For many high school student-athletes, playing sports at the college level is a lifelong goal.   However, some may not know what steps they can take to maximize their chances of beating the competition and advancing to the next level. That is why it is important for you to consider the following tips while still in high school to realize your dreams and play the college sport of your choice:

1)    Routine, routine, routine! – being a student-athlete forces you to have to manage and effectively balance a busy academic and athletic schedule.  Keeping a daily routine helps you to stay focused and on target to meet your obligations both on and off the field.  This is extremely important for college coaches, as they want to see that prospective athletes are able to handle a large load and demanding schedule, which is typical for the college athlete.

2)    Get enough sleep – 8 hours of sleep each night is not impossible, despite what some people think.  For student-athletes, if you can stick to a daily routine, it will be easier for you to manage getting enough sleep so that you are well-rested and able to optimally perform both in the classroom and on the field.

3)    Stay in shape all year – just because you only play a sport for one season per year doesn’t mean you should let yourself go during the off season.  Coaches often state that it is easier to get back into shape when you already have a foundation to work with once your sports season starts.  This is especially important when at college, where coaches will expect you to maintain your health at an optimal level and continue to exercise throughout the year so that you are ready to go when your season is about to begin.

4)    Use your coach as a valuable resource – while coaches, for good reason, can be intense and demanding, they do have a vast amount of knowledge and connections that can help pave your way to play at the college level.  Consult with him or her to get as much knowledge as you can about sports programs, tips for staying in shape, and much more.  Also consider your coach as a valuable reference to attest to your sports abilities and dedication to excellence.

5)    Utilize your Smart College Report – you don’t have to use expensive recruiting services to get in touch with college coaches, and find the right sports program and school.  In fact, your Smart College Report offers everything you need to identify the right college and sports program based upon your qualifications and preferences.  With your Smart College Report, you not only gain access to valuable tools to maximize your chances of getting into the colleges of your choice, you also gain access to the contact information for the coaches of colleges that match your needs.  By using your Smart College Report, the letter templates and coaches contact information, you can obtain as much exposure as possible to get on each coach’s radar.