College    Water  Polo  

Recruiting  Guide    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1.  Recruiting  Timeline      

Freshman  and  Sophomore  

• Guidance  Counselor:  Meet  with  your  guidance  counselor  to  stay  on  track  with  your  required  NCAA  core  classes.    Follow  an  AP  course  track  if  you  want  to  consider  top  academic  schools.  

• Unofficial  Visits:  Plan  visits  to  college  campuses  while  on  the  road.    You  may  meet  with  the  coach  on  campus  regardless  of  your  age.      

-­‐ When  arranging  an  unofficial  visit  prior  to  your  junior  year  you  must  contact  the  coach  by  phone.    (They  cannot  respond  to  emails  until  Sept  1st  of  your  junior  year  or  return  phone  calls  until  July  1st  after  your  junior  year.)    Be  persistent  and  call  until  you  get  him  or  her  on  the  phone  to  arrange  a  date  for  your  visit.        

• PSAT:  Take  the  PSAT  exam  no  later  than  the  spring  semester  of  your  sophomore  year.  

-­‐ Start  planning  preparatory  classes  for  your  intended  exams.  (SAT,  SAT  2,  ACT  and  TOEFL)    

• NCAA  Regulations:  Student  becomes  a  “prospective  student-­‐athlete”  at  the  start  of  his  or  her  freshman  year  in  high  school.    

-­‐ Keep  coaches  updated  on  athletic  and  academic  progress.  -­‐ You  may  initiate  contact  through  email  or  phone  as  often  as  you  like.  

! Coaches  may  evaluate  but  may  not  personally  initiate  any  in  person,  phone  or  email  contact  with  you  or  your  parents.      

-­‐ Coaches  may  send  camp  brochures  and  questionnaires  at  any  time.      

Junior  

• Guidance  Counselor:  Keep  in  contact  with  your  guidance  counselor  to  stay  on  track  with  your  required  NCAA  core  classes.  

• Unofficial  Visits:    Continue  to  take  unofficial  visits  to  schools  that  interest  you.      • Prep  Class:  Take  a  preparatory  class  for  your  intended  exams.  (SAT,  SAT  2,  ACT  

and  TOEFL)  • Standardized  Tests:  Take  the  SAT,  SAT  2’s,  ACT  and  TOEFL  (International  

Students)  in  the  Fall  of  your  Junior  Year  to  allow  for  retakes  later  in  the  school  year.  -­‐ Mark  ‘9999’  on  the  exam  to  have  your  scores  automatically  sent  to  the  NCAA  

Eligibility  Center.      • Register  with  the  NCAA  Eligibility  Center:    End  of  junior  year.  

-­‐ Your  high  school  advisor  will  assist  with  submitting  the  necessary  documents.  

 

• NCAA  Regulations  Jr.  Year:  

-­‐ September  1st  of  Jr.  Year:  Coaches  may  contact  you  by  email  or  written  letter.      

-­‐ July  1st  after  Jr.  Year:  (June  15th  NCAA  D2)  -­‐  Coaches  may  contact  you  by  telephone  and  in-­‐person.  

! Limited  to  3  in-­‐person  meetings  for  the  entire  recruiting  process.        -­‐ Limited  to  one  meeting  per  week.    -­‐ On-­‐campus  meetings  excluded.  

! Coach  limited  to  1  phone  call  per  week.  -­‐ Player  may  initiate  calls  as  often  as  he  or  she  likes.    

 

Senior  

• Official  Visits:  Player  is  limited  to  5  official  visits  during  senior  year.  -­‐ Must  have  transcript  and  test  scores  submitted  to  school  prior  to  an  official  

visit.      -­‐ Continue  taking  unofficial  visits.  

• College  Applications:  Player  must  submit  college  applications.  (Deadlines  are  usually  around  November  to  January.)  

–UC  App:                         November  1-­‐30th  –Ivy  League/Stanford     January  1st  –USC                           December  1st  

 • NCAA  National  Letter  of  Intent:  Sign  during  the  below  time  period.  

Initial  Signing  Date  –  February  4,  2015  

  Final  Signing  Date  –  August  1,  2015  

• Communication:  Stay  in  contact  with  coach  and  admissions  to  confirm  all  documents  are  accounted  for.      

• NCAA  Eligibility  Center:  Complete  registration  with  NCAA  Eligibility  Center  end  of  senior  year.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  College  Research    • All  research  should  be  filed  on  the  College  Research  Google  Drive  document  I  have  

included.    We  will  “share”  this  document  through  Google  Drive  and  be  able  to  track  your  research  and  progress  simultaneously.      

• Below  are  a  few  major  questions  you  should  ask  yourself  when  starting  your  college  search.  

1. Can  I  get  into  this  school  based  off  my  academic  record?  2. Do  I  have  the  athletic  skill  to  play  for  this  team?  3. Can  I  give  the  coach  a  good  reason  to  recruit  me?  4. Is  the  coach  truly  interested  in  me?  5. Can  I  afford  to  pay  for  this  school?  6. Does  the  school  offer  academic  programs  and  majors  that  interest  me?  7. Will  I  be  happy  with  my  college  experience  here?  

Advantages  of  organizing  research  on  a  spreadsheet:    

   1.  Assess  all  your  potential  schools  in  the  same  space.  

-­‐ Make  informed  decisions  about  which  schools  to  initially  pursue  and  narrow  your  focus  on  later.    This  helps  you  identify  similarities  and  differences  between  schools  you  may  not  have  expected.  As  you  go  through  high  school  and  visit  more  colleges,  it’s  very  likely  your  preferences  and  priorities  will  change.          

  2.  Be  prepared  for  communication  with  coaches.      

-­‐ Having  personalized  information  on  every  school  and  team  will  impress  coaches  with  your  knowledge  and  interest  in  the  program.      

Additional  Resources  

1. Books:  These  are  of  some  of  the  best  college  guidebooks  to  help  you  get  a  sense  of  what  different  colleges  are  like  around  the  country.  

a. The  Princeton  Review’s  Best  Colleges  b. Kaplan’s  Unofficial  (un)  Biased  Guide  by  Anderson  &  Basili  c. The  Fiske  Guide  to  Colleges  d. Colleges  that  Change  Lives  by  Loren  Pope  

 2. Websites:  The  following  are  some  helpful  websites  you  can  use  to  aid  in  your  

college  search.  a. Campustours.com  –  Offers  virtual  tours  of  campuses  b. StateUniversity.com  c. Zinch.com  –  College  Matchmaking  Site  d. Unigo.com  –  Reviews  from  College  Students  

 

 

3. Big  Future:  Another  great  resource  is  Big  Future,  by  College  Board.    It’s  free  and  a  great  tool  to  research  schools  and  further  understand  need  based  financial  aid.      

a. You  can  set  up  a  profile  at:  https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/        

Timeline  for  School  Research:  

Freshman:      

• Start  building  a  general  list  of  schools/  regions  you  might  like  to  attend.    • Take  visits  to  as  many  schools  as  possible.      This  will  help  narrow  down  your  list  in  

regards  to  the  most  general  categories.       -­‐  School  size       -­‐  Type  of  campus  (rural  or  urban  setting)       -­‐  Private  or  public       -­‐  Academic  recourses    

Sophomore:  

• As  you  refine  your  list,  start  filling  out  all  categories  for  schools  you  are  interested  in.    

-­‐ I  recommend  including  all  schools  you  have  visited  whether  you  liked  them  or  not.    This  is  a  good  reference  to  compare  your  preferred  schools  to  the  ones  you  disliked.      

