#50 The Parent Plan: Paying For College [Updated]

Studying is something I really love doing, and I just hope to have enough money for tuition.  --Alexandra Kosteniuk

I have been meaning to write an update to my blog about financing college [you can find the original here [Paying for College], and I received a great boost of motivation from my new friend, Nina Milar, at BestSchools.com.  She had some great updated information that she shared with me that I was more than happy to share with you.

I encourage you to check out their website and the tools they have available to all of you immediately.  Below you will see some great links to start your journey to helping pay for your college tuition!

I'm going to take the liberty of para-phrasing a lot what Nina shared with me below (thanks Nina!).  Kudos to BestSchools.com for making this a much more efficient process for all of us!

BestSchools.com recently overhauled their FASFA guide and updated it for 2016. In the course of their research, they found that most students were not aware that nearly all of them are eligible for some form of financial aid. So they decided to create a user-friendly guide that clarifies common questions, making it easier for students to have access to the support they qualify for to start or continue their education.

You can see the entire guide along with some of its features here:

• http://www.bestschools.com/fafsa/

Largely in part because of their non-biased, data-driven approach, they are a trusted source for government entities and organizations throughout the US. Many publications and organizations already use their guides as resources for their readers. Here are a few examples:

1. State of North Dakota, http://www.nd.gov/ndyouth/education, listed as “Best Schools”
2. Iowa STEM, http://iowastem.gov/resources/Teachers, listed as “Financial Aid Guide for Online Students”
3. State of Montana, http://mt.gov/education/default.aspx, listed as “Online Colleges”

If you have any questions about any of this information or would like to discuss your child's recruitment strategy, you can reach me through any of my information below!

Go make your dreams come true!!!

Coach Matt Rogers

Phone:  (312) 610-6045

Email:  coachrogers12@gmail.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ncsa.rogers

Twitter:  @madcoachdiary
Linkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/rogersmatt16

Matt Rogers is an 18-year high school and college coach veteran.  He has led two teams to the NCAA National Tournament and one team to a High School State Championship.  His teams hold numerous school and one NCAA record. He has mentored and coached players at every level while serving as an athletics administrator at the high school and NCAA levels for 9 years. He has helped numerous players continue their careers at the professional level. He currently is the Head National Scout for NCSA Athletic Recruiting where he has helped hundreds of young men and women from around the world achieve their dreams of playing at the college level.  Coach presently lives in the Denver, CO area with his wife of 17 years and his two children. 

To request Coach Rogers to speak at your school or event, you can reach him through any of his contact information above.

#49 You're Not Being Recruited if...

“When your ideas about yourself change, so does your experience.”
― Seth, The Nature of Personal Reality: Specific, Practical Techniques for Solving Everyday Problems and Enriching the Life You Know

One of my good friends and fellow collegiate scouts sent this to me recently (so thanks Coach Johnny Meier - *I am sorry I do not know the original writer of this editorial).  I thought it gave a fantastic synopsis of recruitment to many of you who are trying to figure out the recruiting process and the realities of your personal recruitment.  

Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this!

You're Not Being Recruited if...

