The college recruiting process is often misunderstood by many parents, student-athletes, coaches and fans. The fact is, the college recruiting process has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and understanding how to play the game is important.
Are you a sports parent or a high school student-athlete who is asking yourself “How do I maximize my recruiting exposure to college coaches?” If so, you are not alone. This is a very common issue across the country that we often help student-athletes and families proactively address at SportsForce.
In this article you will begin to learn the basics of maximizing your college recruiting exposure and some key facts to understand about the recruiting process.
At the end of this article you will have an opportunity to sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide and get access to recruiting tips, advices and insight to learn more keys to college recruiting success. Click Here for the full recruiting guide.
First, a few key facts to keep in mind before we talk about maximizing exposure:
– College coaches are recruiting earlier and earlier (often evaluating freshmen & sophomores)
– Colleges often don’t have the budget to recruit many players in person and are relying more and more on video to help make better recruiting decisions
– 80% of college sports opportunities exist outside of DI level teams
– Over $1 Billion dollars in athletic scholarship money is awarded to student-athletes each year
– A recruited student-athlete has a significantly better chance of getting accepted to a college over a non student-athlete with similar grades
– College coaches are using all sorts of technology including: email, smart phones (Blackberrys, Iphones, etc.), online recruiting databases, social media (YouTube, Facebook) and more to find and evaluate players.
If your son or daughter is seriously looking to play college sports, your goal as a parent should be to support them and provide them an opportunity to best position themselves to reach their goal and find the right college fit.
You might be asking yourself what is the RIGHT FIT?
The right college fit means understanding what type of college experience your child is looking for and what’s best for the family. When creating a list of potential colleges focus on the most critical decision factors and criteria including: academics, athletics, location, cost, level of competition, coaching staff, social environment, potential playing time and scholarship opportunity.
Now that we have some more information on the table lets discuss “How to Maximize College Exposure.”
Step 1: Determine what College Programs are right for the Student-Athlete
– Conduct a realistic student-athlete assessment (stats, skills and grades)
– Ask for a coach’s evaluation (HS & Club team)
– Research & create a target list of schools based on critical decision factors and college criteria (10 – 30+ colleges)
Step 2: Express Interest / Build Support
– Meet with high school / club team coach regarding your college goals and commitment and make sure everyone is on the same page
– Network with other trainers, coaches and parents to seek potential qualified college coach introductions
Step 3: Introduce and Market Yourself
– Start early (Ideally Freshman and Sophomore years)
– Introduce yourself to college coaches and express your interest (use email, phone or an in person meeting to make an introduction)
– Remember you can call a college coach even though they might not be able to call you based on NCAA regulations
– Provide complete resume / profile and highlight video for a college coaches evaluation
Some example SportsForce profiles below:
- Girls Soccer: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/kdick
- Boys Soccer: http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/scallahan
– Follow up is KEY (email, phone and unofficial trips)
We will include more in Part II on “How to Maximize Your College Recruiting Exposure” Click Here to read Part II now.
To get more advanced recruiting tips, strategies and advice visit our website and sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide and updates below.
FREE sign up for SportsForce College Recruiting Guide:
http://www.sportsforceonline.com/resources/resources_recruiting_recruiting_guide.html
Article courtesy of SportsForce, Home for professional College Sports Recruiting Profiles, Highlight Videos, Tips and Tools – www.sportsforceonline.com
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