Had a talk today with a parent who was asking about the recruiting process.. Here’s what I told them. 1. Support your kid. Don’t do it for them. If they want it, they’ll do the extra work. If they won’t do the work… they don’t really want it. And that’s okay. 2. Form a DOT, not a circle. You don’t need 15 opinions. You don’t need 10 specialty coaches. If they have the talent, the right people will find them. 3. Only about 2% of high school athletes receive athletic scholarship money. Don’t build your financial plan around something statistically unlikely. 4. Most prospects are the best player on their high school team. Being “pretty good” isn’t the same as being recruitable. 5. Your kid does NOT need every recruiting subscription site membership. They probably don’t need any. 6. Be careful with recruiting “services.” If someone is asking for large fees to “get your kid recruited,” be cautious. College coaches recruit players, not payment plans. 7. You don’t need every showcase or ranking camp. You don’t need every summer and fall tournament 8. Getting invited to a $150 camp is not “getting recruited”. It’s getting the assistant coaches paid 9. College coaches call high school coaches. They ask: Does he/she work hard in the weight room? What’s their attitude like? Are they coachable? 10. They also ask about parents. If you’re difficult, entitled, or a problem. They’ll be honest. 11. Don’t get jealous when others get recruited. Teach your kid to be a good teammate, not a bitter one. 12. If your first explanation is “the coach screwed my kid over,” that’s a red flag to a college coach. 13. Coaches know when parents run the social media. 14. You don’t need to post and tag every at-bat, inning, or highlight. Recruiting isn’t a tagging contest. 15. If your child’s entire identity is sports, they will eventually burn out or resent it. Build a person first. The athlete follows. The Bottom Line If your kid really has it, will have opportunities Recruiting is simple.