When it comes to athlete recruitment, coaches do not only consider your athletic results and abilities. There are many other factors coaches take into consideration when they browse the pool of recruits. Some of those factors are applicable to all sports. We have selected the top 5 factors coaches look at when recruiting student-athletes.
Character
You might have expected your character might be of some significance to a coach, but it’s much more important than you think. Imagine starting the recruitment process seeing yourself as Cristiano Ronaldo, the best in your sport, and too good for any team but the best one. An attitude like this won’t go unnoticed by the coach. Coaches look for well-rounded individuals, athletes who put the team above themselves, fit in with the existing team, and guys and girls who are likable and coachable. Don’t forget that student-athletes represent the university they play for. Therefore, coaches do not want to damage their university’s reputation by recruiting someone who does not show good sportsmanship, even if he or she is the most talented athlete.
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Academic Achievements
As a student-athlete, you are also expected to perform well in the classroom and show you are genuinely concerned about your grades. Athletes who excel academically are valuable to coaches because they won’t have to keep checking up on them to make sure their studies are going well. The student will help boost the team GPA and the work ethic of the team as a whole, since the achievement of one team member will ignite the flame in another.
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Responsiveness
During the recruiting proces, coaches see your behavior and interaction with them as an audition. If you do not show interest in how the team is doing then, they will think you probably also will not care too much when you are on the team yourself. Similarly, if you wait very long to respond to a coach, this shows you do not care enough. Being responsive is extremely important: it shows you care, that you are organized, and that you value their time and effort. Three important factors to foster a smooth relationship with a coach and to become a successful student-athlete.
Reliability / Work Ethic
Coaches appreciate reliable athletes – people who do what they are supposed to be doing. They look for recruits who will show up on time, every day, at the right place. Being punctual is essential in all aspects of life and for some coaches it is a vital component of an athlete’s work ethic. Additionally, they look for players who keep working hard even after defeat and no matter the circumstance. And, most importantly, coaches look for leaders: guys and girls who take initiative and who have the ability to motivate others to give their full 100% to reach the team’s goal, even in times of hardship.
Try-outs/video footage
To complete the list, the coach wants to see you play, either in-person at try-outs and showcases or through video footage. One of the first things coaches do when recruiting is watching video footage of you while playing – especially in sports such as tennis, field & ice hockey, basketball and soccer, where an athlete’s abilities can’t simply be measured by personal records. For example, you don’t need video footages for a 1500m distance runner or a swimmer, since times give a clear indication of the athlete’s level.
To find recruits for college eSports teams, college coaches start by performing an initial evaluation of prospects who have submitted a recruiting form. In other cases, coaches monitor major tournaments to find promising recruits. If coaches are impressed by your Twitch stream, they will invite you to campus to meet current team members and undergo a live try-out. In eSports, coaches are allowed to evaluate you in person and test your abilities in a real-time team environment. To grab coaches’ attention, make sure your Twitch account contains clear footage which gives them a good idea of your playing style. Check out some examples of recruiting videos on our athlete page!
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