• You have received information from college's admissions office. This information has nothing to do with being recruited to be an athlete for the college. Actually, you are being enticed through a highly-effective direct marketing program by the colleges to consider them your freshman year. Colleges purchase mailing lists of prospective students from several sources, but most likely they got your name and address from the companies which administered the standardized tests you took such as the PSAT, the ACT or the SAT. Taking these tests means you are serious about attending college. That's all most colleges need to send you a general info letter.
• You have received a letter and questionnaire from a college coach. The good news is that you are in the first stage of the process which is called "recognition." Getting recognized is the initial and most crucial stage of the process. If this doesn't occur, the process cannot begin in earnest. The number of questionnaires which you receive nearly always tells you how many coaches know about you, but it does not mean these coaches are recruiting you. Upon receiving and reviewing your returned questionnaire, a coach will determine if you basically meet the program's endothecia, speed, ranking, strength, grades. All these are important determinants. If so, then you will advance to Stage 2, "evaluation."
• A college coach watches you at a tournament, a travel or club team event or meet. While it is rare for college coaches to discover talent at these events (they usually enter the gates with a list of players they have already evaluated on paper and on tape), keep your fingers crossed that they see you make a great play, hit a double off the wall, come from behind in a race or shoot the round of your life. But, unless you are already on their "list," it's doubtful things will go much farther. Even if a college coach asks someone, perhaps your coach, about you, until you receive a questionnaire, note, email or phone call from the coach, you are not being recruited.
• You receive a letter or email from a coach saying that he or she will keep up with you. Coaches have a long list of prospects and they keep all their options open until they decide on the top few athletes they will decide to invite to their campus for official visits. For this reason, they keep a number of athletes interested with the "we will keep up with you" statement. Recruiting is a business. It is a hard, but true fact and prospects are too often paralyzed by these letters into doing nothing or waiting day after day for the coach to make an offer which in all likelihood will not come. Coaches must simultaneously woo their top recruits as they keep second tier prospects on a string. This is the way they accomplish their goal. While not entirely fair, it is nonetheless the nature of recruiting.
• A college coach calls your high school or travel team coach to ask for information about you. Again, the good news is that if a coach has gotten to the stage of calling others about your abilities, you are at the very least on their list of players to seriously evaluate. College coaches must be time management pros. So, there are a number of reasons they might call your coach. They may not know your address or phone number. They may have heard about you, but have not seen you perform in person. Maybe they want to know your upcoming schedule. A call of this sort means one thing - you are somewhere in the evaluation process, but not necessarily being recruited.

---

You Are Being Recruited if...

• A college coach calls you at home twice. Once is not enough. It must be twice. Why? If a coach did not "click" with you or if your parents obstructed the process in some way, you may not hear from that particular coach again. But, if the coach calls and talks to you twice, he or she is interested and wants you to know that you are on his or her list of recruits.
• A college coach comes to your home field, court or course to specifically see you play. Time is precious for coaches and budgets are tight. When they spend time and money to specifically see you play in person, they are interested in evaluating you in person and learning more about you as an athlete and person.
• A college coach invites you on an official visit. Official visits are not handed out like candy to everyone who walks by. Not to be confused with unofficial visits, when a coach invites you to spend time with the coaching staff and the team, you have made it to the final recruiting stage. Make the most of it because this is serious stuff.

---

You're in Trouble When...

• You have only a few questionnaires (or none at all) from college coaches. There are nearly 3,000 colleges carrying most sports across the nation. How many know about you? Count your questionnaires. That's how many. It's time to find help.
• You believe it when somebody tells you that if you are good enough college coaches will find you. That old saying no longer applies. With competition fierce for scholarships and roster spots, if your profile and videotape are not made available to a wide range of coaches, there is a good chance you will not be noticed, evaluated and recruited.
• You believe that a friend or relative's "connections" will get you a scholarship offer. That's old school thinking which seldom works out for prospects. College coaches are notorious for not seriously following up on kids brought to them by co-workers, old friends and program supporters. Yes, they will send letters, but it is unlikely anything will come of it. Coaches have their own processes which they trust and rely heavily upon.
• You do not have good statistics and videotape to give college coaches upon their request. Most college coaches make their first evaluation of prospects based on the substantiated numbers the kids make available. While many high school and travel coaches will say they don't want their players to "focus too much on stats," the reality exists that prospects need good stats if they expect to get recruited. Otherwise, they are at a distinct disadvantage. And, the kids need to have ready access to these numbers so that they can relay them to college coaches. Videotape is another essential part of the evaluation process. Prospects must have good game footage, in most cases, to enable college coaches to properly and fairly evaluate them.
• You have narrowed your choice of colleges down to less than five you will consider attending BEFORE the recruiting process starts. The chances of you fitting those five specific coaches' needs (athletically, position, size, speed, strength, statistics and grades) are not in your favor. For this reason, extending your options is a much, much better plan.
• You think walking on is a great option. If you are a true competitor, you will want to play in college, not just practice and sit on the sidelines while scholarship athletes are the only ones receiving significant playing time. Colleges love for you to walk on because you will be paying, in most cases, the entire fee to attend that school. You cost a coach nothing. However, walk-ons rarely see much playing time and typically miss out on things like making travel squads and living in the dorms with the scholarship athletes. If you must take this route, do your best to secure the status of "invited walk-on." Most walk-on athletes stay in the program only one or two years.

