5 Year Preparation Plan

8th Grade and Freshman Year

NCAA Division I and II softball and volleyball college coaches offer high school athletes when they are 8th graders and freshman. The player or college coach accomplish this by getting the potential athletes on their campus via unofficial visits or camps where they can talk freely to them and make them an offer. A third part recruiting service like College Sports Exposure can help make arrangements since CSE knows many of these college coaches personally. If you decide on the camp approach, the player needs to perform at a higher level than the other participants or otherwise they will be spending a lot of money attending different and many camps. College Sports Exposure recommends filming and editing your athlete’s video and then sending it to the college coach before attending the camp or arriving on campus. If the college coach receives the video before the visit and they likes the athletes skills, then they know who you are before you attend and will be looking for you. When on campus, ask the coach to give you a tour to see the campus and academic opportunities. This procedure gives the player and college coach an opportunity to talk to each other. Since so many player’s are attending a camp, it is difficult to get the one-on-one tour.

On-Line Player Profiles
8th Graders and Freshman athletes should post their profile and video on an internet website, such as College Sports Exposure to catch the college coach’s attention.

Tips. A lot of companies offer online profiles for $1000 or more. They do not film the videos. You have to film the video. I recommend choosing a company that films, edits and post your online profile and streaming video. Also, many of these companies have little traffic or undesirable traffic for your child's skill level.

Videos.
Film and edit your video professionally and send it to the college coaches. I recommend sending the video to more than one coach since some colleges may have your position or skill set already filled.

Video Tip. Have your video filmed professionally so that your performance is represented at it’s best. First impressions are critical for scholarships. If a college coach does not see the skills immediately they likely will not view the entire video. I recommend selecting a company that films, edit and post your streaming video and profile.

Cover Letter
Attach a cover letter when you mail your resume and DVD to the college coach. The cover letter should let the coach know why you are interested in their particular college. It should mention the fit between the college and your area of study and geographical preference. Handwritten cover letters usually make a bigger impact than typed cover letters with the college coach.

NCAA Clearinghouse
Sign-up on the NCAA Clearinghouse website.

Pre-SAT and Grades
It is never too early to take the Pre-Sat, Sat or ACT. Most high schools recommend taking the SAT or ACT your junior or senior year. This is too late! The college coach is only interested in athletes that can get into their college. Most college coaches can estimate from the Pre-SAT whether an athlete can qualify into their NCAA Div. I or II college. It is important to take your high school courses and grades seriously if you wish to attend an NCAA Div. 1 or II college.

3rd Party Recruiters
3rd Party Recruiters have a personal relationship with college coaches. Use them. The travel team coaches are too busy coaching and arranging tournaments to provide the athlete the maximum exposure. 3 rd Party recruiters are neutral. That means that they do not have a child on your team and can talk to the college coaches at a tournament while you are playing and encourage them to scout you. A parent and player are prohibited by NCAA Div. 1 and II rules from talking to a player or parent during a tournament.