MYSTX Field Hockey

2009 Guide To Recruiting

For the Mystx Student Athlete

Thank you to the dedicated staff who worked diligently preparing this guide. Not to be duplicated. Copyright Mystx Field Hockey Club, 2009. All rights reserved ©Mystx Field Hockey Club INDEX

Introduction

Prospective Student-Athlete Timeline

College Board

College Visits

Contacting College Coaches

NCAA Eligibility Center

NCAA Field Hockey Programs

National Letter of Intent (NLI)

Recruiting Rules

Recruiting Terms

Resume

Scholarships and Commitments

Shirts

Showcases, Camps and Clinics

Video

USA Field Hockey Programs

Resources and Links

References INTRODUCTION

This information is intended for exckusive use by members of the Mystx Field Hockey Club. It is meant to help guide you and your parents through the college selection process. It is important for each college bound athlete to select an institution that is the best fit for them in all ways so be sure to consider academics, athletics, geography and finances.

All information presented here is a guide and each student athlete will follow a different timeline and process. Every path to college athletics is a unique one so don’t be discouraged. Do your research, ask lots of questions, be honest and be persistent!

When starting the college search process keep in mind that if you want to play in college and you aren’t in the top 1-2% of players you will have to market and promote yourself.

Your Mystx coaches and Director are here to help you. Please feel free to list your Mystx coaches as references in communications with coaching staffs during the recruitment process.

All of our coaches contact information is listed on www.mystxfieldhockey.com. PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE TIMELINE

Freshman Year

Sep-Nov Fall Hockey! Begin your hockey Resume Begin your hockey Video Familiarize yourself with Recruiting Terms and Recruiting Rules

Dec-Feb Indoor Hockey! Update your Resume with fall accomplishments Begin to learn about NCAA Field Hockey programs Begin researching Summer Camps

Mar-May Spring Hockey! Update your Resume with Indoor accomplishments Sign up for Summer Camps

Jun-Aug Summer Hockey! Update your Resume with spring accomplishments

Sophomore Year

Sep-Nov Fall Hockey! Begin Contacting Coaches Send your HS hockey schedule to colleges Attend college games in your area

Dec-Feb Indoor Hockey! Send your Indoor hockey schedule to colleges Update your Resume with fall accomplishments Continue to learn about NCAA Field Hockey programs and begin narrowing your list of schools Begin researching Summer Camps

Mar-May Spring Hockey! Send your spring hockey schedule to colleges Update your Resume with Indoor accomplishments Sign up for Summer Camps

Jun-Aug Summer Hockey! Update your Resume with spring accomplishments Send your summer hockey plans to colleges Junior Year

Sep-Nov Fall Hockey! Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center Register for the PSAT Send your HS hockey schedule to colleges Update your Video at the end of your fall season and distribute Attend local college games If PSAT results aren’t up to par, research and register for SAT prep course Register to take College Board exams in the winter or spring

Dec-Feb Indoor hockey! Begin making Unofficial Visits Take College Board exams or prep course Update your Resume with fall accomplishments Send your indoor hockey schedule to colleges Narrow your college search list again Research Summer Camps

Mar-May Spring hockey! Update your Resume with indoor accomplishments Send your spring hockey schedule to colleges Take College Board exams or continue prep course Sign up for Summer Camps Continue making Unofficial Visits

Jun-Aug Summer hockey! Send your summer hockey plans to colleges Update your Resume with spring accomplishments Update your Video Continue making Unofficial Visits

Senior Year

Sep-Nov Fall hockey! Begin making Official Visits Begin applying to colleges Take College Board exams or continue prep course if needed Attend local college games Send your HS hockey schedule to colleges

Dec-Feb Indoor hockey! Update your Resume with fall accomplishments Send your indoor hockey schedule to colleges Continue making Official/Unofficial Visits National Letter of Intent (NLI) Signing Period

Mar-May Spring hockey! Continue making Official/Unofficial Visits Send your spring hockey schedule to colleges

Jun-Aug Summer hockey! COLLEGE BOARD www.collegeboard.com

College Board Tests Institutions may handle and weigh these test scores in a different way. For example, if you take exams more than once, some institutions will consider the highest combined score, some will consider the SAT Writing score while others may not. College Board now offers the choice of only reporting certain of your scores to the institutions of your choice. When you register you are given the opportunity to have your scores reported to up to 5 institutions for free and more at an additional charge. Before you send all of your scores to the schools you are interested in you may want to find out what their policy is.

