NCDS: Pat Duquette, Assoc. Head Coach - Boston College
By: Pat Duquette, Assoc. Head Coach - Boston College
Photos courtesy of Boston College Media Relations
"The Official Visit"
Ask most college basketball fans the most exciting day of the year and they will answer either March Madness or Midnight Madness - the official beginning and end of the college season. But ask any assistant coach and he will give you another day. Next week, November 11th in particular, marks the first day of the early signing period for the Class of 2010 recruits. For programs that received their commitments, it signifies the end of the "Recruiting Madness." It is highlighted on every assistant coach's calendar because it marks the culmination of a long, difficult, often frustrating and bizarre process. As an assistant coach, sometimes we spend years developing relationships while recruiting a single prospect. Other times, we spend countless hours sifting through websites and reports, watching video, and crisscrossing the country to find that one "sleeper" recruit. Either way, when the calendar strikes November 11, and your class is signed, every assistant coach drops his whistle and runs when he hears the fax machine delivering the NLI (national letter of intent). We are glad it's over.
Looking back at this year's recruiting, I couldn't help but notice one huge component that is missing and has been for a while. The official visit used to be one of the most influential components of the recruiting process. NCAA rules allow prospects to start taking their five allotted, fully paid official visits at the start of their senior year in high school. It serves both the recruit and the college coaches well - giving both more access and better information to make good decisions. The trend in recent years, however, is for the majority of recruits to make their college decision long before the start of their senior year. What was once a vital part of the decision making process, the official visit, has all but been eliminated from the entire process. In our case at Boston College, our first two 2010 commitments made their choices before even taking their official visit. If you looked at the top 200 recruits in the Class of 2010 you will see that the large majority of them did the same.
The fact that it comes too late isn't the only problem with the official visit. The NCAA rule states that a high school prospect can start taking his official visits once classes begin for his senior year. The start of school in some areas of the country can be as much as three to four weeks ahead of other areas. This allows some prospects to start taking their official visits long before others - giving those recruits "first dibs" and an advantage on a school's scholarship offer over other prospects that the school may be recruiting. One other shortcoming of the official visit is that colleges are not allowed to pay for a parent or guardian's flight from their home to the campus. We , as coaches, should be doing everything possible to encourage parental involvement. This stipulation either puts an unfair burden on those families who cannot afford it or lessens their involvement all together.
Many coaches and fans complain about the NCAA rules surrounding the recruiting process. Actually, I think they do a good job and believe that most of the rules are good ones. It is much better recruiting as an assistant coach today than it was thirty years ago. The NCAA is continuing to find new ways to address potential problems as evidenced by their recent legislative changes. But one area they should consider looking at is the official visit. If the prospects are making their decisions earlier, then we need to allow them to make their official visits earlier. They should set a standard date that is the same for everyone and gives all prospects equal access to scholarship opportunities. Finally, they should allow the university to pay for travel arrangements for one parent or guardian so we can be sure that parents get involved. I think finding a way to make the official visit an integral part of the recruiting process will benefit everyone.
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