• Speak  with  your  high  school  advisor  about  increasing  your  chances  of  attending  your  preferred  schools.  

 

Junior:    

• List  should  be  complete  and  comprehensive  by  the  end  of  your  junior  year.  • Keep  adding  schools  as  your  preferences  change,  golf  and  academic  ability  improve  

and  you  visit  more  schools.    •  Consider  speaking  with  admissions  at  your  most  preferred  schools  to  discuss  your  

chances  of  acceptance  and  what  you  can  do  to  improve  them.      

   

 Senior:  

• Start  to  narrow  your  list  of  schools  starting  in  you  junior-­‐senior  summer  and  fall  semester  senior  year.    

• This  will  be  very  helpful  in  deciding  at  which  schools  to  take  official  visits.  

 

Points  of  Research:  (Categories  are  in  order  of  importance.)    -­‐ The  below  information  should  be  filled  in  on  the  College  Research  excel  document  I  

have  included.      

1.  General    

• Student  Population  • Location  • Campus  Setting  (Urban  or  Rural)  • Classroom  size  • School  application  deadline  • Public/  Private  • Climate    • Distance  from  home,  swing  coach…  

2.  Academic  

• Average  SAT,  ACT  &  GPA  for  accepted  freshmen  • Intended  major(s)  offered?    • Tutor  services  to  players?  • Academic  facilities  -­‐  libraries,  laboratories,  studios  

3.  Financial  

• What  is  your  family’s  college  budget?  • Cost  of  school?  • Breakdown  of  costs?  • Non-­‐athletic  scholarships  offered?  • Number  of  team  athletic  scholarships?    

  Maximum:  NCAA  D1  Men  -­‐  4.5  NCAA  D2  Men  –  3.6              -­‐  You  can  call  a  school’s  Athletic  Department  and  find  out.  

4.  Team    

• Team  ranking  –  follow  team  results!  • Player  results  –  follow  2-­‐3  players  who  you  want  to  play  like.  • Strength  of  schedule?    What  caliber  of  opponents  is  the  team  competing  against?  • Roster  Breakdown:  

• Number  of  players  leaving  before  you  come  in  =  Typical  available  spots  for  your  recruiting  class.      

• Number  of  open  spots  for  your  position?  How  many  sets,  guards,  or  drivers  does  the  coach  expect  to  play?    

• Number  of  in  state,  out-­‐of-­‐state,  international  players?    

5.  Coaching  

• Competitive  experience?    (Tournament  wins,  League  wins,  NCAA  appearances)  • Years  coaching?    • How  many  National  Team  players?  All-­‐Americans?  • Coaching  mentality/style?    • What  role  do  the  assistant  coaches  take  in  player  development?    

   

6.  Facilities    

• Private  team  practice  facilities?    Recently  renovated?  • Locker  rooms?  • Rehab  and  training  facilities?  

 

7.  Fitness  

• Athlete  only  gym?  • Trainers  available  outside  team  workouts?  • Open  Hours?  • Water  Polo  related  team  fitness  program?    

8.  Senior  Year  Factors    

• Number  of  early  NLI’s  signed  –  how  many  players  can  still  be  signed?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Resume  Development  Length:  You  should  not  need  more  than  a  page.      

Order:  Academic  "  Athletic  Honors  +  Awards"  Team  Results"  References  

Picture:  You  may  include  a  headshot  but  it  is  not  necessary.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name Mira Costa High School, class of 2008 1401 Artesia Blvd. Address: Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 GPA: (unweighted) Phone: Class Rank: / Email: SAT: CR ; M ; W SAT II: US Hist. ; Bio. WATER POLO Individual: Started as 2 MD 2007 National Youth Travel Team; 2006 & 2007 Coastal California Zone Team; Started as 2MD on 2007 CCA Zone Team that won 1st Place in the 2007 National Zone Team Championships; 2006--2007 Academic All-American. Mira Costa High School: 9, 10, 11, 12 Varsity Captain (12); MVP (12) All CIF 1st Team Div. IV (11, 12); 2006 & 2007 All-American; 2006 & 2007 AFC Tournament All Tournament Team; All CIF 3rd Team Div. III (10); Daily Breeze All Area First Team (11, 12); Daily Breeze All Area 2nd Team (10); Varsity (10,11,12); JV Captain & MVP (9); and Scholar Athlete (9,10,11, 12). 2006 CIF Div. IV Champions; 2007 CIF Div IV 2nd Place; 2006 & 2007 Bay League Champions; 2005 CIF Div. III Semi-Finalist; 2006 AFC Tournament—1st Place; and 2006 South Bay Tournament Champions. Los Angeles Water Polo Club: 2004—present Position: 2MD, Utility / starter 2007 Junior Olympics Boy’s 18 U—4th Place; 2007 Boy’s 18 U National Club Championships—3rd Place; 2007 Mikasa Cup Championships—1st Place; 2006 Boy’s 18 U National Club Championships; 2007 Cal Cup Boy’s 18 U—1st Place; 2006 Junior Olympics Boy’s 18 U; and 2005 Junior Olympics Boy’s 16 U—9th Place. SWIMMING Mira Costa High School Swim Team: 9, 10, 11, 12 Varsity Captain (12); Varsity (9,10,11,12); Coaches Award (9); Most Improved Player (10,11); Scholar Athlete (9, 10, 11); Fastest 200 IM (11); Qualified for 2007 CIF Championships 400 Free Relay; 2007 Bay League Varsity 400 Free Relay—2nd Place; 2007 Bay League Varsity 200 Medley Relay—3rd Place; and 2007 Bay League Varsity 200 Yard Medley Relay—3rd Place.

PERSONAL DATA OTHER INFORMATION

DOB: 2007 National Youth Training Academy Present Height: 2007 Jovan Vavic Water Polo Camp Present Weight: Euro Camp, July, 2006 2005, 2006 Richard Corso Clinic REFERENCES Robert Lynn, Coach Jon Reichardt, Head Coach Dustin Litvak, Club Coach 2007 National Youth Team Mira Costa High School LAWPC europeanhouse@aol.com 310/318-7337, X 5276 818/625-6533 jreichardt2001@yahoo.com dlitvak@roadrunner.com Brett Ormsby, Club Coach LAWPC Erik Healy, Men’s Coach Jovan Vavic, Head Coach btormsby@hotmail.com Loyola High School USC Men’s Water Polo ehealy10@hotmail.com vavic@usc.edu

 

Sample  Cover  Letter  

Matthew  Burton  1216—8th  Street  

Manhattan  Beach,  CA  90266  310/372-­‐8011  

kbfumbleruski@aol.com    

Date  Name  of  Coach  College  Address    Dear  Coach                                                                        :    My  name  is  Matthew  Burton,  although  everyone  knows  me  as  Matt.    I  live  in  Manhattan  Beach,  California  and  will  be  a  senior  this  fall  at  Mira  Costa  High  School.    I  have  played  competitive  water  polo  since  the  age  of  13  and  am  very  interested  in  playing  water  polo  at  a  Div.  I  college  that  provides  me  with  both  a  quality  athletics  program  and  a  high  level  of  academics.    I  am  enclosing  my  academic  and  athletic  resumes  for  you,  outlining  my  achievements.    My  GPA  is  currently                            (unweighted)  and  I  am  in  Decile                    of  my  class..    I  believe  that  not  only  my  skills,  but  also  my  discipline  and  sense  of  competitiveness  would  make  me  a  great  asset  to  a  Div.  I  college  team.    I  will  be  playing  with  my  club  team,  Boys  18  U  LAWPC  Team,  at  the  upcoming  Junior  Olympics,  July  28-­‐31,  in  San  Jose.    The  schedule  of  games  is  now  posted  on  the  USA  Water  Polo  website.    In  addition,  I  am  enclosing  a  copy  of  this  fall’s  Mira  Costa  schedule  for  your  convenience  as  I  hope  that  you  will  be  able  to  come  and  watch  me  play.    I  would  be  very  interested  in  discussing  with  you  the  possibility  of  participating  in  your  athletic  program.    I  am  interested  in  the  opportunities  that  playing  water  polo  at  a  challenging  academic  university  would  afford  me,  and  look  forward  to  learning  more  about  your  coaching  philosophy  and  your  team.        Thank  you  for  your  time  and  consideration.  

