Expert: Thom Brooks - 1/1/2009

Question
My son is a very good high school football player, and is more than capable of playing with success at some smaller colleges.  However due to some bad choices and horrible study habits we ended up withdrawing him after his senior season and he has now finished the GED process.  There are some very good d3 and NAIA Schools in our area that I feel would be glad to obtain him but considering his circumstances how do I get him in touch with the right people who will judge him for what he is doing now instead of what has happened in the past?  I have a limited amount of funds to work with so I also need to find the right people to help us get the financial aid we need.

Answer
Donald, Happy New Year!

You need not worry too much.  The Athletic Departments deal with the same issue every year!  They will be very comfortable helping you sort out anything dealing with your son's education and athletic goals.  I've attached some websites of the NCAA for you to explore.

When your son selects the college where he wants to get the degree and where he wants to play, he needs to make contact with the secretary working in the Athletic Department.  They will tell you when the coaches and scouts can talk (like this month), and when they have tryouts opened.  Their counselor will advise if any scholarship money is available.  

You need to talk with the local TV, newspaper and radio celebrities that have sports shows.  They have a lot of contacts.  I coach a men's baseball team and some years ago, I made phone calls to a local coach at Savannah State to advise he needed to give a 4 year scholarship to a player that was going to a Virginia school.  He gave the player a 4 year ride and that man just graduated!  So, plenty of people will be around to help.  You need to ask them for that help.

I am a high school football official.  Your local officials have a great deal of knowledge and contacts, so call them.  All of the local high school coaches love to help out.  Call them.  Have your son contact the current and/or former players of the college where he seeks to play.  If you have any game film, or written statistics to show the coaches, they will appreciate it.  

Review the NCAA minimum grade standards I've attached.  If he does not keep the grades, he will not play.  

It is wonderful that you love your son enough to help him.  Keep it up and he will be successful.  People helping People makes all of us successful.

Now, Go Do it!



Thom Brooks
Savannah, Georgia




Please review the following websites. The first one is my youngest son's band!

www.myspace.com/listen2three


Official Web Site of the NCAA



http://www.ncaapublications.com/Uploads/PDF/Football_Rulesadc982b5-03fb-4e27-828...


http://www.ncaapublications.com/Uploads/PDF/Football_Rulesadc982b5-03fb-4e27-828...
http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/membership_



svcs/eligibility-recruiting



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