It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed with the recruiting process. There are some gray areas that exist, leading athletes to think they are being actively recruited when they are not. In many cases, a college coach’s definition of recruitment, and an athlete’s definition of recruitment, are completely different. The process becomes even more unclear when players start receiving letters from admissions offices, and camp invites from the athletic department.
Not every high school student-athlete will play in college. In fact, only about 6% of high school student-athletes will go on to compete in college. In addition to athletic ability, there are minimum academic requirements that need to be met before you have a chance at being recruited. College coaches will not actively recruit a player without evaluating them both academically and athletically. Below are some signs that you are or are not being recruited by college coaches.
Signs you ARE NOT being recruited include:
- Receiving information from a college admissions office. Receiving information about a college does not have anything to do with athletics. Colleges send information to all kinds of students, completely independent of whether they play sports. There are for-profit and nonprofit institutions. A for-profit institution is exactly what it sounds like – a business with the goal of making money. The more students who enroll, the more money the school makes. The same principle applies when a coach sends you a camp invite.
- If you get invited to a camp. Almost all colleges use camps to recruit student-athletes, promote their school, and ultimately help them generate revenue. Camps can also be advertised as “invite-only” or “elite” camps to add to the allure of those thinking about attending. It is important that you respond to the camp invite, but do not feel compelled to attend every camp you get invited to.
- If a college coach watches you at a tournament or college showcase. Coaches use invites, tournaments, and showcases to see a lot of athletes in a short time. It means more if a college coach attends one of your local high school or club games versus a large tournament.
- If a college coach looks at your profile on a recruiting website. Coaches look at so many athletes each day. If a coach simply views your profile, that does not mean he is interested in recruiting you. When a coach is interested in you, he will reach out to you directly.
Signs you ARE being recruited include:
- When a college coach calls you at home. It is a good sign with a college coach calls you directly at home. It is even better when they make it a priority to communicate with you on a regular basis. If a coach gives you his personal cell phone or email address, that is a sign that you are being recruited.
- When a college coach comes to your home field to watch you play. This shows that a college coach is interested in watching you play. By watching you play, college coaches can see how well you will fit in with the dynamic of their team.
- When a college coach invites you on an Official Visit. Official visits are not given to every recruit. If you are offered an Official Visit, a college coach is interested in recruiting you.