Contact me directly if you have additional questions or would like to discuss the specifics of today's blog.

Coach Matt Rogers
Twitter:  @madcoachdiary
Email:  coachrogers12@gmail.com
Linkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/rogersmatt16
Blog:  madcoachdiary.blogspot.com
Phone:  (312) 610-6045

Matt Rogers is an 18-year high school and college coach veteran.  He currently is the Head National Scout and National Speaker for NCSA Athletic Recruiting where he has helped hundreds of young men and women from around the world achieve their dreams of playing at the college level.  He has led two teams to the NCAA National Tournament and one team to a High School State Championship.  His teams hold numerous school and one NCAA record. He has mentored and coached players at every level while serving as an athletics administrator at the high school and NCAA levels for 9 years. He has helped numerous players continue their careers at the professional level.  Coach presently lives in the Denver, CO area with his wife of 17 years and his two children. 

To request Coach Rogers to speak at your school or event, you can reach him through any of his contact information above.

#48 The Warriors New Look is Old System

"Life is like a ten speed bike.  Most of us have gears we never use."  Charles M. Schulz

I have received numerous calls and emails from college and high school coaches over the last few years regarding "The System".  It seems more and more that coaches are seeing the System (or a version of...) as a way to combat many things including a lack of talent, a lack of depth, a lack of size, and/or a lack of experience.   The System can obviously cover up a lot of blemishes your team might be facing, but the question I always have for these coaches is "If you think you can run this without talent, why would you not want to use it when you do have talent?"

If you have spent any time watching the NBA this season, you see how important the 3-point shot is to the game.  Teams like the Rockets, Cavs, Hawks and Warriors have become forces in the league after very disappointing seasons last year because of the addition and development of the 3-point shooters on their respective rosters.  These teams have now become the best of the best because of the superior outside threats throughout their respective rosters.  Even the Cavs have been carried this post season with injuries to Love and Irving and a worn-down Lebron James (at times), by exceptional outside shooting off the bench (it just wasn't enough to finish the series).  Steve Kerr embraced The System principles by going small, accelerating shooters to the deep corners and putting a shooter in the outlet/trail position.

People often misconceive the System to embrace the run and chuck it mentality.  It is far from it.  Will most System teams average closer to 50-60 3-pointers per game?  Yes.  But the idea of creating conscience-free shooters can be extremely liberating and efficient.  Because of this, I am going to be writing a series of System-related philosophy blogs to get your minds working on how you can better utilize the talent you have throughout your roster and the space in your offense while maximizing the strength of your best players.

In Part I, I'll focus on the trail or outlet.  As you will see in most NCAA programs and NBA teams, the trail is often the power forward or the big on the floor.  Coaches predominantly want to get their shooters and athletes up the floor quickly to flatten the defense to the baseline (the other reason Tom Thibodeau is out of a job - the Bulls offense never did this; and therefore, stifling Derrick Rose's talent of getting to the rim), so it makes complete sense to use your bigs to take the ball out.

For years now, I have tweaked that philosophy and have been using my best or second best shooter to be my trail.  I have done this for a number of reasons:

1.  More Space for PG Attack:   I was finding more and more that teams were face-guarding my best shooters on the wings, and we simply were not getting them enough touches in the first pass or two of the break; and therefore, my point guard was slowing down because he/she did not have that quick pass up the floor.  The two defensive bigs would sprint back and sit in the paint making driving the lane impossible.  If defenses continued to face-guard that shooter who was now trailing in the back-court, it now opened up the floor for us to play 4 v 4 basketball on the break, and my point guard now had that much more room to attack and create.  It also encouraged that lead guard to be more aggressive knowing they had shooters in each corner and behind them if they got into trouble.  Our motto for our PGs is to "get as deep into the paint as you can every possession...draw multiple defenders...create lay-ups and wide-open 3s."

