Marketing Your Marketing Your Student-Athlete Student-Athlete Chuck Moore, CCFC, CAMC, CAFC 502-721-8646 ▪ [email protected] www.collegeliteracyacademy.com www.gearuped.com
Dec 27, 2015
Marketing Your Marketing Your Student-AthleteStudent-Athlete
Chuck Moore, CCFC, CAMC, CAFC
502-721-8646 ▪ [email protected]
www.collegeliteracyacademy.com
www.gearuped.com
Four Reason Playing Four Reason Playing College Athletic Will Help College Athletic Will Help
Young Adults After CollegeYoung Adults After College
1. Teaches The Athlete Discipline
2. Financial Security – Scholarship CanReduce College Costs, Less Debt AfterGraduation
3. Education – Playing Athletic Will Teach The Student How To Focus and Teaches The Athlete How To Compete At A High Level
4. Increase Career Opportunities
So You Want To Play So You Want To Play Intercollegiate AthleticIntercollegiate Athletic
What Does It Take To Play At The Next Level
In Order To Be A Successful High In Order To Be A Successful High School or College AthleteSchool or College Athlete
Student-Athlete Must Be
• Proactive
• Self Motivated
• Disciplined
• A Team Player
• Have A Deep Desire To Succeed
• Have A Positive Attitude
• Excel Academically And Athletically
What Type of Personality Does It Take What Type of Personality Does It Take To Play At The Next Level To Play At The Next Level
• Athlete Must Be Able To Set Goals• Athlete Must Be Achievement Driven• Athlete Must Get Results Athletically• Athlete Must Excel Academically • Athlete Must Be An Independent Thinker• Athlete Must Be Will To Take Risks• Athlete Must Be Able To Take Charge• Athlete Must Take Initiative• Athlete Must Be A Self-Starter• Athlete Must Be Competitive• Athlete Must Enjoy Challenges, Variety & Changes
Is Your Student-Athletic Good Enough
Is Your Student-Athletic Good Enough
Do You Have To Be A Blue-Chip Athlete To
Have A Chance Of Receiving An Athletic
Scholarship?
Is Your Student-Athletic Good Enough
Is Your Student-Athletic Good Enough
Do you have to be a blue-chip athlete to have a chance at a scholarship?
DIVISION I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAINLY BLUE CHIP (Many Have Been All State)
DIVISION II. . . . . . . . . . . . BLUE CHIP, VERY GOOD TO GOOD (Some Have Been All State - Most Have Been All Conference or All Region)
DIVISION III. . . . . . . . . VERY GOOD TO GOOD(Many Have Been All Conference)
NAIA . . . . . . . . . BLUE CHIP, VERY GOOD TO GOOD(Many NAIA Colleges Have Less Strict Academic Requirements)
Is Your Student-Athlete Good EnoughDo You Know These Athletes
Is Your Student-Athlete Good EnoughDo You Know These Athletes
Jerry Rice – San Francisco 49ers – received one small athletic scholarship offer from Mississippi Valley State (NFL’s all time leading receiver)
Michael Jordan – Chicago Bulls – cut from his high school team (arguably the NBA’s greatest basketball player)
John Stockton – Utah Jazz – one athletic scholarship to Gonzaga University (one of NBA’s greatest guards)
Johnny Unitas – The six-foot, 135 pound high school senior was turned down by Notre Dame and played for University of Louisville (One of the greatest quarterbacks ever played)
Phil Simms – Very few college offers and attended Morehead State University in Kentucky (Most valuable player in Super Bowl XXI)
Barry Sanders – Detroit Lions – only two college athletic scholarship offers (former NFL’s all time leading rusher)
Is Your Student-Athlete Good EnoughIs Your Student-Athlete Good Enough
Can You Tell Me Who This Person Is?
He grew up in Joliet, IL. He is the first boy and is the third of fourteen children.
