So, you’re a strong athlete at the high school level... maybe you even participate on a club team or in a development league. Now you think you may want to continue playing at the next level. The recruiting process can seem daunting, given the nearly 2,000 schools offering athletics at the college level and so many moving pieces and rules.
Consider some stats: in the 2022-2023 school year, 7.9 million high school students participated in sports, but only 6% of those will go on to play in college, and only 2% will play at the Division I level.
Here are some considerations as you are deciding whether take the athletic recruitment path:
Ask yourself, why do you want to play in college? The glamorous side of athletics involves the games, representing your school, and playing in front of fans. The less-glamorous side includes the early morning weight-lifting sessions, long practices, and crazy travel schedules. Playing at the college level requires dedication and strong time management skills, which will serve you well in the future. Entering the process with eyes wide open to the pros and cons is critical to deciding which program is right for you.
You need to enter the recruiting process with the intent to complete all of your eligibility. Coaches have the ability to help (to varying degrees) with the admissions process. You can leverage your athletic ability to get into a school that might otherwise be a reach academically or guarantee admission at a highly selective institution. Therefore, coaches need to be able to count on an athlete contributing to their program for four years. Some athletes go through the process for the admissions bump and then quit, which throws off the college team’s recruiting plans and impacts team chemistry, but it can also affect future prospects from the athlete’s high school or club team, as a coach may be less likely to recruit from that program after a negative experience.
You must consider the level of program you want to play at, the impact you are hoping to have on that program, and the type of college experience you want outside of your sport. The higher the level at which you play, the more time you will dedicate to athletically related activities. Think about what other experiences you want to have in college: study abroad, internships, Greek life, etc, and then consider which level of play allows you to have the college experience you are hoping for.
If you’ve thought about all of these things, the next question athletes ask is: how do I get recruited?
The first step is to identify schools you are interested in. Athletes need to be thinking about a variety of factors when creating their list of schools. Most athletes dream of playing a Division I sport, but they don’t necessarily understand what that means for their college experience. The student-athlete experience is entirely different in a Division I program than it is in a Division III program (and it varies equally between programs within the same division). Researching a broad list of schools and learning more about the various levels will help an athlete get a feel for where they may have the most impact at the next level.
Then develop your highlight video and start reaching out to coaches. Waiting for a coach to randomly notice you at an event isn’t an effective method to be recruited. To get what you want, you need to be proactive! As part of contacting schools, a highlight video is a vital piece of the process—think of it as the movie trailer to the main event. A well-crafted, sport- and position-specific highlight video can pique the interest of a college coach and encourage them to make the effort to see you play in person. It gets you on their radar more than a simple introductory email will. You are giving coaches more information to help them decide whether you are a fit for their program. Regular video highlight updates enable coaches to watch your progress over time and demonstrate improvement. When done well, recruiting videos can be a critical piece of the recruiting process.
But when should you start reaching out? What should you say? What should you send? How often should you follow up? Our recruitment counselors have not only been college athletes themselves, but they have also served as college coaches and have seen the recruitment process from both perspectives. Benefit from their experience and learn what coaches look for in a stand-out recruit and how to avoid common missteps that so many prospective players make. They will help you compose emails and put together highlight reels and statistics, as well as track coaches’ responses and navigate the next steps with each respective school.
Ultimately, playing sports at the college level is highly rewarding and a great way to continue to compete while honing valuable life skills. If you go into the process with thoughtfulness and consideration, you can find the right school to continue your career.
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