D3baseball.com Daily Dose

It is great to see the support for all the teams and players here at Fox Cities Stadium. As game one got under way, I heard some excitement from the Cortland State crowd. Soon I was able to identify some of the supporters. Steve Assmann is here with his wife Nancy and his in-laws Pauline and Ron Tucker. They made the 14.5 hour trip from Auburn NY. Their son Mike was on the Cortland team two years ago, but did not make the trip to Appleton. This year, he is here at Appleton and the Assmanns and Tuckers could not be happier for Cortland and their son. I will follow-up with Steve and the group as they weekend progresses.

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division III Baseball Committee has released its postselection regional poll. The committee has ranked the top 15 percent of eligible teams in each region. The following teams, with records through May 16, were included in this week’s regional poll.

Central Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Buena Vista 29-9 29-11
2. North Central (Ill.) 26-9 31-9
3. Carthage 23-13 28-16
4. North Park 24-12 28-15
5. Ripon 22-11 24-15
6. Webster 28-3 33-9

Mid-Atlantic Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Johns Hopkins 34-2 38-4
2. Kean 30-7 34-10
3. Widener 24-8 25-12
4. Alvernia 29-10 32-10
5. Keystone 27-6 29-7
6. Rowan 22-11-1 24-14-1
7. FDU-Florham 31-10 33-11
8. DeSales 22-13 25-17
9. Penn State-Behrend 28-13 29-15

Mideast Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Heidelberg 34-6 37-6
2. Wooster 30-6 34-7
3. Marietta 24-10 32-11
4. Washington and Jefferson 29-7 32-10
5. Adrian 26-11 29-11
6. Manchester 21-14 26-19
7. Thomas More 30-12 31-14

Midwest Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. UW-Whitewater 33-4 38-5
2. St. Thomas 32-6 33-7
3. St. Scholastica 31-5 38-6
4. UW-Stevens Point 25-13 29-15
5. Concordia (Ill.) 27-6 31-9
6. Bethany Lutheran 28-10 29-11

New England Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Tufts 22-3 31-5
2. Wheaton (Mass.) 30-7 32-8
3. Western New England 31-10 33-10
4. Eastern Connecticut State 25-12 30-13
5. Worcester State 30-9-1 31-9-1
6. Keene State 21-13-1 26-15-1
7. Westfield State 30-9 30-9
8. Bowdoin 22-13 25-15
9. Curry 28-12 29-13
10. WPI 23-11 23-11

New York Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. SUNY Cortland 27-4-1 32-8-1
2. St. John Fisher 27-12 28-12
3. Oneonta State 25-11 28-11
4. Plattsburgh State 18-9 30-10
5. Rochester 28-12 29-12
6. Staten Island 29-11 31-11

South Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Shenandoah 26-7 34-8
2. Salisbury 23-10 27-11
3. Mary Washington 19-11 26-12
4. York (Pa.) 28-14 28-14
5. Millsaps 23-12 25-15
6. Methodist 24-13 28-14

West Region In-Region Overall Record
1. Chapman 25-5 30-9
2. Linfield 28-7 30-10
3. Pomona-Pitzer 27-7 29-9
4. Texas-Tyler 31-9 35-10
5. Mississippi College 32-6 36-9
6. Trinity (Texas) 28-6 32-7

[Note: The above rankings do not guarantee a team’s selection into the national championship.]

The NCAA Division III Baseball Committee has released its third 2010 regional poll. The committee has ranked the top 15 percent of eligible teams in each region. The first record is regional record, followed by overall record. Selection information, along with a postselection poll, will be posted Monday, May 17.

The first record is regional record, followed by overall record.

Central Region :
1. Buena Vista 26-9 26-11
2. North Central (Ill.) 26-7 31-7
3. St. Norbert 20-7 23-10
4. North Park 23-10 27-13
5. Carthage 21-11 26-14
6. Webster 25-3 30-9

Mid-Atlantic Region
1. Johns Hopkins 34-2 38-4
2. Kean 28-7 32-10
3. Widener 24-8 25-12
4. Alvernia 29-10 32-10
5. Rowan 22-11-1 24-14-1
6. FDU-Florham 29-9 31-10
7. DeSales 22-13 25-17
8. Keystone 24-6 26-7
9. Frostburg State 21-7 29-11

