Almost every high school athlete dreams of playing for a college team and wants to be noticed by college coaches. Hundreds of graduating seniors compete for a few available spots every year. Statistics show that the odds of making the college roster for soccer are 14:1, football 11:1, and basketball 18:1.
Getting noticed by college coaches is one of the best ways to realize your dream of playing on a college team and potentially getting a scholarship to play. However, coaches see countless highlight reels and scouting reports, so you need to stand out from the crowd to succeed.
Discover what college coaches look for when scouting athletes and the best ways to get noticed by college coaches.
How College Coaches Find Athletes
There is no one way or one magic formula college coaches use to pick their recruiting class, but most coaches use a few universal methods when sorting through the vast amount of hopefuls to build their team.
Recs from high school or club coaches
Many college coaches cultivate relationships with high school or club coaches, and they trust these lower-level coaches, their judgment, and their eye for talent. High school and club coaches often recommend players or players from other teams they’ve seen throughout the season.
University-sponsored camps
Some universities, particularly D1 schools, put on summer camps for groups of prospective student-athletes. These camps allow coaches to become better acquainted with prospective athletes and see their athletic skills in action.
Talent identifying services
Given the sheer number of high school students vying for positions on college teams, it’s no wonder that many college coaches use talent-identifying services. These services help college coaches efficiently zero in on the size, position, and profile of athletes they want for their team.
Twitter
In the modern age of social media, stand-out plays by high school athletes go viral. Twitter and other social media apps act as highlight reel aggregators, exposing coaches to athletes they’d have never seen otherwise.
Communication from athletes
Coaches also hear from the prospective athletes themselves. Students who are particularly interested in a team can reach out via phone or email. Athletes also contact coaches through their high school coach or on social media.
Once a Coach Finds an Athlete, They Want to Know More
If a coach is interested in a prospective recruit, they will want to know more than just the athlete’s playing ability. This information helps them gain a complete picture of the recruit and the kind of addition they’d make to the team.
Grades
A student-athlete is a student first, so coaches must consider a recruit’s high school grades. College classes are significantly more challenging than high school classes, and ineligibility can be a problem if an athlete fails their coursework. Coaches must ensure that any prospective recruit can handle the classwork while maintaining a full training schedule.
Passion for the game
Coaches want to know how dedicated the recruit is. Do they play the sport out of parental obligation, to garner popularity, or do they have a passion for the game?
The transition between high school level play and college performance is difficult and often humbling. Passion for the sport can help players overcome this adversity and thrive at the next level. Coaches want to know if prospective students have what it takes to endure and succeed.
Extracurricular activities
Coaches like well-rounded individuals, and they want to know what students do other than study and play. Generally, they prefer recruits with varied interests. Hobbies and club participation that show dedication to the community and serving others are a particular favorite among many coaches.
Family life
Teams are like families, so the recruit’s relationship with their family may indicate how they will behave on a team. Coaches want to know if the prospect is respectful to their parents and elders, gets along with siblings and peers, and helps around the house.
How to Get Your High School Athlete Noticed by College Coaches
If you are the parent/guardian of a high school athlete and want them to get noticed, you can take some steps to increase the chances.
Create a comprehensive website for your student-athlete
A website with stats, highlight reels, a personal history, and academic achievements can help catch a coach’s attention. A website provides coaches with a one-stop look, so they won’t have to sort through unorganized reports or recommendations.
Make a quality highlight video
Gone are the days of grainy VHS game tape. Colleges today want to see high-definition video footage of recruits. Coaches are more likely to view a high-quality video to clearly see the player’s skill and talent and understand how the player affected the game’s outcome.
Contact coaches
Just like students, parents and guardians can reach out to coaches. It is a practical, effective idea to reach out to a coach with a concise introductory message to get on their radar. You can also provide a short, high-quality video for the coach and your website URL for their reference.
Why Scout Logix
Getting a high school student noticed by college coaches and recruited is challenging. Hundreds of thousands of scholarship funds are on the line, and there is no clear guide to success.
To boost your chances of recruitment success, work with Scout Logix. We provide personal website building assistance and custom marking and recruiting guidance to help student-athletes catch a coach’s attention.
You gain the following benefits when you work with Scout Logix:
Transparency and control
Parents and athletes want to be in control of the recruiting process. Scout Logix provides unparalleled control to parents and students during recruitment, focusing on total transparency.
Create a comprehensive website that you own and control
We offer customized website creation services for athletes and parents. Each website is customized to suit each student’s needs and best show their skills and potential.
Flexible options with a one-time setup fee or optional maintenance fee for managed content
We provide flexible payment options so families can choose the payment solution that works best for them. Our goal is to help recruits reach their goals with affordable recruitment support services.
Streamlined conversion to College Athlete Profile for sponsorships
Once the recruit has committed to a team, sponsorship opportunities become available. Scout Logix will convert the recruiting profile to a College Athlete Profile to help the student-athlete catch the eye of major corporations and marketing firms.
Get Noticed by College Coaches and Get Invited to the Big Show
Many high school athletes dream of playing college sports. Catching and holding a coach’s attention is the key to achieving a coveted place on the team. Scout Logix can help prospects get noticed for their talent, get scouted by a range of schools, and commit to a college that is right for them.
Contact Scout Logix today at (713) 582-2745 to learn more about how we can help your student-athlete realize their dream of playing for a college team.