Test scores will no longer be accepted as reported on a high school transcript so always request that your SAT and ACT scores be transmitted to the NCAA Eligibility Center by using code 9999.

College Planning CollegeBoard.com offers many college planning tools including My College QuickStart™ a free personalized planning kit for all PSAT/NMSQT takers. You may:

o View a detailed online PSAT/NMSQT score report o Prepare for the SAT using a study plan based on your results o Connect to detailed profiles of suggested colleges, majors, and careers

College Research CollegeBoard.com offers numerous research tools. Visit the site to learn more.

College Finances CollegeBoard.com offers valuable information and tools about the cost of college and how to finance school. COLLEGE VISITS

For recruiting purposes, there are two types of college visits: Unofficial and Official

Unofficial visit Any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you like and may take those visits at any time. The only restriction is that you may not speak to the coach on campus during a dead period.

Official Visit Any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the college. The college may pay all or some of the following expenses: • Your transportation to and from the college; • Room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college; and • Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest.

Before you make an official visit to a college, you must provide that college with a copy of your high school transcript (Division I only) and SAT, ACT or PLAN score and register with the Eligibility Center.

General Tips Any time you plan on visiting a college campus email the coach to let them know and request a few moments or a more in depth meeting depending on your interest. If possible, plan your visits for a time when the college isn’t on break.

If you are watching the home game of a college you are interested in you may be able to visit with the coach after the game. If you do, always introduce yourself by name and high school. You may speak to a coach on their campus at any time without violating Recruiting Rules except during a Dead Period.

If you want to speak to the visiting team’s coach you must follow the Recruiting Rules since you aren’t on their campus. In the case where this is allowed email them ahead of time to request a few moments after the game.

Any time you visit the campus of a program you are interested in you should research the school and its hockey program ahead of time, especially if you have a meeting with the coach planned. The coach may incorrectly gauge your interest based on your knowledge or lack of knowledge about the program. Take a few moments to visit the program’s website and see what their schedule is like, how their season is going or went, what conference they compete in and so on. A coach appreciates it when you’ve done your research. Be wary of a coach who “bashes” other institutions or their coaching staffs. Form your opinions based on information you have gathered directly or from trusted sources. Recruiting is a business and like any other business, some are more cutthroat than others.

A visit is the best time to gauge your “gut” feeling about a school so pay attention to your instincts!

Questions for the College Coach

Player Personnel How many players do you carry on your roster? How many players are you replacing through my recruiting class? How many players typically travel and see substantial time? Do you play freshmen? Describe the role of scholarship vs. non-scholarship athletes? Do you hold try outs?

Program Describe a typical week during fall season, off season and non-traditional season? What are the program goals? Does your program receive good budgetary and institutional support? What equipment does each player receive?

Team Describe the personality of the team? Do the players live together?

Coach What is your coaching style? What is your coaching philosophy? Describe your communication style. How long have you been at this school and how long do you plan on staying?

Academics Will I miss many classes because of games/travel? Do players in your program graduate on time? What is the team’s GPA and how does it compare to the dept and the school? How many of your players are on academic probation? What academic support is available for athletes? Is priority scheduling available for athletes?

Campus Life What is the availability of on-campus housing? Do you require your athletes to live on campus? Do your athletes participate in sorority life or other clubs or activities? Are your student-athletes able to have a job? What is your philosophy on studying abroad?

Financial Aid What is the total cost of a year at your school (tuition, room, board, books, fees, etc.)? Is financial aid available for summer school? Is financial aid available for fifth year students? Have you ever decreased a scholarship? Have you ever not renewed a scholarship? Do you ever increase scholarships? If a player is injured and no longer able to play, would you renew their scholarship? For “need based” institutions, how would you describe your financial aid packaging? CONTACTING COLLEGE COACHES

Contact the programs you think you may have an interest in. Some recruits still send letters but the majority of recruits now write by email. Anything that sets you apart from the hundreds of other prospects helps whether it’s unusual stationary, a handwritten note or a personal anecdote or message.

Initial contact by a parent is acceptable but the majority of the contact should be from the prospect. This doesn't mean a parent shouldn't monitor communication between coaches and your daughter. You may want to create an email address just for recruiting.

