7 Habits of Highly Recruitable Student-Athletes

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Do you want to continue your academic and athletic career in college? Do you think you have what it takes to be a college student-athlete?

Playing in college goes well beyond your athletic abilities. Do you rest on your talents or are you willing to put in the time, effort, and energy to be the best you possibly can? Would you consider yourself lazy? Do you prioritize your academics? What kind of character do you have? Being recruited is about being a well-rounded individual. Taking the words from Shaquille O’Neal who borrowed them from Aristotle, “Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.”

Leaving athletic abilities and skills aside, what are the habits of a highly recruitable student-athlete? Stephen Covey, the world renown author developed the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I have created my own 7 Habits of Highly Recruitable Student-Athletes:

Habit #1: Identify Goals

We also call this habit “Discovering Your Why.” This is very similar to Stephen Covey’s habit, “Begin with the End in Mind.”

Before you start the college recruiting/college search process, you need to establish your motives and goals not only for playing college sports but attending college in general.

What do you want to get out of your college experience, academically, athletically, and personally? Your answers to these questions will define your why. By developing this foundation you will have a much clearer picture of what you are looking for and how to find it.

Habit #2: Self-Confidence

Being a college student-athlete, you need to be confident in who you are as a student, an athlete, and a person. If playing your sport is important to you, then there is place out there for you. No matter what level you think you are capable of playing at, possessing self-confidence is an important habit. You need to be able to express to a college coach what value you can provide to their program both on and off the field. The only way you can do that is be confident in who you are. Having self-confidence mixed in with a little self-awareness will take you a long way through the college recruiting process.

Habit #3: Prioritize Your Preferences

What is important to you? When looking for schools that fit your academic, athletic, and personal needs, you need to figure what factors are most important to you in your college search. Mount St. Mary’s Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Jamion Christian, says that every recruit should write down five things that are important to them in their college experience and stick to the game plan when navigating through the process. Here are some of the factors you need to consider:

Location (Distance from home, part of the country, climate)
Size
Academic Programs
Athletic Program
Level of Play
Playing Time
Program Success

Habit #4: Understand the Process

What do you know about the recruiting process? It’s important to have a grasp of how the process works:

What are the differences between the various levels of play (DI, DII, DIII, and NAIA)?
What do you know about athletic scholarships?
When can you contact a college coach?
When can a college coach contact you?
How to use Social Media to enhance your personal brand?
What are the best ways to communicate with college coaches?
How do coaches identify and evaluate prospective student-athletes?
Having the answers to these questions will help you navigate through the communication and exposure phase successfully.

Habit #5: Be Proactive

Nobody will accomplish anything by sitting on the sidelines and watching. If you want something bad enough, you have to take action. The recruiting process is no different. If you are part of the other 98% of high school student-athletes who are not being courted by a big time Division I school, program, or coach you need to do the work to be recruited. Practicing the previous four habits are useless if you aren’t willing to put yourself out there and be proactive. Being Proactive refers to more than the recruiting process but how you approach things in your life. In school, are you willing to go the extra mile to get a better grade on that final exam? Will you spend extra time on the court working on that 20 foot jumper, or more time in the pool to work on that flip turn?

You cannot sit idly by and expect you will just magically improve those skills, and in the recruiting process, you cannot wait for college coaches to discover you.

You need to contact college coaches directly via email, phone, or even social media. In order to be evaluated by a college coach you need to attend college showcase events or college ID camps/clinics. Being proactive is the habit of implementing and executing action items to achieve specific goals.

Habit #6: Appreciate the Journey

The opportunity to go through the college recruiting process is the pinnacle of all of the time, effort, energy, and commitment you have made to your sport. It is important that you not only enjoy the experience but appreciate the journey and where you are going.

There have been many people who have supported you over the years and have helped you get to this point in your life make sure you appreciate what they have done for you.

The coaches who have helped you refine your craft, the teammates you have played alongside, and of course your parents who have sacrificed so much for you to achieve your goals.

You should be grateful for the opportunity you have been given. Never take anything for granted. Be thankful for every letter, email, text, social media message you receive from a college coach. There is no better feeling than being wanted and loved by a college coach no matter what division it may be.

Coach Christian says, ” go to the place where you are not only loved but wanted and needed. I’ve seen it too many times where student-athletes choose a school where they don’t really want to go but do because of the level. Happiness cannot be measured if you have a burning desire to play. ”

You need to keep the big picture in mind, playing college sports is an opportunity to play a sport you love while building an educational foundation for your future.

