NCSA Verified Athletes average $18k in scholarship money each year. CLICK HERE to see if you have what it takes to use athletics to make college more affordable.

Australia

July 9-10 (Individual) Aussie Prospects Camp (womens) at Nunawading Basketball Stadium in East Burwood, Other www.showtimeshootout.com

California

July 6-8 (Individual) California Storm Elite Showcase at West Ranch High School in Stevenson Ranch, California www.californiastorm.org

July 10-15 (Team) West Coast Classic (women’s) at Dream Courts in Hayward, California http://www.biokatsports.com

July 22-25 (Team) MSNM Pacific Coast Championships at The Hardwood Palace in Rocklin, California www.hooptournaments.com

July 23-25 (Team) Showtime National Championships at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California www.michaeltwhite.com

July 27-29 (Team) Next Level Grand Finale at Harry West Gymnasium in San Diego, California www.nextlevelss.com

July 28-31 (Team) MSNM Western Championships at Alliant International University in San Diego, California www.hooptournaments.com

Connecticut

July 26-27 (Team) East Coast Girls Basketball Association Summer College Showcase at Floyd Little Fieldhouse in New Haven, Connecticut www.ecgba.com

Florida

July 6-8 (Team) AAU 8th Grade Div. I National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 6-8 (Team) AAU 8th Grade Div. II National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 6-8 (Team) Sylvia Fowles Team Showdown/Miami Suns Youth Development at The Long Center in
Clearwater, Florida www.miamisuns.org

July 6-10 (Team) AAU 12th Grade Div. I National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 6-10 (Team) AAU 9th Grade Div. I National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 6-10 (Team) AAU 9th Grade Div. II National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 8-10 (Team) AAU 10th Grade Super Showcase (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida
www.aausports.org

July 8-10 (Team) AAU 11th Grade Silver Super Showcase (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee,
Florida www.aausports.org

July 8-10 (Team) AAU 8th Grade Super Showcase (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida
www.aausports.org

July 8-10 (Team) AAU 9th Grade Super Showcase (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida
www.aausports.org

July 9-11 (Team) AAU11th Grade Gold Super Showcase (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 11-15 (Team) AAU 10th Grade Div. I National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 11-15 (Team) AAU 10th Grade Div. II National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 11-15 (Team) AAU 11th Grade Div. I National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 11-15 (Team) AAU 11th Grade Div. II National Championship (women’s) at HP Field House in Kissimmee, Florida www.aausports.org

July 28-29 (Individual) Women’s Sportek Summer Showcase at Lynn University — de Hoernle Sports and Cultural in Boca Raton, Florida www.sportekevents.com

Georgia

July 7-9 (Team) Fila Nationals at Suwanee Sports Academy in Suwanee, Georgia www.michaeltwhite.com

Illinois

July 6 (Individual) adidas Girls Basketball Jamboree at Hidden Cove Sportsplex in Bourbonnais, Illinois http://www.chicagohoopsexpress.com/notesand-news.html

July 6-8 (Team) All Out Classic sponsored by Muscle Milk (GIRLS) at Lake Barrington Field House in Lake Barrington, Illinois www.alloutallgame.com

July 6-8 (Team) Muscle Milk Classic (GIRLS) at Lake Barrington Field House in Lake Barrington, Illinois www.alloutallgame.com

Indiana

July 6-8 (Team) adidas USA Tip Off Classic at Fishers High School in Fishers, Indiana www.usa-exposure-events.com

July 22-24 (Team) Summer Derby Classic at Twin Lakes Recreation Center in Bloomington, Indiana www.michaeltwhite.com

July 27-29 (Team) Girls Elite Stars of Tomorrow Invitational Event at Highland Lincoln Center in Highland, Indiana www.bayloryouth.org

Iowa

July 6-7 (Team) Simply The Best – Gold Division at West Towne Courts in Ames, Iowa www.simplythebesttournament.com

Kansas

July 26-28 (Team) Battle on the Plains at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas http://www.usjn.com/xtm_tournament_info.php?which=177

