Is your child a talented athlete with elite-level skills? If so, it makes sense to explore enrolling your child in a school that will allow them to focus on academics and high-level training.
Not everyone knows that admissions support is available for athletes at selective schools. Taking advantage of this support can increase the odds of your child getting into their school of choice.
If your child specializes in rowing, you might already know that rowing is a late-start sport. A child can start the sport at 15 and still be recruited at the Division I level. Meanwhile, a child who picks up soccer at 15 would be a long shot to be recruited at the Division I level.
Rowing camps supplement a very intense, competitive process for high school athletes to achieve the necessary skill and experience to be competitive quickly. And remember that rowing training isn’t just for rowers. It can be a good training method for many other sports.
Continue reading for tips that’ll help your child get into a selective school as a recruited athlete.
Remember That Academics Matter
One way to help your child become more attractive to post-secondary institutions recruiting athletes is to ensure their academics are okay. Your child will face an uphill battle if their GPA and SAT scores are well below what they should be. Do some research to find out the academic requirements of the institutions your child is interested in.
Your child will increase their odds of being recruited as an athlete if their academic performance is good. Unless your child is one of those once-in-a-generation talents that recruiters see as a can’t-miss prospect, your child’s grades and standardized test scores will help or hinder them.
Create List of Desirable Schools
Getting your child to start putting together a list of colleges they’d be interested in attending is a good idea. Work with your child. Your child must be realistic about their athletic ability and academic performance before adding a name to the list. Add as many schools as possible so that there’s some flexibility. Also, note the cost to attend the schools and what scholarships, bursaries, and other financial assistance are available at each.
Seek Help
Does your child have a good relationship with their coach at school? You and your child could pick the coach’s brain to get input on what steps to take or which schools to apply to. You never know. The coach might share information that your child can use to their advantage. Another option is to have your child book an appointment with a guidance counselor at school. The guidance counselor may be able to help your child with choosing schools to focus on.
Visit Favorite Schools
The next step is to go on a road trip. When your child has identified their top choices, visit some of them. Before doing so, your child should get in touch with the coaches, introduce themselves, and inform the coaches of the intended visit. It might be possible for your child to get to a face-to-face meeting with some coaches as you visit different schools. Doing this might help your child to get a leg up on the competition.
These tips will help your child increase their chances of getting recruited as an athlete at colleges and universities. So, it’s not about simply doing well at sports and then waiting to be recruited. There are steps your child can take to help their own cause.
