Student-athletes (SAs), parents, and coaches know too well: the world of recruiting and college athletics is ever-changing. From blackout contact periods, to NIL, to complex scholarship agreements, high school athletes and their parents must keep themselves informed regarding the next step of their careers. They must look at all of the things that can affect their undergraduate education, scholarship prospects, NIL earning potential and other opportunities.
I sat down with Coach Nat Harris, a coach, evaluator, professional speaker, and all around great guy. He also happens to be my dad. đ He focuses on advising SAs at the high school and collegiate level, as well as men and women who are hoping to play professionally after graduation. My question for him: what questions should current athletes and thier parents ask when they start the recruiting process?
Whether or not you are familiar with college recruiting below are a bunch of great questions to ask while youâre on your next visit.
31 Questions Every Athlete Should Ask During an Official Visit
For Parents and Student-Athletes
Do I have âfirst dateâ complex? The first time you meet with a coach during an official (or unofficial) visit, youâll hear that the school has the best of everything: a new state of the art facility, school sponsor information, famous alumni. Before you fall head over heels for a school, scope the internet for basic information you can find before you visit campus. Research what majors the school offers, what departments have won awards, what types of internships and programs their career services offices offer, etc.
What types of courses are offered? What happens if youâre in high school and you don’t know what you want to study in college? A college or university may offer dozens of business majors: economics, accounting, entrepreneurship⌠the possibilities are endless. Do your homework and google how many full-time professors and adjunct professors work with a certain major, along with how many freshman courses are offered in a particular field. Knowing how many options you have makes an enormous difference in the options youâll have as a student.
As an athlete, how much flexibility will I have to pursue a certain major? This may be a tricky topic to approach, because as a student you should have the option to major in any area of study you choose. However, some coaches struggle adjusting their schedules appropriately for majors that require extra classroom hours, such as nursing or science majors. Again, ask your prospective coaches to be honest. Ask what types of majors their players typically choose. If itâs a major that youâre interested in, great. If not, see how likely they are to accommodate your course requirements and class schedule with their practice schedule.
Do I understand the difference between passive and aggressive recruiting? Coach had a great analogy for this: âIf youâre being seriously recruited by a school, youâll know it. If I wanted to take you to the prom, Iâm going to ask and Iâm going to ask you early. Iâll keep asking until you give me an answer.â Help yourself by doing the following:
- Understand recruitment timing and NCAA recruiting calendar by clicking here
- Familiarize yourself with the glossary of terms
- Be mindful of schools that break rules
- Know what times of year you can visit campus and meet with coaches
- If coaches are dodging you, ask them to be up front and ask them where they see you in their program, how much playing time youâll get and the coach’s system.
Will I be playing right away? Parents and current SAs can easily look at the roster and see how many minutes a player in their position has. Check out the class year (freshman, sophomore, etc.) to see if certain classes get more minutes than others. If a number of freshman guards, forwards or centers are clocking major minutes, you may have to wait for solid playing time. Alternatively, if you have a few teammates in your position who are graduating, there may be a better opportunity for you contribute solid minutes earlier in your playing career
Will I have access to NIL resources? Ask coach what types of NIL opportunities thier athletes are receiving. Are they secruing sponsors? Do they work part-time during the off-season? Do athletes own thier own business and make considerable cash?
Also find out what kind of support that athletics program is prepared to provide each student-athlete. The resrouces a school offers can heavily influence the type of earning potential you recieve.
Do I understand the rigors of a scholarship? Many SAs and their parents forget that college athletics is like a business. Earning and receiving a scholarship isnât âfree moneyâ. You are signing a contract. This means, above all, that you must be academically eligible and meet the programâs other requirements. Youâll need to understand what the academic requirements of the school are, and if your prospective coach believes you can be admitted based on your ACT or SAT scores.
Will I have to take that test again? Many athletes (including myself) may need to re-take certain standardized tests. If so, remember that the coach and his or her staff may not want to wait for you when they can recruit someone who is already eligible. Have your GPA, test scores, community service credits – basically your whole academic profile – ready and make sure it fits with the standard of said college or university.
Is my high school coach familiar with the recruiting process? Can they put in a good word for you and advocate on your behalf? Will they offer to put full games on YouTube for you, or do they know a service that will prepare full game footage for you?
*A note from coach: never submit a âhighlightâ film. A full game in its entirety will help coaches and staff to evaluate your overall skill set.
How do my family and I present ourselves? When being recruited, many college coaches will ask your high school coach how you and your family carry themselves. Are your parents and siblings loud and crazy in the stands? When you’re sitting on the bench, are you cheering for your teammates? Do you have a steady composure?
Believe it or not, traits like these sometimes carry more weight than talent. Many coaches refuse to approach or recruit athletes who get taken out of a game and then talk back to their coach or donât cheer for their teammates. #aintnobodygottimeforthat
Am I familiar with recruiting terms? For example, do you know what a â3 for 1â is? If not, it is essentially a contract where the student-athlete agrees to cover their first year of college tuition, and the athletic program will cover their final three years. While it isnât a âfull rideâ offer, taking a loan out for one year is definitely better than paying for all four years. Ask questions and stay informed.
Am I asking the right questions? Donât forget to ask those questions that will help you succeed off of the court. Is the school (or certain majors) accredited and do certain majors compare favorably to peer institutions? How many SAs graduate on time? Is the faculty of the School of Engineering or Communications Department well published or won any awards, for example? If a coach or program canât tell you where the school ranks academically in US World and News Reports with regard to job placement and student success, you may want to think long and hard about your decision to attend the institution.
