College Recruiting Tips for Athletes

As kids, many of us dream of playing sports at a high level. We grow up watching our favorite teams and players compete each year, giving us a new passion and love for the game. The easiest way to fulfill that dream is by becoming a college athlete.  During high school, athletes are able to learn and prepare for their future. This is also when the college athletic recruiting process begins! This can be a long and challenging process in which some athletes will get attention easier than others. Knowing how this process works and what you can do to stand out will make it much easier for you.  At Warren Academy, we offer football training programs to help all of our athletes reach their goals and fulfill their dreams. Here are some tips and ways you can promote yourself as an athlete and an individual as you go through the college recruiting process.    Start the process early To get seen and noticed by the most colleges possible, it’s vital that athletes are starting their recruitment process earlier than later! It’s never too early to start creating highlight reels or reaching out to coaches. In most sports, college coaches are able to reach out to athletes starting June 15th after their sophomore year of high school, and it seems like athletes are committing to colleges earlier and earlier every year. Waiting until your junior year to start your recruiting process will limit the number of coaches you’ll talk to, as well as the time you have to make a good decision. This is why it’s so important to start early if you are truly wanting to play sports in college.    Keep your social media clean In today’s world, one of the easiest ways to get to know someone without talking or meeting them is by looking at their social media accounts; and this is true with college coaches. Most high school athletes are active on social media, and coaches utilize this to learn more about their prospects. This is also an outlet in which coaches can reach out to athletes, which makes it good to have. However, it’s vital that athletes are keeping their social media clean by not posting vulgar or inappropriate content. This does not make you look good to coaches, and can be a deciding factor when it comes to scholarships and offers.    Keep your options open When going through your recruiting process, it’s also important that you are keeping your options open. Not every athlete will get recruited to a Division 1 school, and that’s okay. If college athletics is your dream, there are many divisions across the NCAA, NAIA, and Junior college in which athletes can be recruited and receive scholarships to come play. Although NCAA Division 1 gets the most attention via news and television, it’s far from the only option! Going into your recruiting process with a more broad mindset and understanding will help ensure you choose a school that is the best fit for you.    Academics are important Lastly, your athleticism and skill in your sport are far from the only thing college coaches will evaluate. One of the biggest things coaches will look at are your grades and how many activities you participated in during high school. College coaches are going to recruit players who are STUDENT-athletes, as education aspect will always come first during high school and college. Keeping up with your schoolwork, getting good grades, and showing that you care about your academics just as much as your sport shows college coaches that you are scholarship worthy.    Another tip on how to make yourself stand out academically to college coaches is by asking questions about their school, the majors they offer, and how their school will help you grow in whichever career you wish. Asking these questions will also help you determine which schools offer the programs you like, and which school will help you excel in school.    The college recruiting process can seem like it is everlasting, but the day you commit and sign your letter of intent will be a day you will remember for the rest of your life. On top of all of these tips, it’s important that you are continuing football training all year round to help prepare you for the next level.  At Warren Academy, we offer many sports performance and football training programs to help young athletes grow, learn, and develop new skills. To learn more about any of these programs, give us a call or visit our website today!