He never received an athletic scholarship but joined the college team as a walk-on
He was 5’ 6” tall and weighed 165 lbs and played one play in his college career… Yet
Will go down in history as one of the greatest players ever to attend this powerhouse football program… What’s his name and what college did he attend?
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
College coaches do not want to be distracted by overbearing,
meddlesome parents, so a parent who seems too controlling might
actually hurt an otherwise-qualified student’s ability to be recruited.
Don’t Be Helicopter Parents
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
PARENTS SHOULD TEACH THE STUDENT HUMILITY AND THE
VALUE OF HARD WORK
Young athletes—especially those who are talented—can receive too
much support, develop attitude problems, and become less
motivated in important activities outside of their sport.
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
PARENTS SHOULD EMPHASIZE ACADEMIC OVER ATHLETES
College coach will not recruit astudent-athlete who cannot compete
in the classroom. Academic performance tells a coach a lot about a child’s ability to manage time, set
goals, and prioritize.
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
PARENTS SHOULD HELP THE STUDENT BUILD CHARACTER
No coach wants to work with a sore loser or an ungracious winner.
Remember that you can tell a lot about a child’s character by the company he keeps. Parents need to make sure that their children are accountable for the actions they take on and off the field.
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
PARENTS SHOULD BE THE ATHLETE’S MENTOR
Parents should be their child’s assistant and mentor, not just the
cheerleader. A cheerleader simply offers encouragement and approval, the parent’s job is to help the athlete
in all areas of development.
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
PARENTS SHOULD GET HELP AND ADVICE FROM OTHERS
Parents should be realistic about the athletic ability of the student and get an honest evaluation of an athlete
from high school coaches, club coaches, or scouting organization
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THEIR EXPECTED
FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC)
The EFC determines how much the family can contribute toward the student’s college education. If the athlete does not get a full
athletic scholarship, the parents should understand how this number is derived. This will allow parents to make adjustments in the
family’s financial situation so they can incorporate GAME PLAN B.
Gold Rules For The ParentsGold Rules For The Parents
PARENTS SHOULD NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE HIGH SCHOOL COACH
The child’s high school coach is not responsible for getting the athlete a
scholarship, nor is the coach responsible for helping the student-athlete figure out how to pay for the
student’s college education
College Coaches Are Looking For Well-Rounded Athlete
College Coaches Are Looking For Well-Rounded Athlete
Coaches Want To Hear Directly From Coaches Want To Hear Directly From The Student-Athletes The Student-Athletes
NOT FROM
• Mom & Dad • Professional Recruiting Company Or • An Athletic Recruiting Service or Mass Mailing Websites
What Do Most College Coaches Want To See In A Student AthleteWhat Do Most College Coaches
Want To See In A Student Athlete
• Coaches want student-athletes to fight for their scholarship - BE PROACTIVE!• Coaches want to hear from the athlete personally not from an athletic recruiting service!• Coaches want to recruit student athletes that are mature athletically, academically, socially and are humble!• Coaches want to recruit athletes that show leadership ability and are team players
When Should You Start Your Marketing Program!
When Should You Start Your Marketing Program!
According to a survey of 300 coaches
30% - begin tracking athletes as freshman45% - begin tracking athletes as sophomores25% - wait until the junior year 0% - began tracking athletes as seniors
Start the marketing process as early as the eight grade or by the student-
athlete’s freshman year in high school!
