For students who are just entering high school, the time to start preparing for college is right now. Coaching staffs at colleges and universities start their search for talent at the freshman and sophomore levels. By the time a student reaches their senior year, they will most likely have been evaluated many times and their chances at getting an athletic scholarship is set.

Unfortunately, many parents are not aware of the process that college and university coaching staffs use to find the right talent for their programs. This means that for many students who have the right potential, they are not finding the places where they have the best chances of landing an athletic scholarship.

What Parents Do Not Know

Because there are relatively few athletes who excel so well they seemed destined for scholarships, many parents believe the same is true for all those who show talent in their field. Unfortunately, that is not the case as so many are simply not seen because they are not in the right place.

Talent: Every parent sees the best in their child in every endeavor. Unfortunately, many of them do not compare what they see to the competition that is out there for athletic scholarships. So many parents push for Division I schools that they overlook the opportunities at lower level programs where landing a scholarship is easier. This means that loads of kids are missing out on valuable opportunities because they are aiming at the wrong places.

Starting at the Right Time: College and university coaches start their search for talent when students enter high school. Basically, to maximize the chances for success, students must not only excel in their sport, but also participate in tournaments, camps, and sessions where coaches are present. For those who wait until their senior year, it’s usually too late, which means that they have missed out on the opportunities available to excel when they were freshmen and sophomores.

Marketing: It takes more than just playing well on the field or court, your child must be seen by the right people for them to stand a chance at landing a scholarship. Today, thanks to the internet, social media, and the many connections they provide, marketing your child’s abilities is easier than ever, but still, most get lost because they are never seen by those who make the decisions.

Why Choose SportsForce?

At Sports Force, we have proven ourselves to be one of the best college athletic recruiting websites by helping over 1,000 kids get scholarships. Our professionals have many years of experience in evaluating, promoting, marketing, and building networks so that students stand the best chance of landing an athletic scholarship. This is why SportsForce has become one of the premiere recruiting sites that helps high school athletes realize their dream of playing at the college level.

If you have a son or daughter entering high school with a talent for a specific sport, we can help them in their quest to play at a higher level. Let us help you make the most of your child’s chances of getting an athletic scholarship by applying for a free evaluation here.

The two most important measures of whether your child can earn an athletic scholarship are having superb talent and superior grades. However, as important as those two measures are, they are often not enough for many students to get a scholarship because they have not been seen by the right coaching staff. This is where sports recruiting websites can help your child get seen by the proper people to maximize their chances of success.

Assessment

The first step when joining a sports recruiting website is the assessment of your child’s talent. This will help determine at which level they are best suited to excel. There are many opportunities at Division II and even Division III level to play along with the NAIA. By understanding their potential, a recruiting website can aim their efforts at the right schools.

Profile

Once the target has been set, the next step is being seen by the right coaching staff. Filling out the profile on the right sports recruiting websites is a good start, but more will have to be done to ensure maximum exposure. This includes:

• Advice from high school coaching staff
• Participating in off-season tournaments, combines, and camps
• Creating a short, powerful highlight video
• Contacting the right schools
• Registering at NCAA Eligibility Center

All these steps will help in getting your child noticed by the right people. Keep in mind that there are many factors which help coaching staffs decide on which athletes are right for their program. This means that some may show interest, but they may have other players in mind. In this regard, the right recruiting websites will keep expectations realistic. This can be crucial as many parents have given up once some colleges passed up their children while overlooking other institutions that still had a strong interest.

This is where the knowledge and experience of a professional sports recruiting site can be most helpful. They will take every opportunity to help you stay in touch with the colleges or universities that have shown interest so that you never get discouraged.

Keep in mind that being strong academically has a powerful influence on coaching staffs that are looking for the right talent for their teams. This opens the door to academic scholarships and other financial support that can really help, especially at Division III level where financial opportunities can help pay a significant portion of the tuition. Plus, the better they do academically, the more likely they are to succeed in school which is what college and university coaches want.

Why SportsForce is Your Best Choice

At Sports Force, we have the knowledge, experience, and connections to provide your child with the best chance of landing an athletic scholarship. SportsForce takes the complete approach in helping your child improve their skills and get seen by the right people. If your child has demonstrated their skills on the field or court, you should take every step to see if they can earn an athletic scholarship by working with a reputable sports recruiting website like SportsForce. For a free evaluation just click HERE.

With many thousands of talented teens playing basketball in junior high, middle school, and high school around the country, the chances of landing an athletic scholarship at a Division 1 school may seem far-fetched. However, there is a process that improves the chances of getting a Division 1 basketball scholarship so that your son or daughter can attend the college or university that best suits their needs.

