Greg Olsen Debunks the Top 5 Biggest College Recruiting Myths Every Athlete Believes

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: Greg Olsen Debunks the Top 5 Biggest College Recruiting Myths Every Athlete Believes
Podcast: Youth Inc. with Greg Olsen
Date: August 5, 2026

In this engaging webinar-style episode, host Shelby Baumgartner moderates a deep-dive conversation between Michael Babich (Sports Recruits) and NFL All-Pro tight end Greg Olsen. Together, they tackle the five most common myths about college recruiting, sharing expert perspectives, war stories, and practical advice for athletes and parents. The episode opens with a critical explanation of recent NCAA rule changes, then systematically unpacks each myth, punctuated by candid insights and memorable quotes.

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Key NCAA Eligibility Rule Changes (00:55–10:04)

• New ‘5-in-5’ Eligibility Model:
  • The Division 1 cabinet has adopted a new rule allowing athletes a 5-year window to use 5 seasons of competition, starting with full-time college enrollment or the academic year after their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
  • Makes eligibility more straightforward, as it standardizes rules across sports and addresses previous gray areas around redshirts, “COVID years,” and gap years.

“This just sounds way more straightforward than I think what a lot of families are used to hearing about this process.” — Shelby (04:08)

• Impact on Recruiting:
  • Fewer opportunities for incoming freshmen in the short term, due to sophomores and juniors getting an extra year.
  • Families are advised to cast a wider net and be proactive in outreach to college coaches.

“A lot of student athletes were taking advantage of the old system... There were people who were 25, 26 years old playing in the NCAA Division 1 championship.” — Michael Babich (07:40)

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Myth #1: “I Received a Camp Invite, So the School is Recruiting Me” (10:04–15:03)

• Reality Check:
  • Camp invites (prospect/ID camps) often serve as major revenue streams and may be “marketing emails” sent to hundreds, not exclusive signals of genuine recruiting interest.
  • Context is crucial: reflect on previous communication with coaches and consult athletic advocates before traveling to camps.

“There’s levels to what a camp invitation may mean or not mean...it doesn’t always necessarily mean that a camp invitation equals a high level of interest.” — Michael Babich (11:09)

• Greg Olsen’s Take:
  • Schools cast wide nets, particularly at younger ages—don’t conflate mass invites with being targeted by a school.

“Just because you get invited does not necessarily mean that school is or is going to recruit you.” — Greg Olsen (14:36)

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Myth #2: “If I’m Good Enough, Coaches Will Find Me” (15:03–18:28)

• The Truth:
  • The recruiting landscape is more crowded and competitive than ever, especially with the transfer portal.
  • Being proactive—reaching out with personal introductions, schedules, highlights, and values—is essential.

“Being proactive is not just a recommendation. I think it’s a requirement in the recruiting process.” — Michael Babich (15:57)

• Greg Olsen’s Perspective:
  • Social media enables discovery of talent at every level, but initiative from the athlete is still vital for exposure.

“If you're a good player in today's day and age, it does not matter how big your school is, how many games you win... If you are a good player, colleges will find you, and if you're good enough to play in college, you'll have an opportunity.” — Greg Olsen (17:36)

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Myth #3: “I Can’t Do Anything With Recruiting Until My Junior Year” (18:28–21:48)

• Clarification:
  • NCAA’s contact rules restrict college coaches, not athletes.
  • Athletes should begin outreach early, sending periodic updates and not getting discouraged by lack of response.

“A lack of response does not equal a lack of interest. You have to stay the course. You have to send periodic updates.” — Michael Babich (19:54)

• Greg Olsen’s Nuance:
  • Early camp attendance (before junior year) is good for comfort and exposure, but meaningful recruiting action tends to ramp up sophomore/junior year.
  • Different sports have different timelines—know your sport’s standard.

“I do think there’s a huge advantage for young kids to go experience camps…before the stakes are too high.” — Greg Olsen (20:36)

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Myth #4: “If I Don’t Like My First School, I’ll Just Transfer” (21:48–26:23)

• Transfer Portal Reality:
  • The portal is not a reliable safety net—about 50% of D1 athletes don’t find new homes at the same or better levels after entering.
  • Prioritize overall fit using the “broken leg test”: If you couldn’t play, would you still want to be at that school?

“If you are solely going to a place because, well, they have a good baseball team...chances are that’s probably not going to be a place that you're going to excel in and want to stay for four to five years.” — Michael Babich (24:13)

• Greg Olsen’s Wisdom:
  • Don’t attend a school expecting to transfer; commit with the intention of staying three years and earning a degree.

