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Recruiting Guides

College Recruiting is a process like any other. Our goal is to help our member familiarize themselves with the process so that it can be one that is simple and not overwhelming. 

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RECRUITING PROCESS 

  • Every College/University has a slightly different process but the ultimate goal is to find and recruit the best volleyball players possible.

  • Recruiters (sometimes the head coach) spend plenty of time attending local and national tournaments. They begin evaluating athletes that are in their sophomore and or junior year of high school. They look for athletes with talented, potential to fit in their program, work ethic, attitude, team spirit, height, and strength. 

  • Recruiters talk to club coaches to get information about the player from their parents such as parent contact information. 

  • CJ Heat will only give out contact information once we have permission from the athlete’s parents/guardians. 

  • Recruiters will send the potential candidate information about their college/university and its volleyball program.

  • If there is mutual interest between the athlete, parent and recruiters they will meet to discuss options and goals. 

  • The recruiter can make contact with the athlete only after September 1st of their junior year. 

  • Recruiters will spend plenty of time watching the potential recruits at different venues/matches/tournaments.    

  • All recruiters want to get to know the athlete, talk to them on the phone, email them, and have them visit the campus if possible.

  • Each Head coach will rank all prospects by position, need and fit with their school’s program.  Only after they have a good feeling that the athlete will be a positive impact to their program will they seek out and offer a scholarship.

  • Recruiter will use many different websites to seek out and find athletes.

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RECRUITING SERVICES 

Here are a few sites that can help with the recruiting process.

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CJ Heat does not endorse or sponsor any of these sites.   

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RECRUITING BEGINS

  • Recruiting can start anytime during your high school stay.  It is very uncommon that a freshman or sophomore will grab the attention of a College recruiters but it does happen every so often.

  • Junior year is a big year for college recruiting because colleges can finally talk with the athletes via email and they know what they need for the future. This is the year to get serious if you wish to play in college

  • Senior year is the next biggest year for recruiting.  This is because some school have scholarships left over and are trying to complete their roster for the upcoming season.

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UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT

It is extremely difficult but not impossible to get into a D1 school and play at that level. Be realistic and honest with yourself but continue to reach high and dream big.  Know your goals and at what level you wish to play at.

 

Consider the level of investment and effort you want to put into college volleyball. There are conferences that are extremely competitive and require the athlete to make a big commitment time-wise, emotionally, physically and mentally.

 

Conferences and schools with less pressure on athletics and winning will require less commitment and provide more balance. However, big time athletic schools for the most part do take good care of their athletes and provide excellent services to help them succeed in all areas. So, this is an important thing to consider when determining what level you want to play at.

 

Make a list of the schools you're interested in. Be thoughtful in your selection and remember that you can always make changes to you list.

 

Find information about the Volleyball program of the school through college visits and talking directly with the coach such as

  • Head Coach - personality, style, success, reputation, emotional connection, etc ...

  • Training Philosophy - positive, technical, difficult, demanding etc..

  • Conference

  • Level of Play

  • Team Dynamics

  • Positional needs of the team

 

SKILLS VIDEO:

  • Begin creating you bio and a skills video.

  • You should have some type of video showcasing your skill by the end of your sophmore year.

  • Email your bio and tournament schedule to the schools on your list

  • Build a youtube page for your videos and email coaches the link with your bio

  • Your videos do NOT need to be special in any way. Not much editing, Coaches prefer to see raw footage. 

  • Coaches prefer video footage from the backside of the court. They also look for skills video displaying the athlete technique and skill  They are looking for technique, athleticism, feel and potential.

 

CONTACT YOUR COACH

Contact the coaches of the schools you're interested in by phone - You may want to try to establish a relationship with them as soon as possible.  Keep in touch with them frequently.  Ask them how often they would like you to contact them.

 

Once that communication dialog is free and open feel free to ask questions.  Don’t be shy this is your future and something that you want.   Here are some questions that you can ask.

  • ·         Where do you see me fitting into your program?

  • ·         Do you have any scholarships for my position?

  • ·         How many other girls are you looking at for my position?

  • ·         If they're not interested, what can you do to get them interested?

  • ·         How do you help the players to succeed off the court?

  • ·         What type of support services does the University offer athletes?

 

VISIT THE SCHOOL.

Contact the school to schedule a campus tour.  Ask if you can talk with the volleyball coach while you are there.  Try to arrange an overnight stay if possible.  This way you can see the team practice or play. Make sure to inquire about the coach’s style with the other athletes.  Find out how they feel about the program and what is there overall experience.

 

Disclaimer – this information is provided by CJ HEAT for the purpose of helping our members get a better understand on the recruiting process.  It provides you with opinion based on experience in the recruiting process. You are encouraged to learn from your own experience and trust your own opinions and process. 

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