While we wish there was a one-size-fits-all way to get recruited, this just isn’t the case. In fact, Signing Day Sports is built on the idea that people can, and should be recruited in different, unique ways. Your recruiting path is your own.

We know that the “recruiting straight and narrow” isn’t attainable or realistic for many of our users. There are instances where athletes unfortunately don’t receive adequate exposure, or their stats don’t match up with other recruits, or their height/weight don’t fall within a specified range. It’s these times when an athlete must differentiate themselves in other ways. 

Today, The Wire will discuss methods and strategies used successfully by recruits in the past. How are athletes able to beat the odds and show that they were willing of an opportunity at the next level? And how can you follow in their footsteps? 

Utilizing your high school coach

High school coaches wield quite a bit of power in the recruiting industry. In many instances, recruiters get information on student-athletes directly from them. And up until a certain point in the academic calendar, college coaches and recruiters are only allowed to speak to them. They are a liaison for the recruiting process. 

With this in mind, you can benefit from developing your relationship with your high school coach. Ensure that they know your goal of being offered a scholarship. Provide them with any information they need and stay persistent with them. Doing this will guarantee that they are marketing you in a way that boosts the odds of being recruited. 

Kelvis White, a high school football head coach in Alabama, understands the responsibility that comes with the position. He used his power to essentially grant one of his players an opportunity that he wouldn’t have had otherwise. 

“Last fall, he didn’t have any offers. Our staff worked with his mom and his family to get some good film on him, and it got into the hands of the coaches at Wake Forest, and they loved him,” said White. “He ended up signing with them and will be a freshman up there this fall. He was a 0-star that wasn’t on the radar, but he was a really good football player for us.”

Focusing on your athletic development

Sometimes, the distinction between one high school athlete and another is so minute that seemingly small things become much more important. In this case, a student-athlete’s athletic ability and development are weighted more heavily. 

Many different body shapes and sizes participate in college sports, and rightfully so. And just because you are under or oversized, it doesn’t mean you can’t compete or be given an opportunity. However, going above and beyond in the weight room or in endurance training helps in multiple ways. 

For one, being dedicated to working on your athletic ability and development will help in your given sport. Who would’ve guessed? No explanation needed here. 

More importantly, in the context of recruiting, it creates an impression of you as a highly recruitable, hard worker. These types of student-athletes are hot commodities as they have become rarer in today’s youths. 

Nontraditional Recruiting Paths

You’ve heard the story before. “John Doe” lives in rural Wyoming. He dominates his competition. He is head and shoulders above the rest of the field both in stature and performance. And while his competition lacks in overall skill and consistency, John Doe’s pure dominance should shine a light on his ability to compete at the next level. 

Unfortunately, coaches and recruiters don’t make it out to his area. At the most, they may hear about a student-athlete playing well and putting up good stats, but they will quickly write it off after hearing about the level of competition. 

This trope is seen far too often. These types of situations present an opportunity, however. 

How can a student-athlete get seen, and get recruited, when there is no recruiting attention? This is when a technology like Signing Day Sports is game-changing. 

Using Signing Day Sports allows players across the map to be seen. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Dallas, Texas, or the middle of nowhere in Wyoming. Athletes can increase their visibility and showcase themselves through the usage of recruiting profiles. 

Coaches who wouldn’t have been able to come out to see you in person can instead scroll through your profile and see all of the information they need. 

In any case, there are always ways to be recruited. We encourage you to do everything in your power as a recruit in order to set yourself apart from your peers. Be creative. And forge your own recruiting path.