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Motivational Speaker Plans Visit To RHS
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Former award-winning high school and college coach, and athletic director, Jack Renkens, of Recruiting Realities, will discuss the college recruiting process, including financial aid, at Riverbank High School for student/athletes and families on Monday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Ray Fauria Gym.

Renkens, who has been a keynote speaker for 20 years at high schools and athletic directors and coach’s conferences across the country, will host a free presentation, which is open to the public.

“This is a no-nonsense presentation that serves as a reality check for student/athletes and their families seeking a college degree, while playing sports at the college level,” said Renkens. “I’m going to tell Riverbank what they need to hear. It’s a game – know the rules.”

Renkens explained that it is not about scholarships but about funding regarding his talk, focusing on merit money, grants, endowments and academic achievements.

Renkens has been a keynote speaker at High School Athletic Directors Conferences in 36 other states across America. He has written 16 books on the recruiting process.

“It’s about finding the right match academically, while realizing the opportunities to play college sports,” stated Renkens. “Families need to be realistic about the opportunities that are available, and, there are many opportunities out there, whether in NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA and NJCAA.”

Renkens added, “Less than one percent of student/athletes are going to be fully funded at a Division I school. But, 99 percent of the student/athletes can play at the collegiate level in other divisions. The key is finding the right school and financial aid package.”

Renkens will talk about the critical fact that student/athletes don’t pick the school, but rather, the school picks them.  He delves into the ways to continue their passion to play sports at the collegiate level – how to get noticed. Renkens has been a college and junior college coach, having recruited athletes for 30 years. He was an All-League basketball player at the University of Wisconsin River-Falls and went on to earn his Master’s Degree at the United States Sports Academy (Mobile, Ala.).