The age-old recruiting question…Well, we’ll let you answer that yourself, but here’s some things to ponder on…
If you are playing at the highest levels in most sports (i.e. top 1%), you are probably playing in front of college coaches numerous times throughout the season. Many players will be contacted from being seen at these events. Some sports have “Top 100” lists where athletes are ranked nationally and if you are on this list, you will probably get contacted. HOWEVER, what if you are on “the list” and the schools contacting you are not the schools you want to play for? In these cases, it is common for even the most elite athletes to produce a video to ensure they have numerous offers and are being seen by the schools where they want to play. For the rest of the athletes, video is highly recommended, and in most cases, necessary.
In individual sports, you may be recruited to schools by being the “Fastest”, “Highest Jumper”, “Biggest”, Longest Thrower”, etc…..in these cases, the top schools will know who the top athletes are and that is how you get on the radar screen and video may not be needed for these athletes. Of course, after the elite players get their offers, there will be much jockeying for offers at the next tier schools and you may need help in getting one of those offers.
When you begin contacting coaches, it is very common for the coach to respond with “Send me some video”. If you hear this, are you prepared? Will the video you send the coach show that you’re serious about playing? Or is your video just a mish-mash of clips from your last 3 years when your dad happened to pull out his camera? A quality, well-produced recruiting video will have a selection of plays that shows your complete game. Your video should give the coach all the information he or she will likely need in a concise format. It should show them things like your academic performance, your awards & accolades, your relevant information for your sport, your contact info, and it should be easy for them to find you and follow you in each play.
Think about your highlight/recruiting video as a resume. If you are applying for a job, would you send a resume in that is on coffee-stained paper? With misspelled words? Not current? With poor grammar? What if the hiring manager had to select 5 applicants out of the 200 resumes? Even if you were one of the top 5 in talent, you will never get through the screening process to get a job with a poor resume.
Your video is your resume in the college recruiting process. Make an effort and show them you are serious about playing at the next level or you may not make the first cut. Your primary objective is to “Get on the radar screen” of numerous colleges. Video will help you do that!
Unfortunately, in the recruiting process, many players & parents learn key lessons after the process is complete. They then play the “coulda’/woulda’/shoulda’ game. Then, you’ll never know what could have been. These families often will see athletes with lesser talent going off to play their sport and get offers. Do your research up front, utilize the resources available to you. Begin collecting video early on in the process, if possible, and you will have a much easier time weaving your way through the process….and you will end up where you belong!
If interested in learning more about our services, contact It’s A Wrap Sports Video at http://itsawrapvideo.wpengine.com/contact-us/
