A BIG Step to College Recruiting: Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center”
If you’re a high school athlete with dreams of competing at the NCAA level, the big step in the recruiting process is registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center. This is an important requirement for student-athletes who want to play college sports at the Division I or II level.
When Should You Register?
You can start your registration as early as your freshman year of high school. The sooner you create your account, the better—it helps you stay on track with eligibility requirements, academic progress, and recruiting opportunities. It’s especially important to register before attending college athletic camps or official campus visits so coaches can verify your status.
Choosing the Right NCAA Account
The NCAA Eligibility Center offers three types of accounts:
Profile Page (Free) – A great starting point! If you’re not sure about competing in college yet, this account allows you to receive updates and easily upgrade later.
Certification Account (Required for D1 & D2 Athletes) – If you plan to compete at the Division I or II level, you’ll need to upgrade to this account to get officially certified.
International Student Account – Designed for student-athletes from outside the U.S.
How to Register
To begin, visit the NCAA Eligibility Center website and create your account. If you’re a PrepStar athlete, you can find a direct link to the NCAA Eligibility Center in the Locker Room folder of your PrepStar recruit profile.
Stay Ahead in the Recruiting Process
Registering early ensures you meet academic and amateurism standards while staying prepared for scholarship opportunities. Don’t wait—get your eligibility set up today!
In today’s competitive athletic landscape, many young athletes feel the pressure to participate in multiple sports year-round. While multi-sport participation has its advantages, specializing in a single sport offers significant benefits, including greater skill development, reduced injury risk, and increased opportunities for advancement.
1. Mastery and Skill Development
Focusing on one sport allows athletes to refine their technique, improve fundamentals, and develop a deeper understanding of the game. The additional practice and repetition provide a competitive edge, making athletes more proficient in their specific position or role. With dedicated training, athletes can perfect their mechanics and strategy, leading to a higher level of performance.
2. Increased Repetitions and Competition
As a one-sport athlete, there is an abundant opportunity to get a tremendous amount of reps. Good, quality repetitions are essential for improvement, allowing athletes to fine-tune their movements and enhance muscle memory. Additionally, in sports like baseball, soccer, and softball—where year-round play is possible—one-sport athletes have the advantage of continuous competition. This competition can come from both teammates in practice and opponents in games, pushing athletes to elevate their game.
3. Better Strength and Conditioning
One-sport athletes can follow a training regimen tailored specifically to their sport. This includes strength training, mobility work, and endurance exercises that directly improve performance. A focused training program also helps prevent injuries related to improper training methods or overuse from playing multiple sports.
4. Reduced Risk of Injury
Playing multiple sports can increase the likelihood of overuse injuries due to repetitive strain on different muscle groups and joints. Specializing in one sport allows for a more structured training regimen with proper recovery periods. Athletes can focus on sport-specific strength and conditioning programs that enhance performance while minimizing wear and tear on the body.
5. Increased Opportunities for College Recruitment
College recruiters often seek athletes who demonstrate exceptional ability in one sport. By specializing, athletes can participate in elite-level competition, attend specialized camps, and gain exposure through travel teams or showcases. This focused approach can enhance visibility and improve the chances of securing a scholarship or roster spot at the next level.
6. Stronger Relationships with Coaches and Teams
Athletes who dedicate themselves to one sport can build deeper connections with their coaches and teammates. This consistency fosters a strong support system, effective communication, and a sense of belonging. It also allows coaches to provide personalized feedback and guidance, helping athletes reach their full potential.
7. Mental and Emotional Consistency
Juggling multiple sports can lead to burnout, fatigue, and stress. Specializing in one sport allows athletes to maintain a more balanced lifestyle, with time to focus on academics, personal interests, and recovery. With a clear training schedule, athletes can set realistic goals and track their progress, leading to greater motivation and confidence.
Final Thoughts
While multi-sport participation can help build a broad athletic foundation, specializing in one sport offers distinct advantages for skill development, injury prevention, and career advancement. Each athlete’s journey is unique, and choosing the right path depends on individual goals, passion, and long-term aspirations.
In today’s highly specialized sports environment, young athletes are often encouraged to focus on a single sport from an early age. However, becoming a multi-sport athlete offers numerous benefits that can enhance an individual’s overall athletic development. Here are three key advantages of engaging in multiple sports: learning game strategy from other sports, developing strength, agility, and coordination, and being exposed to different coaching styles.
Learning Game Strategy from Other Sports
Participating in multiple sports provides athletes with a diverse set of strategic insights that can be transferred from one sport to another. For instance, understanding spatial awareness in soccer can enhance a basketball player’s ability to navigate the court. Similarly, the quick decision-making required in fast-paced sports like hockey or lacrosse can improve a football player’s reaction time and on-field intelligence.
