Information for the College-Bound Fencer
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The following article, written by
So
you want to Fence in College?
One question haunts the minds of most high school students across the country: Where should I go to college? The decision is a very important one; it is a very difficult one. The following article is written in the hope that the college-bound fencer might be aided in the arduous process of selecting a college.
The college applicant who is also a fencer becomes an athletic "recruit." A recruit certainly has many advantages over the non-fencer. There are also, however, certain problems that can become bothersome for the recruit. You, the recruit, should know what to expect from a school to which you are applying and what the coach of that school may and may not do.
Good colleges are looking for good students who will contribute to their
college. Each year, some straight A students with 1600
You should certainly know how to maximize your chances of getting into the college where you want to go. Rule Number 1 (No other rule even comes close in order of importance!) is to get the best grades possible in high school. If you're a finalist in the World Championships and you do not have the grades, you will not be accepted into a college of high academic standing. Getting good grades gives you the option of deciding where you WANT to go rather than where you CAN go.
Finding out about colleges and their fencing programs is actually easier than most people think. Some things you can do are:
Get
on the Internet and search for "the name of the school" and
"Fencing." Most team web sites will have a "recruit information
form" that you can fill out and submit. It is also a good idea to send an
e-mail message directly to the coach. If you cannot find information about a
college's fencing team on the web, pick up the phone and call the Athletic
Department at any school to find out what sort of fencing program they have.
(Sometimes, if you just call the Admissions Office or general information
number you might be told that the school doesn't even have a team when, in
fact, they have a full varsity program.) You can find a list of all of the
Varsity Teams on the NCAA web site: http://www2.ncaa.org/sports/winter/fencing/
When
you find out that a school has fencing, get the name of the coach; then send an
e-mail or give the coach a call. While some coaches may hound you, others
believe that the fencer should not be actively recruited until the fencer makes
the first move. Let it be known that you are interested in the school's
program. (Although it is against the NCAA rules for the coach to initiate
contact with student athletes prior to July 1 after their junior year, a
student athlete, regardless of school year may initiate contact with a coach.)
Ask the coach what sort of schedule they fence. Find out if they compete on
days when the Junior Olympic Championships or North American Circuits are held.
(Yes, some varsity teams actually schedule meets on these dates.) Ask about
lessons and team training. Do not assume that you'll "never get to
fence" if you go to a top-ranked fencing college. "Walk-ons" -
students who entered college without any fencing experience regularly compete
on NCAA championship teams. Find out about the coach's prioritizing of athletes
and academics. Ask about the graduation rate of fencers from that college. Ask
yourself if you want to spend four years with this coach.
Talk
to other fencers who are in college. Ask them about their experience as a
collegiate fencer. Find out what training is like at their school. Is their
fencing improving? Are they enjoying it? What sort of opportunities exists for
training with better fencers? Be sure also to ask them about their academic
experiences! Can you achieve the level of academic excellence you desire at
their school?
Don't
believe everything you read or hear about a school. Frequently, guidebooks on
college selection have incorrect information as to what is offered at a school.
Sometimes they will indicate that a major is not offered when the opposite is
true. All too often you will hear that one school is in a very dangerous area
and another is in a very safe area when the truth is that security at the
former is excellent and students at the latter are far more likely to be the
victims of crime.
It
pains me to write this part of the article, but some of my colleagues' actions
require me to warn you: Don't believe everything a coach tells you. Some will
lie to get you to come to their school. When you are told that to get into a
school you must apply early decision or tell the coach that you are definitely
coming or go to that coach's summer camp, you are probably not getting the
truth. If you start to feel that a coach is "boxing you in," that
coach may not have your best interests at heart. Remember, you have to select
the school that is best for you. If a coach is harassing you, stop dealing with
that coach.
