There are many athletic training scholarships and just as many college recruiting myths. If you ask 10 people about it, none of them will give you the same answers and none of them will be right.
The truth is that the recruiting game has changed for high school athletes looking to go to college with an athletic training scholarship And these changes continue to change rapidly.
In order to get the best possible answers, we went straight to the source and surveyed more than 250 college athletics coaches. Their answers to the most common athletic scholarship myths are here.
Myth 1
If you’re good enough, college recruiting coaches will definitely find you
Nothing could be further from the truth and this one costs many potential athletes to miss their athletic scholarship opportunity. It is incredibly easy to get missed or overlooked by college coaches that have hundreds, if not thousands, of athletes to look at in almost as many venues.
Unless you are in the top 1% of high school athletes, it is more than likely that you will get overlooked by many coaches who would like to know you. We can assure you that coaches do not read your hometown paper and they’re not coming to your games. This is not because you are not good enough, but because they do not know about you.
The way many more athletes are being seen is by creating their own personal brand and telling their stories with social media. In order to be effective, you must have a strong social media game plan for getting recruited. For an overview of community colleges in Texas, check out this post.
Many young athletes were able to jump-start their recruiting process by sending Facebook messages to numerous coaches with a link to a YouTube video of their highlight reels. Before these efforts, their recruiting process was usually very slow; after the messages, it was a completely different story.
Myth 2
If you’ve received a letter from a sports coach you’re being recruited
Again, this is a myth that many student-athletes believe and think that they are a lock for an athletic scholarship. The truth is that there are likely 500 to 1500 other kids that are tearing open that same letter as you are from the same coach.
The letter has a contact name and probably also a phone number of the department so there’s nothing that should hold you back from introducing yourself.
All the letter means is that the coach is knowing your specific name and that you’re active in the sport that they coach. That’s all…nothing more. Now it is up to you to respond and let the coach know you are interested and get the dialog going.
If you have some social media sites that showcase your personal brand and tell your story…even better. You will know when the real recruiting process starts because the coach will call you and invite you to the school as the first step.
A lot has to happen between the letter and the visit. You can help move the athletic scholarship and recruiting process along with social media.
If you plan a college visit to your favorite college, see if there’s a chance to meet with the coach or another representative of the school’s athletics department.
Myth 3
College sports coaches are only recruiting top players
The reality is that college coaches try to recruit any athlete that shows interest and can play in their specific program. Coaches are aware that there are numerous players who won’t start on a team because of the fact that there are often more talented and gifted players ahead of them on the roster.
You do not have to be the star of the team to get recruited, but you do need to have the skills You also better be able to show the coaches your skills and once again social media will be your best friend once you have a strong social media plan for getting recruited.
Choosing the right college in Texas is difficult enough and completing high school and attaining good TSI scores doesn’t come easy either, so you want to have more trouble than needed to show them you’ve got what it takes. Use social media all the way you can
Remember, Michael Jordan was passed over for a Varsity spot in his sophomore year of high school for another sophomore who was taller! The coach obviously made a mistake and while we are talking about coaches…
Myth 4
Coaches at high school are qualified to determine if I am good enough to play at the next level
There is no doubt that many high school coaches are qualified to tell you if you have the skills to play at the next level, but there are more of them that are not qualified. Keep in mind that you should apply to as many college-bound scholarships as possible. Your college education comes at a cost and you can need all the help available to pay for that.
Many high school coaches never even played the sport they are coaching when they were in college, so how could they possibly know? There are numerous factors that go into determining whether or not you’ll be playing in college, not to mention the fact that the coach you had in high school coach could have no clue of your potential.
If you believe you have what it takes, you have to make sure that you have a solid social media game plan for getting recruited. Your coach is not going to help you because he does not believe. It is up to you.
Myth 5
My high school coach is contacting coaches for me and is helping me get recruited
As with the last myth, there are high school coaches who know college coaches and know how the athletic scholarship and recruiting game is played, but they are honestly few and far between. If you are playing in a top program in the country your coach knows college coaches.
If you are playing in a program that does not continuously produce athletes who make it to the professional ranks then you are pretty much on your own. The typical high school coach has another job within the school and is very busy.
Even if they have some extra time to help you, they are not going to be able to tell your story as well as you can. You must be proactive and take responsibility for your own recruiting and you guessed it… a solid social media game plan for getting recruited is critical.
If you read through this article then you will most certainly see a theme here. Basically, you need to have a solid presence in social media to give yourself the best chances to be recruited or/or receive an athletic scholarship.
They’ll know that soon enough. Anything is possible and some of the top talent in the country may not have a social media presence. Sure, your resume must be perfect but today, your social media profile is just as important.
But if you are not listed on the major student-athlete talent sites by your junior year, you had better get the ball rolling with social media training and a solid social media game plan.
If you don’t qualify as a player, or if you feel you want to get involved as an athletic trainer, check out the following information that will help you with choosing the right college for your future career as an athletic trainer or coach:
How to choose an Athletic Training College
What do athletic training colleges offer?
When at an athletic training college, students looking to become athletic trainers will encounter a number of different courses related to the proper administration of sports medicine.
Courses may include:
• Human physiology and anatomy: Learn the basics of the human body including musculature, skeleton, the nervous system and organs, and how they work together.
• Exercise physiology: Discover what happens in the body when common exercises are performed, studying common stressors, injury points, and more.
• Nutrition: Study the best ways for the human body to get the nutrition it needs for various levels of activity and performance.
• Therapeutic Modalities: Practice massage techniques, movement therapies, stretching, and more to get the most out of the body and treat tightness, fatigue, and aches.
• Strength Training and Reconditioning: Discover how to rebuild and retrain muscles that have suffered injury or reconstruction.
• Injury Care: Learn the common ailments that afflict athletes of all kinds and what can be done to repair damages to the body over a lifetime of ill-use. Keep also in mind that building muscles often shrinks careers.
Top colleges
It is important that anyone wanting to go into studying the field of sports should receive an education from a fully accredited college or university.
The University of Texas at Austin, one of the best colleges in Texas, offers one of the best-rated athletic training programs in the nation. The school is reviewed by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and all credentials are listed on the NATA website.
How high school students can prepare
High school students can prepare for careers as athletes or athletic trainers in a few ways. They should seek out opportunities to work with their school’s athletic trainers, volunteering to learn while they help within their school’s athletic program.
They should aim for a good score on the math section of the SAT and high scores in math and science on the ACT. In addition, they should take a few courses and electives:
• Math courses such as algebra, geometry, and precalculus
• Science courses including biology, anatomy, chemistry, and physics
• English and writing courses, and how to wisely use and handle social media
• Electives such as physical education, health, first aid, and sports medicine
Athletic trainers can work in a number of different environments, including professional sports teams and secondary and post-secondary schools, and be aware that today, most athletes might require a social media coach as well.
By pursuing an education at any of the top athletic training colleges, individuals open doors to gratifying work with athletes and patients of all kinds.