The earlier you start the better off you will be. Definitely do not wait until your senior year. Ideally you should start prepping your sophomore year in high school, and by the time you are a junior your marketing plan will be in full effect. The NCAA has a rule that prohibits college recruiters from calling high school athletes until they are finished with their junior year (emails are okay as a junior).

You can contact coaches via email or phone as a sophomore, and coaches can send you questionnaires and brochures about camps; however, the real recruiting starts when you become a junior in high school. That is when coaches start deciding what they need for the upcoming recruiting class. Coaches start to watch your videos and follow your press clippings as you become a more legit prospect. Coaches need to know who you are before it's too late, so start building relationships as early as possible.

When your junior year begins you should email your recruiting profile to the schools on your target list. Follow up with a letter in the mail too. Depending on responses you can follow up with a phone call. Don’t sit back and hope college recruiters are going to discover you. You need to be proactive and get your name out there early your junior year. Deciding on a school doesn’t happen overnight. It is a process and you want to allow plenty of time in case your target schools aren’t interested.

• Introduction
• When should you start your marketing campaign
• What sets you apart from other athletes
• How to create a target list
• When should you send out your athlete profile
• What strategies should you use to increase exposure