Making Sense of It All

Because of increased athletic scholarship need and the availability of information for college coaches, the recruiting process is starting earlier than ever.  According to the NCAA, college coaches are starting to identify athletes at the Jr. High level as recruits and are even starting to offer scholarships to prospects before their freshman year.

College coaches have become dependent on reliable sources (AAG), and even purchase lists of prospects that they might be interested in.  Most coaches attend tournaments, games, and camps with a list of student athletes they will evaluate, not with the hopes of discovering prospects.  84% of Division I prospects are identified by the end of their sophomore year.  Athletes need to be aggressive in getting your name, academic scores and athletic achievements in front of coaches.

College coaches do a majority of their evaluating by looking at video requested or received from reliable sources (AAG) often delivered online or digitally. After watching video, a coach may decide to have a member of his or her staff make an in person evaluation.  Make sure to have your edited highlight video online in a format that can be easily distributed to college coaches.

Need be realistic. There are over 1,800 U.S. colleges and universities that sponsor collegiate athletics and are able to offer financial packages.  More than 94% of those opportunities fall outside of DI.  Have clear expectations of the college programs you qualify for based on athletic and academic performance, whether that’s DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, or NJCAA.  DIII schools provide financial packages too!

The average high school coach has contact with fewer than five college coaches and most of them are local.  Coaches are also extremely busy and have little time to promote their players.  Student-athletes and their families are ultimately responsible for connecting with college coaches.  Don't eliminate 99% of your options by relying solely on your high school coach.

Must do’s To Get Noticed

The delivery of paper resumes through the mail is over.  Coaches now view websites that contain all the athletic and academic information needed to recruit a prospect. Coaches need to be able to see more athletes, more efficiently.  AAG developed the online profile to help student-athletes eliminate the hassle of sending hundreds of letters across the country. The online profile allows college coaches to view all your necessary up to date athletic and academic information instantly.

Student athletes need a highlight and skills video to convey their athletic abilities to college coaches. These videos are now typically streamed online and sent through e-mail. The best videos are digitally enhanced, sequenced properly and have identity markings to allow a coach to find the prospect more easily within the video footage. The difference in an enhanced AAG video and a simple homemade video can be a deal breaker. Your video must focus on what college coaches want to see. Make them want to watch you!

Student athletes need to understand that receiving a few letters from college coaches does not constitute serious recruitment. College coaches contact thousands of student athletes in order to have enough options to fill needs. Student athletes need to play the same game: market yourself as much as you can!

How does AAG fit into this process?

As a group that is working to advance you to the next level, we are providing that reliable source as mentioned above to get your online profile and streaming video highlights out to the coaches online and electronically.  With the help of gaining video from your coaches or just through video captured by family members;  you or AAG can create an online streaming video that college coaches can gain access to with a click of a mouse instantly. With the rise and popularity of YouTube we are making it extemely easy for users to link multiple videos into our website.  AAG with the use of their website is allowing every user the opportunity no matter what the situation to get more exposure for themselves.  With the AAG Premium Package and option of the Pro Edit Package, we feel like we’re giving the athlete the best avenue out there for them to advance their athletic career to the next level.