Making the Most Out of Going to a Summer Sports Camp
May 25th, 2008 - by
by Chris Krause, NCSA Founder and President
As we head into the Summer months, there’s a question that parents and student-athletes keep calling-in to ask us here at the National Collegiate Scouting Association: “What college Summer camp should I go to?”
I know why they’re asking that question. They are hoping that there’s some top secret gathering place of athletes in their sport that college coaches flock to so that they can see (and sign) next year’s top prospects. Not surprisingly, they are disappointed when we tell them that there is no such thing as the “right” Summer camp.
There are literally thousands of Summer camps, run by college coaches, covering every sport in every part of the country. 
They are great opportunities to further your chances of getting recruited and playing college sports.
I believe that parents think Summer camp is where all the recruiting happens for the next year. And while it’s true that some athletes are “discovered” at a Summer camp and get seriously recruited to the college where they attended the camp, most are not.
Why? Here are a few simple reasons that I want you to understand:
- College coaches run Summer sports camps primarily for their own financial gain. That sounds unethical to some, but it’s not. Sports camps are essential for coaches and their programs. They provide much needed funding that adds to a coach’s earnings, or provides funds for equipment, travel and uniforms for the next year. Contrary to popular opinion, most college coaches are not mega-rich celebrities. Most, in fact, are underpaid and overworked. Summer sports camps allow them to make-up some of the difference.
- College coaches want to see athletes that they are already recruiting. In other words, they will invite prospects that they have received information on to their Summer camps as a way to get an up-close-and-personal look at their talents and abilities. As I said earlier, some talented athletes will get “discovered” by a college coach at one of their camps, but they are more interested and focused upon seeing a prospect who they are recruiting.
If you go in to a Summer sports camp with a realistic understanding of what a college Summer sports camp is really all about, you can prepare yourself to make the most of your chance to impress a coach once you arrive for their camp. Knowing what you know now, here’s what I would recommend you do to make the most of your chance to attend a college’s Summer sports camp when it comes to giving you the edge in getting recruited:
- Make sure coaches know about you in advance. Don’t plan on getting “discovered” there. They need to get
information on you in advance so that they know who, and what, to look for once you arrive. - Call or e-mail the coach ahead of time. Introduce yourself and make sure that they know your name, and that you have an interest in playing for them in college. Ask them what they are looking for in the way of prospects for the upcoming year.
- Get one-on-one time with the coach at the Summer camp. You’ve paid your camp fee, so now try and get a little “bonus” time with the coach. Have them take a look at your mechanics, and your athletic strengths and weaknesses. Get their assessment on whether or not you have what it takes to play at that level. If you are a NCSA pre-qualified student-athlete, give your personal recruiting coach a call to get an idea of what kinds of questions to ask the coach at the Summer camp you attend. That’s one of the benefits of having NCSA on your side…use it!
- Follow-up with the coach after the camp ends. 99 out of 100 Summer camp attendees go to the camp, and then never have any other contact with a coach. Don’t let that be you! Make contact with the coach after the camp…via e-mail, phone, or regular written contact. Your goal is to show them that you are interested in them, and to try and find out what it will take to get a shot at playing for their college.
The thing I want to stress when it comes to Summer camps is that they are not the magic solution to getting recruited. They are piece of the puzzle, but not the one-stop solution.
Don’t count on getting discovered by a college coach at the Summer sports camp you attend. Instead, use the opportunity to form a relationship with a college coach who might just be looking for an athlete like you next year. And, if you haven’t gone through NCSA’s pre-qualification evaluation yet, click here to get started so that you don’t waste the opportunity to make an impact with a college coach this Summer!
