State laws on home schooled students participation in high school athletics varies widely. The good news is that you do not need to play on your local school’s team to get exposure to college coaches. While playing for your local school team is a great idea if it’s possible, try looking into joining a club or travel team in your area. Theses teams travel throughout your region and in some cases the country playing a varying level of competition from recreational to highly competitive. Many college coaches spend most of their time recruiting at club and travel team tournaments because athletes on these teams have shown the desire to play at the next level. Coaches know that club and travel team athletes are dedicated to their sport because of the time and money spent to participate. While many coaches recruit at these tournaments don’t leave it up to them if you want to play at the next level.

As simple as the concept of recruiting seems, the process can be complex. As a college coach it is my goal to find the best student-athletes to fit my team. There are many athletes available, unfortunately coaches are unable to see everyone. To help fix this problem, there are many ways for an athlete to get exposure to help find the right college for them.

Many athletes simply think that coaches will find them. This mindset has been proven to be ineffective. You must be proactive. Recruits must make every effort to maximize their recruitability. Take the work ethic you have in practice and games and use it to help find the right college for you.

Well before the coach can see you play and learn about you, the coach needs to know about you. That’s where your job comes in. Remember, recruiting is just one of many facets of a coach’s job, so the more you can do, the better your chances of a college scholarship are.

First of all, understand that as important as your athletic ability is to a coach, academics are equally as important. There are standards set by the NCAA and NAIA as well as each institution. Other factors coaches look for are how hard you play, the way you react to mistakes and defeat, how you treat your teammates, coaches and parents, etc. The list goes on and on. In order to let the coaches know who you are, follow the below checklist on how to be successful in the recruiting process.

‘Steps to Success’ Checklist
1. Decide key factors. (Does the school offer your major? How far from home do you want to go? Do you want a big/small or private/state school? Is the team a good fit for you? etc.)
2. Research. (Learn about various colleges to determine if they are a fit. Create a database of addresses and coaches contact information.)
3. Create letters and videos. (Write letters and a resume about your academic and athletic accomplishments. Make a skills video.)
4. Write Coaches. (Send e-mail or letters to tell about yourself and ask them for more information. Include stats, video, schedule, resume, grades and test scores.)
5. Follow Up. (Confirm that coaches received info and find out their interest level in learning more about you.)
6. Pursue College. (Call the coach. Take a visit. Meet the players and coaches. Watch a game. Attend camps.)
7. Repeat steps 4-6.

Start the process as early as your freshman or sophomore year. It’s okay if that has passed, just make sure you work harder to get noticed. It’s never too early to research. You don’t have to be an all-american athlete to do research, send letters, and make calls. Nor do you have to attend a high school. This can all be done from home and on your own. Remember, your goal is to make coaches aware of you and your desire in their college and team. Make the process easy for the coach to recruit you.
There are other key factors to this tedious, but rewarding process. Do not expect a travel coach or parent to do your work. As a college coach, I want to hear from you, not them. Coaches and parents can help, however, as a student-athlete, you will get more out of the process and find your right fit if you put in the work. Once you go to college, your parents will not be lifting the weights or running the sprints for you!
Note: Be aware of all the recruiting services available. Most of them cost a pretty penny. Many college coaches don’t even use these services as a recruiting tool, therefore you should stay away too. There are numerous online sites that are free and will give you tips on how to write letters, when coaches can contact you and how to sign up for the NCAA Clearinghouse. Save your money. Or better yet, spend it on playing for a club or travel team or private lessons. You are capable of doing everything the recruiting services offer just by putting in the time and effort. Remember, we want to hear from you, not someone that works for you!
Good luck. Do your homework and be proactive. Make it easy for coaches to recruit you. Chances are, once we get to know you, we’re going to want you on our team! -HSI