Rule of Recruiting #1: If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail.

By Chris Keevins
National Recruiting Director
Defensive Coach for 2010 State Champion Bronxville High School Football Team



I'm asked all the time by parents, coaches and athletes alike, "do you think Johnny is a Division 1 prospect".



Now, to put this in perspective, you have to realize that there are only 117 1A and 124 1AA schools competing in what is known as the FCS and FBS, in the entire country in football, and the numbers dramatically decrease as you expand to non revenue generating sports unfortunately.

The reality is that for most student athletes competing in high school sports, only the top 5% will be recruited actively by 1A and 1AA programs and fewer actually offered full scholarships. But fear not parents, in these difficult economic times. Division 2, Division 3, JUCO and prep schools all offer financial packages ranging from full scholarships to athletic and academic grants in aid. The key to securing these scholarship and grant dollars starts early and requires a coordinated plan between coaches, parents and players and understanding what can quickly become a frustrating and overwhelming process, filled with false promises, misinformation and unrealistic expectations. So, where do you start if you're the parent of a prospective student athlete? Therein lies the science and art of college recruiting.

You can start by understanding the landscape of the given sport that your child is pursuing. For example, in football, there are 23,157 full scholarships available.

The breakdown, per team, is as follows: D1A-85 scholarships, D1AA-63 scholarships and Division 2-36 scholarships. These schools require academic clearance through the NCAA Eligibility Center, formerly known as the NCAA Clearinghouse. It is suggested that at the beginning of the student athletes junior year at the latest, you apply with the Eligibility Center. The fee is $65 and may be waived in instances of financial hardship. You can find this information on the web or in your local athletic directors office. Presently, for Division 1 and Division 1AA, student athletes, you must possess a minimum 2.0 GPA in a core of 16 academic courses and a 2.0 in 14 core academic courses in Division 2. By 2013, the NCAA will boost the Division 2 requirements to match the Division 1 requirement. This is vital information for parents and students alike, who are currently competing at the high school level, as Division 2 has long been a fallback for prospects who didn't meet clearinghouse requirements for Division 1 and 1AA. I have had top talents offered full scholarships at the Division 1 level, only failing to meet the requirements of the eligibility standard. We're talking about a $200,000-$250,000 opportunity squandered by failing to ensure with the same passion academically what most pursue rigorously in the gym, at camps and showcases and in personal training. What a shame to miss an opportunity by being ill prepared, or unprepared altogether. You can be one of the top players in a given sport in the country,but if you don't have the minimum requirements, you make yourself obsolete. If you are not preparing yourself in the classroom as well as on the athletic field, somebody else will be, and when all other things are equal, they will secure those scholarship dollars.

Of course, at GetURecruited, we believe it's never too late for any of our prospects. Some get in the game late, some are not prepared academically or physically or from a skills perspective. The process begins with a comprehensive needs analysis. I know, it sounds very business like. Well folks, I'm here to tell you this, its simply that college recruiting is a business even at the Division  3, Junior College and Prep School levels... and once you understand that, it makes the process more manageable and tolerable for parent and athlete alike.

Nobody likes rejection, and the recruiting process is filled with it at every level. We work to understand where colleges and universities may slot the student athlete. Are they recruitable, are they a scholarship prospect or are they a walk on candidate or a preferred walk on candidate? Or are they best suited at a different level of play? The reassuring prospect for all parents is this, there is some place that is a good fit for your child if they desire to play behind high school. It was a credo that my dad espoused as a high school football coach and athletic director for over 30 years.

It reminds me of my senior year, when the day after our last game, one of my teammates walked into his office and informed him that he wanted to play college football. This came on the heels of a quiet senior year with only one start. But this kid had passion and an advocate in his coach and athletic director. He grew to 6'2 295 lbs and went on to become a junior college All American and two year starter for the Marshall University Thundering Herd on a full scholarship. It took hard work and determination, active participation from his coach and school administration..but he achieved his dream, when frankly, only a few believed it possible. And that brings me to Dave Toub, currently the Special Teams Coordinator for the Chicago Bears. Widely regarded by his peers and outsiders as the top Special Teams Coordinator in the NFL, Toub was a Mahopac captain and three year starter and stood 6'3 215 lbs as a high school senior...and played defensive end and center, earning All County honors. But he was thought undersized for Division 1 and so his journey began. He ultimately received an athletic grant in aid to play for then Division 3 power Springfield College where he promptly started as a  freshman and sophomore, earning Division 3 All American Honors both years. He had grown by now to 6'4 265 lbs and came home during Christmas break and mapped out a plan with my dad to achieve his dream. By February he had accepted a full scholarship to Division 1 WAC Conference power, University Of Texas at El Paso-UTEP. He joined 7 other Mahopac teammates there, all on full scholarship playing big time college football. After a standout career at UTEP where he started immediately, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 1985 NFL Draft. This all from a Mahopac kid thought too small, who had a dream, a plan and the proper support and guidance. Read that again...This all from a Mahopac kid thought too small, who had a dream, a plan and the proper support and guidance

 You see folks...it's not impossible.  Set realistic expectations, be prepared, and avail yourself of as many resources as possible. GetURecruited is just one of those many tools at your disposal.

