Freshman & Sophomore Checklist

RecruitU2.com is designed to assist Juniors and, to a lesser degree, Seniors in their college recruitment. Since our focus is on helping you market yourself to coaches when they are most apt to be looking at you, it is important that you recognize that our services are best used your Junior year. That’s not to say, however, that you don’t have a number of things that you need to be focused on during your Freshman and Sophomore years in order to get recruited by the greatest number of college coaches. The following areas are of critical importance to you in your early years of high school:

Freshman Checklist

• Grades and GPA are Important – A coach can love your athletic ability and what you would bring to his team if he recruited you, but if your grades/GPA are too low, he will not be able to recruit you. One of the first things a coach looks for is your GPA, whether or not you’ve taken AP/Honors classes, and what your ACT/SAT scores are. Since you don’t take your ACT/SAT tests until your Junior year, you must focus your Freshman and Sophomore years on your grades.
• Keep Accurate Records of Athletic Accomplishments – Many students and parents assume that their coach keeps accurate and up-to-date records from every game, event, and tournament. They assume that, by their Junior year, their coach will have all of the information they’ll need for college coaches. That is NOT usually the case. High School coaches rarely have the time or ability to maintain records on every one of their athletes. It is up to you and your parents to keep accurate and up-to-date records of all of your accomplishments (both high school and club).
• Video Tape – Even the most sophisticated and well funded high school athletic departments don’t have the ability to video tape every event, game, and tournament. Since some of the coaches who will be recruiting you are going to want to see tape on your abilities, it is important that you begin filming as many of your athletic competitions as you can. Make sure that whoever is filming doesn’t focus entirely on you at all times. In team sports, coaches like to see the flow and interaction of all players. In individual sports (e.g. swimming, golf, tennis, cross-country, track) the coaches still want to see your competition as well as your individual performance. Remember to catalog and keep records of what each tape includes – event, date and time.
• Play Your Sport Year-Round – In order to become the best you can be in your sport, you should make every effort to play your sport year round. The old days of simply playing your sport in high school are over. Today, kids play their sport at both the high school and club level throughout the year. And, as with your high school sports, make sure to keep accurate records and video of your competition.
• Extra-Curricular Activities are Both Fun and Important – Being active in your high school and participating in a number of extra – curricular activities is fun and it shows college coaches that you are more than simply an athlete. Participate in as many programs as you find interesting and challenging. Take advantage of activities ranging from Habitat for Humanity, Yearbook, Student Government, Debate, Peer Counseling and other programs available to you. It is also important to stay active in your community. Involve yourself in programs such as Church Youth Groups, D.A.R.E. programs, Community Service Organizations, and charities. Most importantly, keep accurate records of the type of activities you are involved in including dates and your experiences.

Sophomore Checklist

• Improve Your Grades, Take AP/Honors Courses – Now that you have adjusted to your high school work load, you need to focus on continuing to improve your academics. Enrolling in select AP/Honors classes will help you maintain and improve your overall GPA and show colleges and coaches that you are capable of competing academically at the collegiate level.
• Set a Plan for Improvement with your Coach – Every athlete has strengths and weaknesses in their athletic abilities. Be smart; identify your weaknesses and, with your coach’s help, put together a plan for improvement. It might be weight training, sprinting, agility drills, hand – eye coordination drills, or simply additional aerobic training. Work with your coach and implement a plan for improvement. Make yourself the best athlete you can be.
• Take Practice/Pre - ACT & SAT Exams – You will be taking your ACT & SAT exams during your Junior year. To prepare yourself for them, take the practice or pre exams that are offered. If you are not satisfied with your results, you should either purchase a self-help, home study program or enroll in an exam prep class. We advise you to take both the ACT & SAT tests. Colleges around the country require one or both tests and you have a greater opportunity to be recruited by more colleges if you have taken both tests.
• Participate in Summer Camps, Tournaments and Major Events – Summer Camps and tournaments frequently provide you with the opportunity to compete against different or better athletes and potentially meet college coaches who help manage the programs. Club, AAU, YMCA, Nike, McDonalds, and other sponsored or even college-based programs offered in the summer can be great opportunities to showcase your athletic talents in front of college coaches.
• Visit Colleges over the Summer – While you still probably have little or no idea the type, size or location of your perfect college to attend, visiting four or five college campuses – all of them different – will give you and your parents a better feel for types of schools you might be recruited by. Make sure to note what you like and disliked about each school, campus, and curriculum. This will help you when you enter your Junior year and begin the recruiting process with RecruitU2.com.