohol and underage drinking because all of your friends will be there…. It Matters!
  • You are late to practice because you have a detention for too many tardies…It Matters!
  • You jog through the finish of a drill instead of going full speed because you know the coach is helping someone else and isn’t looking at you… It Matters!

You get the idea, and could probably add more examples of choices you have had to make.  These types of choices come up all the time… daily… and I am here to tell you that It Matters!  It is not easy – as I said this “Miracle Pill” takes four years and a lot of hard work to swallow.  But you can do it… You Can Do More!

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

Related Posts:

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Signing Day and Recruiting

I originally published this post a couple of years ago… it is, of course, still very relevant this year. Each year I am amazed with the flurry of recruiting activity (mainly from those student-athletes wanting to get recruited) during the month of January. This really is something that student-athletes (and their families) should be taking care of beginning with their 9th and 10th grade years. Hopefully this information will find its way into some of those young student athletes hands … and heads!

Signing Day and Recruiting

National Signing Day is exciting.

  • Exciting for the student-athletes (and their parents) that are beginning the next step of their athletic and academic career…
  • Exciting for high school coaches that are proud to see the young men that they have helped mold, shape and develop get rewarded for their work….
  • Exciting for the college coaches that have worked so hard over the last year (and longer) to put together their 2014 recruiting class… (and can now get off the road for a few weeks!)

national_signing_day

For the seniors signing the NLI , today is the culmination of the recruiting process.  For everyone else (athletes in grades 9-11) the process is either still ongoing, or just getting going.

When I checked my blog stats over the last couple of weeks, I noticed a huge spike with search terms regarding recruiting and that National Letter of Intent.  People with questions like “Does signing the NLI mean I get a full scholarship?” and “How will the NLI be delivered?”.  This tells me what I already know… the recruiting process can be a scary and confusing time for student-athletes and their parents.

For student-athletes and parents with questions, I have compiled some links and posts that might help understand the recruiting process.  For high school coaches, steering your athletes and parents to these posts might help relieve some of the burden of explaining this complicated process.  I also make the point… often and strongly… that a high school coach will not “get you (or anyone) a scholarship”… that it is ultimately up to them as a student-athlete.

You can click on the following links to navigate to these pages:

The Flipbard Magazines have links my recruiting posts.   There is a little overlap, as some of the “Pyramid” posts are also included in the Wanted and Rewarded ebook. They are optimized for viewing on an iPad, but can also be read on your computer.

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

Questions or Comments are always welcomed… I will  answer!  Just shoot me an email or leave a comment.

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Recruiting – How Interested are They?

I have had a many requests for links to all of the posts regarding the Level of Interest Pyramid (Recruiting – Gauging Their Level of Interest).  Following are the links, in order, for all of these posts:

pyramidI have also created a “Magazine” on Flipboard (see Apps for the Coach) that puts all of these posts in one location that you can read (and share) on your mobile device.  This is a link to the Flipboard Magazine:

Recruiting – Gauging Their Level of Interest

 

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

Questions and Comments are always welcome!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Lessons from the Masters – Toriano Porter

Toriano Porter is a journalist and writer. He has written two books, The Pride of Park Avenue and James Cool. I recruited Toriano (a defensive back) out of Eureka High School in St. Louis, while defensive coordinator at the University of Central Missouri.

Toriano is black.

I am white.

I was raised in a loving environment, an environment that showed respect for all races.

I watched and admired Dr. Martin Luther King growing up, and our house was shocked and saddened by his loss.

I sang folk songs by Peter, Paul and Mary, and Dylan.

The neighborhood I grew up in was almost exclusively white (1960’s Ruskin Heights in Kansas City, MO) as was the city we moved to prior to my high school days (1970’s Blue Springs, MO).

I went to college at a private Liberal Arts school (William Jewell College, Liberty, MO) that was almost exclusively white.

My first teaching/ coaching jobs were Blue Springs (1979-1982) Odessa, MO (1982-1984) and Osceola, MO (1984-1987)… white, white and white.

I left Osceola for the college ranks, spending ten seasons at the University of Central Missouri and four as head coach at William Jewell College.

Central Missouri was not exclusively white. It was really my first experience in teaching and coaching in this type of multi-cultural setting.

I loved it.

We had great players, black and white, urban and suburban, that worked hard and responded to my coaching style.

I worked hard at my craft. Part of being a good coach is “knowing” your athletes… developing a relationship with them… knowing how to push their motivational “hot button”.

I thought that I could, and was, accomplishing this with all of my athletes.

Heck, I recruited St. Louis and Kansas City. East St. Louis, Illinois and Kansas City, Kansas were some of the roughest areas in the country…. and I walked the halls, and talked to students in schools there.

I sat in living rooms while recruiting, visiting with families in urban St. Louis and Kansas City.

I talked to all of my athletes… “How are your classes going?” … “How is your family doing?

I thought I understood the challenges of being a young, black, student… of being a young black man… in Kansas City, St. Louis, or Warrensburg, Missouri.

As I mentioned, I was a product of the 60’s… MLK… “Blowing in the Wind

park avenueIt really wasn’t until I read Toriano’s first book, The Pride of Park Avenue, in 2009, that I realized that I didn’t have a clue… I had (and still have) NO idea what it was, or is like, growing up as a black man in the United States.  I don’t think I ever can truly or fully understand.

The Pride of Park Avenue is part autobiography, part fiction. Toriano’s narrative details, vividly, what it was like growing up in St. Louis, and his experiences at UCM. There is no complaining, whining, judging or blaming coming from Toriano… just authentic, gritty, stories of his journey.

Reading this narrative made me realize how completely different Toriano’s experience was from mine. It gave me an appreciation as to the relative ease of the path I was given…. a middle class white youth in the suburbs.   It also gave me an appreciation of Toriano’s accomplishments.

Toriano is c26913_1354892281581_7232202_nurrently a Business/ Education reporter at the Lee’s Summit Journal and will release his third book, The Plain Ugly Truth, some time this year.

Toriano is a master… and the lessons he provided me are tough… and ones that I am till trying to learn… daily.

Related Posts:

You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

Recruiting Links

This post is specifically for my enrichment class regarding the recruiting process.

As I mentioned in class today, these are the two links that will give you access to all the information we discussed regarding the path to being a recruited student-athlete.

college recruiting ebookFlipboard Magazine- Wanted and Rewarded eBook

Flipboard Magazine – Recruiting Level of Interest Pyramid

If you have any questions, stop by and see me at school.

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

Please share with your parents as well.

You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com