According to the NCAA only about two percent of high school athletes get recruited and have the chance to play in college. There is recent debate on whether or not simply being a talented athlete is enough to get you recruited. Colleges send scouts all over the country to watch and meet with student athletes and their families. Even with all the colleges from all levels of competition, the number of high school students who get to play at the next level is staggeringly low.

The term “if you’re good enough, they will find you” is becoming less and less relevant. Today, the college recruiting process is a business. It can easily become a very costly process that takes a toll on families.The baseline price for most recruiting companies is $1000.  88.8% of student athletes surveyed who have been recruited or who are in the recruiting process say they have paid for showcase tournaments and/or used recruiting companies during the process. Rocky Mountain High School baseball player, Brendan Gartzka is one of those athletes.

“The recruiting process is different for everyone. For many athletes, they must promote themselves and pay the price,” Gartzka said.

In addition to paying, getting recruited is very political. It’s not what you know, it is who you know. It is very crucial to have a good support system when trying to get recruited. Having a coach with many contacts a the next level is extremely beneficial. Jordan Medina, a baseball player who was recruited by the University of Northern Colorado, appreciated his coach’s contacts and willingness to help him through the process.

“Coach really helped me out. It is much easier to get recruited when you have a coach who has helped students through the process before,” Medina said.

College recruiting has become a long and rigorous process. It is definitely not impossible to get recruited, but these days student athletes must put in most of the effort. Laying back and hoping for the best is no longer an option. Selling yourself and taking control of your destiny is crucial as a student athlete.