Evolution of College Sports Recruiting
I was trying to be recruited for college soccer in 1994. A lot has changed in 30 years.
We now have video, email, and social media rather than handwritten letters and awkward attempts to reach coaches by their office landlines.
The recruiting process has shifted to be more student-athlete driven, heavily influenced by the internet.
The recruiting process has changed significantly. But the underlying goal and effective messaging remain the same.
Our goal is to get the attention of the college coaches, help them understand who we are as players and people, and assure them we are a great fit for their program.
This is a marketing and sales effort…
- Marketing = get the coaches’ attention.
- Sales = sell ourselves as the right fit.
This process takes focused attention and continued effort – for the next four years of high school. But these are attainable goals if we maintain our dedicated focus and effort.
What Are College Coaches Looking For
Minimum Expectations
High-level skills, fitness, and strong grades are a must.
College coaches seek recruits who are great players, students, people, and teammates. Grades, skills and fitness are the minimum expectations.
Beyond the Minimum
What are coaches looking for beyond the minimum?
- Beyond athletic talent and academic performance, character is the primary attribute that college coaches look for in recruits.
- Coaches observe athletes beyond skills—they assess behavior during adversity and team dynamics.
- Attitude matters—coaches avoid players who blame others or disrupt team culture.
- Leadership qualities are crucial, especially in tough situations.
- Sportsmanship and positivity are key to impressing coaches.
- Players should promote team cohesion rather than being “Energy Vampires.”
- Coaches avoid recruits who are potential disruptions.
- Coaches want players who enhance team culture.
- Being a good teammate is a daily choice.
- Consistency in effort is essential on and off the field.
- Community involvement reflects leadership and maturity.
- Social media behavior impacts recruiting decisions.
- Coaches seek resilience and players who help lift teammates.
- Attitude and decisions off the field impact recruiting opportunities.
- Coaches value leadership and positive responses to adversity.
- Athletes who exhibit poor body language or blame teammates are often crossed off the list.