 

Sincerely,  

 

Matt  Burton  

 

4.  Email  Assistance    

Regulations:  

• You  may  email  coaches  at  any  time,  as  often  as  you  like.  • College  coaches  may  email  you  beginning  September  1st  of  your  junior  year.  

-­‐ If  you  want  to  plan  a  visit  before  September  1st  of  your  junior  year  you  must  call  the  coach  and  arrange  the  visit.          

Tips:  

• Shorter  is  better:  A  coach  is  more  likely  to  read  your  whole  email  if  you  keep  it  brief  and  to  the  point.    

• Research:  Make  sure  to  research  schools  before  sending  out  initial  emails.    If  you  fall  well  outside  the  academic  and  athletic  requirements  for  a  school,  you  may  not  even  get  a  response.        

• Check  grammar  and  spelling.    • Personalize  all  your  emails!    Mention  why  the  specific  school  interests  you  so  

much.    You  can  also  wish  the  team  luck  on  their  upcoming  schedule  or  compliment  the  coach  on  the  team’s  recent  results.        

-­‐ College  water  polo  recruiting  is  so  competitive,  if  you  don’t  take  the  time  to  personalize  your  emails,  other  recruits  will.    

• Thank  You!    Always  be  very  gracious  for  the  coach’s  time.        

Introductory  Email:         -­‐  Contact  info     -­‐  Resume  (in  an  attachment)     -­‐  Upcoming  game/tournament  schedule     -­‐  Personalize:  Show  why  that  school  interests  you.         -­‐  Your  academic  and  athletic  goals.  

Update  Emails:  Send  updates  to  all  your  prospective  schools  every  2  to  3  weeks.    You  can  expect  to  give  coaches’  emails  detailing  your  results,  upcoming  game  schedule  and  progress  on  your  athletics  and  academics.    Keep  them  updated  and  they  will  keep  you  on  their  radar.      

-­‐ Be  persistent!    Some  coaches  may  not  get  back  to  you  right  away  but  will  monitor  your  athletic  results,  so  keep  updating  them.    

-­‐ No  Excuses!    If  you  played  poorly  in  a  game/tournament,  take  responsibility  for  your  poor  play  and  explain  how  you  learned  from  the  experience.    Coaches  will  appreciate  your  maturity  and  positive  attitude.      

Sample  Introductory  Email:    

Dear Coach LAST NAME, My name is John Polo and I am a sophomore (Class of 2016) at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, CA. Since playing water polo at the age of __ it has been my dream to play at the collegiate level. I am confidant that SCHOOL NAME would be an excellent academic and athletic choice for me. What I really like about SCHOOL NAME is that it offers student-athletes a top of the line education tied together with a great DIVISON THEY COMPETE IN (ex: Division 1) water polo program. I have spent a lot of time reviewing the school and water polo team websites and am planning to visit the school soon. My cumulative GPA is 3.7 weighted and 3.2 unweighted. I am also a member of the National Honor Society as well as apart of my school's ambassador program. I will continue to take honors classes and make academics a top priority during the remainder of my high school career. Academics are extremely important to me and I will continue to update you with my progress. Water Polo is also a strong passion of mine and I work hard to continually improve my game. I’ve played water polo at NAME OF CLUB for __ years now and currently start as a POSITION. In my sophomore year at Costa, I helped us to win the Bay League. Over the past year, I have been working very hard on improving my game and it’s shown in my recent selection to the All-Bay League Second Team. My recent water polo highlights include a third place finish at the National Club Championships with Los Angeles Water Polo Club. In the third place game I scored two goals, earned two ejections and had one steal and one field block. While we didn’t accomplish our goal of winning the tournament, I was happy to medal against some of the nation’s top teams and talent. I am contacting you because I wanted to make you aware of my great interest in SCHOOL NAME and your water polo program as well as have you follow my academic and water polo progress moving forward. It is very important to me to keep developing as much as possible and I see SCHOOL NAME as a perfect place for me to achieve my full academic and athletic potential. Additionally, I would like to come to campus for an unofficial visit to meet you and experience the overall culture of the university. Below, I have attached my resume and upcoming games schedule. Thank you in advance for your time and interest and best of luck in UPCOMING TOURNAMENT OR GAME. Respectfully,

John Polo

Sample  Update  Emails:    

• General  Follow  Up  

Dear Coach XXXXXX,

Congratulations to you and your team on your win against Pomona Pitzer. It seems like the team is really headed in the right direction!

I wanted to give you an update on my progress from this past week. I played in the Club Championships up in San Jose this past weekend. My club team, Los Angeles Water Polo, finished third, winning three games out of four.

In the third place game we played Los Alamitos. I played pretty well and scored two goals, drew an ejection and had a steal and a field block. Despite not winning, I was happy my team’s performance and happy to take home a medal.

In school, I finished the semester off with a 3.5 GPA including my honors and AP classes. I am really proud of the way I've balanced school, water polo, and SAT testing.

I have attached my updated water polo schedule for the next few months. I hope all is well and that you might be able to come watch me play. Good luck next week against Claremont!

John Polo

• After  an  email  from  an  interested  coach:    

Dear Coach XXXXX,

Thank you so much for the email and congratulations on the win against LMU (Go TEAM MASCOT!!!). The whole team played so well, I was really impressed by your team’s chemistry and togetherness.

In 2015, I attended the SCHOOL NAME water polo camp. Ever since, it has been my goal to work as hard as possible, so that I might have the opportunity to attend and play for SCHOOL NAME. I know that SCHOOL NAME is looking for the best student-athletes in the nation and that is what I am striving to be. I would love to have the opportunity to meet with you or Coach LAST NAME on an unofficial visit. I met Coach LAST NAME during the water polo camp and really felt that he is the type of person that I would love to play for in college.

I plan to call you in the near future to see if I can set up a time to come for an unofficial visit. I see that your cell phone is below, so I will try calling you next week.

I have attached an updated copy of my resume and upcoming tournament schedule. Again, congratulations on the win and thank you so much for reaching out to me.

John Polo

• Set  Up  a  Visit  

Dear  Coach  XXXXXX,  

I  wanted  to  give  you  a  brief  update  on  my  current  progress.  I  took  the  SAT  last  Saturday  and  I  feel  as  if  it  went  very  well.    I’m  excited  to  get  my  results  in  the  next  month.  My  GPA  for  last  semester  was  a  3.5  and  I  am  off  to  a  great  start  this  semester  to  raise  it  even  higher.  