“The advice I’ve always given...if you’re going to a school and you already have it in your brain that you might transfer...you’re going to the wrong school.” — Greg Olsen (24:53)

“It’s not the school you go to—it’s that you go to the right school.” — Greg Olsen (35:21)

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Myth #5: “It’s Only Worth Playing in College If I Go D1” (26:23–36:00)

• Broader View:
  • Opportunities abound outside Division 1: D2, D3, NAIA, and junior colleges are all viable and rewarding.
  • Many student-athletes thrive at lower levels, often with better educational balance and similar or even superior financial support.

“People automatically equate success in recruiting can only happen at the Division 1 level...80% of the messages get sent to 20% of the colleges.” — Michael Babich (28:16)

• Student-Athlete Lifestyle:
  • Shelby shares the demanding daily realities of D1 life—multiple practices, minimal free time, and the need for intrinsic motivation.
  • Balance is key; not every athlete will want the lifestyle D1 demands.

“...It's a very repetitive process...But because the passion, because the love for the school, the love for the teammates, the love for success was there. Yes, there were some hard days, but at the end of the day, it was worth it because my mindset was there.” — Shelby Baumgartner (31:03)

• Greg Olsen’s Perspective:
  • The myth of “D1 or bust” is pervasive but misleading.
  • Many exceptional athletes and coaches thrive outside D1; fit and opportunity matter more than the division label.

“Anybody that has an opportunity to play college athletics is a very unique opportunity...It should not be D1 or bust…For a lot of kids, it’s actually the better path.” — Greg Olsen (34:41)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Greg Olsen on Camp Invitations:
  “There are thousands and thousands of kids that are going to camps trying to get their recruiting started...But no, just because you get invited does not necessarily mean that school is or is going to recruit you.” (14:36)

• Michael Babich on Proactivity:
  “Being proactive is not just a recommendation. I think it's a requirement in the recruiting process.” (15:57)

• Greg Olsen on College Fit:
  “It's not the school you go to, it's that you go to the right school. And for the vast majority of kids, that is not at the Division 1 level, and there is no shame in that.” (35:21)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:55 — NCAA New Eligibility Rule Overview
• 10:04 — Myth #1: Camp Invite ≠ Being Recruited
• 15:03 — Myth #2: Coaches Will Always Find Talent
• 18:28 — Myth #3: Can’t Recruit Until Junior Year
• 21:48 — Myth #4: Transfer Portal as a Plan B
• 26:23 — Myth #5: Only D1 is Worth It
• 29:44 — Shelby’s D1 Day-in-the-Life Perspective
• 33:56 — Greg Olsen’s Final Thoughts on Fit and Division

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Takeaways

• Recent NCAA rule changes have simplified eligibility but increased competition for roster spots.
• Camp invitations should be viewed with healthy skepticism—they’re not always targeted interest.
• Be proactive and personal in outreach; don't wait to be discovered.
• Start the process early—students can reach out before coaches are allowed to respond.
• Find a college where you’d be happy, even without sports (“the broken leg test”).
• The transfer portal is crowded and uncertain; plan to commit, not to bounce.
• D1 is not the only path—exceptional experiences, coaching, and development exist at every level.

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For families, athletes, and coaches, this episode is a must-listen (or must-read), offering honest, practical strategies to navigate the rapidly shifting college sports recruiting landscape.

Transcript

[A]

Hello, and welcome back to youo Think It's Shelby Baumgartner, your digital host. And we have a very special episode for you today. Whether you're an athlete that's trying to get recruited, a coach, a parent of an athlete, or you're just curious, this episode is for you. Collaborated with Sports Recruits for this webinar to debunk the five common myths that stump people in the recruited process.

[B]

Youth sports in America are at a crossroads, and I'm here to help lead the conversation. Forward, Greg hi, I'm Greg Olson. Each week we're sitting down with top athletes, coaches and more to talk about what's working, what's broken, and what's next. Welcome to Youthink.

[A]

Thank you, everyone for joining us today. We're so excited to have you here. I'm Sheldon Baumgartner, the digital host for Youth Inc. And we are so excited to host this webinar with Sports Recruits. I'm going to be laying out questions to our experts, Michael Babich from Sports Recruits, someone who lives and breathes the recruiting space day in and day out. We're also going to be hearing from the one, the only Greg Olson. You know him from his very successful NFL career, but you also probably know him from his work on Sundays as a NFL broadcaster for fox. He's going to also be sharing his professional insights about the recruiting space because right now, his biggest passion, I would say, is being a dad and a coach for his son's youth baseball and football teams. We're going to be busting out five myths that stump a lot of college athletes that stomp youth athletes that stump parents here today about the college recruiting process. Whether you're athlete in middle school or already in high school, I think there's something for everybody here. So let's get into it. What's up, Mike?