Tips for Improving Scholarship Chances

Do the Basics: This means keeping up with schoolwork, staying in shape, and beginning the process of contacting Division 1 schools for information about how to get athletic scholarships. You will need to start this process as soon as possible, preferably before your child enters high school. The longer you wait, the less their chances will be of nabbing an athletic scholarship. By the time they become seniors, college and university recruiters will have already made their decisions.

Improve Skills: Every day that is spent improving the skills of the child is another day they increase their chances of landing an important scholarship. Raw talent is simply not enough in today’s competitive world, so a little time each day dedicated to improving different aspects of their game will be of immense help.

This means staying in shape, learning new aspects of the game, and improving skills every day. The practices can be short so your child does not lose interest, but they do need to be focused so they are learning more about the game.

Summer Basketball: Perhaps the biggest change in recruiting over the past two decades is the rise of summer basketball camps. This allows the best from around the country to gather together and learn new techniques, play in tournaments, and most importantly get seen by college recruiters. This allows teens to stand out from the rest while learning new skills. By attending camps starting before their high school years, your teen stands the best chance of being noticed.

By being proactive, you can help your child get noticed by recruiters so they can maximize their chances of landing a scholarship. This means going to a professional organization like SportsForce that offers the best assistance for your teen.

How SportsForce Can Help

If you want to know more about how to get a Division 1 basketball scholarship, SportsForce a provides free evaluation for young, talented athletes, which will maximize their chances at landing a scholarship. Too many young athletes miss out on scholarship opportunities because they do not know their full potential, have not prepared in the right manner, or have the contacts necessary to reach those in each institution that improve the chances of landing a scholarship.

If your son or daughter has demonstrated real talent in basketball, then you will need to act quickly so they maximize their chances of landing a scholarship at a prestigious Division 1 school. Sign up for a free evaluation today and see how your teen can improve their chances of going to the university of their choice.

Unfortunately, the college recruiting process is not a predictable one as many coaches use their own criteria to fill the needs of their team. So, while you may try your best to get your name and abilities out there for the coaches to see, the final decision will rest with them on who they choose to provide scholarships.

For parents and their children looking for the right college or university, it pays to look at the big picture, then narrow down the options over time. Too many will start with a shortsighted perspective and try to expand from there, which normally works against getting a scholarship when the original choices are gone. Putting all your eggs in one basket works against your interests primarily because of the unpredictability of recruiting.

The Unpredictability of Recruiting

Recruiting for colleges is a fluid, ever-changing process that often changes the perspective of how a high school athlete is viewed over the course of two to three years. In addition, coaching changes at universities are frequent as well. This means that an athlete who was highly prized may be forgotten as the new coach takes over.

Another issue is the opinions of those who may be a part of the recruiting process who may advise you and your child that the chances of getting a scholarship are not worth much until the offer is presented. You should never put much faith in what anyone tells you until the scholarship has been offered. Plus, focusing on what one coach says may cause you to miss out on other opportunities that may work out better in the long run.

The unpredictability increases with the lack of knowledge parents and their children have about the colleges and universities themselves. All schools that are worth serious consideration should be thoroughly researched so that their recruiting strategies are understood. For example, a coach will recruit athletes that best fit the system they have created. If your talents are not normally part of that system, then your chances are diminished in terms of getting a scholarship.

How SportsForce Helps You

You can avoid putting all your eggs in one basket by getting SportsForce on your side. We provide the resources you need to help your child get recruited by colleges and universities around the country. In a nutshell we maximize the chances of your son or daughter getting a college scholarship that pays for their higher education.

We help you see the big picture with all the possibilities to consider then narrow down in the right manner. The knowledge, experience, and talents that SportsForce brings to the table means that your child stands the best chance of getting selected by the appropriate college or university.

SportsForce offers a complete line of services designed to get the attention of college coaches so that your child will have their name, abilities, and potential placed front and center for consideration. While there are no guarantees in getting your child a sports scholarship, having SportsForce on your side increases the chances far above the normal recruiting channels that are available. Get a free evaluation from an expert HERE.

Basketball is one of the most competitive of all sports when it comes to being recruited by colleges or universities. There are over a million men and women playing high school basketball and many thousands overseas. However, only 50,000 will receive athletic scholarships, which means that you start at a numerical disadvantage.

Today, there are many great student athletes in basketball who fail to get noticed or receive scholarship opportunities from schools that they never considered. This is why so many fall by the wayside and by their senior year it is basically too late. Understanding how to get recruited in basketball starts by assessing your talents so you know where you stand.

Basic Requirements

To provide yourself with the best chance to get noticed by college coaches and recruiters, it all starts early when your talent is beginning to emerge. In fact, the recruiting process often begins in 9^th grade as talented athletes are spotted and watched through their high school career. So, it’s best to start planning even before high school to get properly noticed.