On  the  water  polo  side,  I  will  be  playing  in  the  America’s  Finest  City  Tournament  in  San  Diego  at  Coronado  High  School  on  June  3-­‐5.  I’m  not  sure  if  you  are  going  to  the  tournament  but  it  would  be  great  for  us  to  meet  each  other!    I  will  be  getting  into  the  San  Diego  area  that  Thursday  afternoon  and  would  love  to  possibly  visit  the  campus  and  meet  with  you  to  talk  a  little  more  about  (school  name)  and  the  water  polo  program.  

I  will  be  calling  around  11AM  tomorrow  and  also  the  following  day.    I  hope  we  can  connect!  

Speak  to  you  soon,  

 John  Polo  

• After  a  Bad  Event  

Dear  Coach  XXXXX,  

Last  Saturday  my  high  school  team,  Mira  Costa,  played  Palos  Verdes  for  the  league  championship.  It  was  a  tough  game  and  we  ended  up  losing  8-­‐5.  It  was  definitely  not  my  best  performance.    I  made  a  few  errors  in  our  frontcourt  defense:  allowing  a  player  to  beat  me  on  a  drive  and  fouling  a  player  over-­‐aggressively  that  resulted  in  an  ejection.  I  also  missed  a  block  on  our  5  on  6  that  resulted  in  a  goal.  After  the  game  I  identified  a  few  mental  lapses,  which  unfortunately  cost  my  team.  I  think  I  could’ve  prepared  better  leading  up  to  the  game.  Knowing  their  players,  I  should’ve  practiced  certain  situations  and  moves  more.  I  also  needed  to  up  my  team’s  pregame  warm-­‐up  as  we  came  out  flat.    

Despite  my  disappointment  in  the  loss,  I  see  this  as  a  positive  opportunity.  After  identifying  my  mistakes,  I  will  learn  from  them  and  improve  upon  them  in  the  near  future.    I  will  continue  to  better  myself  and  improve  my  knowledge  of  the  game.    I  will  also  be  working  hard  to  visual  certain  situations  so  I  can  be  better  prepared  for  them  when  they  happen  in  a  game.    I  feel  like  as  long  as  I  learn  something  from  every  game,  I  am  making  progress!      

On  the  academic  side  my  3rd  term  just  ended  and  I  got  all  A’s  and  B’s.  I  am  also  taking  the  SAT  Subject  Tests  in  Math,  Chemistry,  and  US  History  on  June  1st.  I  am  still  putting  together  my  summer  schedule,  including  several  AJGA  events.  I  will  be  sure  to  let  you  know  when  I  finalize  my  schedule.    

 Thank  you  for  your  time,  

John  Polo  

5.  Phone  Call  Etiquette  

 

Regulations:  

• You  may  call  coaches  at  any  time,  as  often  as  you  like.  •  Coaches  may  call  once  a  week  after  September  1st  of  a  player’s  junior  year.  

 

Tips:  

• Preparedness  is  essential.  -­‐ Having  a  solid  knowledge  of  the  school,  team,  coaches,  recent  team  results  

and  individual  player  results  really  helps.  (Team  websites  have  a  ton  of  content.)  

• Remain  Talkative:  You  should  be  the  one  engaging  the  conversation.      -­‐ Lead  with  questions.    -­‐ Show  your  sincere  interest  about  the  golf  program.    

• Personality:    Coaches  want  players  with  personality  and  confidence.      • Independence:    Your  parents  don’t  need  to  3-­‐way  call/  make  calls  for  you.  • Voicemails:  Practice  leaving  messages  for  coaches  on  your  home  phone’s  

voicemail.    -­‐ If  you  were  a  coach  would  that  message  make  you  call  back?  

 

• See  the  list  of  questions  to  ask  and  answer  at  the  end  of  the  next  chapter.  (6.  Official  and  Unofficial  Visits)  -­‐ Selecting  a  handful  of  appropriate  questions  to  ask  the  coach  will  insure  the  

conversation  keeps  moving  and  shows  that  you  are  genuinely  interested  in  the  coach,  team  and  school.      

                   

Mock  Phone  Call:    -­‐  Introduce:  Hi  coach  this  is  NAME,  from  HOMEOWN  AND  STATE,  class  of  2015.  How  are  you  today?    ========================================    -­‐  "I  sent  you  an  email  a  few  weeks  back,  I  hope  you  had  a  chance  to  take  a  look"    ========================================    -­‐  I'm  really  interested  in  your  school  and  water  polo  program.      I  have  a  few  quick  questions.    Are  you  busy?    IF  TOO  BUSY  -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐  What  time  works  best  for  me  to  call  back?  IF  THEY  CAN  TALK  -­‐-­‐-­‐  See  below.      ========================================  RECRUITING  QUESTIONS:      -­‐  How  many  2015  spots  are  you  still  recruiting  for?    -­‐  How  many  players  are  you  still  considering  for  those  spots?    -­‐  What  are  some  of  the  skill  sets  /  positions  you  are  specifically  recruiting  for  in  2015?    ========================================  SCHOOL  QUESTIONS:            (MAKE  SURE  YOU  DO  A  LITTLE  RESEARCH  ON  THE  TEAM  WEBSITE  AND  KNOW  WHAT’S  GOING  ON)                    I  really  want  to  take  my  game  to  the  next  level  in  college:                                          -­‐  typical  practice  week?                                        -­‐  practice  facilities?                                        -­‐  what  kind  of  workouts  do  your  players  do?                    Academics  are  also  very  important  to  me:    

-­‐ What  are  the  majors  of  most  of  your  players?  -­‐ What  is  the  academic  /  sport  balance  like  at  your  university?  -­‐ What  is  your  team’s  collective  GPA?  

           (LOOK  AT  THE  MANUAL  IN  CHAPTER  6  ON  QUESTIONS  TO  ASK  AND  BE  READY  TO  ASK)    ========================================  FINAL  QUESTIONS:    Next  Steps.    

 -­‐  What  can  I  be  doing  to  improve  my  chances  of  playing  on  your  team?  

● Send  over  schedule    ● Updated  Resume  ● Visit  

 -­‐  Thank  You  for  your  time!      ================================================================================================================================================================  VOICE  MAIL      Hey  Coach,      This  is  NAME  from  HOMEOWN  AND  STATE,  class  of  2015.    I’m  very  interested  in  your  program  and  wanted  to  give  you  a  call  to  introduce  myself.      If  you  get  the  chance,  please  call  me  on  my  cell  at  XXX  XXX  XXXX.    Again  this  is  NAME  and  my  number  is  XXX  XXX  XXXX.      Thank  you  and  I  look  forward  to  speaking  with  you  soon!    

               

 

6.  Official  and  Unofficial  Visits    

Unofficial  Visits:      

• Player  pays  all  expenses.    • No  limit  to  how  early  you  may  take  visits.    (Freshman  year  ok)  • No  limit  to  the  amount  of  unofficial  visits  you  may  take.    • Allowed  to  meet  on  campus  with  coach(s),  current  players,  admissions  staff,  

academic  advisor,  and  trainers.    • Speaking  with  coaches  early  in  your  college  water  polo  search  is  a  valuable  

experience.      -­‐ Coaches  will  recognize  you  at  tournaments  and  games  in  the  future.  -­‐ You  learn  how  to  communicate  with  coaches  in  person.  -­‐ The  older  you  get,  the  more  important  communication  becomes.  

• The  more  visits  you  take  the  more  you  can  refine  exactly  what  you’re  looking  for  in  a  school.  

