Some Athletic Recruiting Advice from a d1 Recruit
As a former Division 1 athletic recruit and a college counselor with over twenty years of experience who focuses on helping students identify their right fit colleges (especially when they are being recruited) I am well positioned to share both personal experience and that of my former clients.
My Athletic Recruiting Story
Personally, I looked at 42 colleges starting in 7th grade before I narrowed my list. At the time, some were out of my academic depth and others felt too far.
Ultimately, I chose Lehigh University which was about an hour and a half from my hometown. My recruiting trip was amazing, the upperclassmen were incredible leaders, and I felt I could be successful.
I turned down a few programs because the coach felt certifiably insane, there would have been very little athletic/academic balance, and I would not have been able to grow emotionally, academically, and socially. I decided that Lehigh as a school and the swim team would be the right choice at the time.
The rubber met the road two months into my freshman season. Our head coach collected us into a hotel room the night before our first meet to reveal that his then wife had threatened him with a firearm due to his infidelity with an associate athletic director. He was present at meets thereafter, but mostly focused on cleaning up his personal life during the remainder of the season. Our assistant coaches and seniors took the reins allowing us to build close relationships and become successful as a team.
The next season our coach returned, sharing his intention of leading with a strict approach. My thought was we were excellent with the warm collective bond that had formed, so why change.
The team just did not feel the same, so I chose not to return, instead taking up tour guiding, club rowing, tutoring with the Boys and Girls Club at the local middle school, a waitressing job, and an Associate role at the local Abercrombie & Fitch.
The experience taught me that if it doesn’t feel right, don’t remain as there are plenty of doors to open during one’s college experience.
What Athletic Recruiting Entails:
Initiating any form of athletic recruiting begins at different times depending on the sport.
For swimmers it is about their fastest times in junior year that will get them onto a short list with top programs for official visits.
For divers it is about points scored at a national meet that helps with ranking.
For cross country athletes it is about a strong fall season in junior year, getting invited to camps in the summer before senior year and then great times that fall.
For lacrosse and field hockey players it is about getting invited to showcases and camps where they will likely sign with a school sometime in junior year, apply and have an official signing day in senior year.
When students are heading into high school it is important to connect with their school coach, club coach, school/college counselor, to determine how other upperclassmen have engaged in this undertaking.
I have had former clients reach out to athletes two years ahead of them to navigate their process and determine if they want to mirror their experience. Students can also build an athletic page on The Player’s House and an athletic resume that is updated after each event, meet, game, or showcase.
Those who are aiming for D3 NESCAC schools or D1 Ivys must maintain top grades, earn competitive test scores, and communicate effectively with coaches. They must also pass a pre-read portion of the recruiting process to determine if admissions would offer the student a green light, need more information, or would not make it through their process.
Some Athletic Recruiting Advice
How to Proactively Prepare:
Maintain balance in the athlete’s academic and athletic lives. Sports are part of the reason why the student is getting noticed, but if they are aiming to earn a college degree, they have to put in the effort to be successful once they get there.
I have had athletes come to me aiming for Harvard, but have one honors course on their transcript. They could be an incredible field hockey player, but unless they are leveling up and challenging themselves with more rigorous coursework each year, they will not pass the pre-read.
It is wise to build a four-year academic plan that can be adjusted as needed. If the student’s high school is on block scheduling and they are primarily a spring or fall athlete it can help to push the tougher load to the “off season”.
Additionally, it is wise for the family to target the schools that align with the athletic and academic needs of the student. As much as everyone would love a school to pick them, it is really important that both sides agree, especially if the athlete sustains an injury or decides to quit playing the sport, they should choose to remain at the college to complete their degree.
How to Strategically Engage:
I tell every client to make a dedicated email… that they check for the entire recruiting and college process. Thereafter, they can write an introductory email and complete each college’s recruiting questionnaire (here is an example of Brown’s). By maintaining the athlete’s website, checking email, and following up with any solicitations from colleges opens the door to conversations with coaches who are in charge of training camps, showcases, and other opportunities before open recruiting can begin.
Three Mistakes to Avoid:
Telling the colleges that are recruiting the athlete where else they are looking. Just be present on campus and engage with the coach to build a unique relationship, leave all debates about this college or that for the privacy of the family dinner table.
Overcommunicating with coaches. When there is a lull in the conversation it is not a time to panic. If the school is important to the athlete, they should share relevant academic and athletic updates every quarter that are not superfluous. Set reminders from the last communication and then send an update email.
Banking on one school to make an offer. Until the offer is in writing and the student has passed the pre-read it is unwise to share that the athlete is committed to a particular school. Refrain from sharing details unless the process is set in stone as recruiting can change quickly and students get dropped from a particular roster with no notice.
Final Word of Wisdom:
The advice I also offer my clients today is to pay attention to how many upperclassmen are on the team. If there are many juniors and seniors it is usually a sign of a healthy environment. I also look to see how long the coach has been at the school, if any of their own children attend, or if they are really entrenched in the local community, it is a good sign that they will stay and be there long beyond your recruiting process.
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