Kentucky

July 6-8 (Team) Kentucky ShowTime at Hoops in Louisville, Kentucky www.primetimesportz.com

July 9-11 (Team) adidas National Championships at Kentucky State Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky www.usa-exposure-events.com

Maryland

July 22-24 (Team) Blue Chip Basketball Battle of Baltimore at Park School in Baltimore, Maryland www.bluechipbasketball.com

July 26-28 (Team) Under Armour Best of Maryland Basketball Tournament at Damascus High School in Damascus, Maryland www.bestofmd.net

Massachusetts

July 10-11 (Team) BasketBull Summer Open at Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts http://basketbull.org/tournaments/girls-summer-open/

July 27-29 (Team) USBA New England Showcase (women’s) at Mass Premier Courts in Foxborough, Massachusetts www.usbahoops.com

Michigan

July 9, 23, 30 (Team) 2012 Ceciliaville Womens College League at Ceciliaville Athletic Center in Detroit, Michigan

July 11, 13, 25 & 27 (Team) Ceciliaville High School Girls Summer League at Ceciliaville Athletic Center in Detroit, Michigan

July 15 (Individual) MGBR FUTURES (Michigan Girls Basketball Report) at Home Court Advantage in Wixom, Michigan www.michigangirlsbasketballreport.com

July 22-24 (Team) Classic In the North at Morey Courts in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan www.michigangirlsbasketballreport.com

July 26 (Individual) Reaching Higher (women’s) at South Lyon High School in South Lyon, Michigan

Minnesota

July 6-8 (Team) adidas Mid America Championships at High Performance Academy in Eagan, Minnesota www.minnesotastars.org

July 22-24 (Team) North Tartan Meltdown at Hopkins Lindbergh Center in Minnetonka, Minnesota
www.northtartan.com

Missouri

July 11 & 25 (Individual) 13th Annual Women’s College Pro-Am League at The Courts in Springfield, Missouri www.thecourtsezone.com

Nebraska

July 6-8 (Team) Miss Basketball Big Show at University of Nebraska at Kearney Health Sports Ctr in Kearney, Nebraska www.missbasketball.com

July 12-15 (Team) Miss Basketball Showcase at University of Nebraska at Kearney- Health Sports Center in Kearney, Nebraska http://www.missbasketball.com

Nevada

July 25-29 (Team) Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic (women) at Doolittle Community Center in Las Vegas, Nevada www.bigfoothoops.com

New York

July 6-7 (Team) The Gauchos Festival at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York www.newyorkgauchos.com

July 27-29 (Individual) Girls All-Academic Basketball Camp Metro NY at Pace University in Pleasantville, New York

North Carolina

July 13-15 (Team) Rising Stars Summer Showcase at Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, North Carolina www.risingstarsinvitational.com/rdu

July 27-29 (Team) USBA Big South Showcase (women’s) at USBA Carolina Courts in Indian Trail, North Carolina www.usbahoops.com

July 28-31 (Team) Fila Sixty-Four at Carolina Courts in Indian Trail, North Carolina www.michaeltwhite.com

Ohio

July 8, 15, 22, 28 & 29 (Individual) Cintas Sports ‘Next Level’ Women’s League at Blue Ash Recreational Center in Cincinnati, Ohio www.sherwinstars.com

July 25-27 (Team) adidas USA Summer Slam at Courts4Sports in Mason, Ohio www.usa-exposure-events.com

July 31 (Individual) Michigan vs Ohio Border Battle (MGBR VS OGBR) at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio www.michigangirlsbasketballreport.com

Oregon

July 6-9 (Team) End of Oregon Trail Tournament at Oregon City High School in Oregon City, Oregon www.eotbasketball.com

Pennsylvania

July 6-8 (Team) Blue Chip Basketball USA Invitational at Toyota Arena in York, Pennsylvania
www.bluechipbasketball.com

July 13-15 (Team) Blue Chip Basketball Mid Summer Madness at Competitive Edge Sports in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania www.bluechipbasketball.com

July 27 (Individual) Blue Chip Basketball Summer Best of the Best at Competitive Edge Sports in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania www.bluechipbasketball.com

