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Social Media Exposure

9th/10 Grade

1. Prepare a 3-5 minute recruiting video online, including many angles, game and practice, offense and defense. Athletes competing in individual sports like swimming, track and cross country will not need video. A YouTube video is fine. The first 60 seconds are the most important.

 2. Create a free Student-Athlete Recruiting Profile on Twitter using this template. Your profile        should summarize your personal stats as well as your athletic, academic and extracurricular achievements. Include a picture/video.

 3. Promote yourself by writing an email to coaches at schools that are a good fit for you. Your email should be professional, no more than one page printed, and state why you are interested in the college and why you are a good fit. (Coaches can tell when an athlete has taken the time to write them a personalized email and when someone is using a form letter, and changing the name of the coach and school.)

(Tips Before You Send Your Email:

  • Have a professional sounding email address – Creating a new email account is free. Make it something simple with just your name and graduating class johndoe2025@gmail.com.

  • The title needs to make the coach want to open it – Include your name, position and graduating class in the email. Coaches appreciate being able to tell what the email is about in the title.

  • Do proper research – You should know things like if there are athletes from your hometown on the roster, the team’s record and the athletic background of the athletes currently on the team.

  • Verify the coach’s email and phone number – Go to the athletic website and look for the staff directory.

  • Spell Check and use proper grammar – Have someone read the email before you send it.

  • Follow up your email with a phone call – The phone is the best way to get a hold of a coach, you should follow up you email with a phone call. If you call the coach, they can answer!

4. Include stats, links and contact info in the body of your email or attach a separate, more formal, recruiting resumé to your email. Coaches don’t expect you to be a college ready athlete when you email them; they just need to see that you have potential.
Important details to include in email or resumé attachment:

  • Intro - summarize your top academic achievements

  • Link to YouTube highlight video and Twitter profile

  • List academic information and honors classes (coaches want athletes who can succeed academically)

  • Include your contact information, parents and coaches with contact details. (If you are emailing a college coach before they are allowed to respond to your email, they need the contact information for your coaches so they can let them know they are interested. )

  • Team info to include: team name, picture, your number, position, and playing schedule so coaches know where to find you at a large tournament or showcase event

5​​. Complete the Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire on college athletic websites for those schools you want to attend so the coaches have you in their database.

6. Take unofficial college visits during the summer.

11th Grade

1. Update your Twitter Student-Athlete Profile with your personal stats, athletic, academic and extracurricular achievements.

2. Update your video. A YouTube video is fine. The first 60 seconds are the most important.

3. Send your updated Twitter profile, recruiting resumé details and video to coaches in a professional email highlighting dates of tournaments or events you plan to attend (see email tips for 9th/10th grade, under 'contact coaches').

4. Complete the Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire on college athletic websites for those schools you want to attend (if you have not already done this).

5. Practice leaving voice mail messages and talking with coaches for the schools at the bottom of your list first so you feel more confident when you talk to those coaches at the top of your list. Remember to take notes when you talk to coaches and keep them in your filing system after each conversation.

6. Take unofficial visits (at your expense) to your top 6 schools.

  • Visit those schools at the bottom of your list first so you can practice taking a campus tour, visiting an admissions office and meeting a coach.

  • Make sure the coach has seen you play in person or on video before you visit.​

12th Grade

1. Update your Twitter Student-Athlete Profile with your personal stats, athletic, academic and extracurricular achievements. Make sure it includes your ID# from the eligibility centers so coaches can review your eligibility.

2. If you are still contacting college coaches, update your video.

3. If you are still contacting coaches, send your recruiting resumé details, updated Twitter profile and video in a professional email highlighting dates of tournaments or events you plan to attend (see email tips for 9th/10th grade, under 'contact coaches').

4. Complete the Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire on college athletic websites for those schools you want to attend (if you have not already done this).

Visit colleges - Official vs Unofficial:

  • Coaches may invite you for an official visit which is paid for by the school.

  • You may take unlimited unofficial visits at your own expense.

  • Meet the coach and the team.

  • Clarify your status with coach to determine interest - time is limited. Evaluate your prospective playing time at each collegiate level of competition.

  • Watch the team compete.

  • Stay overnight and tour campus.​ ​

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