College Recruiting: Work the “Grey Areas” In Your College Search

The college search for athletes is a very individual quest. A winning strategy for one prospect could be a losing strategy for another. I think we can all agree that when it comes to recruiting, the “blue chip” kids are going to be found. It’s just a matter of when.

That said, the majority of the prospects looking for a home on a college campus and a varsity team are NOT the blue chip kids. These prospects need to develop and execute a separate plan of attack and begin to tackle what I call the “grey areas” of recruiting.

When I speak of grey areas, I am alluding to alternative tactics that could help families and their children reach a little higher and have a better chance of success in the college search.

Self Realization

A great way to start the process is to do an objective self-evaluation as a prospective student-athlete. Based on your current core courses, GPA, and standardized testing, take the time to realistically define yourself from an academic standpoint.

Use the same exercise and do a critical athletic evaluation. Are you that star on the horizon? Are you a hard-working, dedicated athlete who contributes on occasion to the team? Or are you somewhere in between?

Target your schools

It's now time to develop a rough list of potential schools that match your self-evaluation.

I suggest sitting down with your guidance counselor, who most likely has access to the Naviance network that allows you to plug specific information (potential major, geographic location, size of undergraduate population, sport information) into the system. A list is generated in a matter of seconds listing schools that meet your criteria.

Next, begin to develop a list of college websites (both the academic and athletic websites), allowing you to “look under the hood” and explore a variety of colleges and universities.

Gather Specific Information

OK. You have poked around a number of college websites and have a general feel for each institution.

Now it’s time to divide and conquer! I suggest creating two lists— the schools that have piqued your interest (A file) and schools that are still in the running (B file). From there, develop a specific contact list (coach’s name, e-mail, phone number) for each school.

Communicate

If there is one area of college recruiting that, in my mind, stands above the rest in importance, it is effective communication with college coaches. This is a critical “grey area” component that you need to practice and develop over time.

Whether it is initiating phone contact with the recruiting coordinator, checking spelling and grammar on written or electronic correspondence, or coordinating face-to-face meetings, the prospective athlete that shows commitment and drive will have a better chance in remaining on the coach’s radar.

Organize

A knowledgeable consumer has the edge in the pursuit and attainment of important goals. I believe that the same holds true in the college search, and I encourage families to make every effort and commitment to organize information and execute well-designed plans.

Develop timelines that will target general events at the beginning of the college search (making unofficial visits, maintaining your database, and attending tournaments) and continue to move forward with more specific events (compiling a video and player profile, communicating with coaches, and making official visits, etc.) as your search progresses. This will increase the chances of “hitting targets” throughout the process.

Persistence

The one common thread that helps weave my college quest plans for the families I work with is the necessity to embrace persistence as a critical tool in the recruiting arsenal from start to finish. Some believe a persistent approach in college recruiting will be viewed by college coaches as a "pushy" attempt to get on the radar, which could be true if your approach is not well planned and carefully executed.

The rule of thumb here is simple: Coaches want to hear from prospects. Considering the tight latitude they have in communicating with our kids, coaches welcome and encourage prospects to drop an e-mail or pick up the phone and call. That said, it is equally important for prospects to have a realistic view of their potential athletic contribution to a particular program.

You have the drive and the desire to take your athletic talent to the next level. You are confident and dedicated to participate as part of a college program and to making your athletic pursuit an important complement to your overall college experience. You are halfway there!

Remember, your college search is a personal quest, where maintaining momentum will make the difference between a fair and great college recruiting experience.

Don’t be afraid to work the “grey areas” of the recruiting process and leave nothing to chance. Make the commitment to treat the college search as you would treat your goal of experiencing a championship season and you will give yourself the best chance at grabbing the brass ring.

Tom Kovic is a former Division I college coach and President of Victory Collegiate Consulting , where he provides individual advisement for families on college recruiting. Tom is the author of “Reaching for Excellence” An educational guide for college athletics recruiting and “NCAA Rules Simplified.” For further information visit: www.victoryrecruiting.com .