�����Jerry Flora�Head Football Coach – Sleepy Hollow HS, NY�College Football Coach – 28 Years�Head Football Coach – 10 Years�Professional Certificate – Sports Management Worldwide - General Manager and Scouting�Masters in Science – SDA – School Administration, Iona College� BBA – Management, Iona College�Chairman of District 2 AFCA Division III Coaches All-American Team Selection Committee�NYS Permanent Teachers Certification Physical Education & School District Administrator �

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Jerry Flora, National College Recruiter

JF Camps LLC/Jerry Flora Sports Services

Jerryflorainc.com

914-552-1877

Twitter: @jerryflora1

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Iona College

Division 1AA/3

6 years

FDU-Florham

Division 3

1 years

William Paterson University

Division 3

17 years

Iona College

Division 1AA

3 years

Kean University

Division 3

1 year

THE GAME PLAN:�COLLEGE PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ATHLETE�

• This guide is designed to assist student athletes and their parents with the college selection process. The guide outlines the steps college bound student athletes should follow to ensure the college selected will meet the student athletes academic and athletic needs.
• The guide summarizes the academic requirements for college admissions, financial aid packaging specifically designed for scholar athletes, the recruiting process and staff and faculty responsibilities for the guidance of the student athlete.
• The design is usually set up to help 9^th graders write a plan for their high school education which will lead them to a career, the is to help students (as well as their families and guidance counselors) to
• Think about their interests and abilities
• Discover enjoyable careers
• Use activities to explore careers
• Plan high school course work
• Learn about post-secondary education
• Write a plan for the four years

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ACADEMIC & ATHLETIC PLANNING��The most important aspect of the college selection is to select a college where scholar-athletes can be successful academically and compete athletically.

• IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC SUCCESS
• College admissions counselors evaluate candidates according to high school average, class rank, difficulty level of courses taken, qualifying examinations such as SAT/ACT, counselor and teachers’ recommendation (although this becomes less and less popular) and interviews with prospective candidates.

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• It is important that all student athletes take a strong academic course load in high school. This will ensure that they will be prepared for college work and at graduation will meet NCAA and the NAIA requirements for competing in college sports. Also, student athletes should take advantage of any study skills courses offered by the high school and any tutorial opportunities that are available.

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• The importance a taking a strong academic course load beginning in 9^th grade the time scholar athletes permanent record actually begins, cannot be emphasized enough.

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Eligibility Center

• The NCAA Eligibility Center is the arm of the NCAA responsible for determining the academic eligibility and amateurism status for all DI and DII student-athletes. Previously, this part of the NCAA was called the NCAA Clearinghouse, but now, the NCAA Clearinghouse and NCAA Eligibility Center are the same process.

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• For prospective college student-athletes, the NCAA Eligibility Center is the part of the NCAA that will ensure you meet the minimum academic requirements and are considered an amateur athlete. It does this by reviewing your high school transcripts (official copies only), SAT/ACT test scores and reviewing the answers to your amateurism questionnaire. In rare situations, the NCAA will require additional information surrounding your high school classes or athletic competition, but most athletes pass through the NCAA Eligibility Center without incident.

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The NCAA requirements

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 Academic Requirements – Complete 16 core courses, have a minimum GPA of 2.3 (for DI) or 2.2 (for DII) in those core courses, and meet the minimums of the sliding scale in your combination of core course GPA and SAT/ACT test scores.

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Amateurism Requirements – Athletes cannot obtain amateurism status if they have received compensation that exceeds actual and necessary expenses. Athletes also cannot accept payment for media appearances based on their athletic ability, endorsing commercial products or accept prize money beyond actual/necessary expenses. Learn more about amateurism requirements.

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Amateurism requirements

• To be cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center, you will need to obtain an amateur certification as part of the process.

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• To be eligible to compete in college, the NCAA must verify that you have not competed at a professional level and have not received any benefits from the competing.

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• Individual institutions are responsible to determine the amateur status of their prospective athletes as covered by the rules of the NCAA.

Amateurism Requirements

• Some of the things that affect your amateur status;
• Contracts with a professional team
• Salary for participating in athletics
• Prize money won
• Play with professionals
• Tryout/practice/competition with a professional team
• Benefits from an agent
• Agreement to be represented by an agent
• The Organized Competition Rule
• The NCAA has 9 definitions or examples of organized competition. The NCAA will inquire about your playing history to determine your amateur status.