Different sports emphasize various aspects of strategy, such as teamwork, positioning, and tactical thinking. By engaging in multiple sports, athletes can draw on a wider range of experiences and apply these strategies to their primary sport. This cross-pollination of ideas fosters a more comprehensive understanding of game dynamics, allowing athletes to anticipate opponents’ moves, identify opportunities, and make smarter plays.
Developing Strength, Agility, and Coordination
Another significant benefit of being a multi-sport athlete is the overall development of physical attributes such as strength, agility, and coordination. Each sport typically emphasizes different muscle groups and movement patterns. For example, playing soccer or basketball can enhance cardiovascular fitness and lower body strength, while swimming can improve upper body strength and flexibility.
Engaging in a variety of sports helps athletes develop a well-rounded physical foundation. This holistic development reduces the risk of overuse injuries that often result from repetitive motions associated with a single sport. Additionally, the varied physical demands of multiple sports can improve overall athleticism, making athletes more adaptable and resilient.
For instance, a baseball player who also participates in track and field will benefit from increased sprinting speed and explosive power. Similarly, a gymnast who also practices martial arts can gain better balance, flexibility, and body control. These physical benefits translate into enhanced performance in any sport, as athletes become more versatile and capable of excelling in diverse athletic situations.
Exposure to Different Coaching Styles
Being exposed to different coaching styles is another valuable advantage of participating in multiple sports. Each coach brings their unique philosophy, methods, and approaches to training and competition. Experiencing a variety of coaching styles allows athletes to learn from different perspectives, adapt to various teaching methods, and develop a more well-rounded approach to their sport.
Different coaches may emphasize different aspects of training, such as technical skills, mental toughness, or teamwork. By working with a range of coaches, athletes can gain a more comprehensive understanding of their sport and discover new techniques and strategies. Additionally, exposure to different coaching styles helps athletes develop adaptability and resilience, as they learn to thrive under varying expectations and communication styles.
Furthermore, athletes who engage with multiple coaches can build a diverse support network. These relationships can provide valuable mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for growth. Learning to navigate different coaching styles also fosters critical thinking and self-awareness, as athletes reflect on their experiences and determine what works best for them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, being a multi-sport athlete offers numerous benefits that contribute to overall athletic development. By learning game strategy from various sports, athletes gain a broader understanding of tactics and decision-making. The physical development gained through diverse sports participation enhances strength, agility, and coordination. Finally, exposure to different coaching styles enriches an athlete’s training experience and fosters adaptability. Encouraging young athletes to engage in multiple sports can lead to more well-rounded, resilient, and versatile individuals who excel both on and off the field.
Why Student-Athletes Should Prioritize Standardized Testing for College Recruiting If you’re a student-athlete looking to play at the next level, taking standardized tests like the SAT or ACT is more important than ever. Many colleges—including private institutions, public universities, and state higher education systems—have reinstated their test score requirements this year. After experimenting with test-optional policies during the pandemic, schools are reaffirming the value of standardized testing in the admissions process.
For student-athletes, strong test scores can be a game-changer. Not only do they help meet admissions requirements, but they can also make you a more attractive recruit by demonstrating academic readiness. Some schools remain test-optional or test-preferred, meaning they may consider SAT or ACT scores when making admissions decisions and awarding scholarships. Submitting competitive scores can set you apart from other recruits, potentially leading to better financial aid opportunities and improving your chances of acceptance at your dream school.
As you navigate the college recruiting process, be sure to research each school’s testing policy. Understanding whether a college requires, prefers, or considers test scores can help you make informed decisions and maximize your recruiting opportunities. Don’t let a missing test score hold you back—prepare, take the test, and give yourself every possible advantage in the recruiting and admissions.
The NCAA has recently implemented significant changes to the transfer portal for Division I football and women’s basketball. These adjustments, particularly the two-window system, are intended to streamline the transfer process while balancing flexibility and stability within college athletics.
The revamped notification-of-transfer process now operates within a 30-day period split into two windows: one in winter and another in spring. For the 2024-25 academic year, the first transfer window will open on December 9, the Monday following the FBS conference championships, and close on December 28. The second window will span April 16-25, providing athletes with another opportunity to enter the portal. By consolidating these periods, the NCAA aims to simplify decisions for athletes while minimizing disruptions for both teams and individual players.
The two-window system also limits the possibility of last-minute transfers that may disrupt team dynamics or require urgent roster adjustments. By setting definitive dates, the NCAA allows for better planning by athletic departments and more thoughtful decision-making by student-athletes.
