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Recruiting Tips
*** DUE TO COVID-19, NCAA GUIDELINES AND SUBSEQUENT RECRUITING ADJUSTMENTS MAY REQUIRE RECRUITS TO INITIATE MORE COMMUNICATION WITH PROSPECTIVE COACHES.
It's important, now more than ever, to reach out and communicate with coaches. Do not be bashful! Watch their social media as many are initiating zoom invites and FB/Insta LIVE opportunities. Also, be sure to take advantage of your CP coaches and recruiting profiles on our website. If you are a class of 2026-2029 and haven't submitted your profile to post, please do so by emailing your photo and profile to cbd72@ptd.net. Take a look at some profiles already on the site for inspiration.
And be sure to let Coach Tabi know of your interest in being recruited.
Hi CPFH athlete! The following is a small sample of all the information on the web about college recruiting. It can seem overwhelming at times so we hope that this helps you to get started on your recruiting journey but also hope that you explore more information as you have questions. Crystal Doyle is assisting with updating the recruitment pages so feel free to contact her as you need help at cbd72@ptd.net. If you plan on making a profile/resume and would like it added to our "recruits" pages, email Crystal your resume and/or link along with a profile picture. If you have specific questions about what schools may be a good fit for you and your skill level, you will want to reach out to Coach Tabi. Good luck and go CPFH!
Below you will find information on:
- My daughter wants to play in college, now what?
- Attending college camps and clinics
- Recruiting Websites
- How to email a college coach
- How to write a player profile
- Highlight video
- The Recruiting Tournament
SHOULD I GO TO A COLLEGE CAMP/CLINIC?
The answer lies in this question - why do you want to go to a camp or clinic 1) To improve your skill or 2) to be noticed by the coaches as a potential recruit?
If you can answer that question, it will help you decide where you can receive the best experience. If you want to improve your skill, consider those camps/clinics at a school that you think is cool and would be a lofty goal to attend. Take advantage of their coaches and their knowledge. The smaller the registration group, the more personal the interaction with coaches. Some will state they are only taking 50 players for this clinic. These are great for the younger (middle school) players and they can see what a college camp feels like in the event they want to hit the recruiting trail when they are older.
If you are looking to be evaluated as a potential recruit, try to be honest about your skill and choose schools that may be in line with your experience and skill set. If you are a varsity player as a 9th/10th-grade player, consider attending Division I and Division II clinics. Keep in mind that Division I has several levels depending on the size of the school. It's pretty easy to spend some time on Google to see where a school falls in their conference and the type of competition they face. If your first year of varsity play is as a junior, you may want to consider visiting Division II and III schools. Unfortunately, many athletes look down on Division III sports because of the lack of scholarships but D III schools have many other ways to help make their school affordable for an athlete that is a good fit for their program.
**NOTE - obviously, these are just generalizations - if in doubt of your level of play, ask Coach Tabi or your high school or club coach.
Be sure to send an email to the coach about a week before you go to the camp/clinic/tournament to let them know a little about yourself and that you would like them to evaluate you. Email addresses for most coaches can be found on the school athletic directory page. Coaches may not talk to a player on an individual basis during a camp until Sept. 1 of their junior year. (see more NCAA recruiting guidelines on the NCAA tab)
** ID or PROSPECT camps are for players that college coaches would like to IDentify as a potential recruit at their school. These are generally for juniors but also for strong freshmen and sophomores at their respective skill/experience level. These camps tend to have smaller groups for better evaluation by the coaches.
Check out the College Clinics Tab for a listing of upcoming college camps/clinics.
Something to think about... what's special about you? What is it about you that makes you different than another recruit? What do you bring to your team? There are many girls who would love to play in college but not many colleges so you have to find a way to stand out. You can not be shy when trying to be recruited. The more your name is in front of the coach, the more likely they are to check you out. You don't have to have the biggest swing or be the fastest to be recruited but you should figure out what makes you unique and highlight that when you can. Remember, your strength can change as you gain skills and grow in the sport. Some things to consider: Are you a consistent scorer? Do you have good field presence and know where to be when you need to be there? Are you really fast? Do you have awesome stickwork? Can you score on corners? Do you know how to drag flick? Are you a killer defender? Are you a verbal leader on the field? What can you add to this list?