The best practice is to either bcc the institutions you are interested in or write to each one individually. It doesn’t make a good impression if you send a mass email with a visible recipient list. If you are copy/pasting your message be careful to use the correct info. A coach who receives an email addressed to City U won’t be impressed if they work at Country U! Mistakes happen but first impressions are important.

• ALWAYS mention your grad year. College coaches often get emails from prospects and can't respond because they don't know if a response is permitted. Prospects cannot be put in a recruiting database without a grad year. • Large attachments tend to push mailboxes over size limits and may be a nuisance so keep attachments as small in size as possible. • It is never too early to start writing. Many prospects are beginning to contact colleges in their freshman year. • It is never too late. Many prospects enter the process in their senior years and find a great place to play college hockey.

Complete the institution's online prospect form – you should find this on the department home page or sport page. This shows the coach that you are interested and have spent time on their website.

In Division I institutions are permitted to reply once to players who write before their junior year to inform them of the recruiting rules.

Don’t be discouraged if a coach doesn’t respond every time. It is your job to sell yourself and be persistent. Many coaches have hundreds of players in their databases and receive numerous emails every day. Do what you can to stay on their minds and be noticed.

Continue to keep in touch, send your resume and video if available and let the coach know where you will be playing. Keep in good contact, especially with your playing schedule, because when a coach attends a recruiting event their list of “players to see” usually includes prospects who have written and expressed an interest.

If you are contacted by a program you have no interest in let the coach know that you are not interested. Coaches appreciate honesty. NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER

What is the NCAA Eligibility Center?

The NCAA Eligibility Center (previously known as the NCAA Clearinghouse) will certify the academic and amateur credentials of all college-bound student-athletes who wish to compete in NCAA Division I or II athletics. To assist with this process, the Eligibility Center staff has fostered a cooperative environment of education and partnership with high schools, high school coaches and college-bound student-athletes. Ultimately, the individual student- athlete is responsible for achieving and protecting his or her eligibility status.

Academic-Eligibility Requirements

Academic Eligibility Rules are extremely complicated. One of your best resources is your high school guidance counselor. It is important to identify yourself as early as possible to your guidance counselor as a student who plans on participating in college athletics. The NCAA publishes a Guide for College-Bound Student-Athletes that explains academic eligibility in great detail. Visit http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=263

Amateurism

If you want to participate in NCAA Division I or II athletics, you must also be certified as an amateur student-athlete. The Eligibility Center will determine the amateurism eligibility of all freshman and transfer college-bound student-athletes for initial participation at an NCAA Division I or II member institution. In Division III, certification of an individual’s amateurism status is completed by each institution, not the Eligibility Center.

When you register with the Eligibility Center, you will be asked questions about your athletics participation. The information you will provide will be reviewed and a determination will be made as to whether your amateurism status should be certified or if a penalty should be assessed before certification. If a penalty is assessed, you will have an opportunity to appeal the decision.

The only method is to register online. Go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net

KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR PIN!! You will need it in the future. Center Contact Information NCAA Eligibility Center: Web address: Certification Processing www.ncaaclearinghouse.net P.O. Box 7136 Indianapolis, IN 46207-7136 Eligibility Center customer service Representatives are available from 8 a.m. Package or overnight delivery: to 6 p.m., 1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Indianapolis, IN 46202 U.S. callers (toll free): 877/262-1492 NCAA FIELD HOCKEY PROGRAMS

In the fall of 2008 there were:

77 Division I teams with an average of 19.74 players per team 25 Division II teams with an average of 19.24 players per team 155 Division III teams with an average of 18.75 players per team

You can easily research every NCAA Field Hockey program at http://www.ncaa.com/sports/w-fieldh/ncaa-w-fieldh-body.html

The NCAA “Statistics” page http://www.ncaa.com/statistics/w-fieldh-stats.html includes links to:

2008 Individual and Team Statistics (and archives) 2008 Team and Player National Ranking Summary (and archives) Coach/Student-Athlete Lookup Team-By-Team Yearly Statistics Record Books Attendance Statistical Trends

The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll is published on the NCAA site. It is an opinion poll. Each week every member institution is provided the opportunity to rank the top twenty teams in their opinion. Voting is voluntary but strongly encouraged by the NFHCA. To determine how many coaches voted each week simply total the number of first place votes in the poll.

