Doing sports is a cornerstone of mental and physical health for the majority of people, yet for school seniors, it brings another life-changing opportunity—a chance to be recruited by an educational institution. The athletic recruitment process is truly nerve-racking; however, the results are well worth the effort. We have prepared a list of requirements that will help everyone navigate through the selection procedure.
High school is a period of active physical, emotional, and social growth, challenges, and expectations about the future. Such a load of responsibility may seem rather burdensome; therefore, it is important to stay on top of things and keep everything organized.
1. Academic Success
Exceptional sports achievements make the eligibility process possible, yet colleges also look for students who are versatile and pursue both intellectual and physical development. Even after the student is admitted to a scholarship, their academic success is being monitored; therefore, it’s better not to take any chances. The GPA should be clearly presented in the transcripts sent to the commission, and its score can be a decisive feature during the selection.
2. Choice of College
Be realistic. Dreaming big is always a good thing when backed up by persistence and skillfulness. It is important to consider all the possible options regarding their geographical location, financial and athletic factors, and admission requirements. It is also worth arranging a few meetings with the career guidance counselor and the coach to make sure the level of expectations matches the level of athletic and academic talents.
The list should be further narrowed down to the most viable options, including the ‘realistic’ variants, a few ‘dream’ schools, and a ‘back-up’ option. That’s the best way to be prepared for any kind of scenario.
3. Paperwork
While keeping track of academic success, it is also important to manage all the athletic records. The best way to do it is to create an athletic resume, including:
- Name and contact details of a high school, a coach, or a club
- Personal details
- Up-to-date statistics of games and results
- Individual/Team rewards
- Attendance of camps or showcases
When the data is well organized, emphasizing all the accomplishments and achievements, it will make the coach’s work a lot easier. It is also important to practice writing motivational letters and business cards, accurately outlining the goals and vision of the future. It is best to use online templates, like VistaCreate, to improve the way your thoughts and mindset are presented.
4. Video-Presentation
Video presentation is the best way to demonstrate the level of skills to coaches and recruiters. The video shouldn’t exceed 3–7 minutes, highlighting the most impressive moments of your athletic abilities. As a rule, such a video is made after every season of competitions, helping to show your personal growth and ability to increase your input into the team’s performance.
There are some professional agencies that offer video-shooting services, or it is possible to use the video editing software available online and create a custom video.
5. Personal Contact
When the athletic and academic profiles are ready and the video presentation contributes to your image, it is important to start contacting coaches to make them aware of your existence. The two most common ways to reach the coaches are introductory emails or questionnaires, which will help to enlist you in the coach’s database.
The introductory email will contain all the academic and athletic profiles, as well as the motivational letter. However, there is a high chance that the letter will not be responded to due to a variety of reasons. Therefore, filling out the student-athlete questionnaire will be a helpful option as well. As a rule, they can be found on the official school website.
6. Persistence
The school-college transition period is pretty challenging, as it is supposed to be full of fun, yet it is also critical regarding the future life path. Therefore, it is important to be highly organized and keep tabs on all the activities regarding academic, athletic, and social behavior.
In the beginning, all the preparation seems to be exciting, giving hope for a bright and successful future. However, after some time without responses, the active search can easily turn into desperation and a loss of ambition. This period of stillness may be one of the biggest challenges to overcome. It is simply vital to pull yourself together and follow the plan step-by-step, check the emails, and keep improving.
The Bottom Line
The two years of high school are decisive for students who are willing to proceed to college and university. Despite being at such a tender age, it is important to maximize athletic and academic performance if you want to be recruited by the school of your dreams, where you could develop your true potential.