2.  Eliminating the Double-team:  With only 1 big on the floor (See GS Warriors), that big can now run parallel with the PG down the floor eliminating any opportunity to double the PG and slow him/her down.  With two shooters running the opposite corners and the big running parallel (or a step or two ahead) of the PG (think running both lanes of the free lanes), it is near impossible to run a second defender at our PG.  If the defensive big leaves to help, the PG has an easy dump for a lay-up.

3.  Playing 2 v 2:  You saw the Warriors really blow the Cavs out of the series because they turned it into a 2 v 2 contest instead of 5 v 5.  If you are not going to leave the 3 shooters on the floor, you are leaving your best ball-handler/passer and your best big/finisher to play 2 v 2 down the middle of the court with no help coming from the wings or the trail.  If you have a good PG and a good finisher, you will score a lot of points if your opponent fears leaving your shooters.  The combination of Curry/Green and Curry/Iguodala was simply too much for the Cavs to match.  Throw in the speed of their pick and roll in the secondary and the patience to find the open man when the Cavs did leave a shooter, and you have an unstoppable offense.  Basketball in it's simplest form!  Although Klay Thompson did not have a great series, he was extremely pivotable in the deciding victories because he kept the defense from ever being able to help from his side of the floor.  He didn't score his usual 20 ppg, but he now has a NBA Championship, and as he said after the game, a great story to tell his grandchildren.

4.  Trail Multi-Functional/Dominant:  Now, when the Cavs decided to leave that trail shooter to help eliminate that 2 v 2 game, the trail was smart enough to float to space or "safety valve" for Curry, and therefore, creating space for multiple shots and easy scoring opportunities for himself.  In the end, Andre Iguodala became the Finals MVP because he was often wide-open to shoot and drive and had clear lanes to dominate the offensive glass.  A Triple Double in the Finals for a guy who did not start one-game in the regular season.

Steve Kerr did not re-invent the game this season.  He did not make complicated changes or create master-mind offensive sets.  He gave his players space and put his best players in a position to maximize that space.  For anyone who has ever coached "The System", Steve Kerr won the NBA Championship straight out of your playbook.

Contact me directly if you have additional questions or would like to discuss the specifics today's blog.

Coach Matt Rogers

Twitter:  @madcoachdiary
Email:  coachrogers12@gmail.com
Linkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/rogersmatt16

Matt Rogers is an 18-year high school and college coach veteran.  He has led two teams to the NCAA National Tournament and one team to a High School State Championship.  His teams hold numerous school and one NCAA record. He has mentored and coached players at every level while serving as an athletics administrator at the high school and NCAA levels for 9 years. He has helped numerous players continue their careers at the professional level. He currently is the Head National Scout for NCSA Athletic Recruiting where he has helped hundreds of young men and women from around the world achieve their dreams of playing at the college level.  Coach presently lives in the Denver, CO area with his wife of 17 years and his two children. 

To request Coach Rogers to speak at your school or event, you can reach him through any of his contact information above.

Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
Charles M. Schulz
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/speed.html#x7iXwGAhPeg3ZV8Z.99

Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
Charles M. Schulz
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/speed.html#x7iXwGAhPeg3ZV8Z.99

Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.
Charles M. Schulz
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/speed.html#x7iXwGAhPeg3ZV8Z.99

#47 The Parent Plan, Part II: Maximizing Talent

Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself. ― William Faulkner

Dad:  "Coach, my son is really good.  I think he is one of the best point guards in the state.  A lot of people compare him to Chris Paul around these parts.  He has played against three kids who have signed at the Division I level and has completely held his own if not out-played every one of them."

Scout:  "Great.  How many coaches are recruiting him?"

