Let’s face it in today’s highly competitive collegiate recruiting landscape your son or daughter needs all the help and also all the exposure they can get. So many truly gifted kids fade into obscurity due to lack of exposure or being involved with the wrong programs. Many think having a web presence for information is not important. Many feel that all they need do is get out and play and any website or no website at all will do. Do you think  that is really the case in today’s highly visible information based environment? Do you really think that college coaches are not doing their homework and looking kids up using all types of means and capabilities at their disposal?  So many coaches on the college level are using the internet to do much of their groundwork. You can’t deny that every  college program has a deep rooted understanding of the internet and its communications capabilities and efficiency. From experience we know of many programs sending  kids on D1, D2 and D3 rides all over the country. Aside from the talent they have on their teams they use  tremendously powerful  web based tools to communicate schedules, tournament participation, performance accomplishments, results, and various other information to set them apart and keep coaches that are interested informed..

 As you decide what program you want your child to be involved with make sure they at the very least have the ability to communicate information easily and effectively via their web presence. Here are some key points to consider:

 1.  Does the program as a whole have the proper exposure on all fronts, Including, easy accessibility to the coaching staff through their web presence?

2.  Is the program selective or is it a multi-level  program that caters to all talent levels? They both can be very beneficial to your child depending on their skill level. Some kids need to work up to the top level programs so don’t be afraid to join a program that caters to novices  s in the initial stages.

3.  Does the program travel to and showcase its talent at the right exposure events?

4.  Are the players in the program recruitable? Many coaches are exposed to talent that they would never have seen if they were not there watching an important recruit and notice someone else.

5.  Does the program have the proper image projected to the sports community?

6.  Can the college coach look up the program on the web and follow their search to the information they are looking for?

7.  Can you look up information on that program and get a good sense of who and what you are getting involved with?

These seven simple questions  can help you decide if a program is right for you and if that program can project your son or daughter in the right light giving them the best possible chance for success.  A good coach assess his or her talent and uses it to the best of its capabilities. That sentiment and philosophy should be prevalent  across the entire organization. If you answer some of the questions above you obviously will know if this organization or coach really cares and wants the best for his or her participants and is doing everything in their power to get them to the next level. I am not talking about recreational play obviously that only requires good organizational capabilities and a limited commitment from the participants. I am talking about and on behalf of the parents and coaches that get up at 5 AM on their days off, travel all over the country, drop off and pick up from practice day in and day out and do this  year round to help their or someone else’s child get better at their skill. Couple that with excellent coaching and proper exposure and you have the best chance of being recruited for the next level.  If the child and parent  are making that kind of commitment why should the program that they are involved with not utilize every option at its disposal to communicate and get the right image projected for the organization as a whole. I am not talking about a “f r e e” website that looks like some 4^th grader created it and only serves the purpose of the organization saying they have a website. I am talking about a professionally designed and built site or communication tool that projects the persona and pride of the program you are involved with. As you move forward with your commitment make sure it is being matched on every level. Real athletics sites are easy to manage easy to use and all the while project the pride and commitment of the organization. If coaches are telling you they don’t have the time to post information and promote your child and program then they are using the wrong software. Everyone knows that cutting corners does not help you, your team or your child. D1Scout is one of a handful of companies that give a great web presence and offer easy to use tools to manage the day to day operations of your program. They afford the coaches and administrators easy to use tools to update and communicate information on the web.  Although some are better at it than others select a company that you think can help your program and give your program a great polished look and feel. Having a proper web presence can help attract the right talent, sponsors and college coaches to your program. You are making that commitment as a parent. Let’s not forget the commitment and sacrifice offered by the coaching staff which in some cases do not have a child in the program and are there purely for the love of the game and helping kids. Don’t let your commitment and sacrifice go to waste or unnoticed! Make sure your commitment is matched by the organization you are involved with and make sure your website projects the proper image  to the sports community you are trying to reach.