As the spring season starts and athletes start to focus on the season ahead, senior athletes start to notice the opportunities that college athletics can bring. College recruiters can bring pressure but can also bring a bright future.

It is important that senior student athletes focus keep focusing on their academics. Without the appropriate grades, it will be very difficult to get into a school that you will thrive in athletically.

Junior Ellie Tate said, “It’s not just [about] sports when you look for the right college. I focus on my academics because it allows me to be stronger than other recruits. For a coach, it is easier to pick a stronger academic player if two kids are the same skills.”

Grades are just one thing that can help you make a strong first impression.

According to Gary Kinkhead, head coach of Swimming and Diving at the University of Indianapolis, it is important to “draft a letter to prospective coaches and schools to express your interests in that team.”

Making a good impression on colleges and coaches can range from writing a letter, sending game tapes, calling coaches or meeting with coaches individually, and reaching out to current athletes at that college for advice. It’s all about making yourself look good and well-rounded for college.

There is a program that CASD works with to promote the athlete’s relationship with college recruiting. This program is through Dynamite Sports and is called the Student-Athlete and College Recruiting Seminar.

Linked from the CASD webpage, Dynamite Sports gives an overview of the Student-Athlete and College Recruiting Seminar as “Hundreds of thousands of athletes across the country are seeking athletic scholarships. Rick Wire of Dynamites Sports introduces the Student-Athlete & College Recruiting Seminar, a educational program designed to help athletes create a ‘Blueprint for Success’ to achieve their goals of gaining a sports scholarship to college.”

Senior Matt Wisner has committed to Duke University and shared his thoughts about being recruited: “It was nice to be a recruited athlete because it alleviated a lot of the stress that a lot of my peers were experiencing.  As far as the application process goes, I was given acceptance ahead of the regular applicant.”

Advantages to the college recruiting process include early acceptance, scholarships, and athletic benefits.  It is important that all spring athletes looking to play in college should contact the athletic department, their coaches or even coaches at a prospective college for more information.