How Do I Get My Student Athlete Recruited?
A lot of parents struggle to help their student athletes through the recruiting process. You obviously care about your child and want them to be successful, so it makes sense that you are wondering how you can provide them with the best support possible.
There is no magical way to ensure that your kid gets recruited. Much of that burden falls on them. They are the one who has to reach out to coaches, respond to emails, and narrow down the colleges they are interested in. However, this does not mean there is not anything you, as a parent, can do. In addition to learning as much as you can about the financial aspect of college, your main role is to provide assistance and guidance to your child in every part of the recruiting process. This can range from discussing pros and cons of different schools with them to traveling with them to unofficial and official visits.
While the student athlete is undoubtedly responsible for handling the majority of the recruiting process, parents still have an important role to play. To help you maximize your child’s chances of success, and better understand the role you have in the recruiting process, we have included a more detailed guide below.
What Parents Can Do To Get Their Student Athletes Recruited
Luckily, there is a lot parents can do to help their student athlete find the school that fits them perfectly. However, it is important to remember to allow your child to take control of the process. Provide them with advice, but do not try to guide them away from, or towards, specific schools.
Help Put Together Initial Messages To College Coaches: A lot of times student athletes are hesitant, or scared, to reach out to college coaches. This is problematic because, without student athlete initiated contact, your child most likely won’t generate any recruiting interest at all. By encouraging them to send those introductory emails, or even attend specific recruiting camps, you can help give your child the best possible chance of being recruited. While you can support your student athlete in writing an introductory message, do not take over the process. Coaches want to hear from the student athlete, not the parent.
Be The Best Resource Possible: More than anything else, your child just needs you to be there for them. Think of yourself as their on-call assistant. When they have an important question about the recruiting process, you need to do your best to answer it – or connect them with someone who can. If you do your best to provide support and guidance to your child, they will be much more likely to feel comfortable reaching out to coaches and beginning the recruiting process.
Keep Your Child On Task: The reality is that many high schoolers do not have the skills to successfully manage the recruiting process. It takes organization and time management to be successful. As a parent, you have had way longer than your child to develop these skills. Reminding your child of what needs to be done, and the different factors they need to consider during the process is one of the most valuable things you can do. Help them create to-do lists, or even a schedule.
Form A Great Support Network: There are many different dimensions to getting your student athlete recruited. Not all of these can be easily accomplished by you and your student athlete. For this reason, it is important to get others involved. As a parent, it is your role to bring these people into the process. Two figures who are essential to getting your child recruited are their high school/club coach and their guidance counselor. With their guidance counselor providing academic advice, their coach providing recruiting experience and athletic advice, and you being there for them and supporting their decision, your child will have a strong support network and the best possible chance of being recruited.
The recruiting process can be stressful, especially for parents who want the best for their child. It is important to remember to be patient – it takes time for most prospects to begin generating recruiting interest. Continue providing support and encouraging your child to reach out to college coaches.
What Parents Should Not Do
Parents, while well meaning, tend to overstep their roles in the recruiting process. To help you avoid doing this, we have included a list of common mistakes parents make below.
Reach Out To College Coaches Yourself: This is one of college coaches biggest pet peeves – they do not want parents to speak on behalf of their student athletes. While they are interested in getting to know prospects’ parents, they first want to get to know the prospect who would be playing for them. If you reach out to a school on your child’s behalf, you will only be hurting your child’s chances of being recruited. Instead, encourage your child to write their own introductory message.
Be Disrespectful Or Controlling: Eventually, as your child progresses through the recruiting process, you and your athlete will have face to face contact with college coaches. There are two things that, if you do, would hurt your child’s chances of being recruited. First, do not answer questions that are intended for your child. Especially the first time you meet a coach, the vast majority of the conversation should be between your child and the coach. Second, remain respectful and polite throughout the conversation. Coaches want to recruit families that they believe fit in with their program’s culture.
Most mistakes parents make are a result of caring too much about their child. It can be hard to let go and allow your child to be independent and navigate the recruiting process. As long as you avoid the mistakes listed above, and continue supporting your child, they will have a great chance of generating recruiting interest.
What Your Student Athlete Can Do To Get Recruited
Beyond what you, as a parent, can do, there is a lot your student athlete can do to generate recruiting interest and find the best college for them. Remember to help them create a list and stay organized so they can keep track of all the different things they need to do.
Send Introductory Emails: The most surefire way for your recruit to generate recruiting interest is to contact college coaches. Sending an introductory email is the most common way of doing this. Be sure to send a personalized email to each coach you reach out to – they will appreciate it. In your email, attach a highlight video, your upcoming schedule, and your high school GPA/transcript.
Respond To Any Letters Or Questionnaires: Coaches often send questionnaires to recruits through the mail. While hundreds of recruits get these, it is still important that you respond to all of them in a timely manner. This will indicate that you have interest in the program, and also show that you are taking the recruiting process seriously.
Create A List Of Schools: While this will obviously be dependent on what colleges are interested in recruiting your student athlete, it is always a good idea for prospects to have an idea of the colleges they are interested in. This will help them compare any schools that indicate interest in them, while also allowing them to target the coaches they reach out to.
Both you and your student athlete have a role to play in generating recruiting interest. Reach out to college coaches, do research on colleges around the country, and involve your student athlete’s guidance counselor and high school coaches in the recruiting process.
Things To Keep In Mind
Help Create Highlight Videos: This is one big thing you can help with. Attend and film as many of your child’s games as possible and, if you are tech-savvy, help them cut the film up and create highlight videos to send to college coaches.
You Can Still Ask Questions: While the majority of communication should be between your child and the coach, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions about your child’s future.
Don’t Forget To Celebrate Successes: Remember to maintain an upbeat attitude, and congratulate your student athlete for any successes they have during the recruiting process.