Mideast Region
1. Heidelberg 31-6 34-6
2. Marietta 22-8 30-9
3. Washington and Jefferson 27-5 30-8
4. Wooster 30-6 34-7
5. John Carroll 21-10 25-14
6. Adrian 26-11 29-11
7. Anderson 19-9 26-14

Midwest Region
1. UW-Whitewater 30-3 35-4
2. St. Thomas 28-5 29-6
3. St. Scholastica 27-4 34-5
4. UW-Stevens Point 23-11 27-13
5. Rockford 24-12-1 26-12-1
6. Concordia (Ill.) 27-6 31-9

New England Region
1. Tufts 22-3 31-5
2. Wheaton (Mass.) 30-7 32-8
3. Western New England 31-10 33-10
4. Eastern Connecticut State 24-10 29-11
5. Keene State 20-11-1 25-13-1
6. Worcester State 30-9-1 31-9-1
7. Westfield State 30-9 30-9
8. Bowdoin 22-13 25-15
9. Curry 26-12 27-13
10. WPI 23-11 23-11

New York Region
1. Cortland State 26-4-1 31-8-1
2. St. John Fisher 27-12 28-12
3. Rochester 27-10 28-10
4. Plattsburgh State 18-9 30-10
5. Oneonta State 25-11 28-11
6. Staten Island 29-10 31-10

South Region
1. Shenandoah 26-7 34-8
2. Salisbury 23-9 27-10
3. Mary Washington 19-11 26-12
4. York (Pa.) 28-14 28-14
5. Millsaps 23-12 25-15
6. Methodist 24-13 28-14

West Region
1. Chapman 25-5 30-9
2. Linfield 28-7 30-10
3. Pomona-Pitzer 27-7 29-9
4. Texas-Tyler 31-9 35-10
5. Mississippi College 32-6 36-9
6. Trinity (Texas) 28-6 32-7

The NCAA Division III Baseball Committee has released its second 2010 regional poll. The committee has ranked the top 15 percent of eligible teams in each region. The following teams, with records through May 4, were included in this week’s regional poll. The next poll will be released May 13.

The first record is regional record, followed by overall record.

Central Region
1. Buena Vista 23-8 23-10
2. St. Norbert 14-7 17-10
3. North Central (Ill.) 23-5 28-5
4. Carthage 18-9 23-12
5. Webster 26-2 31-8
6. North Park 20-10 24-12

Mid-Atlantic Region
1. Johns Hopkins 32-1 36-3
2. Alvernia 29-8 32-8
3. Kean 25-7 29-10
4. Widener 20-6 21-10
5. Rowan 21-10-1 23-13-1
6. DeSales 21-11 24-15
7. FDU-Florham 27-7 29-8
8. Keystone 22-6 24-7
9. Frostburg State 21-7 29-11

Mideast Region
1. Heidelberg 27-6 30-6
2. Marietta 20-8 27-9
3. Washington and Jefferson 24-4 27-7
4. Wooster 30-6 34-7
5. Adrian 23-10 26-10
6. John Carroll 17-8 21-12
7. Franklin 14-6 22-10

Midwest Region
1. UW-Whitewater 28-3 33-4
2. St. Thomas 24-5 25-6
3. St. Scholastica 25-4 32-5
4. UW-Stevens Point 20-9 24-11
5. Concordia (Ill.) 25-6 29-9
6. Edgewood 20-11 24-12

New England Region
1. Tufts 19-3 27-5
2. Wheaton (Mass.) 27-7 29-8
3. Westfield State 28-7 28-7
4. Western New England 26-8 28-8
5. Eastern Connecticut State 22-9 27-10
6. Keene State 18-11-1 23-13-1
7. Bowdoin 20-9 23-11
8. Curry 25-12 26-13
9. WPI 21-10 21-10
10. Trinity (Conn.) 17-10 18-11

New York Region
1. Cortland State 25-3-1 30-7-1
2. Plattsburgh State 18-7 30-8
3. St. John Fisher 26-11 27-11
4. Rochester (New York) 27-9 28-9
5. Staten Island 27-10 30-10
6. Skidmore 20-9 25-11

South Region
1. Shenandoah 26-7 34-8
2. Mary Washington 19-9 26-10
3. York (Pa.) 28-12 28-12
4. Millsaps 23-12 25-15
5. LaGrange 24-16 26-17
6. Methodist 24-13 28-14

West Region
1. Chapman 23-4 26-8
2. Linfield 28-7 30-10
3. Pomona-Pitzer 27-7 29-9
4. Mississippi College 30-4 34-7
5. Trinity (Texas) 28-6 32-7
6. Texas Lutheran 28-11 31-11

By Tom Kovic

Independent navigation in college recruiting can be a daunting effort. Whether it’s investigating NCAA rules and recruiting time-lines or developing and implementing tactics to “get on the radar” of the college coaches on your “A” list of schools, an organized and informed approach to the college quest will give prospects and families the best chance at success.

