Posted by Ron Johnston on Mon, Nov 23, 2009 @ 08:59 AM
Northeastern University dropped a bomb this morning: They're eliminating football from their athletic program. They announced today that, following a 2-year review process, they have decided to discontinue their football program. The school currently spends about $3 million a year on the losing program, and determined that they would have to increase that spending by a few million more to have a competitive D1 football program.
The 87 players and 10 coaches were informed of the decision last night in a private meeting with BU Athletic Director, Peter Roby. All athletes on football scholarships will keep their financial aid and are encouraged to finish their degrees. The school also plans to "do everything we can" to help any players who wish to go to other colleges to play football, and the NCAA has agreed to waive a requirement that typically forces transfer students to sit out a year, according to Roby.
You can read more details here.
Posted by Ron Johnston on Tue, Sep 29, 2009 @ 08:48 AM
Sam Keller, former starting quarterback for ASU and Nebraska, filed suit against Electronic Arts, NCAA, and the Collegiate Licensing Company. Why? Because they've all profited from likenesses of college athletes without their permission. Not only do they appear in commercial videogames, but some star athletes are largely responsible for bringing healthy revenues in to major college athletics programs.
NCAA currently prohibits athletes from competing if they profit from their position. In addition, they report that more than 90 percent of NCAA schools don't make money from their athletic programs, with profits from money-makers like football and basketball usually not quite offsetting losses from other sports.
While the athletes are not getting paid, many argue that they are getting fair compensation in the form of scholarships and other perks. According to the NCAA, any student athlete who receives a fully-loaded scholarship is getting the equivalent of more than $100,000 at the average public school.
In reality, a four-year scholarship at a top university could be worth even more than that, since full-ride scholarships often include housing, books and a stipend to go with the paid tuition.
What's your take on this?
Read the full article here.
Posted by Ron Johnston on Sun, Sep 27, 2009 @ 07:47 PM
You can get a rare peek at D-I football recruiting from an article in Boulder's Daily Camera. CU-Boulder's head coach Dan Hawkins revealed that he's playing this 2009 season with only 78 scholarship players - but not because he chose to. Nine of last year's scholarship players - plus a handful of walk-ons - didn't return this season.
His coaching staff is working hard to recruit up to the full NCAA limit of 85 scholarship players for next season, and Hawkins hopes his program is fully-loaded by February's signing day.
Posted by Jon Fugler on Tue, Sep 22, 2009 @ 04:09 PM
There's a difference in the way football scholarships are awarded at the D1 level. Let me explain:
There are two D1 divisions. The one you are most familiar with comprise the schools which compete for post-season Bowl games. these are highly prized because they generate a good income for the school, and it gives some a shot at a national ranking. These schools issue full-ride athletic scholarships. The are referred to as FBS schools.
The lower division used to be referred to as Division I-AA, but is now called the FCS, or Football Championship Subdivision. These schools compete for a spot in post-season championship play, and the winner is crowned national champion. These schools are permitted to offer partial scholarships.
Check out this article which discusses how this plays out in real life.
Posted by Jon Fugler on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 @ 07:50 PM
Here are five keys to keeping college coaches interested in you during the recruiting process:
1. Communicate. You should have some sort of update going out to your list of schools every three months or so. Whether it's the stats from your most recent season, your SAT scores, or a note about a recent accomplishment, keep communicating with the coaches. It shows you are interested. Above all, always call or write back if they write you.
2. Compete. Look for places to show your athletic abilities. Club teams, off-season tournaments, showcases and other opportunities. When you compete, you have a better chance of being seen, and you also have something to report to college coaches.
3. Commit to improvement. If you're not imporoving, you're going backwards and your chances of getting picked up by a college program are reduced. Take lessons, watch instrutional videos, learn from athletes better than you. Work on things that will make you better.
4. Call the top programs on your list. Once you've established a relationship with a coach, this is a great way to show your initiative and your commitment to key schools. The more you contact a coach, assuming you are a good athlete, the more interest he or she will have in you. They love athletes that take the initiative. Call or e-mail from time to time.
5. Classroom achievement. I know you may not believe it, but poor academics can get you crossed off coaches' lists faster than anything else. They recruit athletes that meet the school's academic standards and ones that will not lolse their eligibility once they enroll. Your position on their recruiting list can rise or fall depending on your grades.
If you need more information on how to get an athletic scholarship, visit our website at www.recruit-me.com. And be sure to stop back here each week for new information.
Posted by Jon Fugler on Wed, Sep 03, 2008 @ 07:45 PM
When it comes to getting into the athletic scholarship search and recruiting process, we see more activity by athletes in the Fall than at any other time of the year. I'm not quite sure why student-athletes and parents pick the Fall to get started, because recruiting is year-round at all colleges and universities.
In any case, if you're gearing up for the Fall, here are some things you should do to get ready as you pursue an athletic scholarship. Parents, come alongside your son or daughter and help him or her to follow through on these:
1. Compile your stats. Coaches will be asking for these, so get them together now.
2. Make your list of schools. You should come up with 30-40 schools you're interested in. Yes, that many! It's essential, so you can have a lot of options in your athletic scholarship pursuit.
3. Write the first draft of your letter to coaches.
If you do these three things, you'll be on your way to getting your letters out to college coaches in September. Of course, there's more to it, but this is a starting point.
A story for your encouragement: A mother called me as the Fall was about to begin a couple years ago and reported that, against all odds, her son received a last-minute baseball scholarship. When I say last-minute, I mean it, because she didn't contact us for help until May! She got a hold of our materials in the Recruit-Me System, and she and her son started in right away, contacting coaches.
He ended up getting two offers. To add to the significance of this, I have to tell you that he only pitched 17 innings his Senior year on his high school team.
It just goes to show you that it's never too late and you don't have to be a superstar to be recruited and receive an athletic scholarship. BUT, you do have to take action. Why wait any longer?
Get a jump on things today. Let me know if I can help.