A question I get asked often through social media, consultations, and during seminars is “When should I start the process?” As with many things in the process, there are rarely definitive answers and this is definitely one of the tougher ones to answer. When the NCAA changed recruiting rules back in 2019 it shifted the process and prevents communication with college coaches until June 15th prior to your junior year.

While that June 15th date is the start of the coach communication phase of the process, there is plenty that can and should be done prior to that point. When and what needs to be done is more about the strength of a player’s resume than their age. Some 8th and 9th graders who are shooting in the 70s from 5800+ yards, top-ranked in their recruiting class, and have a goal of playing high-level DI likely need to create a resume and recruiting video, begin to send out intro emails, engage on social media, and attend camps and college tourneys. However, a sophomore still shooting 80 and up, especially from shorter distances, can continue to focus on player development, tournament experience, and improving their game before needing to start the actual recruiting process.

I would say no earlier than 8th grade tho from an age perspective to put much time and energy into the actual recruiting process. Yes, this is the day and age where it’s all about trying to get ahead of the game and give yourself the most opportunities possible, so it never hurts to send a few coaches at your top schools an email every so often. But keep it simple and at a minimum during this time and just focus on having fun with the game and figuring out what you need to do to get better!

Keep in mind, these are just general guidelines and recommendations. Over the next few weeks, I’ll walk you through the different steps of the actual recruiting process and how to best address them.