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Post by bobbybob on Jan 24, 2012 17:56:57 GMT -6
I have a player being recruited by four div 3 schools. I wanted to get more info on these types of schools before helping him make his decision. Information like fan base, facilites, and competition would be helpfull. Another coach told me they also make deals and find money for student athelets (because they cant give athletic scholorships). He also told me they cut tuition and help get "packages" with grants and fincial aid.
Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks
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Post by spos21ram on Jan 24, 2012 18:58:12 GMT -6
Depending on the school and how serious they are about athletics will dictate how much aid they will give and to how many athletes. If you don't know much about D3 football it is no joke. Practices are no different than D1 practices. Only difference is talent level which at a lot of D3 schools is pretty darn good. There's no shame in playing at that level. I have noticed that some HS players think D3 is easy and their the ones who quit after a week because it's too much time.
Facilities will vary from school to school. Some fields are like your average HS Field, some bigger. Most have very good weight rooms that I have seen.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 24, 2012 19:07:25 GMT -6
I played and coached at one of the best D-III programs in the nation (Final four 5 out of 7 years). This year our school went down to a I-AA Full Scholarship program and beat them by double digits on their homecoming. Many can beat D-II and others... That is the big boys... Others not so much...
Here is what many can offer - especially private schools 1. Academic Money - Wide range of scholarships.. Matrix system 2. Need Money - Private Schools also have private grants for need aid 3. Regular Financial Aid (Stafford Loans, Pell & SEOG Grants if eligible).
Many D-III programs can package deals better than a D-II program or your local state school. ESPECIALLY if your academics are good.
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Post by pmeisel on Jan 24, 2012 19:53:48 GMT -6
Echoing spos, I have seen some pretty good D3 players. And a lot of guys who thought it would be no sweat, who left the program pretty quick.
Bobbybob, check out the coaching staff. Most good D3 head coaches have built a little bit of a reputation, same way as they do in D1 or in HS.....
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Post by Yash on Jan 24, 2012 21:27:38 GMT -6
I just graduated from a D3 school, great quality of football. When people say they can give you help, usually thats just private schools that can give you that help. State schools dont' care if you play football. They give help based on need and what not, not if you are an athlete. Great quality though... I personally believe that the Wisconsin D3 conference is the best in the nation.
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Post by oguru on Jan 24, 2012 22:48:41 GMT -6
I graduated from UWW Whitewater, who has been to the stagg bowl the last seven years. The football programs can not get you any money. Thats all up to the financial aid office. At the WIAC schools the coaches can't even talk to the financial aid office about potential student athletes. D3 is great football, and I ageree with Yash that the WIAC is the BEST D3 conference in the Nation so much that no one wants to play them, and therefore they have to play a team twice every season.
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Post by mariner42 on Jan 24, 2012 22:54:20 GMT -6
If you're from the left coast, the D3 options aren't as plentiful or as capable as some of the midwest (ohio or wisc) teams/leagues, but certain places are pretty good. My alma mater, Willamette, is usually nipping around the top 25 most years.
Your guys won't get any football money, but they will get some favorable scholarships if the program has any kind of pull. I got a $14k/year scholarship based on 'academics' that I only needed a 2.0 to keep! Facilities depends on the school and the success, WU's were pretty nice, some others are like a moderate HS.
If they can do it and they want to keep playing ball, they should.
Just my 2c
Sent from my DROID2 using ProBoards
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Post by coachb42 on Jan 25, 2012 5:49:44 GMT -6
Played at a div 3 school in Ohio. Loved it. If your player has a great passion for football, but not the interest from larger schools encourage him to do it. Several of the guys that I played with would not have gone to college if they weren't able to play football. As a coach now, it also gives a you a great network for the future.
Practices are serious, competition is serious. I loved and enjoyed every minute of it. Coaches also help make sure a player is keeping grades up and offer academic help that isn't available to "regular" students.
Facilities are something to look at, however it is about the coaching staff. Go somewhere where the coaches have a good reputation, because that is the main thing. Quality coaches with good character will recruit similar kids and have similar men on their coaching staff.
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Post by CoachCP on Jan 25, 2012 8:14:19 GMT -6
I didn't play but attended a D-III school, Wabash College in Indiana. I won't speak to the scholarship money part, but I saw what the guys on the team did. I know their offseason work that they did on their own. It's a full time job.
I don't think every D-III player is less talented than those at upper levels. Some D-III players are very talented but don't have the size. Or maybe they transferred from a D-I FCS school. You will see D-III schools beat upper level schools a couple times a year.
I will say this... the thing I think that makes D-III works is the kids aren't playing for an athletic scholarship. Some of the kids at that 2nd tier of D-III programs and above ( Whitewater/Mount Union who are both the only first tier programs IMO, but also schools that are perennially strong like Wabash, North Central, ect...), have kids that want to play just as bad if not more than those who earned athletic scholarships, and usually the kids at these places are really sound football players. The kids that make a real impact at these schools put in a boatload of time and energy and are very passionate about football. They're willing to give up their personal life, availability for work/school, and body just for football. Yes, I believe some schools give out money through the fin. aid department, but I don't think it's as prominent as one would think. So for the most part, a lot of these kids are talented and want to play because it's something they love.
I would say this. Don't expect heavy fan attendance/following. Wabash has one of the best home crowds in D-III (rank in the top 5 in D-III attendance most years), especially for a school of only 900, but expect a lot of fans at most unless it's a big game. However, I've been to a lot of places where its family/friends of the players who are in the stands and that's it. I attended one D-III game where I counted 65 people at the end of the first quarter for the home team.
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Post by blb on Jan 25, 2012 8:43:49 GMT -6
Coached five years at D-III level and really enjoyed it.
Coaching college caliber athletes in a HS-like atmosphere without the pressures of "big time" CFB.
Most HS kids don't appreciate the quality or level of play until they try it. And even though time involved not the same as BCS-FBS-FCS, still different than HS.
As far as attendance - mostly those phone company plan games: Family and friends. And if you're losing, not even the latter.
When people called to find out what time the game started, we asked "What time can you make it?"
We didn't charge admission, left the gates open so homeless people could wander in and make it look like we had a "crowd."
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Post by jgordon1 on Jan 25, 2012 8:43:53 GMT -6
To me. the most important thing you can tell you kid is make sure it is a good fit for the kid..I have seen too many kids get loved up and attend a school they don't like because they wanted to play...at the the D3 level (and really all levels) its #1 do i like it here and #2 can I afford it it..You have to make the best out of your athletic experience wherever you go..there will always be kids that love it and hate it at ANY program
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Post by Yash on Jan 25, 2012 9:14:09 GMT -6
Jgordon, I second that. You see a lot of kids transferring when they end up not making the team and then realzing they are stuck at a school that they have no degree for them at. Make a list of schools that have your degree and a football team, visit those, pick the best fit from there.
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