Navigating September 1st during COVID-19

Yay! The highly anticipated date for lacrosse players and families is around the corner.  But what does this mean?  Are you prepared to put your Best Foote Forward and navigate the process? With so many parents and players contacting me with questions,  I thought I would take some time and put together a BFF Recruiting: September 1st question and answer cheat sheet for parents and players preparing for the big day.  With COVID-19 having a major impact on the process, coaches haven’t been able to do in-person evaluations since March.  The NCAA recruiting restriction is still in place currently until September 30th.  That being said, coaches are still preparing for September 1st potentially happening.  However, the timeline will be different than in years past.

What is September 1st?

September 1st of junior year is the first day any division one college coach can communicate with you about their interest in you as a potential Student-Athlete.  

Coaches can decide what form of communication they want to use 

Phone call

FaceTime, email,

Text

Social media

Home visit * (restricted until  AT LEAST September 30th, but maybe extended due to schools limiting travel for coaches due to COVID-19).  

BFF’s Tip: The doors are now opened for coaches and players to finally chat and can actually meet in-person! However, due to COVID-19 & NCAA restrictions- realistically we don’t know when players will be able to travel to campus.  This date now will signal initial interest level, and a way for coaches and players to gauge interest level & build relationships with players and families).  

What can I do to prepare?

Two important tips to prepare.  One is taking some time for self-reflection, two is to get an email out to coaches. Read my recent post on self-reflection

1- Prepare: Mindset

It is important to understand that September 1st (and the days and months after) can be confusing at times because there are a lot of moving parts.  There are some elements of the unknown, and it’s kind of like a puzzle- You have to just keep putting the pieces together in order to find the right fit.  

Remember no two humans are the same.  It is so important to do some self-reflection prior to this process so you learn who you are, what you like, and what will make you happy after your 4 years!

2- Prepare-September 1 email

Before September first, it is helpful to send an email to schools you are interested in acknowledging on your end that you are excited about the opportunity to potentially hear from them (even if they don’t call or even if you are unsure of your interest level but want to find out more).   You can even say “I’m looking forward to potentially hearing from you on September 1st”.  

Make sure you update it on any and all recruiting platforms you may use 

Sports Recruits

Connectlax

Send email directly.

Here is a checklist of important items to include in your email:

 YOUR ( not your parents) CONTACT INFO:

including 

1-your email 

2-phone number

3-any academic information (GPA, SAT, SAT dates)

4- Can add a highlight video or link to your recruiting profile

Highlight Videos are more important than ever!

Having good quality video that highlights you in the best light is super important (BECAUSE COACHES HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE IN PERSON SINCE MARCH).  Including A GOOD video that highlights you in the best light is more important than ever!  This can  get you on a coaches list more than ever!

Why is this email SO  important?

As coaches are working on organizing their strategy for September 1st, it is very helpful they have YOUR contact information. A lot of times parents contact information is listed on your tournament rosters and camp stuff -important to COMMUNICATE your information. 

3-What if I did not get contacted by a college coach on September 1st? What does that mean?

If you did not get any calls, don’t worry!  Like I said in the very beginning every coach, every school does things differently.  Just make sure you check your emails, texts, (even your parents they may have gotten the wrong information), etc.  Coaches will continue to reach out over the next few days as they sort through their lists.  

Be proactive, take initiative:

If there are schools you are interested in but didn't’ hear from?  You can consider reaching out to them over the following days.   It may also be a good time to reach out to other schools who may not even know you are interested. Broaden your search of potential schools and know coaches will still be watching this fall in tournaments.  They may also be hosting a prospect day, camp, clinic.  If you are really interested in that, sign up and prove yourself!  Communication is open now so you can reach out to them as well.   You have nothing to lose by asking a coach to schedule a call

4-What should I do next?

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK

There is nothing worse than an unprepared athlete! You have had so much time to reflect and do research on these schools. You need to reflect that in this phone call.

1-Consider checking out some Virtual tours.  Use this time to really get a feel for campus life.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1sO7pVos0EvK0BvXoMbnyg00K6r7hXbOQE0HNXF4N4eM/htmlview

2-Check your NCAA eligibility status

All College-bound Student-Athletes should create an account through the eligibility center. You need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school. 

Here is the link to get started: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

3-Have GPA, SAT, ACT information ready and available

4-BE AVAILABLE & RESPOND QUICKLY

make sure you respond to coaches quickly.  If you are somewhere you can’t talk- either pick up and tell them or respond as soon as you can.  Respond to emails, texts, and calls. Remember to keep your options open to many different kinds of schools. The school you end up at may not have been originally on your list.

Take notes, ask questions, be engaged, and prepared.  

BFF Final thoughts

Be prepared- mentally, physically, emotionally. 

Be open to schools you might not have considered

Be open and honest on phone calls

Communicate clearly

THREE WAYS I CAN HELP!

For step by step September 1st action plans- preparation tips, question examples, templates and more BFF will be there to assist you every step of the way!

1- You can order a copy of  “Putting your Best Foote Forward: September 1st survival kit”

It includes:

1-step by step action plan to prepare for September 1st

2- thrive during it all

3-what to do after

plus I have included :

4- frequently asked questions AND

5-Follow up a phone call with Coach Foote (45-minute consultation)- to help answer any questions or concerns you may have and help you prepare.

Contact Emma to order PDF & schedule consultation. (PDF and email to schedule will be sent within 24 hours).

2- Virtual Assessment

Sign up to work with Crysti Foote virtually.

After the, session we will set up a phone call to discuss the evaluation and prepare for Sept 1st together! LIVE feedback will be provided, plus the opportunity to be evaluated for recruiting.

If interested Contact Emma to get started!.

3- Professional Video Assessment 

Have clips but not sure how to order them?  How long should this video be?   What clips should I be highlighting?  These are all questions that need to be answered and can make or break your video.  Video more than ever is needed to help market yourself to coaches.  This right now is THE only way!

 Assessment Includes:

1-Identify your strengths- so you are highlighting yourself in the best possible light

2-Organize clips-help you organize your clips so that you are showing your strengths at the beginning

3-Speed up- so you cut down dead space and allow for more time to show what you can contribute to a coach

4-Assess some areas of improvement

5-Identify quality and length of video- see what adjustments need to be made.

 All assessments include a PDF with notes, coaching tips, and ideas.  We will set up a call to discuss in detail

 

If interested contact Emma to get started to schedule your Assessment

More information can be found on my website BFF INSIDER: WHAT WE DO

More information can be found on my website BFF INSIDER: WHAT WE DO