Young athletes all over the world dream of playing their sport at the college level. Unfortunately, most young athletes do not always have access to the tools needed to create exposure for their skills to college programs.
If you are considering the next step in your athletic career, determining the correct route for being recruited can be a daunting task. But, it is an important one that a serious athlete should start as early as possible.
For athletes, the recruiting process needs to look beyond the simplicity of their athletic goals and fit in with their vision for future careers as well as making sure the Universities life values fit their own. It’s a big decision for parents and players to find a program that checks all the boxes for their academic and athletic careers.
Being recruited by a college sports team can be a long and detailed process, but it is no reason to be intimidated. This detailed step-by-step timeline of the college recruiting process will offer young athletes and parents a clear list of what they need to do to make college athletics a reality.
Step 1: Research Your Top Universities And Make A Realistic List Of Options
Do your research. Dive deep into University websites to determine if their values, educational programs, and lifestyle align with your future academic and career goals. Then, create a list of 20-plus schools that are a realistic option for you. You should start this process in your freshman or sophomore year of college.
You might choose a program based on location, accolades of the degrees and programs offered, or specific coaches you’ve worked with in the past. Each school you consider could have a number of unique reasons why you think it is the best option for you and your career.
Important Tip: Be sure to only add schools that you have a likely chance of being accepted to based on your academic performance and the school's acceptance rate.
Whatever excites you about each school, though, remember that the choice is yours. And because of that, you are responsible for doing the leg work to determine which universities make your short list.
Step 2: Send Recruiting Videos and Letters of Interest
Once you’ve determined a list of schools you’re interested in you can send recruiting videos and letters of interest to the coaching staff. Introduce yourself, state your interest, and showcase your talents to catch the interest of the coaching staff.
Recruiting videos can include real game highlight videos, drills and practice videos, stats, etc. Think about what you want to showcase and make sure these are highlighted in the videos to best showcase the talents you have to offer in your sport and position.
It’s always good to showcase your academic success along with your athletic abilities. Coaches care about your athletic ability, but they also look for all-around quality of their players including coach-ability and academics. Be sure to showcase these in your recruiting videos!
