Tip #1 -
Grades Matter -
We don't care how much
talent or skill you have;
you're no good to a college
coach if you can't stay
eligible academically. Why
should they waste a
scholarship or a spot on
their team with a recruit
that will never smell
playing time because of
academic ineligibility? It's
in your best interest to
prove, during high school,
that you can take care of
academics as well as
athletics. Taking care of
business in the classroom
helps open up more
opportunities during the
recruiting process. All else
being equal, having better
academics than another
recruit just may be the
factor that sets you apart
from other student-athletes.
Grades are the most
important. Don't slack in
the classroom.
Tip #2 - Attitude Counts - If you think attitude goes unnoticed by college coaches during the recruiting process, think again. Just one player with a bad attitude can infect the entire team. (Most people know the Terrell Owens and Eagles story) Most coaches would rather have a team full of decent players who work hard, who play together as a team, and know how to pull together when it counts than a team full of all-stars incapable of playing together. You need to demonstrate your ability to work hard, support your teammates, be a leader, and most of all be coachable!
Tip # 3 - Test Early - If you plan on going to a school that has SAT/ACT requirements, try to take these tests during your Junior Year in high school (if not earlier). The colleges will take your best scores from each section of each test. Most students see a 5% or more increase in their score when taking the test again. Often times College Coaches will offer scholarships in the fall of a recruit's Senior Year in high school, sometimes even sooner. If you've already gotten your tests taken care of and they know you'll be able to get into their school, it's that much easier for them to decide that you're a recruit they want.
Tip #4 - Send Information - Too many student-athletes mistakenly think "If I'm good, someone will find me". Don't make this mistake! Guess What? College coaches can't recruit you if they don't know you exist. Put together a video, if possible, and send it to programs of your choice along with an athletic "resume" highlighting your achievements. Include stats, awards, high school transcripts, information on SAT/ACT scores, and letters of recommendation from coaches and teachers. Don't forget your contact information.
Tip #5- College Contacts and Visits- A college coach can only call or visit you after July of your junior year in high school. There are other contact periods that happen a few months earlier than this in football and basketball, but the "July rule" is pretty good in terms of a bench-mark. That means a coach can not place an outbound call to you, nor can he initiate a visit to your home or school specifically to talk to you about playing a sport at his or her college, until the summer before your senior year. Remember, this deals only with outbound communication from a coach.
