The sooner you start the recruiting process the better. Once you have decided that you are interested in playing collegiate sports, start to research different colleges that comply with your wants and needs in a school. Remember to think about the size of the student body, location (urban/rural), size of individual classes, courses offered, and financial aid if applicable. Make sure you are looking at athletics AND academics. A good rule to go by: if you were hurt and could not participate in your sport, would you still be happy at that school?
Make a list
Create a word document that has a list of all the colleges that are of any interest to you. Under the name of the college have the coaches name, coaches e-mail, mascot, and a reason you like the school. This will allow you to have the information from all the schools that interest you in one place. It will also allow you to quickly personalize e-mails to coaches by saying things like, “I am interested in your school because of the business program you have” or signing the letter with “Go (insert mascot here). If certain schools do not show interest back or you decide they are not right for you, then you can simply take them off the list.
Start contact
Once you have established your list, e-mail each coach of all of the colleges. This first e-mail should contain information like who you are, where you go to school, individual stats and honors in that specific sport, and why that specific school interests you. Also, you should ask the to send you any information on their program and ask if there is any evaluation you should fill out (many schools have this online). DON’T FORGET to check the e-mail address and make sure you are sending the e-mail to the right coach.
Stay in contact
Staying in contact with coaches is one of the most important things in the recruiting process. Even if a coach doesn’t e-mail you back, it does not mean you have to take them off your list right away. Keep e-mailing your schools updates in your athletic and academic career. Also, definitely make sure to e-mail coaches if you are going to summer camps or tournaments that they might be at, make sure to include the team you play for and your number. If you are further along in the process, e-mail the coach (or call if NCAA rules allow you to) and ask how their end of the recruiting is going (are they talking with admissions and so forth).
Be honest
Coaches appreciate honesty. If a coach contacts you from a school that is not of any interest do not be afraid to kindly tell them that their university or program does not seem like a right fit for you. Don’t’ forget to thank them for their interest and wish them luck in their next season, being polite goes a long way.
Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Asking questions during the recruiting process can be scary, but remember that coaches have been through the recruiting process many times—they have heard practically everything. Important questions to ask as you go deeper into the recruiting process are questions like: Where do I stand on your list of recruits? Is there anyway I can I move up on your recruiting list? Is there anything else I can do to help this process? Will I be receiving a scholarship?
If possible, visit
If the coach offers you an official visit to the school, take it if you can. On official visits, all expenses should be paid for and there is no harm in checking out a school, even if you don’t think it is for you. If the coach does not offer you a visit, if you can, visit on your own. Admissions in most schools have programs where you can stay with a student who will show you around, giving you an inside view of the school.
Applying early
Not all schools can offer a scholarship, including the Ivy League and Division III. Also, not all Divison1 programs can offer every one of their athletes money. Keep in mind this does not mean that they can’t provide you with financial aid. With schools like this, your best option is applying early because there is a smaller applicant pool. One of the reasons it is important to start the recruiting process early is that it gives you more time to decide what school is best for you. If you come to this decision early enough, then you can think about applying to the college early decision or early action. Most coaches/schools can give you an idea if you would get in early decision or early action by looking at your transcript and athletic capabilities. If this is something you are considering, make sure to ask the coach about the process.
Remember, this is YOUR future
During your recruiting process, try to do as much of it as you can on your own. For example, try to draft your e-mails on your own and then have your parents proof read them. Make sure to discuss with your family your individual needs (money or learning issues) and then you try to communicate that with the coach. Coaches prefer to deal with the athlete themselves, but there does come a point where the parent should have a conversation.
My name is Fielding Kidd and I am from Atlanta, GA. I have just completed my freshman year at Yale University, where I played varsity lacrosse. Playing a sport in college has been an amazing experience, which is why I decided to join the team at beRecruited.com. Through beRecruited.com, I want to further assist student athletes in the recruiting process so they have the opportunity to participate in collegiate sports.
