The college experience will be some of the most critical years in our children’s lives. Realizing the potential leverage families and prospective student-athletes have in the college recruiting process will develop increased confidence and clarity as the college quest unfolds. Knowing how to close on this opportunity is, without question, essential. Below are Key Operatives When Navigating College Recruiting.
Define Yourself
Before you take the plunge and pick up the phone or e-mail college coaches, take the time to define who you are as part of the recruiting process. A seemingly daunting task, but once you wrap your arms around developing a level of self-awareness in college recruiting, the easier it gets…And it’s fun!
Remember, first impressions are powerful, and you want to prepare best for the initial communication with the coaches. The most straightforward approach is by developing a personal profile. Keep this to a 1-page PDF and list significant academic, athletic, and personal accomplishments during the past two years. Include a personal mission statement and coach testimonial, and you are well on your way.
Determine Your Path
Developing your initial college list should be a team effort that Includes your parents, club coach and guidance counselor. Develop a short list of impact operatives that will broadly define each college on your list.
Academic Ranking: Look carefully at the quality of education different colleges and universities offer. US News and World Report is a great resource that annually ranks college institutions.
Athletic Match: Take time to investigate team statistics and rankings, along with coach profiles and mission statements in an effort to “match” with college sports programs.
Cultural/Social: Not only do you want to align with a college because of the academic and athletic opportunities it offers, you want to get a feel for the general social flavor the institution extends.
Every prospect has an ideal college experience waiting for him or her and identifying essential operatives that define your personal goal is half the battle. Self-awareness is a powerful tool.
Prospect Evaluation:
Recruiting is essential for every college coach, and the aim is simple. Fill position gaps on the team with stronger talent than the year before. Therefore, most college coaches have identified 3 evaluation operatives to reach that end. Identify, recruit, and retain 1) strong students, 2) impact athletes, and 3) those prospects that bring leadership qualities to the team.
Furthermore, the college athletics recruiting process has evolved into a new and intricate level. The volume of e-mails, phone calls, and texts increases daily. College coaches work diligently to develop and implement seamless filtering systems to maximize recruiting…and you can help college coaches reach that end.
Identify Your Position of Strength
Are you looking to use your athletic ability to gain an athletic scholarship, or do you want to leverage your athletic ability to gain admission to an academically elite institution?
Considering only 25% of college athletes qualify for an athletic scholarship, the competition for athletic grants is fierce. College coaches use simple strategies when recruiting prospects, and scholarship athletes are typically blue-chip, immediate impact athletes.
Coaches from academic select college programs begin evaluating prospects in the classroom. They are hungry for academic information (transcripts, school profile, and standardized testing) to compute a rough “admissions index.” Once prospects pass this hurdle, coaches aggressively begin the athletic evaluation.
The Bigger Picture
Every prospect should get excited about potentially contributing their athletic talent to a worthy college team. That aside, it is essential to look beyond the college athletic experience when identifying a school that will position you firmly in your professional field of interest.
Furthermore, college coaches who are restricted from offering athletic scholarships can offer significant assistance in Admissions and Financial Aid. Prospects should clearly understand the role college coaches plays in this process. Make every effort to develop a sincere and strong working relationship with the coaches.
Communication
If your mission is clear, then communication becomes the vehicle to move with a definite purpose in your chosen direction and should be initiated early on by the prospect. College coaches have explicit restrictions on when and where they may contact prospects and families. Still, candidates and families may call or e-mail a coach early in the recruiting process and with very few exceptions.
An initial letter of introduction accompanied by a profile is a great way to begin. Still, it is imperative to regularly follow up with significant updates with “grip” (competition results, academic and video updates, etc.). The prospect that practices “proactive persistence” with respect will grab the college coach’s attention.
Embrace these key operatives when navigating the college search. You will position yourself best to build momentum and register high on the radar of college coaches.
Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and Principal at Victory Collegiate Consulting, where he provides individual advisement for families in navigating the college recruiting process. For further information, visit https://victoryrecruiting.com.
Copyright © 2023 Victory Collegiate Consulting. All Rights Reserved
