Basketpoint USA College Preparedness Information
Things Every Perspective College Student Athlete and Parents Should Know.
When to Start the Recruiting Process:
One of the biggest mistakes players and parents make is waiting until junior or senior year to hit the recruiting trail hard. You definitely want to start at least in the 8th grade. Research local reputable camps in your area that college coaches or recruiting services attend. Reputable camps in the Greensboro and surrounding areas that immediately come to mind are Phenom and Scouts Focus. Remember, not every exposure camp who advertises college coaches and recruiting personnel will actually have them there in attendance. In some cases, they may have a “token” one there just to say they do. Have a game plan to attend multiple camps throughout the summer every year leading up to your senior year of high school.
Social Media:
Be aware of social media activity that can negatively affect your child’s recruitment. College coaches love to research potential student athlete’s social media activity prior to start of the recruiting process. It’s vital that you and your child understand the importance of representing themselves well in this arena. Your social media post could be the difference between a scholarship offer or a school deciding not to recruit your child.
Look for leadership opportunities outside of your respective sport:
College programs want to see that there is versatility in not just your on-court game, but off the court as well. Everyone has leadership abilities, figure out what your child’s leadership skill is and nurture it. Volunteer work outside of school is a great way to foster and encourage your child to develop leadership skills that colleges will appreciate and place value on. Volunteering only makes your child more marketable, in other words, it increases your child’s stock.
Playing Your Sport Outside of The High School Season:
In today’s era of club sports and year-round sports, it is important to play your sport outside of your high school season if you are serious about pursuing a scholarship in your respective sport. Playing club basketball and participating in high level tournaments helps to make you more marketable as a perspective student athlete. Coaches want to see you have experience in different settings which makes for a more resilient well-rounded college athlete.
Give yourself an edge as a perspective college athlete:
Capitalize on your downtime, less social media and more time dedicated to getting better at your sport while away from your team. Encourage your child to go for a run, do some sprints in the neighborhood, go dribble the ball in the garage, work on your footspeed. There are so many things your child can do without ever leaving home to get an edge on the competition. Not only does this help your child get an edge on the competition, but it also helps them develop self-drive, motivation and determination that they will no doubt need to be successful at the next level!