Dad:  "None."

Scout:  "What are his grades and test scores?"

Dad:  "2.4 GPA and a 17 ACT"

Scout:  "How big is he?"

Dad:  "5-9"

Scout:  "How big were those three D1 kids he played against?  What were their grades?"

Dad:  "6-0 to -6-2 and I don't know their grades"

Unfortunately, this is the type of conversation I have every day.  A lot of families think their son or daughter's talent increases through osmosis; and therefore, their son/daughter's recruitment should be the same as their "contemporaries".

He played on the same floor of this great player.  Doesn't that mean he is equally as great?

We live in a big old diverse world of questionable facts and knowledge.

I talked to Johnny's dad, and he told me that Johnny got 10 offers after going to one of those Elite Showcases.  We should probably do the same thing?

When we make decisions about things we don't understand based on other people's experiences and abilities, we end up wasting effort, time, and money.  If someone with chiseled abs and a 6-pack looks great in a tight t-shirt, that doesn't mean that shirt is going to look good on you, too.

Recruiting is very individualistic and a very unscientific process for many coaches.  There are thousands of coaches who each have their own diverse opinions, perspectives, processes, and obstacles.  There is no such thing as a round peg fitting into every round hole.  At the end of the day, each parent must help their child with a concrete plan to maximize their specific ability and opportunity.

In Parent Plan Part I of this 3-part series, I talked about maximizing financial aid to help pay for college.  In Part II, we will focus on maximizing your child's talent to give him or her the best opportunity to reach their own specific potential.  For every 6'3" D1 point guard, there is a thousand 5'7" to 5'10" good high school point guards who have the potential to play in college.  Those can be daunting if not depressing numbers if you are of the  5'7"-5'10" variety.

How do you take that smaller frame or lesser athleticism in a sea of bigger, stronger, faster to separate you from the pack?

1.  Make sure your child, and not you, is the one committed to playing in college.  Sit your son/daughter down and ask them if they just would like to play or if they are COMMITTED to playing in college.  If the answer is "just like to play", stop right here.  They have no business thinking about playing in college.  You are on the wrong path.  If the answer is "committed", move to step 2.

2.  Your son/daughter should go to their high school coach and/or club coach and ask this very specific question:  "Coach, I want to be a varsity starter next year" or "Coach, I want to be All-Conference next year, what do you want to see from me this off-season to become that player for your program?"  Your high school coach controls a lot of your child's destiny.  If your son/daughter is not asking that specific question, they have no idea what that coach expects from them.  Don't speculate or guess.  Get the facts.  You might not like the answer, but at least you'll know that coach's expectations.  That coach also NOW knows how driven you are and knows your goals.  That's a huge way to get your coach to start paying extra attention to you, and you know the things you need to be working on right away.

3.  Work to be in the best shape of your life.  Running, strength training, speed/quickness development have to be a part of your daily life if you want to be recruited.  Go run a mile right now as hard as you can and time it.  Your goal for the end of the summer is to trim that by 1 minute. Know who you are today and set goals to be better in the next 3 months.

4.  Develop your routine.  You wake-up, you go to school at a certain time, you move from class to class at certain times.  Make your off-season regimen the same.  Plan out your days for conditioning, playing, skill development, sleep/rest, eating, and having fun.  Stick to the routine and you will be amazed at how quickly you improve.

5.  Develop your skills.  Repetition is great, but the quality of the repetition is everything.  Make sure you are practicing and training the right way.  Ask for help from those who know your sport very well.  If you can afford it, consider hiring a trainer or sport specific trainer.  We always work harder when someone is pushing us, especially if we trust their expertise.

6.  Get on the same page.  Too often mom and dad are outside observers.  Even if you never played the sport your child plays, you can still rebound for them or turn on the ball machine so they have tennis balls to hit.  Do it together.  Show them how invested you are in them, so they know they are not alone in this journey to accomplish their dreams.  It would do you good to workout with them too. Get yourself healthy while your son/daughter becomes world class!

