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Myth: If I am a good athlete, college coaches will find me.
Truth : There are thousands of student-athletes across the country. Recruiting coaches usually have large territories to cover and cannot possibly read, see, or just know about you. Some colleges have small recruiting budgets making it difficult to see players in person. Their season is very time consuming and takes place the same time yours does, leaving them with little available time. If you want coaches to notice you, be proactive and have a game plan.
Myth: If you receive a letter from a coach, you are being recruited.
Truth: Coaches send out thousands of letters to players. The letters are nice, but there may be 350 other student-athletes opening the same exact letter all over the country. The great news is that the coach at least knows your name. What you need to do now is respond and follow-up with an interest letter. Until the coach calls you and tells you he is interested in you or invites you to the school, the letters are just an introduction.
Myth: My high school coach is responsible for getting me a college scholarship. It is his fault if I do not receive an offer.
Truth: Although your high school coach is your greatest resource and should assist you in the recruiting process, he/she is not responsible for the outcome. He/she has many athletes and other responsibilities. Always keep open communication with your head coach, chart a plan of action, and be specific in your requests for help. Ultimately, you must take responsibility for developing and executing your own recruiting plan.
Myth: Playing college athletics will not be much different than high school, aside from the skill level.
Truth: Wrong. Playing college athletics is a much greater commitment in time and in dedication. In college, you will play or practice year around and there are mandatory lifting and running programs that are required. More than likely you will be practicing on a schedule you are not accustomed to following. You will be expected to attend team meetings and adhere to strict team rules such as curfews and meal times.
Myth: College recruiting is the same for all sports.
Truth : Not quite. Men and women’s basketball and football programs usually have larger budgets and larger staffs than other college programs because of the high revenues they produce for the institution. Sports such as swimming and cross-country sometimes only have one full-time coach and do not have a large support staff. Furthermore, the coaches with small staffs are coaching while you are also in your season. This makes it very difficult for them to come see you play. This is why you must showcase your talents to the coaches, by following a well-prepared plan. College Ball or Bust offers you a dynamic recruiting program that works. |
Myth: Recruiting companies give me a better shot at being recruited.
Truth: Some recruiting companies offer families the guidance and assistance they need to make better decisions in the recruiting process. Other companies simply take parents money, charge a fee, to email and fax resumes of high school athletes to thousands of schools throughout the country. This method is impersonal and has not proven effective. If a recruiting company does not help you identify your talent, direct your focus to programs that offer a good fit, and provide support throughout the recruiting process, they will not help you succeed. College Ball or Bust adheres to a 4 Step Strategy for Success that is extremely effective and produces results.
Myth: College coaches only recruit “blue-chip” athletes.
Truth: College coaches will recruit any athlete they think has the talent to play on their team. “Blue-chip” athletes are highly exposed and are usually sought after by many major universities, but they only make up a small portion of the thousands of qualified high school student-athletes in America. Just because you are not a super star athlete does not mean you cannot play in college.
Myth: All college coaches have more recruits than they know what to do with.
Truth: Your market determination is critical. There are smaller lesser-known schools that have a difficult time finding quality student-athletes to attend their school because the program is less well known or does not offer athletic scholarship money.
Myth: If I walk on to a Division I team, I will eventually get scholarship money.
Truth: Perhaps. Some coaches do reward hard work down the road. However, with limited budgets recruiting dollars may be spent on recruiting the four-year player.
Myth: My senior year performance will be the most important for being recruited.
Truth: Several years ago, 85 percent of scholarship offers were made senior year. Today, recruiting begins much earlier and even your sophomore year performance may put you on a coach’s radar. Showcasing yourself junior year is critical in most situations.
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