[C]

Nice to see you, Shelby. Thanks so much for having me. Very excited to do this today.

[A]

Absolutely. I'm very excited as well. I think before we get into the myths, Mike, we have to talk about the elephant in the room right now. A major NCAA rule about eligibility just passed. Can you tell me a little bit more about that and how that changes things for college athletes and for youth athletes about the college recruiting process?

[C]

Yeah, of course. So on June 23, I was actually in the midst of recording a webinar of hours at Sports Recruits, where we were actually speaking to someone named Ross Dellinger, who is a senior college football reporter for Yahoo. Sports. And he also does a lot of work on a lot of the litigation and rule changes that we've seen in NCAA athletics, particularly at the Division 1 level over the last few years. And he actually had to briefly leave the webinar that we were doing to actually break this news, which is the Division 1 cabinet unanimous, unanimously voted to adopt the age based eligibility model. And in the most simplest terms, basically what that means is for many years at the Division 1 level, college athletes had five year, had a five year window to basically utilize four years of college eligibility. What is changing under this rule is now people are going to have a five year window consecutively, to use five, five seasons in total. That clock of whenever that eligibility would begin would either be when you first start full time college enrollment or the academic year following your 19th birthday, whichever comes first. So for example, if you're someone who graduates high school when you turn 18 and you end up at a Division 1 school and you start in August or September of that upcoming year, that is when your clock begins. You will have five years from that day from when you started. If you're someone who takes a post grad year or goes to a prep school or something along those lines, then you'll, then that clock will start when you go into that night, after that 19th birthday, whatever that next academic year begins. So basically it just ends up making things a bit more simpler for the recruiting process, particularly when people start eligibility. There's a lot of rules and a lot of exceptions and red shirts and all these different things that we've seen over the last few years. This is really going to put every sport under the same, under the same governing body, under the same set of rules basically moving forward.

[A]

I was literally just about to say the same thing. This just sounds way more straightforward than I think what a lot of families are used to hearing about this process. Does this make eligibility simpler to understand for future college athletes?

[C]

Yeah, I think so in a lot of ways. I think what we saw particularly over the last few years is that in the old system things got pretty messy, particularly when people were utilizing something called Covid years where they were able to really push extend their eligibility. So there was college athletes who were, you know, six, seven years into into their collegiate career still playing. That probably had a negative effect on someone who is, you know, a current high school athlete. Now you're competing against someone who just has more time to play, which is going to decrease the amount of opportunities available for that, you know, that future incoming freshman, basically. So I think the positive piece of it, with it being a bit more predictable, is that it's A lot of it's a much clearer picture for college coaches in particular, but also those future student athletes because they're going to have a much better idea of what that roster construction is going to look like if they have those D1 aspirations like so many do.

[A]

Totally. This is going to change so much. As I know we've talked about before, like I was that age group that was just missed by that Covid extra year and that affected the way that my college experience looked completely. So this is a true game changer for college athletes everywhere. I guess my last question in regards to this is I think a lot of families think of gap years or post grad years as a way to kind of develop in college. How does this role change things for athletes trying to take that route? Yeah.

[C]

In addition to gap years, I would also add red shirts to that as well. And how significant changes to where you can take a gap year. And sometimes there was instances where people would take multiple years and that clock wouldn't start until they officially start college with now that 19, that that age 19 year being the start of the clock regardless of when you enroll in college full time for the first time, that's really going to make things a lot, a lot simpler in that respect. And also from the redshirt perspective, that's definitely something that we see a lot at the Division 1 level where a lot of people will enroll in college. They don't get an opportunity to play their freshman year. So they know they're going to get that additional year tacked on. That is no longer going to be the case when this rule officially goes into effect. So, and just one thing, I guess I'll add on to this as well. For people who are starting college this year, meaning that they're starting in the fall 2026 or, you know, spring 2027 season, they're going to be able to utilize whichever rule benefits the most, meaning they can use the red shirt year rules that we've seen for, for so many years in the past or this 5 and 5 rule, whichever one is best for them. I would say the what the people who are probably not getting the benefit of the doubt for this are people who have utilized their eligibility. So think of the high school class of 2022 or the graduating class of 2026 for college, if they've utilized all their eligibility, if they've used those four years, they're not getting that additional year tacked on. So there is some lawsuits and there's some, you know, there are some people trying to Combat this role, the expectation that it is going to stick and it is something that will be utilized moving forward. But there certainly are people who feel that they're not. They are getting the short end of the stick to some extent also.

[A]

I guess just out of curiosity, from my point of view, what do you think Spike marked this rule change in your eyes?

