Is Your Daughter Interested in Playing Sports in College? Here Are 8 Helpful Tips.

Do your research. Most people are familiar with Division I sports, but there are many different types of divisions that a student-athlete can compete in. Besides Division I, there’s Division II, Division III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and JUCO. Different divisions have different requirements for competing, so be sure to familiarize yourself with eligibility rules as well. Reach out to your Athletics Director and College Counselor for guidance, as navigating the process can be a challenge. Check out resources such as the NCAA Eligibility page and the NCAA College-Bound Athlete Guide. 

Know the different types of divisions. 

Make a list of target schools. Create a list of schools that you are interested in, starting with Division I and working to DIII, NAIA and JUCO. Make a wide range and you can narrow it down throughout your process. 

Attend showcases and summer camps. Go to any camp or showcase you can. The only way coaches can watch you play is if you attend their camps and showcases. 

Contact the coaches. Send coaches emails with your “athletic resume”—a list of records, awards, etc. Send highlight videos. And email coaches every time you are going to a showcase or tournament. If a coach shows interest in you in a camp or showcase, email the coach immediately after the event. 

Know the academic requirements. Only your core courses will be used when determining your GPA with the NCAA. There are sixteen core courses, covering the subjects of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy. Each high school has its own list of NCAA approved core courses. Meet with your high school counselor to confirm your classes will meet the NCAA GPA requirements.

Make a skills video with your highlights to send to coaches. Coaches cannot make every game. Therefore you should make a highlight video to show off all your skills. There are many platforms that you can use to help create this video. 

Know the rules and regulations of recruiting. There are only certain periods, known as “contact periods,” where a college coach is allowed to have face-face contact with a student athlete or her parents. Coaches may also watch the student-athlete compete and the coach is also allowed to call the student athlete and their parents. During the “quiet period,” college coaches may write or call the student athlete but they are not allowed to have face-to-face contact with her or watch her compete. During a “dead period” a coach is not allowed to contact or watch the student athlete. Rules about contact are different depending on which division you’re interested in playing in, so be sure to look up the specifics of recruiting rules for your particular division.