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�The Organized Competition Rule�

• Examples of organized play that may be reviewed;
• Competition is scheduled in advance
• Official score is kept
• Individual or team standings or statistics are maintained
• Official timer or game officials are used
• Admission is charged
• Teams are regularly formed or team rosters are predetermined
• Team uniforms are used
• An individual or team is privately or commercially sponsored
• The competition is either directly or indirectly sponsored, promoted or administered by an individual, organization or any other agency

Extra Benefits

• The NCAA rules in this area are not easy to interpret. However more than 95 percent of recruits will not have a problem meeting the NCAA requirements. For athletes who have a nontraditional athletic history, here are the main points to look out for concerning your eligibility.
• Receiving compensation that exceeds actual and necessary expenses – The NCAA does allow athletes to receive some compensation as an amateur athlete, as long as the amounts do not exceed what are deemed actual and necessary expenses. Some athletes are asked to join travel teams in which their cost is covered by the team (this would be allowed). However, if an athlete is paid more than the travel costs, they could get into trouble.
• Receiving compensation for media appearances based on your athletic ability or fame – The obvious rules violation is being paid appearance fees, but this can also include things like athletes with large YouTube followings where they are profiting from advertising dollars.
• Endorsing (expressly or implicitly) commercial products or services – This is one of the more difficult areas to interpret. If the athlete is being paid in any way to wear a specific brand or promote a product, it would be considered a violation.
• Accepting prize money beyond the actual/necessary expenses – It is not illegal for a potential NCAA athlete to have competed in professional competition. However, if they are eligible to win prize money, it cannot exceed the amount more than the necessary expenses. **There is an exception for tennis players, who are allowed to accept up to $10,000/year and still maintain eligibility.

Creating a Certification Account

• The student-athletes is not officially done with the NCAA Eligibility Center process until they are done with high school and officially declared eligible at your DI or DII institution. There are three phases to the NCAA Eligibility Center process:
• Creating a Certification Account – This should happen freshman or sophomore year of high school.
• Having up-to-date transcripts after junior year – The NCAA requires prospective DI athletes to complete 10 core courses before the start of final semester of high school. 7 of these courses need to be in English, math and natural or physical science. Additionally, core course GPA will be “locked in” at this time – and they won’t be allowed to retake these classes to improve their grades.
• Sending in final transcripts and requesting final amateurism certification – After completing high school, they need to send final transcripts and request final amateurism certification.

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ELIGIIBLITY CENTER REGISTRATION�

• Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center by following these steps;
• Visit eligibilitycenter.org and read the two account descriptions
• Decide if you would like to sign up with a Certification Account or Profile Page
• If you plan to compete at an NCAA Division 1 or 2 school, select the “Create an Account button”

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• The registration Fee is $90 for students from the United States. The fee is $150 for students from all other countries.
• You must pay online by debit, credit card or e check.
• Some students may qualify for a fee waiver.

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What to expect when registering with the NCAA�

• The NCAA Eligibility Center process will take months or years to complete, depending on when you register. While initial NCAA registration will take 15-30 minutes, expect to spend around 30 hours throughout high school dedicated to the NCAA Eligibility Center process. Here is a rough breakdown of each part:
•  2-3 hours – creating your account and completing the amateurism questionnaire
•  5-10 hours – meeting and checking in with your high school counselor to make sure you are on track regarding the NCAA core course requirements
•  2-3 hours – coordinating with your high school counselor to make sure your official transcripts are sent to the NCAA
•  10-50+ hours – registering, preparing for and taking the SAT/ACT

ELIGIIBLITY CENTER REGISTRATION�TEST SCORES�

• To be certified, you also must submit your ACT/SACT scores to the clearinghouse.

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• You may either have your scores sent directly from the testing agency to the clearinghouse or have your tests scores reported on your official high school transcript.

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• You can have your scores sent directly to the clearinghouse by marking code 9999 as one of the intuitions to receive your scores on your ACT/SAT registration form or by submitting a request for an “Additional Score Report” to the appropriate testing agency (Scarano, 2000).

�The 5 Year Plan�Freshman Year�

The 5 Year Plan�Sophomore Year

Academic

1). Review your transcript with your guidance counselor to ensure you’re on track to meet the NCAA core course requirements.

2). Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org.

3). Take the PSAT to familiarize yourself with standardized tests like the ACT and SAT. Start of Junior Year

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Athletics

1). Develop your athletic resume, including sports played, accolades both team and individual and academic.

