COVID-19 - What To Do Now That Your Season Has Been Canceled.
Track and Field Recruiting
Plain and simple, track and field recruiting has changed. College coaches are no longer allowed off campus to recruit. They will not be going to meets this spring nor having face-to-face meetings with prospects. High School student-athletes will no longer be able to take Official or Unofficial Visits to meet coaches and visit campuses. Most likely, you will not have the opportunity to run faster, jump or throw further or vault higher. As a result, you are going to have to take a proactive approach to the recruiting process and continuing training as if nothing has changed.
Do not be passive. Start reaching out to college coaches from the schools on your list. You will be surprised at how effective personally reaching out will enhance your recruiting experience. You will have to sell yourself, even more so now– make sure your emails are doing so. It is imperative through this spring that you learn to communicate openly and effectively with your parents, high school coach, and college coaches.
Need Personal Coaching Now That Your Season Has Been Canceled
Fast Track Recruiting provides personal customized coaching services to athletes who are currently training on their own due to school closings and practice cancellations. Coach Wood has coached numerous NCAA Division I All-Americans including current NCAA American 1500m record-holder Kyle Merber, 2017 World Championship's 1500m finalist Johnny Gregorek, Olympians Erison Hurtault (400m) and Lisa Stublic (Marathon), Caroline Biermbaum (NCAA XC Women's MVP) and Waverly Neer (15:37 - 5k). We have expert coaches for each event group.
What Should I Be Doing Now?
ALL-GRADES
It is imperative that you keep training in some capacity. Success is a product of each season building upon the previous season. Avoid feeling sorry for yourself and becoming unmotivated. When this passes, you want to be one step further down the path developmentally. Do not be the same athlete you are today next fall.
SENIORS
If you are an unsigned senior, I would suggest reaching out to every school you have any interest in. Start reaching out to schools that have reached out to you. Go through your old emails, letters of inquiry, questionnaires, and generic correspondences, and then create a list of every school that has contacted you. Concentrate your efforts on programs that have shown an interest in you. Remember, many programs rely on signing kids throughout the spring and summer, so they are still looking for athletes as well. Many of our team members are still being offered admission spots and/or significant scholarship dollars to date.
JUNIORS
With the inability to take Official and Unofficial Visits this spring and probably this summer it is important that you put together a solid email campaigning expressing interest in specific schools and programs. Because you will most likely not have an outdoor season, do not wait for coaches to find you. Your marks might slip under the radar without this season to increase your viability and visibility to certain schools. Caste a wide net. Create an expansive list of schools/programs that meet your specific needs and desires. The online recruiting questionnaire is a good first and simple means to initiate communication with a program. If you have not yet started -- start reaching out to college coaches from the schools on your list. Proofread every email before hitting send.
SOPHOMORES
Your junior year is a critical part of the recruitment process. Use the next three months to become a better athlete. If the season gets canceled this spring use this time to get more fit, more flexible, and stronger. Focus more on general fitness and set yourself up for a massive junior year! With the new NCAA Recruiting Rules and your potential loss of the season, your recruiting process will be starting very soon. As a result, it is imperative that you devise a plan of action now. Create a list of schools and send out introductory emails.
FRESHMEN
High School track and field is awesome! You are going to absolutely love it! It’s a shame that it is getting off to a slow start, but don’t let that get you down. Stay positive. Workout. Get ready for next year…it’s going to be a blast!
Need Help With Recruiting?
What do you do now that your track and field season has been canceled? What do you do now that you are no longer able to meet coaches face-to-face? Unofficial and Official Visits are no longer permissible. Let us help you navigate the recruiting process.
We connect high school track and field athletes and college coaches by providing unprecedented access to the inside. Our founder, Coach Wood will walk you through the recruiting process utilizing his nearly 30 years of NCAA Division I head coaching and recruiting experience, including two decades at Columbia University of the Ivy League.
Utilizing our long list of coaching contacts, college track and field recruiting experience and keen understanding of the admissions and financial aid process, we have had our recruits take official visits to many of the top schools in the country.
Over the past two years, Fast Track recruits have taken official visits to 15 of the top 20 ranked US News and World Report National Universities. In addition, our recruits have taken official visits to 8 of the top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges in the country.
Athletically, Fast Track recruits have taken official visits to schools in the SEC, ACC, Big 10, Pac 12, Big 12, Big East, Ivy League and many others.