Coach Mike-
National Scouting Director with CSA PrepStar
Professional collegiate sports scout working with qualified next level student-athletes to find the right college athletic and academic fit.
This week is a short video blog for Recruiting video tips. Weekly, I field a lot of questions about how to make a recruiting video so today I want to share a quick video with 3 good tips for recording a recruiting video.
A well-made recruiting video is one of the most important tools for high school baseball and softball players trying to earn college baseball scholarships. Coaches don’t have the time to see every baseball prospect in person. That’s why a skills video is an essential part of your athletic profile. It takes just a few minutes for a skill video to show coaches what a high school prospect has to offer. For your skills video to be effective, you need to know specifically what coaches are looking for. If you have video but not sure if it is good enough for a coach, I offer a free recruiting video review. Simply book an appointment at the link below then send your video. I’ll check it out and give you some feedback during the short 30 minute call.
A well-made recruiting video is one of the most important tools for high school baseball and softball players trying to earn college baseball scholarships.
When making highlight video, keep in mind that the purpose is not to show you top plays as each game unfolds. Instead, the goal should be to have the recruiting video tell the story of why you are a legit prospect. This is done putting in center-focus the highlight plays showcasing best position specific skills and athleticism. So here are 5 tips for assembling a solid recruiting video.
Always make sure the video is appropriately timed. Typically, a good video is between 4 and 5 minutes long. Even though you may have 20 minutes of season highlights, sort through to pick the best plays. Why? Because college coaches have limited time to view video so impress them with the best.
Next, make sure that your best plays are in the first 30 to 60 seconds. Think about it like a movie trailer. How often have you watched a movie trailer then immediately thought to yourself that you are going to go see that movie! Coaches like to be impressed at the beginning. If the video doesn’t hold their attention then they move on to the next athlete.
Then make sure to highlight position specific skills. For example, in football, running backs are supposed to score touchdowns and out-run defenders. Running backs then should highlight touchdown runs and showcase speed separation. The guys in the trenches, like defensive lineman, are supposed to wreak havoc at the up and down the line of scrimmage as well as in the opponents backfield. So show sacks, tackles and quarterback hurries.
Most importantly, highlight videos should feature you, not other players. I’ve heard stories of coaches finding an recruit while viewing the footage of their teammate. This happens frequently.
Lastly, know the difference between a clean hit and a cheap shot. Coaches want aggressive players not dirty players. Keep out questionable plays. Cheap shots cause penalties, penalties cost yardage, and lost yards can ultimately be the difference in winning or losing games. Coaches want disciplined players, not players that keep them from winning games.
Because highlight videos carry a lot of significance in your recruiting I’m glad to review your highlight videos before you send them to a coach or post them online.
You want some outside help with your recruiting video. If so, schedule a FREE recruiting video consultation where I will take a look at your highlight or skills video to provide you helpful tips and feedback. Schedule your free recruiting video review here: https://mlwoosley.wixsite.com/website/book-online
Congratulations Class of 2020! Its is officially your year. Soon classes will begin but before the first bell rings your final year for college recruiting will start winding down. All that you have been working for as student- athlete has reached it pinnacle.
According to the NCAA, August 2nd marks the beginning of the final recruiting year for 2020 seniors. The recruiting period, as noted by the chart below, begins the day after the final day for class of 2019.
What should 2020 prospective student athletes anticipate? During this final year of recruiting seniors can take official visits, recieve scholarship offers and sign their official national letter of intent. For many scholarship seeking student-athletes, these benchmarks are the culmination of dedication and determination.
August 2nd marks the beginning of the final recruiting year for 2020 seniors Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash
When can seniors begin official visits? According to the NCAA, official visits can begin opening day of classes for Seniors. The NCAA allows prospective student athletes one official visit per college and up to a maximum of five official visits to Division I colleges. In contrast, prospective student athletes official visits to DII colleges are unlimited.
So, now that the final year has arrived, Seniors should remain diligent with their recruiting. Continued communication with college coaches by checking in by phone at least once a month. Also, it is vital that seniors maintain, and if possible seek to improve their cumulative GPA. It is also recommended that early Senior year prospective student athletes retake college entry exams (ACT or SAT) in order to improve on previous scores that meet or surpass college admission requirements.
Finally, if your recruiting isn’t going according to plan and you feel the pressure of the recruiting clock ticking down, you may want to get some outside help. Comment below or contact me via twitter (@michaelwoosley) or text “GAMEPLAN” to 480-605-4050 a free recruiting consultation where I help you create a gameplan toward success in your final year of recruiting.
Are you exhausted from all the camps, combines, showcases and other “recruiting events”? Have you become frustrated by the promise of exposure only for to get minimal reps and very little exposure?
Collegiate recruiting events can be a great way to showcase skill in competition against some of the nation’s top high school talent. But they can also become burdensome and ill-effective.