2). ). Attend summer camps for exposure, to improve skills, to experience independent living and to

compare their skills with those of the peers (i.e. Sports will have showcases, talk to your coach for more information)

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The 5 Year Plan�Junior Year

Academics

1). Check with your Guidance Counselor to make sure you will graduate on time with the required amount of NCAA courses.

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2). Take the ACT or SAT and submit your scores to the NCAA using code 9999.

PSAT – Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test

SAT – Scholastic Aptitude Test

ACT – American College Test

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3). At the end of the year, ask your counselor to upload your official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

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4). Check with the Guidance Counselor to see if the schools under consideration requires the test

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The 5 Year Plan�Senior Year

Academics

1). Finish your last NCAA core courses

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2). Take ACT/SAT again, if necessary, and submit your scores to the NCAA using code 9999

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3). Complete all academic and amateurism questions in your NCAA Eligibility Center account at eligibilitycenter.org

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4). After you graduate, ask your counselor to submit your final official transcript with proof of graduation to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

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5). File your FASFA as new year to see what kind of financial package you will receive.

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Athletics

1). Enjoy your senior season

2). Continue to keep the coach informed of all college plans

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Initial Contact with Coach

Contact with Colleges

College coaches actively recruit few athletes. The recruitment process usually begins prior to each school year. Usually in the spring, college coaches will send questionnaire's to high school coaches asking for names of potential players. They will request the following details:

• 1). Academic Information – PSAT, SAT or ACT scores, class rank, and grade point averages and if the athlete is taking

college prep courses.

• 2). Athletic Information – Height, Weight, speed in either 20/40 dash, vertical jump (if tested) and any honor or

achievements received during the past season

• 3). Statistical Information – if available 

In addition to receiving information from high school coaches, the college’s recruitment staffs:

• 4) receives lists from their area scouts
• 5) consults articles in new papers
• 6) receives tips from alumni and boosters
• 7) makes notes of underclassmen they have seen on film evaluating other athletes
• 8) reviews lists published by national scouting groups that rate the topo high schools’ players

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Visiting Colleges

Visitation Checklist

Visitation Checklist

Visitation Checklist

Visitation Checklist

The Final Decision

Once student athletes have received acceptances and have been notified by the individual schools as to

what they may be able to offer in the form of an athletic scholarship or financial aid, they are coming to a stage that can be most demanding the final decision. I usually tell student athletes to not make a decision till the signing date of your sport in case a scholarship there.

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National Letter of Intent

Many colleges abide by the National Letter of Intent, which once signed commits the student athlete to attending that school. For example, in football the National Letter of Intent Day is the 2^nd Wednesday in February. For top athletes and their families this can be a very hectic and confusing period.

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The pressure of going through such an experience can be difficult for the entire family. Declining an offer is difficult to do especially when student athlete respects and admires the coaches and the school.

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Ivy League institution's mail admission decision letters twice annually (Mid December/Late March-Early April), when they notify all their applicants. A top athlete has a difficult choice to make when deciding whether to sign a letter of intent to a college offering a full ride, or take a chance and wait for the 2^nd admissions date in the Spring of an Ivy League school.

Student athletes should be honest with themselves and with the coaches they meet. Try not to mislead anyone or make any promises prior to the final decision. The coach knows what the student athlete is going through since recruitment occurs each year. For the student athlete it is a once in a lifetime experience.

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The Non-Recruited Student Athlete

If a student athlete is not a highly sought-after and is somewhat disappointed in both acceptances and financial offers, they should realize that very few are fortunate to have everything falls together and receive a full financial scholarship. Student athletes may not be going to their first choice and not received the aid they deserve. Nevertheless, they should make the most of what is offered. They should be positive and confident that the college selected is the best and everything possible has been done to prepare for the college experience.

1) Contact the coach/recruiter for an opinion of athletic ability and the level of competition the student athlete should consider.

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2) Ask the coach to write a letter of recommendation and to make a personal contact with the school on the student athlete’s behalf.

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3) Check the catalogs and the computer listings in the guidance office and make a list of possibilities that serve the students’ academic and athletic interested.

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4) Write to the colleges listed and request an application and a sports guide.

