To Parents
The suggestions below are very basic and they work! There is no magic pill or fast track to what you are trying to accomplish. Who is this really about? The college coach? The parents? NO - It is about the kid – please don’t ever forget that. Keep this simple but work hard on it every week.
1. Communicate with your child -
Knowing what your child wants is important to any parent, so talk to them about their plans for college. Ask them if they want to compete at the collegiate level and how committed they are to that goal. Make them say it out loud to you. Find out what steps they are taking to get themselves recruited and then help them in whatever ways you can, both financially and through your support.
2. There are certain rules college coaches have to follow when contacting recruits
Don’t worry if you don’t know much about the recruiting process; not many families do. But, don’t let that lack of knowledge prevent your son or daughter from gaining a scholarship or the opportunity to play at the next level. Parents and recruits need to understand that certain coaches are restricted by the NCAA on when and how they can contact prospects. For example, student-athletes can call college coaches anytime throughout their high school career but Division I and Division II coaches may only call recruits during a certain time frame.
3. There are two main reasons to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
Many parents think their child needs to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center in order for coaches to start contacting them. This is not true. There are two main reasons to register:
- A student-athlete must be registered in order to go on official visits their senior year.
- Before signing a National Letter of Intent, a college coach will need to make sure you are eligible.
4. Your child will not be “discovered” at a camp or showcase
Unfortunately, camps and showcases are not the correct avenue for student-athletes to try to get noticed by college coaches. Typically, college coaches are watching the players they already have a relationship with and are already recruiting. Therefore, parents should encourage their child to contact coaches directly, build a relationship with them, share your recruiting video, allow them to contact your coaches and then with the college coaches they have built relationships with they can decide between those college camps - not blindly selecting a camp.
5. Treat advice and guidance of peers as just that
It’s important to listen to friends and family when they give you advice on how to help your child. But remember, a college decision is a student-athlete’s decision that will affect not only the next four years of their life, but the next forty. Everyone has their own preferences and priorities, so let your son make his own decision – not someone else’s decision.
6. Guide your child –
What your student-athlete does off-the field is just as important as his/her athletic performance. Academics and good character are also evaluated by college coaches when making offers to recruits. As a parent, you can help your child develop the skills they’ll need to be good students and respectful and responsible adults.
DO NOT
Get pressured
Feel you don’t have the information
Pay a lot of money for assistance
Some of this is overwhelming just for the fact that it's your child who will be leaving home - that's natural. If you are feeling any of the above bulleted points
- STOP, BREATHE AND THINK, never let anyone who says they are "in the know" lead you down a road that makes you uncomfortable or uneasy. In fact, the people helping you through this process should actually be helping you - not scaring you.
