Hard Work and Self-Confidence Help Pave the Way to the NCAA

How many kids have been enthralled with March Madness, dreaming of playing in the Final Four? Or traveling to Omaha, NE for the College Baseball World Series, or hearing the crowd's cheers in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day? Playing sports at any NCAA level takes more than wishful thinking. Competition is fierce and scholarship dollars are not freely distributed. Young athletes who want to be considered for NCAA eligibility must start preparing the day they first set foot in high school. Even before the ninth grade, some of the best young athletes have already started standing out. "Times are really changing," said Bill Pruden, Head of the Upper School at Ravenscroft High School. "College coaches are identifying talent as early as elementary and middle school." Pruden has written chapters and articles on how students can prepare for NCAA eligibility. He routinely makes presentations to student athletes and has counseled many on their way to a post high school athletic career. Ryan Kelly, a rising senior at Ravenscroft, is a Pruden protégé. Kelly has genetics on his side. His father played basketball for Yale and in overseas leagues. At 6-10, Kelly is being heavily recruited, currently fielding offers from nine top basketball programs according to Scout.com: Davidson, Georgetown, North Carolina, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wake Forest. He's earned this kind of favor by working hard in the classroom, on the court and in the gym. "I get up at 6:30 every morning and go into the gym and practice shots," he said. "After school I go back to the gym and work out every afternoon." Many athletes work hard, make good grades and have body types suited to the sports they pursue. But scouts also look for intangible characteristics, Pruden said. "Coaches can see performances, but when they look below the surface, they look to see how kids respond to a variety of situations," Pruden said. "They look for drive and determination. They look at how kids respond to adversity, the way a student athlete fits in with the team. How does the athlete respond to a good play? Does he get wrapped up in the celebration or does he get right back in the game?" Coaches working on filling out their teams examine a player's potential for growth, development, and leadership skills. "They may be recruiting athletes, but they are also recruiting people," Pruden said. Dave Telep, a Wake Forest resident and a scout for Scout.com, is not able to prioritize the single most important trait for a top recruit. "Division 1 basketball recruits represent the upper half of the top one percent across the country," he said. "Qualities we consider are athletic skills, academics and character traits." Scout.com starts creating chapters on basketball players as early as their freshman year in high school, Telep said. "By chapters, I mean a photo album of sorts, a selection of snapshots of the athlete, when put together, becomes a picture of the whole person," he said. "Usually by the end of a kid's junior year, we have a good idea of who is the best in the country." If an athlete is talented, smart, hard working, and a good sport on and off the field how do top college coaches find out about him? Take control, Pruden advocates. "Put together a resume detailing your athletic and academic achievements and goals," he said. "Coaches want to know what you've done and what others think you can do for their team." A phone conversation in combination with a cover letter and resume is the most effective, most common, and most profitable way to establish initial contact with college coaches. Email is also acceptable, Pruden said. Telep takes a different approach. "Our world is smaller than our parents' world," he said. "I can get on the Web right now and read about a kid in California." Kelly credits his coaches for helping him accumulate his collection of college offers. "I played in a lot of AAU tournaments, and my coach arranged for connections. I was lucky that way," Kelly said. Kelly also has been a one-sport athlete, and believes that has helped him stand out. "To be noticed, it helps to play one sport year round," he said. Telep agrees. "When I was in high school, you were considered a good athlete if you participated in three sports," he said. "By today's standards you are exceptional by specializing in one sport." Kelly, who is fielding opportunities with top notch universities, has a tough decision ahead. "Academics are really important," he said. "I'm looking at good academic schools. I am also considering the people: the coaching staff and the other players. I am considering my likely playing time, and how I will fit in with the roster." He plans to make his decision by next spring, and to prepare for his post-high school career, he is not going to slack up. He'll work hard to continue growing as an athlete and as a student. He'll continue to raise his level of self-confidence, which he believes is the key to success in sports and in life. He offers advice for other student athletes who are serious about advancing academically and athletically after graduation. "Work hard every day, and know you are going to succeed for there are guys out there who are working even harder and who are even better than you are," he said. "You are going to keep getting better, but don't just think it. You have to believe it."