It takes a village to support the recruiting process. Every member of your network plays a crucial role in helping you reach your ultimate collegiate destination. Here’s a breakdown about the individuals most likely to help you achieve your goals.
Family
Family always comes first in life, and it’s no different during the recruiting process. Make sure that everyone involved has a good understanding of it. Plenty of resources are available to bring your family up to speed.
Once everyone is on the same page, create a game plan for scheduling visits to schools, communicating with a coach and completing necessary reports and applications.
Family knows best, so they’ll be your most reliable guide to finding the right college fit, keeping you on track and sorting truths from falsehoods along the way. College coaches are looking for high-character recruits. Actively pursing the process with strong family support is a great way to show that you’re a studentathlete with values and integrity.
High School Coaches
Your high school coach can provide a wealth of recruiting information and serve as a mentor. When you’re not practicing or playing hard, use coach to your advantage in the following capacities:

• Not everyone has Division I promise. However, plenty of other opportunities are available. A coach can help assess the caliber of your athleticism and competitive drive and might have good suggestions about where your skills could fit best.
• Most likely, your coach has a network of college coaches to tap into and gauge any interest various programs might have. At the very least, your coach can send recruiting information to those programs and serve as a reference.
• Your coach is a key contact for recruiters, because he or she is the best source of information about your work ethic, character and leadership skills.
• If you’re a multi-sport athlete being recruited to play baseball, don’t be afraid to ask your football or basketball coach to write a letter or reach out to the college coach or recruiting coordinator who’s pursuing you.

Club Coaches
A club coach can be instrumental in maximizing your recruiting potential. Due to his or her deep experience with recruiters, a club coach may have a more expansive network of contacts at the collegiate level.
Furthermore, college coaches’ in-person evaluations of high school athletes occur primarily at AAU, club and major showcase tournaments, and they communicate with club coaches during these events.
Academic Adviser/Faculty
Use your academic adviser as a source of information for tracking down scholarship opportunities and other sources of financial aid. Your academic adviser is also the point person for submitting official transcripts and SAT or ACT results.
Your teachers can write letters of recommendation for your college and/or scholarship applications. They can also assist you in declaring a major or helping you discover areas of academic interest to pursue in college.
Remember, your academic advisers and teachers won’t be chasing after you to complete these tasks. It’s your responsibility to seek their help when and where needed to ultimately get the job done.
RECRUITING SERVICES
Recruiting services can be a helpful addition to your support network. But, before you enroll in a service, find a verified and trusted party that will cater to your needs.
Learn about two STACK-approved recruiting services below. You’ll also fi nd a list of questions to ask when evaluating a service.
beRecruited // berecruited.com
An interactive platform for high-school athletes to connect with more than 18,000 college coaches, beRecruited provides students with tools to research and build profiles and supplies coaches with an expansive database of potential recruits. The easy-to-use platform serves athletes and coaches in 31 different sports.
National Collegiate Scouting Association // ncsasports.org
“College Recruiting Simplified” is the NCSA’s stated purpose. The association boasts a team of former athletes, collegiate coaches and national recruiters who help student athletes prepare for the different circumstances they face during the recruiting process. Every student-athlete needs an objective, and NCSA will help you formulate one and create a step-by-step game plan to reach it.
Questions to ask recruiting service representatives (and what their answers should tell you):

• Who evaluates me? Will s/he provide an unbiased scouting report? (An unbiased evaluation is more credible among coaches).
• Does your service include an athletic evaluation? (Legit recruiting services will evaluate your potential to determine where your skills fit best).
• Will my recruiting materials be sent to coaches separately from other student athletes’ information? (This makes it more likely a coach will review your information).
• Do you provide a recruiting expert with fi rsthand knowledge about the sport I play? (A trusted service will present coaches and experts who have coaching and/or playing experience in your sport).

Other general questions:

• How many athletes who have used your service received a scholarship offer?
• Do any colleges endorse your services?
• Can you refer me to former studentathletes in my area who have used your services?
• What is the cost of your service?

Related Links:
Antonio Gates: A Recruiting Story Like No Other
Academics
Financial Aid
Self-Marketing
Researching Colleges
Effective Networking With a College Coach
Campus Visits
Gauging Interest
Standardized Tests
NCAA Rules & Regs
Recruiting Checklist