Parents with children looking to play in D3

Started by K-Mack, November 09, 2005, 12:03:40 AM

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K-Mack

Hey all,
Got a couple new e-mails and since I'm about to be off the grid for a week, I thought I'd let you guys take a stab at helping them. I'm sending them this way.

Quote> Dear Keith
> I'm new to D3 website and found your response most encouraging...I'm
> trying to find anyone who might help me rank the competitiveness of D3
> leagues... My son is academically strong and I have a nice intro tape
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r62QjzhAj9U and some half games available
> to send as he seeks a D3 where he could play. Might you offer any comments
> and or leads on who might help advise me. He's willing to go to any state.
>
> Thanks for all you do for kids.
> rich

Here's the other one:

QuoteMy son is a senior this year @ GooseCreek Memorial HS in Baytown, TX.
He's a QB and is 5'10" and weighs about 170.  So, D1's aren't going to
be knocking on our door.  We have a recruiting website set up for him @
www.collegecoaches.net.  So far, he's had several coaches from D3 and
D2's (some D1's) looking at him and have also contacted him as well.



What I wanted to ask you was how competitive are the D3's and D2
colleges in states outside of Texas?  My son (Cody Larson) has been
contacted by coaches from Peru, Dana, and Concordia (all located in NE)
which are D2's.  He has also been contacted by University of Wisconsin -
Stout (D3).  I wasn't sure if some areas of the United States weren't as
competitive in regards to football as Texas. 



We're not so concerned with the division size (D2 vs D3) as we are the
quality of the football program and conferences the colleges play in. 



Cody just wants to play competitive football while getting an education.
I would like your opinion in regards to the divisions as well as NAIA
vs. NCAA.



THANKS

Michele Larson

Also got two from players looking to transfer, but that's a more delicate situation.
Former author, Around the Nation ('01-'13)
Managing Editor, Kickoff
Voter, Top 25/Play of the Week/Gagliardi Trophy/Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nastradamus, Triple Take
and one of the two voices behind the sonic #d3fb nerdery that is the ATN Podcast.

Ralph Turner

Greetings Ms Larson (and hello Rich... D-3 basketball is different in Colorado where I assume Loveland High School is located.)

This previous 7 pages of this message board have the advice that has been given by many posters to several parents.  The message is still the same.   :)

1.  Your son needs to go to a campus where he would feel at home, were he not playing football.   Does it offer his degree plan? Does he like the feel of the school?  Does it seem like home?  Is the financial aid package that he can get within his/your budget?

2.  If he is not going to play much in the first year, do they have a JV program that brings him into the system?

3.  How close to home is it?  (Of course, Baytown, TX to everywhere else is several hours drive in D-III.)  Is that even a concern?

The thoughts of playing in a competitive conference are excellent.  Winning and playing competitive football make the experience more enjoyable.  In fact, winning a conference championship in a less nationally competitive conference is a fair consideration, especially if he is getting plenty of playing time.  The American Southwest Conference is one of the best 5 D-III football conferences in the nation.  There is very little in NAIA in the state, and Dana and Concordia NE are all NAIA in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  Peru State is an independent NAIA school.

Don't be fooled by the term, "athletic scholarship".  Price the entire package.  He may be able get a better aid package that does not include an "athletic scholarship" at a D-III than the package he would get at an NAIA or D-2 school.

Out of state tuition for a Texas resident is likely to be as expensive in Wisconsin as private college tuition in Texas, all things considered.

D-III is not "high school" or "glorified intramural" ball.  Most teams have D-1 and D2 transfers who played at the other levels and moved to D-III for many reasons not related to the sport.

As a Texan, I am proud of the competition in the ASC.  Please look here first, because he will see many of the players against whom he played in high school playing in the ASC.  All of the ASC schools do a good job of preparing student athletes to compete in the real world.  Almost any other poster can validly say that same thing about their local D-III conference and teams, including the SCAC fans at Austin College, Trinity, Millsaps, and the new program at Hendrix in Conway AR.  Almost every successful program is geared towards retaining student-athletes on their way to graduating.  (If he is looking at coaching/teaching as a profession, then the ASC experience will be invaluable.  Coach Hal Mumme, formerly at Head Coach University of Kentucky and New Mexico State, felt the appeal to returning to Texas to coach as one of the things that brought him back to Texas and to McMurry.)