July 27-29 (Team) Blue Chip Basketball Quaker City Challenge at Competitive Edge Sports in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania www.bluechipbasketbal.com

South Dakota

July 14-15 (Team) Dakota Challenge at Tea Area High School in Tea, South Dakota

Tennessee

July 9, 11, 23, 25 (Individual) Island Sports Summer Basketball League (women’s) at Cane Ridge High School in Antioch, Tennessee www.islandsportstn.com

July 22-25 (Team) Music City Madness at A GAME Sportsplex in Franklin, Tennessee www.eotbasketball.com

Texas

July 6-8 (Team) 2012 PBR Super 64 National Championship at Fieldhouse USA in Frisco, Texas www.premierbasketballtournaments.com

July 6-8 (Team) Marques Jackson Big State Flava Jam at Intergrated Athletic Development (IAD) in Carrollton, Texas http://www.texasbigtymegirlssports.com

July 9 (Individual) Textbook Basketball Academic Elite Camp (women’s) at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas in Dallas, Texas www.textbookbasketball.com

July 13-15 (Team) Texas ShowTime at PSA 2 (Plano Sports Authority) in Plano, Texas www.primetimesportz.com

July 14-15 (Team) Five Star Showdown at Coppell High School in Coppell, Texas www.fivestarbasketball.net

July 26-29 (Team) 2012 PrimeTime Sports Basketball National Championship (Girls) at IAD (Integrated Athletic Development) in Carrollton, Texas www.primetimesportz.com

July 28-29 (Team) Five Star Basketball End of the Trail at Waco Robinson High School in Waco, Texas www.fivestarbasketball.net

Vermont

July 6 (Team) Lone Wolf Summer Shootout at Saint Michael’s College (Ross Sports Center) in Colchester, Vermont

Washington

July 9-11 (Team) adidas National Championships at Kentucky State Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky
www.usa-exposure-events.com

July 10-12 (Team) NW Summer Showcase at Auburn Riverside High School in Auburn, Washington www.nwallstars.co

July 10-13 (Team) MSNM National Championships at Juanita High School in Kirkland, Washington www.hooptournaments.com

July 13-15 (Team)  1st Annual Girls Seattle Summer (women’s) at Rainier Vista BG Club in Seattle, Washington www.wayouthsports.com

Wisconsin

July 6-8 (Team) 2012 Great Lakes Shootout Summer Showcase at University of Wisconsin, Stout, Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie, Wisconsin

July 13-15 (Team) JustAgame Exposure Open (women’s) at JustAgame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin www.justagamefieldhouse.com

CLICK HERE to join the NCSA Network to get your highlight tape edited and connect to 1,200 women’s college coaches

Applying for college financial aid is one of the few things in life that may be even more confusing and complicated than taxes. It involves getting together loads of financial information, learning an alphabet soup of acronyms, and understanding how the financial aid system works.

Athletes that are ready to compete at the college level may be too busy with homework, practice, camps, and workouts to sit down for hours and study every last detail of the financial aid process. But to give yourself the best chance of using athletics to pay for your education and get ahead in life, it is crucial that you have at least a basic understanding of how financial aid works.

That’s why we’ve assembled this handy guide of 7 essential things about the financial aid process and how to get the best possible package to help pay for your education.

1. Good Academics Create Financial Aid Opportunities
A tiny, select group of athletes gets a full ride to college through an athletic scholarship alone (more on this later). But don’t count on it – even if you’re great, it’s unlikely. The better your GPA and standardized test scores, the more financial aid opportunities will be available to you in college. Some may be from the university, some may be from the state, your high school, or even nonprofit organizations. But no matter where you’re looking for scholarships, you’ll have the best chance if your academics are solid. Any scholarship you can’t apply for because you’re not academically qualified is money you threw out the window – don’t do it!

