After coaching in the Ivy League for 7 years, and competing as an Ivy League Track & Field athlete it was disheartening to see the advantage that was afforded to people who could pay thousands of dollars for SAT tutoring, private schools, and personalized recruiting services. While I can’t help with your SAT score, I can share everything I learned about the admissions process for athletes. We are giving this information away for free, but if you would like to support the project you can donate here. Either way, I hope this info helps you find your way onto an Ivy League Track & Field team, we hope to see you at our clinic!

Finding the right college for track and field or cross country involves more than just academics and location. It's crucial to assess your athletic fit and determine if you can realistically compete at the desired level. We will guide you through using TFRRS (Track & Field Results Reporting System), a powerful online database, to evaluate your potential at different colleges and conferences, ultimately helping you navigate the recruiting process effectively.

What is TFRRS?

TFRRS (pronounced "T-F-R-R-S" but commonly called "T-Furs") is a comprehensive online database containing results from track and field and cross country meets across the United States, primarily at the collegiate level. It's an invaluable resource for athletes, coaches, and recruiters. Surprisingly, many student-athletes are unaware of its existence, missing out on a crucial tool for their recruiting journey.

Why is TFRRS Important for Recruiting?

TFRRS allows you to:

• Assess your potential: By comparing your personal bests to the performances of current college athletes, you can gauge where you stand within a specific team, conference, or division.

• Identify suitable colleges: TFRRS helps you narrow down your college list by identifying schools where your times or distances align with their current roster.

• Understand conference competition: By analyzing conference performance lists, you can see the level of competition you'll face and determine if you can contribute to a team's success.

• Demonstrate your knowledge to coaches: Using TFRRS to research teams and conferences shows coaches you're serious about the recruiting process and understand the competitive landscape.

How to Use TFRRS Effectively:

1. Navigating the TFRRS Website: Visit TFRRS.org. The site is user-friendly and allows you to search for teams, athletes, meets, and performance lists.

2. Finding Team Results:

   • Go to the "Teams" tab.

   • Type in the name of the college you're interested in (e.g., "Dartmouth").

   • Select the appropriate team (men's or women's track and field or cross country).

   • Choose the desired season (indoor or outdoor) and year. The default is the current season, but you can easily navigate to past seasons for a more complete picture.

3. Analyzing Team Performances:

   • The team page displays top marks in each event for the selected season.

   • Clicking "All Performers" shows a complete list of athletes who competed in each event, along with their times or distances.

   • This allows you to see the range of performances within a team, from the fastest to the slowest.

4. Understanding the Importance of Context: Simply having a mark that falls within a team's range doesn't guarantee recruitment. Consider these factors:

   • Event Needs: A team might have limited representation in a specific event. Being the "best" on the team in that event doesn't necessarily make you a high-value recruit if the event isn't a priority for the coach.

   • Conference Competition: Compare team performances to conference performance lists to understand the level of competition at the conference level. This is crucial for determining if you can contribute to scoring at conference championships.

5. Using Performance Lists:

   • Navigate to "Outdoor Lists" or "Indoor Lists."

   • Select the appropriate NCAA division (Division I, II, or III).

   • Choose the conference you're interested in (e.g., "Ivy League").

   • This displays the top performances in each event within that conference for the selected season.

   • Comparing your personal bests to these lists gives you a clear understanding of where you stand within the conference.

6. Analyzing Meet Results:

   • Go to "Meet Results."

   • Search for specific meets, such as conference championships.

   • This allows you to see the final results of races and field events, including who scored points for their teams.

   • This provides valuable insight into what it takes to score at a conference championship.

7. Comparing Different Divisions and Conferences: TFRRS allows you to compare performance lists across different divisions (D1, D2, D3) and conferences. This is particularly useful for understanding the varying levels of competition. For example, the NESCAC (a Division III conference) is often compared to the Ivy League (Division I) due to similar academic standards. Using TFRRS, you can objectively compare the athletic performances in these conferences.

What Coaches Look For:

Coaches use TFRRS to evaluate potential recruits. They look for athletes who can:

• Contribute to scoring at conference championships: Ideally, your times or distances should place you within the top 6-8 in the conference.

• Improve the team's overall performance: Even if you're not immediately scoring points, demonstrating potential for growth is valuable.

• Fit within the team's dynamic: Coaches consider not only athletic ability but also character and work ethic.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Only looking at team rosters: Don't assume that you'll be a high-value recruit simply because a team lacks depth in your event. Consider conference performance lists to understand the true level of competition.

• Sending uninformed emails to coaches: Avoid emailing coaches with statements like, "I saw you didn't have any javelin throwers at this meet, so I could have scored points." This shows a lack of research and understanding of the recruiting process.

• Not doing your due diligence: Thorough research is essential. Understand the team's needs, the conference competition, and the coach's recruiting priorities before contacting them.

TFRRS is an indispensable tool for navigating the college track and field and cross country recruiting process. By understanding how to use it effectively, you can assess your potential, identify suitable colleges, understand conference competition, and demonstrate your knowledge to coaches. Doing so will significantly improve your chances of finding the perfect athletic and academic fit. Remember, thorough research and informed communication are key to a successful recruiting journey.