Contact me directly if you have additional questions or would like to discuss the specifics of your child's training in more depth.  

Coach Matt Rogers

Twitter:  @madcoachdiary
Email:  coachrogers12@gmail.com
Linkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/rogersmatt16

Matt Rogers is an 18-year high school and college coach veteran.  He has led two teams to the NCAA National Tournament and one team to a High School State Championship.  His teams hold numerous school and one NCAA record. He has mentored and coached players at every level while serving as an athletics administrator at the high school and NCAA levels for 9 years. He has helped numerous players continue their careers at the professional level. He currently is the Head National Scout for NCSA Athletic Recruiting where he has helped hundreds of young men and women from around the world achieve their dreams of playing at the college level.  Coach presently lives in the Denver, CO area with his wife of 17 years and his two children. 

To request Coach Rogers to speak at your school or event, you can reach him through any of his contact information above.

#46 The Argument for Socrates In Your Program

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.

Socrates

Over Memorial Day weekend, I had the pleasure of spending a number of hours with my new neighbor who happens to be a PhD Professor of Medical Ethics at a very prestigious university in Colorado.  We spent a good three hours talking about how to get students and future professionals to learn how to think on their own...and maybe more importantly, how to be able to consistently adapt to conflict, change, newness, etc. when life throws them curve balls.

The longer we talked, the more we came back to the ideas of a philosopher who lived 1600 years ago: Socrates.  Whether we are talking about teaching future doctors medical ethics or teaching the pick and roll to basketball players, the Socratic Method is one that all coaches/teachers should consider making a bigger part of their day to day lesson planning. Maybe a better thought would be using the Socratic Method to train yourself to be less of a coach and more of a sharer of knowledge.

For those of you not familiar with the Socratic Method, it is the simple idea of two (or more) people asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas.  So, how does this work in coaching?  Here is a good example of utilizing the Socratic Method in your coaching:

• Your player asks you "Coach, how many shots should I get up this summer to become a better shooter?"  
• The coach believes the premise of this player's question not to be true, and says "Repetition is a fine thing, but could repetition alone also make you a worse shooter?"
• The player then reflects and says, "I guess, yes, if I don't shoot game shots with proper technique and consistent speed.  What should my repetitions look like then?"
• With both you and your player coming to the same conclusion through asking questions to stimulate each other's thinking, the coach can now present simple guidance and challenges to make that players repetitions more significant.

You might be thinking, "That is really quite elementary.  I already use the Socratic Method in my coaching."  The real truth is that you probably think you do, but if someone surveyed your players, would they agree?  I think most coaches would have simply given an arbitrary number. For example, "I would like to see you shoot 200 shots per day as often as possible.  Shoot 50 free throws, 50 3-pointers, and 100 shots off the dribble from all parts of the floor."  This is far from a bad answer, but did it make that player see how to develop himself better?

While choosing to have Socrates as your assistant or mental guide, you are choosing to be a coach who doesn't just tell his/her players how to play the game in one scenario.  You instead are teaching your players how to think and react no matter the scenario.  There's an old proverb that goes something like this that most people have heard dozens of times, "You can give a man a fish and feed him for a day or you can teach him how to fish, so he knows how to feed himself forever."  I'm not sure Socrates, the coach, would have argued that line of thinking.

Ask questions.  Expect questions in return.  In the scenario above, the coach made the player better by leading him to find a path to make himself better.  Are you putting yourself in a position for your players to lead you to becoming a better coach?

Put 10 minutes into researching Socrates and his "method", and you may find that you have only just begun to unleash the wisdom that lays dormant in your program.

Have a great day!

Coach Matt Rogers

Twitter:  @madcoachdiaryEmail:  coachrogers12@gmail.comLinkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/rogersmatt16

Matt Rogers is an 18-year high school and college coach veteran.  He has led two teams to the NCAA National Tournament and one team to High School State Championship.  His teams hold numerous school and one NCAA record. He has mentored and coached players at every level while serving as an athletics administrator at the high school and NCAA levels for 9 years. He has helped numerous players continue their careers at the professional level. He currently is the Head National Scout for NCSA Athletic Recruiting where he has helped hundreds of young men and women from around the world achieve their dreams of playing at the college level.  Coach presently lives in the Denver, CO area with his wife of 17 years and his two children. 

