Ten Recruiting Tips for Varsity Athletes
- Attend as many off season camps and combines as you can. Your play on the field may or may not be enough to get you a scholarship offer.
- Be aggressive and confident when meeting college recruiters & coaches. Make your presence known by the way you carry yourself. Your athletic ability is the reason that you have been noticed, help to keep their interest in you by showing your intelligence.
- Volunteer for community and charitable work. This is a great tip even for the non-athlete trying to get into college. Not only is charitable work good for the mind and spirit, it also looks great on a college application.
- Treat your social profile with respect. As a High School Athlete you are in the community spotlight and in some cases the national spotlight. In this day and age recruiters, coaches and parents often will look you up online before any place else. If anything inappropriate is found on your social profiles it could give someone the wrong impression about you and maybe even spoil your chances at a scholarship. (facebook, twitter, instagram, keep it clean)
- Realize that your talent is a God given gift and be grateful for the position that you are in. Use your gift to help others and yourself better your lives. Your gift could easily be gone one day so don’t take it for granted.
- Learn to speak publicly and in front of a camera. This is something that you may be called to do often. When you are able to get your point across verbally to the media and to the public they will respect you just as much as they do for your play on the field.
- Keep your coaches and parents informed.
- Choose a college that satisfies not only your athletic expectations but also your scholastic expectations. Athletics may only be a stepping stone in your life. Set yourself up for success after athletics by having a plan for once you are done playing.
- Stay clean. Nothing can ruin your shot to be a collegiate athlete faster than a brush with the law. Even the smallest misdemeanor can keep a college or coach from extending you a scholarship offer.
- GET GOOD GRADES! No matter how fast you are, how high you can jump, how far you can throw… if you don’t have the grades to get into college non of it matters.
Be unique and stand out! As talented as you may be, you must always remember that there are thousands of athletes just like you. Strive to be the best.
