5 Easy Ways Parents Can Help Athletes Get Recruited

It’s no secret that parents want what’s best for their kids, and they’ll do whatever it takes to help their athlete achieve their dreams. Not to mention all of the time and money spent helping their child be the best athlete they can be. Parents can help athletes when it comes to recruiting, but some things parents tend to can cause problems.

Parents play a huge role in the recruiting process. Choosing where to attend college isn’t a decision athletes should make on their own. Athletes need their parents during the recruiting process for support, comfort, and motivation. It’s important that parents are doing the right things to increase their athlete’s chances of earning an athletic scholarship. 

Don’t Get Too Involved

There’s a fine line between being too involved and not being involved enough. Every athlete needs a different level of involvement from their parents. Some need a little more push than others. However, college coaches are looking at parents involvement when they are out recruiting. Parents that yell at umpires or referees, their son’s or daughter’s coach, or other parents send up an immediate red flag. Many times this level of involvement will stop a college coach in their tracks and mark an athlete off of their list.

Be a Helper Not a Doer

Most high school students don’t have the best organization or time management skills. That’s where parents come in. Parents can help athletes best by reminding them of important NCAA information like when to register for the NCAA Clearing House or when to take the ACT/SAT. But parents don’t need to do everything for them. College coaches want to communicate with the athlete, and they can tell when it’s not a 16-year-old. Remember, coaches are recruiting parents like they are recruiting athletes. If a parent is doing all of the communicating for their athlete, it could cause the coach to think the athlete isn’t interested. Talking with college coaches is nerve-racking, which is why parents want to help. But if athletes aren’t building their relationship with coaches, they’ll have a hard time standing out.

There’s More to College Than Just Athletics

Athletic ability will get athletes pretty far in the recruiting process, but grades and behavior are just as important. Parents can help athletes with this concept, or hurt them. It’s important to make sure athletes know there’s more to college than sports. Athletes need to be good teammates, work hard and understand that having good grades is critical.

Know the Facts

There are a lot of facts to know about the recruiting process, recruiting in general and college information. Where does the athlete fall in the recruiting box? Do they have NCAA Division I, II or III abilities? What are the scholarship opportunities for their sport? How can they earn scholarship money? The answers to these questions can significantly help parents help athletes during the recruiting process.

Get Help

Recruiting is a long process, and sometimes parents and high school coaches help can only go so far. Find a Scout in your area to talk to about the recruiting process. It’s one of the best ways parents can help athletes.