INTRO to College Recruiting 101

1. Where in the United States (or world) does your athlete want to be? Some kids have their mind set on being certain places… “its always been a dream to live in Florida.” or “ i really want to be somewhere warm” Or “ i want to live in the mountains” or “ i want to be semi close to home and don't want to leave the state”... then start looking at schools in said region. Find schools that have your sport. 

2. What do I want to do in life? Now this is a tricky question in that 75% of college students change their minds on their majors IN COLLEGE.. And many do so more than once. But in regards to looking for a college, this question should be considered. For instance, if your athlete wants to be a Zoologist, then they should look at schools in their prefered region(1) that offer that program. Remember that less than 1% of athletes will make a living in the sport they do in college. Be realistic, your sport is NOT likely going to be your source of income for life. USE it to get you to college and through college, any financial aid is a bonus… also there are thousands more scholarships academically than athletically…. Keep up those grades.  

3. Standard: Conference Scorer: Once you have found some schools of interest that satisfy #1+2, start looking at their program of your sport. You want to look at their schedule, go to last year's Conference Meet and look at what would score points at Conference in your events…. Schools want athletes that will step on campus and make an immediate impact. If you are not as fast as placing at the conference level, they probably are NOT interested. (but a perfectly honest question to ask the coach) Although a hard thing to hear, very honest. Remember this is a business, and they want to better their program with individuals that will make an immediate impact  on the conference level (at the very least). They do not want or have the time to build your athlete to reach that potential, they want an athlete that comes in at a certain level at very least and if they get better… its a bonus. (there are rare exceptions to this: based on potential the coach sees)

4. Interest in Schools :Narrow your interest to 5-10 schools. Fill out their recruitment forms, email their coaches (all of them: Asst to Head) about your interest: Include best times, training habits, how many hours you train for said sport, how many seasons you do, other sports/activities that you do that may add or take away time from this sport. Example: a school will look differently at athletes with the same time who: train year round for that sport, as opposed to one who does 3 other sports and band. For better or worse, one has put more time in and may not improve as much as one who has not put the focus on said sport. Although a coach may see the dedication and focus as a positiv.. All depends on the coach and what they are looking for. 

5. Visits: You will/should hear back from the coach about whether you are a fit or not… then conversations begin to progress. A visit (official and unofficial) may be discussed. Reminder: you get a limited amount of official visits, and they are taxing.. Taking up weekends etc. I suggest taking visits (unofficial) to see what the school is like, facilities, city, campus etc in off season on your own with your family. Official visits are business. Remember they are trying to sell you their university, and also judging you and if you will fit into their program. Be respectful of this, ask questions, dont be afraid to state your needs and expectations. Because once your athlete is on said team, you as a parent will have zero influence on what the coach does with your athlete. You will be a cheerleader, and not always agree with decisions. 

6. Decision: After all your visits, and conversations with the coach about place on the team, financial support etc… There will be a tough time for that final decision of which school to pick. My advice is to pick a school that you want to attend regardless if you play that sport or not. Many athletes do not make it all 4 years in their sport. With the new transfer portal, and NCAA roster limits.. There is a lot of uncertainty about who will be on the team year to year. Many cuts will come the first year. Your athlete may find that they do not make it… BUT if they want to continue to compete, there will be other schools that will be options as well. Remember this is a business for the school, and they will always do what is best for their team and University. 

My rule of thumb is to do most of this Junior year. Starting to unofficially visit schools the summer between your 10-11th grade. So that you can start narrowing down and talking to those coaches your Junior year. The most important year in regards to performance is Junior year. IF you wait to decide Senior year, remember that there is a lot more stress added to an already emotionally filled year. Senior year is about figuring out where to go to school, but also that emotional journey of leaving Home (18 years) and moving onto the next chapter of your life. Growing up. Many schools do not even take into consideration performance from Senior Year (but this is a good question to ask the coach when conversing). AND rosters fill up quickly. Waiting until May for a track athlete is really gambling because most rosters will be full by then.. Especially in these years of transition and roster cuts. (NCAA)

You are not alone or the first to take this journey, many families have gone through this and many with little or no help. It can be scary and overwhelming trying to figure out your child's future. The best thing to do is get involved, start early, get your coaches/athletic director/ and school involved, stay vigilant, ask questions, and be persistent… Encourage your athlete to do the same, not get discouraged, and put in the work (like they have on the field) Remember there are many scholastic scholarships available as well, as well as student loans… you can find money if needed to help your student attend the school that THEY want to attend (HS advisors are great at helping with this). I always suggest to parents to put some of the financial responsibility on their athlete/student (student loans) making them responsible for their future and taking their education seriously. 

Please email with any questions or concerns : Matt Parrish: [email protected]