How long have you been doing this and how do you get to be an athletic scholarship expert?
To answer that question I need to tell you my compelling story that has gotten me to this point in my life. By most standards, I started playing golf late at age 15. After a successful 11-year commitment to gymnastics, my dad introduced me to golf. At 15, I had a lot of catching up to do if I had aspirations to play Division I college golf. I grew up in Southern California and played on a men’s high school team, where I was not only the only girl on the team, but also one of only two girls in the conference. I even had to play from the men’s tees! It was a great lesson in mental toughness, especially when my golf coach, who was also the head football coach, said to my teammates, “You don’t want a girl to beat you.” That motivated me even more to work harder to beat those boys! One of my biggest accomplishments was dropping my scoring average 8 shots in three months playing in 25 junior golf tournaments the summer before my senior year in high school.
Even though I walked on at the University of Oregon (1990-1995), I still went through the exciting, rigorous and stressful time of figuring out the “best fit” college for me. With that, I am proud to say that I earned a full scholarship by my junior year. During my collegiate career, I participated in 3 USGA events, and was runner up in the 1994 Trans-National Women’s Championship. I continued to be recognized for my efforts by being named to the “Team of the Decade” at Oregon (1996), member of the All Western Regional Team (1995), All Pac-10 Team (HM), Team Captain, Scholar Athlete, Most Improved Player twice and Most Valuable Player my senior year.
I was the Assistant Coach (1999-2000) and Head Women’s Golf Coach (2000-2008) at the University of Oregon. My tenure included 5 trips to post season and a perfect Academic Success Rate (APR) and Graduate Success Rate (GSR) since the inception of the system. I coached 12 Academic All-Americans, 13 Academic All-Conference selections, and 10 All Pac-10 selections. I also led the Ducks to 5 tournament wins. During this time, I also felt that it was important for me to continue to compete. This has continued to help me relate to my players/clients. I competed in 2 USGA events (2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur and 2007 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur) and other Oregon Golf Association events, including winning the Tournament of Champions in 2007. I most recently competed in the 2010 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. With my strong commitment to academics, I completed my Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Athletic Administration in 2002. Prior to my coaching career, I was a teaching professional for 3 years in the San Francisco Bay area; played in the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open; and was a playing professional for one year on the Players West Tour.
All and all, when I was a student-athlete, I knew I wanted to become a college golf coach. When I became a college golf coach, I found myself educating families not only about my school, but also the recruiting process itself. I realized that families needed to be educated on this process to make the best decision for their child and themselves. I wanted to take a bigger role in that education. So here I am! Through Collegiate Search Partners…marketing yourself for an athletic scholarship, gives me the opportunity to mentor and counsel many more prospective student-athletes than coaching ever allowed. It is my honor and privilege to guide you through this process so you can save time, energy, money and increase your opportunities in earning an athletic scholarship of your own.
Who are your clients?
I work with prospective student-athletes and their families who are looking for ways to market their young athlete, learn how to shorten the transition period from high school to college, and earn an athletic scholarship. My clients are people who don’t want to spend hours upon hours researching the recruiting process figuring out where to start. They want a consultant who knows where and how to start the collegiate athletic scholarship search and how to get to the finish line with ease.
How are you different than other athletic scholarship experts/services?
First, I have personally experienced every step of the recruiting process myself including being a Division I College Golf Coach for almost 10 years! I have LIVED it! With that, I know firsthand what coaches are looking for in prospective student-athletes and what they can expect from their future coaches. I take great pride and pleasure in communicating that to my clients so they achieve a smoother transition in the college/athletic environment and have the ability to play to their potential quicker. Collegiate Search Partners is not a database service connecting players with coaches at a common site. CSP prides itself in the personal relationships we develop with our clients to find the “best fit” schools that meet their academic and athletic goals.
What type of personality do I work best with and what is expected of me?
I work best with the type of person that is a motivated, go-getter that is willing to do what it takes to accomplish their goals. As a client of Collegiate Search Partners, you are expected to complete tasks on time, be accountable for your actions, regular visits with your golf professional or coach, competing on a year round schedule, practicing habits of elite athletes (proper sleep, nutrition, mental game, strength training program), access to practice facilities/golf course/playing field, no drugs or alcohol, and willingness to be coached by Coach Rouillard.
For what type of person is this program NOT going to work for?
This program is NOT going to work for a prospective student-athlete that cannot meet the above expectations, is unsure of the time and energy they want to commit to this endeavor, and is lazy and unmotivated.
What exactly is The College Athletic Scholarship System (CASS) and what does it include?
CASS is a five-step system I created to take my clients from high school student-athlete to collegiate student-athlete with a scholarship in hand. It includes:
1. Student-Athlete Development
2. Competition
3. Recruiting Issues
4. Academic Eligibility
5. Transition Skills
How quickly can I expect results?
The recruiting process is just that, a process and it takes time to map out your unique path. Once we have outlined and targeted your “best fit” schools, shown you how to market yourself to these particular schools, it will be just a matter of developing relationships with coaches, visiting schools, and making a decision on where to attend school. This decision will generally take place sometime between your junior and senior year in high school.
How can I guarantee myself that I will obtain a scholarship?
There is never any guarantee or “quick fix.” However, CSP can dramatically increase your chances of obtaining an athletic scholarship by completing CASS and following Coach Rouillard’s advice.
Will I recover the investment I put into this program?
As a parent of your student-athlete, you will recover your investment in CSP with the scholarship your child will earn and the potential increase in their scholarship in years thereafter.
Shannon, based on what I have read and heard about you, I know I want to work with you. What are my options to get started with you?
I currently offer private consulting programs in 3-month, 6-month and year long time periods to meet your goals and expectations.
Ace Program is designed for the prospective student-athlete (either freshman or sophomore) and their family that have the majority, if not all of the recruiting process ahead of them. You want to be educated and counseled the entire way! This is a year-long program that includes unlimited emails and weekly phone calls.
Eagle Program is designed for the prospective student-athlete (either sophomore or early junior) and their family that have done some research already, but wants continued guidance through most of the recruiting process. You want to make sure you stay on track! This is a six-month program that includes weekly emails and phone calls.
Birdie Program is designed for the prospective student-athlete (either junior or early senior) and their family that have done most of their own research, has a very good idea of their intended direction and seeks counseling through the remainder of the recruiting process. This is a three-month program that includes weekly phone calls.
I know which program is right for me. How do I get started?
Fill out and submit the Golfer Questionnaire to schedule a “get acquainted” session and take action towards marketing yourself for an athletic scholarship.
If I’m not ready to get started yet, but want to receive tips and advice on the recruiting process, what can I do?
You can sign up for my free bi-weekly ezine newsletter. The “Path to College Golf” newsletter provides you need to know insight and tips on the recruiting process taken from the Collegiate Athletic Scholarship System. To subscribe, click here.
If I ‘m ready to take the next step, but I have some additional questions, what can I do?
I invite you to fill out and submit the Golfer Questionnaire and I will contact you to discuss your struggles, challenges, or problems free of charge. I am happy to help you determine what is best for you. I am honored to help you achieve your goals!
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