For some students, playing college sports is a lifetime dream. Identifying appropriate colleges is the most important factor in the recruiting process. I know of many hopeful athletes who have spent more money chasing scholarship offers than the actual value of the scholarship turned out to be. You will want to find a fit based on your athletic, academic and financial ability. The following are my Top 5 Tips for kids wanting a spot on the roster:
- Fill out your NCAA profile. To be eligible for recruitment, you must be registered with the NCAA.
- Engage your coach early in the process. Many school and select team coaches have connections with college coaches and can share insight into which teams may be a good fit for your athletic talents.
- Keep your options open. Just as schools will accept more students than will actually matriculate, coaches will recruit more athletes than their teams can accommodate. There are many sob stories about kids who were “guaranteed” a spot on a college team, only to find out otherwise after they have declined their other colleges.
- Attend athletic showcases, camps or combines. This is especially important for athletes in team sports where individual stats are harder to highlight.
- Grades are important. Being the most talented athlete alone won’t get you into your dream college if they aren’t confident that you will make the grades to play.