To request Coach Rogers to speak at your school or event, you can reach him through any of his contact information above.

#45 Why Families Should Use NCSA

I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way.  --Carl Sandburg

As I tell families, I was born in the middle of a cornfield in a tiny town in rural northern Illinois. Neither of my parents went to college, so we were, quite frankly, clueless to not only the recruitment process but to the plethora of opportunities in the country that I was capable of attending and playing sports.  The love and support I had from my family was invaluable, and I truly believe that I received a great education from my seasoned teachers.  However, college athletics was something that seemed unattainable to someone like me, and no one in my hometown knew any different.  Sound familiar?
Since I started coaching at the college level in the early 2000's, I began to utilize NCSA Athletic Recruiting for their expertise in helping me find young people around the country that fit my program and helped make my process of filling my roster with talented young people from around the country/world a much more efficient process.  See Post #43.  

Now that I scout full-time for NCSA, I wish NCSA would have been around 25 years ago when I was going through this scary journey.  So many families come to me and our team every day from around the world [We will evaluate close to 1 million student-athletes world-wide this year alone] feeling just like my family and I did.  They are lost.  They are not even sure college athletics is possible for their child.  They are searching for answers and clarity.  Most have heard 20 different things from 20 different people and no one seems to have the right answers for them.

NCSA takes politics, HS/Club reputation, geography, economics, and relationships out of the equation.  We care only that we educate families on the facts, and in the meantime, find great young student-athletes that fit the qualifications/criteria of the 40,000+ coaches we recruit for who demand outstanding young people from us.

Why should your family choose to be evaluated by an NCSA Head Scout?

1.  You will be evaluated by college scouts/former college coaches/athletes FOR college coaches
2.  You will have national exposure to every college program in the country
3.  You will learn your value at the college level and be taught how to create leverage for your future, so you have choices to where you play and go to college
4.  You will be treated as an individual, and your individual preferences will always be our priorities
5.  You will have the BEST tools and resources on the planet to get matched with every coach in the country
6.  If you are qualified (.See Post #41), you will begin communicating with those coaches immediately.

The next question I always get...What does this all cost?  We are the National Collegiate Scouting Association (http://www.ncsasports.org/), so we have to find 10s-of-thousands of student-athletes every year who are capable of playing at the next level.  With that said, we do not charge for any evaluation, nor do we charge qualified student-athletes from having an activated profile in our network.  Therefore, if you are qualified, you can be visible to every college coach in the country.

Granted, most families, after activation, choose to partner with NCSA and invest in a membership with us.  Memberships allow families to use our services and tools to maximize their respective child's recruitment.  We will produce professional highlight films, evaluate athletes and match them with best-fit colleges around the country, educate families on the intricacies of college recruiting in our nightly live webinars, tutor student-athletes in preparation for the ACT/SAT in partnership with world class Princeton Review tutors, and we will even help our student-athletes with their career development and our extremely popular job/internship board.

We even have processes in place that allow us to help EVERY family no matter their financial situation.  Grants and scholarships are available to those who qualify, and with our partnership with the NFLPA, we are able to help thousands of kids and low income families every year make their dream of going to college come true.

I want to help your child play sports in college, and I need great student-athletes to introduce to our coaches.  The great thing about this opportunity is that you can accomplish a lot of your present recruitment needs as a family without having to invest.  Regardless of your needs, we want every student-athlete to find their path to college.

What are you waiting for?  Go make your dreams come true today.  Get evaluated and take control of your future!

