Coach Mike-
National Scouting Director with CSA PrepStar
Professional collegiate sports scout working with qualified next level student-athletes to find the right college athletic and academic fit.
Today is Opening Day! Baseball is back!!! I’m so excited to see sports that today, and today only, I will be giving away a copy of my ultimate guide to writing recruiting emails that get student athletes noticed! FREE!
Every athlete needs to know how to properly communicate the information that college coaches really want to know about recruits.
My goal in this ebook is to guide student-athletes with valuable tips and easy to fill in templates they can use to write recruiting emails that get them noticed.
What is the key to writing recruiting emails that actually catch the attention of a college coaches? How do other athletes do it? And what information should be included when writing an email to a college coach?
Recruiting emails are most effective when a properly written to peak the curiosity of college coaches and get noticed.
To get your FREE copy of my ultimate guide to writing recruiting emails that get student athletes noticed text the word FREE to 480-605-4050.
Clearly, recruiting for the class of 2021 has taken on a much different timeline than years past. As most student athletes are aware, the NCAA has extended the Dead Period to September 31st. So what’s next? Lately, I’ve been getting questions about this so here are a few helpful pieces of information.
While it is true that summer evaluations have been hamstrung, comparatively, this isn’t much different than in years past because as of August 1, the Dead Period/ Quiet Period starts. At this time, college coaches may not have face to face contact with athletes or their parents. It also means that college coaches cannot watch players compete UNLESS that student athlete is actually on the college campus for a camp or college visit.
Now, following the Dead Period is the Evaluation period from September 1- November 30. By definition the evaluation period permits college coaches to watch college-bound student-athletes compete. Ideally, this will allow for student-athletes to be evaluated during Fall season sports.
Next comes early singing period staring in November 13 for sports other than football and December 18-20 for football. Keep in mind that around 5% of athletes from the 2021 recruiting class sign early. Typically, the majority of the recruiting class sign in the Spring. Further, recruits can sign until the August 1 cut off date.
What does the extensions and delays mean for student-athlete seeking to get recruited? Student-athletes should focus on the things that they can control. Photo by Fitsum Admasu on Unsplash
Give the delays as a result of covid-19 for ACT and SAT tests coupled with cancellations of evaluation related camps it is likely for a significant number of the 2021 recruiting class to sign late.
What does this mean for student-athlete seeking to get recruited? Student-athletes should focus on the things that they can control. First, the primary focus at this time is to keep preparing for the season. Stay in shape, keep up the workouts and stay hungry. Second, when school begins concentrate on getting the best grades possible. Don’t slack off or miss assignments. Take care of your academics and when the time comes your academics will take care of you. Third, it is important to be patient with the process. These contact periods are designed to slow down the process so that coaches have adequate time to scout prospects. Now that covid-19 has impacted the process it is even more important to be patine. Last, and perhaps most important during the delay, players can, and should, continue reaching out to coaches during all contact periods so that they stay on the radar.
By now, it is likely that you are aware that the NCAA has once again extended the recruiting Dead Period. While the dead period does limit in person evaluation there are plenty of ways you can use the dead period to your advantage to get looks from coaches.
To quickly review from the newsletter last month the Dead Period extension means that college coaches and recruits are not permitted to have
in person evaluations
official campus visits
in person contact
So, even though coaches may not have in person contact, campus visits or personal evaluations college coaches can communicate with student-athletes and their parents.
Again, these are typical Dead Period restrictions. However, like any other Dead Period the recruiting calendar, the extension does not stop the recruiting process.
Generally, the purpose of the Dead Period is to give college coaches opportunity to digitally scout, research, and yes, recruit student athletes! However, relating to this extension the talk is that the reason for the recent extension is to allow coaches to focus on transitioning athletes back to camps and to allow time to acclimated. While, this reason may be more applicable to winter and spring sports more than fall, since many college fall sports programs began the transition process in June.
So, if anything this a promising sign that the college season is about to be underway. In turn, if the college season is underway, then the Dead Period will most surely be lifted.
Now here are some ideas that you can use to take advantage of the things athletes and coaches are allowed to do during the dead period.Ideas:
Make more game footage highlights
Make game recaps
Film hitting and fielding video
Film workouts video
Film training sessions (workouts, agility work, etc)
Film agility workouts
Attend online prospect days / virtual visits
Tag me on your post for social media (@michaelwoosley)
The goal here is to keep you recruiting moving forward by providing content for coaches to review. To do this, you have to be creative, stay focused and use the resources that you have available.
