As a Division 1 college athlete, a question I often get asked by athletes or parents is: 

“What can I (or my athlete) do to gain more attention from college scouts.”

It’s a question that I often struggle to find an answer to because there is no magic formula. 

Here’s the challenge: not all high school athletes can get recruited by division 1 schools. While this may seem like an obvious observation, this is something parents and athletes often fail to understand. Yes, there are still other options, but usually when I am asked this question, their athlete has interest from a D3 or D2 and is wondering how their son or daughter can get D1 interest. There’s no magic formula, but I can offer what I have seen to help me and other Division 1 athletes get recruited. 

How Not to Get Recruited 

The first thing I always tell anyone who asks me about college recruiting is that it is easier to not get recruited. Now, when I say this, I do not mean to give up trying, but to give yourself a fighting chance. I’ve seen too many examples of athletes with TONS of talent but poor grades or character issues, which can both be killers in college recruiting, depending on your talent level. While you can get away with more based on your talent, it will inevitably catch up to you. Having good, not even great, grades makes you, as an athlete, so much easier to recruit. This checks a box for every college coach, as often times they don’t want to stress about 1. Getting you into the university and 2. Keeping you eligible while you are there. High school is really your test run; you are putting together your resume every year, and scouts are paying attention to who you are. 

Performance Matters 

You have to perform. You don’t need to perform as a freshman or sophomore (although this does help), but by the time you graduate, you should have some film that warrants college interest. When I say you need film, I’m not saying you need other worldly stats, but you need to show that you 1. Were on the field, 2. Made an impact when you were on the field. 3. Show your intangibles. Colleges recruit based on a mix of skill and potential, so your film should show them what you have to offer. It’s difficult, not impossible, to get recruited with minimal film and playing time—keep that in mind. 

IMAGE MATTERS 

Just like the workforce, your image matters; this is especially true for college athletes and those who aspire to be one. 

• Be who you are, but also keep a clean image.

This is the most difficult thing to manage, especially as a young adult. You have to realize that online, the way you represent yourself is what you post and share. You can’t argue against what is on your profile. I always tell my cousin, who is an athlete in high school, to be someone you would want to recruit if you were a coach. As a coach, you wouldn’t want someone who posts profanity, guns, drugs, or politics. That doesn’t mean don’t be yourself, but keep a clean-cut image online; it’s there forever. 

• What people in your community and school think of you

Scouts are extremely thorough; they try to learn anything and everything about you as an athlete and person. While you can have a clean image online, how you carry yourself on a day-to-day basis is also noticed. You must keep in mind how you treat everyone on campus, from students to teachers to the custodian. Be someone who shows respect to everyone you come across; this will pay off more than you know. 

Also, don’t ONLY be an athlete; be involved in other ways around your school and community; be a light someone that makes a difference off the field as well as on the field. You don’t need to be ASB president, but find ways to get involved. For example, I was a mentor to freshman as a junior and senior, and I was also on our school’s leadership council. These were great talking points to recruiters and coaches. 

Get Your Name Out There 

How can schools notice you or recruit you if your name is not on their radar? Ask your high school coaches to bring your name up to college coaches that stop by the school or to send your film to coaches that they know; this can only help. 

Attend college and recruiting service camps; these are both great ways to compete, and against people who are getting recruited, making plays against them shows the caliber athlete that you are and will get your name buzzing if you have a great performance. College camps also allow coaches to see your athleticism and size in person; both are key to getting on coaches recruiting radars. 

 

Recruiting is a very hands-on process; you have to be committed to the dream and take the necessary steps in order to get on the radar, stay on the radar, and ultimately get an offer or chance to become a college athlete.