The 2018 college recruiting class will likely be the most talented student-athletes ever. The clock is ticking and over the next two months the recruiting process will gain considerable steam as these girls and boys head down the homestretch with college recruiting.
Injury is an inherent part of any athletic endeavor and no one understands this better than college coaches. There are many prospects and families who hedge when bringing up the topic of injury as part of the college process, with fear that a coach will see this as a weakness and therefore diminish recruiting opportunities.
Ivy League and other select, non-athletic scholarship awarding institutions can, in many cases, offer significant assistance in Admissions and Financial Aid that can potentially lend strong support for prospective student-athletes. It is important that prospects, families and high school advisors clearly understand the role the college coach plays in this process and to make every effort to develop sincere and robust working relationships with coaches.
The college search for athletes has grown complicated and increasingly competitive, especially during the past 10 years. There are countless components that require keen attention in developing and executing a successful plan of action, and with the high stakes competition for athletic scholarships, the walk-on prospective student-athlete is opening up greater opportunity on the college recruiting front.
The college search for athletes has grown complicated and increasingly competitive, especially during the past 10 years. There are countless components that require attention in developing and executing a successful plan of action, along with several “key players” who make-up the team that “run the offense.”
The synergy between social media and college recruiting continues to grow in popularity and is evolving into the primary tool of communication between prospects and college coaches. Student-athletes can offer coaches with instantaneous updates about college recruitment, and if used prudently, these high tech platforms can help streamline evaluations significantly and help college coaches recruit better.
The college search for athletes is an individual and tactical quest that will play out differently across the board. If you happen to be that elite prospect that every college coach has his eye on, your biggest challenge will likely be which college to choose! But if you are among the majority of prospects that are lumped into the next level of recruits, your college journey will be a little more challenging.
College coaches are brilliant recruiters and look for three key components when evaluating prospects. First, they look for strong students who meet and exceed eligibility and admissions standards. Second, they are looking for direct impact athletes who thrive at their events and will drive the team to higher levels. Finally, they want self-aware young men and women who bring a strong character component to the table.
The college experience is, in many cases, the most important four years in our children’s lives and realizing the potential leverage families of prospective student-athletes have in the college recruiting process, will develop increased confidence and clarity as the college quest unfolds. Then, knowing how to close on this opportunity is, without question, essential. My goal with this article is to identify 5 essential initial steps that prospects, families and coaches can use to effectively launch the college search.
Fans and athletes alike can benefit from checking out the new videos and scripts released online by the National Association of Women's Gymnastics Judges (NAWGJ) and the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches - Women (NACGC-W).  "Armchair" judges can test their knowledge of the code, and everyone can benefit by learning more about how routines can be evaluated.
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