As a high school or club volleyball coach, offering effective volleyball recruiting tips to your players who dream of playing at the collegiate level is an important role. Navigating the college recruiting process can be complex and challenging, but with the right strategies, you can significantly increase your players’ chances of getting noticed by college recruiters. Here are ten tips to help you promote your players to college volleyball recruiters.
1. Create High-Quality Highlight Videos
A well-crafted highlight video is a crucial tool in the recruiting process. Ensure that the video showcases your player’s best skills and plays, is no longer than 5-7 minutes, and includes their contact information. Focus on including game footage (avoid practice, if possible) that highlights their abilities in different scenarios. This is one of the essential volleyball recruiting tips for coaches to ensure their players stand out. Here are some specific tips on creating a good highlight video.
2. Develop a Comprehensive Recruiting Profile
Help your players create a detailed recruiting profile that includes their academic achievements, athletic stats, personal information, and a link to their highlight video. Platforms like NCSA, and FieldLevel can be useful for building and sharing these profiles.
3. Leverage Social Media
Social media can be a powerful tool for getting your players noticed and build their brand, especially in these days of NIL. Encourage your players to create professional profiles on platforms like Twitter and Instagram where they can share their achievements, highlight videos, and updates. Make sure they follow and engage with college coaches and programs, as well as the broader community.
4. Network with College Coaches
Use your connections within the volleyball community to network with college coaches. Attend coaching clinics, tournaments, and showcases where you can meet college coaches and talk about your players. Building relationships with college coaches can open doors for your players. Networking is a crucial part of volleyball recruiting strategies for coaches, and a potentially important way to promote players to college recruiters. It can also help you in your own career. 😉
5. Organize College Visits
Arrange for your players to visit colleges they’re interested in. This gives them a chance to see campuses, meet teams, and talk to coaches. Prepare them with questions to ask and things to look for during the visit to make the most of the opportunity.
6. Provide Strong Recommendations
Write personalized recommendation letters for your players that highlight their skills, work ethic, character, and academic achievements. A strong recommendation from a coach can make a difference in the recruiting process. And stand ready to speak with college coaches over the phone if they ask (many won’t, but some will).
7. Host Recruiting Showcases
Organize or participate in recruiting showcases where college coaches are invited to watch your players in action. These events provide a platform for your players to demonstrate their skills and compete against high-level competition in front of college recruiters.
8. Keep Track of Academic Performance
Emphasize the importance of academics to your players. Ensure they understand that maintaining good grades and achieving high test scores are critical for meeting NCAA eligibility requirements and attracting college recruiters.
9. Stay Informed on Recruiting Rules and Deadlines
Keep up-to-date with NCAA and NAIA recruiting rules and deadlines. Make sure your players and their families are aware of important dates, such as signing periods and contact periods, to ensure they don’t miss any opportunities.
10. Encourage Persistence and Resilience
Remind your players that the recruiting process can be lengthy and sometimes discouraging. Encourage them to stay persistent, keep improving their skills, and remain positive. Share stories of successful athletes who faced challenges but eventually achieved their goals.
By implementing these tips, you can play a pivotal role in helping your players get recruited and achieve their dream of playing college volleyball. Remember, your support and guidance can make all the difference in their recruiting journey.
Seeing your players recruited to play college volleyball is a rewarding aspect of coaching. By following these tips, you can enhance your players’ visibility and appeal to college recruiters, ultimately setting them on the path to collegiate success. For more detailed strategies and insights, check out my new book, The College Volleyball Recruiting Playbook, which provides comprehensive guidance on navigating the college volleyball recruiting process.
Got anymore college volleyball recruiting tips? Leave a comment below.
