By Prime Scout
This article is 
College Athletic Recruiting! Every year many talented high school athletes forgo their opportunity to participate in college athletics because they are sitting around waiting to be courted by the college programs they dream of being part of. If only they had initiated the recruitment process with college coaches and recruited themselves to the colleges they wanted, they could be enjoying all the great benefits of being a collegiate student-athlete.
The college recruitment process truly begins with you. Whether you are a “blue chipper”, think you are a “blue chipper”, or a believe you are a talented high school athlete you must initiate your own recruitment by being proactive with your recruitment knowledge and materials. Start by learning the recruitment process, creating and developing your online profile and presence, developing an intriguing letter of interest to coaches, developing a video that captures the college coaches interest, and impressing coaching with your phone calls and your visits, you must be an active part of the recruitment process. You must recruit yourself to the college or university you believe to be the best academic and athletic fit for you.
If you want to be a college athlete you must be prepared to do the following:
• Learn the Process: you will achieve greater success throughout your recruitment if you understand the limitations placed on coaches and how you can help them help you throughout the recruitment process. For example, knowing that a coach cannot return your phone calls until you are of a certain age or during a certain time period can alleviate stress und unneeded disappointment.
• Develop your Online Profile: utilizing PrimeScout’s unique personal profile allows you to give the college coach all the information that they need to pique their interest and, if appropriate, to follow up with you with correspondence and evaluations. Be sure to complete all sections and keep your statistics and events current.
• Your Letter of Interest: preferably utilizing email, contact college coaches with a letter of interest. Express your interest in why you are interested in being a student-athlete within their program and how you believe you can help their program achieve further successes.
• Develop a Recruitment Video: your recruitment video shows a college coach your athletic ability as well as your technical and, when applicable, your tactical skills as a prospective athlete for their program. Your recruitment video is more than a highlight reel and one that is designed to pique the interest of college coaches so they will evaluate you in person.
• Initiate Phone Calls: when a college coach expresses an interest in you, either directly or through one of your coaches, take the opportunity to call them and discuss your potential as a prospect for their program. Your calls show a valid interest and you will be able to answer many questions the coach will have as well as having the opportunity to learn much about the coach, his or her program and the expectations associated with the program. And whether this fits your needs and your own expectations.
• Take Unofficial Visitations: when there is an interest from a program, and you have a mutual interest in them, it is time to take an unofficial visit (a visit at your own expense) if you can afford it. Taking an unofficial visit allows you to gain a greater understanding of the college, the campus and the program, coaches and student-athletes. Taking an unofficial visit may determine greater what you want and expect from a college and it’s athletic program from an academic, athletic and social standpoint.
Taking the proactive approach to the college recruitment process will give you a greater chance of succeeding with the college of your dreams or a college you discover through the process that maybe a better fit for you. Utilize PrimeScout to develop your understanding of what you need to do to achieve success and how best to find a college that will make you achieve all your academic, athletic and social goals. If you start early, if you are proactive and if you follow through with your communication with college coaches you can make your dream of being a collegiate student-athlete a reality.