Intro. To the
Recruiting Process
For PFHS Student Athletes
& Their Parents
THE FACTS
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
Recruiting by the Numbers
Getting a recruiting letter in the mail and
actually playing in college are two very
different things. When you factor in the
amount of over-recruiting, transfers, and
programs with JV or developmental
teams…actually playing your sport for four
years in college is pretty rare!
High School vs. College
Colleges get to pick the best prospects from a larger pool
Sport
High School Teams
College Programs
%
Baseball
15,863
1,618
10.2%
Basketball (M)
18,150
1,844
10.2%
Basketball (W)
17,767
1,824
10.3%
Cross Country (M)
14,097
1,284
9.1%
Cross Country (W)
13,839
1,386
10.0%
Football
14,279
859
6.0%
Golf (M)
13,681
1,187
8.7%
Golf (W)
9,609
775
8.1%
Lacrosse (M)
2,192
290
13.2%
Lacrosse (W)
1,999
335
16.8%
Softball
15,338
1,617
10.5%
Soccer (M)
11,503
1,277
11.1%
Soccer (W)
11,047
1,144
10.4%
Tennis (M)
9,839
950
9.7%
Tennis (W)
10,181
1,443
14.2%
Track & Field (M)
15,954
971
6.1%
Track & Field (W)
16,030
1,032
6.4%
Volleyball
15,479
1,667
10.8%
Wrestling
10,407
304
2.9%
MORE NUMBERS TO HELP TELL THE STORY
654
Total number of athletes
from the US who will
receive NCAA D1 Men’s
Basketball scholarships
each year
The competition for scholarship dollars
and positions on teams is fierce. Being
realistic about your ability is essential!
1.2%
Percentage of athletes
playing high school
Football who will play
NCAA D1 College Football
.8%
Number of Division I
athletes who will have a
fully funded scholarship
for 4 years
COMMON MISTAKES
Made by Student Athletes
Target Schools Above Your Athletic Ability
Contact Too Few Schools
Have a False Sense of Security
Wait Until It’s Too Late for Something to Happen
Expect Someone Else to get You Recruited
Not Understand the Scholarship and Financial Aid
Process
Made by Parents
Think They Understand the Process
Think They can Evaluate Your Talent
Loose Track of the Importance of a College
Education and Degree
Believe “If a College Wants my Child, They will
Find a Way to get Him/Her Into School.”
Think a Letter from a Coach Means a Scholarship
Expecting the High School Coach to Guide the
Process
THE PROCESS
Freshman Year
Get settled in. Concentrate on
schoolwork
Set-up workout schedule
If you think you are interested in
attending college for a sport:
– Create a list of potential schools
– Send a letter of introduction
– Send an update at the end of your
season with your club schedule
– Register with the NCAA
Sophomore Year
 Strive for Academic success
 Begin to research NCAA requirements
and make sure you are on target for all
core requirements
 Go to the career center. Start
investigating colleges and their
admission requirements
 Prepare your initial contact letters with
resume:
 Include all schedules
 Include a 10-15 minute video of basic
skills and game footage
 Update your academics with the NCAA
 Summer after Sophomore Year - Send
contact letters with resume
Junior Year
 Register with the NCAA
 Keep up with studies and any changing NCAA
requirements
 Continue to investigate colleges and send
additional, updated resumes with schedules
 Enhance your skills and game tape so you are
prepared when requested
 Visit some of the campuses you are interested in
 Try to watch the schools you are interested in
play
 In July after your Junior Year
 Begin heavy contact with schools you are
interested in
 Update your academics with the NCAA
 Ensure your SAT/ACT scores have been sent to the
NCAA
 Continue to send resumes and videos to additional
colleges of interest
 Send your Summer schedule ASAP
 Make more UNOFFICIAL visits
Senior Year
Do not let up on academics
Review core requirements with
your guidance counselor
Send senior team schedule asap
Send updated resumes, stats,
videos
Find out Letter of Intent Date for
your sport
Take advantage of OFFICIAL visits
if offered
STUDY HARD, PLAY HARD
WHERE AM I NOW?
10 Reasons Good Athletes Are Not Recruited
1. They start their recruiting process to late.
2. They start by looking at too few schools.
3. They start by looking at schools that are out of their
reach, athletically and/or academically.
4. They think it’s their coach’s job to get them a college
scholarship.
5. They think that because they are a good athlete,
college coaches will discover them.
6. They don’t have video of their games.
7. They don’t have a professional quality highlight video.
8. They think that being on a premier, club or AAU team
will automatically get them noticed.
9. They think that college coaches will randomly discover
them at high level tournaments.
10.They think that by registering with NCAA Initial
Eligibility Center that college coaches will recruit
them.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
NCAA Eligibility Center
Booster Page @
http://potomacfallsathletics.org/index.cfm?action=main.boosters
Official Sites
OFFICIAL SITES:,
National Collegiate Athletic Association
PO Box 6222, Indianapolis, IN 46206 (888) 388-9748
www.ncaa.org
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
1200 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64106 (816) 595 8000
www.naia.org
National Junior College Athletic Association
1755 Telstar Drive, #103, Colorado Springs, CO (719) 590 9788
www.njcaa.org
VIRTUAL COLLEGE TOUR:
www.youniversitytv.com
COLLEGE RECRUITING SITES
NCSA Athletic Recruiting - www.ncsasports.org/high-school-coaches-recruiting
Recruiting Realities – www.recruitingrealities.com
Student Athlete World – www.studentathleteworld.com
COLLEGE PLANNING RESOURCES:
US News – www.usnews.com
The Sallie Mae Fund – www.collegeanswer.com
The College Board – www.collegeboard.com
CollegeNET – www.collegenet.com
Petersons Student-Edge – www.studentedge.com
NCAA Student – www.ncaastudent.org
Campus Advisors – www.campusadvisors.com/joomla
SCHOLARSHIP & FINANCIAL AID SEARCH:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid – www.fasfa.ed.gov
FastWeb – Scholarship and College Search – www.fastweb.com
FinAid – Student Guide to Financial Aid – www.finaid.org
Free Education Guide – www.freeeducationguide.com
Financial planning for college – www.studentloannetwork.com
On YouTube
Some clips from “Recruiting Realities”
YouTube Channel by expert Jack Renkens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2Mm5a1tHh4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuvI8p-LC1U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMiUyCIMQSc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OReusJANskk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV0vd4aodlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O82oFQwjatc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PZUKCA4hds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plbADpECRRo