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“This country isn’t a melting pot. Think of this country as a stir fry. That’s what this country should be. A place where people are appreciated for who they are.” -Jane Elliott

A day does not go by when I don’t hear from a young man or a young woman outside of the U.S. who reaches out to me for help on how to get recruited to a college or university in the United States.

More times than not, it is young athlete from an African nation who sends me film of them playing on a dirt court and a basketball hoop that is just barely standing straight up. For each message I get from one of these kids, my heart sinks for them because they are wanting so badly for someone to just give them any hope of a chance to be a part of something that most of us in the U.S. take for granted.

For many people outside of the U.S., our country still represents what the Statue of Liberty stood for when it was gifted to us by the French in 1886 inscribed with the sonnet:

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

As a third generation American whose grandparents came through Ellis Island in the early part of the 20th century, these are more than just words to me. I am forever thankful that the gates were opened to my family, and we were given the opportunity of freedom to be who we wanted to be under the protection of our Constitution.

Today’s blog is for those kids. I’m not a wealthy person. I’m no longer a college coach or athletic director. I don’t have the financial means to help these kids the way they need to be helped. Nevertheless, most of them have access (although limited) to the internet, and I have the ability to share my knowledge to give them whatever advantage I can provide.

For all of you with big dreams on the other side of the ocean, here is the simplest path I can give you to accomplish your hopes:

1. Build an online profile at www.ncsasports.org. It is the largest college recruiting network in the world, and NCSA allows all student-athletes to create a free profile for all college coaches to see.
2. Make sure you add the maximum allowed film to your online profile to demonstrate your skill, athleticism and coachability. It is imperative that you show more than just an outdoor pick-up game against less than capable talent. Show that you can dribble, shoot, pass, defend with consistent strength, speed and agility. If you are going to show game footage, do your best to show games where there are officials, coaches, and someone keeping score.
3. Make sure you demonstrate that you are on track to complete your high school education. You can forget about getting recruited or getting a scholarship if you cannot provide proof of a high school diploma. The best way to find that out is to utilize the Guide to NCAA International Academic Standards. Here is the link to that pdf: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/International_Information/International_Guide.pdf
   1. You can find your specific country requirements on pages 9-11
4. Once you have your profile completed, you need to take the time to email college coaches. I recommend focusing on emailing the assistant coaches at 4-5 different colleges and universities each week. You can find the college coaches’ phone numbers and email addresses on their university website. There is usually an “Athletics” tab on the university site. Once you are at that section, look for “Staff Directory”, and you should be able to scroll down to find coaching staff contact information for the sport you are pursuing.
   1. Keep your email brief and to the point:
      1. Why are you interested in their school?
      2. Why should they be interested in you? What makes you recruit-able and special?
      3. Provide a link to your online profile
      4. Ask them for a response…i.e. feedback, an evaluation, an opportunity to Zoom or talk on the phone 
   2. Focus on emailing schools at all levels each week: Junior College (JC), NAIA, NCAA D3, D2, and D1. You have no idea how good you are, so do not limit yourself to just D1 programs. Most D1 programs will fill their rosters 2 and sometimes 3 years in advance. If you are a 17 or 18-year old emailing a D1 coach, you are probably wasting their time and yours. You must be an exceptional athlete for a D1 coach to recruit you that late.  Remember, JC, NAIA and NCAA D2 athletic programs often have athletic scholarships and sometimes international scholarships to give.  
5. Be consistent and persistent. You may have to email 100+ college programs before you get a response. Don’t give up when the first few coaches do not respond or reply with not having a spot for you. Stick to it. If you really want to come to the States, you have to be resilient and understand that the journey is a marathon and not a sprint. It may take 1-2 years to find a program that can provide you the money, direction, and opportunity you are looking for. Take advantage of every conversation. Even if a coach doesn’t have a roster spot for you, always ask them if they can recommend another coach or school who may fit you. Also, ask for advice on how to improve and what they would recommend to improve your skills and results.  Always be making friends!

That’s it. Focus on those 5 actions, and you are doing more than 99% of your peers. You are giving yourself an opportunity, and you are not waiting for a miracle. Control your own destiny…and keep working hard at your game. You can’t expect a coach to take a chance on you when they can find similar or better talent in the States! 

Best wishes and good luck!

Enjoying these blogs? Want to schedule a free 30-minute college recruiting assessment with Coach Rogers? You can do so here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.significantcoaching.net/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Interested in Coach Rogers’ Book? You can find it here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/Matt-Rogers-Significant-Recruiting-Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