One of the most significant problems plaguing many high school athletes looking to play in college is getting themselves recognized by prospective college coaches. Even if you have the talent to jump right into the starting lineup, you won't get recruited to that school unless you put some work in. You also want to make sure you're getting noticed for the right reasons–the last thing you want is a bad reputation holding you back. Here are a few things you can do to get recognized.

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Make a highlight video showing off your talents.

Coaches want to see you in action, but if you live out West and are looking to go to a school in the Northeast, that may not be feasible. A short 3-minute highlight video showcasing your talent goes a long way. If you're a tennis player, hit some serves, volleys, and groundstrokes. If you're a soccer player, take a few penalty kicks and show off your ball dribbling skills. If you're a basketball player, take a few shots, layups, etc. These videos are very quick and easy to make and will make a big difference in getting on a coach's radar.

Related: From Social Media to Highlight Tapes: 11 Recruiting Tips From a D1 Swim Coach

Go to college, recruiting showcases, and camps.

You have the opportunity to meet coaches and have them watch you play and compete. You can ask your high school coach, college athlete, college coaches what the best showcases or tournaments you should be playing to get yourself recognized by coaches. If you really want to get noticed by a coach, then go to their camps. You want to stay current.

Interview with your local or high school newspaper.

Small local newspapers are willing to publish an interview with a high school athlete. Being interviewed by a newspaper, if nothing else, will make you stand out. If a coach Googles your name and sees the interview, you will be on their radar.

Never give up!

Call it cliché, but no one who has a successful college athletic career gives up during the recruiting process. Unless you're the best, chances are you'll run into coaches who may not express much interest in you or may pass on you altogether. These can be very pivotal moments for many recruits. It's important to use them as a learning experience or even motivation, but most importantly, keep pursuing your goals.

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* Originally published on May 26, 2022, by Keirsten Sires