Recruiting timeline

To excel in the recruiting game, you need to know when to do what

By
Dan Tudor
of All-Stater Sports

To be successful in the recruiting game, you need to know when to do what. Take a look at the timeline below, and use it as a guide through the sometimes confusing world of college recruiting.

FRESHMEN

Unless you are a varsity athlete, your job as a freshman student-athlete is to do well in school and do your best at whatever sport you play. Only in rare exceptions would I recommend that a freshman athlete worry about college sports. You need to make sure that you are laying the right groundwork for the rest of your high school career as a freshman high school student-athlete.

SOPHOMORES

Academically, try taking the SAT test. Most student-athletes wait until their junior or senior year, but by taking the test earlier you have a "warm-up." Check with your counselor to make sure that you are on track to complete all your scheduled college prep classes so that you can qualify academically for NCAA athletics. Also, start researching which colleges you might be interested in attending.

Athletically, prepare yourself physically for your upcoming varsity seasons. Ask your coach what you need to be doing during the off-season to ensure that you are the best athlete you can be.

JUNIORS

The big year is here. Hopefully, you will play a varsity sport and have something for college coaches to consider in terms of being a potential college prospect. Take the SAT or ACT tests this year, preferably twice. Your score usually improves each time you take the test. If at all possible, you will want to have these tests completed before the end of your junior year.

This is also a good time to start contacting college coaches with a recruiting package. It is important that college coaches know about you during your junior year, since many coaches recruit one year in advance for their prospects.

Finally, check with your counselor one last time to make sure that you are on track to complete all your scheduled college prep classes that will enable you to qualify academically for NCAA athletics.

SENIORS

This is the time for making campus visits, contacting college coaches, and deciding what type of school will e best for you. If at all possible, try to have your college choice made by early spring. Many schools cut off admissions for incoming students, including athletes, between November and February. You should take the SAT or ACT test for the final time early in your senior year.

If you are an athlete just beginning the recruiting process, you will need to cram two years' worth of contacts and work into a few months. Don't worry, it can be done! You will, however, need to be more flexible with the type of college program you would consider. Many of the large, high-profile universities will have already made up their minds by the time your senior year is half over.If you have recruiting questions, visit the Recruit at www.recruitzone.com, or simply post your question at www.all-statersports.com for a quick response. The best questions and answers will be shared with our readers and web site visitors.

Dan Tudor is president of Recruit, an organization that assists high school athletes with getting recruited to play college sports. For more information about the Recruit program for deserving high school athletes, visit them on the Internet at www.recruitzone.com, or call Recruit at 1-800-962-5550.