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10 Tips on How to Get Recruited for College Cross Country & Track and Field
Every year I have kids on my team that ask about what it takes to get recruited at the college level.
What seems like a complicated process can really be boiled down into a few simple steps. I won't write anything about choosing a college, as that's a personal/family choice, rather I'll give some general tips for high school student-athletes that are hoping to run at the college level.
Here we go.
Sign up for the NCAA Clearinghouse & Learn the Eligibility Rules
https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2021/2/8/student-athletes-future.aspx
This link also has recruitment contact dates that college coaches have to follow
Get the best Grades / Test Scores you can
There's like 12 people in the world that make a living off being a track star, so you're going to need to have a job after college
Poor grades will narrow your list quickly
Run as fast as you can
Track times matter.
Times from your junior season matter a lot
This means you need to be consistently training in the off-seasons (summer & winter) so that those seasons go as good as they can for you.
Cross Country times can give coaches indication of your fitness, but Cross Country places matter more
Place well at State Meets, Nike Regionals, etc.
Don't wait around for coaches to recruit you
Unless everyone in the nation knows your name, you're going to need to put in work to get recruited
Fill out Recruiting Questionnaires at the schools you're interested in
Send a nice follow-up email to the coach letting them know of your interest.
I think this is an important step as it show that you're genuinely interested in their school and not just filling out recruiting forms until one hits.
Research the performance level of the school, conference and division
Have flexible expectations
There will be variability on scholarship numbers
There will be variability on roster spots
Just because you are fast enough to run on a team doesn't necessarily mean they have a spot for you
Just because you run as fast as people already on the team doesn't necessarily mean they have money for you
Ask questions that are important to YOU
YOU may have different reasons for competing than your parents, HS coach, etc.
Ask the Coach
Ask the Team
There is an array of opportunities.
Olympians have come from every level and you'll race head-to-head with athletes from every level.
NCAA D1
NCAA D2
NCAA D3
NAIA
Junior College
When the time comes, don't be afraid to tell a college coach that you're not interested.
They hear it a lot
Their time is limited, so don't make them waste it on recruiting you if you're not into it
... when you choose a school, tell the other coaches that are actively recruiting you that you've made your decision.
They'll be disappointed (maybe) for 8 seconds and then move on.
Watch the Coaching Distance Webinar on Recruiting by Isaac Wood
Feel free to add more tips in the comment section.
jc
Great advice! Maintaining strong grades is just as important as improving athletic performance when preparing for college recruitment. Students can also use a Calculadora de GPA to track their academic progress and better understand their grade averages. Balancing academics and training can make a real difference in the college application process.
Excelente guía con consejos muy prácticos para atletas que buscan dar el salto al nivel universitario! Al estructurar planes de entrenamiento, listas de tiempos de calificación o cronogramas de contacto con entrenadores, me resulta de gran utilidad organizar los títulos y pasos clave con convertidos de letras para presentar los perfiles deportivos de forma clara y profesional. ¡Gracias por compartir recomendaciones tan valiosas para la carrera de los deportistas
These recruitment tips are spot on! Track athletes often forget how much planning goes into the process. Whether you're calculating target race paces, training split times, or organizing application deadlines step by step, using tools like La Calculadora Alicia helps keep all the numbers accurate. Thanks for sharing!
One thing I really appreciated about this guide is that it doesn't make recruiting sound like it's only about running fast. After watching young athletes for many years, I've seen that the ones who stay consistent with their training, keep their grades up, and communicate well with coaches usually have the best long-term results. Too many students wait for opportunities instead of creating them themselves. I also liked the reminder about staying organized throughout the process. Something as simple as checking what's tomorrow's date before planning workouts, application deadlines, or follow-up emails can help build the habits that college coaches value. In the end, talent gets noticed, but preparation, discipline, and maturity are what leave a lasting impression.
A lot of students think recruitment starts when coaches notice them, but in reality it starts months earlier with the habits nobody sees. Consistent training, strong grades, and taking the initiative to contact coaches all build the kind of reputation that lasts. It actually reminds me of using calcular alicia the tool only gives the right answer when every step is entered correctly. College recruiting works the same way: every small decision adds up, and skipping one important step can change the final result. That's something many athletes don't realize until it's almost too late.