Habit #7: Refine Your Craft

Don’t ever be content on where you are with your overall development as a student, an athlete, and as a person.

Refining your craft means more than just working on your game, it means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have–you.

In order to be the best version of yourself by the time you step on campus for the first time, you need to create a balanced program for self development in all aspects your life: physical, social, mental, and spiritual.

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An aerial view of a football field in a stadium.

The Future of Recruiting: How NCAA Lawsuits and Rulings Will Impact High School Student-Athletes*

By Chris Stack • April 4, 2025

The recruiting landscape for high school student-athletes is on the cusp of a significant transformation. Recent NCAA lawsuits and rulings have far-reaching implications that will change the way colleges recruit, distribute scholarships, and compensate athletes. As the dust settles, here's how these changes will impact the future of recruiting: Employee Status: A Game-Changer The recent ruling that grants employee status to college athletes will revolutionize the recruiting process. Colleges will now need to consider the financial and legal implications of employing student-athletes. This shift will likely lead to: - More emphasis on compensation packages and benefits - Changes in scholarship models and revenue sharing - Increased focus on athlete welfare and support services NCAA Athletes as Employees: Recent Ruling and Implications* A U.S. appeals court in Philadelphia ruled on July 11, 2024, that college athletes whose efforts primarily benefit their schools may qualify as employees deserving of pay under federal wage-and-hour laws ¹. This decision means that a test should be developed to differentiate between students who play college sports for fun and those whose effort "crosses the legal line into work" ¹. - Implications This ruling has significant implications for the NCAA and its long-standing concept of amateurism ¹. If athletes are considered employees, they may be entitled to compensation, benefits, and legal protections ². However, NCAA officials argue that this could harm student-athletes' experiences and create financial burdens for schools ¹. - Ongoing Debate: This issue is part of a broader debate about the rights and compensation of college athletes ². Some argue that athletes should be paid for their labor, while others believe that compensation could undermine the amateur nature of college sports ³. The National Labor Relations Board is also considering whether college athletes should be considered employees under federal labor law ². - Potential Consequences If athletes are classified as employees, schools and the NCAA may face substantial back pay claims from current and former athletes ⁴. This could lead to significant changes in the way college sports are structured and financed ². However, others argue that this could lead to unintended consequences, such as schools only funding profitable sports or detracting from the overall educational experience ². The Impact of New Ruling on Future College Rosters Reduced Roster Sizes Increased Injuries and Mental Health Issues Compensation and Benefits The impact of the new ruling on future college rosters is uncertain, with ongoing debates and discussions among coaches, administrators, and athletes ⁶. The new ruling's impact on future college rosters will likely unfold in the coming months and years. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL): A New Recruiting Tool With the introduction of NIL guidelines, colleges can now use an athlete's marketability as a recruiting selling point. This will lead to: - Increased emphasis on social media presence and personal branding - Colleges highlighting their ability to help athletes build their NIL - More creative and lucrative endorsement opportunities Roster Size and Scholarship Implications Reduced roster sizes and changes in scholarship models will impact the number of available spots for incoming recruits. This will lead to: - Increased competition for fewer spots - More emphasis on early recruiting and commitments - Potential for more athletes to consider alternative routes like junior college or NAIA Recruiting Strategies: Adapting to the New Landscape Colleges will need to adapt their recruiting strategies to stay competitive. This may include: - Earlier identification and recruitment of top talent - More personalized and holistic approaches to recruiting - Increased focus on athlete development and support services The Student-Athlete Experience: A New Priority With the emphasis on athlete welfare and support services, colleges will need to prioritize the student-athlete experience. This will lead to: - Increased focus on academic support and resources - More emphasis on mental health and wellness programs - Colleges highlighting their commitment to athlete development and success beyond sports The future of recruiting high school student-athletes will be shaped by the evolving NCAA landscape. As colleges navigate these changes, they'll need to prioritize creative recruiting strategies, athlete welfare, and support services to attract top talent. Student-athletes, in turn, will need to be more proactive in their recruitment, considering factors beyond just athletic development. As the recruiting landscape continues to shift, one thing is certain – the future of college sports will be shaped by these transformative changes. Sources: Appeals court rules NCAA Athletes may qualify as employees - www.insidehighered.com NCAA Student-Athletes as Employees Case is Pandora's Box - news.bloomberglaw.com Are College Athletes "employees" of their school? - www.marketplace.org Pay to Play? Third Circuit Holds NCAA Athletes can be Considered Employees - www.littler.com