RECRUITING CHECKLIST
Literally hundreds of tasks are necessary to achieve your goal of playing at the college of your dreams. And each task, no matter how significant or how small, presents a risk and an opportunity. Use the following checklist to avoid the pitfalls and make yourself the best recruit possible
Freshman and Sophomore Years
Set seasonal, yearly and overall high school athletic and academic goals
• Write them down
• Be realistic
• Keep them where you’ll see them regularly
• Assess your progress at the end of each season/school quarter
Identify athletic weaknesses; research safe and effective methods, or professionals, to help you eliminate them
Maintain good academic standing
• Don’t cut class
• Strive for good grades
• Take advantage of study halls and tutors
• Don’t cheat
• Show respect to teachers and fellow students
• Avoid detentions and suspensions
Develop good relationships with teachers who will eventually write your college letters of recommendation
Get involved in extracurricular and volunteer activities
Be aware of your off-field lifestyle and the image it portrays
• Choose friends wisely; avoid troublesome crowds
• Keep online profiles clean
• Avoid drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• Don’t fight
• Don’t break the law
• Adhere to a reasonable curfew
Consider playing multiple sports to develop and display well-rounded athleticism
Maintain poise and sportsmanship at all times. College coaches watch you during competition, even when you are not playing. Always:
• Cheer on teammates
• Respond to referees and/or bad calls in a professional manner
• Interact positively with coaches on the sideline
• Keep your head up. Don’t pout regardless of score or situation
• Avoid fighting
• Celebrate with class
Have athletic competitions videotaped for future use
Create a filing system to organize athletic awards, newspaper clippings and outstanding achievements
Research the best non-school sponsored athletic leagues in your area—club teams, AAU, summer leagues, etc.
Participate in non-school sponsored athletic competition
Create a filing system for materials and info you receive from colleges and coaches
Complete and return all questionnaires
Inform college coaches about camps, clinics, and showcases you’ll be attending
Attend camps, clinics, and showcases at schools you are interested in attending and can realistically play for
Create a highlight tape
Attend a college competition in your sport at EACH level
• Contact parents of athletes on the college team’s roster to find out if they’re happy with their son’s or daughter’s experiences with the team
• Observe the way the coach interacts with his team
• Gauge the level of play compared to your ability
Assess your athletic ability
• Talk to your coaches
• Measure yourself against other players at your position in your state/district/conference
• Compare your accomplishments to the high school accomplishments of players on rosters of colleges that you think you could play for
Begin thinking about the academic area of study you might want to major in, and research which schools excel in that area
Solicit information about colleges by talking to:
• Friends
• Guidance counselors
• College’s alumni
Talk with parents or guardians about:
• Cost and what you can afford
• Location
• Academic opportunities and programs
• Their academic and athletic expectations for you in college
Create a target list of colleges in each of the following categories:
• Likely admission
• Safety net
• Reach
Send follow-up letters to coaches who haven’t responded to your initial contact
Familiarize yourself with the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Athlete
Open a dialogue with your high school coaches about the college coaches who have contacted them about you and the colleges that most interest you
Junior Year
Register, prep for and take standardized tests
Register with NCAA Eligibility Center [to be done by end of junior year]
Schedule and take unofficial visits
• Find time to meet with coaches around their busy schedules
• Bring pen and notepad, and have a few questions ready about the program, the coach’s level of interest and his or her plans to remain at the school during your four years
• Provide coaches with your highlight tape and stat sheet
• Talk to players on the team
• Check out the facilities
• Go to a class in your area of interest
• Keep a journal to list pros and cons of each school and coaching staff after visits
Continue to update college coaches on your athletic successes
Update highlight tape with recent clips
Talk to athletes from your school who now play at the collegiate level. Ask about:
• The level of competition
• How college life and sports differ from their high school experiences
• Any additional advice they have to offer
Update wardrobe with clothes appropriate for meetings with college coaches
Send thank you note after any meeting with a coach
Have high school coach call college coaches to recommend you as an athlete
Prepare a list of questions for coaches when they call (they can call after May 1 of your junior year for football and after July 1 for most other sports). Cover these topics:
• Their level of interest
• Chance of an official visit
• Possibility of a scholarship
• Who they have at your position (height, weight, stats)
• Your upcoming game schedule and the possibility of their attendance
Senior Year
Be prepared for an in-school visit from a college coach at any time
• Have questions ready in your locker
• Dress appropriately at all times
Retake standardized tests if necessary
Avoid senioritis—continue to take challenging courses and strive for good grades
Narrow down schools you’re interested in and eliminate those in which you definitely have no interest
Plan and take official visits. Remember, only five are allowed
• Bring pen and notepad. Have questions ready for meetings with coaches
• Talk to as many players as possible, not just the happy ones
• Go to a class in your field of interest
• Stay on campus
• Always conduct yourself properly
• Keep a journal to list pros and cons of each school and coaching staff after visit.
Assess financial needs by talking with parents and various schools’ financial aid offices
Apply for financial aid
Research and apply for alternative sources of funds
Once you begin receiving financial aid offers from colleges, share them with other
coaches to improve your final offer
Create timetable for all application deadlines
Ask teachers for recommendations
Calculate your GPA and find out your class rank
Request official transcript from guidance counselor
Ask college coaches to waive application fees
Write application essays early so you have time to edit and perfect them
Complete the rest of applications and mail before deadlines
Narrow college choices to your top three opportunities
Make final decision
Notify all college coaches you’ve been speaking with of your final decision
TIP OF THE MONTH
Facebook friend request the players on the teams of your final choices. Ask them questions about their coach, school, and teammates. Get an overall consensus, don’t just take one athletes word for it. This will help you find the best program for you. Realize the college players may let the coaching staff know about your contact with them, so keep it positive.
