Subscribe to the NCSA BlogDon’t be an Average Recruit
October 15th, 2009 - byCollege coaches hear from thousands of prospective athletes each year. Will you be the player they remember? There are thousands of talented athletes and your skills alone may not make you stand out; you need to find other ways to grab coaches’ attention. There are five things you must do in order to set yourself apart as a top recruit.
First, be realistic in the schools that you contact. Every student-athlete needs an objective, third-party evaluation to determine which college programs may be the best fit academically and athletically. A knowledgeable third party will help you set realistic expectations on programs, competition levels and academic fit so you can target approximately 100-200 realistic opportunities.
Next, post your academic and athletic resume online. The days of delivering paper resumes through the mail are over and college coaches would prefer to receive an electronic copy of your athletic and academic accomplishments. Your online resume should include a highlight video. You don’t need to worry about adding music or slow motion to your video. College coaches want to see your skills and how hard you work so those extra touches are not necessary and actually have the potential to distract coaches from making an evaluation.
Contact at least 100 colleges. Many prospective student-athletes make the mistake of targeting a small group of schools. Remember that you will not be a fit for every program, so the more colleges you introduce yourself to the more opportunities you will have. College coaches contact thousands of student-athletes in order to have enough options to fill their needs. Play the same game and contact 100 to 200 college coaches. Most athletes receive serious interest from about ten percent of those coaches which will give you about ten to twenty programs to actively consider.
When you express interest in a school, show the coach how interested you really are by impressing them with your knowledge of the school and team. This will require you to thoroughly research the school and have the ability to pull a few facts about the school that you can then bring into a conversation with a coach. Ask them well thought out questions that require a detailed answer rather than an answer that can be found on their website.
Be determined and do not give up if a coach does not respond right away. The most successful recruits are proactive and not afraid to pick up the phone or schedule an unofficial visit. Remember that your college choice is not a four year decision it’s a 40 year decision. To handle the recruiting process properly takes time, hard work, persistence and help. Most athletes do not take the time to formulate a smart recruiting game plan. If you approach your recruitment with a responsible and prepared mentality you will stand apart from the competition.