[C]

Yeah, the way I see it, I think there was a lot of. A lot of student athletes who were taking advantage of the old system to some extent. I know, particularly this past year, I'm a pretty big college basketball fan. And we were noticing that there were people who actually were drafted via the NBA draft playing in the G League, which is essentially their minor league system. They weren't getting playing time and they were actually re enrolling that back into college that we saw. I think in men's soccer in particular, there were some players who were 25, 26 years old playing in the NCAA Division 1 championship. So I think there was a lot of uproar in just how people were gaining the system to some extent, trying to maximize those years and taking opportunities away from that future student athlete. So I think a big part of this was just making sure that everyone can get under the same umbrella, have the same rules to abide by. So there. And also I think a big part of is the NCAA doesn't want to get sued as much moving forward. So that probably has a big factor to do with it also.

[A]

Absolutely. That always helps. So as we head into this conversation today and these five myths, what's one thing that you want every family watching to keep in mind about this role as we kind of move through this conversation?

[C]

Yeah, I think the biggest takeaway, if you're someone who is, you know, a sophomore or, or just junior in college, and you're someone who wants to compete at the. At the Division 1 level, something that I want you to keep in mind is that there are going to be current college freshmen, current college sophomores, who just found out that they're also going to get an additional year of eligibility. So if you have a freshman who started in college this year, instead of having that four years of where they can play, they now are going to have that fifth year option if they choose to use it. That's going to make things a bit more competitive in the short term. Right, Right. So something that we preach a lot at sports recruits is expanding, expanding and casting a wide net in terms of what your target list of schools are, in terms of who you're communicating with, and also being proactive in your recruiting process, if you're someone who wants to get your name out there, you have to increase your visibility. You have to get in front of college coaches, you have to contact college coaches. Email is a way that we think is best, particularly because it's the most professional way to do so. So I think more than anything, it's not going to change much in terms of what your game plan should be. I think it just makes it more important in terms of how you attack the recruiting process and being proactive and making sure you're increasing your visibility any way that you can.

[A]

You talk about visibility, which kind of is a great leeway to our first myth, which is the camp invite myth. This myth is, I received a camp invite, so the school is recruiting me. Honestly, that is something that I am guilty of, my parents are guilty of, point blank. I guess the first question in regards to this is that families get so excited when they get a camp invite. Can you actually explain what's going on behind the scenes when those invites go out?

[C]

Yeah. So a quick background. I work a lot with student athletes, one on one, who are looking for additional support in the recruiting process. And I've had that same conversation. Right, Mike, we just got a camp invitation to Duke. We can't wait to go there. The coach must love us. We're so excited to actually get a chance to compete in front of this coaching staff. I'm not saying a camp invitation is a bad thing. I think what I'm trying to say is there's levels to what a camp invitation may mean or not mean. So one thing to keep in mind about when you're receiving a camp invitation is prospect camps, ID camps, whatever your sport calls it, it's a revenue generator for that athletic department.

[A]

Right.

[C]

So if you are someone who has contacted that coaching staff in the past, if you filled out a recruiting questionnaire, you may be one of hundreds of student athletes who has received that marketing email inviting you to that prospect camp. So it doesn't always necessarily mean that a camp invitation equals a high level of interest from a college coaching staff. What we like to tell people is, look, it's great that you got the invitation, but let's try and look at it a bit further. The first. The first thing I always recommend, especially when it's a school that's at the highest level of your sport, you know, your Dukes, your Ivy Leagues, your Secs, your Big Tens, anyone who has those aspirations. Have an honest conversation with what we call your athletic advocates. That's a high school coach. A club coach, a trainer, if you work with one, they're going to be able to give you the best understanding of ultimately what is the best fit for you from an athletic perspective. And they're going to give you a better idea of is this going to be a camp that's worth it. On top of that, I would also say, look at your previous communication. Have you ever heard from someone that you work with saying, hey, this coach is interested in you. Have you received text messages or phone calls? So there's a lot that goes into it. I think just blindly signing up for a camp is something I wouldn't recommend for a lot of athletes. Having the context of what it actually means, I think is really the most important part of this myth, in my opinion.

[A]

Do you think attending camps is still a valuable thing? When does it make sense for the athlete and the family in their eyes?

[C]

Yeah, I think camps are certainly valuable. I think it's most valuable when you have established some sort of recruiting relationship or you've gotten some sort of confirmation that there could be some interest there. I think what makes this challenging for a lot of student athletes and families is that particularly at the Division 1 level of sports, there's a lot of limitations on how college coaches can talk to. So, for example, if you're someone who's in ninth grade or even 10th grade, there's a good chance until June 15 through September 1 that coach can't explicitly say, hey, we like you. You're on our recruiting list. We're going to keep in touch. We want to talk on the phone. That can't happen typically until that summer or fall of your junior, going into your junior year, let's say. So I think if you are someone who is interested in going to prospect camps earlier on in your process, reset what your expectations are. Right. It's more so for the development aspect. It's to get face time with those coaching, those coaching steps that you have the most interest in. It's a way to see the college campuses of the places that you have a lot of interest in also. Right. So just the biggest thing is I don't want people signing up for a camp and automatically assuming that an offer is a week away. Right. I think that's really going to be the biggest thing when you're talking about a myth like this.

