By Briana Adamovsky
From the desk of: Adrienne Treado
The recruiting process only happens once for most student-athletes aspiring to play collegiate tennis. It can last as long as four years or as short as four months. Regardless of how long your recruiting process lasts, one thing is certain: You cannot take the process for granted. Many high school athletes make the mistake of assuming that coaches are going to aggressively recruit them because they are the best player on their team. Don’t let yourself fall into this mindset. Take control of your recruiting process and be a constant student of the game.
As a student-athlete going through the recruiting process you want to make sure you are utilizing all of the resources you have. Your coach is one of your biggest assets in the college recruiting process. If you do not have a positive relationship with your high school coach, it may hurt you when the college coach asks about your character, work ethic and attitude. Often times, coaches have connections that can help you in your search. Make sure to express your desire to play in college and ask your coach for help. You don’t want to over rely on your high school coach during your recruiting process, but make sure to use your relationship as a positive force to aid you along the way.
Truth is the recruiting process is a game played by both college coaches and college recruits. Coaches have their strategies for recruiting and their end goal is to win. A win for a coach is signing the best recruiting class possible in order to put the program in a position to significantly improve. Therefore, college coaches initially reach out to as many potential recruits as they can and begin their contacts early. Many athletes receive letters from schools, but that doesn’t mean the coaches are recruiting you. You need to follow up with these coaches and express a mutual interest. If a coach doesn’t receive a response, you will be taken off the list and the coach will move on to the next tennis standout.
Every student-athlete is used to having a busy schedule and long days of school, practice and studying. Don’t let your busy schedule become an excuse for not putting time into your recruiting process. Find the time to do your college research, respond to coaches and visit schools. Whether it’s reading through your mail during road trips to tournaments, or designating two hours on Sunday evenings for responding to coaches, you need to make time for your recruiting process before it passes you by.
Staying proactive throughout your recruiting process will increase your chances of earning an athletic scholarship to the school of your dreams. As a recruit, you want to put yourself in a position to have options and then commit to a college that is the right fit for you. Use the resources around you and create more opportunities by taking action, rather than assuming that the opportunities will fall into your lap.
