The recruiting process can be a long and tiring journey – but, if handled properly, an incredible opportunity to let football help open doors that may or may not have otherwise been available. In 10 years of recruiting at the Division-1 Level, we have seen recruits (and parents) make all kinds of different mistakes. We’ve taken those experiences to try and help other families avoid those common mistakes.
Not Contacting Enough (of the RIGHT) Schools
When starting out in the journey, one of the most important things you need to do is get your name out there. Reaching out directly to coaches and schools that you believe are a fit for you is the best way to do that. Don’t sit and wait for someone to come find you.
With that being said, making sure to narrow the focus on schools that are a fit for the criteria you and your family have identified for your college search (location, education, family history, etc.)
Understanding how to create that list, identify who to contact and stay in touch with that coach or staff is one of the many services The Athletic Academy offers.
Impersonal Emails/Tweets (Shotgun Technique)
How many schools have you seen on Twitter that have seemingly offered 500+ kids? There is no way they can take all those kids, right? We call that the “Shotgun Technique” – just shooting blindly to see what sticks. But how much can that school really want you if they have all those offers out? Feels off.
Put yourself in a coach’s shoes. If you just get an impersonal email/direct message that has clearly been copied and pasted to as many coaches as possible – would you take it seriously? Does that kid want to play for me, or just get recruited to say he is recruited?
When I was coaching, and a prospect took the time to do some research on me (or the program overall), and then wrote a more personal note showing that they had done their homework, I ALWAYS responded. On the contrary, I made it a rule (as do most coaches that I know) to not even read an impersonal “stock” email.
What kind of background research should you do? How do you make an email/DM more personalized and really stand out? What information should be included? The Athletic Academy can walk you through exactly how to really stand out.
Parents Contacting Coaches
Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/Aunt/Uncle… whoever is in your life is an integral part of your recruiting process. But YOU are the recruit. Show you are ready to go off to college by handling your own communication.
How involved should guardians be? Contact us for more information.
Not Leveraging Social Media/Using it WRONG
Social media is the greatest tool that recruiting has seen in years. With that, it is an absolute DEALBREAKER for more recruits than you’d imagine. Are you taking advantage of social media the right way? Can the coach find you by searching your name? What are the best ways to utilize social media to get your name out there?
Get in touch with The Athletic Academy and let us give you the Social Media Playbook to make sure you get as many eyes on your social media as possible!
These are just the TIP OF THE ICEBERG when it comes to the ways that we have seen recruits and their families limit their options when it comes to recruiting. Especially considering the constantly changing landscape in light of the Coronavirus Pandemic, you owe it to yourself to have a complete understanding of the process, as well as a partnership with a team of former D1 coaches who are keyed into the industry and can provide real time updates as new information is available.
Sign up for our FREE Webinar held on January 13th to learn how to best attack the recruiting process in 2021!
Hard work pays off