2. Know your EFC
EFC is one of those alphabet soup acronyms we were just talking about. It stands for “expected family contribution,” meaning the amount of money the Department of Education expects your family to pay towards your education. It is determined using a complex formula involving your family’s income and many of their tax details. You can read more about it by clicking here. Make sure to identify any tax exemptions and other financial details that your family qualified for, so you can get the most accurate EFC. If your family has an accountant or financial advisor, you may want to discuss this with them.

3. Complete Your FAFSA on Time
The FAFSA is another mess of letters – it stands for “Free Application for Federal Student Aid.” Your school will not be able to issue you any financial aid if you do not turn one in. This is another form that you’ll need tax information to fill out – make sure to have your parents’ taxes on hand before you sit down to do your FAFSA. You may also qualify for additional aid based on your FAFSA. Click here to read more about it.

4. Ask the Coaches About Aid in Advance
Once you know that a coach is interested in you, don’t be afraid to ask him or her directly about aid. Financial aid is one of the biggest tools that coaches have to bring student-athletes into their programs, and a coach can be a big help in both navigating the college financial aid jungle and in finding more sources of aid you may not have even known were there. The further in advance you ask, the better – money and scholarships can (and do) run out, so there’s an advantage to thinking ahead.

5. Know Whether Your Sport is Head Count or Equivalency
When it comes to financial aid, there are two types of college sports: “head count” sports, and “equivalency” or “olympic” sports. Head count sports tend to be the ones that generate revenue and you’re more likely to see on TV: in Division I, the head count sports are basketball and football for men, and basketball, tennis, volleyball and gymnastics for women. All other sports are equivalency in Division I – other divisions may have different rules for what is a head count sport and which is an equivalency sport (click here to read more about the differences).

The big difference for athletes: head count athletes get full scholarships. Athletes in equivalency sports may only get partial scholarships. It’s important to create additional financial aid opportunities for yourself, no matter what sport you play (what counts as a “full” scholarship can vary from school to school) – so you should know what kind of scholarships your sport offers as you go forward in the process. You can also talk to the coach about what options they have when it comes to distributing scholarships, how their scholarships are distributed, how many athletes are graduating, whether they can offer you more aid in the future, and so on.

6. Examine and Appeal Your SAR
Congratulations – you’ve gotten to the last of the big college financial aid acronyms! SAR stands for “student aid report.” It’s the document that your school’s financial aid office will create once they’ve processed your FAFSA and the financial aid you qualify for. It is a summary of all the financial aid the school offers you. Often – especially for athletes – you can find some additional aid if you “appeal” your SAR, especially if your coach is helping you with the process. This can be worth thousands of additional dollars.

7. Athletes aren’t limited to “athletic” scholarships
Finally, even if you are getting an athletic scholarship, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your eyes open for other kinds! This is especially important if you are only receiving a partial scholarship, or if you are playing at a division level that does not offer formal athletic scholarships. Athletes can receive need-based, merit-based (academic), or third-party scholarships (from veterans’ organizations, community service groups, unions… the list goes on and on). Qualifying for these scholarships is part of why academic success is so important. You can ask your high school counselor’s office, or use a website like fastweb.com to find lots of scholarships you may be eligible for.

Learning these facts and securing your financial aid accordingly can help save you and your family a lot of money. The financial assistance for your education is one of the most important advantages that sports can bring you in college – make the most of it!

Click here to join the NCSA Network for free and get access to more exclusive recruiting information like this!

Division I is the level we hear the most about, and it seems like the “best” level you can play in. It’s tempting to keep telling yourself that a DI offer is “just around the corner.” The last thing you want to do is coast on high hopes until it’s too late to turn your recruiting situation around. The Division I Delusion is when you think you’re going to Division I even when there’s no evidence that you will.

So – are you DI material or not? Here’s 3 reality checks:

1. Most major Division I prospects get offers by the end of their junior year
So seniors, no matter what sport you play – if you’re not sitting on a DI offer, it’s time to move on. Right now, today. Juniors – get your name out there as much as you can, but you don’t have as long as you think. Freshman and sophomores – you are in a good place to position yourself to hopefully get that DI offer, but even if you are getting a lot of interest from DI, reach out to all divisions. It may be a good bargaining chip with DI programs, and if it turns out you’re not as in demand as you may have thought, you won’t be left with nothing.

