Recruiting 101: How To Prepare And Market Videos Of Your Gymnastics

Recruiting 101: How To Prepare And Market Videos Of Your Gymnastics

One of the best ways to show the college coaches who you are and what you are capable of is in your video footage. It is important to include what is helpful and not harmful to you being recruited. Keep in mind the college coach is on a tight schedule. Yo

Sep 28, 2017 by Jill Hicks
Recruiting 101: How To Prepare And Market Videos Of Your Gymnastics
One of the best ways to show the college coaches who you are and what you are capable of is in your video footage. It is important to include what is helpful and not harmful to you being recruited. Keep in mind the college coach is on a tight schedule. Your footage needs to be organized well labeled.

A Few Tips To Remember


1. College coaches want to see both training and competition footage. Falls are okay in competition videos, however if you have routines without falls this is best.  

2. When videoing, stand at the side view of the apparatus. An easy way to remember this is to be standing where the judges sit at meets.  

3. Try to get as close as possible without cutting out the full body length. It's not just all about the routine or skills; the college coaches want to see if you can cast to a handstand at vertical on bars, and they want to see the shape of your handstands. 

4. College coaches need realistic footage. Sometimes showing progressions of skills with spotter is okay, but in the end they want to see you doing things safely without a spotter because this is what they need from you when you are part of their team. 

5. Remember form is very important in college. Your "cleanest" routines are best.  

6. I would not recommend posting anything below Level 9 routines. Of course this all depends on the division of teams you are targeting. If you are a Level 9 with Level 10 skills in your routines, then this is just fine to post.  

7. College coaches are looking for the reality of your skill level. If you are trying to leave things out, adjust things by fading in and out, or cutting things out, they can detect this and it may cause them to speculate.  

8. Some websites show only skills, and this is a problem.  The college coach needs to see your endurance and ability to connect your bonus. Half routines and full routines in practice and under pressure at competition is the key to a great video.  

9. You can use mats for soft landings, but using a tumble track only for tumbling footage is not going to give a coach confidence that your skills can be done on a real floor.  

10. Bottom line is videos are just one part of the recruiting evaluation, but I believe they are one of the most important pieces to being recruited. If a college coach cannot come to your gym to watch practice, they will want to "see" that your routines are reality. There is nothing worse than recruiting a gymnast to your team based on the information seen online, only to find out that the gymnast really cannot do what she showed on her footage or described in her emails. Be honest and have integrity in your communication with college coaches. In the end, you want the right fit and to be able to compete on the teams you pursue.  

JH Consulting is an advising business for parents and club gymnasts. Parents hire Jill to help them navigate the college gymnastics recruiting process. You can call her for a FREE consultation by going to www.jhicksconsulting.com for contact information.