Are you a parent, coach, or high school athletics director and want to support your athletes in pursuing college athletics, but don’t know how? Don’t worry! RecruitHer is here to provide ways that you can help provide support to the athletes in your life. 

This four-part series will highlight how key players- parents/guardians, coaches, friends, and athletics directors- in a high school athlete’s journey can best support their athlete. The first part of this series will highlight the role of parents and guardians. 

The recruiting process for high schoolers is more effective when athletes have a proper support system helping them through the process. As a parent or a guardian, it may not always be clear what your role is or if you even have one beyond ensuring that your child is happy. Below are suggestions on how you can better support your athlete in a manner that is not overbearing. 

1. Advocate and ask questions

One of the most helpful ways to support your child is to be their advocate and to get educated on how the recruiting process works. 

Parents and guardians of high school athletes should have a conversation with your child’s coach and/or athletics director about the level of support and information they provide about continuing their sport in college. 

More often than not, high school coaches and athletic directors are concerned with high school performance, not with getting their athletes recruited. It is in your best interest to ask if the coach or athletics director is advising athletes and understand the extent of their ability to help with the process. If your child’s school is not able to assist in these areas, no worries!  At least you know and can create a plan that addresses the areas that are lacking.    

Another point of consideration is speaking to college coaches in your child’s sport and asking them questions about scholarships, athlete support services offered at their university, and the many other areas that you are curious about. More often than not, college coaches will be able to provide you with the answer or put you in contact with people who are better suited to answer. 

Also, don’t hesitate to speak directly with college coaches. Ask about scholarships, academic support, and team culture. You and your child may have different priorities—your child might care about gear or NIL, while you’re focused on safety, cost, and wellbeing. All perspectives are valid and should be considered early.

You and your child have valid interests that should be discussed so you both can make educated decisions together. The earlier you and your child can start planning, asking questions, compiling information, and comparing schools based on both of your concerns, the more strategic you can be when coaches start recruiting.

2. Take your child to clinics and showcases

If clinics and showcases are not already on your radar, hopefully, it will be now. These events allow high school athletes the opportunity to 1. enhance their skills and learn from college and private coaches, 2. facilitate building relationships with college coaches that can assist in being recruited, and 3. get a glimpse of what training will be like at the next level. 

If your child’s high school or travel team is not taking your child to showcases or clinics hosted by college coaches and teams, see if this is something that can be added to the schedule. If your child is in an individual sport, it is easier to locate and create your plan to attend such events. 

At RecruitHer, we advise athletes who have any level of interest in playing in college to attend these events. Not only are they important for the athlete, but they also serve as an opportunity for you to talk to college coaches, as previously mentioned.

3. Help film

With social media recruiting on the rise, it is important that athletes begin creating highlight reels of their athletic performance- but somebody has to film it! If your child’s high school or club team does not have a person filming practice or competitions, either bring this to the coach’s attention or use your phone to capture clips when you are present. Over time, your child will have a log or a performance reel that they can post online or share privately with coaches.  

4. Be supportive

The above suggestions are all useful, but perhaps the most important is being there for your child and understanding the pressure they may be feeling to perform well for their team and college coaches.  Ask your child if it is ok that you assist them and mention some of these ideas listed. It may not occur to them that other aspects are going on behind the scenes of the recruiting process beyond their performance, that you can take the lead on or assist with.

Overall, taking this effort to learn more about the recruiting process is more than many parents do. You are on the right track to better positioning your child to be recruited. If you would like more individualized help, book a consultation call with the RecruitHer team here.

This post is Part 1 of a 4-part series on how student-athlete support systems influence college recruitment.