Student Athletes: Questions to Ask the School (And Yourself) Before Signing
Am I really prepared to be a college athlete? Both coach and I have known many SAs who were in for a rude awakening once they began training at the collegiate level. Even if you were the top athlete in your conference at home, you will experience a lifestyle change that comes with a quick learning curve.
During my first semester in college, I had workouts five days a week that were comprised of lifting, agility, cardio and skills workouts. I would clock in an average of 2-3 hours daily before my first 8:30am class. I was also expected to attend each class (without falling asleep), adhere to a dress code as a team policy (no sweats in class) and be ready for a second workout on various days throughout the week or weekend.
Am I familiar with types of visits? Donât think the only way to see a campus is through an official visit. You can tour a campus anytime to familiarize yourself with the size and layout. Remember, however, that itâs only during official visits that a coach will pick up your tab (transportation, meals, etc.)
What do students and athletes do during their time off? Do they leave campus? Is it a big party school? Is the college a dry campus? These are all factors that can affect or influence your lifestyle while youâre student.
Can freshman students have cars on campus? Some campuses are small and need to conserve space. If you have your own wheels, check with coach to see what their policy is. This may make a big difference if you decide to attend a school that isn’t close to different means of transportation.
What does my guidance counselor think of the school Iâm interested in? The next time you meet with a guidance counselor, ask what she or he thinks of the school(s) you are interested in. Be frank and ask them if they believe the schoolâs academics are above what you are capable of. It may be tough to hear, but if they think it will be hard for your to meet the schoolâs academic standards then you may want to reconsider attending that school.
Will the athletic department pay for any tutoring I require? Â Just like in high school, you may need a little tutoring or extra help with certain subjects. Does the athletic department have their own study hall for athletes? Are these tutors available when you travel for games? While it may be a minor detail, having access to academic advisors or tutors at the collegiate level is a game changer for SAs, trust us.
What are the conditions to terminate your scholarship? Many programs may have rules that outline how itâs possible to lose your scholarship. Were you injured during a summer league tournament? If a new coach is hired, can they decide not to honor your scholarship? While these rules may seem unfair, remember that this is a business, and you have the right to know these conditions prior to signing with a program.
Will I be able to afford to travel home during vacation periods? Arent certain flights expensive during winter break and the peak summer months? Will it be more advantageous to stay with a teammate who lives locally during certain times of the year? Donât forget– most dorms are closed during certain holidays, so youâll need to make sure you can get home or make accommodations elsewhere.
Does your head coach plan on being here over the next 4 years? It may be a good idea to ask this question especially if the coach has been there for many years, or if theyâre close to retiring. It would be good to know before you get there.
What position does the coach see you playing? Just because youâre a shooting gaurd in high school doesnât mean youâll play the same position in college. Decide whatâs important to you– the opportunity to compete and potentially earn scholarship dollars as an undergraduate, or the âhappinessâ factor of staying with a position you were groomed to perform in high school.
What is the style of play? Does the style of play match your style? Are you a trapping/pressing type of athlete, but a college coach is more of a half-court/zone-style coach? You can always make adjustments; however you wonât have such a learning curve if your styles of competition match.
Is the program a hotbed for transfers? How is the team presently made up (underclassmen, upperclassmen, many transfers, etc.)? You may want to ask coach how often they experience transfers. If you feel they arenât being candid, you may have to do your own investigative work via google.
Other Questions to Ask
Whatâs the definition of a scholarship? Every program may have a different definition of what a scholarship means. Does it include tuition and books? Make sure to ask what fees are NOT covered under a scholarship. Remember: an athletic scholarship isnât based solely on skill. You could lose your scholarship because of ineligible grades, behavior, or breaking team rules at the discretion of the school.
What is the team graduation rate? If coach doesnât mention it, ask what their programâs graduation rate is. This is also a great opportunity to ask what their players go on to pursue graduation.
What will my typical practice schedule look like? Are conditioning workouts or practices scheduled at 6am each day? Do film sessions or lifting workouts take place daily mid-afternoon? Coaches should be able to tell you their schedule and when you canât schedule classes.
Can I talk to a professor? Parents and students should ask if they can talk to a professor or faculty member from the department your SA is interested in. If itâs not part of your official visit itinerary, make the time to connect with a few individuals from different departments. Bring home pamphlets and flyers you can read when you have down time after your visit.
What is the school policy while you travel? A few times each season youâll have to miss a class or exam due to road games. Ask coaches what the athletic policy is for when youâre on the road, and the expectations for making up any missed work.
What are study-hall policies? Does your program have a certain GPA or study hall hour requirement? If so, find out how many hours youâll be required to spend each week studying, reading or completing coursework in that team-approved space.
Will I be centrally located on campus? Are your dorms located close to the practice facility or cafeteria? Or do you have to take a shuttle or drive to another campus to take classes? These things many seem minor if you love a particular school; however, keep in mind that your schedule as a SA will give you very little downtime. Proximity to classes, facilities and the cafeteria will make a big difference in your lifestyle.
What are the team rules? Every team has their own set of rules. Some programs have their graduate assistants take attendance and cell phones away during study hall. Others require you to travel in business-casual attire during road games. This is a great question to ask to help you understand the culture and expectations of the program you hope to join.
Asking the right questions is not only the smart thing to do, but itâs a strategy that helps you obtain a better picture of how your life will be for the next four years on campus. Never be afraid to ask too many questions either– your experience as an athlete competing at the collegiate level will be amazing, yet it will also be the most challenging and vigorous experience in your life. Get the full picture of expectations before you sign your NLI and youâll find yourself making more informed decisions each step of the way.