How to build a recruiting profile a college coach will actually open
A coach gives a new profile about a minute. Here is what has to be on it, in what order, and what to leave off.
What a coach looks for first
A coach opening a profile is answering three questions fast. Can this athlete play at our level? Can they get into our school? How do I reach them and their coach? Build the page so those three answers are on the first screen.
- ■Name, graduation year, position, height and weight
- ■School, city and state
- ■One highlight video link that plays without a login
- ■GPA, and test scores if you have them
- ■Your high school or club coach and how to reach them
Put real numbers on it
Stats and measurables are what separate a profile from a social media page. List each season by grade and team level, so a coach can see you went from JV to varsity. Add the measurables that matter in your sport, and say when they were taken. A 40 time from two years ago helps nobody.
If a coach or a timed event verified a number, say so. Verified numbers get believed. Round numbers with no source get ignored.
Film goes near the top
Most coaches watch film before they read anything. Put your best plays in the first 30 seconds, mark yourself before each play, and keep the whole reel to three to five minutes. Host it on YouTube, Hudl or Vimeo and link it. Set it to public or unlisted so it plays without signing in.
Say who you are in your own words
Three or four honest sentences are enough. What you play, what you are working toward, and something off the field. Coaches recruit people, not only numbers. Write it yourself. It reads very differently when a parent wrote it.
What to leave off
Do not put a phone number, a home address or a personal email on a public page, especially for a minor. A good profile lets a coach reach you through a contact button and lets the family decide who gets the private details.
Keep it current
A profile that stopped at sophomore year tells a coach you stopped. Update after every season, every camp with verified times, and every award. Then send coaches the same link with one line about what is new.