2. You don’t need to wonder if coaches are interested in you
If you are on coaches radar and they want to recruit you, you will start receiving written correspondence and seeing college coaches at your games/meets freshman year (in most sports). If that’s not happening, it is because your recruiting level is light-to-none. This doesn’t mean you’re a bad athlete, but it does mean you may need to get realistic and proactive about recruiting.

3. Read the signs
The number one sign of a coach’s interest should be no surprise: a full scholarship offer, in writing. After that, a verbal full scholarship offer, a partial offer in writing, and then a partial verbal offer are the best indicators. The biggest sign of interest shy of a scholarship offer is an offer to take an official visit, and after that are personal phone calls and letters from a coach (assistant is good, head coach is better; typed is good, handwritten is better). Other signs of interests include an athletic application with a fee waiver, an invitation to an unofficial visit or summer camp, request for a highlight video, or questionnaire. But no matter what kind of attention you’re getting, remember – until you sign on that dotted line, everything is just practice.

Arizona

April 20‐22 (Team) Spring Showcase at Court One in Tempe, Arizona

April 21 (Individual) GSB Spring Swag Fest (Women’s) at Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona www.gsbhoops.com

California

April 20‐22 (Team) adidas Best of the West at Saddleback Valley Sports Center in Lake Forest, California www.usa-exposure-events.com

April 20‐22 (Team) Clash on the Coast (Women’s) at Next Level Sports Complex in Garden Grove, California www.clashonthecoast.com

April 20‐22 (Team) USJN’s California Classic – 4th Annual at Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California www.usjn.com

April 20‐22 (Team) West Coast Spring Shootout – Sacramento 2012 at Antelope High School in Antelope, California www.bballwest.com

April 21‐22 (Team) Tournament of Champions – Los Angeles at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California www.asgr.info/

Colorado

April 20-22 (Team) Colorado Spring Classic (Women’s) at Thornton High School in Thornton, Colorado www.biokatsports.com

Connecticut

April 20‐22 (Team) Blue Chip Basketball Pre Season Challenge CT at Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Connecticut www.bluechipbasketball.com

Georigia

April 20‐22 (Team) 8th Annual PeachStateHoops.com Tip‐Off Classic at Suwanee Sports Academy in Suwanee, Georgia www.peachstatehoops.com

April 22 (Individual) 6th Annual PeachStateHoops.com Elite 100 Showcase at Suwanee Sports Academy in Suwanee, Georgia www.peachstatehoops.com

Illinois

April 20 (Individual) Blue Star Basketball’s Spring College Showcase / Unsigned Seniors: 7th Annual at Fieldhouse at Hinkston Park in Waukegan, Illinois www.bluestarbb.com

April 20-22 (Team) USJN’s Windy City Classic: 7th Annual at Fieldhouse at Hinkston Park in Waukegan, Illinois www.usjn.com

April 21 (Individual) The Juco Journal Chicago Invitational #1 (Women’s) at Hidden Cove Sportsplex in Bourbonnais, Illinois www.jucojournal.com

April 21 (Individual) Maximum Exposure Basketball Chicago Showcase #1 (Women’s) at Hidden Cove Sportsplex in Bourbonnais, Illinois www.maximumexposurebasketball.com

April 21-22 (Individual) Capitol City Classic (Women’s) at Gold’s Gym in Springfield, Illinois www.bballtourny.com

April 22 (Individual) The Juco Journal Chicago Invitational #2 (Women’s) at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois www.jucojournal.com

April 22 (Individual) Maximum Exposure Basketball Chicago Showcase #2 (Women’s) at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois www.maximumexposurebasketball.com

Indiana

April 20‐22 (Team) Lady Gym Rats Classic at Spiece Fieldhouse in Fort wayne, Indiana www.gymratsbasketball.com

April 21‐22 (Team) adidas Hoosier Hardwood Championships at Courts of Northwest Indiana in Valparaiso, Indiana www.usa-exposure-events.com

