How To Get Recruited

starting the recruiting
Process

Steps to Take to Make Your Athlete Recruitable

Are you a parent of an athlete looking to make their mark in the college sports world? College coaches are always on the lookout for talented athletes to join their team, and many parents are looking for ways to make their child stand out. Here are some tips on how to get recruited by colleges for sports.

Do Your Research

Do your research on which schools offer scholarships that fit your athlete’s skill set and experience. It’s important to make sure that the school you’re considering is one that will support your athlete’s goals and help them develop into an even better player. It might also be helpful to look into what types of academic programs the school offers, as well as any additional resources that may be available on campus.

Create a Resume or Profile

Creating a resume or profile is key when trying to get recruited by colleges for sports. This should include basic information about your student-athlete such as name, age, academic information, and athletic accomplishments like awards received or personal records set in events. Include any highlights from games or tournaments they’ve participated in – this can give college coaches a better idea of what kind of player they would be getting if they choose your athlete. You can also add photos or videos of your student-athlete playing so coaches have a visual representation of their skillset. On our website your athlete has his/her own single page website so to speak. With photos, statistics, videos and a link they can send out to all of the coaches whom they contact right from inside your dashboard on our site.

Send Out Emails & Follow Up

Once you have completed research and created a resume or profile on our site, it’s time to start sending out emails and making contact with college coaches. Be sure to include all relevant information such as athletic accomplishments, contact details, and links back to their online profile or resume so coaches can easily find out more about them. All of this is easy to do on our website in your athletes profile page. They will have all of their contact information there and you will also be able to see how many coaches opened your emails and other statistics. Also make sure you follow up with any emails sent out – this shows coaches that you are actively interested in having them consider your student-athlete for recruitment.

Conclusion:

Getting recruited by colleges for sports is no easy feat and requires a lot of hard work and dedication from both the parent and athlete involved. However, following these steps can help increase the chances of success when it comes time for college recruiters to make decisions about who makes it onto their team! With proper research, creating an impressive resume/profile, and actively reaching out to college coaches, there is no telling how far your student-athlete could go! Using our expertise staff, knowledge base and individual athlete profile page makes things a whole lot easier on you, the parent and your athlete.

  • NCAA Division I—This is the highest level of college athletics and, thus, the most competitive. D1 schools typically have large budgets, expensive facilities, and the student-athletes are expected to train and travel extensively.
  • NCAA Division II—While still a competitive division, D2 athletes are provided more balance in their lives, as training and competition aren’t as intense. Scholarships are also offered at this level.
  • NCAA Division III—No athletic scholarships are offered for D3 student-athletes, but there are many other forms of financial aid. The competition levels are still very high, but practice seasons are shorter, and there’s more of an academic focus.
  • NAIA—A much smaller community than the NCAA—with a little over 250 schools—the NAIA is a great option for student-athletes who love their sport but are looking for a smaller or private college, or a specific major.
  • NJCAA—Junior college (JUCO) is a good option for the student-athlete looking to get a sense of what college athletics are like at a two-year institution before transferring to a four-year college. Many student-athletes compete at the JUCO level because they are working on their NCAA eligibility or are trying to save money before transferring to a four-year college.

Getting noticed by college coaches requires student-athletes to take initiative. This starts with an introductory email that allows coaches to get to know an athlete, their academic and athletic achievements and why they are interested in the program. Check out the video below as NCSA’s Danny Koenig, a former D1 and D3 college coach, and head basketball coach B.J. Dunne of Gettysburg College discuss getting on a coach’s radar and the importance of body language, coachability, positive leadership and good energy on the court.

Learn more about sending highlight videos to coaches, including:

  • When and why you should send your recruiting video to coaches
  • Who to send your highlight or skills video to
  • How many times you should follow up with coaches after sending your highlights
  • Tips for sharing your highlight or skills video on social media

Level set based on your interest, talent and expectations

Getting an objective view of how you stack up against other student-athletes is an invaluable component of the recruiting process—and often one of the toughest parts of the process as families learn more about how to get recruited. There’s no point in striving for a DI scholarship if you don’t have the size or skills to compete at that demanding level. There are a couple ways to figure out how you rank: researching college rosters and being evaluated by a third party like NCSA. Most importantly, you should be honest with yourself about your desire to compete at the college level. It’s nothing like high school; everything is more intense, from training to the competition itself.

Understand academic eligibility requirements

Academic eligibility is one of the most important aspects of the recruiting process and can be overlooked by families who aren’t sure how to get recruited. There are different eligibility requirements for NCAA, NAIA and JUCO schools—and each school will also have its own entrance requirements—so it’s crucial to actively work to maintain your grades. A great GPA and/or standardized test score can be the difference-maker between you and another recruit.

Think about it: A college coach wants to fill their roster with athletes who will work hard. If you can prove you have the academic chops, they have less to worry about. Being academically sound will also open more doors for you scholarship-wise.

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