Submitted By: Judy Freudenberger
U.S. Educational Advisor
Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Embassy
Canberra, Australia
Tel: 612-6258-1670

Project Title: Advising Student Athletes

Project Description: My PAL project was designed to acquire accurate and up to date information on the NCAA Clearinghouse process, sports scholarships, and institutional based student athletics in general, through visiting international student athletes and coaches on campuses as well as the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Purpose of the Project: There is a BIG need for quality, accurate and up to date information on the NCAA, the Clearinghouse process, sports scholarships, and institutional based student athletics in general, amongst U.S. Educational Advisers and the student athletes that they advise. This is due to a number of factors, including:

• the unique role that the student athlete and sports play at American institutions, and that the NCAA has in regulating collegiate sports
• the increasing number of top quality student athletes that countries like Australia are producing — as well as the recognition that in most cases playing sport and studying in the States is an unbeatable opportunity
• the fact that collegiate athletics in the States is becoming a better known option, perhaps partly due to the fact that American institution’s coaches are traveling overseas to identify talent and recruit student athletes
• the specialised and generous financial assistance available, funding being a huge issue for most international students, for talented student athletes.
• the need for “interpreters” of the NCAA and Clearinghouse rules, regulations and process, in addition to all the usual information required by students who want to study in the States.

Project Summary: My PAL project had three main parts (1) Spending time at the NCAA Clearinghouse to clarify the process of certifying international students as eligible to play collegiate sport in the States; and identifying how U.S. Educational Advisers can assist with this process (2) interviewing Australian student athletes studying in the States in 2004, to find out things such as how they made contacts with coaches and institutions, what sort of sports scholarship or other funding they received; how they got information about the NCAA and the Clearinghouse process, how they are finding their U.S. experience, and what they wish they’d known or had help with as they went through the process before leaving Australia (3) Interviewing U.S. institutional sports coaches to find out things like: do they actively recruit international students, and if so, how; what are they looking for in international athletes; what their institutions primary sports are; what sort of sports scholarships are available for international students, and how decisions are made about sports scholarships; etc.

The PAL Project Experience

• Self-Directed Orientation (SDS), facilitated by Debbie Hefferon. This process helped us to individually define, think about, and plan our PAL project in a timely manner (due to deadlines!). I found this useful, especially as the modules were not too demanding in time or effort.
• Research & Planning Phase: months of planning, research and making/following up contacts was required for my project. This was all done by e-mail. In some cases Janine Farhat was able to assist, and she also helped to make reservations for some of my hotels and to liaise with the NAFSA regional conference organisers. This phase overlaps with the SDS mentioned above and the two go together.
• Washington DC Orientation: although this is usually part of the program, because there were only 2 of us in the States in November no orientation was held. It was a slight but unfortunate disadvantage of the timing of our projects. However I was able to participate in part of the May 2004 group’s Leadership Seminar, which gave me a chance to learn from others who were just completing their programs.
• Campus Visits: I visited the following campuses during my PAL trip: St. Mary’s College, UC Berkeley, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount University, University of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Old Dominion, Drexel University, and Temple University. I chose these places because they had Australian athletes studying at their campuses, and because I was able to get in contact with appropriate institutional staff, the targeted students, and coaches. There were up to 3 types of people I visited on each campus: Australian athletes, coaches & other athletic department staff, and/or staff from the international student office. All the arrangements and appointments were made in advance from Australia.
• Telephone Meetings: there were a few athletes that I had contact information for, that I could not visit but I was able to talk to by phone. This was definitely useful, but it did take extra time to arrange and carry through.
• Other Visits: I was able to visit the NCAA in Indianapolis, but it was not easy to get an appointment with them. I’m glad that I pursued this opportunity, as it was definitely worthwhile and it was central to my project.
• NAFSA Regional Conference: I attended the Region VIII conference, which was held in Philadelphia. I gave 2 sessions at the conference: “Recruitment & Retention of International Athletes” and “A Day in the Life of a U.S. Educational Adviser”. The sessions were not delegated favourable times, and were very poorly attended. Region VIII waived my conference fee, and my PAL program budget covered my accommodation and meals.
• Washington DC Leadership Seminar: this was the final in-country stage of the project, and it provided a chance to reflect on and talk about our PAL experiences. I felt pretty overloaded by this stage, but it was great to be able to talk about my PAL project with people who had an interest in my overall experiences.
• Post PAL Program Phase: I don’t think this ever ends! The benefits of the program go on and on. This has been helped along by the fact that PAL alumni and REAC’s met for a day following NAFSA Annual Conference in 2004, an activity which I very much hope will continue in coming years.

