Today we have an awesome guest blog post by one of the top recruiting agencies for gymnasts. There is a place in college gymnastics for everyone and Full Out College Recruiting can help you get there!
Top 10 Tips To Getting Recruited For College Gymnastics
Competing on a college gymnastics team has become a goal for many young gymnasts. However, most don’t actually know how to get there. The good news is that there is a place for EVERY gymnast to do gymnastics in college! It is just about finding the right fit for you. Continue reading to uncover our top 10 tips to help you with the recruiting process!
Start early - Start to think about college gymnastics around your 9th grade year. This is scary for many athletes & parents because you are just starting to think about high school! However, evaluate your skills at this point to see which pathway is going to be the best to follow. If you are already past the 9th grade, do not worry! It is not too late. You can follow the subsequent tips, just at an accelerated rate.
Be realistic - Evaluate your gymnastics you are currently doing and compare it to the gymnastics of the girls that are on the teams you are looking at. Are you competing the same skills? If yes, it’s a good fit! If not, you have some work to do if that is your dream school or you may have to look at some different schools.
Do your research - You want to find the right fit academically, athletically, and socially. Start with a broad list of schools then research what is important to you in a school (distance from home, scholarship availability, GPA requirements, gymnastics skill level, etc.) After your research, reevaluate your list and see if there are any to eliminate or add.
Understand the NCAA rules - Most restrictions revolve around when a college coach can communicate with a prospective student athlete (PSA). For example, division I & II coaches cannot respond back to a PSA’s emails until after June 15 of their sophomore year. The rules frequently change and are different for each division of NCAA athletics, so referencing the NCAA website routinely is recommended.
Video record your skills - We spend hours of our day in the gym doing gymnastics. Videotape the skills you are training and routines you are competing. Compile that footage then email it out to college coaches! Get new content frequently in order to send an update email roughly every 2 weeks. You may not hear back, but they will be watching.
Use social media - Create a gymnastics only Instagram account that is public so college coaches can view it. Post anything related to your gymnastics on this page (skills, competition routines, scores, upgrades, etc.).
Pick up the phone - When the time comes, do not be afraid to call a college coach. The best way to learn about their program and if they are interested in you is by having a direct conversation. This will also give you the opportunity to ask questions to find out if their school is going to be the right fit for you.
Stay organized - A lot goes into the college recruiting process: emails, social media posts, phone calls, gymnastics upgrades, competition videos, etc. Make a schedule or create a calendar to ensure that you stay organized and diligent with the process.
Visit campus - The best way to determine if the school you have chosen is the right fit is to visit the school. Spend some time on campus, meet the team, watch a practice, sit in on a class, and tour the college town. All of this can be done on an unofficial or official visit.
Understand academic eligibility - Getting recruited to a college team is not only about your gymnastics skills. You also need to get good grades and take the appropriate classes in high school in order to be eligible to compete in college. Every prospective student athlete must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to determine if they have taken the required courses by the set deadlines, and have the minimum required GPA & standardized exam scores.
All of that information may seem overwhelming, especially when looking at it all at once. However, it is manageable if you have a solid plan and stick to the plan! For help with each one of these steps, or to answer any questions you may have about the recruiting process, please schedule a Free Consultation Here or reach out to Full Out Collegiate Recruiting at Info@FullOutRecruit.com