RPI is a ranking based on a mathematical formula which includes takes into consideration your win/loss, win/loss of your opponents, strength of schedule and other categories.

There are also a handful of non-NCAA Field Hockey programs such as Lindenwood (NAIA) and these programs do not follow NCAA recruiting rules.

Be sure to discuss your options with your high school, club and other coaches that you trust. Keep in mind that the opinions that matter the most are yours and your parents. Often the best way to gauge whether a school is a good fit for you is to make a visit to the campus, meet the coaches and the team and stay on campus overnight. If you get the chance, observe a practice and go to a game. NLI - NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT

The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a voluntary program administered by the Eligibility Center. No prospective student athlete or parent is required to sign the National Letter of Intent, and no institution is required to join the program.

By signing a National Letter of Intent, a prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the designated college or university for one academic year. Pursuant to the terms of the National Letter of Intent program, participating institutions agree to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year to the student-athletic, provided she is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid for financial aid under NCAA rules.

An important provision of the National Letter of Intent program is a recruiting prohibition applied after a prospective student-athlete signs a Letter of Intent. This prohibition requires participating institutions to cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once a National Letter of Intent is signed with another institution.

Restrictions are contained in the NLI itself. Read them carefully. These restrictions may affect your eligibility.

The Field Hockey Signing Period begins the first Wednesday in February. For 2008-09 high school seniors this period began February 4, 2009 and ends August 1, 2009.

If you have questions about the National Letter of Intent, visit the Web site at http://www.national-letter.org or http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/nli or call 877-262-1492. RECRUITING RULES

Summary of Recruiting Rules for Field Hockey - Division I

YEAR IN SCHOOL RECRUITING METHOD RULE

Sophomore or You may receive brochures for camps and Recruiting materials earlier questionnaires. You may make calls to coach at your expense only. Soph or earlier Telephone calls College coach cannot call you. Soph or earlier Off campus contact None allowed Soph or earlier Official visit None allowed Soph or earlier Unofficial visit You may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits.

YEAR IN SCHOOL RECRUITING METHOD RULE

Junior Recruiting materials You may begin receiving September 1 of junior year.

You may make calls to the coach at your expense. Junior Telephone calls College coach may call you once per week starting July 1 after your junior year. Junior Off campus contact Allowed starting July 1 after your junior year. Junior Official visit None allowed Junior Unofficial visit You may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits.

YEAR IN SCHOOL RECRUITING METHOD RULE

Senior Recruiting materials Allowed

You may make calls to the coach at your expense. Senior Telephone calls College coach may call you once per week starting July 1 after your junior year.

Senior Off campus contact Allowed

Allowed beginning opening day of classes your senior year. Senior Official visit You are limited to one official visit per college up to a maximum of five official visits to Divisions I and II colleges.

Senior Unofficial visit You may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits.

Senior Evaluation and contacts Up to seven times during your senior year.

How often can a coach see A college coach may contact you or your parents/legal Senior me or talk to me off the guardians not more than three times during your senior college’s campus? year. Summary of Recruiting Rules for Field Hockey - Divisions II and III DIVISION II DIVISION III Division II Division III

A coach may begin sending you printed You may receive printed materials any Recruiting recruiting materials September 1 of your time. Materials junior year in high school.

A college coach may call you once per No limit on number of calls or when they week beginning June 15 between your can be made by the college coach. Telephone calls junior and senior year. You may make calls to the coach at your You may make calls to the coach at your expense. expense.

A college coach can have contact with you A college coach may begin to have or your parents/legal guardians off the contact with you and your parents/legal college’s campus beginning June 15 after Off-campus contact guardians off the college’s campus after your junior year. your junior year. A college coach is limited to three in-person contacts off campus.

You may make an unlimited number of You may make an unlimited number of Unofficial visits unofficial visits any time. unofficial visits any time.

You may make official visits starting the You may make official visits starting the opening day of classes your senior year. opening day of classes your senior year. Official visits You may make only one official visit per You may make only one official visit per college and up to a maximum of five official college. visits to Divisions I and II colleges. RECRUITING TERMS

Contact - A contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face contact with you or your parents off the college's campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing.