Thanks and email me if you have any other questions.

Mr. Ypsi

For those who want to see the relative strength of d3 conferences (but at this late date don't want to shell out for Kickoff ;)), Keith reproduced the listing in his October 8th ATN column.  While these were the assessments prior to the 2009 season, relative strength of conferences is pretty stable year-to-year (I doubt a similar assessment today would move any conference more than a slot or two)..

K-Mack

I'm not particularly sure how to answer this question anymore. Thoughts?

QuoteCan one of you tell me what's the best way to get football highlights
featuring my high school senior son to D3 recruiters for consideration?

Thanks in advance for your advice.
Former author, Around the Nation ('01-'13)
Managing Editor, Kickoff
Voter, Top 25/Play of the Week/Gagliardi Trophy/Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nastradamus, Triple Take
and one of the two voices behind the sonic #d3fb nerdery that is the ATN Podcast.

Knightstalker

Quote from: K-Mack on October 25, 2011, 01:25:39 PM
I'm not particularly sure how to answer this question anymore. Thoughts?

QuoteCan one of you tell me what's the best way to get football highlights
featuring my high school senior son to D3 recruiters for consideration?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Post them on YouTube and send the link to the programs you want to see them.

"In the end we will survive rather than perish not because we accumulate comfort and luxury but because we accumulate wisdom"  Colonel Jack Jacobs US Army (Ret).

BlueJayNation

There are a number of services out there that can assist you with contacting D3 recruiters. Some are better than others. With most, you pay a lot for things you can easily do yourself. Some will offer good advice and give you good value. If you choose to go this route, make sure you get a reference first.

As an alternative, I highly recommend www.gobigrecruiting.com.  You can post a player profile and upload films to the site. Coaches actively search the site for players that meet their criteria and request access to films if interested. There's a $5 charge you pay to provide access to each school. You can also proactively send schools a request to to view the film and you are notified when it's viewed.  I have nothing to do with this service and have nothing to gain, I just know it was a highly effective and relatively inexpensive way to get my son's films out to coaches when he was being recruited. I'll use it for my other son this year.

Good luck!

fulbakdad

#111
On what to do with the video highlights-

I made DVD copies of my sons highlights and sent them out during his junior and senior year to MANY schools.  We had lot's of contacts and a pretty enjoyable recruiting voyage.  My son went to a Prep School in Mass and his school hosted one of the regional combines.  During that combine I met and spoke with Brent Williams (Former New England Patriot DT who played 13 years in the NFL) who was there for one of the high priced recruiting companies.  He gave some advice on what to put in the highlight video and it appeared to work.  Here were some of the suggestions:

Most kids play both ways in high school.  Seperate the highlights by what they do.  For example, my son played fullback/linebacker.  I seperated his clips in the following 1-running plays, 2-blocking plays, 3-defense plays.

Keep the highlight film somewhat short.  5-7 minutes, so cut out the fluff.

No music.  The first one I did I had music playing in the backround.  After thinking about what he said, it made sense to me.  Every college coach will be sitting in front of a computer watching houndreds of these videos.  If it's a type of music he doesn't like, well, NEXT!

Then on the DVD, copy the best full game video you have.  That way, the coach will have the opportunity to see your kid play an entire game.  Do they make a highlight play, then take a play off?

When you have your finished DVD, compose a letter that you can personlize to each school you send it to and add it to the mailing package.  Then send them to the schools you might think he'd be interested in and see if there's any interest.

My son just finished his Freshman year at Lake Forest College in Chicago where he worked his way to starting Linebacker.  Was even selected Midwest Conferance Player of the week for one of his games.  There is some very good competition in D3 and you can find a much better academic fit here.

Good Luck!