• Visiting  your  top  schools  is  a  great  source  of  academic  and  athletic  motivation!  • It’s  possible  on  an  unofficial  visit  that  a  coach  may  offer  you  a  position  on  his  roster  

and  scholarship  money  through  a  verbal  commitment.      

 

Setting  up  an  Unofficial  Visit:    

• I  recommend  calling  the  head  coach  and/  or  assistant  to  set  up  an  unofficial  visit.    -­‐ Coaches  can’t  respond  to  emails  until  Sept  1st  of  the  player’s  Junior  year.  -­‐ Don’t  leave  a  message  or  expect  a  call  back  because  coaches  can’t  call  recruits  

until  July  1st  after  their  Jr.  year.      • Start  calling  2  weeks  in  advance  and  be  persistent.    Keep  calling  once  a  day  until  you  

get  a  hold  of  the  coach.          -­‐          Know  the  teams  practice  times  and  call  around  them.  

• Explain  to  the  coach  the  times  and  dates  that  work  for  you.      -­‐ Check  the  team  schedule  to  see  if  the  team  will  be  on  campus.  

• Try  to  arrange  a  half  hour  meeting  with  coaches(s)  if  possible.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Official  Visits:    

• School  pays  for  all  expenses.  (travel,  food,  etc…)  • Player  limited  to  5  official  visits.  • Visits  start  senior  year.    (typically  fall  semester  senior  year)  • Contact  Head  and  Assistant  Coaches  to  set  up  official  visit.    You  can  email  and  leave  

voicemail  because  coach  may  contact  player  during  senior  year.      • NCAA  Division  1  requires  you  to  submit  a  transcript  and  SAT/ACT  scores  before  an  

official  visit.    NCAA  D2  only  requires  you  to  submit  a  transcript.  • Expect  at  least  a  30-­‐minute  meeting  with  the  head  and  possibly  assistant  coach.      • Be  sure  to  give  everyone  you  meet  a  firm  handshake  and  look  them  in  the  eye  upon  

meeting  and  departing.    Thank  everyone  for  his  or  her  time!  • If  you  are  invited  on  an  official  visit  don’t  expect  an  offer  but  you  can  assume  that  

you  are  one  of  3  or  4  prospects  at  the  current  time.      

   

Note:  Even  some  of  the  top  schools  give  out  very  few  official  visits.    They  feel  that  players  who  are  really  interested  will  go  out  of  their  way  to  come  visit,  even  if  they  have  to  pay.    

 

What  requests  to  make  on  a  Visit:      • Campus  Tour  • Tour  Water  Polo  and  Athletic  Facilities  –  (practice  facilities,  gym,  athletic  trainers)  • Sit  in  on  part  of  a  practice.  • Sit  in  on  a  class.  • See  the  freshman  dorms.  • Meet  with  players  (overnight)  • Meet  with  admissions/  academic  advisor.  • 30  minute  meeting  with  Head  and  Assistant  Coaches.    (Very  common)  

  -­‐Bring  a  notepad  to  show  that  you  are  prepared  and  take  notes.     -­‐  Bring  multiple  hard  copies  of:       -­‐  Upcoming  Tournament  /  Game  Schedule       -­‐  Resume    

             

Questions  to  Ask  on  Phone  Calls  and  Visits:  • You  have  X  players  graduating  the  same  year  I  am  graduating  high  school.    How  

many  players  do  you  plan  on  recruiting/  signing  for  my  incoming  year?  • What  scholarship  amount  could  a  player  of  my  level  expect  on  your  team?  

-­‐ What  do  your  players  have  to  do  to  receive  scholarship  increases?  • Do  you  redshirt  players  and  continue  to  honor  their  scholarships?  • What  is  the  team  GPA?  • What  do  most  of  your  players  major  in?  • What  is  the  player-­‐coach  collaboration  like  during  practice?  • Team  fitness  program?  

  -­‐  How  often?     -­‐  Open  gym  hours  with  trainers?     -­‐  Water  Polo  focused  workout  program?  

• What  is  the  academic  /  water  polo  balance  like?     -­‐  If  I  have  academic  obligations,  will  missing  practice  be  ok?  

• Do  players  have  access  to  tutors  and  other  academic  services?  • Team  qualifying?    

  -­‐  Team  picks?     -­‐  Coaches  picks?     -­‐  Exemptions?  

• What  is  a  normal  week  for  your  team?       -­‐  Play  and  practice  breakdown?  Weekends?  

• How  do  you  see  your  team  developing  in  the  next  few  years?  • Have  you  had  any  players  transfer  recently  and  why?  • What  is  your  coaching  style  in  games?  • What  is  the  team  routine  at  tournaments  and  games?  • Who  are  the  other  players  in  my  class  you  are  recruiting?  

  -­‐  Where  do  I  stand  amongst  the  players  you’re  recruiting?  • Players  practice  habits:  total  time  and  time  allotted  to  each  part  of  the  game?    • Team  routine  when  on  road  for  tourney?  • Do  you  work  with  players  on  position  specific  skills,  ball  handling,  shooting  

technique,  defensive  positioning,  mental  game,  visualization?  • I  am  looking  for  a  highly  focused  environment.    Do  most  your  players  aspire  to  play  

on  the  National  Team  and  do  well  in  the  classroom?    

               

Questions  to  Answer  on  Phone  Calls  and  Visits:    

o Why  my  school  and  my  water  polo  team?     -­‐  Personalize  and  have  intelligent  answer.  

• What  are  your  long-­‐term  goals  in  water  polo  and  academics?  • What  other  schools  are  you  currently  looking  at?  • What  are  your  scholarship  needs?  • Strengths  and  weaknesses  as  a  water  polo  player?  • Strengths  and  weaknesses  as  a  student/  person?  

  -­‐  Answer  should  include  how  you’re  improving  your  weaknesses.  ! Top  5  aspects  your  looking  for  in  a  school?    ! When  are  you  planning  on  making  a  decision/  signing  NLI?  

  -­‐  Explain  you  are  not  going  to  rush  process.    If  the  offer  and  school  is  right  then  you  will  sign  early.  

• How  do  you  spend  your  practice  time?     -­‐  Conditioning,  fundamentals,  shooting,  playing?  

• What  academic  majors  are  you  interested  in?     -­‐  Make  sure  the  school  has  the  majors  you  mention!    

• Would  you  be  willing  to  redshirt  your  freshman  year?     -­‐  In  most  cases  redshirting  as  a  freshman  can  be  a  great  learning  experience.  

• Do  you  intend  on  playing  professionally  after  college?     -­‐  If  Yes.    A  good  college  degree  is  very  important  to  have  solid  backup  plan.  

• Do  you  currently  follow  a  workout  program?     -­‐  Trainer?  –  Water  Polo  focused?  

• What  is  your  upcoming  playing  schedule?  • Have  you  taken  the  SAT  /  ACT/  SAT2  Exams?  • Have  you  registered  with  the  NCAA  Eligibility  Center?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  On-­Deck  Recruitment    • If  a  coach  has  come  to  watch  you  play,  or  you’re  at  their  camp,  or  trying  out  in  front  of  

a  coach,  it’s  all  a  great  start!    • I  highly  recommend  having  some  kind  of  nametag  on  your  bag  so  coaches  can  easily  

determine  who  you  are.        

