So there you are, a high school standout athlete. You’re on the varsity squad as a freshman or a sophomore and the coaches have told you (and/or your mom and dad) that you have a real talent for your
sport.
Whether you’ve amassed a single-season school passing record in football, have a 95 mph fastball at 16, only allowed 1 goal all season, or you’re on pace to score 100 goals in soccer or hockey, colleges won’t notice you unless you have something else to back it up.
Examples of what college recruiters look for can cover or include everything from if you are injury prone to your grades or how many times you’ve been in trouble.
“Kids need to realize that colleges want ‘A’ and ‘B’ students. Coaches pull deans, teachers and counselors to the side because they don’t want any ‘character cases’,” Alan B. Shepard High School (Palos Hills, IL) football coach Dominic Passolano, who played collegiate football at Western Illinois, said.
On top of sound discipline, good grades, and being on top of your game when the college coach checks out one of your games, it is extremely important to participate in a camp or a club. Many colleges host high school camps for numerous sports. They will ask for film from these camps or club matches to make sure you are not just an average talent on a team that has seen better days. The video your friends or parents take at games is also important. Edit a highlight reel and send it to colleges you are interested in attending.
Camps are a good place to get noticed as well. For example, if you are from Illinois and you are a talented baseball or soccer player, it’s very hard to play your sport outdoors year round. Attending a camp in Florida, Arizona, California, or another warm weather state will not only increase your visibility but also keep you at your physical peak.
Also, coaches will look for you on a variety of social networking sites. Make sure your profiles are clean and professional. Do not have any pictures of yourself that you would not want your grandmother to see. It sounds silly, but one bad picture on Facebook could mean the difference between a full ride to play soccer at Florida and sitting on the bench at the local community college.
The National Letter of Intent you sign represents a major investment for any college. Depending on the school you sign with, that college is looking to spend $200,000 or more on you just for your tuition. Keep this in mind when you play and when you study. Keep your grades up, stay out of trouble, and you’ll perform with the best!
sport.
Whether you’ve amassed a single-season school passing record in football, have a 95 mph fastball at 16, only allowed 1 goal all season, or you’re on pace to score 100 goals in soccer or hockey, colleges won’t notice you unless you have something else to back it up.
Examples of what college recruiters look for can cover or include everything from if you are injury prone to your grades or how many times you’ve been in trouble.
“Kids need to realize that colleges want ‘A’ and ‘B’ students. Coaches pull deans, teachers and counselors to the side because they don’t want any ‘character cases’,” Alan B. Shepard High School (Palos Hills, IL) football coach Dominic Passolano, who played collegiate football at Western Illinois, said.
On top of sound discipline, good grades, and being on top of your game when the college coach checks out one of your games, it is extremely important to participate in a camp or a club. Many colleges host high school camps for numerous sports. They will ask for film from these camps or club matches to make sure you are not just an average talent on a team that has seen better days. The video your friends or parents take at games is also important. Edit a highlight reel and send it to colleges you are interested in attending.
Camps are a good place to get noticed as well. For example, if you are from Illinois and you are a talented baseball or soccer player, it’s very hard to play your sport outdoors year round. Attending a camp in Florida, Arizona, California, or another warm weather state will not only increase your visibility but also keep you at your physical peak.
Also, coaches will look for you on a variety of social networking sites. Make sure your profiles are clean and professional. Do not have any pictures of yourself that you would not want your grandmother to see. It sounds silly, but one bad picture on Facebook could mean the difference between a full ride to play soccer at Florida and sitting on the bench at the local community college.
The National Letter of Intent you sign represents a major investment for any college. Depending on the school you sign with, that college is looking to spend $200,000 or more on you just for your tuition. Keep this in mind when you play and when you study. Keep your grades up, stay out of trouble, and you’ll perform with the best!