The NCAA's recruiting calendar can be very intimidating with all its dates, bars and colors, but James Steward clears it all up.
The Next College Student Athlete recruiting coach sits down with MaxPreps host Steve Montoya for a "Making the Jump" podcast not only to explain each period of the calendar, but he offers helpful advice for potential college players and their parents.
MAKING THE JUMP: Subscribe on iTunesIn this segment, Steward breaks down the quiet period, which he fully admits, isn't quiet at all.
The only restriction between this and other periods, is that "college coaches can only be allowed to have face-to-face contact with a student or their family on that college's campus," he explained.
"They can't come visit the high school at this point but they're still allowed to do all the other forms of contact."
In the entire 23-minute podcast, Steward offers countless tips to aspiring
college football players, though the NCSA also counsels prep athletes pursuing
all other sports.
To start your free NCSA recruiting
profile click here.
Steward spends the rest of the podcast talking about the importance of highlight tapes, timely
release of transcripts and taking college tests, evaluation camps,
social media, your high school coach, picking the appropriate college
and learning to communicate with adults.
He notes as vital as the high school coach can be in the process, it's not something a potential college player should count on.
"Getting
you recruited is not their job," he said. "If they are able to help you
and willing, that is a bonus and thank them immensely. Absolutely, take
their assistance.
"But ultimately this is going above and beyond their job
description. This is on you. If you want to play college football, it's
not the coaches' job, it's not mom and dad's job. You're going to be the
guy going out and doing that."
