Student-athletes wanting to participate in college sports can improve their scholarship opportunities by being more aware of what they post on social media accounts, more active when researching colleges, and filling out athletic recruiting questionnaires.
DON'T WAIT AROUND!
Get involved. Don't wait around for coaches, scouts or recruiting companies to find you. As an athlete you should be used to being a go-getter and working hard for what you want. This is why being the catalyst to your own recruiting process will give you the control to do what is needed in order to gain the best college opportunities.
Depending on the sport you play and the amount of exposure that you have received, you will either have college athletic programs sending you form letters early in your high school career or not. Remember that NCAA rules and regulations are enforced and NCAA Division I and Division II coaches must abide by contacting recruits during certain time periods. Dedicated athletes need to make sure they have done all of the necessary recruiting tricks to get their name out there.
USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Clean-up your social media accounts. Remember to post ONLY appropriate pictures and videos on your wall. Coaches and recruiters will be trolling recruits accounts before they seriously consider athletes; don't give them reason to dismiss you before they get to know you. If you have a Twitter, Facebook or any other social media accounts make sure that the updates you send out are appropriate, meaning no foul language, no name brand endorsements and especially no smack talking any coaches or teammates (past or present). This is an instant red flag. Think about it, if coaches see that you bad mouth your current coach they will undoubtedly believe that you will cause issues with future coaches and teammates.
SEARCH OUT COLLEGE COACHES
If you have your mind set on attending a specific college, get online and check out what that school has to offer academically and athletically. Check the number of players on the team and where they hail from- it will give you a good idea of where the coaching staff recruits from. Read up on the coaching staff and accomplishments that they have made. Check into academic features the college is known for;
- Does it offer a major that you are drawn to?
- What will the typical class sizes be?
- What are the graduation rates of students that chose that major?
Knowing what colleges have to offer will help you to learn what you want and need in college.
RECRUITING QUESTIONAIRES
The simplest way to get your name on coach's radar is to fill out recruiting questionnaires. Questionnaires alert coaching staffs that you are interested in their program. Another advantage student-athletes gain by filling out questionnaires is that they will be informed of upcoming events, camps or games that will be hosted by the college as a way to gain more exposure and have more chances to meet college coaches.
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