The
following is an article by Joie Jager-Hyman, college consultant and author of
B+ Grades, A+ Applications. Joie was an Assistant Director of Admissions at her
alma mater, Dartmouth College, and has a Doctorate in Education Policy.
Many
students dream of playing sports on the college level but most athletes don’t
know how to get started with the college recruiting process. How can you tell
if you’re good enough to play for a university? When should you reach out to
coaches, how do you contact them and what’s the best way to introduce yourself?
What role does academics play in the athletic recruiting process? These are
just a few of the commonly asked questions I get from the students I work with
as a college admissions consultant.
To
give student-athletes a head start, I worked with Andrew Herman, who is an
experienced university Athletic Director, on developing these ten basic steps
to get the athletic recruitment ball rolling (pun intended) for my new book, B+
Grades, A+ Applications, which will be published by Ten Speed this summer.
1.
Be Good at the Sport
In
addition to beating school records, coaches are looking to recruit athletes who
also spend time outside of school playing in tournaments and investing time in
off-season training. For most sports, it’s also important to begin a
weight-training program because college athletes are bigger, faster, and
stronger than high school athletes.
2.
Become Familiar with the NCAA Rules and Regulations
It’s
easy to get confused when researching colleges individually since each NCAA
classification (Division I, II and III) has their own rules and regulations.
The NCAA website (www.ncaa.org) is a comprehensive resource for athletes to
understand the different classifications, regulations, team rankings and
academic requirements.
3.
Find Role Models
It’s
important to do research about how other student-athletes in a sport got
recruited to learn more about the recruiting process. Additionally an athlete
may want to research college athletes’ bios online and see if you can spot some
themes and what they have done to get them where they are. (i.e. Did all the
lacrosse players at your top-choice school play for a particular travel team or
attend a camp?)
4.
Get a Head Start
Most
coaches begin recruiting athletes in their junior year of high school and most
athletes commit to a college the following summer or fall. Since the athletic
recruiting process is earlier than the regular college admissions timeline, by
the end of sophomore year or beginning of junior year an athlete should start
putting together a list of potential colleges that might be a good fit
athletically and academically.
5.
Get the Best Grades You Can
Although
athletes are favored in the admissions process, they still have to meet the
college’s minimum admission requirements to be accepted. It’s best to keep
options open and cast a wide net when looking at colleges the beginning of the
process because there is still time to improve as an athlete and a student.
6.
Create a Resume to Send to Coaches
Take
the initiative to send a resume to coaches at the schools of interest. Resumes
should include: name and contact info, relevant physical characteristics,
athletic and academic experience. Athletes can also include any outside hobbies
or other extracurricular interests.
7.
Write a Cover Letter
When
sending resumes, an athlete should be sure to attach a brief cover letter
introducing himself or herself to the coach. Keep the letter short and sweet,
remembering to show enthusiasm for the school by including one or two details
about the college and some information about personal academic interests. To
ensure future contact, athletes should let the coach know their intentions to
keep he or she updated on their progress.
8.
Make a Video
Coaches
use videos to see what athletes look like in action. The footage does not need
to be professional, but it would be best to put together a short segment of a
game or a series of clips that showcase personal athletic abilities relevant to
the sport. Be sure to show it to people who can provide appropriate feedback
before sending.
9.
Send out Packets
A
packet is the most important and comprehensive piece of information an athlete
has to share with coaches. A packet should include: a resume, cover letter,
video, and a copy of the transcript so the coach sees if an athlete meets the
school’s academic profile. The earlier an athlete sends their packets (think
winter of junior year), the more time they have to communicate with coaches.
10.
Follow up
Athletes
should be sure to follow-up with any coach that contacts them after they have
sent their packets. The response should be brief and should express interest in
learning more about the team, including questions about any camps or tournaments
that they plan to attend and if the coach will also be there. If an athlete
doesn’t hear from a coach within two weeks, he or she can write an email to
inquire whether or not the coach has received the packet, kindly restating
their interest in the school.
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