With summer approaching, what should a high school prospect do? NSR offers five suggestions that really work

Preparing for the fall can be fun, if you take the right attitude

Making plans for the summertime may seem a fun to-do list for high school athletes.  With free time staring you in the face, what is an athlete to do?

At NSR we are constantly aware of the necessity for preparation.  And even though summers is a time for vacations, fun and rest, the dedicated student-athlete must keep an ever vigilant eye on the future.  Staying in shape, communicating with college coaches, attending camps and taking campus visits are all on our summer checklist for athletes.  Here are those and few more which serious high school athletes should consider including in their summer plans:

1. Hit the Road.  Early mornings are ideal for getting exercise out of the way for the busy high school athlete.  Doing so takes discipline and dedication, but nothing can replace staying in top condition through the lazy days of summer.  Want to impress college coaches?  Give them a record of the mornings that you were up and at it over the summertime.  Now, THAT will make coaches pay attention.
2. Fire One Off.  When coming in from your exercise, stop by your computer or sit down with your phone and fire off a quick E-mail to a college coach.  Tell him or her that you just finished a workout session and wanted to say hi.  That’s all it takes to get a coach to notice you.  Do this every day.  Pick a handful of coaches and send them a quick message every week.
3. Camp Time is Face Time.  If a college is recruiting you hard, don’t miss the opportunity to attend their camp this summer.  Getting face time with a coaching staff and team members is extremely helpful to your understanding of a program and how it operates.
4. Step on the Grounds.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more valuable to a high school student-athlete than actually stepping foot on the grounds of a college campus.  Even if the campus is not one which you are interested in attending.  You need the experience of seeing and feeling what different campuses are like to eventually make a decision about which type works for you.
5. Bury Your Head.  Read something.  Strange, right?  But you will find that taking in a good book, or several of them, over the summer months will be prove to be about the most relaxing thing you can do.  Go ahead, try it.