On August 23, 2017 I signed my athletic scholarship papers to attend Boston University on a full-ride for basketball.
It was quite the journey to get there.
My recruiting was a mess from the first day of HS:
- went to the wrong camps
- didn’t contact coaches correctly
- committed – then decommitted to a school
- lost offers
- made poor decisions on social media
- didn’t know which division level was best for me
- and a whole lot more
My parents were just as lost as me.
I’m assuming this is exactly how you feel about your athletic journey to college.
The college recruiting process is downright frustrating and confusing. Throw in NIL and now you’re more lost than ever before.
Not only have I gone through the recruiting and NIL process myself – I’ve interviewed 100’s of colleges coaches to piece together everything on both sides of the fence.
The College Recruiting Funnel
To understand the recruiting process you have to view it from 30,000 feet.
A funnel is the perfect description.
Step 1: List of Prospects
The entire process starts with coaches gathering a list of potential prospects.
Here’s where they get it:
- Network Recommendations
- Third-Party Services
- Scouting/Media Sites
- Camps and Showcases
- Tournaments (Club and AAU)
- From the Recruits Themselves
We’ll be going in-depth on all of these in separate articles.
The key is maximizing your exposure and making sure you get on these lists.
The recruiting process is best started earlier, rather than later.
Coaches start with a large list and slim it down as they move through the process.
Step 2: Initial Contact/Messages
After putting their lists together coaches will start sending out their initial messages.
Here’s where yours might come from:
- Recruiting Questionnaires
- Invites to Camps/Showcases
- Emails
- Handwritten Letters
- Pamphlets of the school
- Social Media messages
All of these have different meanings and value.
For example, getting a handwritten letter is better than receiving a recruiting questionnaire by mail.
Step 3: Evaluations
After getting their initial lists and sending out the initial contact mail – coaches will begin to evaluate talent.
Here is what happens during this stage:
- In-person scouting
- Watching highlight videos
- Call athletes and their coaches (HS/AAU)
- Review Social Media Accounts
- Attend Camps/Showcases/Tournaments
- Unofficial Visits
By the end of this stage, coaches will have a much smaller list on their recruiting board.
Step 4: Offers
The “real recruiting” starts taking place as offers are handed out and coaches begin to sell their program to families.
I made the most mistakes during this part of the funnel.
Here are the main events during this stage:
- Official Visits
- Home/School Visits
- Constant Communication
- Personalized Messages and Letters
- NIL opportunities
- Coming to games to support
Understanding the different tiers of scholarship offers and committable vs non-committable offers is an important piece most families don’t get a grasp on.
Step 5: Signing Athletes
Roster spots begin to fill up and the process comes to an end and the recruiting calendar cycles through.
Here’s what it looks like:
- Transcripts are reviewed
- Admissions application is submitted
- Eligibility requirements submitted
- Accepted into the university
- Signing day (national letter of intent)
- Coordinating move-in plans
- Recruiting process is completed
I went through this stage twice having de-committed on my first signing day.
You only want to go through the recruiting process once as a high school athlete.
This stage is a rollercoaster for your emotions.
Recap of The College Recruiting Timeline
This was the 30,000 foot view for how the recruiting process operates like a funnel.
Please keep in mind that NIL lives on the other side of recruiting.
You first need to get recruited before you can start profiting as an athlete.
The positive is that they are synergistic – so while going through the recruiting process I’ll show you how to boost your NIL brand value which will pay major dividends later on.
Know someone who needs to read this? Share it with them!