HOW DO IT START THE RECRUITING PROCESS?
Start making a list of schools you want to reach out to and make it a very broad net (20-30 schools). Google NCAA field hockey schools by Division 1 and 2 and 3 and do a little research to see what schools offer field hockey. Then narrow that down to schools that could be the "right" location, size, major (if she knows what she's interested in) and academic rigor. Google is your best friend and the more research you do the easier it will be for you to make decisions on how/where to spend your time and money. If your player has no idea what/where she wants to go to school, all the better. The more flexible she can be about where she goes, the more likely she'll be open to interest/offers that may be different than what she envisioned. Also, look into a team's standing in their division (google NCCA field hockey team rankings 2018, etc). Top tier Divison I teams are more selective and generally recruit earlier than other Division I schools. Talk to your daughter's coach, too, to ask for their opinion on where they think your player's skills could be best suited. Once you have about 20-30 or so schools narrowed down, then you are ready to start.
COLLEGE COACH EMAILS DOs and DON'Ts
- DO make a personal email (do not send from your parent’s email).
- DO put your name and graduation year in the reference section of EVERY email along with a specific header. (Ex. Shooting Star Tournament - Susie Smith – Class of 2019)
- DO personalize the salutation of your email. (Hi Coach Smith!)
- DO put your contact information and your coach’s information at the bottom of every email Send one at a time.
- DO mention something about their team (Ex. Congratulations on your win against Smith College last week).
- DO make it easy for the coach to contact you. Coaches receive many emails every week. DON’T expect the coach to remember you. It’s ok to restate information you mentioned in a previous email.
- DO your homework about a team. Do not send emails to every coach at a tournament. Research the college and coach to see if it might be a good fit for you (does it have your major, how far away from home are you willing to go, etc).
- DO reach out about once a quarter. It’s ok to just send an update on your grades or a season wrap up. Find positive reasons to communicate with coaches for reasons other than a tournament.
- YOU DO NOT need a video to send an email.
- DON'T send a video until at least your sophomore season.
- DON’T send a mass, general email to 30 coaches.
The following are sample player profiles and coach emails. Feel free to personalize them to show coaches your personality. Think about adding a photo to your resume (profile or action shot). Remember, coaches, see a lot of emails and profiles. What makes you special? Coaches aren't just looking for a great player. They are looking for a great person who can play some good field hockey that will be an easy fit for their team and is coachable.
Important thoughts:
1) Make sure communication is written from the player (not the parent).
2) Be honest about your accomplishments. Remember this is about finding the right fit for you so you have to be honest/realistic so that you will be happy with your final college choice.
3) Make it personal to you. What makes you a stand out person?
4) ALWAYS reference your name and graduation year in your email reference.
5) End every email with all contact information for you and your HS/club coaches. Make it as easy as possible for a college coach to find you and contact you.
Once you make initial contact with a coach, consider sending periodic emails updating them on your accomplishments
1) grades from a new marking period
2) the end of your season
3) you're attending a camp and you are asking them to attend
4) consider sending a thank you email to a coach after a camp/clinic especially if they made an impact.
5) But remember a coach can only respond and/or contact you after certain periods outlined by the NCAA so don't be discouraged if they don't respond.
For more information and tips, go to https://www.ncsasports.org/recruiting/contacting-college-coaches/email
SAMPLE EMAIL:
To: Fieldhockey@University.edu
Subject: Jane Smith 2017 – Video & Resume (or reference clinic/tournament you'll be attending)
Hi Coach ___________,
I hope you are doing well and enjoying the summer!
My name is Jane Smith and I am in the graduating class of 2021 at South Jersey High School. I’ve looked into your school and I think that (insert name of college here) is a great school and a place I’d like to learn more about. I would appreciate if you would put me on your list of possible recruits for the class of 2021.