Overall, these NCAA adjustments balance athletes’ needs for flexibility with institutional stability, promising a more controlled and transparent transfer system that should benefit both current players and prospective recruits.
Off-Season Training: Bulk Up While Improving Speed and Agility
For high school athletes, the off-season is the perfect time to build strength, bulk up, and enhance speed and agility. A well-rounded approach combining strength training, functional drills, and proper nutrition can help achieve these goals.
Start with strength and power training. Incorporate compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses to build muscle. Add explosive movements such as power cleans and box jumps to improve power. Pair this with speed drills like resisted sprints and sled pushes to translate strength gains into speed.
A high-calorie diet rich in lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats fuels muscle growth. Consuming 4–6 meals daily ensures consistent energy for workouts.
Don’t forget rest promotes recovery so get plenty of it. Aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
Finally, integrate hybrid training. Combine sprint intervals, cone drills, and lifting sessions to enhance agility and strength. Include recovery methods like dynamic stretching or yoga to maintain mobility.
By following this regimen, athletes can bulk up and dominate on the field when the season begins.
Recruiting becomes hot as August begins, just as summer begins to cool down. However, before it starts to boil, there is a brief pause in recruiting. That pause is known as the Quiet Period.
There are many myths and misconceptions about the Quiet Period, so this article will clear up five of them.
Myth #1: That quiet period means absolute silence. Most parents and athletes think that this mean coaches can’t talk to prospective student athletes. True, NCAA communication rules are restricted during the quiet period. But in the end, colleges coaches are permitted to communicate with prospective student athletes during the quiet period.
Myth #2: Athletes can’t contact coaches. Not true. According to the NCAA recruiting guidelines, prospective student athletes can contact college coaches beginning on the first day of freshman year. Additionally, student-athletes are permitted to contact coaches at any time during the recruiting process.
Myth #3: College Coaches don’t recruit during the quiet period. False, coaches recruit year round. Just look at all the offers posted on social media! So, since college coaches continue to recruit during the quiet period athletes need both communication and recruiting exposure year around
Myth #4: On campus invites during the Quiet Period are money grabs. Not necessarily. Some invites are in fact money grabs so it’s up to the athlete and parents to learn the difference. The NCAA rules state contact with prospective student athletes is permissible on the college campus. So, how else can coaches get athletes on campus but to invite them to a prospect camp?
Myth #5: College coaches can’t make offers during the quiet period. Again, the quiet period does not mean dead silence. Instead, the quiet period regulates communication between college coaches and prospective student athletes. During the quiet period coaches can and do make scholarship offers.
The origin of these myths and misconceptions is from athletes and parents being unfamiliar with the recruiting process. Information is pieced together from bits and pieces heard from other players and parents. It’s similar to trying to put together a jumbled puzzle, but missing several key pieces. It doesn’t matter how much effort you put in, the end result will be an incomplete picture. Don’t rely on rumors and hearsay from other parents. Become educated about the recruiting process or find someone who is.
What is the quiet period? What does it mean for recruiting?
According to the NCAA, during a quiet period a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.
So, with prospective student athletes, college coaches are not permitted to have; in person evaluations, official campus visits or in person contacts. But, student athletes should be aware that written and telephone communication is permissible during the quiet period.
However, like any other Quiet Period throughout the recruiting calendar, the recruiting process does not stop. Consider the quiet period a time-out from the evaluation process.
So, student-athletes, what can you do to improve your recruiting situation right now?
First, get your highlight reel looking sharp. By now you should have a highlights from summer camps, showcases as well as previous seasons, plus some training video. Use this footage to make short highlight and skills videos that can be added to your recruiting profile and viewed by college coaches.
Next, assess recruiting goals with realistic expectations. If you’ve had your mind set on certain school but have not been contacted by a college coach don’t expect contact anytime soon. Instead, do an honest comparison of your level of play to the quality of athletes being recruited. This will help you determine a good college fit and will also point you to college coaches that you should be contacting.
Then, expand your methods of contacting college coaches. Don’t just rely on twitter to blast out your video links or show clips of getting one hit during a game. Instead, use multiple points of contact including email, text, and, if you’re brave enough, go old school, by actually making a phone call to a college coach.
Overall, during the quiet period it is important for the student-athlete to stay focused! The quiet period does not mean that recruiting comes to a dead stop. Lots of recruiting is still to come.
Is recruiting is going the way you hoped it would? Have questions about the recruiting process? Comment below or DM me. I’m glad to help.
Last week the NCAA announced waivers requiring ACT or SAT test scores for athletic eligibility. While many student athletes celebrated a sigh of relief, despite the generous exception its time to start studying because it is still a good idea for student-athletes take the ACT or SAT.