Gather Information
Gathering information is critical to the successful organization of any worthy project. Building a college recruiting information base can begin as early as the ninth grade as a family hobby and increasingly grow into a highly organized, disciplined project by the end of the junior year.

Begin by gathering information on the potential colleges of choice, including team and coach profiles, statistics, ranking, and academic options. Continue to update and maintain individual e-files on these favorite college programs.

Set Goals and Develop Your Plan
A knowledgeable consumer will have a clear edge in the pursuit of the attainment of important goals. I believe that the same holds true in the college search and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize pertinent information regarding this process and to execute well-designed plans.

Develop timelines that will target general events in the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your data base, and attending tournaments) and continue to move forward with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as your search progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the process.

Run the Offense (Execute)
OK. Your plans are complete, well constructed and clearly spelled out in a language everyone understands. Your calendar is updated and you have listed everything from the next round of SAT’s to the fall homecoming dance! Now it’s time to take the plunge.

You can have the best organized and most highly detailed approach to the college quest, but it won’t amount to a hill of beans if you lack confidence, the desire, and the ability to “execute the plan.” If your strategy is to wait by the phone for the coach to call, in most cases, it’s going to be a long wait. Top prospects will get their fair share of attention, but the majority of athletes will increase their chances in getting on the radar screen of the college coaches by taking a proactive stance and initiating communication with college coaches.

College coaches are strictly bound by a myriad of NCAA contact and evaluation rules that limit them in initiating contact with prospective student-athletes and their families. What few families realize is that although college coaches may have their “hands tied” to some degree, prospects may initiate contact with the college coaches, early on and with very few exceptions

Persistence
The dictionary definition of persistence is: Continuing in spite of opposition; Enduring, lasting or recurrent. In a nutshell, I feel strongly that a persistent effort in every aspect of the college search for athletes will, in the end, give them and their families the greatest chance at success.
The one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish. Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a “pushy” attempt to get on the radar. It could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed.
The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with prospects, coaches’ welcome and encourage kids to drop them an e-mail or pick up the phone and call. That said, it is equally important for prospects to have a realistic view of their potential athletic contribution to a particular program.

Work as a Team
The team approach during the college athletics recruiting process is suggested to maximize efficiency and minimize individual pressure and stress as families navigate a potentially daunting effort. Forming a trustworthy group of individuals who play specific roles during the recruiting cycle will increase your chances of reaching pre-determined goals.
When working your recruiting plan within a team (prospect, parents, club/high school coach, and college advisor) dynamic, the responsibility in effectively executing your recruiting plan is equally distributed to the area experts. All assignments should be clearly spelled out, and communication between team members should be often and consistent. This will help streamline the complete operation of the project and assist the family in avoiding any confusion that could contribute to unclear thinking, misdirection and potentially poor choices.

You have the drive and the desire to take your athletic talent to the next level. You are confident and dedicated to participating as part of a college team and making your athletic pursuit an important compliment to your overall college experience. You are half way there. Remember, your college search is a personal quest, where maintaining “momentum” will make the difference between a fair and great college recruiting experience. Leave nothing to chance and make the commitment to treat the college search as you would treat your goal to experience a championship season.

Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and 120 Q and A’s about College Athletics Recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.

Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.

By Dave Kisor with contributions by Jim Dixon

Not a lot is settled in the first three weeks of the season but getting to a good start helps when you are adding up those in-region wins to see is a Pool C bid is in the works. Four pitchers have gotten their teams to a good start and are looking as if they are already in mid-season form.

