row2k Features
Recruiting in the Age of Covid-19
May 13, 2020

Times have changed. Covid-19 has upended the recruiting landscape and prospects must adapt to the new reality. How prospects behave now will directly influence their college opportunities. What should be done depends upon one's class year.

For graduating Seniors one rule remains the same: don't mess up now. You've worked hard to get where you are. Even if school has eliminated letter grades and you're not training with your team, keep up the good work. If your school/club coach isn't coaching you then ask your future college coach for suggestions. Get to know your new teammates online.

Seniors and their parents should pay closer attention to financing a college education. The turbulence in the economy may adversely affect how much financial aid your college can provide. Many students will need more help than anticipated, and more students will likely need it. Contact your college's financial aid office to ensure that they are as responsive as possible to your circumstances.

Find out early if things have changed for the worse; even with a NLI (National Letter of Intent) and athletic grant-in-aid you may still be negatively impacted by the downturn in the economy and social distancing.

Football is the engine that drives and funds college athletics at many institutions. If we don't have college football as usual this fall, scholarship money may dry up at some colleges. Again, stay in touch with your college coach. Current Juniors with another year of high school should take the initiative. Get on the erg and go faster. Get better or get left behind. The world has not stopped, and others are improving - and either you're improving too or you're falling behind. If you can't find an erg, try harder to find an erg. Allow yourself very few excuses. Sign up for the SATs or ACTs. Do not assume that all the colleges that interest you will no longer require them.

Be prepared to make a decision without benefit of an Official Visit. Some college teams may not be allowed to host Officials in the fall. If travel restrictions are lifted, try to visit during the summer; seeing an empty campus is better than not seeing it at all. If you can't meet the coaches in person try to "meet" them with a video call. If you have already identified one or two colleges that most appeal to you, then tell those coaches. In these uncertain days, your enthusiasm could push you ahead of equally qualified recruits.

At present, a "dead period" restriction on all on-campus and off-campus meetings and visits was extended on May 14 through June 30, and no college coach can meet any prospect while this is in effect. Keep an eye for a possible extension to this status, probably coming this week. If the Dead Period is lifted on or before August 1 then Women's AND Men's coaches can start meeting kids off campus. One complication is that, per IRA rules that override NCAA rules for Men's Rowing, Men's coaches cannot call or text a prospect until July 1 following Junior year; the rules do allow men's coaches to meet a Junior off campus even though they cannot call that same Junior on the phone.

College coaches can correspond with Sophomores starting June 15. Sophomores should reach out to coaches during the summer. There are no spring race results for them to peruse; don't expect them to find you. Submitting the teams' recruiting questionnaires is ideal. Emailing the coaching staffs with a resume, including academic information and your erg time, is good too. Come August 1 college coaches can meet prospects graduating in 2022.

These uncertain times effect everyone. Good research, good communication, and taking the initiative will see most successfully though recruiting in the age of Covid-19.

SUPPORT ROW2K
If you enjoy and rely on row2k, we need your help to be able to keep doing all this. Though row2k sometimes looks like a big, outside-funded operation, it mainly runs on enthusiasm and grit. Help us keep it coming, thank you! Learn more.


Comments

Log in to comment
There are no Comments yet

Rowing Features
Rowing Headlines
ADVERTISEMENT
row2k media is not responsible for external ad content
Get our Newsletter!

Support row2k!

Tremendous thanks to our
row2k supporters!

Get Social with row2k!
Like row2k on Facebook Follow row2k on Twitter Follow row2k on Instagram Follow row2k on Youtube Connect with row2k on LinkedIn

Get the row2k app!

row2k rowing store!

Get our Newsletter!
Enter your email address to receive our weekly newsletter.

Support row2k!


Advertiser Index
Advertise on row2k