 

Warm  Up/  Practice:  Coaches  will  evaluate  how  you  practice.  • Do  you  have  a  set  warm  up?  • Do  you  go  through  the  motions  or  warm-­‐up  with  purpose?  • Do  you  prepare  for  different  game  situations?  Over  your  hip  movement?  Short  

drives?  2-­‐meter  guarding?  2-­‐meter  offense?  Shot  blocking?  • Do  you  have  a  clear  focus  in  mind  for  what  you  are  working  on?  • Do  you  take  conditioning  seriously?  Do  you  win  your  swim  sets?  • Are  you  reading  the  goalie  or  shooting  to  an  area  on  your  shots?    • Do  you  fight  and  battle  in  practice?  • Do  you  show  bad  attitude  or  frustration  on  the  scrimmages?  • Do  you  talk  back  to  the  coach  or  ref?  • How  do  interact  with  your  teammates?  Are  you  positive  or  negative?  • Are  you  socializing  most  the  time  or  focused  on  efficient  practice?  

 

On  Deck:  Coaches  look  for  players  with  mental  toughness  and  maturity.    Coaches  demand  great  attitudes  from  their  recruits  because  it’s  more  difficult  to  improve  a  player’s  attitude  than  it  is  a  physical  water  polo  skill.      

• How  do  you  react  to:  bad  shots,  bad  calls,  physical  play,  outside  elements  beyond  your  control?  

-­‐ Coaches  want  to  see  players  react  to  all  situations,  good  and  bad,  with  composure.  

-­‐ If  you  deal  with  adversity  more  professionally  than  the  coaches  existing  players  that’s  a  huge  plus  for  you!  

• How  do  you  react  to  short-­‐term  success  in  a  game?  (A  nice  steal  or  goal?)  -­‐ Act  like  you’ve  been  there  before.  Show  it  as  routine.  

 

Player  Appearance:    Look  like  a  young  professional.    Give  the  coach  a  preview  of  an  individual  he  would  want  representing  his  team  on  and  off  the  pool  deck.    

• Are  you  well  groomed?  • Good  posture  /  body  language?    • Are  your  clothes  clean?  

• Do  you  have  an  organized  bag  or  backpack?  

Parents:  A  supportive  relationship  between  player  and  parents  can  mean  a  lot  to  a  college  water  polo  coach.      

• A  solid  player-­‐parent  relationship  often  translates  over  to  a  good  player-­‐coach  relationship.      

• An  argumentative,  unhealthy  player-­‐parent  relationship  can  be  a  sign  for  future  relationships  with  the  coaches  and  other  players.    

-­‐ Coaches  definitely  take  this  into  consideration!      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.  Upcoming  Tournament  &  Game  Schedule  

Summary:  

  When:  

• Coaches  do  the  majority  of  their  recruiting  in  the  spring  &  summer,  when  their  players  are  in  the  offseason.  

• Due  to  team  responsibilities,  coaches  tend  to  recruit  locally  during  the  school  year.    They  may  make  appearances  at  local  tournaments  or  games  such  as  CIF,  Club  Championships  or  Junior  Olympics…  

  Where:  

• If  a  college  water  polo  team  has  primarily  in-­‐state  players,  you  can  expect  that  coach  to  recruit  at  a  local/  state  level.      

• Smaller  water  polo  programs  most  likely  have  a  limited  recruiting  budget,  so  you  can  expect  them  to  recruit  at  the  state/  regional  level.      

• The  top  water  polo  programs  have  larger  recruiting  budgets,  allowing  them  to  travel  nationally  and  even  internationally  to  attend  the  best  tournaments  every  year.        

Note:  If  a  coach  makes  multiple  appearances  to  watch  you  play,  he  or  she  is  most  likely  very  interested.      

Local:  Competing  in  high  school  and  local  club  tournaments  is  your  first  step  towards  getting  recruited.    

• If  you  intend  to  play  college  water  polo  within  your  local  area,  you  should  plan  on  playing  in  front  of  a  number  of  local  scouts  and  coaches.  

-­‐ Most  coaches  in  that  area  will  have  an  eye  on  the  results  and  some  may  even  attend.      

-­‐ Although  it’s  important  to  compete  on  a  national  level  you  should  also  include  some  local  tournaments  and  games  on  your  playing  schedule.    They  are  more  frequent,  give  you  exposure  to  local  coaches,  develop  your  resume  and  offer  additional  game  experience.      

State:    If  you  are  considering  attending  a  school  within  your  state,  high  school  and  club  tournaments  are  great  places  to  compete.    Most  programs  have  a  budget  that  allows  them  to  recruit  at  the  state  level.      

  CIF  (California),  FHSAA  (Florida),  TISCA  (Texas)  State  Championships  

Zone  Team  Tryouts:  Trying  out  for  your  area’s  Zone  Team  allows  you  to  play  with  and  against  the  best  players  from  your  area.  It  also  places  you  in  contention  to  play  on  

the  Youth  or  Junior  National  Teams.  These  teams  are  the  pinnacle  of  age  group  water  polo  and  will  get  your  name  on  coach’s  short  list  for  recruiting.    

 

National:    This  is  the  ultimate  showcase  for  junior  water  polo  players.    When  competing  at  the  highest  national  level,  you  are  in  demand  and  coaches  will  travel  to  see  you  play!      

Junior  Olympics:  During  the  summer  you  should  focus  on  playing  in  the  Junior  Olympics.  

• If  you  intend  on  playing  college  water  polo  far  from  home,  Junior  Olympics  may  be  the  only  chance  a  coach  has  at  seeing  you  play.  

National  Club  Championships:  If  your  club  team  qualifies  for  this  tournament  you  can  bet  that  most  collegiate  coaches  will  have  their  eye  on  the  results  and  some  will  even  attend.  

World  Junior  Championships:  If  you  are  selected  to  play  on  the  Junior  National  Team  you  will  get  the  chance  to  play  against  the  best  players  in  the  world  in  your  age  group.  Playing  in  this  tournament  will  get  you  noticed  by  the  top  water  polo  universities  in  the  nation.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.  NCAA  Rules  and  Regulations    

NCAA  Eligibility  Center:  Registering  with  the  NCAA  Eligibility  Center  is  a  necessary  part  of  every  college  bound  student  athlete’s  career.    The  Eligibility  Center  is  required  for  all  students  planning  on  playing  in  NCAA  D1  and  D2.      

   Note:  Registering  with  the  NCAA  Eligibility  Center  does  not  exempt  student-­‐athletes  from  submitting  regular  college  applications  to  individual  schools.    You  will  need  to  submit  applications  to  all  schools  you  are  considering  by  the  middle  of  your  senior  year.    (Check  all  due  dates!)  

 

  Register  with  the  NCAA  Eligibility  Center    

• When:  End  of  Junior  Year  • What  to  Submit?    

-­‐ SAT  or  ACT  scores  directly  from  the  testing  agency.  ! Use  NCAA  Eligibility  Center  code  “9999”  on  all  exams.  ! Retake  SAT  and/or  ACT  if  needed.    NCAA  Eligibility  Center  takes  

the  best  score  from  each  section  of  the  SAT  or  ACT  to  determine  your  score.      

-­‐ Transcript:  From  end  of  Junior  year  and  end  of  Senior  year.    -­‐ Amateurism  questionnaire.  

! Start  during  initial  registration  Junior  year.  ! Finish  after  April  1st  of  Senior  year  

• Your  high  school  academic  advisor  will  help  you  with  this  process.  

 

What  does  the  NCAA  Eligibility  Center  do?  

• Certify  that  you  graduated  from  a  credited  high  school.  • Certify  that  you  passed  the  required  core  high  school  classes.  

-­‐ Earned  a  specific  GPA  in  the  core  classes.  • Certify  SAT  or  ACT  +  High  School  GPA  pass  the  requirements.  

