Getting Recruited to Play a NCAA Sport in College

Some students aspire to continue the sport they played in high school in college at the NCAA level. Many want or need scholarships that may cover the entire cost of attending college. The college application process for these individuals is different than for most students. It takes planning and starting early to be successfully recruited.

Students need to consider that playing a sport in college will add extra stress on top of academics. Thus, players need to develop good time management skills in high school and be sure of their desire to devote a significant amount of time in college to their sport.

In 9th grade students should begin the research process. The NCAA has certain academic requirements to qualify for Division I and II college teams. Athletes must be certified by the NCAA. Prospective Division I, II, and III players must make a profile with the NCAA, but Division III players do not have to be certified. Information on certification and profile creation can be found on https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/. Academics are important for all high school students looking to play varsity sports in college because coaches will not be interested in students with very low GPAs or test scores.

Top athletic programs search during freshman year for students who have earned awards or high rankings at the state or national level. Students will need to have film of their game play to get the attention of these top programs and many programs in general. High school students must take initiative and should reach out to coaches by sending emails, letters, or calling coaches directly (contact information can be found on college team pages).

Taking all of the steps listed above will help ensure students are on track to get recruited to their dream colleges. Again, starting early and being persistent is key.