Exciting news: beRecruited has launched the beRecruited Player Card - an embeddable widget that highlights your stats, photos and videos. Every beRecruited athlete has one and the Player Card can be embedded directly onto your MySpace profile, Facebook page, blog, or your favorite website. Placing your Player Card on blogs and websites is a proven way to increase traffic to your beRecruited profile and improve your chances of being recruited. The widget is just a few days old and has been seen nearly 100,000 times. Remarkable! You can customize your widgets size and color. Either login at beRecruited or visit http://profiles.berecruited.com, find your profile and grab the widget directly from that page. Here is an example (6 other colors are available):
One of the most popular ways to market yourself for potential coaches is to attend athletic showcases. These showcases have gained popularity in recent years, but aren’t without some negatives. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons before enrolling in one of these programs. Often times, your money is better spent in summer camps or other development programs. Also, remember that beRecruited offers you an opportunity to upload videotapes highlighting your skills to thousands of prospective coaches without shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars
Showcase Pros:
Good for athletes who might not get the visibility from their high school sports program
Good for athletes who were injured during their junior year, but are now given another opportunity to prove what they can do
Provide a measuring stick for how your skills match up against others on a regional or national level
Showcase Cons:
Expensive
Some are just “moneymakers” and don’t have success in getting athletes recruited
Tips for Athletic Showcases:
Invite prospective coaches to your showcase
Be sure to arrive early and be prepared
Dress well and carry yourself with professionalism
Wear a jersey that has your name on the back to facilitate identification
Show composure- don’t be a “hot head”
Show humility and be a good sport regardless of your performance
Network- introduce yourself to fellow players and coaches alike
The National Letter of Intent is a letter than you sign to commit to an institution for an academic year in return for an athletic scholarship or other financial aid. It marks the end of the recruiting process and prevents other schools from contacting you. Although these letters can be signed at any time during a signing period, many are finalized on National Signing day in February. Signing periods vary based on the sport. National Signing Day celebrates new recruits in many major collegiate sports, including: football, field hockey, soccer, and water polo.
Basic Information
The institution offering you the athletic scholarship will mail, email, or fax you two copies of the letter to be signed.
Sign both copies, sending one back to the institution and keep the other for your records.
If you verbally committed to one institution, you are allowed to sign a letter of intent with a different school.
You only sign a letter of intent once, although it is renewed annually.
If you are under the age of 21, you need a parent to sign the letter of intent to make it legally binding.
Your potential coach may not be present during the signing of your letter in accordance with NCAA rules.
You may sign the letter even if you have yet to qualify with the NCAA Clearinghouse. If you are not cleared, the letter is nullified.
Your letter is also nullified if you fail to be accepted to the institution academically.
Signing your letter of intent is usually a happy time. It marks the end of the recruiting process. Pending acceptance to the university, you can rest easy knowing where you are going to school next year. It is important to understand that simply signing with a team does not guarantee playing time. You still have a lot of hard work ahead of you both in the classroom and on the field to earn playing time. Athletic scholarships are the result of a lot of hard work. When you sign your Letter of Intent, you should be proud of how far you’ve come and excited about where you are going!
Earning an athletic scholarship is not an exact science. Therefore, there are common mistakes that are made by many prospective athletes. Avoid these pitfalls and you will increase your chances of earning an athletic scholarship to the school of your dreams.
1) Taking the recruiting process for granted
One of the most common pitfalls is taking the process for granted because you think that schools are going to aggressively recruit you. Many athletes receive letters from schools, but that doesn’t mean that they are recruiting you. You need to follow up with these coaches and express a mutual interest. Only a select few athletes actually get personal visits from coaches. It is simply too expensive and time consuming for coaches in most sports. Don’t take anything for granted and market yourself aggressively.
2) Underestimating your chances of getting an athletic scholarship
You don’t need to be the best athlete on your team or in your league in order to earn an athletic scholarship. Of course, you need to be skilled at your sport, but not necessarily the star. Many athletes don’t even attempt to get a scholarship, despite thousands of scholarships being at their fingertips. Talk to your coach to assess your chances and get some advice on how to proceed with the recruiting process. Register with beRecruited, and get your name out there to hundreds of prospective coaches in your sport.