Senior Trey Watt of Pacific Lutheran is 2 – 0 with a 2.77 ERA. He currently leads the Lutes with 13 innings pitched, having struck out 16 batters. Watt had six K’s in his first start versus St. Martin’s and followed that up with 10 against Cal Lutheran. With a best ever 7 – 0 start, Pacific’s team ERA is 2.97. Watt appears to be on the same pace as last season when he went 6 – 2 and had 86 strikeouts.

Six-foot-three, 190 lb junior David Colvin (2-1) of Pomona-Pitzer has logged 18 innings in his first three starts and has recorded 25 strikeouts with an ERA of 1.0, allowing two earned runs. In his win against Cal Tech, he gave up just two hits, which was the same number of hits he gave up in six innings versus Westmont. Colvin has started right where he left off last season when he was 8 – 0 with a 3.17 ERA.

Right-hander Tyler Seaman of Mississippi College opened the season against Huntingdon College with six strong innings as he allowed just four hits and two earned runs while striking out six as MC won, 5-2. In his second start, the 6’4” senior recorded five strikeouts in 5.1 innings. His ERA currently stands at 3.18 and the opposition batting average is 0.250. MC is off to a off to a 5 – 1 start.

Last but not least, Texas Lutheran’s Brad Orosey is showing why he was a D3baseball.com preseason All-American. Three games into the season and he has the season’s first no-hitter (179th overall since 1974 in D-III). For his no-hitter against Southwestern, Orosey was named the ASC West Division Pitcher of the Week. With his victory this weekend, Orosey is 3-0 with an ERA of 1.71 and 23 strikeouts.

By Tom Kovic

Today’s college athletic climate is much different than it was 20 years ago and college coaches are under tremendous pressure to achieve two important goals: win and raise money. The one directly affects the other and alumni will enthusiastically support a winning team…and yes, the opposite is true. The cost of effectively managing a successful college athletics department has increased over the years, while support from university subvention has, in most cases, increased slightly if not at all.

This new landscape of college athletics did not just appear. It has evolved over time and it has been driven by a business philosophy that is becoming commonplace on college campuses throughout the country. In many cases, college coaches are seen as CEO’s of small organizations that are expected to produce high results…Regularly.

That said, successful recruitment is an essential skill for the college coaches to hone in order to maximize future team advancement and this is achieved through active cultivation of strong relationships with high school coaches, prospects and their families. College coaches use many tools at their disposal to accomplish their recruiting goals, but they must abide by strict NCAA rules and regulations.

Educate
Education and information are truly powerful tools for families to use in navigating the college search. By developing a foundational base of information related to a new and potentially daunting experience, families and prospects will only increase their awareness about an important life decision that will build confidence and bolster their personal plan for success.

A great way to stay informed about the college search for athletes is to remain updated on all the latest news in college recruiting. A very simple way to do this is to register on Google Alerts for articles pertaining to College Athletics Recruiting. Once registered, you will receive links to articles and information every morning when you fire up your laptop!

Be Proactive
Through the use of telephone, electronic communication, home visits and the offer of official college visits, the college coach will attempt to cultivate a relationship that will hopefully result in matching a prospect with his or her institution in a mutually beneficial recruiting experience.

I encourage each of the student-athletes I advise to do whatever they can to proactively assist college coaches in every area of communication. If prospects are content to sit by the phone for a call from Coach, it’s most likely going to be a long wait. Communication is definitely a two way street, but, at least during the beginning phases of this relationship, it may be a little one sided… And that’s OK!

College coaches are inundated with hundreds of recruiting inquiries and they just don’t have the time to respond “personally” to each e-mail, letter or portfolio they receive. The family who is willing to assist the coaches during the recruiting process and place a premium on initiating contact and following up with any communication from the coaches, will position themselves best for success.

Read the Coach
Successful recruiting takes a grounded approach and a keen understanding of each Coach you communicate with. Develop the ability to “read” the coaches and get a feel for who they are and what they are trying to accomplish in their recruiting effort. I suggest taking an informative approach where parents and prospects “bone up” on the coaches, their program and especially Coach’s philosophy in his/her approach to the college student-athlete experience.

I believe our kids should be looking at the college quest as a “total” opportunity from an academic, athletic and social standpoint, but with the clear understanding that the college Coach they choose will have a direct and significant impact on how their personal values and character will take shape over a 4 year period.

Probe
A productive family recruiting effort will be well planned and impeccably executed. It will involve a team approach that may consist of several “players” including parents, prospect, high school/club coach, college advisor, guidance counselor and personal mentor.

