The summer is a great time to sharpen your athletic skills and get ahead in the recruitment process. Without the pressure of school, summer offers athletes the ability to focus their energy on putting their best foot forward for college coaches and recruiters. 

One important thing to keep in mind for the summer is the NCAA’s rules for contact between athletes and coaches. Each sport and each division may have different rules for when and how coaches and athletes can be in contact. It is crucial to check when it is allowed for coaches and athletes to do visits or discuss commitments. To check to see the kind of contact that is permissible, check the official NCAA calendar here. For a reminder of what the different periods of contact mean, check out this Wire article here. 

Summers can look different for athletes depending on their grade year in school. No matter where you are in your academic and athletic journey, we can help you take your game to the next level. See below to find the best ways to stay on top of your recruitment process, based on your grade level.

Freshman Year:

• Choose your sport- If you play more than one sport, heading into freshman year is the time to decide which sport you want to continue with and specialize in. Going through the recruitment process is a lot of time and work. The requirements for sports in college don’t typically allow for an athlete to be on two teams. 

• Start building your Signing Day Sports Profile- It’s never too early to start building your profile on SDS. Building your profile allows you to upload your measurables, testing and academics for college recruiters to see. Although a college coach cannot contact you directly until June 15th after your sophomore year, with a few exceptions, having your profile on SDS allows college coaches to reach out to your high school coach. Start your SDS profile today. 

• Start looking at college rosters- It’s never too early to start looking at college rosters for the sport you are looking to play, and see how you measure up to the team. Heading into your freshman year is a great time to see what you can work on!

• Take some time to relax! – Your sport and your recruiting journey is important, but so is your health. It’s important to take some time to relax and recharge. Be sure to spend time with friends and family before school and your sport starts up again. 

Sophomore Year:

• Create a plan for training- It’s important to build a training and development program to stick to during the summer, so you can stay in shape and be prepared for the next season. Taking advantage of time off like this can make you stick out against other recruits.

• Keep building your SDS profile- Had an amazing season freshman year? Improved your grades? Grew a few inches? Great! Make sure to update your player profile on SDS so that coaches can have the most up to date information on you as they begin to build their teams. 

• Start considering which colleges you would like to look at- Heading into your sophomore year is a great time to start thinking about which colleges you would want to go to, as well as if they offer your athletic and academic interests. On the SDS app, you can search organizations and add why you are interested in them, and when you appear on a search in the app, coaches can see what schools you are interested in. 

• Get ready for the school year ahead- Sophomore year is an important year in your recruitment journey, as at the end of it coaches can start reaching out to you directly. It is important that you are well rested and prepared both physically and mentally before heading back to classes and practice. Taking some time for yourself can greatly benefit you in the long run!

Junior Year

• Find opportunities for showcases- Going in person to show your skills and ability is a great way to get your name out there to coaches. Signing Day Sports is currently offering three showcase events in Texas this May for high school football players to come out and get their verified measurables, position-specific drills, testing and interviews recorded and uploaded to our platform for college recruiters to see. Plus, attendees at these events will get a mark on their SDS profile that they attended one of these showcases and are Texas Verified. Events like these are a great way for recruits to get noticed.

• Be mindful of June 15th- June 15th following your sophomore year of high school, or heading into your junior year, is when college coaches can start contacting you directly. Some sports have a date of September 1st for contact-such as football, baseball, softball, lacrosse and women’s basketball. For a full breakdown of when college coaches can contact athletes visit here. 

• Make sure that your SDS profile reflects your most up-to-date stats- Since coaches can begin reaching out to you, make sure that you have the most relevant and up to date versions of your measurables, testing, position specific drills and your interviews on your SDS profile. Additionally, if you have taken any SAT or ACT exams, make sure to include them on your profile.

• Start scheduling tours of colleges- Whether it’s in person or virtual, touring colleges is a great way to get a feel for campus life and if you would fit in. Although where you get offers is important, so is the feel and day-to-day life of a college campus. Make sure you really like a school before committing. 

Senior Year

• Stay on top of your college application process- The college admissions process is a lot of work and consumes a lot of time. In addition to practice and going through the recruitment process, your senior year schedule may be packed. It is important to acknowledge that some colleges have deadlines as early as November 1st. Use some time over the summer to get prepped!

• Start your college essay- Starting your college essay over the summer can greatly help you when it comes time to apply for colleges in the fall. Having a rough draft takes some pressure off you in the school year when you may be balancing other priorities.

• Update your SDS profile and look out for messages- Your SDS profile is crucial for your senior year of high school. Having it up to date will show coaches the player that may be walking on their field next season. Additionally, coaches can message you through the SDS app, so make sure to be checking it consistently. 
• Rest up and enjoy your summer- This may be one of the last summers you have at home before you go away to college and begin your collegiate athletic journey, so make sure to take some time to enjoy it. Having a good and relaxed mindset going into senior year can make all the difference for your future.