Secrets of Being a Recruitable College Athlete

My daughter will be a sophomore this fall. She loves soccer and was good enough as a freshman to make the varsity squad. She'd love to keep playing in college. What does she need to do to become a recruitable college athlete? -- Sports-minded
Answer: Step one in being recruited is for your daughter to continually improve her soccer skills. Step two, however, may surprise you. She needs to do well academically. Few college coaches want to recruit athletes who are struggling to pass basic high-school courses.
A very important step three is for her to find out this summer what courses the NCAA requires for students to compete in Division I and II schools. She'll find most of the information she needs on eligibility by visiting the National Collegiate Athletic Association website at www.ncaa.org and clicking on "Eligibility Center." She should also pay close attention to what the site says she needs to do each year in high school to become a recruitable athlete. This website has very helpful information for parents, too.
Only the most outstanding high-school athletes are approached by college coaches. This coming year and next, your daughter should start contacting college coaches. She should write letters to coaches at schools that interest her, talking about her skill set and why she wants to attend a particular school. Her own coach or another coach at her high school experienced in the recruitment of athletes should be able to help her take the best approach to being recruited. Now is the time to talk to them as well as young local athletes who are playing on college teams.