As high school athletes progress from the Freshman level, up through JV and eventually Varsity, they usually see their performance, knowledge, and love for the game enhance. As athletes enhance their game, the next thought that fills their head is “college athletics.” For many young men and women, playing the game they love in college is a dream come true. But how do these young athletes get noticed by collegiate coaches?
In the summer, most college programs offer camps and showcases to any prospective athlete who wants to get seen or get better. Coaches often invite athletes who they want to evaluate better, but also make a public sign up available. Here’s what you need to know about college camps, how they are beneficial and where to start looking.
Camps
Colleges usually provide camps for athletes starting at the middle school level. Camps targeting the middle school and early high school level (freshmen and sophomore) are usually fundamental based rather than evaluating players. This is a great opportunity for young athletes to learn more about the game, better their fundamentals, see how they match up against others their age, and grow as players.
As athletes grow into the JV/Varsity levels, college programs start offering camps to evaluate players, as well as teach their fundamentals and ways of doing things. Often times, coaches will personally invite players of their choosing through a mailed letter or email, but these camps usually open for public sign up as well. During these camps, coaches usually test the participants in a number of activities. Some of these activities include a 40-yard dash, different agility drills, and vertical jump. These tests are a great way for coaches to evaluate players and their athletic abilities, as well as lets athletes know how they match up against the competition.
Benefits of attending college camps
Networking - College camps are a great way for you to meet coaches and other players, as well as make a name for yourself.
Instruction - Youth football camps Omaha help athletes enhance their knowledge of the game, focusing on fundamentals. They also provide players a different approach to things, as teams and coaches don’t always do everything the same way!
Accurate assessment / evaluation - When athletes attend college camps, they are able to better assess themselves, as well as get evaluated by coaches who are professionals in what they do.
Where / When to start looking?
The best time for athletes to start attending college camps is the summers before their sophomore and junior years of high school. But before you jump into things, you should determine which camp is the right one. When athletes get a personal invite, it usually indicates that the team is interested in recruiting you. If you aren’t getting these invites, it’s smart to look at camps that are time, cost, and travel efficient to you and your athletic level.
When it comes to college recruiting, college camps are a great way to start. Youth football camps Omaha helps athletes make a name for themselves, help them better evaluate themselves and gives them a grasp of what collegiate athletics really is.
At Warren Academy, we offer youth athlete sports performance programs that focus on improving individual strength and speed. We also offer youth football camps Omaha athletes love. To learn more about our programs, visit our website today!
