Recruiting Student Athletes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are curious about the private high school recruiting process for student athletes and how we can get our DC exposure to either a football or baseball program? How do student athletes get identified and is there a higher percentage of acceptance if they are being recruited for sports?

If you are recruited to a WCAC school
It’s 100% acceptance unless you score something crazy low in the HPST…like in the 40s.

We reached out to the baseball coach at SJC and he watched a tournament where my son was playing and my son also did the Summer camp for middle schoolers at SJC.

May I ask what your son’s financial package was?

Zero…there are no athletic scholarships and we are very much full pay.

Financial Aid is based on need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have your kid email the coach (even if you have to write it for him..it should come from him).

I remember trying this when my son was applying. The only coaches that I was even able to speak to were the coaches who also worked in admissions. However, those coaches definitely helped

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know they are offering a few kids a decent amount for baseball. Not sure who you think their best players are but there are a few 8th graders they are after that are highly ranked and can pick their school.

Again...it's very likely these 8th graders are eligible for significant need-based aid.

My kid played on SJC's best team in recent history (possibly ever), and the aid was not tied to talent. Talent gets basically any kid accepted, and then once accepted, need takes over. They don't allocate need-aid based on your test scores or grades either, but rather your financial situation once accepted (of course the De La Salle program is different and those are merit scholarships for the best students).

Think of it like Ivy league schools. They accept star athletes with far lower grades and scores than the average student, but once accepted, their need-based aid is computed entirely on their financial situation. Any coach looking to recruit them would ask for their financial information, admissions/FA would review and then the coach would be able to tell the student that they are eligible for 100% FA, or 50% FA or 0% FA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know they are offering a few kids a decent amount for baseball. Not sure who you think their best players are but there are a few 8th graders they are after that are highly ranked and can pick their school.

Again...it's very likely these 8th graders are eligible for significant need-based aid.

My kid played on SJC's best team in recent history (possibly ever), and the aid was not tied to talent. Talent gets basically any kid accepted, and then once accepted, need takes over. They don't allocate need-aid based on your test scores or grades either, but rather your financial situation once accepted (of course the De La Salle program is different and those are merit scholarships for the best students).

Think of it like Ivy league schools. They accept star athletes with far lower grades and scores than the average student, but once accepted, their need-based aid is computed entirely on their financial situation. Any coach looking to recruit them would ask for their financial information, admissions/FA would review and then the coach would be able to tell the student that they are eligible for 100% FA, or 50% FA or 0% FA.

Respectfully, how much lower can you get than the general population at SJC? It isn't exactly Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know they are offering a few kids a decent amount for baseball. Not sure who you think their best players are but there are a few 8th graders they are after that are highly ranked and can pick their school.

Again...it's very likely these 8th graders are eligible for significant need-based aid.

My kid played on SJC's best team in recent history (possibly ever), and the aid was not tied to talent. Talent gets basically any kid accepted, and then once accepted, need takes over. They don't allocate need-aid based on your test scores or grades either, but rather your financial situation once accepted (of course the De La Salle program is different and those are merit scholarships for the best students).

Think of it like Ivy league schools. They accept star athletes with far lower grades and scores than the average student, but once accepted, their need-based aid is computed entirely on their financial situation. Any coach looking to recruit them would ask for their financial information, admissions/FA would review and then the coach would be able to tell the student that they are eligible for 100% FA, or 50% FA or 0% FA.

Knowing the families personally. Yes, they are likely eligible for some need but they are also getting offers from schools in the area close to 100% because of their kids talents. Not many 13-14 year olds in the area throwing in the low to mid 80s with ease. They also play for some of the top travel teams. All schools say they are need based but like everything in life, there are exceptions to the rule. I also know the HC has spoken to the parents quite a bit which is uncommon for him. These are not average kids. These kids have the size, strength, speed to start at SJC as freshmen. Whether he would do it or not, I don’t know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know they are offering a few kids a decent amount for baseball. Not sure who you think their best players are but there are a few 8th graders they are after that are highly ranked and can pick their school.

Again...it's very likely these 8th graders are eligible for significant need-based aid.

My kid played on SJC's best team in recent history (possibly ever), and the aid was not tied to talent. Talent gets basically any kid accepted, and then once accepted, need takes over. They don't allocate need-aid based on your test scores or grades either, but rather your financial situation once accepted (of course the De La Salle program is different and those are merit scholarships for the best students).

Think of it like Ivy league schools. They accept star athletes with far lower grades and scores than the average student, but once accepted, their need-based aid is computed entirely on their financial situation. Any coach looking to recruit them would ask for their financial information, admissions/FA would review and then the coach would be able to tell the student that they are eligible for 100% FA, or 50% FA or 0% FA.

Knowing the families personally. Yes, they are likely eligible for some need but they are also getting offers from schools in the area close to 100% because of their kids talents. Not many 13-14 year olds in the area throwing in the low to mid 80s with ease. They also play for some of the top travel teams. All schools say they are need based but like everything in life, there are exceptions to the rule. I also know the HC has spoken to the parents quite a bit which is uncommon for him. These are not average kids. These kids have the size, strength, speed to start at SJC as freshmen. Whether he would do it or not, I don’t know.