We believe that it's all about relationship management at GetU. Our leadership team has over 50 years of experience working with student athletes and their families. The ability to pick up a phone and get an honest evaluation of our prospects from some of the top teams in the country in most sports, truly separates us. As a partner with prospects and their families, we've taken our own experience personally as college athletes and professionally as coaches to create a unique vehicle for prospective college athletes. I was blessed to play for one of the top teams in the country in Division 3 and then Division1AA in Hofstra University. As a barely 5'8 155 lb quarterback out of Mahopac it seemed an impossible dream as a senior. It certainly helped that my dad was my relationship manager as my coach as well. By early winter, my grainy highlight on some of the first VCR tapes in 1985 went out. You see, highlights were cutting edge in those days. 100 of my plays went out to schools throughout the country and as coaches came in or called, my story was told. I was fortunate to play with some great athletes who went on to play Division 1, 1AA and beyond..we won a lot of games, a Section 1 championship and were regarded as one of the dominant programs in New York State. As my friends were getting recruited, my tape would be shown, even when I wasn't skilled enough to play at Rutgers or Princeton. But college recruiting is a small niche as we realize at GetU..and while a recruit may not be a good fit for one school, coaches are quick to recommend a better fit and often create a lead right there with former colleagues or friends in the college coaching circles.

This football season has been a fantastic one both locally and personally. The Mahopac Indians finished 8-1 and played in the Section Championship for the first time since 1988 when Mahopac finished 9-1 and lost to North Rockland in the championship. As an assistant coach at Bronxville High School, we finished our season 12-0 and New York State Champions to conclude a two year run for our senior class which saw us finish 23-1 with two state title appearances at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse and one state championship. We already have had 3 Division 1 commits including Boston College, Yale and Harvard and expect two to three more to follow. But, it doesn't happen by accident. Both teams had great senior leadership and incredible talent. GetURecruited is thrilled to be working with some of the top talent in NYS as we enter the recruiting season. Mahopac star Victor Difusco is generally regarded as one of the top players in Section 1 and one of the top linebackers in New York State and Bronxville star Dillon Mitchell recently was named the top back in Section 1 and MVP of the State and Regional Championships. Victor, Dillon, TJ Foley (Recently committed to division 1 Lacrosse Powerhouse Drexel) and their families have turned to the GetU team to realize their dream.


"I was overjoyed when I found about about the services and reputation of GetURecruited" said parent Lisa Mitchell of Bronxville. "The college application process is difficult enough, but with athletics added in, it can be daunting and excruciating. Since we've handed over the process to GetURecruited, they have opened doors to our son to some of the top schools in the country".


Sentiment like that defines the GetU experience. We certainly can't make a prospect more talented than they are, but we can help them get recognized and recruited. Videography companies are a dime a dozen. Anybody, even someone as technolgically challenged as myself can cobble together a highlight film, heck, my dad did it on those old grainy 1985 video cassettes in my case. But not everyone can make a great video and website, manage the entire recruiting experience, manage the relationships, evaluate the talent and partner with the family. The game is changing daily....Have you partnered with someone who knows the rules of engagement, has been through it as a college athlete and high school coach?

If not, you are potentially selling your family short, and taking a very expensive risk. It's never too early and conversely it's never too late. But there are some simple measures every family can take to be well informed and maximize their recruiting experience.




Chris Keevins is 1986 Mahopac graduate who earned All Section honors in football in 1985 and led the Indians to their only Section Championship in 1984 as a junior quarterback. An assistant coach at Mahopac from 1990-2003, Carmel 2004-2005, RC Ketcham from 2006-2008. Currently he is an assistant for State Champion Bronxville High School where he coaches the defense, a unit that gave up less than 7 points per game with six shutouts and defensive scores in five games. 3 of his players have already made Division 1 commitments, including Kieran Borcich, who is rated as the #25 defensive end in the country and is attending ACC power Boston College on a full scholarship. Coach Keevins went on to play collegiately at Hofstra University which has turned out current NFL stars Marques Colston of New Orleans and Willie Colon of the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as former NY Jet great Wayne Chrebet. He currently resides in Mahopac with his wife and daughter.