Myth: "Only elite high school athletes play college football."

Jason and Bill Wilkie's workbook and parent tool-kit provides information on recruiting but it is not just for elite football players.  It is for all athletes who are curious about what it really takes to play college football or get a football scholarship. It is directed toward the developing athlete in the 8th, 9th and 10th grade. Preview our read and print manuals on the left side-bar: Football Recruiting workbook and Mentoring tool-kit for parents and coaches by clicking on each link at the left.

Actually, it is not just the elite "highly recruited football players" who play college football or get scholarships.  There are many programs at the NCAA Division II and III that also play college football with partial or even full academic scholarships.  The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also offers football scholarships at smaller colleges. See our Miami Herald article: "Recruiters Put a Blitz on Kids." 

Most of you will not have the courage to ask as a freshman or sophomore, "What does it take to play college football?"  However, that is when you need the information if you expect to develop the qualities to compete for a football scholarship.  Some of you might even try and get information from college coaches, recruiters, former college players, etc., about what it takes to be a college football prospect.  You will be usually disappointed with their response. 

Some of high school coaches really cannot answer your questions but others are a little reluctant to give you specifics. Why? Here was one response from a recruiter. “Many college football recruits meet our criteria each year but are not offered a football scholarship. As a recruiter, I may not want to recruit you but I may want to recruit your younger brother. Therefore, I will not give you specifics to reduce the possibility that you will get angry when you meet our criteria but are still not recruited.”  

Brice Durbin, former Executive Director of the National Federation of High School Sports Federation, was quoted by USA Today sports writer Kevin Allen in 1985, as concluding, "Anyone who reads this book will be able to go into the recruiting experience with their eyes open."