What exactly do college letters mean

[Guest GPbestplaya]

Does it mean that a college is interested in recruiting the player, or do they just send the letters to everyone who has decent size and skill. I was just wondering what your opinions are, maybe some coaches could help answer this question, thanks

[bigchief]

Most letters are a VERY informal way of getting initial information about a player. Any large school will send out HUNDREDS of these letters a month. If a school contacts you (or your coach, depending on your age due to NCAA requirements) THEN you can feel they are truly interested in you. I have known guys on MANY occasions to receive upwards of 20-30 letters from the same school and never even be invited to walk-on. To think it is only all-state players is absurd. The large schools already have a pretty specific list of who they are looking at during the junior year so according to KevB you would at least have to be all-state twice. They actually look at a combination of factors including physical maturity (can his body hold more weight/strength), athletic ability (quickness, agility), and mental capabilities (can he handle the complexity of a college offensive/defensive scheme). They also hope the athlete has cleared the NCAA clearing house by that point. Sorry guy, actual recruiting at the big level is more involved than you think.

[ELA]

The process begins with your head coach placing your name on forms that colleges and recruiting services send out to every school in the state. They ask for the names of two to three rising seniors, juniors, and sophomores. Each form varies and if you attend a big school, there is always someone who is left off. From this list, colleges and recruiting firms compile huge databases and they begin to kick out a series of recruiting letters. They send them to your coach, your home, and they send them by the hundreds of thousands each week. The only way to know you're a serious candidate is when they start calling you on the phone during your senior year and if you get a request for an "Official Visit" to their school. It has been estimated that for every position available on a team, they will mail out over ten thousand letters to prospective students.

 

My advice is to save each letter and enjoy the ride. Work hard in football and the classroom, and talk to your parents and coaches about your dreams for the future. If you have the right size, strength, and speed, you might have a chance to play at the next level. It is a long process, and it is very complicated. I tell skill players to attend as many summer camps as you can to show people your talent. If you get that call from a school's coaching staff, they are seriously looking at you. The letters are important but the real key is the school visit in November or December!

 

If you get overlooked, there are many smaller schools that offer combines each year in March to find those who didn't get signed on the national signing day.

[fromthetop2]

I agree totally with everything that has been mentioned. I would like to add that if you are interested in a few schools, you must attend their camps in the summer, otherwise they will write you off as not being interested in them(unless you are all world). While many athletes in this area would like to be recruited by a major SEC school, the reality is they probably are not seriously looking at you. I would be realistic and set my sights on the Mid-major on down. If you've had a good junior year, AND you present the criteria the others have talked about, AND your coach is pro-active NOW with the colleges AND "recruiting experts,"then the major programs will come to you. Plus, if your school has not sent players to D-1 programs with any regularity, you have to be more pro-active to get on the radar screens. The letters are nice (and something to be proud of!), but it is just a database mass- mailing, nothing more.

[ELA]

IF you are serious about playing football in college and make one of your region or "all area" teams, and you don't get looked at by the BIG schools, I would suggest that you consider one of the fine NAIA schools in Tennessee or Kentucky. My youngest son was offered a partial scholarship (they call them something else, "Performance Grants?") to attend two different NAIA schools. These schools will not pay for everything, but they do offer between $3,000 and $7500 a year to outstanding athletes. The point is, if you want to play at the next level, you probably can find a home somewhere, if you have the talent. The BIG problem is so many student-athletes DO NOT take care of the academic side of the equation. Without the grades, your college hopes WILL suffer! Players... TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS in the weight room, on the track, and in the classroom! It takes a balanced approach to be a TRUE winner! Attend the summer camps, and dedicate yourself to being a winner! One final note: Always DO WHat Is Right because No one wants a thug on their team!

[ky6]

College letters dont mean a dang thing, all it means is that the college has your name and your on their mailing list.Dont get too excited over them. They are in no way a sign that a college is interested in you.

[fhsTE84]

Too often a player will rely fully on his coach to do the recruiting for him. When you think of how much it takes to be a high school coach- weightlifting, scouting!, gameplans, etc.- they don't have much time left to do the recruiting for you. Granted, some of the larger high schools have a coach dedicated to helping a player get into college, but those are fairly rare. My advice to all players looking to get recruited is to get your name out now! Send a packet with game tape(not highlights), current full-body pictures, and a quick resume of your stats, achievements, etc. I can't thank my dad enough for doing all this stuff for me. My junior year I didn't get a single letter, but after putting on a little weight, my dad sent all that stuff out and within 2-3 weeks I was getting a few responses back. As my senior year went on I sent some game tape of that and pretty soon it all paid off. Sorry if that sounds like I'm bragging, but I'm just trying to prove a point that getting your name out early is everything.

[olineathlete]

Hey fhste, where are you goin to college? are u plain ball?

[fhsTE84]

Western Kentucky and yeah, I'm gonna play up there.