[A]

Absolutely, Mike. I couldn't agree more. Now, let's hear from Greg Olson's perspective on this. Yeah.

[B]

Appreciate it, Shelby. Yeah. That that would be a myth. I think the way things are going on right now, it Very well may be, they may very well be recruiting you, but it's certainly not a guarantee. I think the way schools are doing it now, especially at the younger ages, they are casting as wide of a net as humanly possible and they are trying to get as many kids on campus partaking in their camps, in their one day showcases, in mega camps. There's a lot of different versions now of these college camps, typically on, on one day for a few hours. So while those schools very, very well may be interested in you and may be recruiting you, and for a lot of the kids, that is the reality that is not like a blanket truth. There are thousands and thousands of kids that are going to camps trying to get their recruiting started. Hopefully they're going to camps that are chosen wisely. Hopefully going to camps where when you step foot on the field, on campus, you do have a contact, you've had convers, the staff or a coach or someone knows you're coming and can keep an eye on you. But no, just, just because you get invited does not necessarily mean that school is or is going to recruit you.

[A]

Thank you, Greg. You absolutely crushed that. Now this is a perfect way for us to get into myth two, the discovery myth. The myth is if I'm good enough, coaches will find me. Now I'm going to ask you, Mike, we hear this all the time. If my kid is good enough, coaches will find them. What's the reality of that?

[C]

Maybe at one point in the history of college athletics, particularly at the D1 level, that's the case. I think now the landscape of college recruiting has never been more crowded. I think the biggest thing that especially with what we were talking about before, the competition has never been higher. A big part of that is the transfer portal, I would say, in a lot of sports, because your competition isn't only the rest of the high school graduating class of 2027 or 2028, whatever your age is, you're also going to be competing against that current college sophomore who didn't get the playing time they wanted. And now they're looking at a school that you have a high level of interest in. So I think it's really important to understand that being proactive is not just a recommendation. I think it's a requirement in the recruiting process. Regardless of your sport and what level you want to compete at, you have to establish that interest first. You need to be the one to show that coach. Here is who I am, here is my background, here is my video. More often than not, I want you to get a Better understanding of what type of student athlete I am. And I think that really comes down to being the best way to maximize your recruiting potential is not waiting for coaches to find you, but being the one on the attack and making sure that they're aware of who you are and what you're all about.

[A]

Totally. I think that's such valuable advice, truly. I mean, especially before camps, clinics, tournaments, setting the standard of being like, not only this is the club that I'm playing for or this is the team that I'm playing for and this is my schedule, but this is who I am off the field, on the field. This is who I am as a teammate. These are my values. This is why I'm interested in your university. I think making it personal is just a game changer. Now, let's hear from Greg Olson on his perspective on this. Greg?

[B]

Yeah, I think that's true. I think in today's day and age, with social media and the ability to share content, the ability to post highlights, I think we see it all the time. You see kids that are being recruited from some of the biggest schools and academies in the country, and you're also seeing kids get recruited and offered full scholarships from small, single a, double A high schools and, you know, smaller parts of states or smaller parts of cities. So I think, you know, while while there is probably an argument to be made that the more college, potential college recruits on your team, the more likely it is that coaches come through and can see multiple kids at one time, that's certainly true. If you are a good player in today's day and age, it does not matter how big your school is, how small your school is, how many games you win, how many games you don't win. If you are a good player, colleges will find you, and if you're good enough to play in college, you'll have an opportunity.

[A]

I totally agree, Greg. And now we're going to be moving into myth three. We're cruising right now. This is the junior year myth. The myth is I can't do anything with recruiting until my junior year. Michael, I'm curious. A lot of parents think recruiting doesn't start until your junior year. Where does this idea kind of stem from? And why is it a problem in your eyes?