Coach Matt Rogers
Head National Scout
NCSA Athletic Recruiting
www.ncsasports.org
Twitter:  @madcoachdiary
Email:  mrogers@ncsasports.org
Linkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/rogersmatt16

#44 Creating a Championship Off-Season

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. 
--Calvin Coolidge

A lot is happening right now in most coach's worlds; even though, we are half-way through May and practice does not start for most of you for another 7 months.  However, this is the time where championships can be won or lost.  What are you doing to make sure your team continues to develop the way you want them to; especially if your respective rules do not allow you to work with them until October or November?  Here's a few tips to start building your next championship:

1.  WATCH FILM 
Now is the time to pull out your game film from last year.  Evaluate your talent, your decisions, and your demeanor and start taking notes.  I wouldn't put too much time into beating yourself or your kids up as you watch film, but do start addressing how you want to change your priorities for next season.  Here's 5 things that I recommend focusing on when watching last year's film:

1. Were your kids in good enough shape?  Were they strong enough mentally and physically?
2. Were your rotations designed to make every player an impact player or to just rest your best players?
3. Were you prepared to be the best defensive and rebounding team on the floor?  Did you put enough emphasis on being great at man-to-man pressure and winning the "team" rebound battle every possession?  Were your guards aggressively awesome rebounders or did you put too much pressure on your bigs to own that alone?
4. How did you handle good runs and bad runs?  Were you the coach you wanted to be on the sidelines and in time-outs?  What can you practice now to help you be more under control; and therefore, keep your kids relaxed when they need you the most?  Were you prepared for every situation?  Trust me, you'll know the answer to that when you watch film.
5. Did your offensive and defensive philosophies make sense for the talent you had or did you just install the systems you wanted to teach?  Evaluate your kids coming back and ask yourself, what do they need to reach their individual potential?  Position?  Who do they play best with?  That might mean one of your best players needs to come off the bench or one of your lesser shooters who is also a great defender and tempo creator needs to be a starter in front of a better scorer.

2.  MAKE YOUR PLAYERS BE COACHES

I finally reached my potential as a player when I was finally in a position to teach what I knew.  Unfortunately, I was 23 and my college career was over.  Take advantage of your camps or colleagues' camps to get your kids on the floor with younger players.  Make them teach what you know they need to be great at:  shooting technique, defensive positioning/rotations, rebounding technique/instinct development, and managing game situations.  The more they coach those things, the more it will become a part of them and less of something they do because you told them to.

3.  WRITE TO YOUR PLAYERS

If you have the time, make it a point of emphasis to write each of your players in your program a hand-written letter.  Use the letter as an opportunity to open up to them and express your desire to create the relationship you want to have with them.  If you are proud of them, tell them.  If you expect more of them this upcoming season, tell them that too, but also be humble.  Tell them that you expect more out of yourself, too, and you want a partnership in which each of you will commit to making each other better every day.

Kids don't get letters anymore, so a letter from their coach that is personal, direct, and motivational will inspire them more than you know.  Do they know how much you love them and believe in them?  Make sure they do now.

If you don't have time to write 12-15 individual letters in the next few weeks, start a weekly blog or email to your players.  Use it to remind them about upcoming games, events, etc, but also use it as a way to share tips, thoughts or motivational quotes or stories.  Trust me, the kids will look forward to those emails and will stay focused on the long journey ahead because of them.  I've done a weekly summer newsletter for almost 15 years.  I am happy to discuss your ideas and share some of mine that I have used in the past.

4.  GET EXCITED!

Now is the time to start getting excited about next season.  The 2015-16 season is your oyster.  What kind of pearl do you want to create?  Let go of any disappointments from last year.  Listen to your head and gut and start planning the GREAT season you want to have this winter.  Is it time to be you and throw a wrench into what you have done in the past.  Be creative.  Be different.  Show your kids that you aren't messing around, and you are going to put together the best experience they could possibly dream of.

As always, please let me know where I can help you and your kids.  I look forward to hearing your stories and if these ideas are helpful to you!

Go make your dreams come true!

Coach Matt Rogers
Twitter:  @madcoachdiary
Email:  coachrogers12@gmail.com
Linkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/rogersmatt16