Every year, (no matter the sport or the season or even the athlete) parents try to "work" through the maze of the NCAA (who I coined the CARTEL) and every year, parents seem to get further and further away from knowing just how devious the NCAA (and sadly yes even the NFHS) organizations do thier best to "put the screws" to the high school athlete and their parents. Now we have the LATEST (with of course more NEW lawsuits) coming down the road with the 5 to play 5 (and yes even before the NCAA and the College Sports Commission can vote, there is already a case moving through the court system Patterson V NCAA). Look- Ive been dealing with the CARTEL since my NLI back in 1973 and after 53 years I know there pattern. C and C. CONTROL and CHAOS. Especially since in recent years they have taken a beating in courts and yes have lost BILLIONS. But, like all good CARTELS they will find a way BACK to ensure they make even MORE- and this is the heart of the 5 to play 5 .And lastly, in this group who are the ones going to make MORE Money? The LAWYERS and as I coined the phrase in my College Athletic Scholarship book back in 2021 NIL stand for NOW its Legal- and Now iIts (the) Lawyers. In the end, the parents will continue to struggle and the high school athletes will continue to lose scholarship opportunities while Mom and Dad spend all their time and money in the $50 Billion a year in the Youth Sports Industrial Complex! Next year, I'll be back writing the next chapter of the CARTEL in college sports, and lets hope some of you will listen- and not to focus on the STARS! Coach Nolan

Hey Everyone. As I go through my 12 families paid training the number one thing (not surprising to me) is once again the recruiting issues and in the class of 2026 it was very murky (some other private coaches told me their students as a group were down as much as 60 percent just this season in scholarships) and now moving forward with the DSA (Designated Student Athlete) from Judge Wilkins House Ruling the Roster cap is drastically going to change and I doubt if any (after this year) PWO's will be "offered". Over the past few years we’ve watched NIL, the transfer portal, and recruiting change faster than at any point in college sports history. But the truth is that most parents are trying to navigate a billion-dollar system with almost no information. Meanwhile three groups seem to be doing very well. 🐷 The NIL “experts”🐷 The NCAA machine🐷 The lawyers writing the contracts Parents are the ones funding the system — travel teams, camps, showcases — yet they often receive the least amount of real education. And if you have not checked out our Parents FREE Course you should since it addresses many of these issues. If you haven’t started the course yet, begin there. Discussion Question Which of these “Three Little Pigs” do you think causes the most confusion for parents right now? 1️⃣ NIL Experts2️⃣ NCAA3️⃣ Lawyers4️⃣ Recruiting services & camps

— watch this first. Under 2 minutes. No fluff. 👉 [Link]https://youtube.com/shorts/QEBYPO0eWxg?feature=share The 12 members I'm working with right now? This is the foundation of what they paid for. Drop one word below: Did you know a 22-year-old GA was reading your kid's emails?

If your athlete is a Junior or Senior, the recruiting journey feels different. The clock is louder. Maybe a teammate is getting attention.Maybe your athlete’s phone is lighting up from camps.Maybe you’re hearing about NIL and roster changes.Maybe you’re quietly wondering: “What about us?” This is usually the moment when emotion replaces evaluation. Comparison replaces clarity. And urgency replaces structure. Over the past several years, I’ve seen too many families mistake attention for opportunity. Mass camp texts.Automated messages.“Love your film.”“We’ll be offering in your class.” Recruiting today is layered, competitive, and strategic. It requires maturity.It requires preparation.It requires parent and athlete working together. When a family gets serious with me at this stage, I tell them: “Welcome to the journey. Buckle up.” Because this stretch — Junior through Senior year — is where decisions carry real weight. This year, I’m opening a structured 9-month Upperclassman Advisory. Bi-weekly strategy calls.Parent + athlete involvement.Clear evaluation.No hype.No shortcuts. Because this requires real attention, I’m limiting it to 12 families. Not for exclusivity.But because I refuse to dilute the guidance. If you’re ready to approach this final stretch with structure instead of emotion, send me a DM with: NorthStar And we’ll take the next step. — Coach Nolan

I’ve been working the past two weeks with our guys heading off to college. And let me say this clearly… The jump is not just physical. It’s identity. High School Harry:– Friday night spotlight– Known name– Comfortable routine– Parents in the stands College Charley:– Bottom of depth chart– Competing with older transfers– No one knows him yet– Saturday is a business But here’s the part no one talks about… Parents also have to transition. From:“My son is the guy.” To:“My son is fighting for a role.” Question for the group: What do you think is harder —The athlete’s transition…Or the parent’s? And why?