Step 1: Register on NCSAsports.org. Complete your profile as much as you possibly can.
Step 2: Educate yourself. Read up on recruiting guidelines, tips, advice, etc. College coaches have recruiting windows and timelines and have to abide by them. You should be aware of those rules. Be aware of scholarship rules, recruiting timelines, and college coach contact rules.
This is an amazing resource to get started: https://www.ncsasports.org/recruiting
D1: Looking at sophomores. Recruits and signs juniors
D2: Looking at juniors. Recruits and signs seniors
NAIA/D3: Looks a little at juniors, mostly looks at seniors. Recruits and signs seniors
Step 3: Figure out your top school choices.
Freshman - Choose your top 20
Sophomores - Your top 10
Juniors - Your top 5
Seniors - You should already be in contact with your top 5 and be narrowing it down to your top 3.
Step 4: Get filmed. Have a parent film your games in club and/or school. Game film is essential for getting recruited. You'll need to start a Youtube channel specifically for volleyball so you can send the links to college coaches. Make sure your film is edited to cut out time outs and warm ups. Make sure the entire court is filmed, not just your team. Of course, use a game you performed your best in. For more tips and info, get on ncsasports.org or talk to Coach K.
Step 5: Get on a club team. If you don't play club, you will be taken a lot less seriously by a college coach. They recruit club players because playing club shows you are committed, passionate, and strive to play at a higher level. College coaches go to a lot more club tournaments than they do school games.
Step 6: Juniors - Seniors, contact coaches via email. Send them game film. Tell them about your skills, dedication, playing history, experience, positions played, stats, etc. Get stats from Coach K to be able to send to them. (Sophomores should send film if they want to be recruited by D1 schools)
Step 7: Have your coach contact the college coach AFTER you have contacted them. Getting a great referral from your current coach is a great boost to your recruitment process.
Step 8: Go to your top 3-5 schools camps they host. Introduce yourself to the coach and make sure they know you are interested and they are a top choice of yours. If going to those schools' camps aren't an option, find a recruiting combine or a camp hosted by college coaches.
Step 9: Go to your top 3-5 schools volleyball games and/or watch them online if that's an option. Watching their games and having a background of how they play shows you have done your research and are truly interested in the program.
Step 10: Juniors - ask to schedule an unofficial visit. This can be an academic visit combined with an unofficial visit with the volleyball team. Seniors - ask to schedule an official visit with the volleyball team. Be picky about which schools you go on an official visit to, because there is a limit to how many you can do per year.
Step 11: Stay in constant contact with the coach. Learn about them and the players and the program as much as you can. If they haven't told you they aren't interested in you, then you are still a possibility for them. Stay in contact consistently within the contact timelines.
If you and your parents would like to get more information and help with this process, please schedule an appointment with Coach K. I would love to talk with you and give you as much help and information as I possibly can!