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

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?

For over 20 years, I’ve had a standing bet with sports parents NO MATTER THE SPORT) If your athlete is ranked #1 in their sport as a FRESHMAN… And they are STILL ranked #1 as a SENIOR… I’ll hand you $1,000 in cash. Want to know how many checks I’ve written in 20 years? ZERO. Because development beats hype. Case in point: Devon Witherspoon who just helped the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl. He was a ZERO-star recruit in high school.Lightly recruited. No hype. No ranking buzz. He developed.Earned it.Worked. Result? 5th overall NFL Draft pick and again a Super Bowl Winner! Freshman rankings don’t predict Senior outcomes. But this does:• Structure• Strength & mobility• Skill repetition• Emotional maturity• Real communication So here’s the question: Are you chasing a Watercooler Moment…(my next one coming up in a few days-) Or building a Senior-Year Athlete? 👇 Drop your thoughts below.

I just released a new YouTube video that walks through the real differences between athletic scholarships and Preferred Walk-On (PWO) opportunities in today’s college sports environment. I would ask you to go to YOUTube and look up The Athletic Scholarship Truth- and yes PLEASE hit the SUBSCRIBE button- Takes like 5 seconds and its FREE! This isn’t about labeling one path as “good” or “bad.”It’s about understanding how rosters, money, and timelines actually work — especially with the Transfer Portal and NIL in play and now in the age of the House v NCAA Settlement and what it means for student athletes going FORWARD. There are outstanding athletes who begin their college careers as PWOs and go on to earn scholarships later and I trained several who are now playing in the NFL. Others choose different paths that are a better fit for their family. The goal of this video is simple:clarity before commitment. If you’re navigating these decisions now (or soon), I think you’ll find this helpful. As always, my job is to make sure families understand the full picture — so there are fewer surprises/bumps down the road.