Trying to rely solely on college showcases, camps and combines to get recruited and receive an athletic scholarship is not a very sound strategy by itself.
However, I have learned from past experience that trying to rely solely on college showcases, camps and combines to get recruited and receive an athletic scholarship is not a very sound strategy by itself. Most college coaches that attend these type of events developed recruiting lists of athletes they plan to watch well before they arrive.
So, if college coaches at the showcase are there to watch some other athlete how do you get their attention? What do you need to do to get noticed while hundreds of other athletes are at the same event trying to do the same thing at the same time as you?
The goal is to get on their recruiting list before the event. So, how do you do this?
So, here are 3 tips you can use to help assure you get some attention at the next camp, combine or showcase.
Email college coaches scheduled to attend the event.
Create a student athlete profile including academic information as well as athletic metrics that you can send to colleges coaches. (A free one is available at bit.ly/2vqZjH9)
Connect with college coaches through social media outlets like Twitter or Instagram.
Again, the goal is to be seen by coaches who want to see you. Following this 3 tips before attending the next camp, combine or showcase are you are sure to get some attention.
In the midst of the summer offer season social media is inundated with pictures and posts pronouncing the latest offers. Undoubtably, these announcements are great! Great for the student-athlete, great for the parents, great for the college and great for the sport. But, after reading these announcements do you ever wonder about the story behind why a student athlete chooses a particular school?
Finding the best fit in collegiate sports combines quality academics with quality athletics. Photo by Jose Morales on Unsplash
So, what is the primary reason an athlete chooses a college? As a parent and coach, my hope is for the student-athlete has found the best possible college fit. Finding the best fit in collegiate sports combines both quality academics with quality athletics. This becomes an ideal scenario where the student-athlete has the opportunity to excel at the next level in both academics and athletics.
In addition to choosing a school based on the outstanding academic programs often, recruits will choose a college because they feel that the coach, or coaching staff, will help them become a better player. Great players always want to improve. In turn, great coaches will help motivated players achieve more than what the athlete is capable of achieving on his/her own.
In regards to making athletes better in the classroom and within the game, the wise and well admired Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz once said, “I won’t accept anything less than the best a player’s capable of doing… and he has the right to expect the best that I can do for him and the team!”
The key to finding the best fit then is to look for an opportunity to excel academically and athletically. A good fit should not only be comfortable, but should offer enough challenges that will create lasting positive change throughout the life of the student when they are no longer an athlete.
Most athletes don’t understand that a campus visit meeting is much like a job interview. So treat your visit like you would a job interview. Your resume is your athletic and academic accomplishments but what’s going to put you at the top of the list is how you represent yourself during the time on campus. So here are 5 tips to help you have a successful campus visit.
Always use proper English when talking to coaches. Avoid slang and short talk. Coaches take their job seriously, they also look for serious players. Demonstrate that you are articulate and intelligent (if you don’t know what those words mean get a thesaurus!)
Next, dress for success. Leave the warm-ups at home. Dress nicely and comfortably. Don’t worry about whether or not your’e going to stand out because that’s what you are there for!
Your objective of the campus visit is to leave the visit with assurance and confidence that you did your very best to leave a lasting impression. Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash
While your on the visit, separate yourself from the pack. Sheep run in a flock so they don’t get eaten, lions roam alone to hunt down their prey! When everyone else is goofing off, keep in mind that your there for one reason; to get noticed and get a scholarship! Take time to talk with current players and mingle with the new guys also. Essentially, be a leader, not a follower.
Always, be confident when you respond to questions. The best preparation is practice so rehearse your responses to questions that you think the coach might ask. Questions you can anticipate will revolve around you strengths, weaknesses, idea of team, individual goals, work ethic, responsibility, accountability, etc.
Lastly, your objective is to leave the camp visit with assurance and confidence that you did your very best to leave a lasting impression.
At Prepstar, our 360 team members are mentored throughout the recruiting process by their personal Scouting Director. Preparation for campus visits is just one of the many recruiting experiences that athletes receive direction. Want to know more about the Prepstar 360 team? Leave a comment below or send an email to Coach Mike at Mwoosley@csaprepstar.com.
One of the most common questions parents ask me is, “When is the right time to start the recruiting process?” So, I want to share three tips to know when is the right time to start the recruiting process and improve the chance of playing at the next level.
1. Start early
The earlier athletes begin planning the recruiting process the better. Most D1 prospects athletes are identified by the end of their sophomore year! Also, recruiting boards of D2 and D3 colleges start to fill up early. So Athletes that are serious about recruiting should start early.
Don’t be afraid to take control of the recruiting process… too many athletes (and parents) wait, and later wished they hadn’t. Photo by John Torcasio on Unsplash
2. Be proactive
Don’t be afraid to take control of the recruiting process. For one reason or another, too many athletes (and parents) wait, only later to wish that they had started the process earlier. Proactive people make something happen by taking control.
