College Athletic Opportunities
NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association)
440 Institutions www.njcaa.org EX: College of Lake County Have to meet academic admission requirements May offer athletic scholarships depending on sport View an interactive map and breakdown of each sport, state and division. Some do offer on-campus housing! NJCAA 26 Sports and 3 Divisions
• Men’s Baseball • Men’s Cross Country • Men’s Half Marathon • Women’s Soccer • Men’s Basketball • Women’s Cross Country • Women’s Half Marathon • Women’s Softball • Women’s Basketball • Men’s Football • Men’s Lacrosse • Men’s Swimming & Diving • Men’s Bowling • Men’s Golf • Women’s Lacrosse • Women’s Swimming & • Women’s Bowling • Women’s Golf • Men’s Soccer Diving
• Men’s Tennis *Women’s Tennis *Men’s Track & Field Women’s Track & Field *Women’s Volleyball *Men’s Wrestling College Athletic Opportunities
NAIA (National Association of Interscholastic Athletics) Nearly 250 Institutions Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. (Chicago Bears Training Camp) Has their own NAIA Eligibility Center; specific admission criteria; separate from the NCAA Eligibility Center Can offer athletic and academic scholarships per sport depending on qualifications www.naia.org 25 NAIA Men’s & Women’s Sports
Fall Sports Winter Sports Spring Sports • Women’s Cross Country • Men’s D1 Basketball Baseball • Men’s Cross Country • Men’s D2 Basketball Men’s Golf • Women’s D1 Basketball • Football Women’s Golf • Women’s Soccer • Women’s D2 Basketball Men’s Outdoor Track & • Men’s Soccer • Men’s Indoor Track & Field Field • Women’s Volleyball • Women’s Indoor Track & Women’s Outdoor Track & • Men’s Competitive Field Field Cheer and Dance • Men’s Swimming & Diving Softball • Women’s Competitive • Women’s Swimming & Men’s Tennis Cheer and Dance Diving Women’s Tennis • Men’s Wrestling NAIA Invitational & Emerging Sports
Invitational and Emerging sports Invitational Sports Emerging Sports are those in the process of (Minimum of 25 NAIA Schools) (Minimum of 15 NAIA schools) becoming National • Men’s Lacrosse • Men’s Bowling Championship sports and are offered by a minimum of 15 • Women’s Lacrosse • Women’s Bowling NAIA schools as a varsity sport. • Men’s Volleyball • Women’s Wrestling **Invitational Sports host their own Championship every year. **Invitational schools do not receive NAIA Scholarships. However each institution can provide substantial financial aid for their athletes, just not termed “athletic scholarship.” If interested in NAIA sports, register at the beginning of your sophomore or junior year. In your packet (p. 7)
High School Student Registration Checklist
Visit www.playnaia.org
Pay $80.00 fee
Complete profile
Receive a 2.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum of 18 ACT Composite or 860 on SAT score
Send WTHS transcript to NAIA Eligibility Center
Send ACT score to 9876
After junior year, in the NAIA Connections service, create a sports resume to send to five schools. College Athletic Opportunities National Collegiate Athletic Association www.ncaa.org Three Divisions: Division I (347 Institutions)…ex: Loyola University Chicago, Illinois State, University of Illinois Can offer athletic and academic scholarships depending on sport & qualifications Student-Athlete must register for the NCAA Eligibility Center and meet the university’s admission criteria Division II (309 Institutions)…ex: Lewis University, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, University of Illinois-Springfield, McKendree University, Quincy University Can offer athletic and academic scholarships depending on sport & qualifications Student-Athlete must register for the NCAA Eligibility Center and meet the university’s admission criteria Division III (442 Institutions)…ex: Lake Forest College, Elmhurst College, Carthage College Can offer academic scholarships/grants only depending on qualifications Student-Athlete DOES NOT have to register for the NCAA Eligibility Center, but must meet the university’s admission criteria
NCAA Sports and Seasons NCAA Eligibility Center Registration
www.eligibilitycenter.org
If interested in NCAA DI or DII sports, register for a certification account at the beginning of your sophomore or junior year. This is Click here to a one time, non- register for refundable your NCAA account. $80.00 fee. FREE!!!!!!! Additional NCAA D1 Resources in your Packet
On pages 9-10
To calculate ACT Sum, add together your Math, Science, Reading and English ACT highest sub scores. To calculate SAT Sum, add together your Reading and Math sub scores. To be D1 eligible, need to get at least a 2.3 core course GPA and 19 on each ACT subtest…total of 75. Or at least a 2.3 and 450 on each SAT subtest…total of 900. NCAA Division I programs
Recruiting Process—in an ideal world! Coaches identify talented athletes Coaches “date” the player...exchange LOTS of communication Player likes the coach and wants to play for him/her Player completes Eligibility Center process Player makes a commitment to attend and signs a National Letter of Intent Student-athlete is awarded an athletic scholarship Student enrolls at the university! NCAA Division I programs
Recruiting Process—in the real world!
Mass mailings, beginning even in grade 9
Communications to all-conference and all-state athletes
Once personal visits can begin, a coach can make the athlete feel like they are the “golden child”
All the recruiting attention can stop in an instant:
Once another (better) athlete signs
Once an injury occurs
Once the Eligibility Center deems the athlete ineligible
Once they find inappropriate content or images on your social media
Player completes Eligibility Center process
Player makes a commitment to attend and signs a National Letter of Intent
Student-athlete is awarded an athletic scholarship
Student enrolls at the university! Athletic Years of Eligibility
Five years to complete four years of competition Starts from the date of initial full-time enrollment at any athletic institution Academic Redshirts: No competition while representing the institution during the academic year Medical Redshirts: Limited competition in the first half of a playing season prior to a season ending injury. Additional NCAA D2 Resources in your Packet
On pages 11-12 To be DII eligible, students need a 2.2 core course GPA and 18 ACT on each subtest (ACT Sum total of 70) or 420 on the Reading and Math SAT subtests (total 840). Handling Coach Contact
NCAA Recruiting Calendar (www.ncaa.org), then click on Division I, then click on Recruiting.