Kentucky

April 20‐22 (Team) Eddie Ford’s Spring Classic #1 (Women’s) at Kentucky Fair and Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky www.eddiefordhoops.com

Massachusetts

April 21‐22 (Team) New England College Showcase at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts www.basketbull.org

Missouri

April 21‐22 Sho-me Showcase (Women’s) at Ft. Zumwalt East High School in St. Peterson, Missouri www.shomeshowcase.com

Nevada

April 20‐22 (Team) Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas Grand Opening (Women’s) at Doolittle Community Center in Las Vegas, Nevada www.bigfoothoops.com

New Jersey

April 21-22 (Team) USJN’s East Coast Classic at Kean University in Union, New Jersey www.usjn.com

April 22 (Individual) EKB H.S. / JUCO Showcase at West Orange High School in West Orange, New Jersey

North Carolina

April 20‐22 (Team) Deep South Classic at Middle Creek High School in Apex, North Carolina www.asgr.info

April 20‐22 (Team) Premier Spring Classic at Greensboro Sportsplex in Greensboro, North Carolina www.sphoops.com

April 22 (Individual) SuperHoops Women’s Senior Showcase at Northern Durham High School in Durham, North Carolina

Ohio

April 20 (Individual) MGBR Top 50 Skills Camp and Showcase at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio www.michigangirlsbasketballreport.com

April 21-22 (Team) Best of the Great Lakes at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio www.michigangirlsbasketballreport.com

Pennsylvania

April 20 (Individual) Steel City Individual Showcase at North Allegheny High School in Wexford, Pennsylvania www.ohiobasketball.com

April 21-22 (Team) Steel City Madness at North Allegheny High School in Wexford, Pennsylvania www.ohiobasketball.com

South Carolina

April 20‐22 (Team) AAU Super Regional (Women’s) at YMCA Graniteville in Graniteville, South Carolina www.aikenwarriors.org

Texas

April 20 (Individual) 2012 PBR Texas JUCO Slam Jam at Fieldhouse USA in Frisco, Texas www.premierbasketballtournaments.com

April 20-22 (Team) 2012 PBR 13th Annual Heart of Texas Showcase at Fieldhouse USA in Frisco, Texas www.premierbasketballtournaments.com

April 20-22 (Team) Girl’s Rising Stars Showcase at Cypress Wood High School in Cypress, Texas www.primetimesportz.com

Virginia

April 20‐22 (Team) Blue Chip Basketball Center Court Challenge at Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia www.bluechipbasketball.com

April 20‐22 (Team) Blue Chip Basketball Pre Season Challenge-VA at Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia www.bluechipbasketball.com

April 20‐22 (Team) Boo Williams Nike Basketball Tournament at Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, Virginia www.boowilliamsbball.com/girls-tournaments/details/21-boo-williams-nike-invitational

April 22 (Individual) Boo Williams Unsigned High School Seniors Junior College Girls Basketball Showcase at Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, Virginia www.futur-inc.org

Washington

April 21-22 (Team) MSNM Spring Fling at Juanita High School in Kirkland, Washington www.hooptoournaments.com

Wisconsin

April 21-22 (Team) 2012 Midwest Elite Showcase at University of Wisconsin, Stout Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie, Wisconsin

1. You’ve been researching schools that you’re interested in and you’re a good athletic and academic fit for – right? If you haven’t, and you are serious about playing college athletics, do it by the end of the day. This is absolutely crucial whether you’re planning a spring visit or not. All the other steps won’t do much good unless you’ve done this. Check recruiting guidelines for your sport here and make sure your GPA and test scores are at least close to what the school typically looks for.

2. Make sure any schools you want to visit have need at your position for your grad year. If you’re an NCSA Verified Athlete, check our coach requests to see what they’re looking for – you might see something like, “looking for women’s 400m runners with 3.0 GPA or better for 2014,” or “5’ 10”+ 1B wanted for 2013.” In your RMS, you’ll be able to see all the requests from coaches at schools where you’re a good fit. If you’re not a verified, you can look at rosters for schools you are interested in and see if players in your position or event

3. Decide if your visit will be official or unofficial (click here to learn about the difference). Most visits will be unofficial – the only athletes taking official visits will be seniors who already have serious interest from coaches at schools they want to attend.

