For the past several seasons, we've made an attempt to rank the incoming recruiting classes for teams from across the nation. Some teams, in particular the perennial superpowers, seem to appear in the rankings each season. But as for the others, you've probably noticed new teams appear as the tides of recruiting ebb and flow. With recruiting occuring earlier and earlier, predicting the progress of future recruits is becoming more and more difficult. Unexpected injuries, changes in training pattern and other personal events sometimes impact an athlete's ability to come in and contribute right away. So which school has scored…
For the past several seasons, we've made an attempt to rank the incoming recruiting classes for teams from across the nation. Each year, the task seems to get tougher (and finalized later) and this year is no exception. In fact, the depth of this recruiting class has produced a variety of very deep and talented frosh classes. In particular, a number of elites elected not to defer entry into school and are providing a boost to teams across the nation. So whose class is rated to be the best? Read on to find the answer...
For the past several seasons, we've made an attempt to rank the incoming classes for teams across the nation. The task is never easy, and this year is no exception. For the schools, investing in athletes today is a bit like investing in the stock (or precious metals) market. With recruiting taking place earlier and earlier, coaches have to become experts at detecting the traits, abilities and characteristics that will produce a championship athlete two, three, and four years down the road (or six, seven and eight by the time they are college seniors!). So who's class is rated to…
For the 2014 edition of our ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes, we've had to wait until the last minute to make our decision. "Recruiting" now has an entirely new definition. Some of the athletes in our rankings originally selected their colleges over three years ago. But more than few made their decisions within the last six to nine months. In this age of early recruiting, a lot can change in the three final years of high school and during the first year of competition. Thus, we're also seeing the emergence of a lively late recruiting period and early entries…
We're about to start the 2015 season, and we're once again waiting until the last moment to release our ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes. This edition, 2014-2015, is one where we are seeing the full impact of early recruiting. In some cases, the gymnasts who originally committed at age 16 or younger did not end up matriculating at their original college choice. And, with scholarships opening up due to transfers or retirement, we're seeing a rash of late recruiting, early entries (early graduation), and mid-year starts. In fact, our choice for number one had an early grad further strengthen…
We're about to start the 2016 season, and we're here once again to release our ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes. We wait until the last possible moment to release this ranking, as the final picture never seems clear until January 1st. Once again, this season, we're seeing some of the impacts of the acceleration in early recruiting. In some cases, the gymnasts who originally committed at age 16 or younger did not end up matriculating at their original college choice. And, with scholarships opening up due to transfers or retirement, we're seeing an increase in late recruiting, early college…
We're about to start the 2017 season, and it's time for us to release our annual Ranking of Recruiting Classes. We wait until January to release this ranking because the recruiting calendar now extends year round, and we're seeing an increasing number of teams get mid-year additions. And once again, we're seeing some of the negative unfortunate consequences of early recruiting: gymnasts are not signing to their original classes, some choose not to matriculate or other life changes intrude (including, unfortunately, injury). This year's ranking has seen all of that and more, as places shifted with each new late signing…
Wishes for the 2011 Season
Written by Administrator
Happy New Year! With the season just around the corner, we'd like to add a few wishes on what we are hoping to see this season:
With advent of digital camcorders (Flip Cams) and online video sharing sites, a wide range of preseason and intrasquad videos are available. In the list below are links to a few of the latest training videos, from teams across the country.
Today’s college athletic climate is much different than it was 20 years ago and college coaches are under tremendous pressure to achieve two important goals: win and raise money. The one directly affects the other and alumni will enthusiastically support a winning team…and yes, the opposite is true. The cost of effectively managing a successful college athletics department has increased over the years, while support from university subvention has, in most cases, increased slightly, if not at all.
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Like it or not, we are a society of rapid change and the rate we effectively adapt to that change can make the difference between a good and great experience. The same holds true in college athletics recruiting. The question is: How do we come to grip with this rapidly mounting culture shock in the college quest for athletes?
Organization is an important component in the college search for athletes and completing a college-bound assessment for what you would like to achieve is a great way to start! Think of the assessment as the seed you want to plant to grow your recruiting effort. What grows will be determined by how you cultivate it from start to finish. Looking at the “big picture” can be a tall task for most high school-aged athletes, but if you can begin with the end game in mind and work backwards in developing your personal plan for success, you will most likely run…
(Editor's Note: The latest in Tom Kovic's ongoing series of articles on the recruiting process... just as in-gym visits begin). Whenever I lecture on college athletics recruiting, a primary area I focus on is using “deliberate” communication with college coaches in an effort to build sincere personal relationships. Although eligibility, financial aid and contacts and evaluations are all very important, I am convinced the area of communication is very important to the likelihood of success in the college search for athletes.
The college experience is, in many cases, the most important four years in the prospective student athlete’s life, as it will shape their future personal and professional direction. That being said, securing admission to a college or university that best match students’ desires, strengths, and aspirations is essential.
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