Find
out what the college requires for admission. Some applications require
Carefully
check out the financial aid situation. While only a few colleges offer athletic
scholarships, many colleges give grants based on need or other criteria. The
question to propose to the coach is not "Do you have fencing
scholarships?" but "How can I afford my college education?" Many
students at what are thought to be very expensive colleges without
"athletic scholarships" are easily able to afford their education. It
is also a good idea to look into the earning potential for graduates from the
schools you are looking at. In the long run, an athletic scholarship at a less
academically prestigious college may end up actually costing more money compared
to an academically better college where you will have to pay something.
When
you get your application, fill it out carefully. Do not write it by hand; type
it or, as more and more schools now have available, fill it out on line. (Most
schools that have on-line applications prefer that they be used by applicants.)
Make sure you do not use too many contractions or sentences such as "I
fence good." and that your application makes the best possible impression
for you. When it's finished, photo copy every page or print out every page if
it is on the computer so you have a copy of what you send in. With thousands
and thousands of applications coming into the Admissions Office, some are bound
to get lost. You will not want to rewrite an entire application. Follow up with
the high school teachers you have asked to write recommendations to ensure that
they are submitted on time.
What part does the coach play in the application process? The coach will be a source of information for you as well as a source of information about you to the Admission Office. What the coach says about you may greatly influence the school's decision about your acceptance. How the coach deals with you will very likely influence your decision about whether or not you want to be accepted.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has many strict rules on how to treat a recruit. Each year, college coaches even have to take an examination administered by the NCAA on these rules. If a coach breaks theses rules in dealing with you, you should probably question yourself as to whether or not you want to spend four years with such an unethical person. For information from the NCAA about the process of being recruited and what you will need to do to fence in college, use this link: http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/membership_svcs/eligibility-recruiting/index.html
Here are but a few examples of what, unfortunately, actually goes on:
You're
a high school junior at the Junior Olympic Championships. A person comes up to
you and says "You know, you should apply early decision to Just Herculean
University: it's the only way I can be sure you'll get in. When I,
It is against the rules for someone to be recruited
before July 1 after the completion of their junior year of high school. It is
also a common ploy to tell an unsuspecting recruit that a commitment is the
only way that a person can get in - this is almost always used unduly as a
means to pressure the recruit.
You're
a high school sophomore at a Cadet/Junior North American Circuit A person come
up to you between rounds and says "Hi, I'm Don Magnificent, coach of the
University of Perfection, and I think you should come to my university after
high school."
Not only is this person too young to recruit but the coach is specifically prohibited from recruiting someone during a competition while the fencer is still in uniform. Actually, it is also very inconsiderate of a coach to do this - the fencer should be allowed to concentrate on his or her fencing at such a time. A good coach would never interrupt like this.
You're
a high school senior sitting at home. Gerry Kudos of Culmination University
calls to say "You really don't want to go to Perfectly Splendid
University; you'll never get enough lessons there. And, that city is really
unsafe."
"Negative recruiting" is truly dishonorable.
You're
a high school senior between rounds at a North American Open Circuit. Edith
Kingpin, coach at Nossomos State, tells you 1) you'll definitely start if you
come to Nossomos State, 2) she'll make you a champion, and 3) you'll never
become any good anywhere else.
Ask yourself questions about this team and this coach. If you're told that you will definitely start, how many other fencers are told the same thing...or is this really a weak team. If the coach is so egocentric that she believes only she can make you a champion, maybe this coach doesn't realize that it will be you who gets on the strip to fence and not she. And you should never be recruited during a competition.
Most coaches do not break the rules, but all too many do. Be aware. The rules are such that a coach must, during certain times of the year (called "black out" or "dead" periods), not even speak with you if you call or stop by for a visit. The rules prohibit the coach from giving you a pencil with the school's name on it, much less a team t-shirt. Most rules were written to protect you, the recruit, from inordinate and improper recruiting.
If you are to be on an NCAA Fencing Team, you will have to be approved by the NCAA Clearing House. During your Senior year in High School, start this process by going to this web page: http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/ncaa/NCAA/common/index.html.
After all the letters of acceptance, and rejection, have been received, when you have finally made your decision, write a note to all of the coaches you contacted, letting them know where you will be going and letting them know you appreciate their efforts.
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