What Should I Do if I Didn’t Sign a National Letter of Intent in the Early Signing Period?
By Ted Gleason

Stay proactive in the process and be open to exploring all of the possibilities.

For those of you (2010 graduates) who did not sign a National Letter of Intent this past November, do not be discouraged or feel as if no options remain. College coaches are continually looking for good players who fit the academic and athletic profile of their teams and universities. There are many coaches who annually look for the “late bloomer” or the player who comes on strong in the winter and early spring of his/her senior year. During my college coaching years I signed some of my best players during the spring signing period.

There are numerous actions you can take over the months ahead, prior to the spring signing period, to garner the interest of college coaches. The main keys are:

• Review the early signing period signees on Junior Golf Scoreboard (http://www.juniorgolfscoreboard.com/early_signees.asp) to see which schools have potential roster positions to fill.
• Review your “best fit” list of schools to determine if additional schools should be researched and added based on your recent tournament results, academic standing, corresponding interest from coaches, and your objectives as a student-athlete.
• Remember to use the PING American College Golf Guide (www.collegegolf.com) for a comprehensive listing of all college golf programs, and consider the varying levels of competition and academic requirements that exist. It is worth noting that there are over 1,200 colleges that have men’s golf programs and over 800 that have women’s golf programs. Be open to exploring all possibilities.
• Maintain a competitive tournament schedule this winter and spring to continue to build your resume and demonstrate your abilities to college coaches.
• Make sure that you update all of the schools on your “best fit” list with the following: recent tournament results, current academic standing, upcoming tournament schedule, key references, and a recent swing video.
• Continue to be proactive in your follow-up communication with college coaches and make sure to have questions formulated that will help you better determine their interest level in you as a prospective student-athlete, what they are looking for with respect to a golf and academic profile, and the timeline they have for finalizing their respective recruiting decisions.
• Continue to make unofficial and/or official visits when appropriate.
• Attend college golf tournaments that include the schools on your “best fit” list. To view a complete college golf tournament schedule, visit www.golfstat.com or go to your local university’s athletic website to view that program’s tournament schedule.
• Finish strong academically and continue to work hard on your golf game and fitness.

Most essential is staying proactive and positive throughout this time. It can be frustrating to not know where you will be next fall; however, if you stay focused on what you can control and do your proper due diligence, you will identify a fit for youself. There are many different means to an end, and having the experience of being a student-athlete at any college is a worthwhile experience.

Happy Holidays!

Coach Ted Gleason