I also wanted to let you know that I’m going to be at the Shooting Star Tournament over Thanksgiving and I’d love for you to stop by one of my games. I play for CPFH (Enter specific team) and will be wearing jersey # _____. The link to my game schedule is: (include a link here)
I am also attaching my resume which shows my academic and athletic accomplishments. As my freshman year has come to a close, I have an unweighted GPA of 3.67 and my ACT composite score is a 30. I will be happy to provide updated test scores as they become available.
I look forward to hearing from you soon and would love any information you could provide about camps and clinics being held at (University/College) in the near future.
Best, Jane Smith
2017
Youtube link to Video if available
Email/phone number
Club Coach
Coach email/phone number
PLAYER PROFILE/RESUME
A player profile and/or resume is important to give a college coach a snapshot of your assets. It lets you showcase all your academic and athletic hard work and, if done with a little imagination, can give a prospective coach a glimpse into your personality. Remember, you want to highlight what it is about you that makes you different and a great teammate and player.
We would suggest that you use google sites or similar type of online program for your profile. A benefit of using google sites is that it allows you to update your profile easily gives coaches the most up-to-date information about you. Be sure to update your profile as the year progresses. Add pictures and personal notes... what makes you special? Several of our CPFH players have resumes listed on this website. Feel free to take a look and use them for reference.
SAMPLE PROFILE (Information to include)
SUSIE SMITH
CLASS OF 2019
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Offense/Mid
GPA
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email
Phone
FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram addresses
VIDEO LINK: If available
ATHLETIC HISTORY
High School -List your athletic history (both FH and non-FH) for your school) starting with current year and working backward
List any outstanding accomplishments: Team Captain, Postseason recognition, etc.
Club – List your athletic history with your club (include similar information as above)
Training/Tournament - List any training and/or tournaments you’ve attended – think big picture. Coaches won’t care that your team won pool D of some small tournament but they do want to know about Futures, NIT’s and other large recruiting tournaments. Include Years that you played in these tournaments: Example:
January, 2017 – Super Sixty Rising Junior Camp, New Jersey
Spring 2017 – USAFH Futures Training and Tournament
ACADEMIC:
List your GPA and some reference for the type of classes you are taking.
List any clubs you are involved in
List any awards you’ve won
PERSONAL (Optional):
Height/weight
Contact info for parents
REFERENCES:
Email addresses for your high school and club coaches and/or any other mentors that can speak on your behalf
PERSONAL STATEMENT:
A short paragraph or two that tells the coach something about you that they wouldn’t know by looking at the information above.
Why do you want to play FH in college?
Something interesting about your family
Mention a family pet
What do you like to do when you aren’t playing field hockey?
Be sure to thank them for taking the time to look at your information
***CONSIDER Including an action photo at some place on our resume, especially if you don’t have a video to share yet.
HIGHLIGHT Video DOs and DON'Ts
- DO research other recruiting videos on YouTube for ideas.
- DO personalize your video with an introduction.
- DO make sure it’s your best skill work.
- DO include about 3-5 minutes of skill work and another 3-5 minutes of turf field highlights. -DO NOT ask to send a video to a coach, just send it.
- YOU DO NOT NEED a video to send an email. In fact, do not send a video until at least your sophomore year. Even then, be REALLY SURE it’s a great representation of your skills in relation to other possible recruits at your age level. You are better off NOT sending a video than sending one that doesn’t show you in your best light.
- DO NOT MAKE A VIDEO LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES! You will want to update the film as you get older and become more skilled. - - DO NOT include indoor or grass surfaces on the highlight video.
TRAINING
It's important to grow your skills. Beyond the training at CPFH, there are many other opportunities to receive training from top field hockey coaches through the USA Field Hockey Futures program:
USA Field Hockey NEXUS: https://www.teamusa.org/usa-field-hockey/nexus - NEXUS is the feeder program into the USA Field Hockey adult team. Any player that's registered with USAFH can apply for inclusion in the program starting at the U14 age level. Players receive eight 3-hour training sessions on a Sunday morning between January and May with a tournament conclusion that ultimately choses players to continue with level 1 USAFH training. A player must be invited to participate. A player who's never participated before must submit a skills test administered by Belinda or another coach to be considered. (See Belinda for more information - submissions are made in the fall). If a player is returning, they receive an invitation via email usually in September. Training locations are limited and a player does not get to choose their location. Players in our area have trained at Spooky Nook, In the Net (Palmyra), Lanco Field House (Lancaster) and Shippensburg Univ.
