Summer can be a crucial time for athletes who are looking to get recruited. And unless you play for a year-round team, chances are you don’t have plans to work out and stay in shape. That means when it’s time to come back to school for fall training, you won’t do as well. It’s important to be careful not to lose your momentum during the summer since this could lead to someone else earning your spot.
If you are in the recruiting process, it’s even more important to stay in shape so that you can demonstrate to the college coaches that you are dedicated enough to work out during your vacation. College coaches expect that kind of hard work and persistence in their athletes.
Summer break for high school students usually means time away from practice and competition in their sport. While it is important to get a break to prevent burnout, but if you are not careful about your training, you could lose valuable opportunities to condition and improve. College coaches will want to see that you are using your summer break to be productive and it will very important to keep them updated while you are out of school.
In order to stay on track with your ability to get recruited, it’s always a good idea to make sure you work out during the summer. It can be difficult to have the motivation or time to put in workouts, especially if you are traveling. But it will make a huge difference when you return to the team in the Fall.
Here are the top 4 ways to keep in shape this summer:
Train with a Teammate:
It’s always more fun to work out with a buddy so get together with a teammate or two and do some training that you would normally do in practice with them. That way, you are all getting the conditioning and training you need and it’s with people who understand and know what needs to get done.
Ask your coach for a workout schedule:
Your coach should be more than willing to leave you with a list of stuff to practice and train for while you are gone for the summer. They would be a great resource for training ideas since they know your strengths and weaknesses. Being able to work on these on your own can make a big difference in your skill level when you get back to school.
Play for a Year-Round/Travel Team:
Playing for a club or travel team usually means their season extends into your high school team’s off-season. Being able to compete in games in tournaments while you are on break from your high school team means you will stay in decent shape before you head back to school. It will keep your muscles and endurance in similar condition as they would be if you were in season at high school.
Sports camps offer athletes a great way to train, condition, and work on specific skills with coaches during their summer break. These camps can be a great opportunity to spend some time at a college that the athlete is interested in as well. College coaches spend their time at camps evaluating athletes and offering tips and direction. Make sure to be in contact with the college coach before you go to their camp. That way, you have a better chance of being recognized and they will know to be on the lookout for you.
If you have any other questions about college division levels or other recruiting questions, than leave a comment below or you can connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
I am interested in playing baseball and soccer. Can I receive information about both sports?
Hi Camden,
We would be happy to get you more information on Baseball and Soccer- here you go: http://www.athleticscholarships.net/baseballscholarships.htm & http://www.athleticscholarships.net/soccerscholarships.htm These pages will give you a better understanding about what it will take to get recruited and the steps you will need to take. Have you thought about which colleges or which division level you will best be suited for? Once you read over the information, let me know if you have any questions- we are here to help.
Hi, we are based in the UK and are struglling to obtain information on suitable recruitment camps for our grade 10 daughter who does track and field. Please can you offer some guidance on how we can choose the most suitable colleges for her and how to register for recruitment camps. We would prefer her to go to college on the East Coast. Thank you
Hi Bronwen,
Thanks for your question; The best way for your daughter to gain exposure is by contacting college coaches directly. Here is a helpful database which will help her with her search on finding the right East Coast school: http://www2.athleticscholarships.net/athletic/ At this time we do not have a listing of camps, you can start by searching for camps sponsored by colleges she is interested in this way she will have direct communication with the coaches. If you do find one you need to make sure it offers all the criteria your daughter needs; will it increase her exposure, will it post times, which college coaches will be in attendance etc.
Let us know if you have any other questions we are here to help.
I would love to play volleyball in any college they let me in.
I would like to play football or basketball at some college level, can they still look at me if I am a freshman.
As a freshman it is going to be best to focus on getting your highlight films together and make sure you attend camps at the schools you are most interested in. Do you have a list of schools you want to focus on? Do you know when their camps are?