There is no doubt that college coaches want to hear most from the prospects they are recruiting, but the skilled recruiters will expect to field questions from mom and dad as well, who can assist their kids best by “carrying the load” when gathering information about what makes Coach “tick.”

My advice to moms and dads is to prepare well in advance any questions to Coach that may appear “probing” in nature. Don’t ever be anxious to ask the tough questions… But the rule of thumb here is simple: Keep your questions to the point and respectful. Trust me, the coaches will pick-up on your sincerity in a heartbeat.

The college athletic landscape has shifted toward a more “business approach” and so too has the recruiting process. It’s down right competitive out there and the family that grows a greater understanding of college athletics and that which is necessary in planning, launching and committing to a well executed recruiting experience will position themselves strongly. It requires a disciplined and yet flexible approach, where families should have the courage to experience “grey areas” in an effort to separate from the pack and make “impact impressions” on the college coaches they contact.

Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com.

Copyright © 2010 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved.

Boiling down Division III into a few bullet points isn’t easy, and it hasn’t gotten easier as the division has grown. But Division III has been attempting to define itself in a way that can be easily communicated to those on the outside. After a Division II identity statement process ended up with the fairly meaningless “I chose Division II” mantra and D-II wrapped itself in a lot of the things Division III holds dear, it became important to take control of the message.

To us here at D3sports.com, Division III is the highest form of purely amateur athletics in the U.S. It’s where students — note, not “student-athletes” — play for love of the game. Division III competitors get no special treatment, no scholarships, no special privileges, no separate dining halls, no dorms to themselves. They don’t get preferred treatment from their professors; in fact, it’s far more likely they get treated more harshly from teachers who believe they don’t belong in the school.

But distilling that opinion, plus the opinions of hundreds of other Division III true believers, down into a form that can be easily shared and understood, isn’t easy. Here’s how Division III is positioning itself:

“Follow your passions and discover your potential.

“The college experience is a time of learning and growth – a chance to follow passions and develop potential. For student-athletes in Division III, all of this happens most importantly in the classroom and through earning an academic degree. The Division III experience provides for passionate participation in a competitive athletic environment, where student-athletes push themselves to excellence and build upon their academic success with new challenges and life skills. And student-athletes are encouraged to pursue the full spectrum of opportunities available during their time in college. In this way, Division III provides an integrated environment for student-athletes to take responsibility for their own paths, follow their passions and find their potential through a comprehensive learning experience.”

What’s your take?

For more, here’s the NCAA News article on the unveiling.

By Tom Kovic

The dictionary definition of persistence is: Continuing in spite of opposition; Enduring, lasting or recurrent. In a nutshell, I feel strongly that a persistent effort in every aspect of the college search for athletes will, in the end, give prospects and their families the greatest chance at success.

I work with athletes throughout the country in assisting them in putting their plans together for the college search. From place kickers in Southern California to midfield lacrosse players from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish.

Competition in the college quest for athletes has increased dramatically during the past 15 years. Whether you are looking for an athletic scholarship or attempting to gain assistance in admission to an academically select, non-scholarship institution, it is important to plan strategically and have the courage to approach this challenge in ways you might think are contrary to your current thinking.

As a former college coach, I valued greatly the importance of effective recruiting in an attempt to grow my program to the next level. I certainly desired a team that could win championships, but I grew to appreciate more, the importance of attracting athletes who brought a high level of personal integrity to the table. I was after potential “strong links” in an already worthy and dedicated team chain.

Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a “pushy” attempt to get on the radar. It could come across this way if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed. The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects and considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with prospects, coaches’ welcome and encourage kids to drop them an e-mail or pick up the phone and call.

Prospects and families should avoid calling coaches just to say “hello.” I always encourage the students I advise to orchestrate their communication with coaches in a way that will advance the relationship and maintain momentum in the recruiting process. It needs to have “grip.”

