Game on for sports recruitment

So your kid is a rock star on the field, or court, or track, or…? College recruitment often starts by sophomore year of high school. This means student-athletes must maintain strong academic and athletic performance from freshman year onwards, and engage strategically with recruiters.

As a Command Education senior mentor working with athletic recruits, Jesse McDonough has witnessed firsthand how dramatically athletic recruiting has evolved over the years. 

Communication between players and coaches, which once occurred primarily through email and phone calls, now transpires via text, too. Plus, she said Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities — whereby a third party compensates the athlete for the use of their name, image, and likeness — are a significant factor in the college sports recruiting process. 

“Given how drastic these changes are, it’s essential to stay informed and understand the latest rules and guidelines because the landscape is constantly shifting,” said McDonough. 

Ace the race: What the college recruitment process entails

“Athletic recruiting involves communication between student-athletes and coaches about the possibility of continuing their athletic careers at a specific college. If both parties show mutual interest, the process often progresses to unofficial and official visits on campus,” said McDonough. NCAA regulations vary by sport and division, dictating when coaches can begin contacting athletes. 

For most Division 1 sports, McDonough said official recruiting starts June 15 of a student’s sophomore year, when coaches can call or email athletes, but the athletes themselves can proactively reach out to coaches earlier to express interest and get on their radar (coaches just can’t respond). 

“As a mentor, I constantly remind recruits that maintaining strong academic performance throughout this process is crucial, especially if students are aiming for academically rigorous schools like Ivy League institutions, which prioritize grades and test scores alongside athletic talent,” she added, noting that athletic scholarships differ by league and sometimes school. For example, the Ivy League schools don’t give out athletic scholarships.

Remember, student-athletes will have to juggle academic with athletic prowess. Throughout their high school career, ensure your student competes in tournaments or showcases where coaches can observe their skills early on, said McDonough. “These opportunities vary by sport, but they are critical for gaining visibility amongst collegiate coaches.” 

Think about your goals

McDonough always starts the process with student-athletes by asking what their goals are: Do you want to pursue a top education? Do you want to play for a top program? Do you want to go on to play professionally? Do you want to have a well-balanced college experience? 

The answers to these questions help McDonough guide them through the recruiting process, “foregrounding what they want out of it.” It also allows students to consider if they want to hang up their training sneaks as they pursue their higher education path. “If you want to perform at a collegiate level, there will be sacrifices you will need to make along the way,” — like missing social events or time with friends, said McDonough. 

Philippa Portnoy, co-founder of LaunchBreak, a networking community for women athletes based in New York City, stressed the importance of establishing your child’s desired commitment level to sports at the college level from the outset (i.e, D1 with a large time commitment or another division with less of a time commitment).

 “Coaches want players who will play throughout college and work to improve,” said Portnoy. 

“It’s so important to know and remind yourself of your ‘why,’” added McDonough. “So get clear on your purpose!” 

Focus on academics early

Though some players emerge later, recruiting can start almost as soon as a student-athlete is identified as a ninth-grader, said Jay Paterno, former Penn State recruiting coordinator and coach, based in State College, Penn., and son of legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno.

Paterno and his colleagues told students that their freshman and sophomore academic performance may be even more important than their senior year, “because recruiting is generally decided and done by the time they start their senior year.” 

Plus, he emphasized, when looking at a pool of comparable athletes the academic record is the great separator. Don’t overlook game-time constancy, either. “Consistency of performance from game to game is also important,” said Paterno, author of “Blitzed! The All-Out Pressure of College Football’s New Era.” “You never know if a potential college recruiter might talk to an opposing coach that saw you play.” 

Given the ongoing uncertainty about what comes next amid pending legislative changes, it is important that student-athletes explore options across a range of schools, Paterno cautioned. 

“This is more pronounced given the challenges coaches face in shaping their future teams from their current rosters as it relates to potential roster size and budgetary pressures from revenue sharing and increased scholarships,” he said. “Ultimately this is supposed to be about academics, so a good start is to find schools with the majors that interest you, and find schools that you would want to attend even if you weren’t going there to play a sport.”

Let your child call the shots

McDonough preaches independence. She encourages her students to take the lead in the recruiting process. “Coaches value driven, independent athletes who demonstrate they can thrive on their own,” she said. “Giving your child agency not only builds their confidence but also demonstrates their readiness to navigate college life and athletics without constant parental oversight.”

“Coaches want to get to know the student-athlete and be comfortable that the athlete will be a good fit within their team culture,” echoed Paterno. 

“Coaches can easily spot emails written by parents, which can come across as inauthentic. By crafting their own emails and following up, students demonstrate independence and maturity — qualities coaches prioritize,” McDonough said. 

Don’t forget to continue cultivating bonds with coaches and mentors with whom you’re already acquainted from your high school career. “They can be advocates for you,” said Portnoy. 

Parents can handle some of the administrative legwork in the background. “While it’s still early to know what athletic level your child might attain, do your research on the differences between all the athletic divisions, roster limits, your family’s financial needs, whether NIL money is important,” and more, said Portnoy. “Talk to coaches or other parents who have gone through the process.”

Streamline communication

Your job is to make the recruiter’s job as easy as possible. Paterno recommends having video, transcripts, contact information and dates for potential visits all organized. 

He also advised asking any and all questions when connecting with a recruiter or coach. “Have a gameplan, know what you want to learn from that interaction, and have questions ready to go. Coaches often misread a lack of questions as a lack of interest,” Paterno said.

Portnoy said you should understand who the school’s key individuals are. “Often the assistant coach is the first point of contact,” she said. “On visits, pay attention to details from the coach and other players. Ask the players questions. It’s important to understand the team culture.”

Regardless of who your point person is, ensure you and your offspring display proper etiquette (and that student-athletes show good sportsmanship). “Sports recruiting is a small world,” said Portnoy. 

Refine your written communication

A mistake McDonough sees students make all too often is using a generic email template to contact multiple coaches. This can lead to errors like addressing the wrong coach or mentioning the wrong school. “As I walk students through the process, I encourage them to take the time to personalize each email, and I support them in researching the program and demonstrating genuine interest in both the team and the school,” she said. Since coaches receive a high volume of emails, McDonough underscored that staying organized and consistent throughout correspondences is the student’s responsibility.

Pursue contentment beyond the scoreboard

Less than 10% of high school athletes play varsity sports in college, and less than 2% play at NCAA Division I schools. “There are many great opportunities at universities on club or intramural teams if it doesn’t work out,” Portnoy said.

“Choose a school where you’ll be happy both on and off the field,” said McDonough. “Loving the school as much as the team and the coach will ensure you have a fulfilling college experience, regardless of where your athletic journey takes you.”