A really great interview and article about ways to use the Dead Period to your advantages is to take from Sports Illustrated from June 25, 2020
In mid-June, I recorded an Interview with Jody Jones, retired military (Army air traffic control & air space manager) parent of four student athletes, and just a tremendously supportive parent. He graciously took the time to share with me his perspective.
Admittedly, he was with a competitor before coming to PrepStar team and he shares some of the struggles and lessons learned from that experience.
Intro
3:20 The process- how did you know it was time to get started? 4:08 Not knowing the recruiting process 6:20- Leveraging camps with exposure 6:40 DJ’s offers 7’:10 Using social media 7:30 Narrowing down the offers / making the decisions. 11:10 His experience explained 11:56 Parent involvement 12:36 How he found PrepStar 12:58 Started with a competitor first, lesson learned 13:23 One of million, no, I want to be one of a few 13:51 Different feel when I talked to Coach Mike 14:31 Coach Mike making a call and getting DJ an official visit 17:00 The advantage of starting early 17:38 Early exposure to put your athlete on the radar 17:56 Start as soon as possible 18:37 No criticism for using an outlet like PrepStar, but did with the competitor 19:15 Investing in your kids 19:35 Prepstar is a win-win situation 20:10 Supporting your kids, then the rest is up to them 22:30 Process is overwhelming for athletes… 22:55 The benefit of having supportive people around you 25:40 Verbal commitment is not signing… 26:30 Deciding to graduate early 28:30 Overall experience with PrepStar 29:02 Coach Mike and the PrepStar tam responded…it makes a difference 29:30 The importance of an interactive recruiting program 30:20 It feels like family
Many student athletes and parents should be aware what the extension means and how it impacts recruiting. for their student athlete. The goal of this blog is to answer those questions.
To begin, the Dead Period extension means that college coaches and recruits are not permitted to have
in person evaluations
official campus visits
in person contacts
These are typical Dead Period restrictions. However, like any other Dead Period throughout the recruiting calendar, the extension does not stop the recruiting process.
Even during the extended Dead Period college coaches are still recruiting. Homepage screenshot: ESPN football recruiting May 19, 2020
So, let’s break down the Dead Period. At the core, the Dead Period is designed to give college coaches opportunity to digitally scout, research, and yes, recruit student athletes! It’s somewhat of a respite for college coaches. The Dead Period provides coaches the time and space to recruit players without interruptions.
The NCAA defines the Dead Period as, “a period a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.”
Again, coaches may not have in person contact, campus visits or personal evaluations. They can, however, communicate with student-athletes and their parents.
Process, Preparation & Performance podcast– these guys do a great job covering a wide array of topics related to high school football and high school recruiting.
In early May, I was a guest on theProcess, Preparation & Performance podcast, part of the Breakdown Sports network of coaches in the state of Missouri. Coach Duke and Coach JR are consummate professionals with a passion impact high school athletes. It was a blast talking football and high school recruiting. We talked a lot about the many kinds of recruiting programs, the recruiting process and even shared some fun stories along the way. I can’t wait to be on again!
Through the Process, Preparation & Performance podcast, both athletes and parents will discover how these guys do a great job covering a wide array of topics related to high school football and high school recruiting. On the podcast page you can find interesting interviews of high school administrators, high school referees, high school coaches, college coaches and pretty much everyone in between!
I encourage you to make time to check out this quality podcast!
Now that the powers that be are deciding to loosen the stay-at-home restrictions soon practices and games will resume. This is very exciting news. Recently, many of my conversations with coaches and athletes suggest that teams are starting to come together at the end of June and first week of July. However, there will definitely be some modifications.
Here’s what we know.
Sport will look like sport but it will be different
there will be weird restrictions and over cautious regulations (no spiting in baseball????)
there will be fewer fans in the stands
What we can be sure of
sports are back
athletes will compete
recruting will continue to move forward
What will soon be known
those that put in the work will succeed
those that didn’t will fail
those that stopped their recruiting will surely be behind.
As I have written before, high performing athletes have no off season. Their goals won’t allow them to take time off. Instead, those goals are like a magnet drawing them in.
But for those who decided to slack off, or who were convinced that recruiting wasn’t happing during the Dead Period, here are a few things to do immediately.
Get off your a*s and get to work! There is nothing more to say about that .
Get some help, right away. Find someone who has the contacts necessary to get your name out there. Exposure is key to the recruiting game. Get it right away.
