Skills Video

Skills and performance videos are an important way to showcase your talent. You will send these videos directly by email to coaches after you have established contact through initial email communication. Of course, some sports (such as swimming and track) might not need much of a video, if at all since times matter the most.

A quick online search with the name of your sport and "high school recruiting videos" on google or youtube will return sampling of videos to use as inspiration. Make sure to also talk with your coach and older athletes who have already gone further in the process. Learn from them!

Basic rules for this video:

• • • It should be no more than 5 minutes,

    • It must open with a clear introduction that includes your photo, sports number and basic info (this is like a mini-version of your resumé),

    • Get your best skills and abilities into the video within the first minute. 

Why? Imagine being a college coach watching videos from athletes all over the world. After a while everyone looks the same. In making a video you need to think like a coach: What will this person want/need to see? Deliver this essential information early. 

• • • Make sure you are recorded from a proper angle that makes sense for your sport.

    • Make sure the coach knows what player to watch! Either circle around you as a player at the start of each play, or use clips that clearly show your number.

One final thing for thought: While a well-produced video will look nice and show your personality (based upon music choices, colors and edit/sweeps, etc…), the most important thing is showcasing your talent! 

Some players think posting to twitter is enough, but they are wrong. Twitter and other online platforms are full of players and performance videos. They are not well-organized, and once a couple of days have passed, the video is all but lost underneath mountains of new tweets. Unless you are a "blue-chipper," top-level athlete being pursued by many schools, it is highly unlikely that your twitter feed will do you justice.

Instead, direct communication with a coach is the best option. Keep in mind that your job is to make it easy for the coach to figure out who you are and what your strengths are.

If you need help creating this video, contact the rossparker@berkeley.net. They may have access to resources to help with this process.