NCAA

The Archbishop Mitty NCAA Information Office provides information for parents, students, coaches, and other counselors in support of our student athletes who hope to participate in college athletics.

Archbishop Mitty student-athletes and their families who are interested in college athletics are encouraged to contact the NCAA contact counselor with questions regarding the recruiting process and college admissions. In addition, students should schedule time with their individual counselors and coaches to discuss their collegiate athletic ambitions.

Below you will find useful web links to help start the recruiting process.

NCAA Recruiting Info

The world of college athletics is evolving daily, and alongside it, the recruiting process has become more complex than ever. With a rise in recruiting services and early verbal commitments, the NCAA has done its best to implement regulations on various aspects of the recruiting process.

The NCAA has now set mandatory guidelines, which a recruiting service must follow in order to assist the Student-Athlete in the process.

The guidelines are:

• Openly identify their rates, and the rate must be the same for all sports and all student-athletes
• Information (e.g., reports, profiles) about the student-athlete must be sent out at least 4 times per calendar year
• Geographical scope of the service openly identified
• Provides analysis of student-athlete beyond demographic or ranking for each subscriber
• Provides samples or previews of the information to be distributed prior to purchase of a subscription
• Provides video that is restricted to regularly scheduled (regular season) contests

Free services are the safest option. Consider using the following free services, which are in compliance with NCAA legislation:

• beRecruited
• Rivals
• scout

Online Services- There are online search tools available for a fee that are not held to the NCAA guidelines, but can be useful. The following are some examples:

Sport Source: The Sport Source reference book is a useful, step-by-step book to help break down the recruiting process for multiple different sports.

National Directory of College Athletics: This a wonderful tool to begin the college/athletic search process. It is available online or in print.

Freshman

• Read the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Athlete
• Begin your athletic resume by tracking your accomplishments on Family Connection.

Sophomores

• Check for changes in the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Athlete
• Add to your athletic resume on Naviance.
• Meet with your counselor to discuss college athletics and the NCAA required core courses.

Juniors

• Check for changes in the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Athlete
• Review the recruiting calendars and rules for your sport
• Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and write down you login info.
• Meet with your counselor to review the required core courses and make sure you are on track.
• Register to take the SAT and/or ACT before January and have all scores sent to the Eligibility Center-code #9999.
• Compile a list of prospective schools, gather contact information for coaches at each school and make the initial contact.
• Parents should plan to attend the AMHS NCAA Information Night and Junior Parent Night.

Summer after Junior Year

• Continue contact with college coaches as it relates to your individual sport
• Take SAT and/or ACT as needed

Seniors

• Continue contact with college coaches
• Meet with your counselor to discuss college admissions and any recruiting" information you received in the summer
• Narrow/finalize list of colleges and gather application information for each
• In all cases, the student-athlete MUST complete a full application to be admitted to a college.
• Complete all testing requirements, essays, letters of recommendations, etc.
• Complete SAT and/or ACT testing.
• Know the deadline for each individual college.
• Go on official visits and enjoy yourself.
• Your counselor can help determine the types of questions to ask on the college visit, both athletic and academic.
• Complete the FAFSA in spring. Even if you do not think you will qualify for aid, athletic departments often use this information.

Forms

• AMHS Athletic Transcript Release Form (pdf)
• NCAA Division I Worksheet (pdf)
• NCAA Eligibility and Amateurism Power Point (pdf)
• NCAA Sliding Scale in Quick Reference Sheet (pdf)
• Student Athlete Checklist (pdf)

Web Sites

NCAA Amateurism Certification FAQ (pdf)

NCAA Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)

NCAA Glossary of Terms

At times the NCAA “acknowledged terms” coaches use in the recruiting process can become a foreign language to student-athletes and their families. For this reason the NCAA has provided a NCAA Glossary of Terms to translate the process into familiar terms.

National Letter of Intent (NLI)

As a student progresses through the recruiting process, the question of signing a National Letter of Intent may arise. This is a binding document, and student-athletes and their families are often unclear on the specifics. As per any legal agreement it is important to understand what to expect, both the good and bad.

NCAA Division Differences

NCAA Division I athletics is the most commonly known, however, there are significant differences among the NCAA three divisions. There is a place for all types of athletes in the world of college athletics, and understanding the differences between systems and divisions can help student-athletes and their families during the recruiting process.

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)

National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

Junior College often offers student-athletes an opportunity to play at a less demanding level while their skills either academic or athletic improve. Many NCAA programs recruit from junior colleges.