Our Story: How It Can Help You
At first we thought that if Todd was a good enough athlete, he would certainly be noticed by a college coach and offered a scholarship.
But we soon realized that there was no recruiting hotline, no central location where college coaches went to discover qualified student-athletes for their programs, no magical list. Many colleges, in fact, seemed to find their recruits haphazardly — through an associate of the athletic program or a chance encounter. This trend was even more apparent at smaller schools, many of which seemed to confine their search to a small geographical area due to limited recruiting budgets.
From our research, we concluded that students must initiate the recruiting process to avoid being overlooked. Armed with this knowledge, we began a systematic search for the right college, one where Todd could get the best education possible while playing his sport and receiving a sports scholarship.
We devised a game plan geared at marketing Todd and his talents. He contacted each coach at colleges that interested him and sent a packet of information about himself. He also indicated where the coach could see him compete. Soon he was swamped with replies from coaches, along with information about their schools.
After receiving offers from four other colleges, Todd ultimately attended Stanford University on a soccer scholarship. While in college, he worked in the athletic department and helped to recruit student-athletes. From Todd’s experience as an “insider,” we learned why some student-athletes are vigorously recruited, while others—no less talented—are virtually ignored.
Janelle Whary, Dillsburg, PA 08/14/08
My son, a senior in high school has done what the article says for the last year. It works! He has received many contacts from Division I, II and III schools. He has narrowed down his colleges to four and he receives emails and calls from these coaches on a regular basis. Please make sure that what ever college your child wants to attend so that they can play a particular sport that they put together a dvd of them playing. Not just highlights but an entire game. Coaches don't want to see just highlights. My son put together a "resume" of himself (along with a cover letter introducing himself) describing all his awards and which camps and tournaments he would be attended.The coaches showed up to watch. The grade issue is just as important and their athletic abilities. What college wouldn't want a great athelete with great grades? If your child is interested in furthering his/her athletic career, just do what the article says. Again, it worked for my son!
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