To quickly review the recently exemption, last week the NCAA decided Division I or II athletes will not be required to take a standardized test to meet NCAA initial-eligibility requirements. This decision said is to “help ensure students have a fair opportunity to meet the initial-eligibility standard.” Why was this decision made?
Student athletes, stay the course, continue moving forward with the plan to take the ACT or SAT college entry exam. Photo by Ben Mullins on Unsplash
Again, the NCAA is concerned about “the continued disruption in secondary education due to the pandemic”. So, to meet eligibly requirements for athletic participation as well as to meet the criteria for academically eligibility for receive athletics scholarship, practice and completion in their first year the NCAA has made some concessions. Admission requirements are pretty low, 2.3 grade point average for Division 1 and 2.2 grade point average for Division II provided the NCAA approved 16 core courses are completed. But, lowering the standard and exempting student athletes from the standardized tests requirement leaves a few questions unanswered.
In total, omitting the ACT or SAT requirement does not specifically address university admissions requirements. Nor, does the exemption address how financial awards will be provided that usually are distributed as a result of high ACT or SAT scores?
So, put down the party hat and grab a chair. Its time to start studying because what isn’t addressed by the exemption is exactly why student-athletes should move forward with the plan to take the ACT or SAT.
First, to get into a college the university admission requirements must be met to get into that college. Undoubtably, student-athletes with a qualifiable ACT or SAT score are sure to have better opportunities for entry. Conversely, student athletes without standardized test scores are more likely not to meet the requirements for colleges known for higher academic standards Lets be realistic, schools know for selecting students with higher academics standards will continue to maintain this standards. Furthermore, student-athletes may be put at a disadvantage to gain entry into colleges known for higher academic standards. Consequently, student athletes aspiring to attend such schools will be expected to meet admission requirements or look elsewhere.
Next, it is no secret that a college education is expensive. So, even without ACT or SAT scores, college tuition will still need to be paid. What the NCAA generous waiver does not explain how to fill the financial void that is usually filled by financial awards provided by high standardized test scores? Keep in mind, outside of D1 football, which is a full athletic and academic scholarship sport, schools in DIAA, DII, NAIA and DIII typically stack athletic scholarship with academic awards towards the cost of tuition. Somebody will have to pay and I don’t see colleges reducing the price of admission any time soon.
The question remains, in the coming months, will athletes be presented other opportunities be made available to fill this void and to gain financial awards? Or will the burden be placed on solely on the athlete and their family? Without the funding provided by the SAT or ACT score how can student-athletes earn the extra financial awards that decrease tuition costs?
Bottom line for student athletes, stay the course, continue moving forward with the plan to take the ACT or SAT college entry exam.
Source: NCAA Eligibility Center announces flexibility in initial eligibility for 2021-22 Changes address uncertainty caused by COVID-19 August 17, 2020 11:00amMichelle Brutlag Hosick
Most athletic competitions have time constraints. For example, soccer has two 45 minute halves, basketball four 8 minute quarters, even track and swimming measure placements by time. Baseball and softball limits games by a specified number of innings. Clearly, time management is vital to every game.
Usually the team that did the best job of managing the clock wins the game. Teams that don’t have to rely on a last minute miracle.
Last Minute Miracles
Truth is athletes only have one shot at getting recruited. No one can have a high school do-ver. So athletes in the midst should never rely on a last minute miracle to land a scholarship.
I’m not a miracle worker, but I know how to manage the recruiting clock. Partnering with me will assure success!
Think of it like this. Would you rather hurry and scurry around as the clock winds down hoping to score at the last second or would you prefer to know that victory is eminent and relish the moment of celebration?
5 Tips to Enjoy the Recruiting Process (and avoid hoping for a last minute miracle)
Follow these few tips to be certain that you’ve met your goals and victory belongs to you!
Have a solid recruiting plan. Start working the plan early and stay the course. This is where years of recruiting exposure will pay off.
Keep focused in the classroom and on the field. The classroom is not the place to let your performance slip.
Know communication rules Communicate with as many coaches as possible.
Take official visits to colleges recruiting you. Five official visits are permitted, use them wisely. Make sure you know the academic and athletic expectations for athletes at each school.
The clock is ticking. Time will eventually run out. When this happens I want to be sure your family is celebrating!
Be committed, get committed.
Coach Mike Woosley is a National Scouting Director at CSA-PrepStar. As a professional collegiate sports scout Mike works with qualified next level student-athletes to find the right college athletic and academic fit. Comments and questions are always welcome.
Elite Athletes Recruiting 