3) Making poor decisions off the field
You can severely damage your chances of earning an athletic scholarship by getting trouble with the law and abusing drugs and alcohol. Although everybody makes mistakes when they are young, these decisions reflect your true character to a prospective school. If you don’t exercise discipline and good decision-making off the field, you probably aren’t going to on the field. Drugs and alcohol also dramatically affect the body’s recovery time and double the chances of injury.
4) Letting your grades slip
As any coach will tell you, schools are looking for a complete package in their recruits. Of course they want excellent athletes, but they also desire recruits that perform in the classroom. Do not assume that your athletic prowess trumps your academics. Do your best in the classroom until you graduate.
5) Getting bad advice
You will find that everyone has advice for you during your recruiting process. Some of it will be good advice, but not all of it. Consider your sources carefully, and be sure to evaluate their expertise before following their advice.
6) Over/under reliance on your coach
Your coach is one of your biggest assets in the college recruiting process. Often times, coaches have connections that can help you in your search. Experienced coaches are also good judges of talent and may be able to give you an idea of your level of competition. Don’t forget to use them as a resource. However, don’t assume that they know everything, or that they will do anything for you. You need to ask for their help, and you will need to follow up with them. Remember that they have a lot going on in their lives besides you. Few coaches will aggressively market you to colleges. Consider your coach as being a crucial part of your recruiting process, but not your only resource.
One the most important factors in the recruiting process is finding the right coach. A coach is more than someone who gives you an athletic scholarship; he or she serves as a mentor and as a motivator. No matter how skilled you may be, a good coach should be able to teach you new skills while perfecting your existing ones. The process of finding the right coach involves asking the right questions and evaluating the most critical aspects of your prospective coach’s philosophy, communication style, and personality.
The following is a list of some questions that will help you decide whether a coach is a good fit for you. While you listen to his or her answers, try to determine how comfortable you are with them and their personality. If you choose this school, you will most likely have a close relationship with this person for four years- choose wisely!
What is a typical day in the life of one of your players?
How can you and your school help me balance my academics with my athletics?
What is your graduation rate?
What are the characteristics of a good program in your mind?
What characteristics to you value in your players?
How would you describe your personality both during games and during practice?
Where do you see me fitting in with the team?
How is playing time determined?
Have you ever had any NCAA rules infractions?
Undoubtedly, choosing the right coach also requires a great deal of soul searching for you, the athlete. In order for you to evaluate the answers to these questions, you need to have a good understanding of your own personality and what motivates you. Do you respond better to discipline and structure, or do you respond better to someone who is more sensitive and nurturing? If you have an open personality, will you feel comfortable sharing your feelings with the coach? Can you handle being criticized in front of your teammates? Once you determine your compatibility with a prospective coach, you will have a better understanding of whether a particular program might be a good match
Choosing the right coach is just one of many important factors in choosing your school. Don’t let the coach be the sole determining factor in your school choice. You are going to college to get an education. You need to ensure that you are going to a school that meets your academic, social, and athletics needs. Consider the coach as being just one piece of the puzzle.
“Any act committed against someone joining or becoming a member or maintaining membership in any organization that is humiliating, intimidating or demeaning, or endangers the health and safety of the person. Hazing includes active or passive participation in such acts and occurs regardless of the willingness to participate in the activities. Hazing creates an environment/climate in which dignity and respect are absent.”
Hazing is a subject that can cause anxiety for many prospective athletes. Many athletes have already experienced or witnessed forms of hazing at the high school level and worry that it is even worse at the college level. Upperclassman have experienced hazing and feel that it is now their time to push around the underclassman. Many see it as a rite of passage and a way to build respect for those who came before them.
Fortunately, numerous anti-hazing measures have been put in place over the past few years to help deter athletes from hazing. Hazing is now a crime in 41 states. Most schools also have a zero tolerance policy against hazing by their students. Participants in hazing can be suspended, expelled, or even criminally prosecuted for their actions. Although well-intentioned, it isn’t clear how effective these measures have been since hazing is underreported by both athletes and coaches.