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Finally, keep in mind that student athletes may not find college athletics as enjoyable as the high school experience and might even pass up athletics at some time in their college life. Also, the day will come when they have played their final game. This can be a hard time to handle for many. Student athletes really have two roles, one as an athlete and the as a student preparing for a lifetime occupation. When the time comes to end their athletic career, they should be prepared to begin a new career. They should transfer the commitment, drive and enthusiasm to their profession. This I where they really achieve success.

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Recruiting Rules

14.3.1 Eligibility for Financial Aid, Practice and Competition

Updated Recruiting Rules

• Updated NCAA recruiting rules change the timing for certain recruiting activities
• The NCAA approved a new set of rules that changed the way Division 1 college coaches can recruit athletes during camps and visits. In an effort to streamline communications and cut back on early recruiting, coaches will have to wait on giving scholarship offers to athletes until after their sophomore year of high school. The rules took effect in May of 2019. Here's a quick breakdown of these changes:
• Sports impacted: These new rules apply to all DI sports except football, W/M basketball, softball, baseball and W/M lacrosse. Men’s ice hockey has also changed their rules, but the dates are different than those listed below. Get a full breakdown of the recruiting rules for all sports below.
• Official visits: Recruits can now start taking official visits starting August 1 before their junior year of high school. In the past, official visits weren't permitted until September 1 of the athlete's junior year of high school, so this rule is actually bumping them up!

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Updated Recruiting Rules

• Camps and clinics: Recruits and college coaches are not allowed to have any recruiting conversations during camps prior to June 15 after sophomore year of high school. Previously, there weren't really any rules that prevented coaches from talking about recruiting to underclassmen during camps. In fact, it had become common practice for college coaches to extend verbal scholarship offers to top recruits during camps.

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• Unofficial visits: College athletic departments—this includes college coaches—are not allowed to be involved in a recruit's unofficial visits before August 1 of a prospect’s junior year. Quick refresher: Unofficial visits are any campus visits paid for entirely by the recruit's family. Before the rule change, unofficial visits were an easy way for underclassmen to visit a college camps, meet with the coach and get an early verbal offer. However, if athletes want to take unofficial visits now, they cannot schedule them with the coach—they should treat the unofficial visit just like any other student would. If the recruit happens to bump into the coach on campus, they can't have any recruiting conversations at that time.

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• D1 men’s ice hockey only: Men’s ice hockey adopted slightly different rules, recognizing the unique challenge facing elite recruits who are considering turning professional. College coaches can begin to contact recruits starting January 1 of their sophomore year. In addition, recruits can also begin to take unofficial visits at that time. Recruits will need to wait until August 1 of their junior year to take official visits and receive verbal scholarship offers.

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�NCAA Division I�

• Among the three NCAA divisions, Division I schools generally have the biggest student bodies, manage the largest athletics budgets and offer the most generous number of scholarships. Schools who are members of Division I commit to maintaining a high academic standard for student-athletes in addition to a wide range of opportunities for athletics participation.

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• With nearly 350 colleges and universities in its membership, Division I schools field more than 6,000 athletic teams, providing opportunities for more than 170,000 student-athletes to compete in NCAA sports each year.

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• Division I is subdivided based on football sponsorship. Schools that participate in bowl games belong to the Football Bowl Subdivision. Those that participate in the NCAA-run football championship belong to the Football Championship Subdivision. A third group doesn’t sponsor football at all. The subdivisions apply only to football; all other sports are considered simply Division I.

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�When can Division I coaches contact athletes?�

Division 1 Requirements

Graduate high school

Earn a core course GPA pf 2.3 or higher

Complete 16 core courses

4 years of English - 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) -  2 years of natural/physical science

1 year must be lab science if your school offers it

1 additional year of English, math or natural/physical science

2 years of social science

4 additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy

Must complete 10 of the core courses by the end of junior year (before the start of seventh semester). Seven of the 10 core courses need to be in English, math or natural/physical science. The grades in these seven courses will be “locked in,” meaning you will not be allowed to retake them to improve your grades.

Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the Division I sliding scale.

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��14.3.1.2.1 Initial-Eligibility Index for Academic Redshirts. A student-athlete must meet the requirements of the following eligibility index to be certified as an academic redshirt. The SAT scores in the table below apply to tests taken prior to March 1, 2016. SAT scores for tests taken on or after March 1, 2016, will be evaluated based on the concordance established by the College Board:�

� Maximum Number of NCAA Scholarships Allowed by Sport – Division I�

There are 347 Division I schools covering 49 States in the U.S.

Division I enrollments range from small privates to the largest universities.

