This is a sample of the responses I received when I asked the question above to college coaches. Almost every coach responded, and their responses were pretty consistent.
Coach Ro
thank you so much coach.
and just incase no one has told you, you are the best coach i have ever seen hellp market his kids and supply contact info to make the recruiting process so much easier. the kids really are beyond lucky to have someone like you in their corner. please keep up the great work!
Matt Drinkall
Special Teams Coordinator
Wide Receivers Coach
Director of Football Operations
St. Ambrose Football
Coach Rolando, We don't really look at the recruiting websites very much. Unless we have a previous relationship wtih someone. For the most part, we count on high school coaches and the film that they send out. One of the things that we really want is for kids to express an interest in our school. Return phone calls, and emails. MAny of them do not do those things, and that is why they don't get recruited very heavily.
My suggestion for most athletes is that they identify ten schools that they think they can play at. two "dream schools", 5-6 this is where I'd like to play, and 2-3 schools that are back ups. If they are getting the majority of their calls from division III schools, then they should have realistic aspirations that they are probably divison III schools.
If they are getting actual calls, not mailings from Division I or II schools, then they are possible scholarship candidates. Unless the student doesn't really care where they go to school, and they don't mind fielding phone calls from over 100 schools, many of which they won't be interested in, then they would be better spending that money on going to camps in the summer and being exposed to the college coaches at those camps.
Of course, this is my opinion. We work with NCSA, but for the players in Illinois we don't use them very much, we use them to help our out of state recruiting. They are by far the best recruiting company because of the work that they do with the students in a counseling manner, and the video that they put up on their website. Most other recruiting services, just create a sheet of paper with a "profile" on it and fax/mail it out.
NCSA actually creates a website for each individual student athlete.
IF you'd like to talk more about it, please let me know, as a former recruiting coordiantor at scholarship level schools, I might be able to help you as you try to market your kids.
No- what you do is great. We rarely pay attention to unsolicited emails, however, we watch every tape that we receive. We still don't like watching video on the internet (no way to remind in slow motion, etc)
What you could do to get it even better is: In February send all the same schools a HL DVD of your Juniors (Seniors to be) with contact info (no need to send transcripts unless they have a test score)- the best I've seen was each kid was a menu option on the DVD.
Get your boosters to come up with $2400 or so and you can have 2-3 mailings to all 4 year colleges (about 680). One in Febraury-March (Seniors to be-HL and bio/contact info), One in September-October (Just a few games), and one as soon as all the Senior HL are done (November)
Thanks for your efforts in the recruiting processes. The most commonly used databases are Scout.com and Rivals.com (which I believe are free). Other than that, I think you are doing the best thing to get your guys exposure. The number one thing we like are highlight videos because it allows us to get a quick evaluation of a kid. We can then go into more depth with the game film. Keep doing what you are doing - I don't see any need to pay a recruiting service additional money.
Coach,
I honestly believe that the work that you do sending out the info sheet and the dvd’s is the best way to get exposure for your players. I would advise all parents to avoid any recruiting service that charges a fee to get names out. Direct lines of communication between the high school coach, or the player and his parents, and potential recruiters is the best way to go about this business.
Coach Rolando,
Thanks for the email. The way that you’re doing it is the best way. These recruiting services are all about making money and often times has no reference in regards to character, work ethic, discipline and other important criteria. Unfortunately, unlike yourself there are many coaches out their who don’t take the time promote their kids. Therefore, parents and prospects are forced to use an alternative method. I think both ways has usefulness, however, it will eventually comes back to the head coach’s recommendation.
Hi Coach Ro,
What you are doing is much better than recruiting services. The head
coaches word and recommendation goes a long way. We know that
recruiting services are getting paid to tell you about their guy, wether
he can play or not. So continue with what you are doing.
Absolutely not....you are doing what is best for the kids and the
families. Never pay anyone to promote your kids. Just send out the info
to the coaches/schools and we will contact the kids.
Almost all of the paperwork that comes in to me from those services
ends up in the garbage within the first 30 seconds.
Honestly Coach most recruiting companies that I receive info from get a token once over if that I truly rely on recruiting my area and calling coaches and getting film from them. Some coaches don’t I personally think it is easier and more efficient to talk to the coach first than get a hold of the players.
Coach Ro,
Tell the parents to save their money. You are doing a great job promoting your kids as far as we are concerned.
Thanks,
Coach,
I don't pay much attention to those services. I listen to the coaches. Guys like you.
Coach to answer your question--no! You have gone above the call of duty. I think there are a lot of schools that coaches just don't do anything after the season is over or if they do it is very slow. Those are the schools that need the service!! Hope I helped! pat
Coach,
Your work is just as good and received better by coaches than the companies that charge the kids a bunch of money for the same service.