  Note:    It  is  important  you  have  all  of  this  organized  on  a  calendar  or  timeline  and  execute  the  necessary  steps  promptly.  You  don’t  want  to  give  college  coaches  any  reason  to  doubt  your  punctuality  or  reliability.    

 

 

 

 

NCAA  Regulations  -­  Division  1:      

Freshman  and  Sophomore  

• Student  becomes  a  “prospective  student-­‐athlete”  at  the  start  of  his  or  her  freshman  year  in  high  school.    

• Keep  coaches  updated  on  athletic  and  academic  progress.  • You  may  initiate  contact  through  email  +  phone  as  often  as  you  like.  

-­‐ Coaches  may  evaluate  and  send  sport  brochures,  questionaires  or  NCAA  materials  to  you  but  can  not  personally  initiate  any  in  person,  phone,  text  or  email  contact  to  you  or  your  parents.      

• May  take  an  unlimited  number  of  unofficial  visits.  

 

Junior  

• Player  may  initiate  calls  as  often  as  he  or  she  likes.    • Sept  1st  after  Jr.  Year  coaches  can  send  you  college  specific  materials  and  even  

personalized  letters.  • July  1st  after  Jr.  Year  -­‐  Coaches  may  contact  you  by  telephone  or  in  person  but  only  

once  per  week.  -­‐ Limited  to  3  in-­‐person  meetings  for  the  remainder  of  the  recruiting  

process.  (limited  to  one  per  week)  ! On-­‐campus  meetings  excluded.  

• May  take  an  unlimited  number  of  unofficial  visits.  

 

Senior  

• Official  Visits:  Total  of  5  (1  per  school)  –  Starting  first  day  of  class  Sr.  Year.  • Official  Visits  can  only  last  48  hours.  • Coach  must  have  both  your  transcript  and  a  copy  of  your  SAT  or  ACT  scores  before  

you  visit.  • May  take  an  unlimited  number  of  unofficial  visits.  • Player  may  initiate  calls  as  often  as  he  or  she  likes.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NCAA  Regulations  -­  Division  2:  • September  1st  of  Jr.  Year  -­‐  Coaches  may  contact  you  by  phone,  email  or  written  

letter.      -­‐ Coach  limited  to  1  phone  call  per  week.  

! Player  may  initiate  calls  as  often  as  he  or  she  likes.    • June  15th  after  Jr.  Year  -­‐  Coach  may  contact  you  in-­‐person.  

-­‐ Limited  to  3  in-­‐person  meetings  for  the  remainder  of  the  recruiting  process  (limited  to  one  per  week)  

! -­‐On-­‐campus  meetings  excluded  • Official  Visits:  Unlimited  (1  per  school)  –  Starting  first  day  of  class  Sr.  Year.  

 

 

NCAA  Regulations  -­  Division  3:  

• Written  Communication:  Prospective  student-­‐athlete  may  receive  email  or  written  letter  at  any  time.      

• Phone  Calls:  No  limit  to  number  of  calls  or  when  coach  may  make  them.  -­‐ Player  may  also  initiate  calls  as  often  as  he  or  she  likes.    

• In  person  contact  allowed  following  completion  of  Jr.  Year.  -­‐ On  campus  contact  allowed  at  any  time.  -­‐ May  take  an  unlimited  number  of  Unofficial  Visits.  

• Official  Visits:  Unlimited  (1  per  school)  –  Starting  first  day  of  class  Sr.  Year.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.  Scholarships    College  scholarships  help  students  achieve  their  peak  academic  and  athletic  potential.    A  scholarship  is  a  one-­‐year  agreement  between  the  player  and  coach.    If  a  player  continues  to  meet  team  requirements  and  expectations  he  or  she  is  likely  to  maintain  or  increase  the  scholarship.        

Full  Scholarship:  Includes  tuition,  fees,  books  and  room  and  board.  

NCAA  Men’s  Scholarships:  Full  Scholarships  per  Team.  

  -­‐  D1  –  4.5  

  -­‐  D2  –  4.5  

  -­‐  D3  –  No  Athletic  Scholarships  

NCAA  Women’s  Scholarships:  Full  Scholarships  per  Team.  

  -­‐  D1  –  8  

  -­‐  D2  –  8    

  -­‐  D3  –  No  Athletic  Scholarships  

Other  (Men  and  Women):  Full  Scholarships  per  Team.  

  -­‐  NAIA  –  0  Scholarships  

  -­‐  NJCAA  –  0  Scholarships  

  -­‐  Although  every  team  is  limited  to  a  maximum  amount  of  scholarships,  many  teams  fall  short  of  that  number.      Not  all  teams  are  fully  funded  and  can’t  afford  to  offer  the  maximum.    

  -­‐  Checking  every  team’s  scholarship  availability  is  a  good  idea!  

Since  Water  Polo  is  a  non-­‐revenue  sport  it  does  not  have  many  scholarships  to  give,  especially  for  the  men.  Many  coaches  will  divide  the  scholarship  money  up,  offering  more  players  less  money.  It  is  rare  for  male  college  water  polo  athletes  to  receive  “full-­‐rides.”  Instead  there  are  multiple  players  who  receive  half  a  scholarship,  or  even  more  who  receive  simply  a  books  scholarship.    

• Note:  I  highly  recommend  students  apply  for  outside  scholarships.    Some  of  them  may  count  towards  a  teams  total  scholarship  amount  but  many  don’t.    

 

 

11.  National  Letter  of  Intent  (NLI)    

Verbal  Commitment:    Verbal  commitments  usually  occur  in  a  player’s  junior  year  of  high  school  during  an  unofficial  visit.    During  the  unofficial  visit  a  coach  may  offer  the  player  a  spot  on  his  or  her  roster  and  scholarship  money.    If  the  player  agrees  to  the  coach’s  terms  they  have  made  a  “verbal  commitment.”      

-­‐ Through  a  verbal  commitment,  the  coach  and  player  are  expected  to  honor  the  agreed  upon  terms  and  the  player  will  likely  sign  a  National  Letter  of  Intent.    Nothing  is  official  until  the  NLI  has  been  signed  but  it  is  very  rare  that  a  coach  fails  to  honor  a  verbal  commitment.  

-­‐ Beware  of  the  verbal  commitment!  If  a  players  makes  a  verbal  commitment  early  in  his  or  her  junior  year,  that  leaves  two  years  before  the  start  of  college  water  polo.    A  lot  can  change  in  two  years!  

! For  example:    You  may  make  significant  improvements  in  your  game  and  have  a  great  summer  following  your  junior  year.    This  leaves  you  in  a  difficult  position  because  had  you  not  made  a  verbal  commitment,  you  would  have  the  opportunity  to  play  at  better  schools  than  you  originally  planned.        

 

National  Letter  of  Intent:    The  NLI  is  a  written  contract  that  commits  both  parties  (player  &  school)  to  a  one-­‐year  agreement.    The  NLI  is  signed  in  the  player’s  senior  year  during  the  signing  period.    Signing  the  NLI  is  the  final  step  to  confirming  your  spot  on  a  college  water  polo  team  for  the  following  year.  Please  remember  to  always  read  over  the  entire  contract  before  signing.    

  Signing  Period:  February  3rd  through  August  1st.  

