Optimizing Your Summer Recruiting Opportunities
Posted by SportsForce in Recruiting, Tournaments
As we have mentioned many times, the summer recruiting period is one of the most key times for a young student-athlete. With the summer half way over, many families have already been to at least one recruiting tournament, showcase, or camp this summer. These events can serve as a great way for you to greatly increase your recruiting exposure. They can serve as a great way to increase your contact with the college coaches on your target list and to maximize your college recruiting and scholarship opportunities. You need to make sure you are taking advantage of these opportunities!
Have you connected with college coaches both before and after your events?
Many of these events are set up to include many top colleges coaches from across the country. You should choose your events by figuring out where your target schools are attending and where you can play against the best competition and maximize your exposure.
Click here to set up a college prospect evaluation call to find out where you stand in the recruiting process.
Reaching Out Before an Event
The first thing you need to do is reach out to all of the coaches from the colleges on your college target list that will be attending your upcoming events. You will want to introduce yourself, let them know your interest in their program, and how and where they can see you at the upcoming event. (See a full example down below)
Here is what you want to make sure you include in your email to coaches:
– Full Name
– School
– Club Team Name
– Club Coach Contact Info
– Position(s)
– Grad Year
– Jersey #
– GPA
– Tournament Schedule (Fields/Courts, Times, etc.)
Example Email to Coaches before a Recruiting Event
Email Subject recommendation:
Your Name – 2018 – Example Position(s) – Example HS, 6’0” 180lbs – ATT. – Example Event Name (Example Team)
Email Body recommendation:
Dear Coach Smith,
My name is Your Name from Example HS in Example City, Example State and I will be attending the Example Event this weekend playing for the Example Team.
I am a/an Your Position graduating in 2018. I’m 6’0” 180lbs and I’m an athletic playmaker with great instincts and I play aggressive defense.
(Add in any great stats or athletic awards here that will help distinguish you from other athletes).
(Hyperlink your video here if you have one)
I will be attending the Example Event this weekend and would like you to make the time to see me play and evaluate my skills and playing style.
Team: Example Team
Coach: Example Coach – 555.555.5555, examplecoach@gmail.com
Position(s): Example Position(s)
Grad Year: 2018
Jersey #: 24
GPA: 3.87
Game Schedule:
Friday, July 31st
12:00 PM – Example Team vs. Fake City Tigers on Field 10
Saturday, August 1st
10 AM – Example Team vs. Fake Town Jaguars on Field 4
Sunday, August 2nd
1:00 PM – Example Team vs. Fake Village Lions on Field 3
I am very excited to be heading out to the Example Event and hope you be able to make it out to see me play!
Thanks,
Example Name
Cell: 555-555-5555
Home: 555-555-5555
Email: examplename@gmail.com
Following Up After an Event
Many of these events are designed to give many coaches a great chance to see many potential recruits playing against top competition. Do you feel that you have had a good amount of coaches at your games? Did you contact your target schools ahead of your events and did their coaches come out to watch you play?
If yes, the most important thing to do now is to follow up with them and thank them for taking the time to come out and watch you play. The biggest challenge in the recruiting process is establishing a solid relationship with your target school’s coaches.
With the remaining summer events, it is important that you stay relevant in these coaches’ eyes… Get a highlight video made, follow up with them and make sure that you stay on their radar.
We know this may seem like a lot to take on, and that’s where our college recruiting advisors can really help you out. They have been through the same process as players, coaches, or as both! Click here to set up a college prospect evaluation call to find out how you are doing with your summer game plan and where you stand in the college recruiting process and timeline.
Please use the comment section below to tell share your summer recruiting event experiences so far!
