Lights, camera, me – savvy athletes
market themselves via YouTube

Online video sharing has become an increasingly popular trend among high-school student athletes interested in playing college sports.

Over the past few years, websites like YouTube and Scout.com have opened the door for many high-school athletes seeking broader recruitment to larger universities. No longer do students have to count on a visit by a coach or scout to play before influential eyes. With online video, they don't even have to send a DVD.

Nicole Strickland, an All-District field hockey player for Grosse Pointe North High School, recently posted a highlight reel of her game footage on YouTube. She said the exposure allowed her to pick from a much larger list of colleges.

This year, Strickland said she received offers from Northwestern University, St. Louis University and the University of Connecticut.

Strickland’s coach, Jen Nadeau, said she encourages her students to take advantage of this tool because of the large increase in college recruits adjusting to online video sharing. “Before, you had one decorated player making the transfer to the college level and now I’m noticing the juniors getting themselves out there more so that they can apply to other colleges,” Nadeau said.

The only drawback seems to be that some of the larger-university coaches lag behind their players in using the technology.

“If you look at the ages of the coaches, a lot of them are old school and it’s more difficult recruiting if they're not used to going online and looking that way,” Nadeau said. “But I think in time it will change. Now it’s more of the assistant coaches who are doing the recruiting and if they’re looking for you they’re going to find you.”

Will Harrah, owner of Pointe Images, a video production company based in Grosse Pointe, said about 75 percent of his student customers benefit from these videos. “These videos help a decent amount and make it much easier for college recruiters who can’t travel as much,” Harrah said.

Harrah said the poor economy has affected budgets everywhere. As universities cut back, these videos make it easier for colleges to see rising prospects they otherwise wouldn’t, while saving time and money.

Nadeau said she’s noticed more college coaches looking at younger athletes, although NCAA rules say that a college or university cannot contact or talk to a student until their junior year. Online video gives athletes a way to shine a spotlight on themselves without encouraging any rule violation.

Nicole Strickland's highlight reel.

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