4. Select the schools where you want to visit and reach out to the coaches there. Tell them you are interested in their program and ask if they would like to see your highlight video. If you’re a good fit, seeing you play will spark their interest right away. If you’re not a good fit, better for the coach to find out right away. That way, neither of you spends time on recruitment for a school that is not a good choice for you.

5. If the coach is interested in you, tell them that you would like to set up an unofficial game day visit (or, for some well-positioned seniors, an official visit). Even on an unofficial visit, the school can give you tickets to a sporting event – you’ll want tickets to your sport, so you can get a feel for the team and have a better chance at face time with the coaching staff.

6. If the coach okays the visit, make sure to schedule it wisely – for spring break, a weekend, or some other way that fits around your practice and games. You don’t want to miss practice or a game for a recruiting visit – it sends the wrong message to a college coach if you are bailing on your team to visit them.

Once it’s scheduled, all that’s left to do is go – remember to budget for travel and meals if the visit is unofficial.

No coach contacts yet?  CLICK HERE and create a profile in NCSA’s database to get instant exposure from college basketball coaches!

The number of variables that can go into a recruit’s decision making process are immeasurable. Throw in the multiple perspectives that those elements can be evaluated from and it’s a modern miracle that any prospect ever identifies that elusive perfect fit that they’re desperately hoping to find.

Things can be looked at from the basketball and athletic perspective. They can be scrutinized from the academic and “preparation for real life” point of view. And of course you can assess things on a personal basis judging just what each setting has to offer as a place to call “home” throughout your college career.

Home Sweet Home

Home sweet home; let’s talk about the role of home in the recruiting process. One of the answers coaches look for early in their recruiting efforts is whether a prospect is willing to go away to school rather than stay relatively local or regional. For the athlete home or away may be dictated by what schools are interested and what level they compete on. If it’s the goal of a prospect to play at the highest level possible and the programs fitting the bill are all located a considerable distance from home her decision becomes much simpler. If the only schools showing interest, regardless of level, are close to home the decision to stay or go again becomes much easier. For the sake of discussion and this column, let’s assume that a prospect has options close to home and across the country that fit the level she’s hoping to play on at the collegiate level.

First and foremost it’s a decision an athlete has to make for herself if she’s going to be content with her choice and make the most of her opportunities. The degree to which the importance of home will come into play will vary from individual to individual. For a recruit and her family it can be a challenging and sometimes contentious part of the decision.

Let’s face it; home isn’t really the house or town that a recruit has grown up in. It’s the people that surround her and will continue to be a part of her life. When someone packs up and goes to school things change for those individuals as well no matter what the distance to campus ends up being. The considerations can extend to communication, financial resources, ability to travel, time off from work and you can never underestimate the potential impact on the lives of younger siblings should there some at home.

Going Away

Going away to school today isn’t quite the uphill grind that it was many years ago. Modern communication makes the distance much less a factor than it once was for recruits. Unlimited minutes on the cell phone, texting, Skype, e mail and social media allow for daily contact that was often sacrificed back in the days of after 11 pm long distance calls and hand written snail mail.

However, one reality that has not nor ever will change is the actual mileage. Barring the advent of some Star Trek type transporter, getting from A to B is always going to be quicker, simpler and cheaper than getting from A to Z. During the decision making process thought has to be given to the costs and convenience of getting to and from for both the athlete and those around her and ultimately the importance of that accessibility.

Consideration also has to be given to the time element. If you’re willing to consider a school within a four hour driving radius it doesn’t make sense to rule out another solely due to distance because it might require getting on a plane. Of course if you look at the financial aspect of that rationalization you also have to admit it’s still going to be cheaper to get behind the wheel, particularly on game night when the whole family buckles up for the drive. While nothing beats being there in person, you can flip the thought process back over again and acknowledge that more and more games are being broadcast on television and a large majority of programs are streaming their games via the internet. Those kind of increased viewing opportunities can minimize the distance to some degree in the decision making process.