[C]

I think we alluded to it a little bit before. I think a lot of people look at that initial contact date for Division 1 coaches. For reference, if you are a current freshman or current sophomore in high school, you reach out to Division 1 school, you're more likely than not going to Receive an email back saying, thanks for your interest, but due to NCAA regulations, we can't speak to you until June 15th. So people automatically assume, well, I can't do anything. I'm going to sit back. I'm just going to focus on playing and practicing. I'm not going to be proactive in the recruiting process anymore. The biggest thing to understand about that rule is that coach is instituted for the college coaches and not for the student athletes. So for the college coaches, they're able to look and evaluate and watch videos and attend prospect camps, attend showcases, go to tournaments. They're still able to build the picture of what these student athletes are going to be as early as freshman year of them being in high school. So I think the biggest thing to understand with this myth is the junior year rule that people most often are misunderstanding. It's for the colleges being able to have direct contact with student athletes. Student athletes should be the ones, especially at the D1 level, starting this process early, making sure that you're getting in those inboxes of coaches pretty consistently, and also not taking it personally if you don't get that response to give you kind of a personal anecdote, something that happens a lot with the athletes that I'm working with, whether, like, if they're too young in the process and they either get an automatic reply or they don't get a response at all. A lack of response does not equal a lack of interest. You have to stay the course. You have to send periodic updates, even if you aren't getting those replies consistently. Because when you have that new information, that new video to provide, that's just going to be those building blocks that you can create to make that evaluation a lot easier.

[A]

So. Well said, Mike. You have to keep throwing your fishing line out there. I totally agree with that. Now, I'm curious, what does Greg think

[B]

about this For a lot of kids that summer going into junior year, you know, you take baseball, for example. Colleges cannot contact, you know, a potential athlete that they would recruit. In baseball specifically, they cannot actually have contact and reach out to them to recruit or to offer until August of the summer going into their junior year. Not every sport is a little bit different. Certain sports you can. Kids can be offered in seventh grade. So certainly different sports have different rules. But generally speaking, I don't think there's anything wrong going to camps, you know, going into your freshman, going into your sophomore year. I do think there's a huge advantage for young kids to go experience camps or showcase or workout days before the stakes Are too high. So you go there and you don't know what to do, or you make mistakes, or you don't play that well, or you're nervous, or you know it where it doesn't really matter because you're maybe in eighth grade or in ninth grade. So I don't think there's anything wrong with going to camps for the experience, but just understand that, you know, to go to a camp in sixth, seventh, eighth grade, the likelihood of that turning into any sort of potential college interest is probably rare for the general population. It does feel like sophomore, junior year. That is when recruiting really picks up. That is when schools really start mapping out what those future classes look like. And certainly going on campus to a camp and playing and performing in front of those coaches can certainly be a huge benefit.

[A]

Now, I think this question is where things get a little bit dicey. It's the transfer portal mythology. The myth is, if I don't like my first school, I'll just transfer. What do you think about that, Michael?

[C]

You know, the transfer portal is something that's got a ton of attention, Especially over the last three or four years, I would say. I think a lot of people look at it as a safety net, but it's actually super crowded and a super competitive place to be. Something that we really value a lot, Something that we really push student athletes at sports recruits is finding the right fit. Fit doesn't just mean academics. It means athletics. The social component, you know, geographically, it's in the right place. Financially, it makes sense for your family. There's so many things that go into a school making sense for you because we want you to avoid having to enter that transfer portal. Something that I think is really staggering that we've seen is that about 50% of Division 1 athletes who enter the transfer portal, they have success in finding a new program at the D1 level, either at the same or at the higher. So what that's basically telling us is that half of the people who enter the portal do not find that new home that they're looking for more often than not.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

Don't get fooled by the big numbers that you hear. People earning. I think nil is something that probably ties into transfer portal a lot as well. It is a valuable tool for a lot of student athletes, but is not the answer across the board.

[A]

Can you tell me about the broken leg test? I just love this concept and I really want families to hear it from you.

[C]

Yeah. And I'll admit it's a little bit of a corny test, but I do think there is a lot that comes into it too. So we usually, we try, when we try to explain the importance of fit, we utilize this broken leg test that you're referring to. And what we mean by that is if you are a student athlete, you're at your school and unfortunately a big injury happens, you break your leg, you're no longer able to compete in the sport that you love. Would you still be happy in that environment that that school provides? Is it the right place for you socially? Is it going to give you what you're looking for on the academic side of things? Right. Is it going to be the environment that's going to help you get to that next phase of life, which is postgraduate, looking for a job, everything that goes into that. Right. So if the answer is no, if you're solely going to a place because, well, they have a good baseball team or I think I could start for their soccer team right away, chances are that's probably not going to be a place that you're going to excel in and want to stay for, for stay at for four to five years.

[A]

Were my parents ahead of the game? Because they never called it the broken leg test, but they told me that from the very beginning of my recruiting experience. Props off to the bum garners because. Wow. That, that might be one of my favorite rules that you have said throughout this entire webinar. Wow. I love it. Now, I'm curious for Greg's perspective on this because he did utilize the transfer portal. So let's, let's, let's hear it from Greg.

