Recruiting Checklist… Top 15 things you need to do

1. Sit down with your high school head coach and position coach and get their evaluation of your performance, attitude, effort, potential, etc.. These coaches see you all year round and know you best.

2. Be realistic. Just because you’re the best player at your school or in your state, doesn’t mean you will get a Division 1 scholarship. However, there are plenty of options out there so be open-minded.

3.Learn about NCAA rules along with NCAA Eligibility- see where you stand.

4. Take charge of your recruiting and create your own opportunites! Don’t wait for your coach or anyone else to call for you. Remember, this is your future.

5. Fill out online questionaires on each university’s athletic website that you are interested in.

6.Call the school/schools you’re interested in and find out which coach recruits for your spefic area.

7. Make a highlight tape…When sending your highlight tape please leave music out of it.

8. Be persistent and agressive. Remember if one door closes, look to open a dfferent one.

9.Thousands of athletes are advised to send emails to coaches. How are you going to seperate yourself from all of those emails? The truth is, most coaches don’t respond unless they know the person sending the email.

10. Pick up the phone and call…Call the coach- if you reach his voicemail, leave a message and tell him you will be sending him an email with your highlight/info.

11. Follow up…If you still dont reach the coach, keep trying. (When I was going through the recruiting process, I made a list of schools and called 5-10 each day. I didn’t leave a message. I was persisent and agressive and I didn’t stop until I got the coach on the phone.

12. Don’t wait for schools to come to you, you must take action and go to them.

13. Attend as many one-day camps as you can. If you perform well at a college camp there is potential for a scholarship offer. I’ve never heard of an athlete getting a scholarship based on a high school “combine”.

14. Ask the college coach where you stand.

15.Get a MENTOR!!! Find an athlete that has been where you want to go and ask them about their experience, background, and any advice they have for you.