Your Pathway to College Athletics Starts Here
Empowering Valley Christian student-athletes with the tools, resources, and guidance to pursue their Quest for Excellence at the next level.
Start Your Journey
Why College Athletics?
Playing sports in college is more than competition—it’s an opportunity to grow as a leader and continue your academic and athletic journey. At Valley Christian, we believe in thriving in the classroom and on the field. Our mission is to help you navigate the recruiting process with confidence and integrity.
Valley Christian provides information to support our student-athletes who hope to participate in college athletics. Our goal is to help any Valley Christian student-athlete who wishes to continue competing to find an appropriate academic as well as athletic match.
To accomplish this, we build a partnership involving the athletic department, coaches, college & academic counselors and families to guide student-athletes through the college recruiting process. Our program provides support, enabling students to stay organized, compliant, and confident as they pursue athletics at the next level.
Did you know?
Below you will find useful information and web links to help start the recruiting process.
Your Year-by-Year Pathway
Freshman Year
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Build a strong academic foundation - your GPA matters from day one.
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Meet with your assigned college & academic counselor to choose courses and create a 4 year plan. Be sure to identify yourself as a student athlete with your counselor.
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Play multiple sports to develop versatility, athletic IQ and avoid overuse injuries.
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Be mindful of what you post on social media, don’t post anything you wouldn’t want a prospective college coach to see.
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Review the NCAA Initial Eligibility Standards
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Read The NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete & visit the NAIA Eligibility Center
Tip: Visit local colleges & universities. Going on a family trip? Consider visiting a college or university to get a feel for the campus. Spending time on college campuses can be invaluable when you start to make your list of potential schools.
Sophomore Year
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Check for updates to The NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete & the NAIA Eligibility Center
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Continue to excel in the classroom and be mindful of what you post on social media.
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Increase your athletic experience and development.
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Meet with your assigned college & academic counselor to review NCAA Required Courses and make sure you are on track.
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Review the NCAA Recruiting Checklist
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Begin tracking your stats and saving game footage for future highlight reels.
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Visit Colleges and Universities with your family to continue to get a feel for schools you may want to include on your list of potential schools.
Junior Year
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Check for updates to The NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete
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Review the NCAA Recruiting Rules & Recruiting Calendars for your sport.
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Create a list of colleges/universities that match your criteria (academics, athletics, size, cost, distance from home, etc.)
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Create a contact list for these schools. Include assistant coaches as well as the head coach.
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Attend showcases, camps, tournaments where coaches from your list of schools will be.
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NCAA rules allow Juniors to begin making unofficial and official visits.
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Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center & NAIA Eligibility Center. Be sure to do this prior to June.
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Meet with your counselor to review NCAA Required Courses and make sure you are on track.
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Register to take the SAT and/or ACT before January. Valley Christian offers the SAT on campus, sign up in the February newsletter.
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Begin outreach: send introductory emails / make introductory calls to college coaches.
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Social media can also be a valuable tool for contacting coaches.
Summer After Junior Year
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Continue contact with college coaches.
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Visit additional campuses.
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Take SAT and/or ACT as needed
Senior Year
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Continue contact with college coaches.
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Meet with your counselor to confirm your academic eligibility.
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Finalize list of colleges and submit applications for each school.
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Go on official / unofficial visits.
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Complete all testing requirements, essays, letters of recommendation, etc.
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Complete SAT and/or ACT testing.
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Narrow your college list and communicate regularly with coaches.
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Complete the FAFSA in the spring.
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Celebrate your commitment—signing day is the next step in your Quest for Excellence!
Resources
Recruiting Services
While Valley Christian provides guidance and support, some families choose to partner with recruiting services for additional exposure.
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What They Offer: Expanded networks, profile hosting, and personalized outreach.
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Our Role: We support your journey. We’ll help you evaluate options and make informed decisions that fit your goals.
Support at Valley Christian
You’re not alone in this process. Our dedicated recruiting coordinator(s) and coaching staff are here to guide you every step of the way.
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Personalized Guidance: One-on-one meetings to plan your recruiting strategy.
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Alumni Success Stories: Learn from graduates who have played at the next level.
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Contact Us: Click Here to complete an interest form or email ljacobs@vcs.net.
Ready to take the next step?