Football, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Women’s Volleyball, Tennis and Gym statics are full ride sports. The rest are generally partial scholarships but can still get full scholarships if the fit is right.

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Number of Scholarships

Scholarships By Sport

NCAA Sliding Scale

Testing Scores�ACT/SAT

• A minimum combined score on the SAT critical reading and math sections or a minimum sum score on the ACT as specified in Bylaw 14.3.1.1.3. The required SAT or ACT score must be achieved under national testing conditions on a national, state or district testing date [no residual (campus) testing]; and

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• The sliding scale for the ACT requirements

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Academic Redshirt

Additional – Red Shirt

�NCAA Division II�

• Division II is a collection of more than 300 NCAA colleges and universities that provide thousands of student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a high level of scholarship athletics while excelling in the classroom and fully engaging in the broader campus experience. This balance, in which student-athletes are recognized for their academic success, athletics contributions and campus/community involvement, is at the heart of the Division II philosophy.
• All three NCAA divisions emphasize athletics and academic excellence for their student-athletes; after all, the NCAA’s overall mission is to make athletics an integral part of the educational experience at all member schools. The differences among the divisions emerge primarily in how schools choose to fund their athletics programs and in the national attention they command.
• Most Division I institutions, for example, choose to devote more financial resources to support their athletics programs, and many are able to do so because of the large media contracts Division I conferences are able to attract, mostly to showcase the publicly popular sports of football and men’s basketball.
• Division II student-athletes are just as competitive and, in many cases, just as skilled as their Division I counterparts, but institutions in Division II generally don’t have the financial resources to devote to their athletics programs or choose not to place such a heavy financial emphasis on them.

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�What makes Division II unique:�

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• Division II schools are located in 45 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and the District of Columbia. The division also expands its membership into Canada with the NCAA’s only international member institution, Simon Fraser University, and features three schools located in Puerto Rico.

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• Enrollments at Division II schools range from more than 25,000 to less than 2,500, though about 87 percent of the division’s member schools have fewer than 8,000 students.

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• Division II offers a “partial-scholarship” model for financial aid in which most student-athletes’ college experiences are funded through a mix of athletics scholarships, academic aid, need-based grants and/or employment earnings.

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• Division II features the best championship participant ratio among the three NCAA divisions, as well as an emphasis on regional competition in order to reduce missed class time, and a robust community engagement philosophy that integrates student-athletes within both their campus and regional communities.

What makes Division II unique:

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Division II is the only NCAA division that conducts National Championships Festivals, Olympic-style events in which a number of national championships are held at a single site over several days.

Division II student-athletes get their share of television exposure. Since 2006, the NCAA has produced regular-season Division II television broadcasts in football and men’s and women’s basketball. In addition, almost all Division II championship finals are either broadcast live or live-streamed online.

Student-athletes generally comprise a high percentage of the student body at Division II schools, which insists that athletics is an important component of the learning experience at these institutions.

The Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee initiated a fundraising campaign with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2003 and has raised more than $5 million since then for the national nonprofit, helping to fund more than 600 wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

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Maximum Number of NCAA Scholarships Allowed by Sport – Division II�

• The partial-scholarship model is a purposeful choice Division II institutions make to operate their athletics programs in the balanced approach inherent within the division’s philosophy.
• Division II recently commissioned a study on the financial impact of the partial-scholarship model and found that in general, scholarship student-athletes benefit institutions’ overall academic profile, and the partial-aid model generates revenue for the school.
• The study found that athletics scholarship athletes – particularly women – bolster an institution’s academic profile and increase ethnic and geographic diversity among new students. In just about every measurable way, the study showed that scholarship student-athletes contribute positively, which means that even absent their participation in athletics, institutions would still be happy to have them as students on their campuses.
• The partial-scholarship model offers a cost-effective alternative for institutions to operate their athletics programs. Division II’s partial-scholarship model actually contributes as a revenue producer for the institution, particularly when compared to the alternatives of full scholarships (Division I) or no athletics grants-in-aid (Division III).

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�NCAA Division III�

• More than 190,000 student-athletes at 450 institutions make up Division III, the largest NCAA division both in number of participants and number of schools. The Division III experience offers participation in a competitive athletic environment that pushes student-athletes to excel on the field and build upon their potential by tackling new challenges across campus.

