Los Angeles Elite
Recruiting & Social Media Seminar
NCAA Eligibility Center/BBCS for Live Period Events
Registration for the NCAA Eligibility Center is a great tool to help keep your recruiting on track and ensures that the academic steps you’ve taken align with the programs recruiting a student-athlete.
Registration with the BBCS is a MUST to participate in live period events. Inputting updated and accurate information into this portal will help college coaches identify your student athlete in the packets they purchase at events.
Website to create a profile in the NCAA Eligibility Center: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/
Website to register on the BBCS for live period events: https://web3.ncaa.org/bbcs/
FAFSA INformation
FAFSA is short for Free Application For Federal Student Aid.
Filling out a FAFSA gives you access to potential grants and student loans that can help offset the cost of a college education.
FAFSA also has guides to non-athletic scholarships your student-athlete can apply for.
FAFSA is very important for non-Division 1 athletic scholarships. Many times Division 2, Division 3 and NAIA scholarships are not “FULL RIDES” and additional money is required for your student athlete to attend these schools.
FAFSA Application: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Types of Grants and AID Available
Grants: Aid that does not have to be repaid. Normally based on financial needs of students. Examples: Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant.
Loans: Borrowed money that must be repaid with interest. Interest on Direct Unsubsidized loans is paid by the US Department of Education while the student is in school and during periods of deferment.
Borrower is responsible for all interest accrued in Direct Unsubsidized Loans. A Direct PLUS Loan is for graduate students and student is responsible for all accrued interest.
Recruiting: What do college coaches look for?
Grades: The best way a student-athlete can ensure they are recruited is to have their academics in order so they are recruitable to all levels of play.
Character: They do not like to bring in players who may cause chemistry issues within their program.
Body language is a key term all college coaches look at when evaluating. Is the player coachable? Do they cheer on their teammates? Do they get down on themselves or teammates when things don’t go right? How do they act on the bench? How do they act in warmups? How do they act in the line to get food? You never know who is watching and who they might be connected to!
At the end of the day, college basketball is a business, and coaches look for players who do the things that help them win and keep their jobs.
Recruiting: BE Active in your own recruitment
What’s the best way to get your name on the radar of a college coach other than playing well in front of one? Reach out to them. Most college coaches have their email addresses listed on the school’s athletic website and is one quick google search away.
Create a highlight reel. Most high school coaches have access to game film and can help you get your clips up on Hudl, YouTube or other video sharing websites. Show offensive and defensive clips!
Compose a well thought out email and include the following: “Good morning (afternoon, evening) Coach X,” include your full name, high school, graduating class, AAU program, height, weight, position, relevant statistics, highlight reel. In the body of the email be sure to include why you’re reaching out to this specific program. Do research on the program so you have things to point to in your desire to attend that school.
PERSONALIZE EACH EMAIL. Coaches can see right through a copy and paste message as they get hundreds of these per season.
Talk to your high school coach, AAU coach and local scouts to get ideas of how you can improve your game to become a college level prospect.
Understanding your level
There are 353 Division 1 programs in America, each with 13 full scholarships, that equals 4,589 players who receive full rides to D1 schools.
There are an estimated 546,000 high school basketball players each year in America. That means .008 percent of high school basketball players end up getting a Division 1 scholarship.
While the “D1 or Bust” attitude is prevalent nowadays, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA and Junior College offer competitive hoops and great higher educational opportunities.
In AAU, 95 percent of coaches will be watching the 17U level. 16U players whom are the “Elite” category will have coaches at their games. College coaches will rarely take in a 15U game this spring and summer.
Understanding your level
The easiest way to understand what level of player you are is to see which level of coach is recruiting you heading into your senior year. If you have a majority of interest from NAIA coaches, you’re likely and NAIA player.
Watch college basketball! Compare yourself and your game to that of players at the upper levels. Go to a local Division 2, Division 3, NAIA or JUCO game and see what the level looks like. There are high level players at EVERY level of college hoops.
Getting a scholarship and free education is the ultimate goal. If basketball happens to be the vessel that allows you to achieve that, don’t rule out any level of play.
Recruiting landscape
The recruiting landscape is a tough for non “Elite” high school prospects.
Main reason: The Transfer Portal. There are thousands of experienced college players who enter the transfer portal each year and coaches look to that first when adding a player to their roster.
Second reason: Grad Transfers. These players have gotten their degree and are immediately eligible to play with no sit out period.
Third reason: COVID year. It might be another three years until we see the extra year given to players due to COVID go away. There are some players who are in their sixth year of college basketball.
Fourth reason: Division II players moving up to Division I. Social media and live-streaming of games has allowed high level Division 2 players to be seen and recruited by Division 1 programs.
Fifth reason: Junior College and Prep School. Coaches want physically mature and mentally ready players to join their rosters. JUCO and Prep Schools are another pool of prospects for coaches to choose from.
Social media presence
College coaches look at more than just your athletic abilities and grades to see if you are a good fit for their program.
Social media has become a major tool in recruiting for coaches. They use it as a way to see what type of person you are off the court and the content of your character.
The things you tweet, share or post on instagram, is a direct reflection of your character. One misstep could cost you a potential scholarship.
Social media: What not to share
Keep your profile clean of offensive posts - whether that be retweets, likes, negative comments, foul language. Retweeting or re-posting offensive things gives off the idea that you are in support of that content.
Don’t post inappropriate photos or videos - examples include fight videos, promotion of illegal or inappropriate activity.
Bashing opposing teams or players - you may have given a team 30 points and gotten the win, but there’s no need to go on social media and boast about it.
Social media: What to share
The best things to share on social media are highlights of yourself or tweets that include you as a top performer in a game. Social media is a great tool for self-promotion if used properly.
Tweeting support and encouragement for friends who are also athletes goes a long way in showing the type of character you have.
Inspirational quotes from other sports figures or historical icons can be a good way to communicate what type of character you have.
You can show some of your personality. A lot of athletes like to post pictures of themselves on instagram, and that’s great, just be sure to keep things as classy as possible.
What to have on your social media bio/profile
The first thing to start with is your full name so coaches can easily identify you. JohnnyGetsBuckets247 is a cool name, but a college coach searching for “Johnny Smith” might have a difficult time finding that prospect.
Your bio should also include the following: Your high school, AAU program, height, weight, position played, graduation year, relevant stats, GPA, Test Scores, email address, a Bible verse if you practice religion and a link to a highlight reel.
For the photo icon, make sure its a clear picture/headshot of you so that coaches can put a face to a name!