Whether you are sharing information with Coach about a sensational game you had over the weekend, or your math score on the SAT that jumped 30 points, give Coach something that will grab his attention and make your personal profile shine a little brighter.
Maintaining a persistent approach in the college recruiting process is a very broad concept. Below are just a few examples where exercising a persistent approach will assist athletes navigate the college search with more confidence:

• Initiate primary contact with college coaches. For example: Develop a personal profile and attach it to a well constructed introductory e-mail.
• The recruiting process is a journey that requires constant effort where “follow-up” in every communication is essential.
• Coaches are bound to very strict contact rules as it applies to recruiting. Prospects and families on the other hand, have very little restrictions when it comes to initiating contact with coaches. Get the ball rolling.
• If you plan to initiate a phone call to a college coach, it may take you up to 10 try’s before you connect. Do not get frustrated!
• If you plan to attend a showcase or tournament where several coaches on your “A” list of schools will be in attendance, don’t “hope” they will be evaluating you… Let them know you will be there and encourage them to observe you.
• If you happen to be a senior and you are a bit behind in the college search, cultivate a relationship with the coaches and always be sincere in your interest in their institution. You will position yourself best when you reach the point in asking Coach if you can take take that overnight visit to campus and spend time with the team.

Maintaining a persistent and diligent approach in college recruiting can be both frustrating and daunting. In most cases, it takes courage, mental toughness and the ability to develop thick skin! What seems tremendously unfamiliar in the beginning stages of developing this habit will become more comfortable with practice and time and soon you will realize that coaches are educators, moms, dads and just plain, regular people. They “know the score” and only want the best for prospects as they move forward in the college search.

Tom Kovic is the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. He is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. Kovic delivers college recruiting presentations nationwide and he is a regular contributor to several online magazines and professional organizations. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com

Striking the Balance in Communication with College Coaches

By Tom Kovic

Effective communication between the family and college coaches can be a critical component to the final choice in the college search. If your mission is clear, the manner in which you communicate becomes the vehicle that will move your plan forward in your chosen direction. On the other hand, ill-prepared communication can cause confusion and misdirection. Your ship moves, but with a weak rudder.

Communication should be initiated early on by the family, and preferably by the prospect. For example, a prospect may call or e-mail a coach at any time, with rare exceptions. An initial letter of introduction is a great way to begin, but follow-up by e-mail and by phone is very important. The important point here is simply: Prospects who practices “persistence with respect” when communicating with coaches will have a better chance in grabbing their attention.

If there is a proverbial “red flag” when it comes to communication, I can say with confidence that “calling just for the sake of calling” will not carry much weight with college coaches. Coaches are looking for information that will drive your chances in remaining in the “A” recruiting file. Whether it is news about improved scores on your ACT exam, or an invitation to a select tournament, give the coaches something that has “grip” and you will improve your chances in boosting your ranking on Coach’s recruiting chart.

I use the term “striking a balance” in communicating with college coaches to develop awareness in prospects and families that effective communication with college coaches is important for two reasons. First, by developing well planned information that is pertinent to the college search, the prospect sends a clear message to college coaches that he is well prepared. Secondly, coaches are keen to the importance of time management, and considering the hundreds of potential prospects they work with at any given time; coaches appreciate and will remember the effort prospects make in using communication as an effective recruiting tool.

Communication is critical to cultivating relationships with college coaches, and the better prepared you are; the better you will clearly define yourself and your goals in the eyes of college coaches. This skill will especially help prospects who are in a “gray” area on the coach’s radar and depending on where you rank on the priority chart; well planned communication could make the defining difference between being “in” or “out.”

Practicing communication skills is the same as doing your homework or spending 4 hours working drills in the gym or on the playing field. The more diligent and sincere your effort, the better prepared you will be in effectively sending and receiving information. Remember, the manner in which you express yourself, your interests and your intent can have a direct effect on the level of interest the college coach will offer.

Keep accurate contact logs of all phone calls, e-mails, face-to-face contacts you have with college coaches. This will help families organize information that will assist in future planning. It will also help prepare follow-up communication that will generate fresh “action” items to be discussed during future contacts.

In addition, placing attention on the “little things” like sending personal, handwritten thank-you notes to coaches after a campus visit can make a difference. This personal touch can go a long way, especially if you are on the “bubble” of Coach’s priority list… Small efforts add up in the final analysis.

Remember, the college recruiting process is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It should be an effort that is tactical, well planned and with the aim of cultivating sincere relationships with the college coaches. Prospects who embrace this tool as an important part of their recruiting arsenal will give themselves the greatest chance at success.

Tom Kovic is the current director of Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. He is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting. Kovic delivers college recruiting presentations nationwide and he is a regular contributor to several online magazines and professional organizations. For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com