How to Get Recruited for College Athletics

For those who are eager to play sports in college, it is vital for the individual to know that it can be quite difficult to be recruited by college coaches. It is critical for the individual to truly have an honest understanding of the level of their play; once one is able to feel confident in their self evaluation, and perhaps speaking to other experienced individuals about themselves too can help, he/she will be able to decide which level of college they wish to play. There is NAIA, Division III, Division II, and Division I. These are ordered from least competitive to most competitive, respectively.

Getting in touch with a coach:

It is almost ALWAYS your job to get in touch with a coach. Believe it or not, coaches have thousands of emails each year from prospective students who are eager and quite interested in the coach's program, as well as the school where he is located. So, getting in touch with the coach and letting him/her know of not only your abilities (based upon previous experiences, credible evaluations or letters of recommendation, references, etc.) but also your interest in his/her school, is quite important. They will very rarely come to you, unless you are a very talented athlete and are at the top of the recruiting list for their upcoming class. And, still, you will almost always need to make contact to that coach for them to know you simply exist.

After getting in touch:

After you make contact with the coach, it is important that the coach is able to appreciate your abilities, assuming they are good enough for the program. Whether you run track and can provide credible track times, or you can provide a highlight tape for your football, soccer, hockey (etc.) games, it is very important that they can determine your worth and skill in one way or another. Also, it is important that you do everything you can for the coach to see you play, especially if it is not a sport that simply times can determine your value to their program.

Scholarship:

Scholarships are quite hard to find and obtain, but if you luck out, they can be very helpful.

Keeping in touch:

Keeping in touch with the coaches who you have established communication with is absolutely critical. This shows them that you have continued interest in their program and shows your dedication and true desire to attend their school. Also, the relationship that you establish with the coach is very important, as if you end up attending that school, they will be the person who you interact with quite often.

Determining the Coach's Seriousness:

After a while, you will get a feel for how badly the coach wants you, and how much he's willing to do to get you into the school. If you have a good strong relationship with the coach, then you'll most likely be able to work with him, and he you. He'll know your academic status, and therefore he'll know how much work he'll have to do in order to get you into the school if he/she truly wants you.