D1 coaches are limited with amount and type of contact
Contact period (coach can watch you play, you can visit campus & talk to the coach, coach can fully communicate with you face-to-face, phone, email, letter)
Quiet period (same as contact period, except coach cannot come out to watch you play)
Dead period (Coaches may only write or telephone an athlete) High School Athletes can contact a coach at ANY If a coach offers you a Verbal Commitment time! Not-binding, not written offer Sample Email on page 19!
Coaches can offer early in your high school career (sophomore year)
If you accept the verbal commitment, you are “promising” to play at the institution Recruiting Contact NCAA Division III Programs
DIII sports are not “glorified intramurals” Coaches can “slot” student athletes for their teams, so they may have a voice in admissions Pressure exists for students to apply early Financial aid inconsistencies…i.e. “leadership scholarship” Club Sports at the College Level
Typically run by senior college students, not coaches. Some sports will be run be trained coaches, depends on sport/school No scholarships Student travels with team in cars/vans Fundraises to off-set expenses, otherwise student-athletes pay for hotel expenses, travel costs, uniforms, etc… Competition is against quality opponents Men’s Varsity Athletic Scholarship Limits
Turn to page 13 in your packet. Women’s Varsity Athletic Scholarship Limits To become an Eligible College Athlete…Freshman and Sophomores Should: Start planning now by working hard to earn the best grades possible. Take approved NCAA courses as listed in the curriculum guide or on the NCAA Eligibility Center’s website under “Resources.” If you fall behind, use summer school sessions before your senior year to catch up. Stay in shape! Watch what you eat! 80% food in-take, 20% exercise dictates body shape and strength. Begin to develop a sports resume (sample in packet on page 20) Attend exposure camps, combines, clinics, etc… at universities you are interested in. Do campus visits with the admission office while visiting colleges for your sport. Realistically analyze your academic skills and athletic ability to be matched at the correct collegiate institution. Big fish in a little pond, or a little fish in a big pond?
Source: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Your_Path_Presentation_for_Student-Athletes.pdf To become an Eligible College Athlete…
Keep your grades up! Junior Year Stay in shape! Eat right! Attend exposure camps, combines, clinics, etc… at universities you are interested in. Take the ACT/SAT test multiple times, send in your score each time (NCAA code: 9999 or NAIA code: 9876) NCAA Super Scores! Unofficially or Officially (if applicable) visit campuses, 10 Unofficial Visits are ideal throughout high school career (ex: 2 Fr yr + 4 So yr + 4 Jr yr) 5 Official Visits are allowed throughout high school career for D1, unlimited for D2 **Bring transcript/test scores on the official visits Request your Official Transcript in Naviance at the end of your junior year…let your counselor know your intentions. To become an Eligible College Athlete…
Keep your grades up! Senior Year Please let your Stay in shape! Eat right! Head Coach and our Athletic Director Retake the ACT/SAT if necessary know when you are Fill out college applications between Sept 1-Nov 1 planning to or have officially signed so NCAA D1 or D2, fill out the Amateurism Questionnaire you can be recognized! For NCAA D1, D2, sign the National Letter of Intent
Binding Contract with the College/University for one year of athletic competition Request your official transcript to be sent to the Eligibility Center at the end of your senior year In your packet (p. 15-16)…Helpful four year timeline
NCAA D1/D2 Initial Eligibility Process Flow Chart (p. 8) Keep in mind…Athletic Eligibility is Step 1…the Athlete still needs to apply for admission to the college.
On page 14 NavianceColleges Super Match College Search Naviance Log-in Flyer on page 21 Still have questions?
Contact your high school and club/travel coach Contact your counselor, Mrs. McGahan, or Ms. Ecklund Use Naviance (Super Match College Search) or Big Future (collegeboard.org) to assist in the search process! Visit the CCC during your lunch/study hall period to ask questions. Contact current college student-athletes or coaches Explore the NCAA College-Bound Student-Athlete Guide on the ncaa.org website or the NAIA College-Bound Guide Good luck with your journey!
Carri McGahan Post-Secondary Counselor, O’Plaine Campus WTHS Graduate Former NAIA Softball Student-Athlete, Saint Xavier University [email protected] 847-599-4532 Panel for students and parents
• Micah Jones: (Class of 2018) who has signed with the University of Notre Dame on their Football Team (NCAA D1) • Andy Swedberg: Father of Claire Swedberg (Class of 2018) who has signed with Pennsylvania State University on their Softball Team (NCAA D1) • Kelly Beck: (Class of 2018) who has signed with the University of Wisconsin-Stout on their Softball Team (NCAA D3) • Devin Caesar: (Class of 2018) who has signed with St. Ambrose University on their Lacrosse Team • Nic Scandrett: Athletic Director at the College of Lake County (NJCAA) • Nate Brill: WTHS Grad & Offensive Assistant Football Coach at Robert Morris University (NAIA) • Chris Barker: Assistant Director of Athletics at Carthage College (NCAA D3) • Veronica Farmer: Assistant Director of Compliance at Northwestern University (NCAA D1)