Fort Worth United Action Plan
Fort Worth United
Action Plan/Procedures
College Bound Program
Author: Brian Haddock
Creation Date: December 2, 2007
Last Updated: December 11, 2007
Document Ref: 20071202/A
Version: A
Board Approval On: December 2, 2007
Related Action Plans: Related Action Plans or procedures
Notes: Hyperlinks in action plan link to work breakdown structures.
Contents
Plan Summary 3
Plan Detail 4
January 4
February 4
March 4
April 4
May 4
June 4
July 4
August 5
September 5
October 5
November 5
December 5
Ongoing or Periodic Activities 5
Work Breakdown Structures 6
Guest Speaker Engagements – general overview for the college athlete 6
Guest Speaker Engagements – the recruitment process 6
Select showcase tournaments 6
Schedule directors for showcase tournaments 6
Create player profile book and team brochures 7
Create player profiles on FWU web site 8
Solicit and schedule player tutors 8
Determine NCAA and NAIA rule changes and document for members 8
Present universities with potential players 8
Plan Summary
The FWU College Bound program encompasses activities related to collegiate scholarship acquisitions for our Club players. This includes parent and player instruction related to the college scholarship acquisition process (e.g. finding the right college, resume writing, etc.), the solicitation and scheduling of guest speakers, assistance with communications with colleges, promotion of the player to universities, and more.
Typically a committee will be formed (College Bound Committee) that will work closely with the FWU Coaching Directors to coordinate and execute the necessary activities.
Relationship building with universities is very important. Typically the FWU Coaching Directors will be the interface between FWU and the universities. Conversation notes will be very important since the player needs to be kept informed with regards to all communications that occur. Also important is to understand that finding the right “fit” not only is in the best interest of our players, but also serves to strengthen the relationship between FWU and the university.
For our older players, it will be necessary to hold several meetings with the parents and players to explain the recruitment process. Parents will typically be very ill informed with regards to the recruitment process and will need guidance and assistance during the process.
The importance of grades can never be underestimated
Plan Detail
January
01/01
§ Item Detail 1
Short description of the item.
01/10
§ Item Detail 2
Short description of the item
February
02/01
· Reminder to update profiles on the FWU web site
Player profiles should be updated on the Fort Worth United web site on a regular basis. A reminder should be sent to all players and parents.
March
N/A
April
N/A
May
N/A
June
N/A
July
N/A
August
N/A
September
08/01
· Reminder to update profiles on the FWU web site
Player profiles should be updated on the Fort Worth United web site on a regular basis. A reminder should be sent to all players and parents.
October
N/A
November
N/A
December
N/A
Ongoing or Periodic Activities
N/A
Work Breakdown Structures
The following are detailed breakdowns of the various activities required in the College Bound Program. The items below are not in order of execution but may be accessed by clicking the links in the schedule/calendar above.
Guest Speaker Engagements – general overview for the college athlete
A guest speaker, most likely a current or recent college athlete, should be brought in to discuss the recruitment process and life as a college athlete. In some cases, a current or ex-college coach would suffice with the understanding that although a college coach can provide a great overview from their perspective, a collegiate player will relate better to the players.
The following are examples of what could/should be discussed:
1. The recruitment process from the athletes perspective – examples of how to “sell” yourself, how to determine the right fit between the player and the college, what college coaches look for in players.
2. Life for the collegiate athlete – what a typical year is like, how much training is involved, the importance of grades, student costs.
Guest Speaker Engagements – the recruitment process
A guest speaker, most likely a university coach, should be brought in to discuss the recruitment process from an insider or “expert” view. In some cases an athlete or parent can be brought in with the understanding that this presentation is intended to present an inside overview of the recruitment process reinforced with expert instruction on resume and letter writing. The intent is to provide the player with tips on what college coaches are looking for and how to best present themselves to that coach.
Select showcase tournaments
The College Bound committee should research area showcase tournaments and present their findings to the FWU Coaching Director.
Once the possible tournaments are determined, the DOC should select which tournaments the teams are to attend and publish the findings to all FWU teams (the younger teams may opt to attend also).
Schedule directors for showcase tournaments
For all required showcase tournaments (i.e. showcase tournaments that FWU teams are required to attend), the DOCs should schedule assignments for game coverage. FWU Coaching Directors should attend the tournaments to provide logistical support, present potential players to the universities, answer questions about Fort Worth United Soccer Club, and of course, to build and strengthen relationships with the universities.
Create player profile book and team brochures
Two print items will be required, a player profile “book” listing profiles for all FWU players, and a team profile brochure, listing the roster of each FWU team.
Player profile book
The Player Profile Book, which is created for each FWU team, will contain the following:
1. Overview of the team including accomplishments and a coach history/biography. The URL of the Fort Worth United web site, along with instructions for accessing it, should also be included.
2. A resume page for each player. At a minimum, the player resume should contain the following:
a. Player name and contact information (phone numbers, email addresses)
b. Picture of the player
c. Parent name and contact information
d. SAT and ACT scores
e. Class ranking
f. Athletic history and accomplishments
g. References (typically ex-coaches)
h. A space for the coach to record notes and observations
3. Contact information for the coaches, FWU Coaching Directors, and FWU Executive Board members.
Team Profile brochure
The Team Profile brochure, will typically be a one-page brochure (tri-fold is common) listing a brief profile of the team and brief roster details for each player attending the tournament (including guest players if possible). At a minimum, the Team profile brochure should contain the following:
1. Brief overview of the team with coach and director contact information
2. The URL of the Fort Worth United web site with instructions on where to go for more information
3. A bio synopsis for each player. The bio should contain the following:
a. Player name and position
b. Picture of the player
c. Contact information for the player (phone numbers and email addresses)
Create player profiles on FWU web site
Player profiles should be created on the Fort Worth United web site and kept up to date on a regular basis. Reminders to update the profiles should be sent periodically to the players and parents. University coaches will be given the location and instructions for accessing these online player profiles (and made to understand that they are updated on a regular basis).
Solicit and schedule player tutors
The importance of the player’s academic performance is often misunderstood or underestimated. FWU may opt to provide tutoring assistance for FWU players to ensure their academic performance does not hinder their chance to obtain a college scholarship. Tutors will most likely be FWU parents (who are teachers) or other FWU players. Both will need to be recruited.
Once recruits have been solicited and agree to volunteer, the College Bound committee will be the interface between the player and tutor and will handle all scheduling requirements.
Determine NCAA and NAIA rule changes and document for members
NCAA and NAIA rules change from time to time. The rules are complex and often overlooked by players and parents. Review the NCAA and NAIS web sites for a review of the current year’s rules specifically noting any changes that may affect our players. Any changes should be noted on the FWU web site and all club members notified.
Present universities with potential players
The marketing of our players, traditionally handled by the FWU Coaching Director, is an ongoing process. The DOC(s) should continue to build relationships and market players throughout the year. All contacts should be documented, recorded, and forwarded to the specific player in question. These contacts should also be noted on the DOC’s monthly status report.
Confidential – for internal Fort Worth United Soccer Club communication only Page 1 of 8 12/11/2007