For a specific bullet point checklist of responsibilities that are applicable for the month of February, login to your My GAMEplan page and click on My Calendar - Things To Do This Month (February). 

Congratulations Seniors! 

While signing to play college sports signifies that the end of high school is fast approaching, it also represents the beginning of another step in your sporting career.  It’s a step where the number of players will be still fewer, and where the talent will be even tougher.  For a few there may be a further step after college where some will sign professional contracts.  For most however, college may well be the last four years of highly competitive sports they will play.

For some, the months leading to the National Signing Day was fast and easy.  For others it was difficult, drawn out and confusing.  Did I make the right choice?  Will I be good enough to play?  What if I get hurt?  How will I keep up with my grades? What if I don’t like it?

And while the recruiting race is over for some, many others still remain undecided. Is it too late?  Why haven't I received any offers?  Will anyone want me?  Will I be playing next year?  Should I just forget about sports in college?  How can I make the right decision?  What is the right decision?

If you are one of the lucky one’s who have made the commitment and know where you are going to school, congratulations!  But if you have not yet made up your mind, hang in there!  Despite the questions you may be asking yourself, understand that only a handful of players are fortunate (and good) enough to have already been signed.  Despite the hype and media attention that accompanies Signing Day, the fact is that most students who will play college ball will sign over the next few months.

With no intent meant to minimize the accomplishments of those already signed, the following will explain how Signing Day can often trigger openings and offers for thousands of others. 

The “big” Division I schools may have generally been recruiting for many months (and often years).  They’ve compiled their lists of “Top 10” recruits, made their offers, and now received their commitments.  But they can only play one quarterback!  Although they may have made offers to four or five, they have now decided which one (or two) to accept and that has freed up the remaining three to negotiate with other schools.  So while it may be somewhat safe to say that the big schools are now close to having finished their recruiting, other schools may only now be getting serious. 

Many lower profile and generally smaller universities understand that recruits are often tempted go to the higher profile programs.  What they don’t know is exactly who is going to go where and Signing Day clears the path for these schools to now know who really is available and who isn’t.   So for these schools, the recruiting process really picks up pace right now.  Even better, some of these schools are hidden treasures.  They often pride themselves on recruiting well-rounded student athletes – those with good grades, great game, lots of extra curricular activities, a history of leadership roles, etc.  And they offer a combination of different scholarships, grants and loans to attract the students that fit their profiles.  Better yet, since they are generally lower profile schools, they often offer a playing environment that allows more freshmen playing opportunities than some of their higher profile counterparts. If you did not sign earlier this month, understand that more than 90% of all college playing opportunities come from outside of the high profile Division I schools.  Don't give up or get frustrated - just accept that you are going through a process of elimination where the playing level you will play in college is being defined for you.  

So if you are still committed to playing sports in college, this is the time to perhaps make a few changes in what you want, and to really focus on getting it.  The reality is that in most sports, there are more than twice as many small schools than there are large schools. Since these schools usually carry similar sized rosters but haven’t yet filled their recruiting needs, you’ll begin to understand that the recruiting process for the Freshman Class of 2010 is not even half way finished yet! 

Now that the bigger schools have made their decisions, others can start filling their needs.  So be ready, and don’t give up.  Your recruiting process may just now be getting started!  Update your resume, bio or Video Player Profile right now, then re-contact all the coaches who have already contacted you.  Send emails to the coaches and place calls to them.  Research the schools you are interested in and let the coaches know what you can contribute to both their school and their athletic program.  You are now well in to the senior year recruiting season so if you haven’t yet made a commitment, it’s time to move your own College GAMEplan in to high gear.  If you have any questions or need further help, contact College GAMEplan right away. Just give us a call at 314-322-1920.     

If you’ve already accepted an offer for 2009, please email us and let us know where you will be playing. 

Again, if you’ve already committed, congratulations.  If you haven’t and you really want to play in college, get serious right now! 

Juniors: Continue your college, financial aid and scholarship searches and register for the March/April  SAT and/or ACT tests.  Attached below are links to a schedule of upcoming ACT and SAT test dates for the remainder of the year.  Also, review your high school resume, and review your course selections with your counselor – make sure you are on track to graduate with all of the required classes to meet NCAA requirements.   

For junior athletes involved in spring sports, make sure you are preparing for your upcoming season.  Whether that means visiting a local gym and enrolling in a strength and conditioning program, or taking a strength class in school, you should fully understand the importance of a strong junior year.  If lessons or additional practice will help your performance, enroll now even if it is only for a couple of weeks.  Before you know it, spring sports will be starting – you need to be ready for it!   

Since many universities have already accepted their next year applicants and players by the beginning of a high school senior’s spring season, your acceptance in a college sports program may well be determined by how well you perform in your junior year.  On the one hand, it may create some added pressure this year, but on the other, if all goes well you may be able to play next year secure in the knowledge that you already will know where you are going by the time your senior year spring season begins.  Regardless, you should plan on this being the most important season of your career so far and prepare for it accordingly.

All high school grades:  In high school it is never too early to begin a contact communication program with college coaches.  It is becoming more and more common for colleges to begin "recruiting" players at younger and younger ages.

While they may generally be prohibited by the NCAA from direct contact with athletes until their Senior year, understand that they have to be able to target the really talented athletes very early. Some basketball programs are renowned for recruiting players as early as seventh and eighth grade and soccer programs today often recruit in eighth and ninth grade.  Other programs are equally as assertive when it comes to finding talented student athletes. 

So don’t rely on coaches finding you.  Create your own exposure by implementing your own College GAMEplan.  Send letters, resumes, statistics and emails.  If you “know” of particular schools you really want to attend, contact them and let them know your interest.  Keep your communication simple - don’t worry about including highlight videos until at least your junior year – and follow up your communications with a phone call.  Remember that NCAA college coaches generally cannot return phone calls until after July 1^st at the beginning of your senior year so don’t be disappointed if you leave messages and don’t hear back. 

Many families make the mistake of thinking a college is not interested in them because the coach didn’t return calls.  Understand that NCAA regulations determine when and how many return calls are permitted (rules also vary by sport). Therefore it’s up to you to contact coaches and to remain persistent if you really want to talk to them. 

Above all, stay in written or email communication and don’t be upset or think the school is uninterested just because you didn’t hear back from them.  Click on College GAMEplan’s My GAMEplan page under Letter Templates for simple and quick Introduction and Follow-Up Letters designed to keep you in touch and on the radar screens of college coaches all over the nation.  For specific NCAA recruiting regulations, visit the NCAA's 2008-09 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete at:  www.ncaa.org.

Sophomores and Freshmen:   For a bullet point check list of important things to do in February, click on: My Calendar - February