Contact period - During this time, a college coach may have in person contact with you and/or your parents on or off the college's campus. The coach may also watch you play or visit your high school. You and your parents may visit a college campus and the coach may write and telephone you during this period.

Core Courses - Course that are academic, four-year College preparatory and that meet high-school graduation requirements in one of the following areas: English, mathematics, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy.

Dead period - A college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents on or off campus at any time during a dead period. The coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time. NCAA Field Hockey observes a dead period in Division I from Wednesday prior to the National Collegiate Division I Field Hockey Championship to noon on the day after the game and during the period Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the signing of the National Letter of Intent.

Early Signing Period - This is a one-week period in the beginning of November during which student-athletes can sign a National Letter of Intent. Signing this letter commits them to that particular school for one year. Field Hockey does NOT have an early signing period.

Evaluation - An evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate your academic or athletics ability. This would include visiting your high school or watching you practice or compete.

Evaluation period - During this time, a college coach may watch you play or visit your high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or your parents off the college's campus. You and your parents can visit a college campus during this period. A coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.

Financial Aid - Money received from a college or from another source, such as outside loans or grants. Financial aid may be athletically related or based on criteria such as academic achievement or financial need. Also referred to as scholarship.

Initial Eligibility - Initial Eligibility refers to the academic eligibility status of an incoming freshman. Under NCAA rules, incoming freshman must be certified as eligible by the NCAA Eligibility Center before they can be involved in college sports. Nonqualifier - A student who hasn't met the academic requirements for entry into a division I or II member institution. A nonqualifier can't practice, compete or receive institutional financial aid for one academic year in Division I and II, and has three seasons of competition in Division I.

Official visit - Any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the college. The college may pay all or some of the following expenses: • Your transportation to and from the college; • Room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college; and • Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest.

Before a college may invite you on an official visit, you will have to provide the college with a copy of your high school transcript (Division I only) and SAT, ACT or PLAN score and register with the Eligibility Center.

Partial Qualifier - A term used in Division II only. A student who has met part of the academic requirements, a partial qualifier may practice on campus and receive institutional financial aid, but can't compete for one academic year.

Prospective - You become a prospective student-athlete (“prospect”) when: • You start ninth-grade classes; or • Before your ninth-grade year, a college gives you, your relatives or your friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide to students generally.

Qualifier - A student who has met the academic requirements outlined for the particular level of play. A qualifier may practice, compete and receive institutional financial aid in her first year of enrollment at a Division I or II college.

Quiet period - During this time, a college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college's campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit your high school during this period. You and your parents may visit a college campus during this time. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.

Unofficial visit - Any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you like and may take those visits at any time. The only time you cannot talk with a coach during an unofficial visit is during a dead period.

Verbal commitment - This phrase is used to describe a college bound student-athlete's commitment to a school before she signs (or is able to sign) a National Letter of Intent. A college bound student-athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time. While verbal commitments have become very popular for both college bound student-athletes and coaches, this "commitment" is NOT binding on either the college bound student-athlete or the institution. Only the signing of the National Letter of Intent accompanied by a financial aid agreement is binding on both parties.

Walk-on - A student who does not receive athletics institutional financial aid (scholarship), but who is a member of a college athletics team. RESUME

PERSONAL Year of HS graduation Email address Address Date of Birth Height/Weight Home phone # Cell Phone # (optional) A photo showing a clear image of your face

ACADEMIC Name of School GPA Class Rank PSAT/SAT, ACT scores. For each test, list the score for each section. Academic awards or honors Academic Interest

HOCKEY HS Coach name, email address, phone # (get permission to share this info) Name of club(s), coach name(s), email address, phone # Your position(s) Awards/honors Statistics (Field players: goals, assists; GKs: shots, save %, goals against average) USA Field Hockey program participation, Futures participation, be specific Camps/clinics/tournaments and awards/results

OTHER Other interests (i.e. community service, academic groups or hobbies) Other sport participation and awards/honors Letters of recommendation from teachers/coaches are optional Newspaper clippings are optional - quality, not quantity is a good rule.