Evaluation: Where you stand in terms of talent offers an excellent starting point for the student and parents to properly prepare. One of the most important considerations is height which may seem arbitrary, but it is one tool that many recruiters will use in determining potential on the court. Being the average or above average height for a specific position helps considerably in getting noticed.

Each division in the NCAA and NAIA will have their own standards for recruiting, but being the right height does play a strong role.

Highlight Video: A short, effective highlight video that demonstrates the jumping, shooting, passing, dribbling, and other essential talents is crucial in getting noticed by college coaches. The video is really designed to wet their appetite to see more of the athlete in play.

Improve Academic Performance: The higher the grades, the better the chances of getting recruited due to qualifications for scholarships outside of athletics. All colleges are looking for students with excellent grade point averages, so boosting academic performance helps considerably.

The overall goal is to have college recruiters taking notice by the beginning of the junior year. This is when most of the recruiting occurs, so it is important to get an early start.

How SportsForce Helps You

You can greatly improve your status in how to get recruited in basketball by having SportsForce provide the right support. From assessing your strengths, going over the requirements, and creating a plan for success, you will maximize your chances at being recruited by colleges when SportsForce is by your side.

SportsForce offers a complete system that will help you get noticed by colleges and universities. SportsForce will also show you other ways that will help increase your chances of being recruited, from assisting with video highlights to emphasizing academics, SportsForce offers complete support so you’ll get noticed by recruiters from around the country. Sign up for a free evaluation today by clicking on the “Blue” button in the upper righthand corner of the website.

Congratulations to SportsForce client Saben Lee. Saben is a 2017 Point Guard from Phoenix, AZ. We began introducing Saben to college basketball coaches in his sophomore year of high school. Within about the first year of our working together, Saben received more than 20 Division I offers, including Stanford, Nebraska, Louisville, Utah, Pepperdine, Boise State and many others. His final commitment was made to Coach Bryce Drew at Vanderbilt University of the SEC.

Regardless of your sport, the 5 Critical Elements to Securing Multiple Offers include:

1. Good Communication: top college recruits understand how to effectively communicate with college coaches by asking strategic questions that uncover a coaches’ true interest in them, while also being uniquely prepared for those questions college coaches will ask of them.
2. Appropriate Target-Lists: top college recruits focus on proper target-list schools and sports programs that match their athletic and academic skill-set, instead of wasting valuable time and energy on collegiate opportunities that most likely will never be realized.
3. Take Control: top college recruits avoid the trap of relying solely on external factors to generate offers, such as assistance from high school or club team coaches, and only attending viewing tournaments, or camps in order to be “seen” or evaluated by college coaches.
4. Stay Disciplined: top college recruits prepare for, and are diligent in the use of appropriate follow-up strategies with college coaches, even when some opportunities appear to be going nowhere. They spend time researching best-fit schools and make it easy for coaches to communicate with them.
5. Game Plan Execution: top college recruits learn the importance of creating and then executing a well-thought out plan to beat the competition, and the competition is fierce in order to achieve your college recruiting goals. They know the absence of a well-developed plan creates uncertainty, misdirection and lost recruiting opportunities.

We would like to congratulate Cameron Parmigiani on his commitment to University of St. Francis! Here are Cameron’s recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Fighting Saint!

1. Share your recruiting story and status

I started working with SportsForce during the summer between my Junior and Senior years of high school. After their evaluation, I was told that I would likely play NAIA or NCAA D3 college basketball. My first introduction to college coaches was on the very first day of my Senior Year of high school. I had about 40 responses from college coaches. I began narrowing down these schools, with SportsForce’s help, of course. They guided me through the process, gave me advice on how to properly communicate with the college coaches who were interested in me. They were there every step of the way. I ultimately narrowed my list down to about 7 schools. It was then when I began making official visits to schools, doing overnights at the campuses with the basketball teams, and having lengthy calls with the coaches to discuss the possibilities for my future as a student-athlete. On March 26, 2016, I signed with the University of St. Francis men’s basketball team, committing to them, reserving my spot on the team, and accepting the athletic scholarship money they offered me. Being a dedicated student, I also received a significant academic scholarship as well…

2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?

Next year, I will be attending the University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Illinois. I chose them for their location, school size, feel of the school, athletic prowess, and relation to the coaching staff.

3. How did SportsForce help in the process?

SportsForce helped guide me through the minefield of the college athletic recruiting process by telling me how to handle business, and how to approach the coaches with questions or concerns I may have had.

4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?

I would definitely recommend that perspective college student athletes get a head start, earlier than I did, in order to get the roster spot they may deserve before it fills up. The highlight video was a notably big part of my recruitment, so I absolutely would recommend that as well. One piece of advice for them, though, would be to choose a school where you could also see yourself attending without playing your sport. Say you get severely injured after your first year, you don’t want to be stuck there; unhappy, and have to transfer and begin the search again. Just something to think about.

