College coaches look for more than just athletic ability and academics when evaluating prospects; they care about potential recruits’ coachability and character, too. Attitude, work ethic, body language and a recruit’s actions on and off the field are paramount in the recruiting process.
However, many student-athletes are wondering how they can demonstrate these qualities to college coaches with the suspension of in-person recruiting through at least June 30. Learn about recruiting tools that student-athletes use to can impress coaches even without in-person contact below:
- References: Even in times when in-person recruiting is permitted, college coaches are known to call on references in a student-athlete’s network (via phone calls, texts, emails and video chat) to learn more about them and confirm their character and coachability.
- Letters of Recommendation: Student-athletes can ask their high school and/or club coach to write a statement vouching for the recruit. A letter of recommendation can help distinguish the student-athlete from other prospective recruits with similar athletic and academic abilities.
- Personal Statements: College coaches want to know about more than just a recruit’s athletic ability. Writing a personal statement allows them to get a better understanding of who the recruit is. In your personal statement, consider addressing questions like, what are you interested in outside of the sport? What do you value? What are your goals, and what steps are you taking to accomplish them? Learn more about writing a personal statement.
- Social Media: You may already have social media accounts that you use to connect with friends and family, but they can also be used to connect with college coaches. Keeping profiles public and sharing appropriate posts could make or break the recruiting process for most student-athletes. Here are some more tips on how to use social media for recruiting.
To learn how to ask for a reference and letter of recommendation, and how to make this information accessible to college coaches, visit NCSA’s blog.
