Sports Guru

The recruiting process is long, tedious, frustrating, but in the end very rewarding. It takes a lot of discipline and strong will to continue your sports career. To make this process shorter, less tedious, and less frustrating. I’ve compiled a few steps you should follow in order to ease your mind and put you in the jersey of the college of your choice.

Alright, here we go, are you ready?

STEP NUMBER 1: LET THE COACHES KNOW WHO YOU ARE

How are they going to recruit you if they don’t know you’re name? They aren’t. I know it’s annoying and embarassing for some, but go up to coaches, ask questions, get a feel for the program. Even if you know the answers to the questions, just ask them to let them know you’re interested. Most importantly though, when you’re talking to a coach, LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU CAN OFFER TO THEIR PROGRAM!!!!! It is imperative that they are aware of your talents and strengths so that they can award you a spot in the program or a scholarship. Consider this first meeting a job interview. If you don’t seem interested in an interview and don’t show the employer that you have much to offer, they won’t hire you. So, nail the interview and get that job (by job I mean spot on the team of course).

STEP NUMBER 2: GET MORE EXPOSURE

Just talking to the coach sadly isn’t enough any more. But luckily, with today’s fancy technology you can expose yourself in so many ways. One great way is to complete athletic questionnaires that a lot of colleges have on their website. That will put your name into the athletic department and is one way to get the ball rolling. Get a highlight video of your action and send it around. The quality of the video does help but don’t worry too much about it. If a coach is unable to see you play in person, certainly seeing a video will aid greatly in his decision. Put it this way, if a coach has one spot and has two choices and one of those choices he has seen on video, he or she will choose the athlete he has seen.

STEP NUMBER 3: CONTACT THE COACH

Now with this there’s a lot of boundaries within the NCAA rules. But, after you’ve met a coach for the first time, talked to them, and they seem interested in you, simply contact them either via e-mail, phone, or whatever to keep your name fresh in their mind. Just thank them for speaking with you and tell them that your interest in the program is very high and so on and so forth.

STEP NUMBER 4: SORT OUT THE PAPERWORK

For me when I was being recruited, this was the most annoying. Making sure that my transcripts and grades were sent in were such a hassle. Why were they a hassle you ask? Because I procrastinated and waited until the last minute to get everything to the athletic program. You have to realize there are hundreds of thousands of athletes trying to do what you are doing. The abundance will certainly hurt you and make you look like you are undetermined to play to the coach. Get ahead of everyone and get it done early, a little bit every day will save you so much trouble in the end.

STEP NUMBER 5: MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE IN SIGNING TO A COLLEGE

Now this is always a tough decision. If you sign early it will relieve a lot of stress and is a great feeling in choosing a college while your friends are still confused. But, you do not want to jump into anything too early because an impulse decision could be a wrong one. Just make sure you do your homework on the athletic program, the college expenses, and most importantly what the college as a whole has to offer to you. Remember, you are paying for college, which means they are providing you with a service. So make sure that service will make you the best person you can be. Sounds cheesy but its true.

Alright so there you go, follow these steps and you’ll be there in no time. Throughout this process make sure you consult the people around you such as coaches, parents, friends, and of course me, the sports guru!!