Securing a college athletic scholarship can be a very daunting task for athletes if they don't know where to start and many athletes are told, "if you are good, the coaches will find you." This mindset may be true for the athletes identified as five-star athletes but for the majority of high school athletes, this mindset simply isn't true. For an athlete to have a successful recruiting process, the following items items should be considered and applied during the athlete's recruiting journey:

1) "If You Are Good, They Will Find You"

As we mentioned above, this mindset is simply not true for the majority of high school athletes. Unless you are brought to a coach's attention, they will likely never know about you. College coaches do not sit around looking at large recruiting websites or clearinghouses, searching for athletes.  They are simply too busy. Coaches recruit based upon trusted sources who they know and from the NCAA Transfer Portal. To have a successful recruiting process, your information, film and interest in their program needs to be brought to them.

2) "D1 Or None"

Unless you are a five-star athlete and already have college coaches seeking to recruit you, this type of thinking can quickly kill any chances to being recruited to play at the next level. Setting realistic expectations during your recruiting process is key to securing a college athletic scholarship.

3) Attitude Is Everything

Nothing will kill a coach's interest in you than an arrogant attitude. Coaches are looking for someone who will be a team player, is easily coachable and will be a leader on the field.  They do not want players who they feel are "headaches" they must babysit throughout the year. They want players who will not only perform on game days but also perform in practice. It's okay to be confident in your abilities, but there is a fine line between confidence and cockiness. Be coachable and humble.

4) Academics Matter

It won't matter how good of a player you are if you cannot pass admissions requirements for the college due to poor grades. If you are truly serious about playing at the next level, you must treat your studies in the classroom just as you do preparation for your sport. Be honest about your grades and start your preparation your freshman year because once your sophomore year comes, it is hard to turn around a bad transcript and GPA.

5) You Only Get Once Chance To Make a Good First Impression

For most athletes, the first impression a coach will have of you is the digital footprint you present. This includes your social media, your HUDL account or film showing highlights of your sport and your response/follow through when communicating with you via social media, email and text.  Your high school coaches can tell college coaches just how great you are but if you don't present a positive image on social media, don't have film to back up your athletic ability and take weeks to respond when a coach reaches out to you, they will not take you seriously and quickly lose interest. In addition, any lack of effort on an athlete's part affects the integrity of the relationship your high school coach has with college coaches. Part of the recruiting process is marketing yourself. Put your best image forward via social media, your film, and follow through within a timely manner.

6) Your Game Plan

Just as every athlete prepares for a game, having a successful recruiting process also requires preparation for not only playing at the next level but also for life after sport. Where you decide to play college athletics while obtaining your degree is something that impacts you for the rest of your life. It is important to research the schools for your desired major and the graduation rates for that major. In addition, be realistic about the athletic program you are interested in. Will you see playing time?

LevelUp Sport Management can help guide you through all of these items by starting with a honest face-to-face evaluation and creating a personalized game plan for your recruiting journey. From profile creation, media day photo sessions, film analysis, academic support, social media and email promotion with coaches, and speaking to college coaches on your behalf, we stay in touch with our athletes throughout the entire process, providing guidance, information and reminders on each step and every action that needs to be taken. There are many recruiting companies that will take your money and add you to a clearinghouse website, but our founder has an extensive network of college coaches that he has built professional relationships with that he will not hesitate to speak to on your behalf. At LevelUp Sport Management, you are not just a profile or number in a large athletic recruiting database. Our athletes are considered family and are given personalized care and guidance.