If there is information you aren’t comfortable making semi-public then do not include it. Be sure to include that info when you write to college coaches. If a prospect doesn’t include test scores or grades that is usually a clue that the academics aren’t up to par. It is better to be honest with a coach than try to “hide” poor academics. Nothing is worse than being recruited to an institution then finding out you don’t meet its academic standards. SCHOLARSHIPS AND COMMITMENTS

Scholarship basics An NCAA athletic scholarship is a one year renewable financial aid contract.

If a student-athlete is receiving institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability, that financial aid MAY be reduced or canceled during the period of award (e.g., during that year or term) only if the student-athlete:

1. Renders herself ineligible for intercollegiate competition; 2. Misrepresents any information on an application, letter of intent or financial aid agreement; 3. Commits serious misconduct, which warrants a substantial disciplinary penalty (the misconduct determination must be made by the university's regular student disciplinary authority); or 4. Voluntarily quits the sport for personal reasons. In this case, the student-athlete's financial aid may not be given to another student-athlete during the term in which the aid was reduced or canceled.

Institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability MAY NOT be reduced, canceled or increased during the period of award:

1. Based on a student-athlete's ability, performance or contribution to a team's success; 2. Because an injury prevents the student-athlete from participating; or 3. For any other athletics reason.

It is important to keep in mind that while the coach may represent that they will renew a player’s scholarship each year, it may not be guaranteed. It is important to ask for the coach’s philosophy on scholarship renewals, reductions, increases and cancelations.

Many times a player is accepted as a recruited walk on with the hopes of gaining a scholarship in the future. Never assume that this is possible or likely. Ask the coach how often that has happened and what the likelihood is of that happening in the future.

The Verbal Commitment Until a recruit signs a NLI which binds them to an institution, a prospect can only verbally commit to a school until they are able to sign. When a prospect verbally commits to a school, it is a personal promise to the coaches that she will sign an NLI during the signing period. A prospect should never make a verbal commitment until she is prepared to do so. This means:

• She is 100% satisfied with her choice of institution • She is 100% satisfied with her choice of field hockey program • She has not felt pressured to make a choice before she feels ready • Her academics (including SAT or other college prep scores) are suitable for admission to the institution. • She and her parents have fully explored all costs of the institution and are ready and able to cover the cost.

Once a prospect has made a verbal commitment it is appropriate to inform other programs that she is no longer considering them.

NCAA Scholarship Statistics (Division I and II)

Maximum # of full field hockey scholarships permitted per academic year: Division I: 12 Division II: 6.3

What does this mean? If a Division I program is allowed 12 full scholarships that doesn’t necessarily mean they are funded for 12. Many programs are not “fully funded,” meaning the athletic department does not budget them the full maximum. Keep in mind that 12 is not per recruiting class but per roster. In other words, if a program carries 24 players on the roster and the program is fully funded then those 12 scholarships are divided among the 24 players in whatever way the coach feels is appropriate. That could be 12 full rides and 12 non-scholarship athletes, 24 half-rides or any other combination.

# Of girls participating in HS: 58,372 # Scholarships awarded: 699 *Students received: 1680 Total $ in millions: 17.6 Average % of full: 42 Yearly value: 10,464

*Scholarships may be divided between more than one player Note: Data encompasses freshmen to seniors. NCAA data is the most recent gathered and is from 2003-04. HS data is from 1999-2000 and represents the year in which most college athletes received athletic aid were participating in HS sports.

What does this mean? This loosely means that 1 out of every 34.75 high school field hockey players in 1999-2000 received an athletic scholarship and the average amount of that scholarship was $10,464. That’s just fewer than 3%.

What else do I need to know? Field Hockey programs are generally limited by what is called “countable aid.” This means that certain other aid may have to be counted by the institution towards their sport limit. In other words, your package may include other types of aid that are not athletic scholarship, per se, but still count towards the program’s maximum number of scholarships. In some cases if a player is offered an athletic scholarship that player may no longer be eligible for institutional need-based aid. Now I’m completely confused! Ask the coach lots of questions. If you have a meeting with a coach and leave not knowing anything about how that institution handles athletic, academic, need based and other aid or scholarships then you need to email and ask. Don’t ever assume! SHIRTS

Red shirt This term describes the most common "shirt" situation. Red means “stop” as in “stop from playing.” The NCAA allows a player five years to complete four seasons of eligibility. Players still receive their scholarship, still practice, still do everything the other players do, they just don’t play in the games. It is important to note that, at least at the Division I level, a red shirt MAY compete in outside competitions in the non-traditional (spring) season.

