Athletic Scholarship Advice for HS & JuCo Athletes
One of the biggest difference-makers in recruiting is organization as a staff, you can quickly get overwhelmed and running in 50 different directions without a system. Organization and consistency will help you get through stressful times, your day-by-day job is unpredictable, so being organized and prepared for anything that you can takes the pressure off you for the unplanned chaos …
#4: High school and AAU coach recommendations, particularly if the prep coach has had success throughout their career or has an established relationship with you You will need to make daily recruiting calls to prep coaches, and this needs to be a habit you develop quickly. You will likely spend more time on the phone with prep coaches than you …
Great teams have strong relationships that are built on trust and genuine friendships — among players, coaches and staff. It’s impossible to win at a high level without trust, relationships and communication. Here are a few team-building activities that can be done remotely or safely during the COVID-19 shutdown. Start a big brother or sister mentoring program — matching underclassmen …
When you think about the essence of college sports, you probably envision a big, electric atmosphere with your team propelled on to a win by a big crowd, followed by a court/field storming by the boisterous student section. This type of relationship between your team and the student body doesn’t just happen, even at athletically successful and tradition-rich schools. To …
Official Visits and Unofficial Visits will make or break your program! You will not sign a player if they don’t have an enjoyable visit to campus! Period, point blank! When trying to sell the program on visits, remember that it’s just as much about the people as it is about the sport and shiny facilities. Human connection is vital—how would …
Organization on a high level is critical to becoming a great recruiter. While relationships will be your biggest strength, organization is also critical! You need to work off an ever-changing list of players that you’ve identified, let’s call it your ‘Watch List.’ You will constantly be adding and subtracting names from your personal list. As a staff, begin to build …
A: Walk-ons make the team in two ways: as a preferred walk-on or through a tryout. Believe it or not, walk-on spots at many schools are just as competitive as scholarship spots—they are very limited! To become a preferred walk-on, coaches need to see you play—either in person, or on video. For any roster spot, coaches are looking for size, …
A: Yes, if a coach is trying to get you to visit campus, they’ve heard something and have some level of early interest. They’ve heard or seen something about you that interests them and they want to get to know you better, meet you in person and show you a little bit about their program. The only exception is …
A: As coaches are evaluating prospects and prioritizing their recruits, they want you to do your research and be just as proactive and involved with the process as they are. While college coaches first must be interested in your athletic and academic abilities they love recruits who show a passion for their program. If you have a scholarship offer or …
A: Every coaching staff will say that they put priority on keeping the best in-state players at home. But when making scholarship decisions, it’s irrelevant to coaches where you are from. They are looking to sign the best players that they can, period! Being in-state does help you get your foot in the door. Many programs split up the …