No it’s not…Gibbs spoke to my kid like 5 times (most in person); gave him a personal tour of the school, invited him to intersquads and spent a good 30 minutes with him after, responded quickly to any emails, spoke to us as parents multiple times, etc…like I assume he did with all the players he recruited.

A kid throwing low 80s isn’t going to be a starter as a freshman unless you are claiming he is even better as a position player. Not to say they won’t be great by junior/senior year, but there are many pitchers who peak at like 15 and can’t get to 90+.

Only like one kid (Triantos;
2nd round MLB pick by the Cubs; left SJC after freshman year) started as a freshman for SJC in the last like 15 years and he was part of the group that included James Wood (who was not a starter…not even sure if was on varsity as a freshman…he also left after freshman year). One of the kids from the 2025 class made varsity as a freshman as a pitcher but was not a starter and didn’t get many innings that year.

Again…you admit they qualify for FA…that’s what they are getting.

[Anonymous]

What other private schools does what SJC does with invitations to workouts, tours, and conversations with the coach? What else do coaches look for other than being a talented player (parental involvement, grades, character)??

[Anonymous]

Are there schools that recruit for boys soccer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there schools that recruit for boys soccer?

Yes...schools with boys soccer teams (so nearly all of them...with the usual suspects like the WCAC schools recruiting most intently). What an odd question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What other private schools does what SJC does with invitations to workouts, tours, and conversations with the coach? What else do coaches look for other than being a talented player (parental involvement, grades, character)??

If you ask admissions for a connection, coaches at most schools will chat, invite you to a game or practice, etc. My kids’ school that isn’t known for does this for being a dominant sports powerhouse does this for sports teams and things like theater. Just reach out and ask.

[Anonymous]

DS has been getting recruited for baseball since 6th grade at many of the top programs in the area, both WCAC and independent. Some started recruiting him after seeing him play at a local tournament. Some started after he attended their summer camp. Most good programs have some sort of recruiting coach who keeps an eye out for top MS talent. The only way to guarantee they see your kid is for them to attend one of the schools prospect camps.

He’s been invited to private workouts, personal
invitations to attend summer camps, private tours given by the coach(es) themselves, invites to recruiting nights at football games, etc. A handful of the same kids who play for top travel programs in the area have been getting this same attention. Coaches who really want your kid and are willing to advocate for them with admissions and FA, and will let you know that. They will guide you along the way of the admissions process, get your kid in front of the right people, make sure you have everything in on time, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS has been getting recruited for baseball since 6th grade at many of the top programs in the area, both WCAC and independent. Some started recruiting him after seeing him play at a local tournament. Some started after he attended their summer camp. Most good programs have some sort of recruiting coach who keeps an eye out for top MS talent. The only way to guarantee they see your kid is for them to attend one of the schools prospect camps.

He’s been invited to private workouts, personal
invitations to attend summer camps, private tours given by the coach(es) themselves, invites to recruiting nights at football games, etc. A handful of the same kids who play for top travel programs in the area have been getting this same attention. Coaches who really want your kid and are willing to advocate for them with admissions and FA, and will let you know that. They will guide you along the way of the admissions process, get your kid in front of the right people, make sure you have everything in on time, etc.

Essentially correct. But one minor point.

Admissions do not talk directly to the coaches of individual sports. All that is done through the Athletic Director who takes the prioritized list of candidates from the coaches. The AD then looks at his priorities and creates a new prioritized list that is based on the inputs from the coaches. A football player will generally get more "support" from the AD than a volleyball player.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are curious about the private high school recruiting process for student athletes and how we can get our DC exposure to either a football or baseball program? How do student athletes get identified and is there a higher percentage of acceptance if they are being recruited for sports?

If you are recruited to a WCAC school
It’s 100% acceptance unless you score something crazy low in the HPST…like in the 40s.

We reached out to the baseball coach at SJC and he watched a tournament where my son was playing and my son also did the Summer camp for middle schoolers at SJC.

May I ask what your son’s financial package was?

Zero…there are no athletic scholarships and we are very much full pay.

Well, yes, there are no "athletic scholarships." But at the same time there are no rules around Financial Aid. The school can give whatever aid they want regardless of a family's level of financial "need".

As long as they don't go beyond the fixed amount of money that is in the Financial Aid Budget they can give whatever they want to whoever they want. This is the furthest thing from a quasi-government program where some sort of formula or a table determines what recipients receive.

For whatever reason, many of the posters on here are unable to grasp this concept. They appear to have a sketchy understanding of the college rules and try to apply them to these high schools.

They do try and keep things "defensible" and "fair", if only because of the negative reaction they might provoke from full-pay and FA recipients with small FA packages.

In summary:

For Recruiting - There are no fixed rules after "First Contact". There is no NCAA to establish rules or enforce them.
For Admissions - There are no fixed rules. They can admit whoever they want. There is no Ivy League to put into place and "Index"
For Financial Aid - There are no fixed rules. They can give FA to whoever they want for any reason.

