HOPE THIS HELPS

1. Compile a list of schools that interest you both athletically and academically. Do this prior to your junior year. These don't all have to be NCAA Division 1-A schools. Several professional players played in lower division schools and still got noticed.

2. Visit the websites of each of these schools to get the name and addresses for each coach. There are also several websites that have the names of all of the various football coaches across the divisions in one handy place, but it will cost you to access these sites.

3. Have your high school coach put together a highlight film of all of your greatest plays, or you need to put one together yourself. Some coaches do not have the time to assemble high light tapes for all of the players wishing to go to college. Also, cut articles from newspapers and magazines and keep track of all your high school accolades.

4. Send the tape, commonly called a recruiting tape, to the prospective coaches along with a letter asking the coach to look at your film and consider you for a potential scholarship. Make sure your high school coach also sends a letter of endorsement for you. Be sure to not only include your contact information, but also the contact information for your high school coach.

5. Attend state and national summer football camps as well as camps of the schools where you are interested in playing. Call the coaches beforehand to make sure they know you're coming and make sure to introduce yourself while at camp.

6. Return any requests for information from prospective college coaches immediately, and ask your high school coach to do the same.

7. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse when you are a senior to make sure you are eligible to participate in NCAA athletics. You cannot receive a scholarship without this certification.

TIPS AND WARNINGS:

If you are a talented, well-known athlete, you probably won't have to go through these steps because college coaches will come to you. Still, there might be a school on the other side of the country that isn't familiar with you. Follow these steps to get this attention.

Familiarize yourself with the rules of NCAA recruiting either on the NCAA website or from your high school coach. There are certain things you cannot do with respect to recruiting. Familiarizing yourself with these rules will keep your eligible for a scholarship.

Take all of your official visits. You are allotted five from the NCAA. Sometimes the school you think might be a fit might not work out once you step on campus.

You can commit to playing for a school at any time, but that committment is not binding until you sign your national Letter of Intent, which happens on the first Wednesday of February in your senior year.

Jack Renkens Videos: http://www.ncsasports.org/college-recruiting/jack-renkens/
-Bob Chmiel Videos: http://www.ncsasports.org/college-recruiting/bob-chmiel
-Virtual Tour Chicago Office: http://www.ncsasports.org/about-ncsa/ncsa-office-tour/
-NCSA Media Highlights: http://www.ncsasports.org/ncsa-media-highlights/
-NCSA Homepage: http://www.ncsasports.org