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• Academics are the primary focus for Division III student-athletes. The division minimizes the conflicts between athletics and academics and helps student-athletes progress toward graduation through shorter practice and playing seasons and regional competition that reduces time away from academic studies. Participants are integrated on campus and treated like all other members of the student body, keeping them focused on being a student first.

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Finances

Athletic Scholarships range from “top of the line” full scholarships (particularly referred to a full ride) to partial scholarships. Full athletic scholarships cover the actual educational costs, including tuition and fees, room and board, and the of required books, while partial scholarships might only cover a combination of these costs

Partial scholarships are full scholarship divided among several players. While allotting less money to each student athlete, partial scholarships allow athletics programs to provide financial assistance to more of its players.

According a former Stanford men’s soccer coach, Sam Koch, now at the University of Massachusetts, “We divided up the scholarship. We felt it was better to aware a portion to a few players rather than a full scholarship to only one. It gave us a better chance to compete for recruits and help more players”

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Athletic Scholarships are just one form of Financial Aid�

• Athletic scholarships are often combined or packaged with other sources of financial aid. Financial aid packages are designed to combine aid based on financial need with other awards.
• Combinations may include a sports scholarship, stat and or federal govt grant, an academic scholarship from the university/college or a scholarship from a private club or organization along with a federal loan and or work study.
• University of Iowa financial aid director Mark Werner reports “Our office works closely with the athletics department for both men’s and women’s sports. The office of student financial aid communicates to the associate directors in men’s and women’s athletics about the various f/a programs for which their athletes might qualify. F/A packages often consist of loan, grants, scholarships and employment and may be from a variety of sources including federal, state and institutional and private. All aid packages are developed with NCAA rules”
• Much more emphasis is placed on sports at the Div. 1 level (NCAA, 1999). With this emphasis, is it important that coaches recruit athletes who are “blue chippers” (the best athlete) who can help build or sustain a winning program
• Div. 2 colleges may also offer scholarships; however, the level of competition and the number of scholarships granted are usually a step below those of Division I schools (NCAA, 1999)
• Division 3 schools do not give athletic scholarships but may have very competitive programs (NCAA, 2000)

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�NAIA�

• The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has administered programs and championships in proper balance with the overall college educational experience. The student-athlete is the center of all NAIA experiences. Each year more than 65,000 student-athletes have the opportunity to play college sports at NAIA member institutions.
• The seed of the NAIA began in 1937 with the tipoff of a men's basketball tournament in Kansas City that has become the longest running event in college basketball. Out of the tournament grew the NAIA, an association that has been an innovative leader. The NAIA was the first collegiate athletics association to invite historically black institutions into membership and the first to sponsor both men’s and women’s national championships.
• In 2000, the NAIA reaffirmed its purpose to enhance the character-building aspects of sport. Through Champions of Character®, the NAIA seeks to create an environment in which every student-athlete, coach, official and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition through five core values.
• In 2010, the association opened the doors to the NAIA Eligibility Center, where prospective student-athletes are evaluated for academic and athletic eligibility. It delivers on the NAIA’s promise of integrity by leveling the playing field, guiding student-athlete success, and ensuring fair competition.

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NJCAA

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), founded in 1938, is the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions across 24 states and is divided into

3 divisions.

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It may of value to some student athletes to begin their college career at a 2-year college

(Junior College) rather than a 4-year college.

Junior colleges offer an opportunity for students who have not met the NCAA or NAIA academic requirements to attend a school and compete athletically. Student athletes may transfer to a 4-year college after successfully earning enough college credits. This option has given many student athletes the opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics and improve their

academic and athletic performance.

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Sample high school class schedule for NCAA eligibility

Below is a sample high school course schedule that would ensure a student-athlete was on track to meet all of the DI and DII core course requirements. These are generic course names, and they may or may not match up with the list of courses for your high school. It is important you sit down with your high school counselor and put together a similar plan with the courses that are approved for your high school.

• Freshman Year
• English I
• Algebra I
• Spanish I
• American Government

Sample high school class schedule for NCAA eligibility

Sample high school class schedule for NCAA eligibility

�What are the core courses in high school?�

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Most high schools in the U.S. have a list of approved

core courses with the NCAA. This list allows the NCAA

to quickly evaluate an athlete’s eligibility by simply

checking that the class is on the approved list and

seeing what the student-athlete’s grade was in the

course. Review the page on the NCAA website where you

can look up your high school’s NCAA-approved courses.

Meet with a counselor and make sure the course plan they have

matches up with the approved courses.