Financial Aid is based on need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know they are offering a few kids a decent amount for baseball. Not sure who you think their best players are but there are a few 8th graders they are after that are highly ranked and can pick their school.

Again...it's very likely these 8th graders are eligible for significant need-based aid.

My kid played on SJC's best team in recent history (possibly ever), and the aid was not tied to talent. Talent gets basically any kid accepted, and then once accepted, need takes over. They don't allocate need-aid based on your test scores or grades either, but rather your financial situation once accepted (of course the De La Salle program is different and those are merit scholarships for the best students).

Think of it like Ivy league schools. They accept star athletes with far lower grades and scores than the average student, but once accepted, their need-based aid is computed entirely on their financial situation. Any coach looking to recruit them would ask for their financial information, admissions/FA would review and then the coach would be able to tell the student that they are eligible for 100% FA, or 50% FA or 0% FA.

Knowing the families personally. Yes, they are likely eligible for some need but they are also getting offers from schools in the area close to 100% because of their kids talents. Not many 13-14 year olds in the area throwing in the low to mid 80s with ease. They also play for some of the top travel teams. All schools say they are need based but like everything in life, there are exceptions to the rule. I also know the HC has spoken to the parents quite a bit which is uncommon for him. These are not average kids. These kids have the size, strength, speed to start at SJC as freshmen. Whether he would do it or not, I don’t know.

No it’s not…Gibbs spoke to my kid like 5 times (most in person); gave him a personal tour of the school, invited him to intersquads and spent a good 30 minutes with him after, responded quickly to any emails, spoke to us as parents multiple times, etc…like I assume he did with all the players he recruited.

A kid throwing low 80s isn’t going to be a starter as a freshman unless you are claiming he is even better as a position player. Not to say they won’t be great by junior/senior year, but there are many pitchers who peak at like 15 and can’t get to 90+.

Only like one kid (Triantos;
2nd round MLB pick by the Cubs; left SJC after freshman year) started as a freshman for SJC in the last like 15 years and he was part of the group that included James Wood (who was not a starter…not even sure if was on varsity as a freshman…he also left after freshman year). One of the kids from the 2025 class made varsity as a freshman as a pitcher but was not a starter and didn’t get many innings that year.

Again…you admit they qualify for FA…that’s what they are getting.

Yes, it is. Gibbs rarely speaks to the parents, especially one-on-one. He prefers to do so in a group setting so it doesn't appear to be preferential treatment. He's always been like that. Does it mean he doesn't speak with the parents initially? Of course not. He does with all the kids they recruit, as well as Severino. I don't know how many times he's spoken to the kids, but like your kid, they've been given personal tours and invited to intersquads, camps (free), etc. Having been around the game and program for a long time, I find these kids a little different. Does that guarantee success? Absolutely not. However, there aren't many kids in the area or country throwing in the 83-85 range at 13/14, with a full year before entering a high school training program. They may touch 86-88 this year before finishing 8th grade. In addition, they are better position players and true 8th graders, unlike some of the reclass kids SJC has had in prior years.

I believe Devereaux started as a freshman and pitched in the championship game, and had a great year this past season as well. I don't think he was throwing that hard as a freshman, but he was very consistent. He will play freshmen if they are ready. They've also lost a lot of kids from last year's team. They will likely be pretty young this year. Woods transferred to IMG after his sophomore year. Yes, they will qualify for some aid, but if they don't receive nearly 100%, they are likely to attend a school that can meet that demand. There are schools willing to do it. Just like the national/scout teams they currently play on for free. It's not fair, but some kids' athletic ability opens more doors than others. We'll find out in about a month or so, where the kids commit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are curious about the private high school recruiting process for student athletes and how we can get our DC exposure to either a football or baseball program? How do student athletes get identified and is there a higher percentage of acceptance if they are being recruited for sports?

If you are recruited to a WCAC school
It’s 100% acceptance unless you score something crazy low in the HPST…like in the 40s.

We reached out to the baseball coach at SJC and he watched a tournament where my son was playing and my son also did the Summer camp for middle schoolers at SJC.

May I ask what your son’s financial package was?

Zero…there are no athletic scholarships and we are very much full pay.

Well, yes, there are no "athletic scholarships." But at the same time there are no rules around Financial Aid. The school can give whatever aid they want regardless of a family's level of financial "need".

As long as they don't go beyond the fixed amount of money that is in the Financial Aid Budget they can give whatever they want to whoever they want. This is the furthest thing from a quasi-government program where some sort of formula or a table determines what recipients receive.

For whatever reason, many of the posters on here are unable to grasp this concept. They appear to have a sketchy understanding of the college rules and try to apply them to these high schools.

They do try and keep things "defensible" and "fair", if only because of the negative reaction they might provoke from full-pay and FA recipients with small FA packages.

In summary:

For Recruiting - There are no fixed rules after "First Contact". There is no NCAA to establish rules or enforce them.
For Admissions - There are no fixed rules. They can admit whoever they want. There is no Ivy League to put into place and "Index"
For Financial Aid - There are no fixed rules. They can give FA to whoever they want for any reason.

Financial Aid is based on need.

So they say!