We Started Just Like Most Sports Parents: Determined to Help, Unsure Where to Begin
When our daughter first told us she was determined to play college soccer, we wanted to support that dream completely. Like most families, we quickly realized how much we didn’t know about college recruiting timelines, how coaches evaluate prospects, or which schools were realistic fits.
We initially used a recruiting service to help us organize our search and identify schools based on location, academics, and the type of athletic program. From there, we began contacting college coaches by email. That was the moment the recruiting process became real—both the excitement of hearing back from programs and the frustration of unanswered emails.
The Turning Point: From Soccer to Track & Field at the Mt. SAC Regional Meet
One of the biggest truths of youth and high school athletics is that an athlete’s path is rarely a straight line. Our daughter’s recruiting journey eventually moved from soccer to track and field.
During her junior year, she competed at the Mt. SAC regional meet and won her event. For the first time, we looked at each other and thought: Maybe this isn’t just a dream. Maybe she really can compete in college.
Winning that event didn’t mean we assumed every college in the country would recruit her. It meant we had objective, verifiable evidence that made the goal worth pursuing seriously—and in a measurable sport like track and field, putting that verified mark right at the top of her recruiting profile and coach emails gave coaches an immediate reason to keep reading.
What Changed Along the Way: Looking Beyond the D1 Logo and Warm Weather
At the start of her search, our daughter’s priorities were simple and rigid:
- First: Division I (“If I go Division I, I’ve made it.”)
- Second: Warm weather—specifically schools in the West and warmer southern states.
- Third: Desired degree, coaches, and campus lifestyle.
Those preferences weren’t wrong, but early in the process they acted as hard filters. She heard from several colleges that she didn’t pursue because they didn’t match her initial location or division label.
As she visited campuses, met current student-athletes, and watched how teams operated behind the scenes, her priorities matured dramatically. She began paying close attention to team bond: Did teammates genuinely support one another? How did athletes respond to their coaches? How were injured or developing athletes treated? Could she picture herself with these people on an ordinary Tuesday?
A Final Message to Fellow Parents
As parents, we want to protect our kids from disappointment and help every door open. Recruiting does not work that way. Some coaches will answer. Some will not. Some schools that look perfect at the beginning will fall off the list, and schools you never expected may become serious possibilities.
Guide your athlete. Be realistic with them. Help them cast a wide net and keep an open mind. But trust them enough to let the dream belong to them.
If The College Recruiting Playbook and The College Recruiting Workbook help even one family feel less confused, ask better questions, avoid an expensive mistake, or find a college where their student-athlete truly belongs, then this book has done exactly what I hoped it would do.