Some Lessons Learned and Advice for Future PAL Program Participants:

• Keep your project topic and plans under control: it is very easy to take on too much
• Seek & listen to advice from colleagues, College Board staff, your REAC & Program Officer and PAL Program alumni, on all aspects of defining and planning, and carrying out your project
• Take lots of notes; you won’t remember everything that you think you will
• Plan for time off to collect your thoughts, reflect, and have a total break from your work. See something of the places you visit if possible.
• If you are attending a conference, insist that you stay at or very close to the conference hotel.
• Know what the College Board staff will and won’t do for you, what you are responsible for doing, etc.
• Touch base with your Program Officer in DC if possible.
• Be sure to have travel insurance whenever you travel to the States! I had to go to hospital upon arrival in the States, but due to the travel insurance set up by the College Board everything went smoothly & there was no cost involved.
• Set out to make sure that your program will yield the information that you are seeking, and to see that there are long term benefits from the work that you do. Have this attitude from the start.
• If your research topic allows, base yourself in several cities and visit institutions in that area. This saves a lot of time and effort in terms of travel.
• You might want to consider purchasing an inexpensive pay-as-you-go mobile/cell phone in the States. You can budget for this, and it makes a lot of difference to be contactable and able to reconfirm arrangements, etc. with people you visit.

Outcomes: these were many and varied, some longer them than others. The most significant and easily identifiable outcomes include:

• Increase in personal knowledge of the NCAA, the Clearinghouse, sports programs, etc.
• Increased amount of well informed and accurate student athlete advising in Australia – AND an increase in the number of Australian student athletes going to the States
• Increase in American coaches hearing about and contacting me, for advice information, and assistance with Australian student athletes and the Clearinghouse process.
• Increased number of presentations being given to Australian student athletes, parents, coaches, etc.
• Presentation given in Wellington, New Zealand
• I was invited to join the Basketball Australia Advisory Group
• NAFSA 2006 session proposal on international student athletes was successful
• Increased contact with the NCAA Clearinghouse. I have been involved with several Clearinghouse appeals, which I can knowledgably contribute to.
• Advice and information has been provided to Australian sports organisations producing documents about studying in the States.
• Powerpoint for international student athletes is being developed
• Information sheets for international student athletes developed
• Website information for international student athletes is being developed for the Team Australia website.
• Presentation on advising student athletes about US opportunities given at Sub-regional Advising Workshop, Feb 2006
• Closer working relationship with Canberra’s Australian Institute of Sport and Academy of Sport staff, coaches and students

Useful Websites Which Pertain to Collegiate Sporting Organisations, Student Athletes, Sports Scholarships, the NCAA Clearinghouse Process

Major Sports Associations in the U.S.

• The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
• The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
• The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
• The NCAA Clearinghouse
• FinAid
• Petersons College Search

Other Useful Resources and Suggested References

There a quite a number of books available on the subject of sports scholarships and student athletes. One of the best places to look for them is on www.amazon.com . Remember however, that for NCAA Division I and II sports, the NCAA website and the NCAA Clearinghouse website are the ultimate authorities. Although books have good ideas and information, they are hard to keep up to date in regards to rules and regulations.

• A Parent’s and Student Athlete’s Guide to Athletic Scholarships: Getting Money Without Being Taken for a (Full) Ride by Dion Wheeler
• The Athletic Recruiting & Scholarship Guide by Wayne Mazzoni
• How to Win a Sports Scholarship by Penny Hastings
• The Student Athlete’s Handbook: The Complete Guide for Success by Perry Bromwell
• Sports Scholarships & College Athletic Programs by Peterson's Guides
• Advising Student Athletes Through the College Recruitment Process: A Complete Guide for Counselors, Coaches and Parents by Michael D. Koehler
• The High School Athlete’s Guide to College Sports: How to Market Yourself to the School of Your Dreams by College Bound Sports
• The Sports Scholarships Insider’s Guide: Getting Money For College At Any Division by Dion Wheeler
• Athletic Recruiting & College Scholarship Guide: How to Market Your Student Athlete by Robert L. Scott
• The Winning Edge: The Student–Athlete’s Guide to College Sports by Frances Killpatrick
• The Road to Athletic Scholarship: What Every Student–Athlete, Parent & Coach Needs to Know by Kim McQuilken
• The Student Athlete Survival Guide by Marc Isenberg, Richard C Rhoads
• The Making of a Student Athlete by Ray Lauenstein, Dave Galehouse

Acknowledgements: I would like to thank my Program Officer Dorothy Mora, my past REAC Marti Thomson, the College Board staff (Theresa, Janine, Carol, and the other staff in their office), Debbie Hefferon (trainer extraordinaire), my campus hosts, the students and coaches that I interviewed, Region 8, PAL alumni, and my many advising friends and colleagues, for the opportunity to participate in the PAL Program and for advising and supporting me and my ideas along the way. The PAL Program was a wonderful personal and professional experience that was well timed for me and my interests. There is no doubt that I learned a great deal, and that the opportunities that I had helped determine the directions that I’ve moved and grown in since then. I feel very fortunate indeed.

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