Answer: If you are prepared to scale the high learning curve and  invest considerable amounts of time and resources, you can potentially approximate the results of CPOA , just as you can take it upon yourself to  sell your own home, prepare your own taxes, install your new flooring, etc. However, as with tackling any challenging project without experience, you are likely to have a few missteps along the way and not match the results of an experienced,  paid professional. In the recruiting game, missteps can be especially costly, since you only get one chance. You don't have the luxury of learning from your mistakes and repeating the process.

 

The fact is most people don't perform many services for themselves because they prefer the convenience and peace of mind of placing themselves in the hands of experienced professionials. If someone should suggest you don't need a recruiting service like CPOA, that's simply an argument against using a professional service provider. Our economy consists of numerous professional service firms because many people prefer the benefit of their expertise and find fair value in what they offer. Enlisting the services of CPOA is no different. 

 

 

Answer: Experience, credibility and a 21-year track record of integrity and success. In the book College Admissions For The HIgh School Athlete by Jack Disalvo and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo, the authors single out College Prospects in their Athletics Placement Services chapter as follows:

 

"That's why reputable services like College Prospects of America, Inc.(www.cpoa.com) are very careful not to make promises and not to take on young athletes who do not meet the academic and athletic requirements of colleges. College Prospects, which has been in the business since 1986, does not take money from just anyone with a dream. Company President Tracy Jackson says, 'Before we take a fee, we meet personally with the student athlete and the family to prepare a profile that contains his or her academic and athletic history, statistics, honors, achievements, and so on. We then verify the information with the student's high school counselor and coaches. Only if it is reaosnable to expect that this student athlete could play on a college team would we take the fee and market the profile. Because we carefully screen the kids we represent, we have established a good reputation with college coaches--they know we won't waste their time with mailings on kids they can't use. We feel this let's us open many doors the students themselves can't.'

 

"College Prospects of America, Inc. is an example of a respectable agency, but if you are thinking about using a marketing, recruiting or placement service beware: Not all agencies are as thorough or personal."

 

Unfortunately, the past several years has seen the rise of many so called "recruiting services," haphazardly sending out hundreds of inquires without consideration of the athlete's goals, skill level or academic abilities. Others, touting their low fees, simply put some video footage of an athlete up on the internet promising effective exposure. These types of services are virtually useless.

 

 

Answer: That's better than doing nothing at all, but coaches expect a certain bias from parents and athletes.  An objective source presenting your skills and accomplishments has more credibility. Moreover, your marketing effort will be limited and possibly poorly aimed compared to what we do. Our mass mailing of profiles typically goes out to more than 500 hundred colleges  cross checked against our database to match your level of skill and academic achievement. Furthermore, we are continually receiving inquiries from coaches looking for athletes. We invariably improve upon the results of families who started off on their own with limited success.

 

 

Answer:  Camps and showcase events have proliferated in recent years. College coaches simply don't have the time and resources to attend a camp or showcase event without a good reason. With the exception of a small percentage of high-profile camps and showcase events, a college coach usually goes to these to specifically to watch someone already on his or her list, not to "discover" new talent. Large sums of money are spent by many parents on camps, travel teams and the rest with little productive exposure. If you enlist CPOA's service, college coaches around the country will know about you.

 

Question: How do coaches typically learn about high school prospects?

 

Answer: Depends on the size of the school and the type of athletic program. Big-time Division I football and basketball programs have budgets that dwarf those of all other sports. They mount extensive, sophisticated marketing and recruiting operations that employ the efforts of assistant coaches and plenty of travel. But these programs are the exception. Unfortunately, most other schools and programs don't have the budget or personnel to compete with this, although coaches at these other schools want to locate qualified prospects just as badly as the coaches in the larger institutions. They need help, as you need help. By bringing you together, we provide both of you with the help you need.

 

 

Answer: There are a small percentage of coaches who through years of experience and hard work have made the type of connections necessary to open doors for their players, but those coaches are the exception and have an impressive list of college players to prove their effectiveness. Others, though, may want to help, but they usually do not have the expertise, time or funds to execute an effective promotional campaign for you. You should check your school's history on scholarships received in the past and expect about the same results in the future.  Find out from your coach what kind of specific help you and your teammates can expect.

 

Question: When should I start making the effort to get the attention of college coaches?

 

Answer: As soon as you show potential and start to rise above your peers. Most CPOA clients enroll in our service during their sophomore and junior years. In a recent survey of 300 college coaches, 65% said they have already begun tracking prospects by the end of their sophomore years. The key is not to start too late. The recruiting process has been well underway by the time a prospect begins his or her senior year.

 

Question: How do I know I've got the ability to play at the collegiate level?

 

Answer: Talent evaluation can be slippery and subjective. Although all CPOA directors have backgrounds in athletics and do scout players, we are not primarily a scouting service. Rather we consider ourselves marketers first. We heavily rely on High School or Club Coaches to help us evaluate talent. You should do the same -- your current coach should be able to tell you if you are college material.

 

Question: I know I can play in college, but only a few local college coaches have called, and I'd like a better opportunity. Is that possible?

 

Answer: Chances are that a lot of coaches would be interested but they have never heard of you. CPOA will target market your profile throughout its network of  2,000 colleges and 18,000 coaches in 50 US States, multiplying your options many times over.

 

 

Answer: All student athletes should view this process as a means to an end -- using their athletic ability to enhance their admission chances, receive financial aid, as well as find an opportunity to continue playing their sport at the collegiate level. They should understand that their athletic skill, combined with their academic skill, can be used to interest schools and develop opportunities.  THIS PROCESS IS NOT JUST ABOUT PLAYING SPORTS.  We encourage student athletes to look at this process as a way to obtain an excellent education through athletics.