1. Signing  the  NLI  commits  a  player  to  attending  the  specified  university  for  at  least  one  year.    

! This  is  a  commitment  to  the  academic  university,  NOT  the  golf  coach  or  golf  team.    If  a  coach  is  to  retire  or  change  schools  prior  to  you  coming  in,  the  NLI  may  not  be  transferred  or  canceled.  

2. Signing  the  NLI  commits  the  university  to  guaranteeing  a  player  the  agreed  upon  athletic  scholarship  for  at  least  one  year.            

3. You  must  be  accepted  to  the  university  for  the  NLI  to  be  honored.  4. Upon  signing  the  NLI,  other  schools  are  required  to  stop  all  forms  recruiting  with  

that  player.    

 

 

Signing  Early  versus  Signing  Late  for  NLI:    

• Don’t  rush  yourself!    Make  sure  you  visit  all  the  schools  you  are  interested  in  before  you  make  a  decision.    You  will  be  spending  the  next  4  years  of  your  life  at  the  school  you  commit  to,  so  make  sure  it’s  the  right  decision.  

• If  you  do  decide  to  sign  early,  make  sure  you  have  good  standing  with  the  schools  admissions  department.      

! This  should  be  discussed  with  the  coach  before  you  agree  to  sign.  ! Apply  early  decision  to  the  schools  you  are  considering  signing  an  early  

NLI  with.      ! It  is  common  for  schools  to  sign  at  least  one  player  during  the  NLI  early  

signing  period.    Some  of  the  bigger  programs  may  sign  2  or  3  players  early.  

 

I  didn’t  sign  my  NLI  early.  What  now?    Nearly  all  college  water  polo  coaches  still  need  to  sign  players  later  in  the  NLI  signing  period.    Coaches  know  that  players  can  still  improve  during  their  senior  year  and  that  they  deserve  an  opportunity.      

• During  NLI  signing  period,  you  should  note  all  players  that  committed  to  the  schools  you  are  considering.    

! Note  the  number  of  early  signees  and  the  likely  positions  remaining  at  each  school.    If  any  schools  seem  to  have  filled  their  available  positions  ask  the  coach  if  he  is  done  recruiting  or  still  active.  

• It’s  important  to  maintain  a  competitive  schedule  through  the  spring,  to  keep  developing  your  playing  resume.      

• Continue  taking  official  and  unofficial  visits  as  often  as  possible.    This  is  a  good  way  to  show  coaches  how  badly  you  want  to  play  for  their  team.        

• Constantly  keep  coaches  updated  with  game  results,  upcoming  tournament  schedule,  grades  and  standardized  test  scores.  (SAT,  ACT,  TOEFL)  

! Be  Persistent!    This  is  the  time  to  let  coaches  know  how  hard  you  are  working  and  how  important  it  is  that  you  get  a  spot  on  their  team.  

! At  this  point,  it’s  ok  to  ask  about  a  coach’s  current  recruiting  situation  and  where  you  stand  in  that  equation.    It’s  much  better  to  get  direct  answers,  even  if  some  coaches  say  no.    You  are  better  off  focusing  your  time  and  energy  on  the  schools  you  have  a  chance  with.    

! Also  ask  if  there  is  anything  you  can  do  to  increase  your  chances    with  a  school.              

 

 

 

 

12.  Parental  Role  in  the  Recruiting  Process    

Assist  your  child  with  the  following:  

• Work  with  them  to  research  schools  early  on.  (Freshman  year  isn’t  too  early!)  ! The  best  research  you  can  do  is  take  unofficial  visits.    Take  visits  

whenever  time  permits  during  travel.    Water  polo  tournaments  near  college  campuses  are  prime  opportunities  to  visit  schools  in  the  area.      

• Ask  other  parents  with  children  in  college  for  advice.  • With  increasing  competition  in  the  college  admissions  process,  grades  are  becoming  

a  bigger  factor  for  college  water  polo  coaches  every  year.    ! Sign  them  up  for  SAT  and  or  ACT  preparatory  classes  late  sophomore  or  

early  junior  year.    -­‐ Consider  group  or  private  tutoring  for  your  child’s  classes.    ! Remember:    Coaches  love  good  students!    If  a  player  always  has  his  

grades  under  control,  that’s  a  huge  plus!      

 

Be  careful  of  the  following:  

• Keep  parent-­‐coach  phone  calls  and  email  to  a  minimum.    -­‐ Unless  a  coach  asks  to  speak  with  the  parents,  it  may  not  be  necessary  at  

all.    -­‐ Letting  your  child  handle  the  communication  shows  maturity  and  

independence  on  you’re  his  or  her  behalf.  • When  watching  your  child  at  events,  be  supportive  and  never  show  frustration.  

(Especially  if  there  are  college  coaches  around.)    -­‐ Avoid  putting  pressure  on  your  child  to  perform  at  their  best  every  game.  

Water  polo  is  a  difficult  game  and  additional  pressure  doesn’t  help.      

 

Teamwork  is  Key:      • Work  together  to:  research  schools  and  water  polo  teams,  make  key  decisions  along  

the  way  and  make  the  final  decision.  

 

Parental  Role  on  Visits:    

• Parents  must  remember  that  their  child  is  the  one  visiting  his  or  her  potential  university  and  golf  team,  not  the  other  way  around.  

-­‐ Make  sure  your  child  is  the  one  engaging  the  majority  of  questions  and  conversation.      

• At  some  point  step  out  of  the  picture  and  allow  your  child  and  the  coach  to  meet  privately.  

-­‐ I  highly  recommend  allowing  your  child  to  stay  overnight  with  some  of  the  players,  to  get  a  feel  for  the  team’s  personality  and  your  child’s  compatibility.  

-­‐ Help  organize  a  list  of  questions  beforehand.    If  your  child  forgets  to  ask  about  important  issues,  the  end  of  the  visit  is  a  good  time  to  step  in  and  make  sure  they  get  asked.      

• Thank  everyone  on  the  visit  for  taking  time  to  meet  with  you!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13.  Social  Media  Presence    Note:  You  are  selling  yourself  to  college  water  polo  coaches  as  a  complete  package.    Yes,  your  performance  in  the  classroom  and  in  the  pool  take  you  far,  but  coaches  also  look  for  recruits  who  will  fit  in  with  their  current  players.  

 

When  evaluating  your  Facebook  page,  coaches  notice:  

• Off  course  behavior.  • The  types  of  friends  you  keep.  • How  you  present  yourself  on  a  daily  basis  (dress  and  grooming  in  pictures).  • Your  forms  of  expression  (pictures,  posts  and  comments).  • Your  interests.  • Amount  of  activity  on  Facebook.  

 

What  may  hurt  your  chances  with  coaches?    

  1.  Inappropriate  Photos:  Alcohol,  partying,  dangerous  activities.  

  2.  Sloppy  Appearance  in  Photos:  Coaches  don’t  want  sloppy  players.  

  3.  Inappropriate  Language.  

  4.  Type  of  friends  you  keep:  Pictures  and  short  messages  say  a  lot.  

 

Tips  to  consider  before  you  post  on  social  media:  

-­‐ Does  this  reflect  on  me  in  a  way  I  would  like  coaches  to  see?  -­‐ Don’t  reply  to  inappropriate  comments  or  threads.    

! All  material  you  comment  on  or  like  may  show  up  on  your  wall.  • Remove  inappropriate  content  people  post  to  your  wall.  

! Consider  blocking  them  while  in  the  recruiting  process.  • Manage  your  privacy  settings.  

! Protect  and  hide  all  content  from  non-­‐friends.    • If  your  account  is  appropriate,  make  it  fully  available.