[B]

Yeah, that feels like a myth. Well, listen, we all know the reality of the transfer portal and we do kn. We do know that it does allow kids to bounce around, you know, as they see fit. And based on playing time, based on school choice, based on coaching changes, you know, so we understand the landscape. The advice that I've always given to kids around here that I've mentored or talked to or just tried to help guide through the process? If you're going to a school and you already have it in your brain that you might transfer from that school, you're going to the wrong school. You got to pick a school that in your brain you are saying, I'm going to be here for three years, I'm going to get my degree from this school come hell or high water. Come transfer, come coach leaving. Whether I play, don't play. I believe that kids should choose a school where they say, I'm going to be here for three years. I'm Going to do everything in my power to get my degree from said school in those three years. Especially when you start talking about some of these really prestigious universities. A lot of kids get opportunities to and then they voluntarily leave. That doesn't really make a lot of sense to me. So go there with the every intention that you are going to stick it out and you are going to give yourself three years to see how it, to see how it works out from there. You have great opportunities, you play a lot and you can transfer up great opportunities. You're not playing a lot and you need to transfer down. You still have two years remaining to figure all that out. So I, I always think that three year mark is like the, the intention that when you sign that letter to, to go commit to that school. And while certainly not always going to be a fit, not always going to be realistic. The idea of starting something already making up your mind that you don't intend to finish it. I just think you're setting yourself up for, for failure now.

[A]

I can't believe it. But we're entering our last myth of this webinar. The myth is it's only worth playing in college If I go D1. Michael, I'm curious. The D1 or bust myth is so common in the athletic space right now. How often do you hear that from families and athletes and what do you tell them?

[C]

Oh, I hear it constantly. I think people automatically equate. Success in recruiting can only happen at the Division 1 level. For starters, as a former Division 3 athlete, I can hopefully that that's something that can be, that can showcase that. That is something that could be a positive benefit to what you're trying to achieve within college. Totally right. There's so many collegiate opportunities outside of the, outside of Division 1, not just at D2 and D3, but there's also other governing bodies like NAIA or the NJCAA typically referred to as like a juco experience. That's going to be like the two year programs a lot of people will start off at. A lot of them are going to give you that experience that you're looking for in college. Right. A lot of them will provide some sort of scholarship opportunity too. Something that I get a lot of negative feedback on sometimes, particularly with Division 3 schools is that well, he's not going D3 or she's not going D3 because they don't offer athletic scholarships. That is true, but it doesn't always necessarily mean that you would get the best deal or the most money from a Division 1 or Division 2 schools on top of that, I think there's a lot of people out there that look at Division 1. It's because that's what they see on TV. That's what they've been exposed to their whole life. But again, it's really competitive and it's really crowded at the top. Right. One thing that's really cool about having a recruiting platform like Sports Recruits is we're able to really peek into the data and we're able to see how student athletes are behaving and what they're trying to strive for. And 80% of the messages that get sent to college coaches from Sports Recruits athletes, they're being sent to 20% of the colleges that we have in our database. I think that just goes to show that if you're reaching out to the SECs, the big tens, the IVs, you're one of many trying to break through. If you add some schools to your list that don't necessarily have that same name, brand recognition, if you will, they still may have that academic program that's going to set you up for the internship that you want. Maybe there's a chance if you do drop your athletic level a little bit, you're going to have a chance to play right away and get more of that college experience on the field. So now maybe rambling a little bit, but I think there are so many opportunities to consider outside of Division one and you should certainly keep your options open, especially if you're receiving that interest from other programs too.

[A]

I think casting a wide net is critical in regards to recruiting because at the end of the day, these young student athletes, they might also not know what they want too. Like, do they want what being a Division 1 athlete actually entails, or do they want to strive for Success on the d3 level and make it more of a. Not only a better education, but also a more lifestyle balance where they can actually have more opportunities to pursue their career path and have more time. And I think that it's hard that, like you said, so much of the hype is around the Division 1 level, but there's so many different opportunities. If you kind of open up your eyes to all that the NCAA has to offer.

[C]

I'm glad you brought that up. I think particularly with your experience, if you don't mind, Shelby, just asking about kind of your Division 1 experience, like what actually went into your day to day in season, I think that's something that a lot of parents in particular, they don't understand the amount of effort and dedication it takes. So I know, I'm sorry for putting you on the spot, but could you maybe give a little insight on what that in season day, in the life of a Division 1 athlete actually looks like? Because I think there's a misconception there too.