Invest in yourself. It will cost you time, sweat, and money to get recruited. Nothing worthwhile is free but things that are worthwhile come at a cost. Truthfully, it will cost you now or cost you in the future, so you can invest in yourself now or pay the price in the future.
Many student athletes and parents should be aware what the extension means and how it impacts recruiting. for their student athlete. The goal of this blog is to answer those questions.
To begin, the Dead Period extension means that college coaches and recruits are not permitted to have
in person evaluations
official campus visits
in person contacts
These are typical Dead Period restrictions. However, like any other Dead Period throughout the recruiting calendar, the extension does not stop the recruiting process.
Even during the extended Dead Period college coaches are still recruiting. Homepage screenshot: ESPN football recruiting May 19, 2020
So, let’s break down the Dead Period. At the core, the Dead Period is designed to give college coaches opportunity to digitally scout, research, and yes, recruit student athletes! It’s somewhat of a respite for college coaches. The Dead Period provides coaches the time and space to recruit players without interruptions.
The NCAA defines the Dead Period as, “a period a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.”
Again, coaches may not have in person contact, campus visits or personal evaluations. They can, however, communicate with student-athletes and their parents.
“As adults, and especially as adults who have considerable influence on our athletes, it is important to model behaviors that demonstrate responsibility, residence, and respect. “ Shortly after the quarantine I wrote a blog on Elite Athletes Recruiting as a reminder to coaches and people of influence about the example to set for the athletes entrusted to them.
Now, restrictions are starting to loosen and in matter of time athletes will return to competition.
Soon, the time coming for athletes to return to the field of competition. Certainly, for some states it will happen sooner than others. Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
Major sports organizations are posting planned start dates along with guidelines required for player participation such as waivers, safety regulations, phases, stages and guidelines.
Certainly, the time coming for athletes to return to the field of competition. For some states it will happen sooner than others. As an example, in my home state of Arizona, plans are in process for competition to begin be the end of May. Many other states have yet to be so bold, but surely completion will return. I’m confident of that.
With the light at the end of the tunnel starting to come into view, I still think what i wrote in March is relevant. As adults, and especially as adults who have considerable influence on our athletes, it is important to model behaviors that demonstrate responsibility, residence, and respect. “
Athletes and families are looking to us. Lead them.
Yes, thats right. Its almost over. Soon the quarantine will be lifted and in turn athletes can return to competition. So the question for student-athletes will be, what did you do during the quarantine to help move your recruiting forward?
Hopefully, time has been invested in recruiting video. Video is crucial to the recruiting process, because most coaches recruit digitally first before seeing an athlete in person. Right now, with the stay at home policies in place, coaches have relied on video to recruit digitally.
So, what kind of recruiting video is most beneficial? And, what footage should the video feature?
Actually, the answer varies by sport. For example, game video is paramount for high school football prospects. However, sports like baseball, softball, and soccer require that skills video also accompanies game footage. Keep in mind, the purpose of the recruiting video, no matter the sport, is to demonstrate position specific athletic skills.
It may be a matter of debate, it makes little difference if the video is professionally recorded or self-recorded.
Though it may be a matter of debate, it makes little difference if the video is professionally recorded or self-recorded. In most situations, quality cellphone video works well. I’ve recored skills video with a video camera, iPad and iPhone with good success. What matters most is the quality of athletic content not necessarily the quality of content. College coaches must be able to clearly identify the player and clearly view all the required skills. Last year, I was talking with several scouts at a major tournament here in Phoenix, when the Oregon scout got up, took out his cell phone, walked over to the fence and began recording a players at-bat. Right there, I thought, ‘well if it’s good enough for Oregon then it’s good enough for others.’
Lastly, it should be obvious that having no video will surely stifle the recruiting process. Athletes trying to get recruited without video will find it almost impossible to gain interest. In fact, limited exposure will surely put the student-athlete at a tremendous recruiting disadvantage.
Here are 5 quick tips from a previous article I wrote about recruiting video
Always make sure the video is appropriately timed (4-5 minutes)
Next, make sure that your best plays are in the first 30 to 60 seconds.
Then make sure to highlight position specific skills.
Most importantly, highlight videos should feature you, not other players.
Lastly, keep questionable plays out of your video.
Because highlight videos carry a lot of significance in your recruiting I’m glad to review your highlight videos before you send them to a coach or post them online. You want some outside help with your recruiting video. If so, schedule a FREE recruiting video consultation where I will take a look at your highlight or skills video to provide you helpful tips and feedback. Schedule your free recruiting video review here.
Elite Athletes Recruiting 