GROUP TOURNAMENTS attended as a TEAM
There are several worthwile recruiting tournaments available for those who wish to play in college. Players generally attend these with their club/school team. However, individuals may register independent of a team affiliation. Belinda trys to evaluate exposure, location and cost when deciding where to travel with her teams. Some have age requirements, some do not. PLAYERS DO NOT NEED TO ATTEND ALL OF THESE TO BE RECRUITED. If you wish to become familiar with what opportunities may be on the horizon, here are links to those tournaments that CPFH has attended in the past:
-COLLEGE CONNECTION/SHOOTING STAR - CPFH has taken teams to both the Thanksgiving, Jamboree, Mid-Atlantic Regional Cup, and Easter tournaments. LINK: http://collegeconnectionathletics.com/shooting-star-tournament/ These tournaments has been established for several years and pulls in coaches from all levels of programs. This is not a stay-to-play tournament. You may stay at any hotel you like.
-NFHCA TOP RECRUIT - CPFH has taken teams to this tournament in early January the past several years. LINK:http://www.nfhcatoprecruit.com/ NFHCA (National Field Hockey Coaches Association) takes place on the heels of the college coach's annual convention and is very well attended by colleges from throughout the country. This is a stay-to-play event which means you must stay at a pre-approved hotel.
-DISNEY FIELD HOCKEY SHOWCASE Sponsored by USAFH - This tournament has been retooled and is a valid recruiting option that draws college coaches that value USAFH training. This tournament is also one of the avenues that USAFH evaluates and, ultimately, ranks FH clubs in the US. LINK: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Field-Hockey/EVENTS/2018/January/19/Disney-Field-Hockey-Showcase This is a stay-to-play event.
-LIMELIGHT FIELD HOCKEY COLLEGE SHOWCASE, Spooky Nook - Another valid recruiting tournament that is a more local option usually takes place the beginning of June. LINK: https://www.limelighthockey.com/
ONLINE RESOURCES
https://www.ncsasports.org/recruiting
FACEBOOK RESOURCES
NCSA Athletic Recruiting
USA Field Hockey
Athletes Who Settle for More
Parents of College Athletes
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NOW?
- Keep those grades up! Even the best player can't be recruited if their grades aren't where they need to be. If you're a sophomore, start looking into PSATs, SATs, and ACTs. If it's financially feasible, take them as often as you can. Some programs are more selective when it comes to the academic component of recruiting so the higher your scores, the better your chances of being recruited by a broader range of schools. You can easily find each school's admittance scores by checking their websites. (Ivy League and Patriot League schools are arguably the most rigorous of academic universities). Know what type of student you are when you start your recruiting process. It will save you time and energy when trying to find the right fit.
- Continue to improve! and tweak those player profiles and highlight videos and continue to reach out to a wide net of schools that you would consider attending. Continue to attend clinics to improve your skills and to have the coaches evaluate you so that when Sept. 1 of your junior year arrives, coaches already have you on their radar.
- Use your club resources! Coach Belinda, and others to communicate on your behalf with prospective schools. Do not be afraid to call a college coach and/or email them multiple times. Remember, they can NOT respond before your junior year so don't interpret a non-response as non-interest. The more you get your name and information in front of them, the more likely they are to remember you.
- Refer to our website for helpful tips about the process! This is a personal process and no two paths will be the same. It's hard not to feel pressure sometimes because of what someone else may/may not be doing. But in the end, this is about finding the best fit for your student at a school that will prepare her for the rest of her life - that just happens to be where she'll play field hockey too. More Info on the new rules:https://www.ncsasports.org/ncaa-eligibility-center/recruiting-rules