3. Get help
College recruiting can be confusing so you’ll want help to navigate the process. Since 1981, PrepStar has been a reliable recruiting resource helping both families and college coaches.
Not sure if now right time to start the recruiting process? Please contact me by Twitter (@michaelwoosley) or phone (805-622-7827) to set up a time a free recruiting evaluation (get free advice!) I’m glad to help!
Video is crucial to the recruiting process. But, what kind of recruiting video is most beneficial? And, what footage should the video feature? Actually, the answer varies by sport. For example, game video is paramount for high school football prospects. However, sports like baseball, softball and soccer requires that skills video accompanied by game footage. But, no matter the sport, the purpose of the recruiting video is to demonstrate position specific athletic skills and capability.
No matter the sport, the purpose of the recruiting video is to demonstrate position specific athletic skills and capability. (Photo by Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash)
Though it may be a matter of debate, it makes little difference if the video is professionally recorded or self-recorded. What matters is that the coaches must be able to clearly identify the player and clearly view all the required skills.
Lastly, it should be obvious that having no video will hurt the overall recruiting process. Athletes trying to get recruited with no video will find it very challenging. In fact, limited exposure will surely put the student-athlete at a tremendous recruiting disadvantage. Not sure if your video is on point? Contact me on twitter and I’ll send you my top 5 tips for creating a solid recruiting video. Email or tweet me at (mwoosley@csaprepstar.com) or on Twitter (@michaelwoosley).
For most student-athlete the school year is finally over. The first thing most students want to do is to relax and take a break. But if you’re an athlete with the goal of playing at the next level coasting is not the best thing to do. So instead of taking your foot off the gas and coasting down the recruiting highway, rev up the engine and cover some serious ground!
Instead of taking your foot off the gas and coasting down the recruiting highway, rev up the engine and cover some serious ground! Photo by Evgeni Tcherkasski on Unsplash
Taking time off can put you behind in recruiting. Plus, athletes can get in a funk where one day off turns into to two, then four, then a week or even a month. Be cautious not to fall behind. Remember, you only have a small window of opportunity to get seen, scouted, and recruited. Next, how do you know that your recruiting is on course? Follow these tips as a guideline to gauge where you are with your recruiting. College coaches start recruiting athletes early, so this outline will help reach your destination.
Freshmen- Day 1 of Freshman year, the very first day you step on high school campus, college coaches can begin to communicate with athletes. Get any early start before the school year begins because recruiting really starts the day you graduate 8th grade.
Sophomores that are starting to show up on the recruiting radar of college coaches should be getting letters, emails and camp invites. This is a pivotal year for most prospective athletes and the best time to get noticed. Most D1 college identify prospects by the end of sophomore year.
Juniors can tell that they are on pace recruiting by receiving emails, texts, prospect camp invites. Actual conversations with college coaches is a very good sign. Additionally, Junior year is a great time to take the ACT and SAT tests.
Seniors, by now, should have regular communication with college coaches the summer before their senior year. Ideally, seniors want to be in a position to narrow down college choices instead of hoping that a college coach will show interest.
Follow these tips and you’ll be heading towards the home stretch.
One other piece of advice. If you find that your recruiting isn’t going according to plan, you should get some help to get you up to speed. I’m willing to help. Just contact me via twitter (@michaelwoosley) or the email below for a free recruiting evaluation. Good luck! Coach Mike
Every student- athlete serious about recruiting needs to have one, or even multiple, recruiting videos. This blog will outline a few reasons why recruiting video is important as well as how a good video can help make the recruiting experience a highlight.
No matter the sport, the purpose of the video is to demonstrate position specific athletic skills and capability.
Recruiting video is most often used as the initial evaluation entry point for many coaches. Back in my playing days, my head-ached always preached that the “big eye in the sky, don’t lie.” Meaning, video catches everything. Game video records great plays as well as grand mistakes. It also shows how players handle the emotions of the game.
So what kind of video is most beneficial? Actually, the answer varies by sport. For example, in high school football game video is paramount. In contrast, sports such as baseball, softball and soccer requires skills video should be accompanied by supplemental game footage. No matter the sport, the purpose of the video is to demonstrate position specific athletic skills and capability. Though it may be a matter of debate, it makes little difference if the video is professionally recorded or self-recorded. What matters is that the coaches must be able to clearly identify the player and clearly view all the required skills.
Lastly, it is clear that not having video can hurt the overall recruiting process. Overall, having no video will certainly limit exposure and put the student-athlete at a tremendous recruiting disadvantage. So, if a student- athlete does not have a video created for recruiting purposes I highly recommned to start working on it today. There are a number of resources available to assist in the process. Good places to start are with a quick online search or with the team head coach.
Elite Athletes Recruiting 