{"id":9271,"date":"2016-01-29T04:30:27","date_gmt":"2016-01-29T10:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nsr-inc.com\/scouting-news\/?p=9271"},"modified":"2016-01-27T20:28:40","modified_gmt":"2016-01-28T02:28:40","slug":"plan-b-often-becomes-plan-a-for-college-prospects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nsr-inc.com\/scouting-news\/plan-b-often-becomes-plan-a-for-college-prospects\/","title":{"rendered":"Plan B often becomes Plan A for college prospects"},"content":{"rendered":"
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High school prospects can not afford to ignore or disrespect any interested college coach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

National Scouting Report scouts know this to be true: Rarely does a college prospect end up playing for his or her favorite school. For that reason, a prospect’s Plan B often evolves into Plan A.<\/p>\n

Another truth: Every prospect fits into a Division I, II or III box. Their athletic talents and skills, along with their size, speed and strength, dictate this for college coaches. \u00a0Yes, there are a few exceptions — very few. \u00a0In most all cases, the box an athlete fits into is the box in which they eventually land.<\/p>\n

College coaches know these boxes inside and out. Coaches specifically search for athletes who match the qualifications needed to fit their particular boxes. Indeed, coaches love to secure commitments from athletes who fit boxes in higher divisions. Attracting those athletes on campus gives programs an immediate upgrade. But even that scenario is seldom realized.<\/p>\n

The problem for coaches comes when athletes who fit a lower-division box think they belong\u00a0into Division I box. Local hype, overly optimistic family members, fans and high school\/club coaches convince those athletes they are suited for D-I athletics when they are not.<\/p>\n

Those athletes may be buoyed by a high scoring average, all-star recognition or a letter from a college coach that is misconstrued as a genuine recruiting letter. \u00a0That erroneous thinking creates a false sense of where they actually fit and puts them in the unenviable position of waiting for their favorite school to make an offer that is never going to materialize. Meanwhile, lower-division coaches move on to other prospects who accept their status and are eager to be recruited.\u00a0 They receive the scholarship offers while the dreamers sit at home waiting.<\/p>\n

That is why every high school athlete should have a Plan B that can become their Plan A. \u00a0It is better to compete in college and enjoy all the benefits of being a student-athlete than it is to lose the opportunity altogether. \u00a0Here are some tips to follow for every high school athlete wanting to play at the college level:<\/p>\n