How to gain college exposure if you are not going to nationals?
As a recruiting coordinator I often get asked the question, ” My team did not qualify for nationals or they decided not to go, how do I get in front of college coaches for them to evaluate me.” There are…
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Continue ReadingAs a recruiting coordinator I often get asked the question, ” My team did not qualify for nationals or they decided not to go, how do I get in front of college coaches for them to evaluate me.”
There are many avenues to get evaluated by college coaches in the summer. Camps are extremely important with the new NCAA rule changes. What camps will you get the biggest return on your investment.? You want to find a way to get on campus and interact with the coaches to see if it would be a good fit for both parties. Although if you are a class of 2020 or younger you cannot discuss recruiting, you can figure out if you like a coaches style, the campus and if you can play at that level. If you are unsure of the level you belong at, I would recommend trying several different schools from D1 to NAIA. Do your research on the school before you pay money for a camp. Do they need your position in your recruiting class? Have you spoken to the coach yet? Do they have your major? Is the size of the school right for you? Do you want a big city or smaller community? How far do you want to be from home? Do you have to have a full scholarship? What are the admission requirements for both GPA and ACT/SAT score?
A newer option that is becoming more popular are college exposure camps. This is where several colleges coaches run a camp and you are able to be seen by many in a day. Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club has successfully run a high level Division 1 exposure camp for several years. They bring in over 15 coaches over a 2 day period. You are able to get feedback and a 6:1 college coaching ratio. These camps typically cost $225 but offer a large return on your investment if several of the schools fit your criteria for college.
photo credit: Iowa region volleyball
Another great way to get exposure is to tryout for High Performance either the USA route or through your state.Iowa HP has become very popular and you get great coaching along with collegiate exposure at the HP championships. Many walk away from HP with lifelong friendships, great training and many colleges that evaluated them.
Talk to your club director, your club coach or recruiting coordinator and develop a plan for your summer. Summer is crucial in the recruiting process and you want to make sure you have a plan of attack. If you are not going to nationals, make sure you continue to get a lot of reps outside of camps. Go to your open gyms in High School, get private lessons or play beach. Make sure you are at the top of your game when you attend the college camps.