Athletic Recruitment Resources for athletes, parents, athletic directors, coaches, and counselors

Studies show that it is not a lack of talent that prevents athletes from being recruited- but a lack of knowledge about the recruitment process. Here, we have researched what you need to know to have a shot at recruitment. Our PowerPoint presentation, handouts, and worksheets have everything you need to start your recruitment process. These materials are FREE and available to share with anyone and everyone!

Why Play Sports? 

In general, sports promote physical and mental health. Athletes learn skills that help them grow academically and socially. They provide structure, mentorship, and resources. It is a myth that athletics takes away from academics; for the most part, participating in athletics actually helps students succeed in the classroom and beyond. Sport gives athletes experiences and skills that are highly desirable to admissions officers and hiring committees.

College athletics can provide an admissions boost, helping the athlete get into a more prestigious college that might offer better financial aid through the college coach's recommendation. Sports provide time management and structure, with most athletic departments providing additional resources and support such as extra academic advisors, study hall hours, connections to class deans, mental performance consultants or sports psychologists, counselors, nutritionists, and more. This structure also includes an automatic support system through coaching staff and teammates- fall sport athletes even arrive on campus early, which can help them acclimate to college life more easily. At some schools, athletes hold the highest overall GPA of any student group. DI and DII programs may offer athletic scholarships. 

Playing Sports After High School

There are many ways for an athlete to stay active and engaged in their sport after high school, regardless of whether or not they play in college. Most gyms offer discounted rates for young adults; some offer access to facilities like courts, fields, and pools. Some gyms run recreational sports programs or classes like yoga, swimming, soccer, pickleball, and basketball. Community spaces also often run recreational leagues or have open court and field times. Good resources for finding adult leagues in your sport and your community include Facebook, coaches leagues, and community centers. There is also a shortage of referees- becoming a referee in your sport is a good way to stay involved. 

Colleges and universities have a few options for staying involved in your sport. Athletes can join or create recreational sports leagues. Club sport teams offer a more structured sports experience. Most club teams have dues as the team is responsible for equipment, uniforms, and hiring a coach but provide more ownership of the team. Some club teams require high levels of commitment and try-outs while others do not. 

Varsity athletics are usually recruitment-based, but walking on can be an option. Walking on is easier at DIII schools in lower conferences; athletes can email college coaches to see if they accept walk-ons and what a walk-on's chance of being accepted is. Varsity sports require a high level of commitment. Most programs have a main season where commitment can range from 20-40 hours per week, including weight lifting, film, team meetings, practice, games, and travel. They also have off seasons of lifting and practice, which usually range from 5-20 hours per week. Athletes complete training programs out of season, so they are always working. Some programs require students to pay for all of their equipment and gear, while most do not. You can ask college coaches what they offer in gear and equipment and if they have a low-income fund to cover additional costs you might face. Most athletic departments provide athletic insurance through athletic training, meaning that any medical bills related to a sport injury will be reimbursed by the college. Additionally, varsity sports offer more support, resources, and connections. 

Differences Between DI, DII, DIII

NIL - Name, Image, Likeness 

Athletes in all three divisions can earn money through the NCAA's new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations. Athletes are most likely to make significant money on DI elite basketball and football teams, but all athletes can benefit from NIL. NIL regulations differ from state to state and program to program. If this is something an athlete is interested in learning more about, they should reach out to the athletic department staff, NIL compliance director, and coach about NIL opportunities on their perspective teams. 

College Sport Recruitment - Starting to Communicate with Coaches

The three divisions have different rules on when and how coaches can communicate with athletes, and these rules may vary based on sport- so be sure to look up your sports specific rules in each division. These can be found through the NCAA, NCSA, a Google search, or by asking an athlete who has been through the process already. 

DI and DII coaches can not email an athlete back until the summer before 11th grade. They can, however, talk to prospective athletes in person and through "recruiting agents" like parents and coaches who communicate on behalf of the prospective athlete. In fact, Divison I coaches can extend verbal offers to athletes before they are even allowed to email them back- which means it is important for athletes to send emails and have someone speak on their behalf, even if the coach can't respond. 

DIII coaches can email back once the prospective athlete reaches high school. 

Overall Tips:

• Coaches receive a lot of emails; if they don't respond, try again!
• The more communication you have with a college coach, the more interest you are showing in their program, the more likely they are to spend more time with you
• You can email, text, phone, and video call with coaches 
• Find a coach's email through the school's athletics website; some schools also have recruiting forms to fill out. After filling out the form, send an email to follow up 
• A good way to get a sense of the program is by video-calling with the coach and players. Ask the coach if you can meet with players in your position and/or intended area of study

Emailing a Coach

• The subject line should include the athlete's first and last name, graduation year, and position
• The body of the email should include the athlete's first and last name, hometown, high school, graduation year, position, club or travel team if applicable, and numbers for each team. It should also have the athlete's GPA, test scores, extracurricular interests, and why the athlete is interested in their school. This information helps coaches understand the prospective athlete holistically. It helps them decide if they are a good fit both athletically and academically
• Emails should include measurables and film- ways for the coach to understand the athlete's abilities. See more information on measurables and film below. Athletes can also include Instagram handles for their current teams and coach contact information- connections will only boost your athletic resume 
• A coach will tell you what else they need to know from you in future emails and meetings, so don't worry about missing something!

Film, Measurables, Visits, and Events

Questions to Ask Coaches

Asking questions is important for the athlete to understand if they will like the team and coach. They also help athletes figure out the chances they will make the team and be accepted into the school. It is important to narrow down a list of schools as soon as possible so time can be spent on teams that are a good fit. If an athlete plays a sport-specific position, like goalies, pitchers, etc., asking questions about what the coach has available is especially important. Prospective athletes should connect with current players, who might provide more accurate insight into what it's really like to play on that team and go to that school. 

• What positions are you looking for in my class year?
• How does financial aid work at your school?
• Have you had any athletes on your team major in ____? What has their experience been like?
• Do you support athletes interested in studying abroad?
• How would you describe your coaching style?
• Does your team have a low-income fund/ support low-income athletes with costs of equipment or other fees? 
• How does your program define success?
• Can you talk about how your athletes balance sports and athletics? What resources does your campus have? 

For current team members

• What is your favorite and least favorite thing about playing on this team?
• How would you describe the team culture?
• How do you support each other?
• What is your favorite and least favorite thing about the college? 
• How do you balance athletics with academics and other interests?
• How does the team interact in and out of the season? 

The Athletic Recruitment and Application Timeline

Using Athletics to Boost Your Applications & Resumes

Skills You Have as an Athlete - Even If You Don't Want to Play in College

Employers value non-industry-specific or transferable skills that can be utilized across fields. Athletics automatically provides athletes with a lot of these skills. Athletes can include on resumes and applications the time they were part of a team, any leadership positions (captain, state rep, etc.), coaching or reffing experience, academic awards (team or individual), or athletic awards they have (senior all-star, player of the month, teammate of the season, best of 60). Public speaking can include speaking in media, at camps, school, or conferences. Athletes can talk or write about how the skills they learned as athletes apply to the job, college, major, or field they are applying to and boost their applications and resumes.

How to Write and Talk About Your Skills 

More Questions? We Will Try To Answer Them.