5. How excited are you for your future in college?

I am STOKED for my college basketball career, and I know that I have chosen the right school for me!

6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited?

Because of the help from SportsForce, we will be saving over 50% of our college costs through my athletic and academic scholarships.

7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?

Yes. I would recommend it. I had no idea where I wanted to go to college at the start of my senior year of high school, which was very stressing and intimidating. SportsForce helped me find schools that wanted me, and I went from there! 🙂

Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

We want to congratulate Blake McNamara on signing with Wheelock College. Here is Blake’s recruiting story and interview from after he committed. We wish Blake the best as a Wheelock Wildcat!

1. Share your recruiting story and status (what was the process like?)

On April 29, I committed to Wheelock College. I phoned the coach and infomed him of my decision. The process was exciting. I really enjoyed conversing with College coaches and recruiter (asst. Coaches). I went on several visits to different schools to get a feel for the campus, the coaches, etc. each time my family and I were invited to watch the team play. That piece gave me a real good idea of what type of players the coaches recruit as well as the coaching styles.

2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?

I choose Wheelock because their collegiate Basketball program is top notch. What I mean by that is the Coach LeVangie is great, he truly invests himself in each player and took a great deal of time to meet with myself and my family. Coach LeVangie meets with players once per week to check in on their academic load and how it’s going, he looks out for his team and it is a comforting to know he has your back. The campus is nice and right in the heart of Boston, it is in the “Fenway Five” district (5 area colleges in the consortium).

3. How did SportsForce help in the process?

SportsForce was instrumental in getting my video and portfolio out to college coaches. They assisted me every step of the way, with making the video, providing guidelines for my initial and consequent contact with college coaches, offered advice for my college visits and meetings with coaches. SportsForce was great!

4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?

Get your emails out early to college coaches, contact as many coaches as possible. Some colleges that I added to my list later in the year meant that the deadline to apply to the school had passed. Send emails early and leave enough time to visit the school and apply. Many deadlines for applications are the beginning of Jan or Feb.

5. How excited are you on your future in college?

I am very excited to take my basketball career to the next step and play at the collegiate level. This is something that every boy dreams of and now my dream has come true, with a lot of hard work and help from SportsForce!!!

6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses?

I am not exactly sure how much money I saved as a result of basketball but my parents estimate it to be around $35,000 – $40,000 (over the 4 years). The money at Division III does not come directly from athletic funds or scholarships but is rolled into the financial aid package.

7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?

I would recommend SportsForce to any high school athlete who has the desire to play ball at the collegiate level. They are helpful in a variety of ways and the money you put into the program comes back around, for just under $500 my family is saving an upward of $35,000 and to play ball at the collegiate level……PRICELESS!!!

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

Rachel Martin

1. Why did you decide to sign with Oregon Institute of Technology?

I chose this school because of the strong academic programs provided and the incredibly high job placement rate. I loved being on campus, I enjoy the coach, and it felt right to be there.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I am very excited about the opportunity to be a college student-athlete. It’s something that many people do not experience, and I am thankful that I am one that does.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

I would just let them know that if you have an offer early from a school you love, it’s okay to sign early.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

My dad has been my biggest influence because he he has spent hours practicing with me and pushes me to be the best I can be.

5. What would you like to accomplish during your college sports career?

I want to improve over the next four years.

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with Aquinas college?

Well I was originally signed to Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, but ended up wanting to be closer to home and my fiancé. I made a very last minute choice to go to Aquinas because of their location, their environment, and of course their basketball program.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I am very excited, but have known this was going to happen for years. When I was 14, right before 10th grade, I decided that I wanted to take my game to the next level and have been working on it more and more since then. I am most excited about having unlimited access to a gym and weight room, I really believe I have loads of potential.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

Try your hardest in school, because having good grades will open up more doors for you to play at the next level. Also, just make smart life decisions. No coach wants someone who posts profanity on social networks or talks about drinking, partying, etc. Don’t be afraid to email a coach and tell them about yourself either, maybe they will see something in you.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

My 2 year high school coach Kevin White. He had 15 years of college coaching experience and definitely prepared me for the next level. He ran practice just like a college team and was the first coach I had who had us watch weekly film. I went to a workout at Marygrove a few weeks ago and since I had previously done every workout already with Coach White, I was very prepared. He also knew many college coaches at the level I was being recruited at, so he let them know about me personally.

5. What would you like to accomplish during your college sports career?

I want to win championships with my team. I want to increase my strength and athleticism. I hopefully will prepare myself to play in Europe for a few years, since I was born in Sweden. I would also like to graduate with good grades and maybe go to grad school later.

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

Learn How We Help Families