Your kid dreams of playing college sports. They work hard, they're talented, and they love the game. But here's the reality: thousands of high school athletes are competing for limited roster spots, and standing out requires more than just being good at your sport.
Getting recruited can feel overwhelming—for both athletes and parents. When should you start? What do coaches actually care about? How do you get on their radar without spending a fortune on showcases and travel teams?
Here's a practical guide to help your young athlete maximize their chances of catching a college coach's attention without burning out or breaking the bank.
Master the Fundamentals First (Before Worrying About Exposure)
Before you start thinking about highlight reels and showcases, your athlete needs to excel at the basics.
College coaches look for players who demonstrate exceptional fundamental skills, high sports IQ, and consistent performance under pressure. They can teach advanced tactics, but they expect recruits to already possess solid foundational skills.
This means perfecting technique through repetition, understanding game strategy and decision-making, and developing mental toughness and composure. Work with qualified coaches who can identify weaknesses and help refine abilities. Video analysis of gameplay can reveal areas for improvement that aren't obvious during live action.
Remember: talent without fundamentals rarely translates to college success. Coaches would rather recruit a fundamentally sound player with room to grow than a flashy player with poor technique.
Academic Excellence Is Non-Negotiable
Strong academics aren't just a bonus—they're a requirement for most college programs.
Coaches need players who can maintain eligibility and graduate. They prioritize recruits with solid GPAs and standardized test scores because athletes who struggle academically become liabilities.
Start focusing on academics early in high school, not just during junior and senior years. Take challenging courses that demonstrate commitment to education. Many programs have minimum GPA requirements, and academic scholarships can supplement athletic funding.
Student-athletes who excel in the classroom often have more recruiting options and leverage in negotiations. Plus, if the sports dream doesn't work out, strong academics provide a safety net.
Create a Compelling Athletic Resume
Develop a comprehensive athletic profile that includes statistics and achievements, awards and honors, relevant measurables like height, weight, and position-specific metrics, high-quality action photos, and a brief personal statement outlining goals and character.
Your resume should tell a story of consistent improvement and dedication. Highlight leadership roles, community service, and any unique experiences that set you apart.
Keep it concise but comprehensive—coaches need to quickly assess potential without wading through pages of fluff.
Use Technology and Social Media Strategically
Highlight videos are essential, but they need to be done right. Keep videos between 3-5 minutes and lead with your strongest moments. Show game footage rather than just practice highlights, include various skills relevant to your position, and make sure editing is clean and professional.
Social media matters more than you think. Coaches will look at your athlete's profiles. Maintain professional accounts that demonstrate character, work ethic, and achievements. Post training updates, academic accomplishments, and team success.
Avoid controversial content, partying photos, or anything that could harm recruiting prospects. If you wouldn't want a coach showing it to their athletic director, don't post it.
Attend the Right Camps and Showcases (Not All of Them)
Here's the thing about camps: they're not all created equal, and you don't need to attend every single one.
Prioritize camps hosted by colleges your athlete is interested in attending. These provide direct exposure to coaching staffs and demonstrate genuine interest in their programs.
Match the camp to your athlete's skill level. Elite camps if they're a top prospect, regional camps if they're still developing. Attending a camp where they're completely outmatched doesn't help anyone.
Showcases and tournaments in front of multiple coaches can provide broad exposure, but targeted camps often yield better results for building relationships with specific programs.
Your High School Coach Is Your Secret Weapon
Your athlete's high school coach can be their strongest advocate in the recruiting process.
High school coaches have established relationships with college coaches and understand the recruiting landscape. They know which programs might be a good fit and can facilitate introductions.
To leverage this relationship, be coachable and demonstrate leadership. Maintain a positive attitude even during challenging times. Ask for honest feedback about collegiate prospects and request help identifying appropriate competition levels.
Coaches are more likely to advocate for athletes who are respectful, hardworking, and good teammates.
Communicate Proactively With College Coaches
Don't wait for coaches to find you. Reach out to them.
Research programs that align with your athlete's academic interests, athletic abilities, and personal preferences. Send personalized emails expressing genuine interest in their programs. Include the athletic resume, academic transcript, and highlight video.
Follow up consistently but respectfully. Coaches appreciate persistent athletes who demonstrate genuine interest, but avoid being overly aggressive or demanding immediate responses.
When crafting your email, start with a brief introduction and explain why you're interested in their program specifically. Include key stats and achievements, academic information, and a link to your highlight video. Express interest in attending a camp or visiting campus.
Compete at the Right Level
Seek out competitive opportunities that challenge your athlete while allowing them to showcase their abilities. This might include club teams, AAU circuits, or competitive leagues beyond high school sports.
Playing against stronger competition demonstrates ability to compete at higher levels. Document performances in these settings—they often provide the most relevant evaluation opportunities for college coaches.
But don't overcommit to every showcase and tournament. Quality matters more than quantity, and burnout helps no one.
Stay Realistic (But Still Ambitious)
Research various collegiate levels—Division I, II, III, NAIA, Junior College—to understand where your athlete's skills might best fit.
While maintaining ambitious goals, develop backup plans that still allow them to pursue their sport at the collegiate level. Not everyone plays D1, and that's okay. D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO programs offer incredible opportunities for athletes to compete, get an education, and grow.
Consider factors like academic offerings and majors, campus culture and fit, location and distance from home, long-term career prospects, and financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
The "best" program isn't always the most prestigious one. It's the one where your athlete will thrive academically, athletically, and personally.
Understand the Timeline
Recruiting timelines vary significantly by sport. Some sports have early signing periods, while others recruit later in high school.
Start the process early to maximize opportunities and avoid missing crucial deadlines. Research the specific timeline for your athlete's sport and mark important dates.
As a general guide, freshman and sophomore year should focus on academics and skill development. Junior year is when you start reaching out to coaches, attending camps, and building your recruiting profile. Senior year is for official visits, commitments, and signing. But remember: every sport is different, so do your homework.
The Bottom Line
The path to collegiate athletics requires dedication, strategic planning, and persistence—but it shouldn't require losing your sanity or your savings.
Focus on athletic and academic excellence. Build a compelling profile. Reach out to appropriate programs. Compete at the right level. And stay realistic about fit.
Your athlete doesn't need to attend every showcase or hire an expensive recruiting service. They need strong fundamentals, solid grades, a good highlight video, and the willingness to actively promote themselves to programs that match their abilities and goals.
Most importantly, remember: getting recruited is about finding the right fit, not just getting any offer. The goal isn't to play college sports at any cost—it's to find a program where your athlete can succeed athletically, academically, and personally.
Do that, and the recruiting process becomes less overwhelming and more achievable.
Ian Goldberg is the CEO of Signature Media and the Editor of the largest and fastest growing sports parenting newsletter. He’s been recognized as an industry expert by the National Alliance for Youth Sports, the US Olympic Committee’s Truesport, and the Aspen Institute's Project Play. Ian is also a suburban NJ sports dad of two teenage daughters and has over 2,000 hours of volunteer time coaching them (which he calls the most fun form of R&D for his newsletter content). Ian and his team provide players, coaches, parents and program directors with the articles and content they need to have a great sports season. Ian has spent most of his career in digital product development and marketing and got his start at the White House where he worked for the economic advisors to two US Presidents.