[A]

No, totally. I mean, I think that's a great question. The good thing is that my little sister is also at Duke right now. She's a freshman, so she kind of is going through it, so I'm kind of living through her, but also not at the same time looking back at all the time that she is being kind of consumed into all of this. And I look back and it truly was the best four years of my entire life. But I would be wrong to say that playing at the Division 1 level is legit. They take a lot of your time, and especially during the fall. I was a fall sport. I played field hockey at Duke. You show up in late July and you don't really start school until late August. And in the beginning, you're doing two sessions a day, plus lift, plus plus conditioning. And then as school starts, it kind of loosens up a little bit, but you only have one day off, and your day realistically looks like a three hour practice. Then you go to lift, then you do recovery, then you do class, and then you eat, and then you do homework, and then you do the same thing again. Like, it is a very repetitive process. And luckily you're kind of in it with your teammates. But luckily I had the passion and I've wanted to play this sport at the highest level since I was a kid. So because the passion, because the love for the school, the love for the teammates, the love for success was there. Yes, there were some hard days, but at the end of the day, it was worth it because my mindset was there. And I think what I see is, and what I even saw at Duke, I guess, Mike, is that a lot of people struggled when they got to the college level, whether you are at Duke or not, because they thought that's what they wanted to do, but it actually was not what they wanted to do. And they had a little bit of, I would say, an identity crisis when they got to the Division 1 level. Because, yes, they loved it at the club and the high school level, but a lot of kids and a lot of parents don't know what being a Division 1 athlete actually entails. So I hope that kind of answers your question a little bit. Definitely a blast from the past. But I think the main thing is, is your intention, is your passion, and is your Love for the sport there. Yeah. And if it is, it's a possibility.

[C]

The biggest word that stuck out to me that you said is balance. Right. I think there are a lot of student athletes who know that they want to continue playing the sport that they love. I think it's a big part of their identity, like you said. But having to go all in and dedicate 60, 70, 80 hours a week might not be the experience that everyone wants. Right. There are ways to still compete at a very high level and get all the benefits from being a collegiate student athlete, but also being able to experience a lot of other things at the same time. So that what I think is really so well said. So, you know, Division one is great. There's nothing bad about it. It's an incredible accomplishment. But the. But there are also great accomplishments you can have outside of that level also.

[A]

Absolutely. And I think we've talked about this on our first couple conversations, like, yes, I was a vision one athlete, but that part of my life, asides from the occasional pickup once a week is done with. And yes, it was such a critical part of my life, my career, my foundation, so much more than being a student athlete in college. But choosing Duke gave me the opportunity to sit here, and it gave me the opportunity to really set myself up for my career. Worked out pretty well, thank you. I think now we have to hear from Greg. I know he's actually super passionate about this topic, so I'm curious to hear his reaction to this last myth.

[B]

Yeah. I think this could be one of the biggest myths of all collegiate athletic conversations. Certainly everybody wants to go D1. Right. Everybody wants to be playing in the national championship on tv. Everybody wants to be in the Women's College World Series and the Men's College World Series and volleyball that's now on national television and the NCAA track and field. I mean, we can go on and on. Right. It's fun in the summer to see the lacrosse championships and, you know, baseball and softball and everyone's dreams, and there's nothing wrong with having those dreams. But I think it's really important for people to know anybody that has an opportunity to play. College athletics is a very unique opportunity. And some of these schools that are in the FCS level or in the Division 2, Division 3, even junior college, like, I don't think people appreciate just how good those athletes are, how good those teams are. Some of the best coaches in the country are at the Subdivision one level, making huge impacts on careers. I mean, you look all over the mlb, and there are Just player after player after player that are prominent MLB All Stars that did not go to the schools. We just all watched in the men's. In the college World Series on tv. So there's a lot of different paths. There's a lot of different journeys. It should not be D1 or bust. If your dreams are to be a college athlete and you want to take your sport to the highest level you possibly can do, not shy away from getting to the right fit because it's not the school you go to, it's that you go to the right school. And for the vast majority of kids, that is not at the Division 1 level, and there is no shame in that. And for a lot of kids, it's actually the better path.

[A]

Thank you so much, Greg. We really appreciate you being here. And thank you, Michael. This has really been fascinating, although I was just really involved in this space and my sister just went through just is kind of crazy how a lot of things from this process have stayed the same, yet so much has evolved. And I know that families that are listening in really are walking away with a completely different perspective on recruiting and this entire college landscape of athletics. If you want to learn more about sports recruits and how it started, I'm going to insert the link here. I'm going to insert it in the bio if you have any questions. Their team is absolutely phenomenal and it was just incredible to talk to you and to work with you on this entire project. So thank you, Michael, and the entire Sports Reports team.

[C]

Yeah. Thank you, Shelby. This was awesome. Really excited to have a conversation like this again at some point down the road.