The purpose is to preserve a year’s eligibility instead of using it on a year when the player probably wouldn't see much playing time. If you finish your freshman year and haven’t played in any games you may apply for red shirt status to preserve that year of eligibility. This is important to know, especially if you decide to stay in school for a fifth year or decide to transfer.

Some programs mandate red shirting for some or all incoming freshmen. If this is the case at an institution you are interested in and you have received a scholarship offer be sure to ask the coach if they plan on renewing your scholarship for that fifth year of eligibility. In some cases you may actually be able to get grad classes paid for by your athletic scholarship!

Medical Red shirt This term describes a red shirt taken when a player is injured or becomes ill early in the season and isn’t predicted to be back on the field soon. A player who applies for a medical red-shirt and meets the strict criteria will have that partially used season fully restored and preserves that year of eligibility. In other words, if you play two games in your second season of eligibility and tear your ACL you may apply for a medical red shirt and restore a full second season of eligibility.

Gray shirt This term describes the situation where prospect signs a letter of intent in February, but doesn't report in the fall with her teammates. She delays entry to college until midyear. The advantage is that the player gets an extra spring practice season before their first full traditional season with the team. This is more typically found in football programs.

Green shirt This term is used to describe the situation where a high school senior forgoes her spring semester in high school to enroll in college in January. Green means “go” as in “go early”. If the college staff thinks she may be able to play right away as a freshman, it provides her with the opportunity to go through spring practice, learn the system, and get acclimated to being on campus. There are many downsides to this situation and this term may not be covered by your scholarship so ask lots of questions. It takes a lot of prior planning to ensure she can graduate from high school early with the proper core courses and test scores and gain early admission to the institution. SHOWCASES, CAMPS and CLINICS

Showcases These events are typically robin play with some or no teaching portion. College coaches are invited to attend these events and receive a player information guide. This is not a complete list, many more exist. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement or recommendation of these programs. Before you sign up for any of these events it is a good idea to explore fully and ask the organizers for a list of the Colleges/Universities represented at the last session offered.

SOME HAVE AGE REQUIREMENTS SO PLEASE READ WEBSITES CAREFULLY!

Name Web Address Location Showcase Field Hockey ShowcaseFieldHockey.com PA/NJ/CT Focus Field Hockey FocusFieldHockey.com VA College Quest CQSports.net PA College Connection WhiteMountainSports.com PA/MA Head to Toe HeadToToeHockey.com MO/PA IAS Select IndoorActionSports.com MA Keystone State Games KeystoneGames.com PA Northeast Field Hockey NEFieldHockeyShowcase.com NY Surf & Sand Field Hockey SurfAndSandFieldHockey.com NJ USTC College Showcase Go2USTC.com PA

Camps and Clinics College summer camps and day clinics are a fantastic way to “test drive” an institution and coaches. Day clinics are an especially simple way to get a good feel for an institution’s staff and facilities without spending a lot of money. At clinics each player has a better chance of being coached by the staff they are interested in. It is perfectly acceptable to ask who will be doing the coaching before you register.

At a summer camp, you aren’t guaranteed to be coached by an institution’s staff. Before you sign up find out if each coach employed will work with each camper or if they do it team style (one coach works with the same group of campers for the entire session). You should also find out if the camp is operated on the institution’s campus.

If the institution you are interested in doesn’t run a summer camp, ask the coach if he or she will be working at any camps. VIDEO

A video can be an extremely useful way to market yourself. Of the prospects that make and distribute a video, approximately 85% use DVDs and 15% post footage online. A coach who has a DVD in hand is more likely to look at it again but an online video is more easily accessed away from the office. Online videos are easier to update. Sites used are YouTube, your own website, recruiting service website.

Send a video to the schools you are most interested in. If money is an issue then you can let them know you have a video and will send upon request.

