Before I start consulting with a player they have to build their own recruiting website. It can be very simple or very complex. The most important part is that the player has done it themselves and that it includes all the information a college coach needs. Here are five reasons why you need to make your own site.
- Shows initiative. You are in charge of your recruitment. Are you going to wait on someone else to make this website or are you going to be proactive? You can rely on your parents, high school or AAU coach to reach out to college coaches for you. But very few know how the actual recruiting game works. Do you want to take this chance? You making your own site will help prepare you for life. You will learn that if you want an opportunity, you have to make it for yourself. If you are computer adverse, then this will give you a new skillset. If you do have computer competency, then it should take less than an hour to put a site together. The most time consuming piece could be getting a highlight film together and game tape from your coach. Some platforms for making a simple website include: Wix, Squarespace and WordPress.
- Easy to Update. If you get an improved standardized test score, then you can update this to your site immediately. Same goes for if you have a big game. You can upload the video file to your site within a few days. This is much more effective than the old way of updating a word document profile and resending it out to coaches.
- Can text to a coach after a big game. You should be reaching out to coaches letting them know of your interest in their school. A quick email or text to a coach with a link to your most recent game makes their life easier. Coaches are getting hundreds of calls and emails a day. Your website being easy to navigate and use will make you that much more noticeable. Some college coaches recruiting you will watch you film and give you valuable feedback.
- Shows you aren’t a member of a recruiting service. In my opinion, these recruiting services that people pay for are a rip off. Just because you get your profile blasted out to every school in the country doesn’t mean jack. Most of the Division 1 coaches I talk to immediately delete any email from one of these services. The theory is If you are any good you won’t need to pay these guys to send an email for you. Instead you will find the schools you are interested in, contact their coaches, and send your customized website with a personalized letter stating why you are interested in their program. This will have a much better chance of being read by a coach.
- All the information is in one place. Coaches ask me for the same information when I am telling them about a player: school, AAU team, coach, what level is he, test scores, GPA, contact info, and game footage. This information should all be on your site. Also include links to your social media pages.
Building your own recruiting website is important in today’s recruiting landscape. While having one won’t guarantee a spot on a college team, it will improve your chances of being seen. There is a lot of talent in the US that flies under the radar. All you need to do is be seen by the right person. The more opportunities to doing that, the better.