TOP 5 RECRUITING THINGS TO DO
1. Develop a recruiting plan and get evaluated by a third party.
What are you currently doing to get evaluated for college scholarships? What results has your current plan produced? If you are not currently being contacted by college coaches at least once per week, then you are not being actively recruited.
You need to be evaluated by as many college coaches nationwide as possible to maximize your scholarship opportunities and securing a college roster spot immediately! Attending available camps and showcases also increases your evaluation exposure to coaches.
2. Create your FREE MyScoutingReport NOW!
Online profiles are the fastest way for college coaches to evaluate a prospects academic qualifications, athletic attributes, highlight/game videos, competition schedules, news articles and how to contact you. Create your FREE MyScoutingReport immediately for scholarship evaluation by college coaches nationwide!
3. Take charge of your game, highlight, or skills video!
DO NOT wait around for someone else to burn game DVD's or edit a highlight video for you! Take control of your recruiting process by taking action each day until your video(s) are complete and accessible by college coaches.
4. Be realistic about your projected college level.
Too many college prospects get focused on competing ONLY for major NCAA Division I programs, that they miss out on opportunities to compete at a lower level and possibly on a scholarship.
5. DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF!
Time and again college prospects limit themselves to only wanting to compete at a certain level, local area, in-state, U.S. region or certain conferences. The fact of the matter is that college coaches get to choose which players they want on their roster and which to offer scholarships to. It's not the players or parents that choose...once again, it's the college coaches. By limiting yourself to only certain areas for recruitment, you can bet your life that there will be some college coach around the country that could use a student-athlete like you!
MEN'S BOWLING RECRUITING FAQ
1. When does the recruiting process begin?
The first day a student-athlete attends a high school class, they are considered a college prospect by the NCAA. Recruiting starts early because competition for scholarships is extremely high.
2. How do I get discovered?
College coaches can recruit prospects on third-party evaluations from a trusted neutral source like AASR. If you don't have a discoverable or marketable profile for college coaches to evaluate, then they won't know about you.
Remember, if college coaches are not calling you at least once per week, then YOU ARE NOT BEING ACTIVELY RECRUITED! Whatever you have been doing to get evaluated by college coaches has not been working, then it's time to change your strategy!
3. How do coaches evaluate prospects?
The fastest way to get a college coaches attention is with a highlight video. They can evaluate your game, event or skills videos while at their desk or on their mobile device. Online videos can speed up the recruiting process for both you and college coaches.
4. What is my high school coach’s role?
Most high school coaches also teach classes, coach other sports, teach classes and have families, so earning a scholarship is your responsibility. High school coaches that are fortunate to have established relationships with college programs, are usually with a handful of college coaches within their local area or U.S. region.
WHAT ARE COLLEGE BOWLING COACHES LOOKING FOR?
Knowing exactly what college coaches are looking for can make the scholarship process a lot easier for you. AASR's recruiting guidelines can help you decide the level of competition that you’re best suited for. The guidelines also give a recruits an overview of how many scholarships and college programs are out there to choose from (in the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA). Knowledge is an extremely important tool in the recruiting process. Learn from AASR's guidelines and make the job of earning an athletic scholarship a little easier.
GRADES:
3.0 GPA + 24 ACT + 1000 SAT (out of 1600)
STATISTICS:
Top college bowlers average 200+. The average college score is around 165+.
TOURNAMENTS FOR EXPOSURE:
§ United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Junior Gold Championships
§ USBC National Tournament (Women Only)
§ North Pointe Insurance Group High School Singles Tournament
§ Teen Masters
MEN'S BOWLING SCHOLARSHIPS
PROGRAMS SCHOLARSHIPS
NCAA I: 0 0
NCAA II: 4 5
NCAA III: 3 0
NAIA: 41 5
NJCAA: 24 12
USCAA: 2 0
TOTAL: 74
NCAA III: Do not offer athletic scholarships, but offer academic scholarships and financial aid.
Not all college programs that are eligible to offer scholarships will choose to do so. For example, Ivy League programs do not to offer athletic scholarships.
Bowling is an equivalency sport which means all scholarships are not full scholarships. Coaches may divide the total number of scholarships allotted to them between as many athletes as they wish.
MEN'S BOWLING RECRUITING CALENDAR
Freshmen Year
- Research 2-3 schools per week
- Create a list of prospective schools consider both athletics and academics
- Make a highlight film of skills
- Attend camps and showcases with the goals of improving your skills and to gain exposure
Rules/Tips to Remember:
- Coaches can follow your development throughout high school at camps and in school
- DI and DII coaches can’t personally contact you until Junior Year
- DIII and NAIA coaches can contact you at anytime
- Important to do be familiar with the school both athletically and academically
Sophomore Year
- Continue to research prospective schools
- Fill out questionnaires
Junior Year
- Follow-up with coaches in a TIMELY manner
- Invite coaches to your games/matches/events, have updates sent about your schedule
- Ask coaches where you stand on their recruits list
- Fill out questionnaires
- Respond to EVERY coach
- Make unofficial visits to schools
- Narrow down your prospective schools list
- Highly interested coaches will make scholarship offers and ask for verbal commitments
Rules/Tips to Remember:
- September 1st of Junior year is the first day that DI and DII coaches can OFFICIALLY send you more personalized letters and emails
- DI and DII coaches can start calling you during the summer
- DI coaches can start calling you once per week and scheduling off-campus visits on or after July 1st
- DII coaches are allowed to start calling and scheduling off-campus visits on or after June 15th
- Junior College is another option if you need like to develop academically, would like to compete for immediate playing time or have the opportunity to play one year then sign a professional contract.
Senior Year
- Make official visits
- Follow-up with coaches and respond in a TIMELY manner
- November is NCAA Early Signing Period that non-football sports sign recruits to their best scholarships. After that NCAA Early Signing Period ends, college coaches are not allowed to sign recruits to scholarships until the middle of April. The middle of April is the middle of the season for spring sports, students are also preparing for prom, finalizing college applications, applying for financial aid, studying for final exams and getting ready for graduation. For all those reasons, it's imperative to gain early exposure for scholarship evaluation by college coaches to sign a scholarship during November of the senior year for non-football sports.
- Apply to the schools - applications
- Apply for financial aid FAFSA.ed.gov starting Jan. 1st
- Commit and sign with a college program
- Find out the summer workout schedule