Make your name jump off a roster sheet to a college coach recruiting high school athletes

Don’t fool yourself.  Not for a minute longer.  College coaches are now waiting for you to come to them.  Sure, they hear by word-of-mouth about some prospects, but the recruiting process usually now starts early with an introduction, an early introduction.  And the sooner a your name hits a college coach’s desk, the better.

Name recognition is huge in recruiting.  And by this we mean the name of the prospect, not the school.  The quicker a coach is made aware of you, the more likely he or she is to perk up when they come across your name again at a showcase, tournament, match, meet or game.

So, is it premature for sophomores to get their names out there?  Heck, no.  With NCAA recruiting rules now allowing more coaches to make first, personal contact with prospects sooner than ever, it would be crazy to wait for a coach to find you if you really want to play college sports.  If it’s not all that important, then wait and see what happens.  No big deal, right?  But if it’s your dream to advance to the next level, you had better make a plan to compete in recruiting just like you plan to take on an opponent in a head-to-head match-up.

What about if you’re a freshman?  Should you wait?  Absolutely, categorically, no!  Jump in the recruiting fray the moment you decide that playing college sports is what you want to do.  Youth, club and travel sports numbers, like those in high school, are growing each year.   This means that there are more and more athletes competing for the scholarship you will want when you are a senior.  Want to be in the front of the line for coaches to consider?  Then, you have to get moving and do something about it.  Don’t sit on your, er, laurels.  Find a vehicle to get your name into the hands of as many college coaches as possible.  Don’t onesy or twosy it.  That just won’t work.  Make a splash.  Let a lot of coaches know your name now and your chances will grow exponentially as the months and years go by.

The prospects that are better prepared and use tried and true methods to promote themselves early on to college coaches, to make their name mean something in the long run, are the ones that gain a foothold in the process.  Their names stick in coaches’ memories as they pan down rosters.  Don’t be overlooked.  Get your name out there.  Put yourself in the enviable position of being noticed, not overlooked.