Important Questions Up Front For The Student-Athlete
Important Questions Up Front For The Student-Athlete
1. Does the athlete know WHY they want to go to college
2. Does the athlete know what college theywant to play for and WHY
3. Does the athlete know what degree theywant to pursue and WHY
4. Does the athlete have the disciple anddesirer to play intercollegiate athletic
5. Does the athlete truly understand what ittakes in TIME and EFFORT that will be required of them athletically andacademically while in college
Important Questions Up Front For The Student-Athlete
Important Questions Up Front For The Student-Athlete
6. Has the student-athlete given muchconsideration about what to ask a collegecoach during the recruiting interview tomake sure their playing style, philosophy,morals, and goals are the same as thecoach’s and their sport’s department
7. Does the student-athlete know how theycompare athletically to the athletes that arepresently playing at the colleges they areinterested in attending
8. Does the student-athlete truly understandwhat it takes in TIME and EFFORT toposition themselves to get recruited
Important Questions Up Front For The Parents
Important Questions Up Front For The Parents
1. If the student-athlete is offered a partial scholarship do you know what the student-athlete will have to do in order to get a full scholarship in a year or two
2. If the student-athlete were to receive an athletic scholarship have you, as parents, given much thought about whether the college will continue the student’s scholarship or give it to another player or recruit if the student athlete were to get hurt and cannot play any more
3. Would you let the student-athlete sign a National Letter Of Intent if the college coach offers them a small scholarship and tells your athlete he will try to find more money for them next year
Important Questions Up Front For The Parents (Con’t)
Important Questions Up Front For The Parents (Con’t)
4. If the student-athlete were to receive an athletic scholarship have you, as parents, thought about what you would do if your son or daughter lost their scholarship due to academic reasons or get tired of playing and quits
5. Have you, as the parents, given much thought about how to pay the balance of the educational costs if the athlete were to receive a partial scholarship or loses the scholarship for other reasons
You Must Take A Proactive Approach!
You Must Take A Proactive Approach!
Student-athletes need to reverse the recruiting process and market themselves to colleges. First on an academic level, then athletically
Normally if you’re not a blue chip athlete, you’re only known in your local media area
Without a marketing plan, college coaches outside a 75 mile area may not even know you exist
Three Big Marketing MistakesThree Big Marketing Mistakes
What are the THREE biggest mistakes families
of student-athletes make:
1. An unrealistic opinion of the student's athletic ability
2. Wait for the colleges to come to the student-athlete Don't sit and wait for scholarship offers to come to you. In many cases they never come and "panic" sets in
3. Waiting until the senior year to begin the recruiting process It should be completed at the beginning of the senior year
Other Student MistakesOther Student Mistakes
1. Choose the wrong school socially for them
2. Choose the wrong school academically
3. Choose the wrong coach
4. Choose the wrong playing style
5. Do not take their academic studies seriously
6. Do not research athletic program
7. Do not show the coach you truly want the scholarship
8. Rely to much on their high school coach
Before Starting The Marketing ProcessYou Need To Know…
Before Starting The Marketing ProcessYou Need To Know…
What your academic eligibility requirements are
What type of college do you want to attend – size, location, public/private, etc.
What are your chances of receiving a full or partial athletic scholarship
What level of competition can you participate in… and most important
The best way to pay for the balance of college if the student-athlete only receive a partial scholarship, student quits, student gets hurt, or fails academically and cannot play any longer
Marketing the Student-AthleteMarketing the Student-Athlete
Understanding The Different Divisions That Participate In Intercollegiate Athletics
Collegiate Athletic AssociationsCollegiate Athletic Associations
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Division I
Divisions II
Division III
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA)
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
Comparison Between NCAA DivisionsComparison Between NCAA Divisions
Division I
Division I is home to many of the country’s biggest universities. There are many scholarship opportunities and the competition is cut-throat.
Division II
Division II schools tend to be smaller universities and colleges. Division II athletics programs are financed through the college budget like other academic departments on campus.
Comparison Between NCAA DivisionsComparison Between NCAA Divisions
Division III
There are no athletic scholarships offered by DIII institutions. Student-athletes receive no financial aid related to their athletic ability and sports departments are funded and staffed like any other department in the university.