NCAA core courses worksheet – how do you figure out your core GPA?�

• If they need to check their core course GPA and make sure they are on track to meet the eligibility requirements, they will need the core course worksheet. With this worksheet, fill in the classes that are completed (make sure they are on the approved list for their high school) and the grade they received in the class. You can then total up the credits and grade to estimate their core course GPA and know if they are on track.
• GPA Requirements
• The NCAA does not use the GPA listed on your transcripts; instead, it calculates your GPA using only NCAA-approved core courses. Every year, student-athletes are declared academically ineligible, not because they didn’t have the grades to achieve the minimum GPA, but instead took the wrong courses and didn’t know it until it was too late.
• We strongly suggest student-athletes meet their high school counselor and go through the NCAA GPA Worksheet. Below we break down all the information they need to know to be prepared for that meeting.

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�Common scenarios your student-athletes should watch out for.�

Assuming that because they have the GPA to be eligible in high school that they're automatically NCAA eligible. Often times, recruits will take a few easier courses to pad their GPA, but those won’t be used to determine their core course GPA.

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Not passing a class early in high school and assuming they can make it up later – The NCAA “locks in” your first 10 core courses after your junior year of high school. 7 of these core courses must be in English, math or natural/physical science. If you failed or got a low grade in an important class early in high school, make sure you retake that class before the end of your junior year. This core course progression is required for D1 programs.

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Assuming that because they have good grades, they will be eligible – Many honors students will take advanced classes that might not be on the NCAA approved list for their school. Always double check with your high school counselor to make sure you are on track to be eligible.

International student-athlete – other than Canadian providences, few schools outside of the U.S. have core-course lists. International student-athletes should review the NCAA’s Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility to make sure they remain eligible.

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�What GPA do you need to be eligible� for the NCAA?�

• The minimum GPA you can have and still be NCAA eligible for DI is a 2.3 GPA and a 900 SAT or 75 ACT sum score. You will need a 2.20 GPA and a 840 SAT or 70 ACT sum score to be eligible at the Division II level. Ultimately, the minimum GPA you will need is dependent on where you fall on the NCAA sliding scale.

 How does the NCAA calculate GPA?

• Only core courses will be used when determining your GPA with the NCAA. There are 16 core courses, covering the subjects of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy. Each high school has its own list of NCAA approved core courses. Student-Athletes should meet with their high school counselor to confirm their classes will meet the NCAA GPA requirements.

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Important Links�

Important Links

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What is expected of you in college as a student athlete

What is expected of you in college as a �student athlete

What is expected of you in college as a �student athlete

What is expected of you in college as a �student athlete

• Policy
• Make sure you understand what the difference is between Team/School/NCAA policy. They will differ.
• Academic Policy (normal progress University or NCAA)
• Residence Hall Policy (dos and don'ts in order to avoid removal)
• Transfer Policy (from institution to institution)
• Code of Conduct/Playing Field Policy
• Attendance Policy (regarding your courses)
• Transportation Policy (to and from games/contests)
• Tryout Policy
• Training Room/Table Policy (both for rehab/taping and nutrition)

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What is expected of you in college as a �student athlete

• The 5-W’s for a successful student athlete

When – effective time management (planning in a step by step manner)

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Where – Be where you need to be when you need to be there 5 mins early.

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What – refers to actual content of practice and the learning of the philosophy.

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Why – Refers to grasping the philosophy of the sport and what are the results you are aiming for. Ask yourself if you need to complete a skills, why it is important to complete the skill in a certain passion.

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Who – refers to you the player. What are you doing when no one is watching (Character)

�����Jerry Flora�Head Football Coach – Sleepy Hollow HS, NY�College Football Coach – 28 Years�Head Football Coach – 10 Years�Professional Certificate – Sports Management Worldwide - General Manager and Scouting�Masters in Science – SDA – School Administration, Iona College� BBA – Management, Iona College�Chairman of District 2 AFCA Division III Coaches All-American Team Selection Committee�NYS Permanent Teachers Certification Physical Education & School District Administrator �

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Jerry Flora, National College Recruiter

JF Camps LLC/Jerry Flora Sports Services

Jerryflorainc.com

914-552-1877

Twitter: @jerryflora1

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Iona College

Division 1AA/3

6 years

FDU-Florham

Division 3

1 years

William Paterson University

Division 3

17 years

Iona College

Division 1AA

3 years

Kean University

Division 3

1 year