Real life sports recruiting is far from what we see on TV. According to most major universities, coaches don't have the time to sit and watch every video they receive, much less sit and watch long videos if they ever get to view any! It's no secret that technology works in favor of youth athletes now-a-days, no matter where you live you can showcase your skills and be seen by others, hopefully catch the eye of a top recruiter!
With so many youth athletes in the country and the world, you need to do you best to stand out of the crowd. Here's a few tips on creating an effective sports recruiting video:
1. Recognize your strengths, everybody can hit a home run or score a goal. Talk to your friends and your coach to find out what specific skills you have that would stand out above the rest.
2. Remember that coaches don't look for "the perfect athlete", they look for an investment, someone who has great basic skills and can be shaped and coached into a key player of their team.
3. If you add a piece about yourself make it short & sweet, don't give the coach a long play-by-play of who you are, half a minute is all you need to tell them why you're a good hardworking youth athlete. Also, show your face, allow the coaches to make a real connection with who you are, your voice and your story.
4. Be creative, include game footage, drills or specific moments that highlight your specific talents and detailed skills.
5. Keep it simple! Video production is like web design, no one has time to read long introductions, wait for the music to stop or complex transitions. Keep your video right to the point, don't add crazy music, fancy transitions or any elements that will distract the coach from seeing YOU!
6. Don’t over-produce! Coaches are more open to see home footage than fancy high production videos. Your talent is what they are looking for and not how much money you invested in getting yourself noticed. Stick to using home videos and your computer, something simple and honest is more effective than a high-end production.
7. Be realistic… coaches know their business and they have worked with youth athletes for years. Don't exaggerate your information, don't give false statements or make yourself look like you're the perfect athlete. Coaches know that nobody plays a perfect game so don't try to make them think you do!
8. Coaches prefer hard working youth athletes over naturally gifted ones and this is a fact. Make sure your true personality shines through the video and show the coaches that you're a hard worker on the field, during drills and even in your spare time.
9. Share! Online platforms such as www.laleysports.com are the perfect outlet to give coaches all the specific information they need. A full profile with all the detailed statistics on your sport and your performance is all they need. By having an online full profile with photos and your video, coaches won't feel the need to search further for information.
10. Follow up is a secret in any business and it applies to youth sports recruiting too! If you've contacted a coach about viewing your profile and your video… always follow up with a call or an email. Always remain positive no matter what the response, first and last impressions are always key!