Top 13 Recruiting Tips for Student-Athletes in 2022

We all know as student-athletes that looking for scholarships can be very nerve recking. The most deserving athlete sometimes doesn’t always get all the love and the worst athlete may get the best offer. It typically comes down to preparation, hard work, luck, and good fortune. When it comes to recruiting College Coaches look at different variables in determining what student-athletes they give scholarships to. You can play a major role in tilting the odds your way. Here are a few tips on getting that scholarship and getting recruited as a Student-Athlete

Leverage those close to you

Have a candid talk with your high school or club coach about your chances of being recruited as a student-athlete for college. Apart from having great access to college coaches, high school coaches can be valuable resources based on their experience in assessing your talent level and chances. Friends and family can also serve as a good gauge to ascertain your talent level because they have a way of keeping you humble and focused. They can be your cheerleaders and critics, but they can also be your motivation to excel, In addition, coaches tend to do their research using your friends and family to understand who you are

Start the recruiting process early

There is a Japanese saying “wake up an hour early to live an hour more”. Start early! Research and understand the intricacies of recruiting a student-athlete, NCAA regulations, colleges, coaches, and sports programs. Get to understand the NCAA and NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete and comb the web for recruiting sites like mygotgame and digest their articles.

Leverage the internet

 Apart from the fact that there are tons of relevant information on the internet, you can gain so much early exposure by putting your face in front of college coaches and recruiters recruiting student-athletes. Use recruiting sites like mygotgame, berecruited, NCSA, and more to expand your brand. In addition, you can use the internet for research by visiting college websites, finding sports event campsites, promote yourself on YouTube, and social media. Look for schools that fit your talents, athletically and academically.

Join travel teams or clubs

Scouts, recruiters, and coaches love to go to sporting events where there is a diverse amount of student-athlete talent for evaluation. It helps if you join a travel team or club to participate in such events. At some of these mega-events, there can be hundreds of teams and thousands of athletes competing. Scouts prefer to go where the better players are. To top it all. You get the chance to really check out your competition and gauge your talent level.

Register on every recruiting website if possible

Most recruiting sites offer great features that will help land you that scholarship mainly because scouts, coaches, and recruiters comb these sites looking for the next gem. Seeing your profile on these sites only helps expose you to competing college coaches. Registering on these recruiting sites is typically free and almost all coaches check them out. In addition, these sites have recruiting experts dedicated to helping student-athletes find the perfect fit for their talents and personality. These sites also have tons of resources, articles, and videos that will help you gain an advantage over your opponent during the process.   

Don’t just focus on NCAA Division I sports.

According to NCAA, there are more than 1,100 colleges with athletic programs. The majority of these college scholarship opportunities are at the lower divisions like Division II, NAIA, or Junior College. Spread a wide net, with all the TV exposure these small colleges have, you will have every opportunity to succeed at any level you end up at. So, expand your search to give yourself a better opportunity to land that college scholarship.

 Attend College sports camps, coaches’ camps, or athletes’ camps

Attending college sports camps which are usually led by the colleges’ coaching staff is an easy way to show your talents in front of recruiting coaches, giving you a leg up on other recruits. In addition, there are numerous independent coaches and student-athlete camps that can help enhance your profile. Most of these coaches are powerful influencers and have a big network of other coaches. Attending these kinds of camps will also help you enhance your skills

Keep Good grades

There is a saying by the great New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, “the number one criteria for ability is availability”. If you don’t have good grades, you become ineligible to play and coaches don’t want to waste their scholarship. So always prioritize your academics. Get good grades, meet with your college counselor to make sure you are academically eligible, take the SAT or ACT in your junior year

Reach out to coaches and build relationships

It never hurts to introduce yourself to these coaches as early as possible within the recruiting guidelines.  Nothing wrong with sending them a quick introductory email with your highlights or online student-athlete profile.  a link to a highlight reel and/or your online athlete profile. If there’s an opportunity to meet a coach, introduce yourself with a quick rundown of your best achievements.

Create your sports video highlight reel

There is nothing more compelling than having your own highlight video reel. If you do not already have one, create a sports video, or highlight reel. Make sure it’s of you in action and preferably in HD.  Your video should contain your athletic “resume” highlighting your sports-related achievements, agility, strength, and tailor it to your sport for relevance. IE Football tapes should contain highlights of games, showing your speed, strength, and agility, basketball should emphasize jumping skills, shooting touch, and lateral movement. Baseball should show hand-eye coordination, live arm, etc. Include stats, win/loss records, awards, high school transcript, and information on SAT/ACT scores.

YouTube channel

Start a YouTube / Vimeo channel or website showcasing your talent.  There are so many easy-to-use, free website-building platforms, and tools. Post videos of your highlights including achievements and scans of articles that will showcase your achievements. Create a professional resume that highlights your athletic and academic achievements. Post it online and share it with as many coaches as possible.

Third-Party Evaluation

Get evaluated by third-party groups if possible. Nike always put up a regional talent evaluation event. A lot of coaches use those evaluations like bibles. These showcase-style events oftentimes serve as the eyes and ears of the coaches who don’t have time to see every player.

Be responsible and responsive

Respond as quickly as possible to requests from colleges, even if you are not that interested. If a coach or school is requesting more information, chances are they are seriously considering you. Get help from your high school coach to complete any ad-hoc requests for information about you as soon as possible, as well.

Register with the NCAA and NAIA Eligibility Centers to be cleared for athletic scholarships.

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear from coaches. NCAA rules only permit them to contact student-athletes at certain times.

Take care of your body. Continue working hard to get stronger, faster, and fitter. Listen to your body, especially if you feel pain. Eat well. And whatever you do, don’t put harmful substances into it.

For more information on getting a leg up on recruiting visit Mygotgame