Mike, I think you have done a great job promoting your kids. Occasionally,
we do get some stuff from the NCSA that we look at. I don't know what is
promised to those kids as far as coverage or scholarships. Alot of the
things you can do yourself which you already have done. What it boils down
to is what types of schools you want to be exposed to because those
companies send out emails daily. I go more off of Forbes and Collegiate
sports data and do the leg work myself. That is just my opinion. If
families have an extra couple thousand to spend,so be it. They might want
to hold onto it for the purpose of paying the first semester. Hope this
helps, any questions please feel free to ask.
Coach:
We do look at those but I do not believe they help anymore than what you have done. My advice would be to save their money.
Keep up the good work.
COACH RO,
WHILE WE WILL GLANCE AT THOSE DATABASE COMPANIES THAT SEND US INFORMATION. WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN MY OPINION IS MUCH BETTER AND FROM A MORE TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE. WHILE I WAS AT SOME SCHOLARSHIP SCHOOLS I NEVER EVEN OPENED THOSE PACKETS THAT I RECEIVED FROM DATABASE COMPANIES. I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO HELP YOUR KIDS.
Coach Ro,
Wow! I think you can tell the parents to save the money. You have done more than the sites will ever do...and most coaches. There can be some value to them but I think time and money would be better spent by each player contacting the coaches or recruiting coordinator at the schools they are interested in. If they are D1 guys the schools should be finding them. Hope this helps.
Coach Rolando,
I think you're doing a great job marketing your student-athletes. I think
that recruiting services cover more territory, because they send out
information about the kid who has payed to use their service, all over the
country. Also, I think one of the most important things is a kid being
able to go to you and get game film to send out to recruiters who have
expressed interest in him. A lot of time kids have to do this on their
own. Recruiting services definately don't hurt, but they cost a lot of
money. Recruiting services don't care about what type of student or
athlete they are representing. They just care about getting their money.
Coach Ro,
Anything that comes from a coach in my mind is more effective, I
think coaches will pay attention to it more if it comes from a high
school coach and not just someone that is payed by a recruiting service.
We do use the databases, but the recruiting information and videos
sent by the coaches I think gets looked at more closely. I can only
speak as a Division III coach, so I am not sure what the Div. I and Div
II coaches would think. Thanks again for sending out the information
and what you do helps greatly. Some coaches won't even give us the
names of their kids, which doesn't seem to help out anyone.
Coach Ro
Those recruiting services are way over-rated and many times are close
to worthless, particularly if the coach is active in the recruiting
process like you are. Unless the kid's family is just loaded and
money is not an object, I would tell them to avoid it.
Thanks for the question Coach. My personal opinion is that most of those things are rip-offs. I believe most coaches are like us and value the input from high school coaches more than recruiting services. Just one man’s opinion though. Best of luck,
I think you are doing an outstanding job for these kids and getting their names out there. If most coaches recruit like I do, we like to stop by visit with the players and begin a recruiting relationship based on communication with phone calls and e-mails as well as visits. The previously mentioned services are just much more flashy than a great DVD you have compiled and might help with Out-Of state Exposure but I firmly believe that the kids need to do some work as well which involves phone calls, e-mails and college fair visits to the school they are interested in.
Coach
What you have done is more than enough. I would just suggest that the players follow up with a email or a call to the schools that they are most interested in.
Coach Ro,
Recruiting databases do help in some regards, but if the high school coach is willing to go the extra mile as you have done then there is absolutely no need for parents to be paying the companies, this is just my opinion but all we need is contact info and film, the film is what we make our decision off of anyways so if we can get it from the coach then we are set. Thank you for all you do,
Coach Ro:
Great question. No - I don't think paying $1,000-$3,000 will help more than what you've done. I received all the info you sent - looks fantastic.
Again, you've done a great job to help your kids. If you have any other questions, you can call me any time.
We purchase Collegiate Sports Data information. They have been very reliable and great to work with. I’m not sure if they charge you for information or not. It’s extremely difficult to stay on top of every company or person who sends us information over email or in the mail. I think that most companies claim promises of exposure and scholarships that they can’t back up. I would have your parents invest in some 25 cent DVD’s, put 2-3 games on them and send them to the schools they are interested in. I think you are doing all you can. If we or anyone else likes your kids we’ll recruit them.
Hi Coach,
You are doing fine. The recruiting services are overrated and
overpriced - especially in D3. Any money a kid will get is solely
based on grades and parents income. They will get the same
financial just by applying to a school as oppose to what a recruiting
service can do
Coach Ro,
We do buy some services and I do log onto some of the free ones.
It is an expense though for families!!
This is exactly what we are looking for here at. Obviously
every one is different, but we need contact and grade information. The
video is a big plus but not a necessity for us. Thanks a lot for your
help. Recruiting services are helpful if the coach is not.
The programs that you mention really do the same thing from what I have gathered. We do some work with a gentleman from NCSA, but he was telling us that he works with students who a lot of the time are not being helped by their High School coaches. I do not think that those programs are necessary as long as you are being as involved in the recruiting process. Feel free to give me a call if you would like to talk with me more about this. Are there any players in particular that I should be looking at while I review the video? Thank you for helping us in the recruiting process of your student athletes.
