Coach Corey Else
Director of College Scouting- National Scouting Report
MYTH “If I’m Good Enough, College Coaches Will Find Me” It’s no surprise that the vast majority of athletes, and their parents, have an inflated outlook on their true athletic abilities. What they don’t see is there are tens of thousands of athletes, now with the internet and from all over the world, competing for U.S. college scholarships every year. FACT less that 5% of High School athletes will play in their sport in under scholarship in college.
Have you ever heard the phrase “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”? … The same goes for recruiting, it’s about relationships and the number of college coaches who you need to be in front of, and on their recruiting boards, to have a chance at a scholarship offer. Your potentially inflated athletic abilities and narrow mindset on where you fit in a sea of thousands of similar prospects is a BIG RISK to take. Having 43 years’ experience in this industry (NSR was founded in 1980), we know if you’re not being Identified and Recognized by several hundred programs in Phase 1 of the Recruiting Process then the numbers aren’t favorable to get you to Phase 4 for even a single college offer.
MYTH “I Read Online That I No Longer Have To Take The ACT/SAT” With COVID came requirement changes from the NCAA and its institutions to relax the rules of requiring standardized tests like the ACT and SAT and therefore, you’ll hear that some schools are “test-optional” and may rely instead on GPA for admittance. For the non-athlete just needing ADMITTANCE to universities, that’s great. As an athlete however, you need more than just admittance, you need scholarships. FACT Most “test-optional” universities will still rely heavily on an athlete’s ACT/SAT scores for academic scholarships in addition to your athletic scholarship. Therefore, if you buy into this myth, and you don’t have a standardized test score COMPETING head-to-head for a blended money scholarship with a similarly skilled athlete with an ACT score, we all know who the coach is offering, and it’s not you. Don’t be that kid!
MYTH “My Coach/Club Recruiting Coordinator is my Scout” Your coach is amazing, period. Not taking anything away from what coaches do as we wouldn’t have anything without coaches guiding young athletes through the X’s and O’s and development of athletes in their sport. FACT College Scouting/Recruiting is a full-time job. Most coaches and recruiting coordinators at the high school or club level already have a full-time job in the workforce i.e. as an engineer, business owner, college student, or likely a teacher and their day is still is jam packed with grading papers, building curriculum, managing equipment, reserving field/court space, setting up transportation, all while making time for their families at the end of the day. This leaves no room to be communicating with college coaches every day.
Secondly, coach/recruiting coordinator roles are usually exclusive to a club that you’re not guaranteed to be a part of next year. Your coach, if he/she has a winning record, is going to be looked at every year for a hiring promotion elsewhere. Therefore, your coach may only be helping you for one season. Similarly, as an athlete, your family may choose to pursue other outside opportunities throughout the years that makes sense for you. FACT College Scouting/Recruiting is a journey Placing your recruiting process with a trusted college scout, who is third-party (not exclusive to a club), now allows you the FREEDOM over the years to explore opportunities that benefits you most. Your recruiting process needs to stay consistent and on task with no disruptions or fear of termination.
The World’s Leading Authority On Athletic Recruiting Since 1980
MYTH “It’s Too Early” I hear this often, and its typically rooted in the misconception that recruiting doesn’t start until junior or senior year of high school. Think about this, you have ONE chance in life to get recruited. I encourage athletes, if you know that you desire to play college athletics and are willing to put in the work to get there, to not let the opportunity slip away that your spot is awarded to someone else because you waited too long! FACT Athletes who begin their recruiting process early, get more looks, more offers, and have a smoother recruiting journey. Although Division I and Division II college coaches are limited on ORIGINATING contact with an athlete typically before their junior year per NCAA rules, leave no doubt THEY ARE recruiting early, college coaches are competitive, and their job is to find talent. When they find it, they build their relationship with that prospect early and within the rules which means you’ll know you’re being recruited! Just like on the T.V. show “The Voice” a college coach wants credit for turning their chair first and showing their interest early!
MYTH “My Dad Got Recruited and is Helping My Recruitment” We remember those days too as NSR was founded as the first in the industry in 1980. It is not your father’s recruiting process. This isn’t even older brother’s or older sister’s recruiting process from 2 years ago. Did you know our industry is practically unrecognizable every few years? For instance, your dad and older brother didn’t compete with athletes with 4 or 5 years more experience than them for the same scholarship, did they? Guess what… you are! FACT Your new competition, transfer portal athletes, have received YEARS more nutritional guidance, YEARS more college weight room reps and have had proven themselves for years competing at the college level. Envision yourself now and how much more physically and mentally athletic you are than someone 4 years younger than you. Transfer portal athletes will get first looks by Division I and Division II coaches. I see this transpire every day as I also represent college transfer portal prospects in their process to find their new 4-year fit.
FACT College coaches aren’t looking to speak to mom or dad about you. A college coach determines that you’re recruitable by relying on a truthful and realistic scouting report from a college scout, not a biased parent. This is the reason why NFL General Managers, Pro Hall of Famers, and dozens of current and former college coaches, all who have made the highest levels of their sport, turn to NSR to guide their own personal kids through this college recruiting process.
MYTH I’m all set, I Have an Athlete Profile Already Built with an Online Recruiting Service
If a “recruiting representative” from one of these online recruiting services/call centers offers to enroll you in their service WITHOUT ever watching you play or take the time to individually determine if you are truly a recruitable athlete, RUN the other direction fast. FACT College coaches simply ignore these large open enrollment online sites because everyone and their dog (funny story I’ll have to explain later) can be on it. If everyone can be on it, then you can bet college coaches wont filter through junk accounts or through kids who can’t play at the next level to discover recruitable prospects. Instead, college coaches rely on a trusted source like NSR Scouts to be introduced to recruitable athletes via accurate scouting reports.
Since 1980, NSR Scouts have placed tens of thousands of athletes to compete in college in every major NCAA sport- Baseball, Softball, Basketball, Soccer, Football, Volleyball, Equestrian, Golf, Ice Hockey, Fishing, Swimming, Water Polo, Field Hockey, Cheerleading, Bowling, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Tennis, Track & Field, Wrestling, & Cross Country. Athletes who are offered and enrolled with NSR have a 95% success rate in receiving multiple scholarship offers and have an educated decision as what college or university is the right fit for them. If you have a desire to play college sports your first step is to get evaluated by an NSR Scout.