In February 2008, the NCAA issued a 58-page handbook, Hazing Prevention in College Athletics, to college administrators to help eliminate hazing. The handbook highlights the risks of hazing as well as increasing hazing awareness. Some of the strategies outlined in the handbook include the following:
Conducting educational sessions for student-athletes during orientation and in team meetings.
Scheduling speakers to discuss the topic with coaches.
Including hazing prevention on the agenda of student-athlete advisory committees.
Involving student-athletes in anti-hazing policy and program development.
Cooperation with broader campus hazing prevention efforts.
Hazing is certainly a negative aspect of our collegiate sports environment. Hazing causes more mental distress than actual physical harm-something that is hard to quantify. Fortunately, these recent steps to outlaw hazing by the NCAA, state governments, and the schools themselves look to have a profound effect on building teams through empowerment and dignity and not degradation and humiliation.
The most exciting news we get from our users is when one of our users commits to attend a university…that is the “ultimate connection” for beRecruited, and the reason that we come to work every day.
Until recently, we did not have a way to display these success stories. We’ve now changed that and we’ve started to have athletes update their profile when they have made the important decision regarding where to attend college.
To see the latest beRecruited athletes who have committed, click here. In a very short time, we’ve had nearly 400 athletes tell us where they are going to school.
Updating is extremely easy to do. Here’s how:
Log into your account and go to “My Profile” > “Preferences” and change your account status to committed. It only takes a few seconds, and you can provide valuable feedback to beRecruited regarding our service.
Updating your account status will remove your profile from our prospect database, add you to our list of committed athletes, and give you an opportunity to be featured in your local newspaper’s sports section. It also helps us improve beRecruited so we can make it even better for future athletes.
beRecruited has become the No. 1 online network connecting high school athletes and college coaches on the basis of a free service. In the first 50 days of 2008, there have been more than 300,000 connections made directly through our service…an average of 6,000 connections per day.
While our users (coaches, athletes and parents) know that our service is free, we have seen increased interest in our deluxe athlete upgrade. That interest is driven by results. Profiles of athletes choosing the deluxe upgrade on average are viewed 3x more than athletes with standard profiles.
Deluxe Features:
See What Coaches View Your Profile-Gain instant access to all coaches that view your profile.
“The feature I thought was most helpful was the section where you could see which coaches/colleges viewed your profile. Being able to have access to that would let me know which colleges I should follow up with.” -Ashlei , successfully recruited softball player.
Letter-of-Interest Generator-Create customized letters to express interest in collegiate programs.
“The letters to the coaches gave me the opportunity to communicate with some schools and get my name out there. It was very helpful in getting the ball rolling in my personal recruiting process and made it a lot easier.” -Justin, successfully recruited lacrosse player.
Featured Athlete-Get additional exposure to coaches by being seen more. Deluxe athletes are showcased on beRecruited’s homepage and other high traffic areas throughout the website.
“Coaches that I wouldn’t have previously thought of to email were able to find me on their own and email me. It was very helpful in that aspect. I received many offers and emails from various college divisions and locations.” -Sarah, successfully recruited softball player.
Student Advantage Membership-The latest addition to the deluxe product, athletes who upgrade to deluxe accounts receive a one-year, complimentary membership to Student Advantage, the nation’s largest student discount program. Major discounts associated with the program include:
Foot Locker: $10 off purchases of $50 or more (some exclusions may apply)
Target.com: 10% off your purchases at Target.com
ALDO shoes: 10% off
AMC Theatres: Up to 40% off box office prices
Barnes & Noble.com: Save an additional 5% at Barnes & Noble.com
CHAMP Sports: $10 off purchases of $50 or more (some exclusions may apply)
So in addition to a higher level of exposure, as well as a higher degree of functionality, deluxe members now save money through this exclusive relationship with Student Advantage.
If you want to upgrade your account, click here to get started.
Don’t miss any college recruiting advice with the beRecruited Advice Widget. You can install this on your blog, My Space profile, Netvibes page, and so forth. It automatically updates when new articles are posted - so that you can stay ahead of the competition.
To get started, simply press the “Get Widget” button beneath the widget, choose the type of page you want to install it on, and then embed it!
Advice on the Recruiting Process: From One Recruited Athlete to Another
