obby Knight, Pat Summit and Joe Paterno each have distinctive and varying coaching styles and philosophies. They do, however, share one thing in common. It is their responsibility to know the top high school athletes in the nation and in their respective sports.

Market Your Talents

Market Your Academic and Athletic Talents to the College of Your Choice

You may have been identified as one of the nation's elite, blue chip athletes by coaches, national high school prep athlete publications or the national media. If so, you will likely entertain scholarship offers from the nation's elite colleges and universities. If by chance you are not one of the nation's top high school athletes, are you going to panic? Absolutely not!

There are more than 3,000 colleges and universities around the country offering a variety of intercollegiate athletic programs at all levels of expertise. They are characterized by size (small, large), location (east, west, inland, coastal, etc.), majors, etc. The mission at today's most competitive colleges and universities is to enroll the most academically qualified and diverse student population possible. A student's ethnic origin, socio-economic background, gender, geographic origin, personal character, athletic ability and academic preference are among the most important criteria colleges prefer in a student. If you possess these types of qualities, you have the ability to market your academic and athletic talents to the school of your choice.

Well beyond the realm of raw or polished athletic talent, all collegiate athletic departments are under intense scrutiny to recruit the complete student-athlete. You want to have the qualities and characteristics of a person with broad-based skills. Essentially, you want to continue to develop the ability to write effectively, speak intelligently and think critically. Your athletic talents will only carry you so far. However, your social and academic performance will define who you are for the rest of your life. This is how to best market yourself to coaches and administrators from colleges and universities around the country.

Coaching points... Start your college search earlier. Do not wait for a phone call or letter from a coach. At the end of the junior year, plan to visit several of your top colleges. Write your own personal letter to the coach(es) of the sport(s) in which you are interested. Follow up your letter with a phone call to the coach. Initiate a campus visit. Call ahead to set an appointment with the coach and/or admission office. Send a thank you note to the coaching staff after visiting a school. There are several coaches who spent time and resources to host you. You want to let them know how much you appreciate what they did for you. It also reminds them of who you are! Send video of your playing ability when appropriate to do so. Return phone calls from coaches or anyone else representing the university. Participate in summer sports skill camps in your area whenever possible. Several college coaches from all levels attend the camps and will scout you. Attend a sports camp at the college(s) where you have a strong desire to attend and play.

Now, you have your act together. You are academically sound, athletically gifted and socially acceptable. However, its now March of your senior year, and you have never received as much as a phone call or letter from the national champions of college football. What happens next? Well, you may need to consider alternative options, such as exploring schools at another level (i.e., NCAA Division I-AA, II or III; or NAIA Divisions I and II). This advice applies to any athlete (male or female) in any sport. What can you do now to attract the attention of college coaches?

I recommend the strategies in the box to the right:

Notice in the boxed suggestions above, the only mention and evaluation of true athletic talent is emphasized last. Your intellect, initiative, character and ability to succeed in college should be prioritized before a coach decides to invest any amount of time and money recruiting you.

The challenge for you and your parents is to communicate thoroughly with the colleges and universities throughout the recruiting process. Find out exactly what is being offered by the school and just how binding the offer is. Understand exactly what your needs are and what it is that you want out of a college.

When you have found the school that meets your needs and expectations, be sure to give it full consideration. No matter whether the school is NCAA Division I, II or III -- scholarshi on-scholarship -- there is no substitute for the complete college experience. As a student-athlete, you are bonded to your school like few other students will ever be. Demand excellence and make the most of your collegiate experience by being prepared!

Remember: “a goal is a dream achievable only with a well designed game plan” - David Hill