Two Important ConditionsTwo Important Conditions
Each athlete must meet TWO important conditions to receive scholarships
1. Must be good enough to be admitted to the college academically and play competitively
2. Must be willing to market themselves Don’t expect the high school coach to do
it for you Don’t expect the college to find you
Make Sure You Are Eligible To Be RecruitedMake Sure You Are Eligible To Be Recruited
NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE ACADEMIC RULES
Graduate from high school with a minimum GPA of 2.5 in core course curriculum of at least 16 academic courses completed in grades 9 – 12 and meet ACT or SAT test score guidelines.
Check with your counselor during registration in your freshman year of high school to make sure you’re scheduled to take the appropriate core courses
Intermission
Next Session
How Athletic Scholarships Work And Marketing Your Student
Athlete
There Are Four Types Of Athletic Scholarships
• Qualified• Non-Qualified• Restrictive• Non-Restrictive
Are Athletic ScholarshipsTaxable or Tax-Free
When Should You Ask About Receiving An Athletic Scholarship
It All Depends On The Following:
• Interest Level Of The Coach
• What Are The Needs Of The College Coach
• Where You Stand In The Recruiting List Of The College Coach
6 STEPS IN THE MARKETING PROCESS6 STEPS IN THE MARKETING PROCESS
Step 1: Picking the Right Colleges to Contact
Step 2: Writing a Great Cover Letter
Step 3: Creating a One-Page Resume
Step 4: Put Together an Athletic Recruiting Video
Step 5: Tracking your Communications with Colleges
Step 6: Sending Out One-Page Updates
STEP 1: Pick The Right Colleges To Contact
STEP 1: Pick The Right Colleges To Contact
FACT: 90% of student athletes will not get a full-ride scholarship
FACT: 99% of student athletes will not play professional sports
The student-athlete should…
Do intensive research on academic programs
Check out the coach’s background and coaching philosophy
Do advanced research on the athletic program
How deep in the roster is being held by underclassmen in your position?
Do you match up well athletically and physically with the present team roster?
STEP 2: Write A Great Cover Letter
STEP 2: Write A Great Cover Letter
The key to writing a great cover letter can be summed up in one word: BRIEF
A one-page introduction letter that states:
1. Your personal introduction
2. Your athletic abilities
3. A personal statement
4. Your current involvement in sports
5. Tell the coach how you can benefit the team and why you want to play for their college
Communicate key elements that will get the coach’s attention
Be truthful and to the point and don’t inflate your accomplishments
STEP 3: Create A One-Page Resume
STEP 3: Create A One-Page Resume
Ten strategic sections of the one-page resume
Section 1: Name Section 2: A short headline - Run the hundred meters in 10.5 sec and 3.6 GPA Section 3: Your sport and your position Section 4: Basic info on you and your family Section 5: School and coaches Section 6: Physical attributesSection 7: Summary of your general strengths, team, league & other sportsSection 8: Summary of your specific stats and achievements Section 9: Potential - expected achievements in the coming year Section 10: Photo
STEP 4: Put Together An Athletic Video
STEP 4: Put Together An Athletic Video
10 to 15 minute video constructed as such:
1. One-minute greeting
2. Highlights from your high school tapes
3. Then several minutes of continuous footage as a team
4. Properly label the video (spell out who you are)
The coach’s decision to continue recruiting process is:
1. the student athlete’s overall performance on the video tape
2. the high school coach’s recommendation
STEP 5: Track Your Communications With Colleges
STEP 5: Track Your Communications With Colleges
Market to 30-40 colleges – this could create chaos…
Therefore
Adopt a good journaling and tracking system
Keep good control of written and verbal communications
STEP 6: Send Out One-Page Updates
STEP 6: Send Out One-Page Updates
If you stop communicating with the coaches, they may assume you’ve lost interest
Keep the coaches updated by putting out a one-page update after every season (high school or league play)
– This creates a more uniform approach than issuing a personal letter to each coach every time you want to update your resume
Ask The Coach These Important Questions Ask The Coach These Important Questions
Before making a commitment ask questions:
How many scholarship athletes are you recruiting at my position this year?
