College recruitment can start at any age and year of high school; the most normal time, according to NCSA.org, is the summer of the sophomore year before graduation. NH had at least 11 athletes across seven sports, ranging across all three levels of college sports. What do these athletes do to promote themselves to colleagues or train to be the best versions of themselves? Here are some examples.
Junior Emily Signor has been playing basketball since she was “five or six years old” and mentions how she can’t even remember what made her want to play because it was “so long ago.” Signor mentioned that she has started to reach out to colleges about continuing to play basketball in college. Signor also mentions that she uses Hudl, a Nebraska-based company, that lets coaches and athletes review game footage of high school athletes. During the off-season, Signor plays with an AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization for over 40 sports. The team that she plays for specifically is called N4E, which she plays for during the fall, spring, and summer months. Her training schedule is about three to four days per week during the off-season, and five days a week during the season. Signor mentions that basketball “is my favorite thing to do, and I enjoy it every time I am on the court.”
Junior Jenna Roh played tennis for North Harford and was third-ranked overall for the girls. Roh wants to play tennis in college because “You get lots of playtime, and it’s less stressful for me than other sports.” She mentions that she used to play soccer and softball when she was younger; however, she didn’t enjoy them as much as she did tennis. Roh plans to play collegiate tennis however, she is keeping her options open to different offers and is instead building her transcript by “looking for a league or tournament to join over the summer to practice during the winter.”
NCSA mentions that joining clubs or tournaments and getting videos as well as stats for your sport is important for your high school report and credentials. Roh mentions, “I usually play doubles. This year, I played second doubles with [senior] Emily Johnson. However, since she graduated, I might play singles next year.” Usatoday.com mentions college tennis as a good pathway to becoming a pro.
North Harford also has had over 13 senior athletes recruited to DI, DII, and DII colleges. Senior Grace Conklin was recruited to Towson University. She mentions that she used her club team recruitment program called Ommit2hockey, run by Sabrina Rhodes. In this program, they would both reach out to colleges and set up phone calls and camp meetings. She also mentions that she trains four to five times weekly, whether playing games, practicing running, or lifting. Conklin also says, “I don’t have an off-season since I play fall, winter (indoor), spring, and summer.”
No matter where students are in their recruitment process, it’s possible to get colleges’ attention. There are many apps for college recruitment. The athlete must do most of the work by training, pushing themselves, and doing the most possible.
