coaches

5 Tips on How to Become a College Athlete

By 2aDays Staff|Updated on June 27, 2023 (originally published on March 31, 2022)

Wondering how you can become a college athlete? Former DIII basketball player, Stone McCreary, has five handy tips to get to the next level.

1. Make sure you have a good work ethic. It might be tempting to attribute athletic success to talent alone, but hard work will get you far regardless of your skill level. Coming early to practice, applying coach feedback, and conditioning in the off season can be the difference between being a good athlete and a great one.

2. Set goals for yourself. Be sure these goals are both specific and attainable. For example, if you're a cross country runner who currently has a 5k personal best of 18:00, setting a goal time of 15:00 isn't great–it's out of reach. Setting a goal of “getting faster” isn't specific enough. Instead, a reasonable, specific goal may be to run a 17:30 by the end of outdoor track season, and discussing good split times with your coach can help you break down your time goal even further and make it more manageable.

3. Take constructive criticism well. A good coach won't tear you down just for the sake of making you feel small, so when a coach says there's something up with your form or gives you ways to improve, don't take it personally! They're just trying to help you be the best you can be.

4. Don't limit yourself to one sport in high school. Although it's tempting to specialize early to gain an athletic edge, extreme specialization can contribute to injuries by stressing the body in one specific way. For example, pitchers put a lot of strain on their elbows and shoulders, so pitching year-round isn't ideal. Instead, try a sport like swimming or track in the off-season to help with conditioning while

5. Make sure your academics are solid. Remember you will be going to college for a degree, and coaches are taking note of academics throughout the recruiting process. After all, if you can't stay academically eligible in college, you can't compete so a coach will be less tempted to recruit a high school athlete with poor grades. Coaches love smart athletes and maintaining good grades is just as important as honing in on your athletic skills
staying sharp.

Don't limit yourself to one sport in high school. Although it's tempting to specialize early to gain an athletic edge, extreme specialization can contribute to injuries by stressing the body in one specific way. For example, pitchers put a lot of strain on their elbows and shoulders, so pitching year-round isn't ideal. Instead, try a sport like swimming or track in the off-season to help with conditioning while staying sharp.

Make sure your academics are solid. Remember you will be going to college for a degree, and coaches are taking note of academics throughout the recruiting process. After all, if you can't stay academically eligible in college, you can't compete so a coach will be less tempted to recruit a high school athlete with poor grades. Coaches love smart athletes and maintaining good grades is just as important as honing in on your athletic skills.

Recruiting can be a tough process, so be sure to set yourself up for success by applying these tips as much as possible. 2aDays is here to help you further with our coach rating tool and other resources recruits with knowledge every step of the way.

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