For the athlete herself the time and cost equation requires some careful thought. Yes, your time is limited and you’re not going to be running home every time you turn around. On the other hand the NCAA does have practice restrictions in and out of season that actually do create some occasional time off. The opportunity to get home for a birthday, a brother or sister’s ball game, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or just a little extra time at Christmas are nice benefits of not straying too far from home.

At the same time there are athletes who need the distance and it’s limitations to mature and establish their independence while creating something of their own for the first time in their lives. With all due respect to some parents, there are many kids looking for a little separation from those parents who constantly talk as if her career is a group effort. “We’re looking at this or that” and “This is important to us” etc… Sorry folks, but “we” aren’t going to school, she is. I’ve seen many athletes looking to get away in an effort to take ownership of their own future.

Recruiting and Romance

Recruiting and romance. While you would hope it wouldn’t have to be said it’s important to minimize the role of a personal relationship in this aspect of a recruiting decision. Staying home because the love of your life is there or going off to a specific school because that individual attends or lives close by generally leads to disaster. Someone who truly cares for you will support your decision regardless of location. If geography impacts your relationship you’ve got other issues anyway.

Early in the process there’s only one answer which college coaches can put a lot of stock in and that’s the recruit who makes it clear that she’s not going to go far from home. An individual like that is basing her thoughts on things she’s intimately familiar with and has already experienced. That doesn’t mean she won’t change her mind but more often than not this is the kind of prospect who will use home as a starting point and determine her short list by those schools that have shown interest and are located within a specific parameter she feels comfortable with.

On the other end of the spectrum, coaches often come across athletes who are adamant that they want to go away. Unfortunately many of those individuals have yet to look past the novelty of putting some miles between them and their current address. Quite few stay true to their word and end up racking up frequent flier mile throughout their college careers but others gradually start giving consideration to programs closer to home as they move deeper into the process. Sometimes just taking an official visit and realizing exactly what a three hour flight and a 300 dollar price tag will mean in the long run for them and their family can give them cause to reconsider. Conversely for others the very same experience can serve as a confirmation that changes in latitudes won’t lead to a change in their attitude. (Thank you Jimmy Buffet)

One real negative in recruiting are the prospects who know definitively where they’re going or at least have decided that they’re going to stay close to home yet still take some official visits just for the trips. If a school has no chance of receiving your sincere consideration you shouldn’t be taking their time and resources. The NCAA limits the number of Official Campus Visits a school can provide (12) and no coach wants to be wasting one on a recruit who already knows she’s going elsewhere. It’s not only the school that kind of selfish behavior may be impacting but there can be implications on another athlete that might be seriously considering that particular program.

The tough read for college coaches is the individual who says they’re not sure but are willing to consider going away from home. As a recruiter, you’ve got to try and establish just how seriously they’ll look at packing their bags and also identify how supportive their family and those around them are about their interest in possibly relocating. In the end most programs can’t afford to spend a lot of time and money on a recruit that, when the time comes, is going to realize that there’s no place like home.

Over the years on every staff I was a part of we encountered those parents who were clear that “it’s her decision and we’ll support her wherever she chooses to go” yet at the same time found a way to drop subtle hints about the impact going away would have on them. Usually what they really meant is that we’ll support you looking at any school you want but not so much in choosing any school you want. More than once we heard of folks offering to buy a car or provide some other resources if the ultimate decision didn’t involve a GPS and more than one tank of gas to get to campus. You might define that as conditional support and many times it has trumped the decision of an athlete who ultimately wanted to go away to school.

When you look at staying home or going away the right answer for one recruit may be the exact opposite for another. For some the location is irrelevant if they can find the opportunity that will help them make the most of their college experience in the classroom and on the court. An athlete doesn’ t care any less for home or family because she goes away to school nor does one love hers more because she chooses to stay close to home. Each athlete must prioritize what’s important to them in the areas impacted by distance and then decide if those factors support or outweigh other academic, athletic, and personal concerns in her decision. Make your decision with your heart because in the end…. (Sorry!)… home is where the heart is.