Video tips o Do everything at top speed. It doesn’t help the coach to know you can do something perfectly at half speed. Game pace at all times! o Always label with your name, high school, grad year, email address o Always use a tripod o Make sure the prospect is easily identifiable in game clips o Always include a description of what is on the video and when the footage was taken (i.e. game clips vs. city high Oct 2008, game clips from NITs Mar 2009) o It isn’t necessary to have the video professionally done unless you don’t have the equipment or know how o Music and effects are fun but not necessary

Video content 1. Individual Skills (on gym floor or turf or other smooth surface, grass as a last option)

Field Player Individual stick skills with a change of speed and direction Passing/Receiving (push pass, sweep, choke hit, hit) Defensive footwork with a change of direction and speed Sprinting with and without the ball Shooting (strong side, reverse, chip, drag flick) Specialty skills (insert, stick stop, penalty stroke, aerials)

Goalkeeper Footwork – breakdown steps, drop steps, change of direction, recovery Clears – toe, instep/redirect/jab, crossover, punch Saves - slide tackles, dives, aerials, 1 v 1s Defending penalty strokes

2. Game clips Include 1 to 10 short game clips. Make the clips long enough so it is easy to identify the prospect and see the play develop. Outdoor clips are preferable but indoor clips are also acceptable. USA FIELD HOCKEY

USA Field Hockey is the national governing body for the sport of field hockey in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH), and the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAFH).

USA Field Hockey has approximately 19,000 members and supports programs designed to educate and promote the sport of field hockey.

USA Field Hockey programs where prospects are typically recruited may be divided into two categories: those that require Futures participation and those that do not.

Programs Requiring Futures Participation *Regional Futures Tournaments **National Futures Championships (Virginia Beach, VA) **Regional Rumble (Virginia Beach, VA)

Programs Not Requiring Futures Participation **National Field Hockey Festival (Indio, CA) **Disney Showcase (Orlando, FL) **ESPN RISE Games (Orlando, FL) **National Indoor Tournament (Virginia Beach, VA)

Talentlink USA Field Hockey also maintains a database of athletes that is accessible by college coaches. Basic information in each player who participates in one of the programs listed above will be included in the database at no charge. A prospect may pay to include additional information and have to ability to contact colleges directly through Talentlink.

In many cases information may be incorrect either because of a data entry error or because incorrect information was provided by your coach. Because this information is used by college coaches for recruiting purposed it is extremely important to ensure your bio is correct!!

*Some player info may be provided to college coaches depending on your region **Player Info Guides for ALL age group divisions are sold to college coaches for these USA Field Hockey events through Talentlink. RESOURCES/LINKS

American Education Services

American Indian College Fund

College Board - This site will guide you through the entire college search and application process. Register here for the SAT.

FASFA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Fastweb.com

Federal Student Aid

Finaid.org

GoCollege.com

Hispanic Scholarship Funds

International Education Financial Aid

NAIA – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

NCAA - Call the NCAA publications hotline at (800) 638-3731 and ask for a free copy of the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete which contains the registration forms and a Clearinghouse brochure. The Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete may also be viewed online by visiting the Student-Athlete Eligibility and Recruiting Section of the NCAA website.

NFHCA - This is the site of the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association. The NFHCA sponsors the weekly college poll and many collegiate and high school awards.

Scholarships.com

USA Field Hockey REFERENCES

Elsasser, B., Materson, G. The Recruiting Process: How to Protect and Help Your Athlete retrieved from http://www.familyresource.com/parenting/sports/the-recruiting-process- how-to-protect-and-help-your-athlete?via=feed

Ferriss, L. (2008). College Recruiting for the Elite Athlete retrieved from http://www.momsteam.com/successful-parenting/parenting-elite-athletes/college- recruiting/college-recruiting-for-the-elite-at?page=0%2C0

Ginsburg, R. (2008). Will Playing Sports get our Kids into College? Psychology of Sport retrieved from http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/psychology- sport/200804/psychology-sport-will-playing-sports-get-our-kids-college

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Kadet, A. (2008). Parents Spare No Expense in Children’s Sports. Smartmoney Magazine retrieved from http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/budgeting/parents-spare-no- expense-in-childrens-sports-23367/?hpadref=1

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Pennington, B. (2008). Expectations Lose to Reality of Sports Scholarships. The New York Times retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/sports/10scholarships.html?ref=sports

Siegel, A. (2008). Elite Local Athletes tackle the high-pressure world of college recruiting. The Eagle-Tribune retrieved from http://www.eagletribune.com/pusports/local_story_279023750.html

Sondheimer, E. (2008). Elite club teams not for everyone. Los Angeles Times retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jan/25/sports/sp-sondheimer25