College Recruiting Do's
- Begin the planning process early; freshman year of high school is most ideal.
- Be proactive, take ownership of the process, and be a T.E.A.M (tough-minded, execute, accountable, mission-driven).
- Stay organized!
- Understand what it takes to be academically eligible and become familiar with common recruiting terms, such as headcount and equivalency sports.
- Practice taking the SAT/ACT early and often.
- Do everything possible to get an unbiased evaluation from a college coach.
- Have an open mind and build an initial list of target schools (50-100) which includes schools from all divisions, including the NAIA.
- Student-athletes should practice their "elevator" pitch and overall communication skills prior to calling a college coach.
- Parents, anticipate the expenses associated with the recruiting process and set a budget.
- Be realistic and honest with your abilities.
- Make sure you are only considering schools you would attend even if you were not playing a sport.
- Train hard, eat healthy, stretch daily, and drink lots of water. Take care of your body; it's your biggest asset.
- Try to get evaluated from a college coach; their unbiased opinion of your ability can save you a lot of time, money, and aggravation.
College Recruiting Dont's
- Hope is not a strategy. Don't wait and expect college coaches find you just because you're a talented athlete.
- You have what it takes to earn an athletic scholarship so don’t outsource your future to a third party recruiting that over promises and under delivers results.
- Don’t burn any bridges, be polite and respond to all coaches e-mails. Even If you’re no longer interested in a school, show respect by politely letting them know – remember, college coaches, talk to one other.
- Coaches evaluate parents too. Don't yell at players, coaches, or referees during games.
- Grades matter so don't ignore your academics. The lower your GPA, the fewer options you'll ultimately have.
- College coaches are looking closely at a student-athletes character. It should go without saying but don't disrespect your coaches, teammates, teachers, opponents, or referees.
- It's easy to chase scholarship money attending the wrong events. Don't overspend on summer camps, "elite" showcases, and bogus all-star games.
- College coaches want to initially hear from and build relationships with student-athletes. Parents, don't disrupt this process by calling the coaches directly.
- The recruiting process varies from athlete to athlete, so don’t compare yourself to other recruits.
- College coaches will stop recruiting an athlete over questionable social media posts. Don't blow a $100,000 athletic scholarship over a 140 character tweet.
- Show college coaches you are genuinely interested in learning more about their program. Personalize your notes and avoid sending mass emails. Don't misspell coaches names and use spellcheck.
- The college you select is a lifetime decision. Don't base your decision on irrelevant factors such as your friends, school colors, college name recognition, and team facilities.
- High school coaches can support their athletes during the recruiting process but don't expect them to do the work for you.