How much money is a typical athletic scholarship worth?
How many of the current players came here without a scholarship and later earned one in their 2nd or 3rd
year?
If NO scholarship is offered, ask - what would I have to do on the field to be considered for scholarship money in that 2nd year?
Ask for a list of current and past parents of student athletes (Get phone #s and addresses)
Other Questions To Ask CoachOther Questions To Ask Coach
If you select me to play for your college will I play in my current position or will you want me to play another position
How many strong undergraduates are ready to move into the position I play
If I were to get hurt and cannot play anymore will I be able to keep my athletic scholarship
How long do you (college coach) intend to stay at XYZ college
Intermission
Next Session
Developing Game Plan B
THINGS HAPPENTHINGS HAPPEN
How will you pay for college expenses when your student only receives a partial athletic scholarship, quits, gets hurt, fail academically or receives no scholarship at all?
Develop Plan B
What Do You Have To Work With?What Do You Have To Work With?
Determine if you will qualify for financial aid or an athletic scholarship
Know what assets you have to work with
Know where you are spending your money and establish a cash flow system
Understand how you are being taxed
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Applying for college financial aid and knowing how to pay for college expenses are the few things in life that may be even
more confusing and complicated than taxes.
Let’s review 7 essential things all families of student-athletes should know about
financial aid
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Good Academics Create Financial Aid Opportunities
The better the student-athlete’s GPA and standardized test scores, the more financial
aid opportunities will be available. Some may be from the university, some may be from the state, your high school, or even
nonprofit organizations.
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Know Your Expect Family Contribution
EFC “expected family contribution,” means the amount of money the
Department of Education expects your family to pay towards the student’s
college education. The EFC is calculated by taking financial
information from the FAFSA and/or the CSS Profile
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Complete Your FAFSA on Time
Your school will not be able to issue you any financial aid if you do not turn one in. This is
another form that you’ll need tax information to fill out – make sure to have your parents’ taxes on hand before you sit down to do your FAFSA
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Ask the Coaches About Aid in Advance
Once you know that a coach is interested in you, don’t be afraid to ask him or her directly about aid. Financial aid is one of the biggest
tools that coaches have to bring student-athletes into their programs. However, keep in
mind that the college coach CANNOT communicate directly or see financial
information of the family that is provided to the financial aid director or their staff
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Know Whether Your Sport is Head Count or Equivalency
There are two types of college sports: “head count” sports, and “equivalency” or “Olympic” sports. Head count sports tend to be the ones
that generate revenue and you’re more likely to see on TV. The big difference for athletes: head count athletes get full scholarships. Athletes in
equivalency sports may only get partial scholarships
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Examine Your SAR
SAR stands for “student aid report.” It’s the document that your school’s financial aid office will create once they’ve processed your FAFSA
and the financial aid you qualify for. It is a summary of all the financial aid the school
offers you
Understanding The Financial Aid ProcessUnderstanding The Financial Aid Process
Athletes Aren’t Limited To “Athletic” Scholarships
Athletes can receive need-based, merit-based (academic), or third-party
scholarships (from veterans’ organizations, community service groups, unions… the list
goes on and on). Qualifying for these scholarships is part of why academic
success is so important.
Final ReviewFinal Review
► Maintain good grades - must excel academically in high school and college
► Market the student-athlete to 30-40 colleges
► Market the student-athlete to colleges in ALL threeNCAA Divisions (I, II, III) and the NAIA
► Target schools where the athlete has the best chance of competing athletically and academically
► Student-athlete and parents should take a proactive approach
► Make sure you have Game Plan B in place to pay the balance of college costs
Marketing Your Marketing Your Student-AthleteStudent-Athlete
Chuck Moore, CCFC, CAMC, CAFC
502-721-8646 ▪ [email protected]
www.collegeliteracyacademy.com
www.gearuped.com